The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has around Rs.27,000 crore lying in inoperative accounts. There are chances that a small portion of this unclaimed money is yours. Many employees feel that the EPF account transfer is a cumbersome process and is a painful experience. It is often observed that we just ignore to transfer the funds to the existing EPF account.
EPFO do not pay interest on the EPF account, where no contributions (no activity) have been received for 36 or more months continuously. EPFO considers this type of account as an ‘Inoperative EPF Account.’ It is a daunting task to trace an inoperative EPF account and also we hardly get any help or support from EPFO.
In this post, let us understand – How to trace an inoperative EPF account? How to trace an old Employee Provident Fund a/c? What is EPFO’s online inoperative EPF account help-desk? What is the procedure to submit an online request?
Now, things are changing for the better at EPFO. It’s a good time to remember your long forgotten EPF account. And to make your job of staking a claim easier, an EPFO inoperative account online helpdesk has been launched recently.
The helpdesk works on the basis of how much and how accurate is the information that you can provide about your old / dormant EPF account(s). So, the more you provide, the better it is.
After submitting the request to the helpdesk, your query will be forwarded to the concerned EPFO’s Field Officer (Regional office). This happens if you have provided your old company’s code (Establishment code). If you have not provided the establishment code, your query is routed to the centralized EPFO helpdesk. They will call you to get more details and then your query will be forwarded to the concerned field officer to trace the old & inoperative EPF account.
Related Latest Article : Why should you Withdraw Old EPF Account Balance? | In-operative EPF A/c Timeline
How can I check the status of my request on EPF Inoperative Account Helpdesk online portal?
EPFO helpdesk portal has a facility to track the status of your request(s), based on the reference number.
Once your account is traced by the EPFO’s field officer, you will be notified through an SMS. You need to either withdraw the monies (by submitting Form 9) or transfer your old EPF account to your current EPF account.
If you are currently employed and have activated your Universal Account Number (UAN), link the old EPF account with your current EPF Account. Once the linking is complete, you can transfer the EPF funds online.
Trace and track your old EPF accounts. Even if the amount of your claim is small, reclaim it NOW. Kindly share your views on EPF inoperative EPF account help-desk facility. Cheers!
Latest Update (30-March-2016) : The Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has decided to provide Interest on Inoperative Accounts from 1st April, 2016.
Latest News (31-Oct-2016) : ‘Rate of Interest on Inoperative EPF accounts’ – EPFO to pay 8.8% as interest on Inoperative EPF (Employee Provident Fund) accounts. In case of EPF, if there is no contribution paid during the last 36 months, then that account is classified as “inoperative”. The inoperative accounts are not being paid interest since 2011. Around Rs 42,000 crore is lying in “inoperative accounts” across the country. About 9.70 crore employees will benefit from this proposed notification. Henceforth, the concept of Inoperative accounts will cease to exist. (Source : PTI & Union Labour Ministry)
Latest update (16-Nov-2017) : If an employee who is a member of EPF scheme, quits or retires from his employment and continues holding the accumulated PF balance, he/she has to pay tax on interest from the date of unemployment. So, the interest on EPF is tax-exempt only when the member is employed and the Interest credited to an employee provident fund (EPF) account after an individual ceases to be in employment is taxable in his/her hands in the year of credit. Interest that has been accrued post employment is taxable. This is as per the recent order by Income tax appellate Tribunal.
(Source: Times of India & Moneycontrol)
Continue Reading : ‘How to search, find and reclaim monies lying in inoperative Bank Accounts?’
(Reference : EPFO User Manual. Photo Credit : rediff.com)
This post was last modified on July 10, 2023 6:30 pm
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Link to check the status of my request on EPF Inoperative Account Helpdesk online portal is not working for past 1 week. What can be done about it?
Dear Sir,
Here is Ramchandra Yadav I worked with my previous employer from 2004 to 2006. I have not made a claim for withdrawal of money till today.My EPF account is coverted inoperative.My Member ID- MR/MRT/0023444/000/0000030 . As you have suggested for inoperative account hepl desk.I have try for several times for register in this but site is not responding for generating PIN. so please suggest how can i withdrawal the money or transfer this inoperative account with mu current Employer.
Hii... Sir you can do one more thing you can submit form 9 and can withdraw your pf amount or u can give your old UAN details to your current employer he will map your old account with current one after that you can withdraw also.
Thanks
Sunaina
I guess during weekend it wont generate pin. I also faced same issue.
Please try again during a weekday
Dear vimal ..I think some technical maintenance work is being performed and the impact can be till 13th of july.
Hi Sir,
Thanks for providing such a beneficial information to us.
I have an PF account with my old company and I left the job in 2011. Now can I activate my old PF account and continue it with PF money transfer?
Please reply!
Thanks,
Dear Sonia,
Yes, you can do so.
Also, read: How to club old EPF account(s) through one Employee - One EPF a/c online facility?
Thanks for your reply!
Sir, as I mentioned above that I want to activate my old PF account and hand it over to my existing employer to start PF contributions once again. My current company is asking to open my PF account but I want to retain my old account here with this company.
Another confusion is this that my old employer said that withdraw your PF and ask your existing company to open new PF account because your account i.e. 2011 is very old and can't be activated now.
Please suggest me that how much time it will take to activate my old PF account and can I give it to the existing company for PF contributions that is going to start from next month and what will be the procedure and documents I need to require to get this task done.
I have my PF account no with me.
