EPF Claim Status - How to Check PF Withdrawal Status Online and Offline
The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is a powerful financial tool for salaried employees. With the introduction of the Unique Identification Number by EPFO in 2014, withdrawal of EPF funds and checking EPF claim status have become hassle-free. Let’s discuss the various methods that you can employ to track your EPF withdrawal application status.
Table of Content
What is EPF?
The Employees’ Provident Fund is a popular contribution-based savings scheme with the aim of offering financial security to salaried employees in India. Under this national scheme, both the employer and the employee contribute to creating a monetary fund to cater to the financial requirements of the employee under specific conditions.
Employers belonging to certain industries and having 20 or more employees are mandatorily required to enroll their employees in the EPF scheme.
This savings scheme is governed by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO). As per the PF rules, employees must contribute 12% of their basic salary each month. Employers need to match this amount as an EPF contribution and transfer the amount to the employee’s PF account. The PF Fund will continue to earn interest on a yearly basis. EPFO has fixed the interest rate at 8.15% for FY 2022-23.
Although the accumulated PF amount is meant to be withdrawn by the employee after he/she attains retirement age, EPFO members are also allowed to withdraw the fund partially for emergency purposes.
PF account holders can make three different types of PF withdrawals:
PF final settlement
PF partial withdrawal
Withdrawal of pension benefit from Employee Pension Scheme (EPS).
This retirement benefit scheme is a part of the Employee Provident Fund. Not all of the employer’s contribution goes towards the Provident Fund; 8.33% of this amount goes towards the pension scheme and the rest is directed towards the provident fund.
Who is Eligible to Claim EPF?
Applicants must meet certain conditions to be eligible for an EPF claim. The different situations in which an EPFO member can file for a withdrawal include:
In case of retirement: If you have reached the age of 58, you can apply for withdrawal of 100% of the accumulated EPF amount.
In case of resignation: If you have resigned from your job and have been unemployed for two months, you can claim 100% of the EPF fund. If you have been unemployed for a month, you can only claim 75% of the accumulated amount.
If you suffer from any Illness: If such a situation arises, you would be eligible for partial withdrawal of the EPF amount.
To repay a housing loan: You can utilize your EPF funds to repay your home loan; however, there are certain terms and conditions that need to be met.
Additionally, the latest PF withdrawal rules allow PF account holders to withdraw the EPF amount partially in case they wish to utilize it for the following reasons:
To repay an education loan or pay for the education costs of their children.
To pay for the marriage of the account holder or his/her children.
To fund the cost of equipment and treatment for account holders who are specially-abled.
Of course, yet again, there are certain terms and conditions that need to be met in every scenario.
Different Types of EPF Claim Forms
Before submitting the EPF claim application, members need to submit the relevant claim form to the authorities. The particular form that you would need to submit primarily depends on the reason behind the withdrawal.
Here are the different claim forms as per different situations:
Form 10C: To claim withdrawal benefit/scheme certificate as per Employees Pension Scheme.
Form 10D: To raise a claim for pension fund if the applicant is below 58 years of age and had to leave the job due to physical disability.
Form 13: If you have changed your job and need to transfer the accumulated EPF amount to the account of the new employer.
Form 14: To use the EPF amount towards an LIC policy payment.
Form 20: For the nominee to claim the PF for the deceased employee/PF account holder.
Form 31: To raise a claim for advance or temporary EPF withdrawal.
How to Apply for EPF Claim?
You can file an application to claim your EPF both online and offline. But first, you need to download the new composite form (Aadhaar/non-Aadhaar) from the EPF member portal. The following are the steps for the same:
For offline applications, the composite claim form needs to be submitted to the respective regional EPFO office. In case of Non-aadhaar composite form, it has to be attested by the employer. No attestation is required for the Aadhaar composite form.
For online applications, you need to log in to the EPFO portal and go ahead with the claim application process. However, in this case, you should have an active UAN and a registered mobile number. The UAN has to be KYC-verified.
What are the Types of EPF Claim Status?
The different withdrawal stages of the EPF claim settlement process have been explained below.
Prerequisites to Check PF Withdrawal Status
It is of utmost importance to have the following details available with you before going ahead with an EPF claim status check:
Your Universal Account Number (UAN). This number must be linked with your Aadhaar, PAN, and bank account details.
UAN is a 12-digit unique identification number that is assigned to every registered member of the Employee Provident Fund Organization. Members can log in to the UAN e-SEWA portal to access different provident fund services.
Your Employer details
Details of the EPF regional office of your employer
Extension code (if required)
How to Check EPF Claim Status?
PF account holders can check their EPF claim status either online or offline. In addition to availing the e-services via the official portal of EPFO, applicants can also download the UMANG app for a more mobile-friendly experience.
The different methods to check EPF claim status have been explained below:
Steps to Check EPF Claim Status Online
Through UAN Member Portal
Here’s the step-by-step guide to checking the EPF claim status on the UAN e-Sewa portal:
1. Log in to the UAN member portal by using your credentials.
2. Once you have logged in, click on the “Track Claim Status” option under the “Online Services” tab.
3. Once redirected, you will be able to view the status of the withdrawal claim on the screen.
Through the EPFO Portal
Applicants must follow these steps to track EPF claim status via the official portal of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization:
1. Once you visit the official EPFO website, click on the “Services” tab on the homepage. Select “For employees” in the drop-down menu.
