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- Take evasive action: tax debts of businesses and citizens have reached a record 4 trillion
Take evasive action: tax debts of businesses and citizens have reached a record 4 trillion
It is becoming increasingly difficult for businesses and citizens to settle accounts with the government in a timely manner. By April, the tax debts of Russians and companies reached a record 4 trillion rubles, an increase of about a third compared to the same period last year, Izvestia found out. The increase in arrears is taking place against the background of one of the most stringent tax control regimes in recent years. According to experts, it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to fulfill their obligations due to the high cost of borrowing, rising costs and slowing economic activity. As a result, the debt increases due to penalties and fines, and the risk of financial problems and even defaults increases for some enterprises. Which regions have accumulated the most arrears and what support measures businesses may need are described in the Izvestia article.
Why are business tax debts growing?
Russians and companies have accumulated record debts to the budget. As of April 2026, the amount reached almost 4 trillion rubles, according to Rosstat data reviewed by Izvestia. During the year, the figure increased by about a third — from 3 trillion rubles.
Of the total debt, 1.7 trillion is directly due to arrears in taxes, fees and insurance premiums. The rest consists of accrued penalties, fines and interest for late payments.
The largest amount of debt was formed for value added tax (VAT) — 648 billion rubles. The second place is taken by the corporate income tax, which was unpaid at 294 billion, and the third place is taken by insurance premiums, which accumulated 292 billion.
A significant part of the debt falls on the largest regions of the country. Moscow is in the lead, where the volume of debt has reached 1.5 trillion. This is followed by the Moscow region — 286 billion and St. Petersburg — 205 billion. The Krasnodar Territory (91 billion) and the Samara Region (80 billion) are by a significant margin.
In Rosstat, Izvestia was recommended to contact the Federal Tax Service for comments. The editorial board sent requests to the tax service and the Ministry of Finance.
The Federal Tax Service believes that debt should be assessed not by the absolute amount, but by its ratio to receipts. As of June 1, 2026, this figure was 6%, which is lower than the average level over the past six years — 6.2%, the service told Izvestia. They also noted that in three years the number of debtors has halved to 22 million, and foreclosure measures have already brought the budget 1.7 trillion rubles.
The main reason for the debt increase is the deterioration of the financial situation of the business, according to Andrey Shubin, Executive director of Opora Russia. According to him, companies are facing rising costs: loans remain expensive, logistics are becoming more complicated, the exchange rate remains volatile, and demand in many industries is unstable. In such conditions, enterprises primarily allocate funds for salaries and current activities, postponing payments to the budget.
Increasing the effectiveness of tax control also played a role, said Alexey Krylov, an expert at the Council on Financial Market and Investments of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a tax consultant. According to him, the Federal Tax Service sees more transactions today, identifies discrepancies faster and compares data from taxpayers and their counterparties more effectively. Therefore, debts that previously could have gone unnoticed or disputed for longer are now being identified faster and brought to recovery.
The increase in debts is associated with several factors at once, added Vladimir Eremkin, senior researcher at the IPEI Structural Research Laboratory at the Presidential Academy. On the one hand, the tax burden has increased — this year VAT has been increased to 22%. In addition, the income threshold for exemption from payment for small businesses on the simplified tax system was lowered. As a result, the number of tax payers has increased. At the same time, the Federal Tax Service has strengthened control over the shadow employment of citizens against the background of a policy of whitewashing the economy.
Another factor, according to the expert, is the slowdown in the economy and weakening demand. They have reduced the ability of businesses to meet their budget obligations on time.
At the same time, the amount of 4 trillion rubles itself is significant — it is comparable to the annual deficit of the federal budget and accounts for about 10% of its revenues. This is a serious amount of lost funds for the state, said Yaroslav Kabakov, Director of Strategy at Finam IC.
How to prevent mass bankruptcies
The growth of tax arrears increases the risk of bankruptcy of companies, according to Alexey Krylov from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. According to him, as liabilities accumulate, penalties and fines increase, and at some point the business may lose the ability to service them.
Low-margin industries and segments where demand reacts sharply to price changes are the most vulnerable. In addition, companies that have been underpaying taxes for years are at risk, as well as small businesses that have started paying VAT for the first time after working on a simplified system. The tax burden and administrative costs have increased for them at the same time, he noted.
Construction and development, trade, catering, services, transport and logistics may face the greatest risk of bankruptcy, said Andrey Shubin from Opora Russia. These segments are hardest hit by expensive loans, lower demand, and rising costs. However, a massive wave of defaults should not be expected yet, as many companies are trying to negotiate with the tax authorities on installments or restructuring payments, he stressed.
The main task now is to help businesses restore their solvency, rather than increase pressure, Andrei Shubin added. Among the most effective measures, he named the expansion of installment payment programs, targeted support for the most affected industries and a more flexible approach from the tax authorities. Otherwise, some companies may stop working, and the budget will not receive the expected revenue, he warned.
In the coming quarters, tax arrears are likely to continue to grow, although the rate of increase may slow down, predicts Vladimir Eremkin from the Presidential Academy. The main risk, he said, is that a slowing economy will push businesses into new debts. Therefore, available restructuring mechanisms are especially important today, which will allow enterprises to pay off the budget without stopping operations.
Thus, so far, record debt does not look critical for the economy. However, it shows that it is becoming increasingly difficult for many companies to fulfill their obligations against the background of expensive loans, rising costs and weak demand. If the business situation does not improve, accumulated debts may begin to slow down economic activity.
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