Employees’ Provident Fund – EPF

The interest rate on EPF is reviewed annually. EPF interest rate for FY 2023-24 is 8.25%. Once EPFO notifies the interest rate for a financial year and the year ends, the interest rate is calculated for the month-wise closing balance and then for the entire year.

The year in which the new interest rates are announced stays valid for the next financial year i.e. from the year starting on 1st April of one year to the year ending on 31st March of the next year. Here are a few important facts to know about EPF Interest Rate 2023-24:

• The rate of interest i.e. 8.25% is valid and will be applicable only on EPF deposits made between the months of April 2023 and March 2024.
• The interest, even though calculated on a monthly basis, is transferred to the Employees’ Provident Fund account only on a yearly basis on 31st March of the applicable financial year.
• The transferred interest is summed up with the next month i.e. April’s balance and is then again used for the calculation of the interest.
• If the contribution is not made into an EPF account for thirty-six months continuously, the account becomes dormant or inoperative.
• Interest is offered on inoperative accounts of employees who have not attained retirement age.
• Interest is not provided on the amount deposited in inoperative accounts of retired employees.
• The interest earned on inoperative accounts is taxable as per the member’s slab rate.
• For contributions made towards the Employees’ Pension Scheme by the employer, the employee shall not receive any interest. However, a pension is paid out of this amount after the age of 58.

Know more about EPF Interest Rate 2023-24

Let’s suppose that an employee started his contributions from the month of April 2023.

The balance calculation for the next month (May) will be done in the given manner:

• Balance carried forward from April 2023= Rs. 2,350
• Interest earned for the month of April 2023 = Rs. 16.14
• Balance at the end of May 2023 = Rs. 2,350 + Rs. 2,350 = Rs. 4,700

Note: Although interest has been earned in April 2023, it will be credited at the end of the financial year on 31st March 2024.

The employer and the employee make equal contributions to the EPF account as shown below:

Key Points about EPF Contribution:

• 12% Employer’s contribution includes 3.67% EPF and 8.33% EPS (also known as EPF pension)
• 10% EPF share is valid for the organizations where there are 20 or less than 20 employees /organizations with losses incurred more than or equal to the net worth (at the end of the financial year) /organizations declared sick by the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction
• The total contribution made by the employer is distributed as 8.33% towards the Employees’ Pension Scheme and 3.67% towards the Employees’ Provident Fund.
• All contributions are updated in the EPF member passbook
• The contribution made by the employee goes totally towards the provident fund of the employee.
• Apart from the above-made contributions, an additional 0.5% towards EDLI has to be paid by the employer.
• Certain administration costs towards EDLI and EPF standing at the rate of 1.1% and 0.01% respectively also have to be incurred by the employer. This means that the employer has to contribute a total of 13.61% of the salary towards this scheme.

Employee’s Contribution towards EPF

In general, the contribution rate for the employee is fixed at 12%. However, the rate is fixed at 10% for the below-mentioned organizations:

• Organizations or firms employing a maximum of 19 workers
• Industries declared as sick industries by the BIFR
• Organizations suffering an annual loss much more as compared to their net value
• Coir, guar gum, beedi, brick and jute industries
• Organizations operating under the wage limit of Rs. 6,500

Employer’s Contribution towards EPF

The minimum amount of contribution to be made by the employer is set at a rate of 12% of Rs. 15,000 (although they can voluntarily contribute more). This amount equals Rs. 1,800 per month. It means that both the employer, as well as the employee, have to contribute Rs. 1,800 each per month towards this scheme. Initially, this amount was set at 12% of Rs. 6,500, which would equal Rs. 780 to be contributed by both the employer and the employee.

• The contribution from both parties is deposited into the EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation)
• This is a long-term investment fund for the contributors which helps them continue an independent life after retirement

• Employees need to become active members of the scheme in order to avail of benefits under this scheme
• Employees of an organization are directly eligible for availing Provident Fund, insurance benefits as well as pension benefits since the day they join the organization
• Any organization employing a minimum of 20 workers is liable to give EPF benefits to the workers
• This scheme was not applicable to employees in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh earlier. However, it is being extended to them as well since 2019.

