The pension reform that has alarmed Russians will also affect military personnel, and there will be no less confusion about it. A very real innovation is to increase the length of service to 5 years. This and other military pension changes are aimed, according to the chief finance officer, Anton Siluanov, at the relative equalization of the financial situation of civilian and military pensioners.
Any story that says that someone can go into the “doing nothing” format at the age of 40 hurts the eye and ear, and the pension of the “warriors” is not 15–20 thousand. We’ll talk about what the minimum pension for military personnel depends on now.
How do military personnel retire?
The calculation of pensions for military personnel differs significantly from civilian procedures. The main difference is in the accumulated length of service and the age at which a military man has the right to leave service and retire.
According to the law, military personnel must serve for at least 20 years - this is a mandatory minimum.
Thus, if a young officer who graduated from college at the age of 22 immediately begins service, then by the age of 42 he can be considered a pensioner (by the age of 47 - in a new way).
All provisions on the social protection of military personnel are spelled out in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which states that the state is obliged to provide financial support for those transferred to the reserve.
Military personnel receive a salary, the amount of which depends on their rank, position, and length of service. It is this parameter that will determine the minimum amount of their old-age pension in the future.
An officer with 20 years of experience behind him will receive a pension upon reaching age in the amount of 50% of his salary and 3% of each year of service over 20 years, but not more than 85% of his monthly salary.
This is how the minimum pension allowance for a military personnel is determined.
Factors that influence the increase in pay during service:
- promotions.
- awards.
- participation in military operations.
- obtaining titles.
A salary increase is guaranteed to influence a high salary in the future. There is an opportunity to increase it significantly - to continue serving until 32 years.
Features of receiving government support from the military
ATTENTION! From the previous text of the article it is clear that the “military pension” is paid not only directly to military personnel, but also to employees of law enforcement agencies, structures involved in eliminating the consequences of emergency situations, protecting criminals, etc. Therefore, in the future we will use the words “military” and “military personnel” in the general sense. Everything that concerns military personnel of the Ministry of Defense equally applies to firefighters, rescuers, police officers, prison guards and other employees on the list.
If the right to a social pension is given solely by age (work experience and other details affect only the amount of payments), then to receive a military pension, length of service is necessary. Even missing a few months is enough to prevent a military pension from being granted.
The right to a long-service pension arises:
- If a citizen has served a full 20 years. The start time of the service does not matter. A person who began service at the age of 19-20 already has the right to retire at 39-40.
- If a citizen has served for 12.5 years, and at the same time he has 25 years of general work experience. In this case, the retirement age starts at 45 years.
In other words, the minimum length of service to receive a military pension is twelve and a half years. But in this case, 2 additional conditions are required:
- total work experience 25 years
- age over 45 years
That is, for example, a warrant officer who, after completing compulsory military service, began serving under a contract, at the age of 40 can receive a pension with full years of service. And a military doctor who graduated from a civilian medical institute, completed an internship, and only joined the army at the age of 30, can either retire at 45 years of age with mixed service, or serve until 50 in order to receive the right to a pension with full years of service.
ATTENTION! The military pension has no effect on wages, retirement pension or old age pension. Having received a pension, a serviceman can continue to work and receive a salary at the same time as the pension. Upon reaching the general retirement age (for 2021 in Russia this is 60 years for men), he will receive an additional right to an old-age pension.
The influence of length of service on the size of the pension
The number of years of service is an important factor that is taken into account when adding additional benefits. It determines what percentage a particular serviceman will additionally receive when receiving a pension.
Each subsequent year after 20 years of service brings the pension holder an increase in pension by 3%. In this case, payment is made upon successful completion of service for 20 years. This is the minimum required amount of length of service, which gives a serviceman the opportunity to receive a pension that is half the allowance he receives during his service.
Thus, if a military man served for 22 years, he will receive a pension of 56%. The maximum amount that can be achieved when additional payments are introduced is 85%. Having served more, you can receive a larger pension, but only up to a certain limit.
Length of service also allows you to receive pension supplements. The amount of bonuses depends on the length of service. An increase of 10% is formed for length of service lasting from 2 to 5 years.
Who can receive a military pension
The concept of “soldier” is not tied only to those citizens who are related to the Armed Forces.
The military pension system also applies to other categories of citizens:
- Ministry of Internal Affairs
- Fire service.
