One of the main types of financial assistance to young families in recent years has been the provision of maternity capital. For 2015, his payments are set at 453 thousand rubles . Termination of the program after the statutory deadline of December 31, 2021 could have a negative impact on the birth rate. Anyone who is thinking about expanding their family in the coming years hopes for an extension of the project, which, as of mid-2015, has already included 6.3 million Russian families during its operation.
On May 5, 2015, branches of the Pension Fund of Russia (PFR) in the regions began accepting applications for a one-time payment of 20 thousand rubles under a certificate for maternity capital, approved by Federal Law of April 20, 2015 No. 88-FZ as part of the anti-crisis government Plan for sustainable development economy and social stability. Read more…
Size and indexing
In just 8 years of the program, the size of the mat. capital increased by 72%. In 2007, the amount was 250 thousand rubles, and by 2014 it increased to 429,408.5 rubles. Regular indexation of the subsidy allows it to correspond to the level of current inflation.
According to the law on the federal budget for 2015, the amount of maternity (family) capital provided for by the law of December 29, 2006 No. 256-FZ “On additional measures of state support for families with children” is subject to indexation by 5.5% , which is RUB 453,026.0
Possible changes
In the summer of 2014, deputies of the Belgorod Regional Duma submitted for discussion to the State Duma a bill to extend the period of the family capital payment program until the end of 2026, which was considered not entirely appropriate in the conditions of crisis processes developing in the country’s economy.
Earlier, as part of the order of the President of the Russian Federation to assess the feasibility of extending the maternity capital program after the end of 2021, the Government of the Russian Federation announced the need to continue state support for families in connection with the birth (adoption) of a second and subsequent child. In particular, according to the Government, the provision of maternity capital led to an increase in the total fertility rate in the country by 2012 to 1.7.
At the moment, no final decision has been made on this matter. Obviously, everything can be decided within the next two years. To a large extent, the difficulties and doubts in the social policy of the country's leadership are determined by economic instability in the country, Western sanctions imposed on the Russian economy and the development of general trends in the global economic crisis. We can only hope that the Russian Federation will avoid forced measures to curtail state social support programs.
Changes in the direction of targeted spending of maternity capital funds
At the same meeting, it was proposed to remove MFOs (microfinance organizations) from working with maternity capital funds, and this project also received approval. This bill is in the process of being developed, but its approval is associated with the increase in fraudulent schemes for cashing out maternity capital funds carried out specifically through microfinance organizations.
No matter how much we would like to please our fellow citizens with good news, maternity capital in 2015 can only be spent on the same three purposes as in previous years: housing, education for children and the funded part of the mother’s pension.
However, it’s nice that “reliable” parents will be able to spend money on housing without waiting for their youngest child to turn three years old. It is also worth adding that the targeted spending of maternity capital on education includes not only paying for a university, but also studying at a music or art school, at a technical school, or even paying for receipts for a private kindergarten.
In addition, when considering maternity capital in 2015, it should be remembered that this year’s agenda includes a discussion of bills to expand the targeted use of certificate funds. It is planned to discuss the possibility of paying for the treatment of children with benefits and the possibility of paying for the education of both parents from the amount of maternity capital.
Receiving 20,000 rubles in cash from maternity capital funds
At a meeting of the Government of the Russian Federation dedicated to the development of a number of anti-crisis measures and held on January 22, 2015, a bill was approved on the possibility of parents receiving 20,000 rubles from maternity capital funds. The family can spend this money at their own discretion, since this entire amount can be received in cash by submitting an application and the necessary documentation to the Pension Fund of the Russian Federation.
This is precisely the statement made by the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection Sergei Velmyaykin. This forced measure to support families was already carried out during the previous crisis, in 2009 and 2010, offering parents to receive about 12,000 rubles, and the Government of the Russian Federation, in the context of a growing economic crisis, decided to support this bill, designed to help families in the difficult economic conditions of this year. In the meantime, the law is under development and will be fully announced in early February.
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 amounts allocated are practically not allocated for educational purposes and mother's pension.
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.
News and changes in 2015
The most discussed issue in 2015 is the issue of ending the maternity capital program or extending it for another 10-year period after 2021.