Follow the process given below for EPF registration:

1. Visit the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) website
2. Go to the section of ‘Establishment Registration’ that opens up a new page with ‘Instruction Manual’. It will explain the process of Employer Registration, followed by registration of DSC [Digital Signature Certificate] of the Employer which is a prerequisite for fresh application submission.
3. Accept ‘I have read the instruction manual’ tickbox to proceed and fill in the details to register.
4. An email e-link is sent which is to be activated and a mobile PIN is also sent. You need to upload certain documents to register.
5. Those who are already registered can log in using their Universal Account Number (UAN).

You need to visit the member website of EPF, i.e. EPF e-SEWA/EPF Members Portal and on the right side, you have the option for EPF employee login via UAN. However, UAN must have been activated earlier.

What is UAN

Universal Account Number (UAN) is a 12-digit number that is provided to each member of the Employees’ Provided Fund Organisation (EPFO) through which he can manage his EPF accounts.

UAN helps the person to get all Provided Fund (PF) information in one place irrespective of the organization he works for. With the help of UAN, the employee can easily withdraw and transfer funds through the EPF UAN login portal.

Read more on EPF Employer Login and EPF Employee Login

EPF UAN Activation Online

To avail facilities of EPF online, one has to activate UAN through the EPF member login portal. In order to activate your EPF UAN, follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Visit the member website of EPF i.e. EPF e-SEWA/EPF Members Portal

Step 2: Click on the “Activate UAN” option present in the right corner of the page

Step 3: As the EPF member home dashboard opens up, enter your UAN/member ID along with your Aadhaar number, name, date of birth, and mobile number according to EPFO records

Step 4: Enter the captcha code and get an authorization PIN on your mobile number registered with EPFO

Step 5: Use the One Time Password (OTP) to validate and activate the UAN online

Step 6: Another message will be sent to confirm the activation of the UAN

Step 7: Once UAN is activated, you can log in using it to check the status of the Provident Fund

How to File EPF e-Nomination Online

EPFO has made it mandatory for members to file EPF nomination details. It is to make sure that in case of an unfortunate incident of the member’s demise, the family gets the adequate savings that the member has generated during the work tenure. This can be done both online and offline. UAN members, who have not filed their e-nominations will not be able to access their EPF passbook online as well.

An EPFO member needs the following details to file e-nomination – Aadhaar number, name, date of birth, gender, relation, address, bank account details, and photograph. Submitted details then have to be verified using the e-Sign facility.

Even though the last date for EPF e-nomination filing was 31^st December 2021, EPFO has extended the date for e-filing but has requested all members to do it at the earliest.

Steps to Update EPF KYC Online

Step 1: Visit EPF Members Portal and log in using UAN & Password

Step 2: As the new page opens up, under the section of ‘Manage’, click on KYC from the dropdown menu

Step 3: Update the details like name and number of PAN, Aadhar, Bank documents, etc.

Step 4: Save it and it will show as Pending KYC as long as it is verified from the other end

A member can check the EPF balance accumulated in the account online by following these simple steps:

Step 1: Visit EPF’s website at www.epfindia.gov.in

Step 2: Go to ‘For Employees’ under the “Services” section

Step 3: Click on the ‘Member Passbook’ option

Step 4: Now enter your ‘UAN’, password and captcha code and login to your EPF account (that is, for EPF passbook login)

Step 5: Click on the “Passbook” tab and choose the member id from the different EPF accounts linked with your UAN to view and download your EPF passbook in PDF format.

The member can also check his EPF balance by sending an SMS to ‘7738299899‘ in the format EPFOHO <UAN> ENG

EPF passbook balance check can also be done by giving a missed call on the EPF balance check number- 9966044425

Read in Detail: How to Check EPF Balance

Different EPF forms are mandatory for all activities that employees wish to undertake in their accounts; the activities include registration, withdrawal, transfer of PF, availing loans from an existing EPF account or for any other reason.