- Criminal executive services.
- Ministry of Emergency Situations.
- Engineering and construction troops.
- FSB.
- External intelligence service.
A person is considered a military serviceman until he leaves the reserve due to retirement or other reasons. Upon entering the reserve, the discharged person acquires the status of a military pensioner.
A pension is awarded to a serviceman or his family depending on how many years he served and the amount of his allowance. Becoming disabled during service can also become a factor for the provision of pension payments, but subject to 20 years of experience.
If 20 years of service have not been accumulated, but the man is 60 years old and the woman 55, then they are entitled to pension benefits. Its calculation will be made based on the existing experience, rank, position and the amount of monthly allowance.
Special conditions of service add years to the total length of service: 3 years are counted as 4. In military conditions, 1 year is equal to 3.
Procedure
Before a person begins collecting documents, he will need to find out whether he can become a participant in the program. If the citizen meets the conditions, the next step will be to visit the regional branch of the Pension Fund. The application is made at the place of registration. In relation to military personnel, the appointment is not made by employees of the Russian Pension Fund. Legally significant actions are carried out only when the interested beneficiary has formed an application and submitted it along with other documentation. You can do the latter in several ways:
- Personally visiting the Pension Fund.
- Transfer your authority to the representative. He must have a power of attorney certified by a notary.
- A request for assistance addressed to the employer's HR department. In this case, there is no need to visit the fund.
- Transfer of documentation by mail.
- Carrying out actions by visiting the MFC. In addition to assistance in collecting papers, receiving and checking them, multifunctional centers advise applicants and provide them with up-to-date information about the possibility of obtaining a particular preference.
Based on the documentation collected by the applicant, the validity of granting privileges or refusing them will be decided. The list of main acts includes:
- Identity document.
- SNILS.
- A certificate indicating receipt of a military subsidy.
- Employment history.
- A document that proves work experience.
- Certificate of earnings for the last five years.
- Information about the presence of dependents (if any).
The above list is not exhaustive. It can be adjusted depending on the situation. For example, certificates of incapacity for work may be requested, as well as other documents confirming state assistance, etc.
Important! After studying the documentation for the relevance and reliability of the information contained in them, the pension will be transferred to the citizen in a way convenient for him. At the same time, having tried one of the methods, you can later abandon it and replace it with another. To do this, you need to write a corresponding request to the fund.
What is the size of military pensions
The calculation is made using a special formula. Its components:
- Job salary.
- Bonus for rank.
- Additional pay for length of service.
All parameters are summed up and multiplied by 50%. If a person transferred to the reserve has served for more than 20 years, the amount of interest increases: for each additional year 3% is added. During indexation periods, the pension by law must increase by 2%.
In 2021, the reduction factor was set at 54%. In the end, the entire amount received is multiplied by it. Service in the northern regions adds a regional coefficient to the total amount.
The fact of disability during participation in combat operations implies social payments taking into account the coefficient and the assigned group:
- Group I – 280%.
- Group II – 230%.
- Group III – 170%
On average, a serviceman's pension ranges from 15 to 20 thousand rubles per month. This figure is approximate, since in each case the calculation will be individual depending on the conditions of service.
How to apply for a second pension for military pensioners in 2021
To begin the process of applying for a pension, you need to visit the military registration and enlistment office or the Pension Fund, where you will need to submit an application and submit a package of documents to the structure. In other words, the whole process is no different from applying for a regular old-age pension. The procedure usually takes from two to three months, depending on each specific situation.
The military is a separate category of the population, which differs from ordinary pensioners. Such people are entitled to not one pension, but two. The first monthly payment is based on length of service in the Armed Forces, and the second pension is based on the characteristics of the service and overall length of service, work experience in civilian enterprises, and so on.
How to calculate the future pension amount
In order to determine the amount of pension that each military personnel can count on, it is necessary to make calculations with the following variables. Firstly, this is the size of the salary, and you need to take into account both the salary by position and the salary by rank. Secondly, the percentage of salary that the holder of a long-service pension receives. Thirdly, this is a reduction factor. It means the amount of money that is taken into account when paying a pension.
For clarity, we give an example of calculation. The platoon commander receives a salary for his position of approximately 18,000 rubles, and for his rank - about 7,500 rubles. Let's say he has served for 23 years and is entitled to a 30% service bonus and is also entitled to 59% of the total. And let’s take into account the reduction factor for 2021 in the amount of 76.66% (in 2021 it will change by a small amount compared to 2020).