2. Once redirected, click on “Know Your Claim Status” under “Services.”
3. You will be redirected once again. Enter the UAN, password, and captcha details to sign in.
4. Lastly, click on the “View Claim Status” option. You will be able to see the claim status on the screen.
Using the PF Account Number
You can also check the status of your EPF claim application by using your PF account number. Follow the steps discussed below:
Visit the official website of EPFO and navigate to t
he “Know Your Claim Status” page as discussed above.
Once redirected, select the “Click Here for Knowing the Claim Status” option.
Select your respective PF Office State and your city from the drop-down menus.
Enter your EPF account number and click on “Submit.” The EPF claim status will be displayed on the screen.
Claim Status via the Umang App
The Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) mobile application is a single digital platform for all Indian citizens who wish to avail e-Governance services via their smartphones.
Developed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the National e-Governance Division, the app works as a one-stop solution for services related to Aadhaar, Passport services, gas booking, NPS and Employee Provident Fund.
Here are the steps that you can follow to check EPF claim status via the Umang app:
1. After installing the UMANG app, you can log in by using the mobile number that has been registered on the EPFO portal. You can either enter your MPIN or choose the “Login with OTP” option.
2. After logging in, you will be redirected to the main page. Click on “Employee Centric Services.”
3. Click on “Track Claim.” Once redirected, you will be able to view the status of your claim application.
Steps to Check EPF Claim Status Offline
There are primarily two offline modes to help you check your EPF claim status offline. The steps have been discussed below:
Through SMS
To check your EPF claim status through SMS, you must have your mobile number linked to the UAN portal. Simply type “EPFOHO<UAN>LAN” and send it to 7738299899. UAN is your Unique Application Number, and ‘LAN’ is your preferred language in which you want to receive the SMS.
Here are the different language options available, along with their codes:
Language | Code |
|---|---|
English | ENG |
Hindi | HIN |
Tamil | TAM |
Malayalam | MAL |
Telugu | TEL |
Bengali | BEN |
Punjabi | PUN |
Kannada | KAN |
Gujarati | GUJ |
Marathi | MAR |
Through Missed Call
You can also check the claim status by giving a missed call on 011-22901406 from your registered mobile number.
However, to avail of this facility, your Aadhaar, PAN, and bank account details must be updated on the UAN e-SEWA portal.
EPF Withdrawal Rules 2023
Here are some of the general rules related to EPF withdrawals:
PF account holders cannot withdraw any EPF amount until they are employed.
You can avail a loan against your accumulated PF amount only if you have been employed for a certain number of years.
You are not required to close or withdraw funds from your EPF account if you decide to resign and change jobs. You can easily transfer your EPF account to the new employer by using your UAN.
If more than Rs. 50,000 of the EPF amount is withdrawn before 5 years of service, a TDS of 10% is applicable. To learn more about the taxability of provident funds, click here.
Final Thoughts
You can check EPF claim status both online and offline by following a few simple steps. It is of utmost importance to know whether you are eligible to withdraw your PF amount before filing the claim application. Please note that there is also no option to cancel your EPF claim status online; you have to file a complaint/submit the grievance form to take back your application.
If you have any questions related to the EPF claim’s implications on your taxation, contact the experts at TaxBuddy today! Avail end-to-end assistance throughout the entire taxation process. Get in touch now!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1 How many days does it take to claim PF?
It takes around 15-20 working days to claim PF amount. The amount gets automatically transferred to the linked bank account after the PF claim is settled.
Q2 What happens if I don’t withdraw my PF after resignation?
It is not mandatory to withdraw your accumulated PF amount after resignation. The account will still remain active and continue to earn interest. There is also the option to keep the account inactive until you decide to transfer the account to a new employer.
Q3 How much of PF is tax-free?
The EPF maturity amount is tax-free only if the claim is made after five years of continuous service. Additionally, effective April 1, 2022, an accumulated interest amount of up to Rs. 2.5 lakhs for a financial year is tax-free.
Q4 How much of the voluntary PF contribution is tax-free?
As per Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, the interest amount on a voluntary provident fund is exempt from tax. Additionally, employees can claim tax deductions of up to Rs. 1.5 lakh on their PF contribution for each financial year.
Q5 What is the phone number to check PF account balance?
If you are registered on the UAN portal of EPFO, you can check your PF account balance by giving a missed call to 9966044425 from your registered mobile number.
Q6 Why do PF claims get rejected?
Some of the primary reasons why PF claims get rejected are that you provided an invalid account number or incorrect bank account details during the application stage. It is always better to verify all the information provided before submitting the claim application form.
Q7 Can I withdraw 100% of my PF amount?
No, registered members are not allowed to withdraw 100% of the PF fund. If you are unemployed for 1 month, you can only claim up to 75% of the PF amount. The balance amount can be withdrawn only after 2 months of unemployment.
Q8 Can the PF claim request be canceled?
Yes, you can cancel a PF claim request by submitting a grievance form on the EPFO portal. You can also contact the EPFO regional office for cancellation of the withdrawal claim request.
Q9 What is the meaning of PF final settlement?
Employees can submit a PF Settlement Form after resigning from their job, termination, superannuation, or at the time of retirement to withdraw their PF account balance. However, they have to fulfill the withdrawal eligibility criteria for successful claim approval.
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