EPF can be partially or completely withdrawn. Complete withdrawal is allowed when an individual retires or if he/she remains unemployed for more than 2 months. Whereas, partial EPF withdrawal is allowed under certain circumstances.You can make a withdrawal claim by filling the EPF withdrawal online form. However, you can use the online withdrawal claim facility only if your Aadhaar is linked with your UAN.

Follow the steps given below to fill the EPF withdrawal form and initiate a claim online:-

Step 1– Sign in to the UAN Member Portal with your UAN and Password.

Step 2- From the top menu bar, click on the ‘Online Services’ tab and select ‘Claim (Form-31, 19 & 10C)’ from the drop-down menu.

Step 3– Member Details will be displayed on the screen. Enter the last 4 digits of your bank account and click on ‘Verify‘

Step 4– Click on ‘Yes’ to sign the certificate of undertaking and proceed further

Step 5– Now click on the ‘Proceed for Online Claim’ option

Step 6– Select ‘PF Advance (Form 31)’ to withdraw your funds online

Step 7 – A fresh section of the form will open, wherein you have to select the ‘Purpose for which advance is required’, the amount required and the employee’s address

It is worth noting that all options for which the employee is not eligible for withdrawal will be mentioned in red.

Step 8 – Tick on the certification and submit your application

Step 9 – You may have to submit scanned documents depending on the purpose for which you have filled the form

Step 10 – Your employer has to approve your withdrawal request after which the money will be withdrawn from your EPF account and deposited in the bank account mentioned at the time of filling the withdrawal form.

SMS notification will be sent to your mobile number registered with EPFO. Once the claim is processed, the amount will be transferred to your bank account. Although no formal time limit has been provided by the EPFO, the money usually gets credited within 15-20 days.

Read more: How to Check EPF Claim Status

Step 1: Log in to the EPFO members’ portal using your UAN and password

Step 2: Go to the ‘Online Services’ tab on the main menu of the home page and select ‘Transfer Request’ to generate an online transfer request

Step 3: A new dashboard displaying all your personal details will be shown. Verify all of that like DOB, EPF and date of joining, etc. so as to claim the process

Step 4: Once you verify, go to Step 1, select the option of previous or present employer and then provide the details of the previous employer through which you want to claim

Step 5: Submit the details, an OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number. You need to authenticate your identity by entering the OTP, then only the request will be submitted and an online filled-in form will be generated. You need to sign the form and send it to your present or previous employer

Step 6: The employer will also get an online notification about the EPF transfer request. EPFO Office will process the claim only after employer digitally forwards the claim to the EPFO after verifying your employment details

Post submission of the request, you can check the status of your EPF transfer claim under the ‘Track Claim Status’ menu, which is under the ‘Online Services’ menu

Note: Starting April 1st 2024, EPFO will automatically transfer the existing PF accounts of member employees to new accounts each time they change their jobs without raising a request. This transfer would include the transfer of both the EPF and EPS amount into their new account.

You can easily link your Aadhaar to your EPF account online. Follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Visit EPFO member portal and login using your credentials

Step 2: Go to the ‘Manage’ option from the menu bar

Step 3: From the drop-down list, select ‘KYC’ option

Step 4: Select ‘Aadhaar’ from the list of documents

Step 5: Enter your Aadhaar Number and Name as per Aadhaar

Step 6: Save and proceed

Step 7: Your Aadhaar data will be verified with UIDAI’s data

On successful approval, your Aadhaar will be linked with your EPF account and you can see the Verified status written against your Aadhaar details.

Also Read: Link EPF Account with Aadhaar

EPF deposits and interest were completely exempt from tax until the year 2020. However, in Budget 2021, the government has announced that starting FY22 if the deposits in EPF and VPF (Voluntary Provident Fund) exceed Rs. 2.5 Lakh in a financial year, then the interest earned on the contributions above Rs. 2.5 Lakh will be taxable.

