In the context of calculating family income, the minimum child support payments will be based on the average salary in the region, not the minimum wage, like now. The changes will affect divorced parents who have not had their child support payments ruled by court.
Starting March 1, the minimum child support payments recorded as family income when applying for the unified allowance will be based on the average monthly nominal accrued salary in the region as determined by Rosstat. The minimum wage is used for that purpose currently. determining the payments in cases where, after divorce, the parents have not decided the amount to be provided as child support in court.
In such situations, the Social Fund factors in the actual child support specified by the parent in their unified allowance application, or the amount prescribed in a notarized agreement between the parents. If it is lower than the established minimum threshold, the child support to be counted toward the family income shall be based on the minimum wage instead.
Starting next month, the average salary by region will be used for this purpose. Its shares determined by the number of children in the family, will remain the same. For parents with one child, the minimum child support will be based on one quarter of the salary, for parents with two children – on one third, and for parents with three or more children – on half of the salary. Let us have a look at a specific example.
A mother of three from Penza Region applies for the unified allowance in March. She is divorced, and child support is paid under a verbal agreement between the parents. Since she has three children, the minimum child support to be factored in for the purposes of the unified allowance shall be no less than half of the average salary in the region, which means no less than RUB 28,734 (RUB 57,468 × ½).
That will be the amount counted toward child support if the father really pays, for instance, RUB 25,000. If the actual amount is higher, e.g., RUB 30,000, the rule of minimum child support does not apply, and the amount actually paid as child support, meaning RUB 30,000 is factored in instead.
For parents who went to court and got a ruling on the child support amount, nothing will change in March. The Social Fund will keep counting these amounts toward the family income based on information received from courts, bailiffs or the parents themselves. Even if the child support calculated in this manner is lower than the established limits, the minimum child support rule will not apply, and the amount recorded in the court ruling will be taken into account.