European Large Families Confederation (ELFAC)
Croatia
Policies
CROATIA
(95,173 large families)
1. Regarding policies for large families at a national level, please mark the measure you have in your country:
- Direct monetary benefits
- Reduced prices on basic supplies (energy, water, etc.)
- Housing subsidies
- Reduced prices in public transportation
- Tax deductions
- Large families cards
- Longer maternity/paternity leave for large families
- Support to buy a car
- Other benefits
2. Which specific monetary allowances for large families are in your country.
Child allowance From March 1st 2024, the income threshold for eligibility increases from the current €309.01 to €618.02 (from 70 to 140 percent of the budgetary base), meaning that from now on, all families with an income up to €618.02 per member will be entitled to the allowance.
According to government estimates, by introducing the higher threshold, child allowance entitlement will cover about two-thirds of children. This accounts for approximately 511 thousand children, nearly double the current number. The amount of the allowance per income bracket will increase from the current €26.49 to €39.73 to €30.90 to €61.80, and it will be 5 income brackets.
According to previous provisions, the monthly income of families with two children could not exceed €1236 per month (€309 multiplied by the number of family members).
Due to such a low threshold, only families where one parent was unemployed or both were earning minimum wage were eligible for child allowance. Now, this limit is raised to €2472, which already includes all families where two members earn income equal to two average Croatian salaries.
A four-member family eligible for child allowance will now receive between €61.80 and €126.60, depending on the income bracket they fall into. The government has calculated that the average will be around €95.
3. Which specific fiscal deductions for large families are in your country.
The personal deduction of the taxpayer is the non-taxable part of income.
The base of the personal deduction amounts to €331.81 Coefficient, Monthly Amount, Basic personal deduction 1.6 ,€530.90 First child, 0.7, €232.27 Second child, 1.0, €331.81 Third child, 1.4, €464.53 Fourth child, 1.9, €630.44 Sifth child, 2.5, €829.53 Sixth child, 3.2, €1,061.79 Seventh child, 4.0, €1,327.24 Eighth child, 4.9, €1,625.87 Ninth child 2, 5.9, €1,957.68
4. Which specific reduced prices on basic supplies for large families are in your country
There are no reduced prices especially for large families in our country, but there are change in VAT rates for dipers, car seats, for example, for everyone.
5. Which specific benefits are provided by the large families card in your country
Mudrica is a mobile application designed for parents, which provides benefits or discounts on goods or services with partnered businesses.
6. Which specific maternity or paternity benefits for large families are in your country
Maternity leave of 3 years for families with three or more children.
7. Which specific benefits for large families buying a car are in your country
None.
8. Which specific public transportation benefits for large families are in your country
None.
9. Please write any other specific deductions or benefits for large families that are in your country
None.
10. Are any of the benefits for large families in your country connected to income? If yes, please explain.
Child allowance from question 2. This measure is designed to provide greater support to families with lower incomes to help them cover the cost of living. Additionally, tax deductions may be differentiated based on income to ensure that families with higher incomes do not receive the same levels of benefits as those with lower incomes.
11. Regarding policies for large families at European level, please mark the measures you have in your country
- Reduced VAT for diapers and basic goods for children
- Unpaid care of children in the household and for other dependent family members is recognized as work when calculating the national GDP
- Permit for large families with 7 and more children to drive the family van without professional driving license
- Basic consumptions tariff: water, electricity, gas, etc. is calculated taking into consideration the number of children
12. If you marked at least one of the measures mentioned above as applicable in your country, please provide details
- Calculation of household expenditure per number of household members. (water, garbage..)
- With the new Amendments to the Value Added Tax Act (Official Gazette 39/2022), which applies from April 1, 2022, there has been a change in the VAT rates from 25% to 13% for certain goods and services. Therefore, the 13% VAT rate applies from April 1, 2022, to the following: Child car seats and children’s diapers, which are placed on the market under that name.
(Answers provided by Obitelji 3Plus)