In case no contribution is made to the EPF account by the employer, then the interest component will be exempt up to the deposit of Rs. 5 Lakh in the said financial year. 

For this purpose, the CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) has said that two separate PF accounts have to be maintained – one for taxable contributions and the other for non-taxable contributions from FY 2021-22. This entails that PF contributions above the threshold will be deposited in the taxable account and the interest earned on it will be taxed starting April 1, 2022.

Furthermore, this move has come into effect as an attempt to rationalise the tax exemptions available to high-income earning individuals.

For instance, if as on 1st March 2024, the EPF contribution is Rs. 2.7 Lakh, then TDS is levied on the interest calculated on the additional Rs. 20,000, that is, 8.25% of Rs. 20,000, which equals to Rs. 1,650. Thus, TDS amount would be Rs. 165, which is 10% of Rs. 1, 650.

However, in case you have not submitted your PAN card, then the TDS at the rate of 20% will be levied on the interest amount, that is, Rs. 330.

Do note that, in case the employer does not contribute to the employee’s EPF, tax is deducted only when EPF contributions exceed Rs. 5 Lakh.

Read more on How to Check Tax Payable on EPF Balance

In case of any doubts or discrepancies, please contact the customer care line of EPFO:

Helpdesk- 1800118005 (Toll-free EPF customer care number)

Head Office:

Bhavishya Nidhi Bhawan,
14, Bhikaji Cama Place,
New Delhi- 110066

Lodging EPF Grievances

The EPFO also provides for a grievance system, EPF grievance portal, which enables members to register their complaints.

• The members may lodge their complaints by clicking on the ‘Register Grievance’ tab at EPFiGMS.gov.in.
• Members have to fill in all the relevant details pertaining to their account along with the description of the grievance that they have been facing
• Relevant files related to the grievance being faced can be uploaded on the site
• EPF grievance status may also be tracked by the member by clicking on the ‘View Status’ tab.

Read More: How to Register EPF Grievance Online

Mobile users can avail services provided by the EPF through the Umang app. The portal has five separate sections:

EPF scheme is among one of the largest and biggest saving schemes available to Indian employees. The key benefits of the scheme are mentioned below:

Long-Term Financial Security: Funds deposited in this account cannot be withdrawn easily and hence, helps in ensuring savings.

Retirement Period: The accumulated fund under this scheme may be used at the time of retirement of the employee. This provides relief to the retired employee in the form of monetary security.

Unseen circumstances: The accumulated fund can be used by the employee in case of any kind of emergency. The employee may choose to withdraw his/her fund prematurely. The scheme provides for such pre-term withdrawals in certain special cases.

Unemployment/Income Loss: In case, where the employee loses his/her current job owing to any reason, then these funds may be used to meet expenses.

Resignation/Quitting of Job: The employee post-resignation is free to withdraw his/her 75% of the EPF fund after one month of the date of having quit the job and remaining 25% after 2 months of unemployment.

Death: In case of death of the employee, the collected amount along with the interest is given to the employee’s nominee thus helping the family tide through difficult times.

Disability of the employee: If the employee is no longer in the position to work then he/she may use these funds to help him/her get over the difficult time.

Lay-off: In cases of sudden layoffs or retrenchment from the job, this fund may be used by the employee until the time he/she gets another suitable job.

Pension Scheme: The employer not only contributes towards the PF fund but also makes the necessary contributions towards the employee’s pension which can be later used by the employee post-retirement.

Insurance Scheme: The act also provides for certain provisions whereby, the employer is required to make certain contributions towards an employee’s life insurance where group insurance cover is not present. This scheme ensures that the employees are properly insured.

