Is your Credit Score >750?
- Get low interest loans & Lifetime FREE credit cards
- Get customized Credit Health Report
- Improve your creditworthiness
Introduction
Employee Provident fund (EPF) is an investment option available for salaried individuals where an equal contribution is made every month by the employer and employee. This investment option acts as a retirement and pension benefit for employees working in organisations that are required to follow EPF norms. Investment in EPF, interest earned from EPF and withdrawal made from EPF after completion of 5 years is exempt from tax.
EPFO has now made provisions on its website to enable members to easily transfer their existing EPF accounts to new ones by following a few simple steps. The online process of transferring EPF is convenient as users can comfortably transfer EPF funds from home or office and save a lot of time. The process involves online document uploading, thus saving the time of employees and they can also avoid the hassle of physical document verification from the employer.
Employees can transfer EPF online in case of a job change. This option can be availed on the official website of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). As part of the process, a copy of Form 13 must be submitted to the employer. In this article, we will explain the process of EPF transfer online and provide related details for easy transfer.
Reasons to Transfer PF
When an individual begins working in the form of employment with any PF registered organization, he or she will automatically be registered for PF benefits. Both the employee and employer contributed to the employee’s EPF account and the accumulated funds start earning interest till the time of withdrawal.
It is very common for employees to switch jobs in the middle of their career for various reasons. In such cases, what about the PF account created for the employee with the previous employer? There are two options available for the employee to choose:
- Employee’s contribution combined with interest can be withdrawn in case the employee stays on a break for maximum 60 days; or
- He or she can transfer the fund balance to the new employer
To make EPF an ideal retirement saving provision, it makes sense to transfer the PF balance rather than withdrawing. This is also beneficial from the tax point of view as withdrawal of EPF, before completion of 5 years of continued service, is taxable.
PF Transfer Eligibility
For transferring EPF from existing account to a new account, an individual needs to fulfil the following criteria:
- The employee must activate his/her UAN on the online EPF portal
- The employee should furnish bank details including the account number and IFSC code. These must be appropriately verified by the employer while making a transfer request.
- Aadhaar number should also be furnished and updated in the UAN account
- The Date of Joining (DoJ) and Date of Exit (DoE) have to be mentioned on the website combined with the reason for the exit.
- One transfer request per member ID is permitted by EPFO
Using UAN for PF Transfer Online
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has implemented measures to simplify EPF account operations for employers and employees. Keeping pace with the technological revolution, EPFO constantly aims to make all the processes of EPF electronic. This includes PF transfer and withdrawal, which often used to be tedious and time-consuming.
EPFO also introduced Universal Account Number (UAN), which acts as a blanket number for an individual across different employers. UAN allows linking of various EPF Accounts (Member Id) provided to a single member. It offers multiple services such as an updated UAN card, PF passbook that includes all transfer-in details, option to link previous members’ ID with a new ID, SMS updates regarding credit in PF account and auto-transfer facility during a change of employment.
Procedure to Transfer PF Online on EPFO Portal
Employees can follow below-mentioned steps for initiating an EPF transfer request online:
- Login to the EPF account using provided UAN and password
- Select the ‘Transfer Request’ option available in the ‘Online Services’ section
- Enter previous EPF account details (previous Member ID)
- An employee must submit the transfer request for approval to either the current or the previous employer
- Enter Member ID or the UAN in given fields.
