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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Hello sir this is baldeep Dhiman from Patiala sir I was working with Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance in dec 2014 -December 2015, at that time I didn't have aadhar card,
after leaving the company i got my form 16 also I have my salary slips but I didn't get my uan number even after 2-3 emails to kotak.
I know my PF number and company's establishment code so kindly suggest me how can I know my PF balance from EPFO portal.. my main details like my time of joining and exit, my emp Code, PAN and other basic details are with me except UAN of that time. Sir,Which are the ways from where i can get my total epf and eps corpus of working period?
Kindly revert.
Regards
Baldeep dhiman
Dear Baldeep,
I think, UAN was made mandatory since Aug 2015, so your employer (Kotak LI) would have surely created one for you.
Kindly check with them and get the UAN number.
You can also get UAN by yourself :
How to find your UAN
Go to the EPFO’s Unified Member Portal for UAN related services. Select the ‘Know your UAN status’ option under the ‘important links’ section. You will be redirected to another page. Here you have to input details such as current member ID or EPF account number, name, date of birth, mobile phone number and email. EPF member ID is printed on your salary slip.
Once you submit these details, you will get an authorisation PIN on the registered mobile number. On entering this, your UAN will be sent to the registered mobile number and email.
Hi Shrerkant,
Here first I want to thank you as you are solving issues related to many concerned problems.
Here I want to ask my very old epf account which is now inoperative.
It is inoperative from 2000 after resign from the company (5yrs).
And in 2001 I partially withdraw some amount. After that I don't know about the status.
And recently I made complaint on epfo inoperative account but know 15 days has passed and no reply is prompt.
Any suggestions now what to do!!
Regards,
Nagendra Chaudhary
Dear Nagendra,
Are you currently employed and contributing to EPF scheme again?
Thankyou,
Shreekant for your reply.
Yes now I working in health sector but now not connected again with epf.
Actually that I want to know the status of my account what happened to that So, what may be done because I am sure it had remained amount in it. But time has passed and can't manage to know about that.
Dear Nagendra,
Is your ex-employer in business? If possible, contact them and can apply for full withdrawal.
If possible, you can also visit the concerned EPF regional office and apply for full PF withdrawal. (Kindly carry copy of PAN, Aadhaar, bank cheque leaf and Form 15G)
Thanks again Sreekant,
Ook your second suggestion is suitable now as my ex-employers r a very big house So there attitude and they r not cooprative.
But one thing more what is Form 15G?
And because of you are concerned about the all procedure. If Personally I visit regional office and apply for it then how much time moreover they took to sort out account's full withdrawal.
Nagendra
Dear Nagendra ..Offline claim requests can be processed in around 30 days by the EPFO.
Sreekanth Reddy how many days it take to reply have applied 3 week back still it's showing no update from helpdesk even called on number but it's not getting connected
Dear Mahendra,
You may submit your grievance to the EPFO via this link..
i have reference number but its showing Help Desk not replied yet. Wait for help desk to send mesg
Kindly suggest how to escalate also confirm how many days it will take to reply as already more than 15 days completed
Dear Mahendra,
If its possible, you may visit the concerned EPFO Regional office in person..
Thank you for nice article,
I have tried several time to register my inoperative PF account in inoperative helpdesk.
it says error occurred please contact io.helpdesk@epfindia.gov.in,
tried to raise grievance ,
its not working.
Actually I am having a PF account in inoperative mode and not connected in current UAN no.
I would like transfer or with draw the amount.
Previous employer not helping. how to proceed.
Dear Subhankar,
Try using 'one employee - one EPF' link by visiting your UAN member portal .
Did you email to the EPFO to the mentioned Id?
If possible, you can also visit the concerned EPF regional office and submit transfer request. (or) You can submit transfer request through your ex-employer as well..
Related article :
Interest on Inoperative EPF accounts | Will I get interest on my Dormant EPF account?
Thank you very much i have submitted my concern to inoperative helpdesk as per your guideline. Hope they will solve my problem.
Dear Mr. Srkanth Reddy Sir, I uploaded my earlier PF details (2007-08)
in Inoperative Help Desk in last 2 months, but there was no communication from PF Department and the status show that EPF Help desk yet to reply. Please let me know what is to be done.
Dear INDERJIT,
You may submit your grievance to them via this link..
Sir,
I have following Queries-
1) can UAN number be generated for Old In-operative Account for year 2007-2008 ?
2) How can I get Date of Joining and Date of Leaving details if my Ex-employer is lost.
3)If I Physically Visit Regional EPFO , The process of My Name correction if required may resolve in one day?
4) How can I follow up for above process and check the progress..
Dear sameer,
There used to an online provision to generate UAN by self with Aadhaar, but that provision is not available on EPFO unified member portal (for unknown reason).
Quoting an UAN is mandatory to make Claim.
However, EPFO has relaxed the provision that requires furnishing of Universal Account Number (UAN) for settlement of claims like PF withdrawal for all those who left membership before January 1, 2014.
Yes, you can also visit the concerned EPF regional office (where your PF ac is being administered) for final settlement. You can submit copy of PAN, bank cheque leaf & Aadhaar.
Online name correction may take more than 30 days.
Kindy read :
EPF UAN Name Correction online | How to update your Personal details in UAN? |New procedure
Sir, Below part remain unanswered-
2) How can I get Date of Joining and Date of Leaving details if my Ex-employer is lost. (For offline claim??)
3)The process of My Name correction may resolve through offline?
Dear Sameer,
For offline claim request, DoJ/DoE is not required. You can fill those details in the physical form (CCF-Aadhaar) or CCF - Non-aadhaar form.
You can visit the EPFO regional office and get the name correction request processed.
I am getting the below error while submitting the request to withdraw the my money from the PF account
"Error occurred on 03-01-2019 07:39:34, while submitting your registration details. Kindly contact Inoperative Help desk at io.helpdesk@epfindia.gov.in
Dear Balamurugan,
It can be a temporary tech issue.
Did you try again after sometime?
Else, submit your grievance to them via this link..
Or at the above mentioned email id.
Hi Sreekant, This is a chronic error.
I have tried all possible channels (except visiting the EPF office) to try and transfer my inoperative PF account to current active PF account and UAN.
1. Tried IO helpdesk (which eventually gives the error)
2. Wrote to IO helpdesk
3. Wrote to regional Office
4. Submitted grievance
5. Tried Transfer claim using my active UAN (which gives me an error that my previous and current account details don't match)
I believe my old PF has an old phone number (which i currently don't hold). Is there a way i can update my Mobile number associated to my inoperative PF account?
Dear Anirudha,
Did you check if your personal details (Name/DoB/gender) between your old EPF and current EPF account are same?
Is your old EPF ac maintained by your ex-employer's Pvt trust? Did you try taking help of your ex-employer?
My bank KYC was incorrect both the name and the IFSC code so I added another bank KYC with the correct details. My employer approved the new bank details. I can see both the bank details (old and new) on the EPFO site using my UAN login and password. But if I try to submit online withdrawal it still picks up my old bank KYC. I asked my employer to delete the older bank KYC or to change the order or sequence so that the latest one is picked up. They said there are no options to delete approved KYC or to change their sequence or order on the PF website. I've raised greivance for this online but PF office insists that the employer has to do it from their side. Can you advice to help my case ?
Hi,
I believe that there is no provision to delete the entries. One can just update the details in the existing entry itself.
Kindly check with your employer on this..