What is Employees' Provident Fund (EPF)?
EPF is a retirement benefit scheme under the Employees' Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. It is a mandatory savings scheme for salaried employees in India.
Educational Purpose: This information is for general awareness only. Consult EPFO or a qualified professional for specific advice.
Applicability of EPF
- Applies to establishments with 20 or more employees
- Employees with basic salary up to ₹15,000 are mandatorily covered
- Employees with higher salary can join voluntarily
Contribution Structure
- Employee Contribution: 12% of basic salary + DA
- Employer Contribution: 12% of basic salary + DA
- Out of employer's 12%: 3.67% goes to EPF, 8.33% goes to EPS (pension), 0.5% goes to EDLI (insurance)
How to Check PF Balance
- EPFO Portal: Visit epfindia.gov.in and log in with UAN
- UMANG App: Download UMANG app and access EPFO services
- SMS: Send EPFOHO UAN ENG to 7738299899
- Missed Call: Give a missed call to 9966044425 from registered mobile
PF Withdrawal Rules
Complete Withdrawal
- After retirement (at age 58)
- After 2 months of unemployment
- On permanent disability
- On migration out of India
Partial Withdrawal (Advance)
- Marriage (self, children, siblings) - up to 50% of employee share
- Higher education - up to 50% of employee share
- Medical treatment - up to 6 times basic salary
- House purchase/construction - up to 90% of employee share
- Home loan repayment - up to 90% of employee share
PF Transfer Process
When changing jobs, transfer your PF account to avoid multiple accounts:
- Log in to EPFO portal with UAN
- Go to 'Online Transfer Claim Portal'
- Verify previous and new employer details
- Submit transfer request
- Employer approves, then EPFO processes
Important Note: Withdrawing PF before 5 years of continuous service makes the amount taxable. Partial withdrawals are tax-free under certain conditions.
Pension (EPS) and Insurance (EDLI)
- EPS (Employees' Pension Scheme): Provides monthly pension after retirement at age 58
- EDLI (Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance): Provides life insurance cover up to ₹7 lakh
Documents Required for PF Claim
- UAN (Universal Account Number)
- Aadhaar card (linked with UAN)
- Bank account details (linked with UAN)
- Form 19 (for final withdrawal) or Form 31 (for advance)
- Certificate from employer (if applicable)
Grievance Redressal
For PF-related complaints: Register on EPFO Grievance Portal (epfigms.gov.in) or call EPFO helpline: 1800-118-005