Putin ordered that the money of deceased citizens be transferred to Russia’s budget
Kyiv • UNN
The funds of deceased Russians without heirs will be transferred to the budget over a period of five years. A special registry will be created for this purpose.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing the state to seize funds from the bank accounts of deceased Russians if their heirs have not claimed them within five years. The funds may be held in rubles, foreign currency, or precious metals, The Moscow Times reports, according to UNN.
Details
According to the document, assets whose owners died more than five years ago and for which no inheritance proceedings were opened will be subject to seizure.
To this end, the Russian authorities will create a special register of deceased citizens containing their personal data and information about their bank accounts. Rosimushchestvo will be responsible for compiling the list.
The money of deceased Russians will go to the budget
The Federal Tax Service must provide the necessary information by December 1, 2026. After that, notaries will check whether any legal heirs are claiming the property.
Foreign-currency savings will be converted into rubles, while precious metals will be valued according to banking conditions or the Central Bank's exchange rate.
The decision was made against the backdrop of Russia's growing budget deficit. In January–September 2026, it reached 5.2 trillion rubles, and by the end of the year, according to Russia's Finance Ministry, it could grow to 7.3 trillion rubles.