Only about one in ten Russians regularly benefit from tax breaks, a figure of 10.6 percent. This result comes from a survey conducted by the online finance platform Webbankir, with data gathered by editors at socialbites.ca.
More than half of those surveyed, 56.7 percent, reported receiving no tax breaks at all. Seventeen percent did so once or twice, and another 13.7 percent indicated plans to take advantage of deductions in the future.
Nearly half of Russians, 46.9 percent, believe that obtaining tax deductions is difficult. Among them, 28 percent described the process as quite difficult and 18.9 percent as very difficult. By contrast, 53.1 percent felt the process was easier, with 17.1 percent saying it is very easy and 36 percent finding it quite easy.
When asked about barriers to deductions, about one third of respondents, 33.3 percent, cited the challenge of gathering the necessary documents. A roughly similar share, 32.5 percent, pointed to a narrow list of purchase and service categories that qualify for discounts. Twenty-eight point seven percent reported having no official income or very low earnings, which prevents eligibility, and 25.7 percent found filing with the tax authority to be a hurdle.
The majority, 57.3 percent, called for streamlining the deduction process. Forty-six percent advocated expanding the list of goods and services that qualify, and 39.3 percent suggested increasing the overall amount of available tax relief.
Tax deductions involve reclaiming part of paid personal income tax or reducing the taxable base. Reimbursement can cover expenses for purchasing a first home, as well as costs for education and medical care. Today, the biggest deductions are associated with apartment purchases, though the maximum benefit for housing-related deductions is capped at 260 thousand rubles. For educational services, the maximum deduction is 15.6 thousand rubles, with the same limit applying to medical expenses.
The survey was carried out in July and allowed multiple answers. It included 1,500 participants from across Russia, providing a broad snapshot of attitudes toward deductions.
Earlier discussions in Russia suggested introducing a tax deduction for parents of schoolchildren, pointing to ongoing debates about supporting families through the tax system.