As a result, the following will happen. First, let’s add up the salary by position and rank: we get 25,500 rubles. Then we add 30% to this amount for length of service: we already receive 33,150 rubles. We multiply this amount by 0.59 (that is, we calculate the amount of pension to which the serviceman is entitled as a result of his length of service), and then by a reduction factor of 76.66%. That works out to approximately 14994.
Pension reform hits the army: Putin will repay debts to the military after devaluation
The pension reform, apparently, has reached the military. In theory, now the entire State Duma Defense Committee should stand up in unison and, taking a step, in a united formation, headed by Colonel General of the Reserve Vladimir Shamanov, leave the meeting room - their demands to the government to solve the problems of military personnel were once again ignored.
However, such a demarche did not take place, and the State Duma, at a plenary meeting on November 19, continuing the cannibalistic pension reform, adopted a law that again freezes at the current level the amount of monetary allowance to be taken into account when calculating military pensions. The document, part of the so-called package of budget-forming laws, was introduced by the government and was nevertheless approved by deputies in the third reading.
There will be no increase in military pensions expected from January 1, 2021 - instead there will be only a lip-rolling machine.
“In connection with the Federal Law “On the Federal Budget for 2020 and for the planning period of 2021 and 2022”... it is proposed to extend the suspension of the second part of Article 43 of the Law on Pension Security until January 1, 2021, maintaining the amount of monetary allowance taken into account for calculating the pension “73.68 percent,” says the adopted document. This means that the amount of monetary allowance taken into account when calculating pensions will remain at the level of October 1, 2021, when a very belated and insignificant increase took place.
And after January 1 of the next year, there will be no changes in payments. So the military was compared to those who became victims of the pension reform.
This is important to know: What Putin said about military pensions
The new law, which can only be described as predatory in relation to pensioners, suspends the rule of law according to which monetary allowance is taken into account when calculating pensions from January 1, 2012 in the amount of 54 percent and, starting from January 1, 2013, increases annually by 2 percent until it reaches 100 percent size. At the same time, for some reason, it is forgotten that President Vladimir Putin, back in May 2012, instructed the government to ensure an annual increase in pensions for military veterans by at least 2 percent above the inflation rate.
If we follow the logic of the presidential decree, then in 2021 military pensions should be indexed by 5 percent. However, Putin also promised civilians not to carry out pension reforms and not to raise the retirement age.
As “compensation” for freezing the amount of salary to be taken into account when calculating military pensions until January 1, 2021, the government sweetened the pill. As noted in the accompanying materials, the new draft budget still takes into account the increase in inflation and provides for an increase in the pay of military personnel and a number of other categories - by 3 percent from October 1, 2021.
Expert opinion
Antonov Viktor Sergeevich
Practicing lawyer with 8 years of experience. Specialization: military law. Recognized legal expert.
Accordingly, something will “break off” for military pensioners - again crumbs and only in a year. That is, the government is once again “throwing away” military pensioners with the now catchphrase “there is no money, but you’re hanging in there.”
During the second reading of the law “On the federal budget for 2020 and for the planning period of 2021 and 2022,” which took place on October 9, the head of the State Duma Defense Committee, Vladimir Shamanov, with the support of his associates, sharply condemned the proposals of the government, which constantly evades legislative implementation fixed pension guarantees for citizens discharged from military service. The conclusion, published on the State Duma website, indicated that from 2014 to 2021, the “increase in military pension” due to the increase in the reduction coefficient did not even cover the level of inflation, not to mention the implementation of the decree of the head of state.
According to parliamentarians' calculations, under-indexation has already amounted to 20 percent. At the same time, due to the reduction factor, budget savings from 2012 to 2021 amounted to about 2.8 trillion rubles.
It is likely that the current “freeze” of military pensions until 2021 will significantly replenish the treasury with money taken from retired defenders of the Fatherland. Again, during this time, more than one thousand of them will have time to pass away - pensioners in our country are rapidly leaving for another world.
It’s also “savings”. There is another reason for freezing pension increases.
For example, all economists believe that this measure, like the entire pension reform, is aimed at delaying time; the government is waiting for the ruble to devaluate and the national currency to depreciate even more. When the ruble finally collapses, the government will immediately pay off pension debts, including making payments to military pensioners who are heavily in debt.
