Recommendation points
- Change in the size of maternity capital
- New rules for the use of maternity capital to pay off mortgages
- Changing the rules for issuing a certificate
- How to improve living conditions with maternity capital in 2015
- Prospects for the extension of the maternity capital program
The regulatory framework for the maternity capital payment program is constantly changing, and not all Russians have time to follow all the initiatives of Russian legislators. We will consider the changes that took place in 2015 in the use of maternity capital to improve housing conditions.
Change in the size of maternity capital
In 2015, the amount of social support for families with children was traditionally indexed due to inflation. It has increased in comparison with the previous year by 5.5% and now amounts to 453,026 rubles. Of course, with the help of this amount, it is hardly possible to greatly improve housing conditions, but, fortunately, in addition to the all-Russian one, there are also regional maternity capital programs. In different regions of the Russian Federation, the amount of payments and the purposes for which the funds can be spent are very different:
- In Ryazan in 2015, the amount of payments is 50 thousand rubles. It can be spent on buying or renovating real estate, as well as laying communications.
- In the Belgorod region, families with a third child can expect to receive 50,000 rubles. At the same time, this money, unlike the federal program, can be used to repair housing.
- The largest payments are received by large families in the Amur Region – 291 thousand rubles.
New rules for the use of maternity capital to pay off mortgages
Previously, maternity capital could be spent on a down payment on a mortgage only three years after the birth of a child. At the same time, there were no such restrictions for the payment of interest on a loan..
The situation was rather paradoxical. It turned out that a young family needed to find somewhere significant amounts to pay the initial payment (when buying apartments in large cities, it could be a million rubles or more), and after that it was possible to use the several hundred thousand rubles of maternity capital owed to it for payment percent.
In May 2015, the law was amended. Now this restriction has been removed and the maternity capital can be used to pay both the down payment and interest on the loan, regardless of the child’s age..
Features of the use of maternity capital for mortgage payments:
- Making a mortgage for the father, and not for the mother of the child, is not an obstacle to its repayment with the help of maternity capital.
- You cannot use maternity capital to pay penalties for a mortgage.
- Maternity capital can be used to pay off the mortgage, even if it was issued before the birth of the child.
- Funds can be received only by bank transfer. You cannot cash them.
Changing the rules for issuing a certificate
In 2014, in a number of regions of Russia, it became possible to apply for a maternity capital certificate not only to the Pension Fund branches, but also to Multifunctional centers. These centers have become a transmission link through which documents will enter the Pension Fund, which will continue to directly verify the authenticity of all documents and make decisions on the issuance or refusal to issue a certificate for maternity capital.
In 2015 this innovation will be implemented throughout Russia.
After accepting the documents, the MFC transmits them to the FIU, where a decision is made to issue a certificate within a month. If the documents are not submitted in full or are unreliable, they can be returned to the applicant within 5 days..
How to improve living conditions with maternity capital in 2015
The procedure has not changed compared to the previous year. According to the law, the certificate can be used for the purchase of an apartment, reconstruction or construction of a residential building or repayment of a mortgage.
To do this, you must submit an application to the branch of the Pension Fund. The following documents must be attached to it:
- statement;
- maternity capital certificate;
- identity documents;
- insurance certificate.
The rest of the package of documents depends on what the maternity capital funds will be spent on. For example, if an apartment is purchased, the FIU additionally provides copies of the purchase and sale agreement and a certificate of state registration of real estate.
After checking all the documents, the maternity capital funds are transferred to the applicant’s bank account within two months. This procedure seems elementary, but it has many nuances that many Russians are not aware of:
- The purchased or reconstructed housing must be registered in the shared ownership of the parents and their offspring.
- You cannot spend maternity capital funds on ordinary repairs, only on reconstruction. Many Russians see little difference between the two. In fact, unlike renovation, reconstruction involves changing the parameters of the room (height, area, number of floors, etc.).
- If the owner of the certificate used only part of the funds for housing improvement, the remaining funds will be indexed.
Prospects for the extension of the maternity capital program
Initially, the maternity capital payment program was calculated only until 2016. But recently, rumors about its extension have been actively circulating. The need for this measure has been repeatedly stated by many high-ranking Russian officials..
In the spring of 2015, a bill was even introduced to the State Duma to extend the program until 2026, but it was rejected in the first reading. Nevertheless, Russian lawmakers still have time to make a decision to extend the program..
Is maternity capital an effective tool for improving living conditions and addressing financial struggles faced by families? Are there any limitations or challenges associated with this policy?
How does maternity capital contribute to improving living conditions? What specific benefits or support does it provide for families, particularly in terms of housing and overall standard of living?