Accessible All Over: With the help of the Universal Account Number (UAN), employees can easily get access to their PF account via the EPF member portal. They can transfer their accounts whenever they make a shift in their current jobs.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization or EPFO is a statutory body created by the Government of India. It is one of the largest social security organizations in India and administers the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) which aims to promote retirement savings for employees across the country.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) offers three schemes for employee benefit:

• Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF)
• Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS)
• Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI)

EPF e-SEWA is the EPF Member portal where members can login to the EPF account using their UAN and password and avail various online services such as claim and withdraw EPF funds, check EPF balance and passbook, perform KYC and more.

Click to know more about EPF e-SEWA or EPF Member Portal

I have withdrawn a part of my EPF corpus. Will I continue getting interest on the withdrawn amount as well?

No, You will not get interest on the withdrawn amount. However, the amount remaining in the EPF account will continue earning interest.

How is UAN assigned?

When you join a company having more than 20 employees, you become entitled to EPF benefits. EPFO allots a unique 12-digit permanent number known as Universal Account Number (UAN) to the member. All PF accounts of a member are linked with his UAN. In case you want to avail online services through the EPF portal, you have to link your UAN with Aadhaar and PAN.

Will I have to activate my UAN for transferring PF online?

You have to activate UAN by registering at the EPF member portal before you can process claims or withdraw funds online. You can do it easily by visiting the EPF member portal.

I have switched my job. Should I get a new UAN?

No, the UAN allotted to a member remains the same throughout the service period. A new PF account will be opened by the new employer which will be linked to the UAN of the member.

I have switched my company. Should I withdraw EPF corpus or transfer my fund?

It is recommended that you transfer your fund from the old PF account to a new one. If you withdraw the amount before 5 years of service, the withdrawn amount is taxable and should be mentioned under income from other sources while filing ITR. Note that, starting April 1st 2024, EPFO has automated EPF account transfer of existing member employees to new accounts each time they switch their jobs. This transfer would include the transfer of both the EPF as well as EPS amount in their new account.

I am currently unemployed and need funds. Can I withdraw my EPF corpus?

Yes, you can withdraw 75% of your EPF corpus after one month of unemployment. In case you remain unemployed for 2 consecutive months, you can withdraw the remaining 25% of the fund.

Is it still mandatory for members to link Aadhaar with EPF to avail online services? If not, is there a way to delink Aadhaar with UAN?

As per the recent circular released by the EPFO, UIDAI has clarified that EPFO can continue to avail Aadhaar based authentication services for EPF schemes. So, in a way, you can not avail your EPF online services in case you delink your Aadhaar with UAN, as for now.

The circular also goes on to say that if a member visits the EPFO office for an offline claim using Aadhaar KYC, the PRO will facilitate Aadhaar seeding facility on the spot in order to make the EPF claim online.

Further, employees with their Aadhaar seeded with the UAN may not be allowed to raise offline claims from now on.

Are both the employee’s and employer’s contributions to my EPF account tax-exempt?

Contributions made to the EPF are tax exempt, however, the tax calculations are different. The employer’s contribution to the EPF account is not considered as part of your taxable income. So the employer’s contribution is tax-exempt at its source.

Whereas, the employee’s contribution is counted as part of his/her taxable income. However, the employee’s contribution is tax deductible under section 80C upto a maximum of Rs. 1.5 lakh per annum. So an employee’s contribution towards the EPF account is eligible to for tax-exemption but only under section 80C.

Also, in case you withdraw your EPF fund before 5 years of contributions, then both employee’s, as well as employer’s share, become taxable.

How much percentage is EPF deduction from salary?

12% of the employee’s salary goes towards contribution to Provident Fund. Also, Employee State Insurance Corporation(ESIC) is deducted on gross salary which is 1.75% from the employee contribution & 4.75% from the employer contribution.

How much EPF amount can be withdrawn?

EPF can be withdrawn only at the time of retirement or in case of unemployment and certain emergencies. Full withdrawal can be done after retirement or unemployment for two months. As per the new rule, EPFO allows withdrawal of 75% of the EPF corpus after 1 month of unemployment. The remaining 25% can be transferred to a new EPF account after gaining new employment.

