We recall the brightest initiatives of the authorities who wanted to change the pension system
Our pension system is the most distressing one in the world. The authorities change, on average, every three years. She turned into a Frankenstein, cobbled together from rash and hasty decisions. As a result, we work longer and longer, pensions in the country are small, and the Pension Fund deficit is still growing. Komsomolskaya Pravda decided to recall all the brightest initiatives of the authorities who wanted to change our pension system.
- Save or return back!
In the early 2000s, the funded part of the pension appeared in Russia. At first, 2% of our salaries went into it, and then – 6%. The authorities hoped that in the future, part of the burden of paying pensions would be borne by private pension funds. But something went wrong. The majority of Russians remained “silent”. They did not want to think about their future retirement and kept their accounts with the state-owned Vnesheconombank.
In 2007, the head of the Ministry of Health and Social Development Mikhail Zurabov came up with another reform. He offered to give people two years. If during this time they do not transfer their savings to private pension funds, the state will take this money from them. The government did not approve of the idea. True, seven years later, the deductions were still frozen, but at least they did not take away the accumulated.
What would have happened if they had accepted:
The system of non-state pension funds was fragmented at that time. The control was scanty. Therefore, there are a lot of scammers. The cunning owners of NPFs fled abroad almost every month with our savings for old age. And the guarantee system has not yet been invented. Therefore, Zurabov’s reform would most likely lead to the fact that most of the money would dissolve in an unknown direction.
- Do you work? Sit without a pension!
Since 2016, Russia has canceled the annual indexation of pensions for working pensioners. This was one of the half measures by which the authorities tried to postpone raising the retirement age and reduce the pension budget deficit. Justified by the fact that workers have another source of income and they do not need it as much as non-working people. But by doing so, they only generated another wave of discontent.
At the same time, the Ministry of Finance initially proposed even tougher measures. Firstly, the department of Anton Siluanov wanted to completely cancel payments for working pensioners. They say, in Soviet times, they were not. It means that now it shouldn’t be. Secondly, the Ministry of Finance offered not to pay early pensions to those who work in hazardous and hazardous industries. Like, if a person has already earned a payment, but continues to work at the same plant, then there is no reason to pay him a harmful pension. That’s when he takes the work book – then you can pay.
What would have happened if they had accepted:
According to official statistics, every fourth pensioner works in Russia. This is 10 million people. Most likely, most of them, for the pleasure of business, would voluntarily move into the shadow sector. Now the pensions of working and non-working people differ by a couple of thousand rubles a month. And this is not a sufficient reason to deprive yourself of official earnings. In the event of a complete cancellation, the motivation to receive a salary in an envelope would be stronger.
- Raising the retirement age … in 2010
The most painful topic of recent years. But in fact, they began to discuss raising the retirement age at the end of the 2000s. Former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said in 2007 that a “flexible” retirement age could be introduced.
- There is no need to administratively change the retirement age, it is necessary to make this increase economically profitable, – said the current head of the Accounts Chamber.
After the global financial crisis, when Kudrin became Deputy Prime Minister, he actively lobbied for not a soft, but a hard increase in the retirement age.
- The deficit of the Pension Fund will inevitably lead to the fact that the retirement age will be increased. It’s even difficult to discuss, he said in 2010.
Then populists of all stripes carefully trampled on Kudrin. The oil price was again torn to $ 100 per barrel. There was enough money in the budget. The topic was closed for several years. But by doing so they only delayed the inevitable.
What would have happened if they had accepted:
The retirement age would rise earlier. True, in this case it would have been possible to make it smoother. Kudrin proposed to announce an increase in the retirement age for several years. And then gradually increase it – for example, by three months every year (twice as slow as the current rate). Then the process of increasing would stretch for 20 – 25 years. And everyone who was less than 10 years old before retirement could go to it in almost the same way as they expected. Actually, this is exactly what happens in developed countries. In Germany, the retirement age is also increasing, but very slowly – by two months every year.