There will be more devalued money supply and it will no longer be a pity to give it away, experts say.
It cannot be said that now, against the backdrop of the adoption of a law that is predatory for pensioners and the entire pension reform in general, the State Duma Defense Committee has “blown away” and stopped defending the rights of military pensioners. However, in the end, it was not possible to butt heads with the government on equal terms - Prime Minister Medvedev’s team once again ignored increasing the level of pay for military personnel and achieved the desired result.
In fact, they don’t give a damn not only about military pensioners, but also about the army as a whole.
Prospects for increasing pensions for the military
In 2015, it was planned to increase military pensions by 20 - 22%, but given the current circumstances in the economy, the hopes of military pensioners were not justified.
According to the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, payments to the military must be indexed annually by 2% without taking into account adjustments due to inflation. For 2021, the adjustment factor was 5-7%. In 2018, the indexation of military pensions was “frozen”.
In 2021, according to official assurances from the Ministry of Defense , two tranches from the state budget were expected to increase military pension benefits : more than 22.5 billion rubles in October 2021 and more than 41 billion in the fall of 2021. And the increase in the minimum length of service will not bring snow on head, and will gently stretch for 5 years.
Today's payments to retired military personnel exceed the pensions of civilians by almost 1.5 times. But the authorities, realizing that the army is the structure on which the country’s security is based, are looking for reserves so that future retirees do not wait for retirement age with fear.
All that remains is to think about how not to strike fear into the civilian pension newcomers...
Pension reform project for military personnel
6 minutes Author: Elena Pavlova 238
Expert opinion
Antonov Viktor Sergeevich
Practicing lawyer with 8 years of experience. Specialization: military law. Recognized legal expert.
Changes to pension legislation are introduced annually. In most cases, innovations developed by the Government in matters of pensions are not welcomed by citizens.
And if previously the legislation practically did not affect people who dedicated their lives to serving the Fatherland, then in 2020 the pension reform of military personnel took effect.
Reforms in the matter of pensions affected the retirement age and the increase to the existing amount. And if the increase in age is news that did not please the military, then any increase in pensions against the backdrop of rising inflation is a good help for the family budget. For military pensioners as well.
Answers to frequently asked questions
Where should former military personnel apply to receive a pension?
To military commissariats located at the place of residence of pensioners, in accordance with Article 51 of Law No. 4468-1. At the same time, citizens applying for pensions are required to provide reliable information about themselves.
Will the reduction factor be canceled in 2021?
No, but it will be promoted.
Does disability received during military service affect the size of the pension?
Affects. Disabled persons who received injuries of groups 1 and 2 are entitled to a pension of 85% of their salary; disabled people with diseases of groups 1 and 2 – 75%.
Raising the retirement age for military personnel in practice
Expert opinion
Antonov Viktor Sergeevich
Practicing lawyer with 8 years of experience. Specialization: military law. Recognized legal expert.
When the retirement age for civilian pensioners was raised, the situation with the military could not remain aside. The position of the state is to strive for justice.
This is important to know: Reduction factor for military pensioners in 2021
People's rights must be equalized, and this also applies to this case. Thus, if the draft law did not take into account such nuances, a huge stratification would form between people.
Some men could retire and relax by the age of 40, or engage in quiet, unburdensome work. Others would have to work until they were 65.
It is impossible to completely equate civilians and military. After all, people who guard the Motherland often sacrifice a lot for the sake of service.
They are forced to travel, they have to deal with irregular schedules and stressful situations. Some of them go through combat.
Moreover, their military pensions are small. In 2021 in Russia, privates, sergeants and corporals, who represent the bulk of employees, can count on approximately 10 thousand rubles.
Officers don't get much more. And from 2021, a moratorium on the reduction coefficient and its changes was also used.
The ratio was valid until the beginning of 2021, amounting to about 4 percent.
Many military personnel would be interested to know what the latest news promises, will there be an indexation of pensions for military pensioners in 2019? In this regard, there is still positive news. Social payments will be increased in the coming year, and in 2 stages.
Even more than that: money to increase military pensions has already been allocated from the budget. These funds should be used only in retirement, in order to raise the standard of living of retirees to the most acceptable level, taking into account current social conditions.
