Most Russians consider paying income tax at a flat rate unfair

More than two-thirds of Russians (67%) consider it unfair to pay income tax at a flat rate of 13% for everyone, including citizens with high and low incomes, showed survey VTsIOM. This indicator has remained virtually unchanged since 2005 – then only 25% of respondents supported a flat personal income tax scale, now it is 27%. The share of those who consider a single tax rate to be unfair increases with age (81% in the group over 60 years old versus 47% among young people 18–24 years old).

Every second respondent (53%) agrees with the statement that taxes can be high so that poor people can receive more support from the state in the form of free services. Almost half (46%) would prefer to pay more taxes, but be confident in the wide availability and high quality of public services (education, healthcare, security, etc.). About a third of respondents hold the opposite opinion on both positions.

According to VTsIOM experts, the survey data can be interpreted as the readiness of Russian society for tax reform. Let us recall that the transition to a “fairer tax system” was announced On February 29, during the President’s address to the Federal Assembly.