Procedure for claiming provident fund amount

Understanding Employees' Provident Fund

The Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) is a social security scheme administered by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. Both employees and employers contribute 12% of the employee's basic wages and dearness allowance.

The employer contributes 12% of which 8.33% goes to the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 3.67% to EPF, and 0.5% to the Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme. The employee's entire 12% contribution goes to EPF. Interest is credited annually at a rate declared by the government.

EPF provides a retirement corpus for employees. The accumulated amount with interest can be withdrawn upon retirement, resignation, or under specific conditions like medical emergencies, education, marriage, or housing.

Situations When EPF Can Be Claimed

An employee can withdraw the full EPF amount upon retirement after attaining 58 years of age. Upon resignation or termination after 2 months of unemployment, the full amount can be withdrawn. For unemployment less than 2 months, partial withdrawal is possible.

Partial withdrawals are allowed for specific purposes including marriage of self, children, or siblings; medical treatment for specified illnesses; education of children; purchase or construction of house; repayment of home loan; renovation of house; and natural calamities.

EPF can also be transferred when changing jobs through the Form 13 (online transfer claim facility). The Universal Account Number (UAN) enables portability of PF accounts across different employers.

Online Procedure for Claiming EPF

The online claim process is the most convenient method. First, ensure your UAN is activated and KYC is completed (Aadhaar, PAN, bank account, and IFSC code linked to UAN). Log in to the EPFO member portal at https://epfindia.gov.in using your UAN and password.

Under the 'Online Services' tab, click on 'Claim (Form-31, 19, 10C & 10D)'. Verify your personal details, bank account, and KYC. Enter the last 4 digits of your bank account and click 'Verify'. Select the claim type: Form 31 (partial withdrawal), Form 19 (final settlement), or Form 10C (pension withdrawal).

Enter the required details including the purpose of withdrawal (for partial claims), amount, and address. Submit the claim online. The application is sent to your employer for verification and then to EPFO for approval. Track the claim status on the EPFO portal.

Offline Claim Procedure and Claim Settlement

For offline claims, obtain Form 19 (for EPF final settlement) or Form 31 (for partial withdrawal) from the EPFO website or your employer. Fill the form and get it attested by your employer. Submit it at the nearest EPFO office along with required documents.

Required documents include a cancelled cheque or bank statement, Aadhaar card, PAN card, and service certificate from the employer. For pension claims, additional documents like the pension payment order may be required.

EPFO aims to settle claims within 20 days of submission. If the claim is delayed beyond 30 days, EPFO pays interest for the delay period. You can track your claim status online using the claim tracking feature on the EPFO portal. Vidhi Legal Services assists with EPF claims and dispute resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions