The ex-head of the Ministry of Finance of Russia Alexei Kudrin expressed the opinion that the current government used all possible methods to increase income, and the only remaining tool, the implementation of which may follow in the near future, is to increase taxes.
Incoming income tax
Kudrin is sure that the changes in the tax system should occur in the next five, a maximum of ten years, while one cannot exclude the option in which a progressive income tax system will be introduced for citizens. The expert noted that it is problematic to increase the tax burden in our country, but certain changes are possible, including as an alternative to preservation at the current level of retirement age.
Kudrin said that a possible mechanism for increasing retirement age provides for a gradual adjustment, which will be delayed for several years. Money for the maintenance of current pensioners is needed now, and the state does not have sources for their receipt.
All additional financial burden in such a situation will lie either on employers or their employees. There is no other option.
The former chief financier of the country is confident that in fact such actions have already begun. They can be considered freezing funds of the funded part of the pension and withdrawal of a significant part of the income from energy companies.
The issue with the progressive scale of taxes for citizens is not excluded. A dispute about the size of payments of the poor and wealthy layers of the population has always existed, and discussions on it can erupt with renewed vigor. That is, the first step towards creating a gradation system in taxation of different segments of the population will be made.
The abolition of the funded pension
Another area of government’s work may be the funded part of the pensions. Modern experience of its freezing already exists, so no one will guarantee that in the difficult economic situation that has currently developed at the government level, a decision will not be made to continue such a practice or a complete refusal to apply the system of funded pensions of citizens.
In turn, the ex-minister assured that a foreign business is of interest in the Russian economy. Investors from other countries are ready to invest in Russia, and expect a good moment when such an investment is the most profitable and effective. The crisis is always interesting for business, as it allows you to earn, use the situation for the development and seizure of the market. The main thing is to invest in a timely manner and bring products into the market.
Investors are actively monitoring the situation, while individual players are already starting to invest in Russian projects for the future, predicting that the economic growth will begin soon, even if this will happen only at the end of 2016.
