What about maternity capital?
In Russia, the maternity capital program started in 2007 as an embodiment of additional government measures to support families with children. Implementation takes place in accordance with Federal Law No. 256-FZ of December 29, 2006 through the one-time issuance of a state subsidy provided for the creation of such conditions that ensure good level life. At the beginning of this year, more than 5.5 million certificates have been issued.
Additional ways for the state to support families with children are aimed at gaining the opportunity to improve living conditions, get an education or increase the level of pension provision in cash. federal budget, which are transferred to the country's PF.
On January 27 of this year, Dmitry Medvedev approved a proposal for a one-time payment of 20 thousand rubles from maternity capital funds. The measure is being taken in accordance with an anti-crisis plan designed to maintain financial and social security in difficult economic conditions.
Features of the program implementation and the amount of maternity capital in 2015
The social program is designed for a ten-year period: from the beginning of 2007 to the end of 2016. From a practical point of view, this means that in the situation of adoption or the birth of a second and subsequent children this year, no difficulties may arise in obtaining a certificate.
Note! According to the rules prescribed in the current law, the restriction until the end of 2016 does not apply to the direct ability to dispose of financial resources. This restriction only regulates the time for the adoption or birth of a second and any subsequent children for whom a state-issued certificate can be obtained. As before, the amount of maternity capital in 2015 can be used after the child is three years old.
In addition, the regulations do not establish any time frame for obtaining certificates. The required package of documents for registration is submitted at any time until the child turns 23 years old. You just need to collect the basic papers and go to the PF branch located at your place of residence. From the moment all documents and the application itself are submitted, the issue of extradition is resolved within 1 month.
On September 30 last year, the Russian media published plans of the Ministry of Economic Development aimed at optimizing budget spending in 2015 and the next two years. The proposals directly related to the closure of the maternity capital program this year due to its low efficiency. Ministry employees have calculated that this will save about 300 billion rubles a year.
However, such plans were not supported by the Russian Government, so for 2015-2017 the federal budget has already allocated funds in full for maternity capital payments.
Indexation or how much maternity capital is in 2015
Most often, fixed payments are indexed to match their purchasing power with annual inflation. Such a mechanism is also used in this program, because not all families are ready to manage their finances right away.
According to the draft Federal Budget Law, for 2015 it is planned to increase the amount of maternity capital by 5.5% and bring it to 453 thousand 26 rubles. Below we outline in more detail how much maternity capital is in 2015 and what changes have occurred with the amount of funds over the past years.
At the start of the program, the amount of maternity capital was equal to 250 thousand rubles. A year later, with an indexation of 10.5%, it increased to 276 thousand 250 rubles. In 2013, the increase reached 13%, and the amount reached 312 thousand 162 rubles. Then payments increased by 10% and amounted to 343 thousand 378 rubles. Gradually, the amount of indexation decreased: in 2011 at 6.5% and 2012 at 6% the amount was respectively 365 thousand 698 rubles and 387 thousand and 640 rubles. With an increase of 5.4% in 2013, the amount reached 408 thousand 960 rubles, and in 2014 – up to 429 408 rubles from 5%. In 2015, the amount of maternity capital amounted to 453 thousand 26 rubles.
In the future, it is possible that the increase in the amount of the amount will slow down due to negative factors in the Russian economy. For example, forecasts from the Ministry of Labor indicate that with a long-term decrease in federal budget revenues, the indexation of payments for 2016-2017 will be made in a smaller volume: by 4.5 and 4.3%, respectively, so payments will cross the line of half a million rubles no earlier than 2018 of the year.
Experts, taking this factor into account, predict a noticeable decrease in the purchasing power of maternity capital after this year and recommend that all families who have received a certificate plan to use the assistance as soon as possible. You can learn more about the prospects for reducing the purchasing power of payments under the program in a special article on this topic.
Changes in the maternity capital program
Last summer, deputies of the Belgorod Regional Duma sent the State Duma a proposal for a bill extending the duration of the program for paying assistance to families until December 31, 2026. But in the situation of crisis processes developing in the Russian economy, the introduced project was considered inappropriate.
