Buying an apartment and mortgage interest. Property acquired by spouses during marriage is jointly owned, regardless of whose name it is registered in or who paid for it. Each spouse can therefore recover 260,000 rubles for buying a home and 390,000 rubles for mortgage interest paid.

Important!

  • Russian tax residents who pay income tax at 13% are entitled to claim the deduction.
  • The deduction covers actual expenses, within the prescribed limits
  • Each spouse can claim purchase deductions for several apartments within the limit, but a mortgage interest deduction for only one.
  • You cannot receive a deduction exceeding the personal income tax paid that year. The balance carries over to the next year.
  • Both deductions have no time limit: they can be claimed even several years after buying a home.
  • If one spouse temporarily did not pay personal income tax, they can use their own deduction when they begin paying it.
  • A property tax deduction is not available if you buy an apartment from a close relative.

Allocating the deduction. Spouses may agree how to divide deductions between them, taking each spouse's maximum into account. A person cannot waive their deduction in another person's favour. The agreement must be recorded in a special application. A deduction for buying a flat is allocated once, while the allocation for interest paid may be changed annually.

Standard child tax deduction. A parent's spouse may also claim a child deduction. It is RUB 1,400 for the first and second children and RUB 3,000 for the third and subsequent children. Your income subject to personal income tax is reduced by this amount each month. For children with disabilities, the deduction is increased to RUB 12,000 for parents and RUB 6,000 for guardians and trustees. The deduction ends when income for the current year exceeds RUB 350,000. It may be claimed again from the following year.

Tax deduction for medical treatment and education. A medical treatment deduction may be claimed for yourself, your spouse, children and parents. Either spouse may claim these expenses regardless of whose name appears on the documents. An education deduction may be claimed for yourself, siblings under 24, and children, but not for a spouse. However, each spouse may claim a deduction for their own education regardless of which spouse paid for it.

How much can be recovered for treatment and education? Each spouse can recover up to 15,600 rubles per year for treatment and education combined.

Exceptions:

  • expensive treatment on the list approved by the government: 13% of actual expenses will be refunded;
  • a child's education: RUB 6,500 per year, one shared limit for both parents.

The deduction may be claimed within three years. Any amount unused in one year is not carried over.