If the State Duma adopts a law to increase the life of the project, a number of changes are possible. These may include the following:
- Narrowing the circle of those eligible to participate in the program (this may affect wealthy families to a greater extent).
- Identification of target groups based on need.
You can find out the main news and changes in the maternity capital program in 2015 in a special section on our website.
The necessary conditions
The main condition for receiving maternity capital as a type of federal assistance in 2015, as in previous years, is the presence in the family of a second or more natural or adopted child born after 01/01/2007.
You can only receive the certificate once. Every year the amount of payments increases in accordance with the level of inflation, and with it the cost of living per child. In 2015, it reached 453,000 rubles.
They can be used, with a few exceptions, only after the child reaches the age of three. Money cannot be cashed out (except for the amounts established by law for each year).
So, you can apply for maternity capital:
- mother of two or more children, if one of them was born/adopted after 2007 inclusive;
- a man who personally adopted the second or both children;
- the father of the children if the mother lost parental rights or died;
- children themselves under 18 or 23 years of age (studying full-time at a university), if both parents are deceased.
The following video will tell you about the conditions of the program for receiving maternity capital in 2015:
Use of funds
Until recently, at the birth or adoption of a second or subsequent children, mat. the capital could be spent on improving living conditions, the child’s education, or the mother’s pension.
There is no single line or consensus on this issue. If events develop favorably and the economy stabilizes, the list of proposed directions may be expanded. Otherwise, the list will consist of a single item - improving living conditions.
The following options are under consideration:
- Exclusion from the list of items about mother's education and pension.
- Providing high-tech medical care, treatment of seriously ill children.
- Issue of mat. capital in cash.
- Gasification of housing.
- Purchasing a family car.
- Allocation of funds for mother's education.
- Purchase of special equipment for disabled children.
The government is monitoring the situation at all levels in order to make the most informed decision on this issue, which would suit the maximum number of citizens of the Russian Federation.
Matcapital 2021: what you can spend it on
Some statistics from the Ministry of Labor: in total, about 1.13 million applications for the disposal of MK funds were submitted last year. Of these, 692,000 applications were for improving housing conditions, 190,000 for education, 250,000 for monthly payments, 829 for mother’s funded pension.
As you can see, the most popular option remains resolving the housing issue. MK funds can be used for a down payment on a mortgage loan or for its repayment; you can also pay for the construction/reconstruction of a house. An important point: since last year, this has been allowed to be done in relation to houses that are located on a garden plot, and not only to those that are located on lands designated for individual housing construction, as was previously the case.
This year, there are more opportunities to spend MK funds; now you can use them to make a down payment on a rural mortgage - this will simplify the processing of a loan, since previously banks often refused it, indicating that rural mortgage programs do not provide for the use of MK. Another innovation for 2021 is that with MK you can now pay off a military mortgage.
News in the regions
Parents in the Russian Federation have the opportunity to receive government support not only from the federal treasury, but also from regional budgets. Each of the federal subjects has its own possibilities and rules for using this subsidy. Over the past couple of years, several dozen regions and autonomous entities have adopted legislation to make support for motherhood and childhood more effective.
In many regions of the federation, in addition to cash subsidies, various benefits and specific assistance are provided in paying utility bills and providing school-age children with everything they need. Free (preferential) services in the field of education and medicine are also provided.
Duration of the program
At the moment, the following is known regarding the duration of the Maternity Capital program. According to the law, payments under this project must cease after December 31, 2016.
The government is aware of the social significance of this type of government support and is looking for opportunities to extend the program. It may be necessary to make some restrictions in the area of direction of the use of allocated funds or in other matters. The main thing is that millions of Russian families can count on such significant and much-needed assistance. Optimistic forecasts allow us to expect the project to be extended until 2025-2027.
Receipt times
Now let's talk about the timing of obtaining a maternity capital certificate in 2015. Documents for its registration can be submitted immediately after the birth of the baby or later, until he is 18 or 23 years old (if he continues to study full-time).
Thus, the ten-year period of the program is the period in which the second one should appear, etc. child so that the family can qualify for financial support from the state.
The certificate can be used when the child is three years old. If this age has not yet been reached, but the family already has a mortgage or other type of home equity loan, the transfer may be authorized immediately.
The current program expires on January 31, 2016 , but it is quite possible that a new project will come into force after that.
