What does it mean to freeze pension savings for a year? What threatens to freeze pension savings?

Pension savings allow citizens to influence their income, and the economy - to get an investment resource. Two years in a row, they succumbed to a temporary "conservation". The moratorium was extended for 2016. More details on what it means to "freeze pension savings" and how it threatens the country's economy and population, read on.

Data on the reform

With the income of employed persons, 22% are transferred to insurance funds on a monthly basis. Of these, 6% is spent on the formation of savings, and the balance - on retirement. At the request of citizens, the whole amount can be spent on the formation of a pension.

In persons who were born before 1967, savings are also formed from voluntary contributions, from maternity capital. With working citizens, all contributions go to the formation of a pension. Persons born after 1966 could independently choose the distribution of contributions. Then the reform was changed. For the third year in a row, all the deductions of the employed people are directed to the formation of a pension, not savings.

Coverage of the deficit

You can patch budget holes in two ways. The first is to reduce social obligations and index payments by 4.5%. This option will not draw the budget, while the actual inflation rate is 11.9%. The second is to reduce current social obligations, index the future by 7%, and impose a temporary moratorium. What does it mean to freeze pension savings?

Prehistory

The extension of the freezing of pension savings is discussed in the government whenever the issue of budget execution is raised. For the first time such a decision was made in 2013. When they began to ask questions about what it means to "freeze pension savings for the year 2014", the government explained that this is a temporary measure that is aimed at checking NPFs. At the same time they said that after 12 months the moratorium would be lifted. But it did not work out. In 2015, the funds were directed to anti-crisis measures, or rather - to the Crimea. In addition, the audit for the year did not have time to complete. In the spring, they began to think about the threat of the freezing of pension savings for the third consecutive year, and decided to lift the moratorium. But again it did not work out.

What is the freeze of pension savings?

The moratorium lasts one year. Accumulations are a guarantee of long-term sustainability of the entire system. Having imposed restrictions on them, the government is trying to patch holes in the budget. What does it mean to "freeze pension savings"? Contrary to the prevailing opinion, this measure does not mean the abolition of savings. According to the Ministry of Finance, in 2016 it is necessary to cut expenses by 576 billion rubles. Or find an additional source of funding. Then it will be possible to meet the planned deficit of 3% of GDP. Otherwise in 2017-2018. State reserves will be sharply depleted. How to understand it?

Frozen pension savings is still the only option for financing the state budget. When creating expenditures, the authorities have to save money. Because of the protracted five-year deficit of ways of balancing the budget, there are not so many already. As one of the options, an increase in the tax burden on oil companies is being considered. Such a measure should help to transfer funds from developed sectors to new projects.

Other options for resolving the problem were considered, for example, increasing the severance tax, reducing the indexation of pensions to 4%, refusing to pay social benefits for old-age pensioners who have an annual income of more than 1 million rubles. The state defense order managed to save from the planned 223 billion rubles. Only a couple dozen. It is good that while the issue of raising the retirement age is not being discussed.

In theory, there is a version that funds can also be used to finance projects of state companies, to help restart the economy. In practice, this option is not implemented. The funds are used to patch holes in the state budget.

Double punch

Half of the 1.7 trillion rubles. APF funds were invested in corporate bonds. In 2015, the economy was allocated 200 billion rubles. Accumulation. Freezing will only worsen the situation.

The blow will be double if the savings are directed to spending, not to finance the deficit. The budget for 2016 laid a sharp increase in the volume of borrowings (from 30 billion rubles to 500 billion). The state is a more attractive borrower for banks. This infringes the interests of companies that would like to take out loans for development. The incomes of the population will continue to decline, and the pension will not be indexed to the level of actual inflation in the next three years. It turns out a vicious circle.

What else is threatening the freezing of pension savings for citizens? The slowdown of the country's economic development, the loss of confidence in the pension institution. It is not known which of these options is worse.

Benefits

Having dealt with what it means to "freeze pension savings," we turn to the question of what this will give. According to the plans of the Ministry of Finance, in 2016 this measure will allow to finance the budget by 344 billion rubles. For the next 3 years (until 2018 inclusive) due to a reduction in the transfer of the FIU. But what exactly will be spent on savings, is not specified.

Results Achieved

During the first moratorium in 2014, the savings were used to pay current pensions. It was also planned that part will go to replenish the anti-crisis reserve. In fact, the funds were directed to support the Crimea.

In 2015, a transfer from the federal budget to the FIU will be 2 trillion rubles. (30% of pension expenses). He increased twice. At the beginning of the year, 285 billion rubles. Was aimed at indexing pensions to the level of actual inflation, which because of the currency crisis was very high, and to compensate for the shortfall in contributions. In the fall, another 124 billion rubles were required. For the same purposes: due to "sagging" earnings contributions do not increase.

Frozen - not the final output

The crisis of the pension system is deteriorating from year to year. In 2014, a deficit of 6 billion was covered almost half (2.4 trillion rubles.). The indexation will require even more funds. They are not in the budget. Therefore, countermeasures can be taken - increasing the retirement age, reducing payments, encouraging a late exit on a well-deserved vacation, etc. Frozen savings, the state does not receive "live" money, but simply reduces the number of current debt receipts. If the government decides to reduce payments (guarantees), the level of trust in the pension system among citizens will be less. This will quickly show up on the productivity of labor, the growth rate of production. Therefore, this measure even in the government provokes protests.

Plans for 2016

Indexing of social benefits is carried out taking into account the forecasted level of inflation - 6.6%. A more substantial increase in payments is impossible because of the unstable demographic situation: the number of able-bodied people is declining, and the number of pensioners is growing.

The average amount of payments in 2016 will be 13.2 thousand rubles. After the introduction of the reform of 2014, the period includes such periods as caring for a child, invalids, and military service. With the new scheme, you can get a premium of 500-700 rubles. Older working people, whose annual income will exceed 83 thousand rubles, will be deprived of benefits, but they will retain all benefits. The invalidity pension is calculated on the basis of the group, as well as the monthly payments. Since January 2016, it will be indexed by 10%. The increment to payments will be: I gr. - 900 rubles., II gr. - 500 rubles., III gr. - 400 rubles.

Since 2012, military pensions are increasing regardless of the economic situation. In 2016 it is planned to grow by 7.5%. At the same time, the 2% surcharge will be canceled, payments will be made for length of service. There is one more innovation. If, after the service, military pensioners go to work for a "citizen", then the accrual will be carried out according to the usual length of service, without extra charges.