Prior to this, in accordance with the order of the President of the country to assess the possibility and need to extend the maternity capital program after 2016, the Russian Government announced the advisability of continuing measures to provide state support to families who have adopted or have had the birth of a second or subsequent children. Information from the Government of the Russian Federation indicates that the provision of maternity capital was responsible for the increase in the total fertility rate in Russia to 1.7.
At present, no final decision has been made. It is logical that the issue will become clearer in the next couple of years. For doubts and difficulties with definition social policy The country is strongly affected by economic instability combined with Western sanctions imposed on the Russian economy and the deterioration general trends global financial crisis. Still, many hope that the country will be able to avoid the forced curtailment of social support from the state.
Difficult conditions and realities of life threaten the existence of large families whose income is below a certain level. In this regard, a program was created called “ Maternal capital", implemented since 2007.
The need for the program is dictated by the fact that the birth rate in last years was steadily declining, so the state offered support to the matter.
Will maternity capital be abolished in 2015?
There are rumors that maternity capital may be canceled in 2015. According to official data, this program is designed for 10 years, so the final year will be 2016, which means there is no talk of any cancellation in 2015.
If a certificate for state aid was received before 2016, but was not used, it will not be considered invalid, since the current legislation did not impose time restrictions.
The amount of maternity capital in 2015
Maternity capital is social assistance that is provided by the state in the form of a certificate. Every year, the amount of assistance is indexed and increased, but a previously received document cannot be replaced. A mother can receive a certificate from the Pension Fund within 3 years from the birth of her baby by submitting an application. The amount indicated in the certificate is not taxed, the assistance is allocated specifically to the parents, and not to the child, so they have the right to decide where to send the funds received.
Over 8 years of implementation, a picture of the indexation level was compiled:
|
Year |
Amount of payments, rubles |
Indexation, % |
In 2015, indexation will remain at the level of 5%; the proposal of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation to close the program did not receive support.
For 2015-2017, maternity capital payments were included in the federal budget in full.
According to the Federal Budget Law, in 2015 the amount of maternity capital will be 453,026 rubles, the amount of payments has increased by 23,617 rubles.
Indexation in smaller volumes is planned for 2016 and 2017: 4.5 and 4.3 percent, respectively.
What can you spend maternity capital on?
We would like to remind you that government assistance is given to families with two or more children. The following have the right to receive a maternal certificate: a woman who gave birth to or adopted 2 or more children since 2007, a father who, after the death of his wife or deprivation of her rights, became the guardian of 2 or more minor children, minor children who have lost their only adoptive parent or parent.
In order to receive maternity capital, you need to write an application to Pension Fund by providing a Russian passport, a child’s birth certificate or adoption certificate. In other cases, they may require documents confirming the death of a wife or parents, or the deprivation of a woman’s parental rights.
Cash in hand using the certificate is still not issued; only non-cash payments are possible. How to use the certificate?
- Improve living conditions. After the child is 3 years old, living conditions can be improved. An exception is repayment of debt on a mortgage or loan;
- Teaching children. The entire amount or part of it can be spent on children's education. All funds must be spent before the child turns 23;
- Pension. Saving for your mother or father's retirement is another option for using your finances.
Loans secured by maternity capital are not issued; according to experts, its purchasing power is gradually decreasing, so laws need to be revised. In particular, the possibility of purchasing vehicle, development family business, treatment of children, but so far no final decision has been made.
After January 1, 2017, certificates will be issued only to families whose incomes are lower living wage to improve their difficult financial situation. After 2015, the amount of maternity capital is not yet known.
In 2007 in Russian Federation The Maternity Capital program was launched. The main task in implementing this program is to stimulate the birth rate, the level of which in recent decades could not be called satisfactory.
Payments of maternity capital will continue in 2015, which cannot but please those who are still preparing to expand their family.
