In Russia, there is a proposal to establish a national alimony fund intended to guarantee regular payments to children after parental separation. The idea has been discussed on air, with comments from Nina Ostanina, a deputy in Russia’s State Duma representing the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.
Ostanina argued that the state should enact legislation to create an alimony fund. The plan would have the state support a child through a federation-wide body, while custodial parents would work with bailiffs to collect money from nonpaying parents at a rate not below the monthly subsistence level. The goal is to create incentives for those responsible to fulfill financial obligations and to ensure timely support for children.
According to the deputy, such a fund would pressure delinquent parents to settle debts, shifting the focus from fault to responsibility by making the state the creditor of record rather than relying solely on private arrangements between former partners.
Ostanina notes that Russia currently faces a substantial backlog of alimony debts, with estimates around 150 billion rubles. She points out that many court orders related to collection are not fully implemented, limiting effectiveness in practice.
As of August 2023, the policy discussion indicated that mothers would primarily receive alimony from ex-spouses, but there was also consideration of extending support to fathers who have taken on caregiving duties for a significant period after a child’s birth. This reflects broader questions about parental responsibility and the distribution of caregiving roles in the post-separation environment.
On October 5, reports stated that the State Duma planned to review a proposal to establish a registry of debtors for alimony, aimed at improving monitoring and enforcement across the system.
Earlier reports highlighted increases in complaints about non-payment of child support by the second parent, with figures showing a notable rise in cases of delinquency among paying parents.