The rules have changed: how not to lose a single benefit due to alimony
Starting from March 1, new rules for calculating alimony payments for calculating a single allowance for families with children will come into force in Russia. Now the decision on the appointment of payments will be determined not on the basis of the minimum wage, but based on the average salary in the region over the past year. Because of this, in the capital regions, "incomes" will increase by a multiple, which may automatically deprive some families of the right to support. About how the innovation will affect citizens, see the Izvestia article.
In Russia, the rules for calculating alimony when calculating a single benefit are changing
Starting from March 1, 2026, when calculating the unified allowance for families with children, alimony payments will be taken into account based on the average salary in the region for the previous year, according to Rosstat. Previously, the calculations used the minimum wage, which from January 1, 2026, is 27,093 rubles. This indicator was the same for the whole country. One child was entitled to 1/4 of this amount, which amounted to 6773 rubles.
Now the estimated income of families in the capitals will increase several times, since the wage level in these regions is significantly higher than the national average. For residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg, this innovation will be critical. This opinion was expressed by Sean Betrozov, a lawyer at the Moscow Chamber of Lawyers and a member of the Russian Bar Association, in a conversation with Izvestia.
— If earlier an increase in income of 6-7 thousand rubles allowed a single mother with a salary of 40-50 thousand rubles to fit into the criteria of need, now an estimated income of 40 thousand rubles (for Moscow) will instantly raise the total amount of the family budget to 80-90 thousand. This automatically deprives the family of the right to a single benefit, since the average per capita income will exceed the regional subsistence level," he said.
Lawyers note that the Social Fund will not request confirmation of the actual transfer of this money. If there is no court decision, then it is assumed that the second parent pays exactly a quarter of the average salary in the region, even if he is unemployed or transfers the minimum amounts by verbal agreement.
How will the system of receiving benefits change from March 1
The reform actually divides all recipients of payments into two categories: those who resolved the issue through the court, and those who agreed amicably. So, for families where alimony is paid by oral agreement or notarial agreement, the situation is changing dramatically.
If the father of the child transfers, for example, 10 thousand rubles, but according to official statistics, a quarter of the average salary in the region is 30 thousand, then the Social Fund will add exactly 30 thousand to the income, says Sean Betrozov.
"No bank statements confirming the actual receipt of a smaller amount, or screenshots of correspondence, will no longer be an argument for the inspection authorities," he said.
Lawyers also point out that such innovations will provoke more appeals to the court for the official appointment of alimony instead of amicable solutions. All this can lead to an increased burden on the judicial system and social services. However, in the long term, this should raise awareness of legal issues and strengthen State control over the fulfillment of parental responsibilities for the maintenance of children.
What is "virtual income" for alimony payments?
If alimony payments were received with delays or were not paid for several months, and the child's mother did not apply to the court for their recovery, the Social Fund will charge the family a "virtual" income for each missed month. Now the absence of a claim is regarded as a sign that the family is not experiencing real financial need.
In large cities such as Moscow or St. Petersburg, where average salaries are higher, automatic "surcharges" can formally make a family too well off to receive state support, even if in fact it barely makes ends meet and lives at the subsistence level.
— Notary contracts for minimum amounts, which were often used to artificially lower incomes in order to pass the need filter, are losing their legal weight for the Social Fund, — said Sean Betrozov.
How much will be the amount of alimony payments from March 1 in Moscow and St. Petersburg
Experts believe that with the new approach, the unified federal standard will actually be abolished, and the amount of imputed income will depend on the economic level of a particular subject of the Russian Federation. Now payments per child by Moscow standards assume an amount of 43,437 thousand rubles.
Accordingly, in the absence of a court decision, the Social Fund will apply the shares stipulated in the Family Code — a quarter of income for one child, a third for two and half for three or more children. As a result, the calculated indicators will be distributed over several levels depending on the region.
— It is assumed that the social support system for citizens will be more targeted, as there will be fewer situations of artificially low incomes. At the same time, the risk of leaving families without social support increases, where agreements are reached privately or through a notary," Sofya Lukinova, head of the legal department of VMT Consult, said in a conversation with Izvestia.
If the average salary in Moscow was 173,748 rubles by the end of 2025, then alimony payments for one, two, and three or more children will be 43,437 rubles, 57,337 rubles, and 86,874 rubles, respectively. In the Moscow region, the average income is 119,732 rubles. Accordingly, alimony payments for the Ministry of Defense will be as follows: 29,933 rubles for one child, 39,512 rubles for two children and 59,866 rubles for three or more children.
If we talk about St. Petersburg, where last year the average salary was 122,179 rubles, then alimony payments should be 30,545 rubles, 40,319 rubles, and 61,089 rubles for one, two, three, and further children.
What measures have been introduced against child support debtors
In Russia, non-payment of alimony provides for civil, administrative and criminal liability. These measures are applied consistently: from the accrual of penalties for delay to imprisonment, while none of the sanctions exempts from mandatory debt repayment.
Civil liability occurs already with a one-day delay. According to the court's decision, the debtor pays a penalty in the amount of 0.1% of the amount of unpaid alimony for each day of delay. In 2025, the Federal Bailiff Service recovered 100 billion rubles from debtors.
In addition, there is an open register of alimony debtors in Russia, where you can check for arrears.
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