Size and indexing
A significant achievement in the implementation of this project was the regular indexation of payments. Since the beginning of the program, the volume of payments under it has almost doubled:
- 2007 - 250,000 rubles;
- 2010 - 343,400 rubles;
- 2013 - 408,900 rubles;
- 2014 - 429,400 rubles;
- 2015 - 453,026 rubles.
Since 2007, more than 4 million families in Russia have received a certificate entitling them to receive subsidies.
News and changes in 2015
Initially, this program was designed to assist parents with the birth of their second or subsequent children. For the birth of the third, fourth and subsequent children in 2015, payments will be made only if they were not previously made.
At their meetings, State Duma deputies have repeatedly raised the issue of the possibility of providing such a subsidy for the birth of the first child.
How to use the guide
In 2015, changes in the scope of use of maternity capital funds cannot be ruled out. There are currently several areas of its use:
- Improving living conditions.
- Getting a child's education.
- Formation of the funded part of the labor pension for mothers.
Possible expansion of the list
There are several options for developing the situation regarding the implementation of the subsidy in 2015. According to some sources, the government does not exclude the use of allocated funds for organizing children's holidays in Crimea and for relocation. Parents raising a disabled child, according to the proposal of the Ministry of Labor, will be able to count on using maternity capital to equip the apartments in which they live. This will have a positive impact on improving the quality of life of a disabled child.
Possible reduction in the number of referrals
In 2015, the possibility of reducing the list of possible investments and allocated funds cannot be ruled out. It is possible to cancel two of the three usual points - investing capital in children's education and the funded part of the pension. Refusal of these items may occur due to their actual non-use in practice.
The bulk of subsidy recipients - more than 95% - use it to solve the housing problem. The allocated amounts are practically not allocated for educational purposes and mother's pension.
News in the regions
An important factor that positively influences the demographic situation in various regions of the country is the allocation of regional maternity capital. Its size and terms of provision may vary significantly.
For example, in Ryazan it is 50,000 rubles and can be used to purchase housing, repair it and provide various communications. And, say, in the Republic of Bashkiria, only families who have decided to adopt can count on a subsidy. The amount will be more than 400,000 rubles (plus 100,000 if we are talking about a child with disabilities).
In the Republic of Crimea, such a subsidy will be allocated for the first time, which will be a pleasant surprise for new citizens of the Russian Federation.
Duration of the program
Those parents who had a second or subsequent children after 01/01/2007 can count on receiving maternity capital funds. In 2015, families will also be able to obtain this type financial assistance from the state. The deadline for this social project ends on December 31, 2016. It is during this period that the birth of a child should occur. But you can receive a certificate at any time, which is an additional convenience, as is the arbitrariness of the timing of its disposal.
Extension of payments under this program after the period specified by law is currently considered inappropriate. Although, if favorable conditions exist, the time limits can be shifted until December 31, 2026. This can happen when a third child is born (adopted) after January 1, 2017.
From January 1, 2015, the amount of maternity capital will be increased by almost 24,000 rubles and will amount to 453,026 rubles. Annual indexing of the amount of maternity capital gives its results, so that the estimated amount of maternity capital in 2016 will be 473,412 thousand rubles, and in 2017 - 492,348 rubles.
Since 2007, the size of maternity capital has almost doubled. During this time, Russian Pension Fund authorities issued more than 5.6 million certificates, including in 2014, more than 730 thousand families became holders of maternity capital certificates.
Where to spend maternity capital in 2015?
The directions for using maternity capital in 2015 remain unchanged. This:
- Improving living conditions
- Child's education
- Increasing the funded part of the mother’s labor pension
Statistics show that 99% of Russian families chose to use maternity capital to improve their living conditions. In particular, proposals have already been prepared to strengthen control over the use of maternity capital funds to improve housing conditions, namely: to issue maternity capital funds only to repay loans and borrowings issued by credit institutions; ensure the suitability of premises purchased using maternity capital funds for permanent residence.
You can find out more about how to get and where to spend maternity capital from the following articles:
