Inclusion in the creditors’ register confirms a claim but does not promise first or full payment. Assessing a distribution requires the claim’s tier, its components, other creditors’ amounts and the funds available.
Legal sources reviewed: 3 October 2026 · Pavel Petrov
Priority tier
Check the operative part of the court order, not merely the contract type.
Debt components
Separate principal, interest and penalties in the calculation and register extract.
Available funds
An asset’s estimated value is different from the sum available for distribution.
Registered creditor tiers in corporate bankruptcy
Article 134 of Federal Law No. 127-FZ identifies life and health injury claims and other expressly designated first-tier claims; employment payments and authors’ remuneration in the second; and other creditors in the third. Secured claims follow special rules. Current payments have a separate system and are not a fourth registered tier.
| Situation | Establish | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary unpaid pre-petition supply | Amount and tier of the admitted claim | Court order and register extract |
| Employee debt | Accrual period and payment components | Pay statements and employment records |
| Security over property | Whether secured status was recognized in the case | Court order and security documents |
| Delivery after petition acceptance | Whether the obligation is current | Delivery dates and petition-acceptance order |
| Contractual penalties | Separate treatment of sanctions | Claim components in the order and register |
Why distributions within a tier are proportional
Under Article 142, insufficient funds within a tier are distributed proportionally unless a special statutory rule applies. Ordinarily an earlier tier is paid before the next; secured claims require separate analysis.
Check which amounts actually participate before applying the formula. Do not automatically use the entire pleaded sum including penalties. Nor should gross auction proceeds be treated as distributable funds: identify costs, special payments, reserves and the balance for the relevant tier.
Documents for checking an expected payment
- The claim-admission order specifying amount, components and priority.
- An up-to-date extract for your claim and, where entitled, register information for comparison.
- Records of payments already received and current bank details.
- Published asset-sale notices and available distribution documents.
- Evidence supporting special status, such as security or employment obligations.
Build a working reconciliation: “court-admitted claim → registered amount → paid amount → outstanding balance”. If figures differ, establish why from records. Incorrect bank details and a dispute about statutory priority call for different action.
Checking a distribution
Confirm status
Identify the case stage and the terms of your admitted claim.
Reconcile figures
Separate special payments and compare proportions against the registered amounts.
Choose an action
Support any identified discrepancy with a reasoned request and specific documents.
A letter asking to move a claim higher cannot by itself change a tier established by court order. Assess the available procedural remedy and deadlines. Check before the case ends, and do not treat an asset-sale notice as evidence that a creditor has already been paid.
Frequently asked questions
Does filing first give an ordinary creditor higher priority?
Filing earlier alone does not create priority over other ordinary creditors in the same tier. Statutory status and timely presentation matter.
Does the third tier mean there will be no payment?
No. Outcomes depend on assets, expenses and earlier claims. A tier number cannot replace an assessment of available funds.
Can an auction price determine the recovery percentage?
Only as a preliminary model with explicit assumptions. A real check requires the remaining funds after necessary costs and special payments.
Where can I check my admitted tier?
Use the court’s claim order and current register information. Preserve both documents and investigate any discrepancy.
Related guides
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The guide concerns Russian corporate bankruptcy. Future statutory amendments are not applied before their effective date.