- One can also generate MID by selecting the ‘Get MID’ option
- Once the user enters the MID, he/she must go to the ‘Get OTP’ button for sending the OTP to the registered mobile number
- After receiving the OTP, it must be entered in the space provided and then go to the ‘Submit’ button
- Upload a self-attested copy of the online PF transfer request in PDF format to the respective employer within a timeline of 10 days of executing the request online
- The employer will then approve the PF transfer request online
- Once the approval is provided, the PF is transferred to the new account that is linked to the current employer
- A tracking ID gets generated which can be used for tracking the online application
- The employee must download the Transfer Claim Form (Form 13). Sometimes, an employee must provide this form to the employer for completing the online process of EPF transfer
Documents Needed for PF Transfer
To make the process of EPF transfer easy, an employee must keep ready the following documents before beginning with the process-
- Revised Form 13
- Valid Identity Proof (PAN, Aadhar or Driving License)
- UAN
- Current employer’s details
- Establishment Number
- Account Number
- Bank account details of the salary account
- Old and current PF account details
Important Points to Note for PF Transfer
While applying for online PF transfer, employees must ensure the following:
- UAN should be active on the portal
- Registered mobile number should be active
- A bank account has to be linked to UAN
- KYC must be verified against UAN
- Both the employers (previous and current) must have registered authorised digital signatures
- PF numbers of both employers (previous and current) should be saved in the EPFO database
Checking Status of PF Transfer
An employee can check the status of PF transfer in the following three ways:
Track Status via Member Claim Status Link - To check the status for PF transfer online, an employee must follow the below-mentioned steps-
- Visit the EPFO portal
- The user will be redirected to the employee’s page on the portal
- Within the ‘Our Services’ section, go to ‘Know your Claim Status’
- Next, the user needs to enter his/her details such as UAN number and Captcha
- After entering the required details, click on ‘Search’
- In the next screen, the user will be asked to select the Member ID for the account for which status needs to be checked
- Then, click on ‘View your Claim Status’
- The next screen will reflect the latest PF transfer status
Track Status using EPFO portal
- Go to the EPFO portal
- Enter the details such as UAN, password and captcha
- Once logged in, go to ‘Online Services’ and select ‘Track Claim Status’
- Next, click on ‘Transfer Claim Status’
- The status of PF transfer will appear on the next screen
Track Claim Status from the website
- Visit the website
- Navigate to ‘Click here for Knowing your Claim Status’
- From the dropdown list, choose the state where the PF office is situated
- Select the regional office from the next list
- After entering this information, the region and office code will automatically be entered
- Enter the ‘Establishment Code’ (if available)
- Enter the 7-digit account number
- Click on ‘Submit’ and PF transfer status will appear on the next screen
Benefits of Transferring PF Online
If an employee is still working and wishes to continue with the same job, it is advised to avoid withdrawing the available PF corpus. PF is a long-term investment that is backed by the Government of India. It does not carry any risk due to this fact. Thus, it is in the best interest of the PF account holder to avoid withdrawing PF and withdrawn only in case of an emergency. An employee can transfer EPF amount rather than withdrawing it. The PF transfer option has a range of benefits for employees, here are some of those:
- TDS is applicable on PF withdrawal if the account has been opened within the last 5 years. If an employee transfers the PF account and maintains it for 5 years, he/she is eligible for tax-free withdrawal of the PF balance.
- EPFO provides compound interest on total savings. This means, if one closes the current PF account and opens a new one, the total interest earned will reduce as far as the transferred account is concerned.
- Employees continuing with the existing EPF account beyond 10 years are eligible for a pension after attaining 58 years of age. This will not be possible if an employee closes the account at the time of switching jobs.
FAQs
1. Can I withdraw my EPF balance without having a PAN?
In case you want to withdraw your EPF balance without having PAN, you will have to pay TDS at a marginal rate of 34% on the withdrawn amount. If you wish to withdraw more than Rs. 50,000, there will be no TDS applicable.
2. In what cases will my EPF withdrawal be taxed?
EPF withdrawal is taxed if you withdraw the amount before completion of 5 years of continued employment.
3. What is the tax rate applicable on EPF withdrawal?
If you furnish your PAN, a TDS of 10% will be applicable during withdrawal of EPF. In absence of PAN, a TDS of 34% is applicable while making a withdrawal of EPF.
4. How do I reflect EPF withdrawal in my ITR filing?
EPF withdrawal is considered income for the employee and therefore, must be mentioned within the head ‘Income from salary’. If you have withdrawn EPF money, you can report the same while filing the ITR by choosing ‘Section 10(12) Recognized Provident Fund’ on the portal.
5. Is there any special/dedicated EPF withdrawal enquiry number?
PF withdrawal enquiries can be made on - 1800 118 005.
6. Is there a way to withdraw my EPF balance without my company’s approval?
If you have furnished your Aadhaar number on the EPFO website or to the PF office, there is no need to seek approval or authorization from your employer at the time of withdrawing your PF balance.
7. Can I withdraw EPF balance while I am still working?
No, EPF account balance cannot be withdrawn while you are still working. You should be unemployed for at least 2 months to be eligible to apply for partial withdrawal of your PF corpus. However, partial withdrawal of EPF balance is possible under certain conditions like a medical emergency of the account holder or family member, purchase or construction of a house, or wedding of self or child.