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- No paperwork: The Ministry of Finance will simplify the procedure for processing a tax deduction
No paperwork: The Ministry of Finance will simplify the procedure for processing a tax deduction
Starting in September 2025, the procedure for processing certain tax deductions will change in Russia. The process will be implemented at Gosuslugi, which will simplify the procedure. Automation through the portal will not only save citizens time, but also reduce the number of errors, experts say. What will change the new approach is in the Izvestia article.
A step towards digitalization
The procedure for making tax deductions in some categories will be simplified. This was stated to RIA Novosti by the head of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation Maksut Shadaev. In particular, starting from the end of September 2025, it will be possible to apply for a tax deduction for education in Public Services. In this way, it will be possible to receive funds for studying both in Russia and abroad.
The issue of expanding the scenarios for online filing of documents for deduction is also being considered. They will include an investment deduction, a deduction for long-term savings, income from certain types of activities, etc.
Starting from the end of 2024, it is already possible to send a 3-personal income tax declaration to the Federal Tax Service and documents confirming income or the right to receive social tax deductions when paying for medical treatment, sports, education in Russian educational institutions, or for real estate and mortgage interest, the Ministry of Finance recalled in an interview with Izvestia.
In addition, by 2026, it is planned to realize the receipt of the calculated tax from the sale of real estate and transport, the ministry said.
— Citizens will not have to fill out a declaration on their own in order to pay income tax. It will be possible to track the status of desk inspections of the tax service to see at what stage the application is or when the payment will begin," the Ministry of Finance explained.
It may appear on Gosuslugi and receive up-to-date statuses of desk checks, which will allow you to clarify whether the application has moved to the next stage of verification or to the status of payment.
The editorial board of Izvestia sent a request to the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation. No response has been received at the time of publication.
Incentive to use
Today, Gosuslugi is gradually becoming the most comprehensive repository of citizen data, says Mikhail Khachaturian, Associate Professor at the Department of Strategic and Innovative Development at the Financial University. The platform acts as a means of the fastest, simplest and most understandable interaction with citizens, including with the Federal Tax Service.
Nikita Chaplin, a member of the Budget and Taxes Committee, is convinced that the introduction of the possibility of making tax deductions through the portal is a significant step in digitalizing the tax system and simplifying the lives of citizens.
— Today, many Russians do not enjoy the legal right to deductions simply because the process seems difficult to them: they need to collect documents, fill out declarations, and contact the tax service. The transfer of these services to an online format will make the procedure fast and understandable, which is especially important for working people, students and families with children," the parliamentarian believes.
Receiving deductions will become more affordable, because many unknowingly simply did not apply for the benefits provided by the state, confirms Tatyana Padukova, head of the accounting company KvartalPro. Simplification of the procedure will act as an incentive for citizens to actively use their tax rights, returning part of the funds paid to the state, Chaplin is sure.
The burden on medical and educational organizations, banks, tax agents and other structures will also decrease, Padukova believes.
"When concluding a contract, organizations no longer need to provide each client with an appropriate set of documents to confirm the deduction in the future," she explains.
Error protection
Today, the Federal Tax Service of Russia has its own application, which also very effectively ensures the interaction of citizens with tax authorities, Mikhail Khachaturian notes. But its key drawback is that when contacting the service through the application, you need to independently upload documents from other authorities confirming the right to deduction, including education, real estate and transport. The process of collecting documents and visiting the tax inspectorate can be very tedious, says Nadezhda Kapustina, professor at the Department of Economic Security and Risk Management at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.
It is necessary, for example, to file a 3-personal income tax declaration and attach supporting documents. This takes time, and errors in filling out can lead to refusals, Nikita Chaplin draws attention to.
To receive a tax deduction for education, for example, you need to collect a package of documents that includes not only a declaration in the 3-personal income tax form, but also an agreement with an educational institution, copies of licenses, as well as payment documents confirming expenses, Kapustina lists.
— In addition, according to the current procedure, citizens should wait up to three months for a decision on a desk check by the tax authority, and then fill out an application for a tax refund from the budget, — says Ravil Akhmadeev, associate professor of the Department of State and Municipal Finance at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. In fact, all these actions are necessary only to obtain information in the form of a ready-made calculated amount of personal income tax for a calendar year.
Waiting for the transfer of funds, in turn, takes about another month, says Kapustina.
"This whole process stretches over a long period of time and requires constant monitoring by the taxpayer," she emphasizes.
The new service at Gosulsugah will automate the procedure — data will be uploaded from state registers, and the system will automatically calculate the deduction amount, Chaplin points out. In particular, appeals to various authorities, such as educational institutions, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Education, the Traffic Police, the cadastral service and others, will be processed automatically, Khachaturian explains.
All this, according to Chaplin, will not only save citizens time, but also reduce the number of errors. Automating the process will minimize bureaucratic barriers and make public services more accessible to all categories of the population, Kapustina agrees.
Everything is under control
Mikhail Khachaturian does not expect serious difficulties in implementing the new option, since the Ministry of Finance has already accumulated extensive experience in expanding the range of public services provided through the portal.
"Of course, it will take some time to implement and test, but most likely, by the spring of 2026, all new functions will be fully launched," the expert predicts.
However, technical difficulties are possible when implementing such large-scale changes, Nikita Chaplin admits. In particular, it is necessary to establish integration with educational institutions, especially foreign ones, and ensure the correct operation of the tax calculator.
Technical failures of the system can lead to delays in processing applications or even to loss of information, Nadezhda Kapustina does not exclude. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure reliable protection of users' personal data from cyber threats.
— The integration of information systems of various departments is a complex technical task. The tax Service, educational institutions, and Rosreestr should establish uninterrupted data exchange. Any inconsistencies in the information may lead to refusals to provide deductions," warns the Izvestia interlocutor.
At the first stages, it is important to carefully monitor the process, since funds for treatment and training can be spent unevenly, says Ravil Akhmadeev. In this regard, following the results of the tax period, it is necessary to check the actual availability of all expenses incurred at Gosuslugi for the correct calculation of the refund amount.
— But the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Service already have successful experience in digitalizing services — take, for example, automatic accrual of benefits or filing declarations online. I am sure that in this case, the departments will promptly eliminate possible shortcomings," Chaplin emphasizes.
However, there is a risk of unfair fulfillment of obligations for the timely transfer of data by organizations to the Federal Tax Service, warns Tatiana Padukova.
"Then information about the educational services provided may not be received by the tax authority, and the taxpayer will have to claim the deduction in the old order," the expert notes. However, this is unlikely, because organizations are also interested in simplifying their work, which means reducing the number of paperwork on paper.
But this reduction can become a serious obstacle due to the low literacy rate of some citizens, Kapustina emphasizes.
— Elderly people and residents of remote areas with limited Internet access may face difficulties using the new system. It is important to provide and leave available alternative ways of making deductions for such groups of the population," she urges.
It is also necessary to conduct explanatory work with citizens in parallel with the introduction of the new option: people should be aware of new opportunities and understand how to use them, Chaplin draws attention.
In general, in the future, expanding the list of deductions available online will make the system even more flexible, the parliamentarian is convinced. And this is in line with the government's overall strategy to create a comfortable digital environment for citizens and businesses.
Izvestia sent a request to the Federal Tax Service.
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