Politics · Russia · 21 hrs ago
Russian tax debts can divert payments meant for credit cards
In Russia, tax authorities can take money paid toward credit card bills to cover a borrower's unpaid tax debt.
This has left some people unable to make even the minimum payment, while banks have charged interest on overdue balances.
Since November 2025, the Federal Tax Service has been able to collect undisputed tax debts from individuals without going to court.
Tax debts are paid ahead of credit card bills under the legal order for collecting money, though the tax service cannot take the bank's own credit limit.
Russia has 30.16 million active credit card users, but the scale of the problem is not yet known.
Borrowers can check tax debts and object to disputed claims through the tax service's online account or the Gosuslugi portal.
Once a tax debt is paid, restrictions may take time to lift, and customers can ask their bank to review interest or penalties, but the bank is not required to cancel them.
Russia’s Federal Tax Service can take money deposited to repay a credit card to cover unpaid tax debts, potentially leaving borrowers overdue.
Tax debts have priority over loan repayments under the legal order for collecting payments.
Reports describe borrowers losing interest-free periods, facing interest or being unable to make minimum payments.
The tax service has been allowed to collect undisputed personal tax debts without going to court since November 1, 2025.
The scale of the problem is unclear, though Russia had 30.16 million active credit-card users and nearly 4 trillion rubles in tax debt as of April 1, 2026.
- Who
- Russian credit-card borrowers with unpaid tax debts, and the Federal Tax Service.
- What
- Tax authorities may redirect money intended for credit-card payments to unpaid taxes, potentially causing late payments and extra charges.
- When
- The tax service gained the power to collect undisputed personal tax debts without court proceedings on November 1, 2025. Complaints were reported in 2026.
- Where
- Russia.
- Why
- Tax collection has third priority, while loan repayment has fifth priority, so tax debts may be collected first.
Russian tax authorities
Affected borrowers
Aspect
Russian tax authorities
side A's view
Affected borrowers
side B's view
Legality
Russian tax authorities
The Federal Tax Service said the collection procedure is lawful for undisputed tax debts.
Affected borrowers
Borrowers have reported that diverted payments left them unable to repay credit cards on time.
Disputed debts
Russian tax authorities
The tax service can collect undisputed debts without going to court.
Affected borrowers
A borrower who disagrees with a debt can file an objection; one reported complaint involved a person in a court dispute over the amount owed.
The Federal Tax Service gained the right to collect undisputed tax debts from individuals without going to court.
Complaints about tax collections affecting credit-card repayments began increasing, according to a lawyer cited by The Moscow Times.
An Alfa-Bank customer reportedly deposited almost 178,000 rubles to repay a credit card, but the money went toward a tax debt and the bank charged interest.
Inc. Russia and The Moscow Times reported on the effects of tax-debt collections on credit-card repayments.
Banks.ru published a headline about money being taken from Russians’ credit cards for tax debts.
- Tax collection priority
- Third
- Credit repayment priority
- Fifth
- Credit-card users
- 30.16 million active users in Russia
- Tax debt
- Nearly 4 trillion rubles as of April 1, 2026
- Reported customer payment
- Almost 178,000 rubles to an Alfa-Bank credit card
- Collection rule began
- November 1, 2025
3 sources
What people are saying
If a person disagrees, they can file an objection. This will suspend the collection procedure. While the tax service considers the complaint, no debits or blockages are applied.