What If someone dies a natural death or due to health related issues. Will any of his/her family member get the EPF amount?

In case, if the EPF subscriber expires, the nominee or the legal heir or the guardian in case of a minor can get the EPF amount. For that he needs to go claim the EPF money by submitting all required documents like Death Certificate and EPF Composite Form. Guardian Certificate is also required if it is claimed by a guardian of a minor other than natural guardian.

How to withdraw Employee Provident Fund?

You need to have an activated UAN and registered mobile number for withdrawal. Assuming that you have these prerequisites, go to EPF Member Portal and log in using UAN. Do check if your documents are verified as KYC in the ‘Manage’ section. Go to ‘Online Services’ and click on ‘Claim’ from the drop-down menu which displays all your personal details. Then, click on ‘Proceed for Online Claim’ to claim your withdrawal and select the claim you want to make under ‘I want to apply for’ like EPF Settlement or EPF Partial Withdrawal.

How to claim Employee Provident Fund?

As explained above, one needs to go to EPF Member’s Portal or e-SEWA Portal to login using UAN and go to ‘Online Services’ to claim and withdraw the fund.

Who should an employee contact if he or she is denied PF membership?

The employee can contact his employer failing which he can approach the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner of the nearest PF office.

Is there an age criteria for employees who want to join EPF?

There is no age limit for becoming a member of the Provident Fund. However, employees who are already 58 years of age or older are not eligible to become a member of the Pension Fund.

When an employee is paid on a daily or partial basis, how is the EPF contribution calculated?

The wages paid in a calendar month will be taken to calculate the contribution due.

How to update EPF KYC?

Members can update their KYC details online by logging into the EPF member portal.

How can I do an EPF balance check?

Once you have activated your UAN, you can check/download your EPF passbook online via the EPF passbook portal.

How is EPF different from PPF?

Given below are some key differences between EPF and PPF:

What are the key objectives of EPF?

Some key objectives of EPF/Employees Provident Fund are:

• It helps create a retirement corpus for the employee
• It acts as an emergency fund which can be partially withdrawn prematurely
• It can also be withdrawn completely if the employee remains unemployed for more than 2 months
• Also, the employees’ contribution up to Rs. 1.5 lakh to EPF is tax deductible under section 80C of the Income Tax Act and can help save on taxes
  

EPFO Subscribers May Soon Withdraw Claim Amounts through ATMs

16th Dec 2024: As per the latest news reports, EPFO subscribers including claimants, beneficiaries and insured individuals will soon be able to withdraw claim amounts from their EPF accounts through ATMs. This will come in effect as part of the labour ministry’s effort in upgrading information technology infrastructure to offer enhanced services to the Indian workforce.

EPFO Eases Mandatory Uploading of Cheque Leaf Image and Attested Bank Passbook for Claim Settlement

30th May 2024: As per a recent update, EPFO has decided to ease up the mandatory requirement to upload image of a cheque leaf and attested bank passbook for claim settlement. The move aims to expedite the settlement of claims filed online and reduce the number of claim rejections due to non/incorrect uploading of cheque leaf/ attested bank passbook images for certain eligible cases.

Those eligible for relaxations will be determined on the basis of certain validations which include online verification of the bank KYC by concerned bank/NPCI, verification of bank KYC by the employer using DSC and seeded Aadhaar number verified by UIDAI.

EPFO Declares Interest Rate for FY 2023-24

10th Feb 2024: EPFO has declared the interest rates for FY 23-24 and the latest EPF interest rate is 8.25%. It was 8.15% for FY 22-23 and 8.10% for FY 21-22. The same interest rate is applicable on contributions made to the Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF) accounts as well. It is expected that the interest earned at this rate will start reflecting in the passbook from the next month itself.

