Changing a personal debt restructuring plan in Russia: procedure and extension

DEBT RESTRUCTURING · APPROVED PLAN · AMENDMENT PROCEDURE

Legal sources checked on 6 October 2026. This article concerns Russian judicial personal bankruptcy and a plan that has already been approved.

Who can change an approved plan?

Initial preparation and approval are covered in our general guide to debt restructuring. This article addresses the next stage: a plan is in force, but the existing schedule needs adjustment.

How the debtor proposes amendments

The debtor sends proposals to the financial administrator. Within 15 days of receiving them, the administrator must send the amended plan to bankruptcy creditors and the authorised public body by registered post with delivery confirmation. A meeting to consider the amendments must be convened within one month of dispatch.

Approval requires a majority of the total voting rights of bankruptcy creditors and the authorised body whose claims are in the register. A majority only of those attending is not equivalent to this rule.

The court then considers the amendments. The statute provides for approval where the meeting approves them, adjournment where it refuses and an Article 213.17(2) motion is made, or refusal of approval. Creditor refusal does not put the proposed schedule into effect; the possible next court decision depends on the case. Approval and refusal orders may be appealed.

How long can a restructuring plan be extended?

With meeting approval, the court may extend performance within the maximum implementation period. Under Article 213.14, the ordinary limit is five years; a plan approved under Article 213.17(4) is limited to three years. This is the overall plan period, not an additional five or three years after the original completion date.

Extension without approval is a separate mechanism. Article 213.20(6) provides for extension up to three years where force majeure prevented performance. Paragraph 12 of the Supreme Court Review dated 18 June 2025 explains that other objective circumstances preventing a good-faith debtor from performing may also justify extension. Assessment should not be confined to the technical requirements of force majeure.

This does not grant automatic deferral whenever income falls. The debtor must show an objective obstacle, its effect on particular payments, good faith and realistic performance after extension. An application to extend an already five-year plan without creditor consent does not become a permissible “eight-year plan”.

Documents and calculations to prepare

The application should identify the case, approval date, provisions to be amended, legal grounds and requested result. For agreed amendments, include the meeting decision and evidence of procedural compliance. For extension without approval, separately explain Article 213.20(6) and paragraph 12 of the Supreme Court Review.

Hypothetical calculation, not a reported case. An outstanding RUB 600,000 is due over 12 months at RUB 50,000 per month. A proposed 20-month schedule would require RUB 30,000 per month. This arithmetic illustrates a change, but does not establish a right to extension: check the overall period, grounds, expenses and approval procedure. Unsupported expectations of future income are weaker than a documented payment source.

Can creditors require amendments?

Yes, if the debtor’s financial position improves. Under Article 213.21 the meeting may apply to the court with a motion and proposed amendments. It must prove improvement compared with the position on the approval date and capacity to repay included claims sooner and/or a greater number of claims than the plan provides.

The decision to apply requires a majority of all registered voting rights. The court notifies the participants and either approves or refuses the amendments; both orders may be appealed. A salary increase alone does not replace evidence of its effect on available funds and performance.

Frequently asked questions

Legal sources

• Law No. 127-FZ, Article 213.20: debtor-initiated amendments and extension.
• Article 213.21: creditors’ meeting initiative.
• Article 213.14: contents and maximum plan period.
• Article 213.17: court approval.
• Supreme Court Review of personal bankruptcy cases, approved 18 June 2025, amended 29 April 2026: paragraph 12 (Russian PDF).

The applicable provisions were checked on the stated date. The calculation is hypothetical; the possibility of amendment depends on the approved plan and case materials.