Please suggest and reply asap, waiting for your respons!
Thanks.
Dear sonia,
Your new employer has to create new EPF a/c (new member id).
You can only transfer old PF a/c money to the new EPF a/c.
As you have your EPF a/c (old) one, kindly ask your employer to create new EPF a/c and you can then submit a request in INOPERATIVE HELPDESK to transfer old PF a/c money to the new one.
Dear sir,
I do not know my Id no.
Also what is Id no.?
I have deputee Id on system. Is it Id no. Or not.
Please also help me how to active UAN no.
Actually I have worked in a company and left it more than one year. I have submitted twice all documents for pf withdrawal but till now claim not received. Employer is also not cooperating.
My pf office in Chennai but i live in patna. So, I am unableto approach the pf office.
Again request you to help me for pf withdrawal.
Dear Chandan,
Are you currently employed?
Kindly read:
What is Establishment code, Member-Id (PF a/c no) & EPF a/c format..
How to generate UAN number online?
New EPF withdrawal forms..
Sir,
i worked for establishment for 3 yrs after leaving i applied for withdrawal of PF . However the amount was transferred to somebody else having different account no in a different bank branch got to know this after filling grievance with epfo office. what should i do now?....I have already filled an RTI application but got the same reply....
Dear Uttam..You may have to meet EPF commissioner of your Regional PF office and escalate this issue. You may also take help of your ex-employer.
Hi Shrikant,
First of all thank you for this information and you doing a great job.
My query - A friend of mine has a issue with PF. He is working in a certain company from 2007 and in 2012 company was taken over by a major group having it's own EPF system approved by Government of India. So,n ow when we check in the EPF website of Indian government it shows all the details about him but in passbook it is not showing any balance. Secondly in his current company's website for EPF his contribution is seen from April 2012. Means no money from previous years is transferred.
Please suggest what to do?
Dear Shrikant,
The old EPF account number would have been different, your friend has to transfer the old PF a/c to new EPF a/c.
Read:
Inoperative PF a/c helpdesk.
How to consolidate old EPF accounts?
Dear Shreekanth Reddy, nice article on Inoperative PF account.
I worked for a company during 1997-2001. The PF was not withdrawn. Lot of search did not help me getting my PF account number.
I have sent a query to PF office as advised by you with all the required details and got a reference number too. I have not received any feedback from PF Help desk from last 10 days. How long I should wait? Is there any other way I can esquire about the PF account number.
Jitendra
9820144550
Dear Jitendra,
Are you currently contributing to EPF scheme?
Kindly go through below articles, can be useful;
How to consolidate old EPF accounts?
How to read EPF account number format?
EPFO grievance portal
Dear Sreekanth, yes I was contributing till May 16. Left the job now Its a trust. Reliance Industries.
Worked for 3 and half years so PF withdrawal is taxable.
I had worked for a company 15 years back but do not know my old PF account number. I want to transfer this to new account. Raised query for old account number with EPFO portal got reference number but no reply from from portal yet. How to follow up?
The EPFO grievance portal is not accepting the reference number. Do they have centre where we can call.
Regards,
Jitendra
Dear Jitendra..Suggest you to submit your request at EPFO's one Employee - One EPF facility.
Dear Sreekanth
I worked in a company from Sep 11 to Apr 12, PF amount accumulated is 80,000(Employee and employers contribution) including interest, I could get this details from EPF tracker. Now my account is dormant/inoperative, I have not transferred it to new EPF account. I want to withdraw my PF in Sep 2016 where PF account completes 5 yrs though my service with employer was for 8 months. If I withdraw it in Sep 2016, will it be taxable?
Thank you so much for the help and quick responses I could see to needy people. Great work!!
Thanks,
Nilesh
Dear Nilesh..If you are employed and contributing to EPF now, suggest you to transfer old EPF money to the new one. There are high chances that your withdrawal request may not be accepted and processed by the EPFO if you are currently making contributions to EPF.
Hello Sir,
I had worked for an IT Company from July 2010 to March 2013, I had left work because I was ill and then from 2014 to 2016 i pursued my Masters Degree. Now I wanted to know whether my pf account is active or not? Also when I left my job, I had opted for a PF transfer as well.
Now in a few days, I would be joining a new company and there they would require my details so that is why I have asked this. Also the new employer wants my Universal Account Number.. what is this?
Dear Saurabh..You have mentioned that you have transferred your PF? So, to which a/c have you transferred as you were unemployed right?
Kindly go through below articles;
EPF inoperative Account helpdesk.
All you need to know about UAN!
How to generate UAN online?
Hello Sir,
Thank you for your response. In my previous firm, there was an option to either settle it or transfer the account. I opted for transfer but due to my ill health, i did not join any company and instead pursued my masters degree.
I just checked my previous mails, I guess post 6 months, I got a final settlement bill from my previous company.
Also, I am not able to track my PF number as well.. How to solve this?
Dear Saurabh..I am unable to comprehend your query...To which account have you transferred the money? You may use the inoperative account to know your EPF a/c details (if the EPF a/c is not settled).
hi
iam brahmam i worked 3years company.2008 to 2011.i have cheanged another company.how to apply my old pf balace.imy pf account no. ap/ptc/48328/**.i got una no number present company.
Dear brahmam,
Your old EPF a/c would have become in-operative. Suggest you to submit request at EPF helpdesk and apply for transfer of funds to your new EPF a/c.