New Multilingual Helpline Number for PF, Pension and EDLI Related Queries

19th Jan 2024: As per a recent update, EPFO has launched a new multilingual toll-free helpline number 14470. You can now call on this number between 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. to get answers and guidance for your PF, Pension or EDLI scheme related queries. Support is available in Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Assamese and English.

Removal of Aadhaar from the List of Acceptable Documents as a Date of Birth Proof

18th Jan 2024: As per a recent notification issued by EPFO, Aadhaar will no longer be an acceptable as a date of birth proof for EPF enrollment or for correction of date of birth and has been deleted from the list of documents acceptable as date of birth proof.

EPFO Permits Members to Self-Update Date of Exit Online

13th July 2023: As per EPFO’s latest update, employees can now update their date of exit on their own online via the EPFO member portal.

The date of exit from a former employment/job needs to be updated in order to apply for an online transfer. Moreover, the date of departure must be revised only 2 months after quitting a job. However, a member needs to have activated their UAN, linked it to a verified Aadhaar number and also linked their mobile number with Aadhaar for OTP verification in order to self-update their date of exit online.

Click to know more about the process to update your date of exit

New Labour Codes to Introduce Four Day Work Week, Increase PF and Other Changes from 1st July 2022

15th June 2022: As per the latest media reports, the Central Government is planning to implement the new labour laws starting 1st July 2022. The implementation of the new labour laws will lead to a significant change in the employee working hours, employee’s EPF contributions and take-home salary.

Upon effect, the employees will be able to get three week-offs but may have to work 10-12 hours a day as there will be no reduction in the weekly working hours. The maximum overtime hours will also increase from 50 hours to 125 hours per quarter, across sectors. Further, the implementation of the new laws will also increase the employer and employee’s PF contributions but will decrease the take-home salary for employees, particularly those in the private sector. Apart from this, the Government also wants to rationalize the leaves an employee can take during his/her tenure, thee policy of carrying forward leaves to the succeeding year, encashment of leaves and has even recognised work from home structure for the service industry in its draft model.
Read More

PF Contributions to be Taxed Starting FY22

As per a recent update, interest accrued on EPF contributions which earlier used to be taxfree will now be taxable starting April 1, 2022. Interest earned on EPF contributions exceeding Rs. 2.5 lakh will be taxable starting April 1, 2022. For government employees, the limit has been set at Rs. 5 lakh. 

EPF Interest Rates slashed to 8.1% from 8.5%

14^th March 2022: EPFO has slashed interest rates for FY 2021-22 starting from April 2021 to March 2022 to 8.1% from 8.5% being offered previously. This move will impact more than 6 crore EPFO subscribers. It is worth noting that the interest rates are decided once every year. It is the lowest interest rate offered to members in the past 4 decades.

The Deadline to Add a Nominee to your PF Account Ends on 31 December 2021

As per a recent update by EPFO, account holders need to mandatorily add a nominee to their EPF, EPS account by 31 December, 2021 to enjoy benefits. PF nomination can be done both online and offline and enables loved ones to access funds easily in case of the untimely demise of the account holder.

Aadhaar-UAN Linking Deadline Extended till 30th November, 2021

As per a recent update, EPFO has extended the Aadhaar-UAN linking deadline to 30th November 2021 from the previous deadline of 31st August 2021. This implies that starting 1st December 2021 in case your UAN is not linked with Aadhaar, then your employer will not be able to deposit monthly EPF contributions to your EPF account. Further, you will not be permitted to make withdrawals from your EPF account till your UAN is verified and linked with Aadhaar.

Aadhaar Seeding Mandatory for all EPF Accounts- June 1, 2021

As on 1^st June 2021, EPFO has announced that Aadhaar Seeding is mandatory for all EPF accounts. Employers have been directed that ECR (Electronic Challan cum Return) is allowed only for accounts where the employee’s Aadhaar is seeded. This means if your Aadhaar is not linked to your EPF account, the employer’s contribution will not get credited to your EPF account. This decision has been taken under Section 142 of the Social Security Code 2020. This can be done easily through the UAN member portal

EPF interest rate retained at 8.50% for FY 2020-21 – Announced on March 4th, 2021

EPFO, on March 4th, 2021, announced the EPF rate of interest at 8.50%, keeping it the same as of the previous year 2019-20. In 2019-18, members of EPFO earned an 8.65% of interest on their contributions towards the government saving scheme.
This year, this rate of 8.50% shall benefit 6 crore subscribers.

Important: To receive EPF interest, subscribers should make sure that their KYC details are updated and correct as per their PAN and bank records. Due to the KYC mismatch, the interest payment of approximately 40 lakh subscribers for the financial year 2019-20 was delayed.

Budget 2021 – EPF contributions of more than Rs. 2.5 lakh to be taxed

Revised EPF Interest Rate for 2019-20: Lowered by 0.15%

The Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar announced the new interest rates for EPF on 3rd March 2020. The interest rate for the scheme has been revised and lowered by 0.15% for the current financial year. For 2019-20, the interest rate is 8.50% which is reduced from the earlier 8.65 per cent.

“The EPFO has decided to provide 8.5 per cent interest rate on EPF deposits for 2019-20 in the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) meeting held today”, states Gangwar.

In contrast to the constant demands from workers about the hike in EPF interest rates, the directors released the new percentage which will give lower interest on the fund deposits by salaried employees. The economic slowdown and its negative impact on debt market instruments including government securities and FDs can be a major reason for the drop in EPF interest rates for the financial year 2019-20. The retirement body of India invests 15% in equity and 85% in debt instruments implying that the fall in debt investments would have hampered its income in 2019-20.

Earlier in the year of 2016-17 and 2018-19, the EPFO has given 8.65% rate of interest to the subscribers. And, it was 8.8% in 2015-16.

Rs. 54,000 Cr to be Distributed as Interest to 6 Cr EPF Accounts

Labour Ministry notified the interest rate on Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to be 8.65% for the year 2018-19. Corresponding to this, the interest for the year will be credited to the accounts of around 6 Crore subscribers for EPFO. The total amount to be credited to these subscribers will be equal to Rs.54,000 Crore.

The withdrawal claims of EPF for the given year will not be settled at the interest rate of 8.55%; but rather at the higher rate of 8.65%. The revised interest rates have been effective from February 22, 2019.

Subscribers can check their PF status online via the following mediums-

1. EPFO website (www.epfindia.gov.in)
2. Umang Application (Download the application from App store/Play store)
3. Missed Call (Number- 011-22901406)
4. SMS Service (SMS EPFOHO <UAN><LAN> to 7738299899)

However, it must be noted that only the users who have registered on UAN member portal and have activated their UAN number can check their balance through the online platforms.

Aadhaar Card Necessary for EPF Account Nominees

According to the new rules released by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), submitted the Aadhaar card number of the nominee is mandatory for e-nomination of your provident fund account. The newly established e-nomination function on EPFO which not just requires the subscribes to link their Aadhaar card with the account but also mandates the submission of Aadhaar card number of the nominee.
Apart from the Aadhaar card number, scanned images, Date of Birth and mobile number are some of the important details of the nominee/s which requires to be provided duly on the UAN portal. However, the submission of the bank details of the nominee remains optional.

Employees Provident Fund Act Latest Amendments 2019

The government is planning to make amendments in EPF as it has prepared a draft bill that allows employees to switch money from EPF (Employee Provident Fund) to NPS (National Pension Scheme). Another proposal is to replace the existing definition of ‘wage’ (in the EPF Act) with a new one as mentioned in the Code of Wages, 2019. The new definition of wages is likely to impact the EPF contribution of those employees whose basic salary is currently less than Rs 15,000.

Read More: EPFO Login Portal : Registration, Password Reset & Services

News : On 13th May 2020, the Government announced a reduction in the EPF contribution rate from 24% to 20% of the salary, for private sector firms, for the next three months.