One of the best benefits of having a government job is that it provides you with a monthly pension after retirement. However, when it comes to private jobs for salaried employees, a majority of organisations do not have any way to pay a regular pension after their employees' retirement. Without a pension, it may become difficult for individuals to cover big expenses such as a child’s education, marriage, or medical bills. This is where retirement savings plans help such individuals save in their years of earning for retirement and ensure a secure financial future. One of the most widely used retirement savings schemes is the Employee Provident Fund, which is mandatory for every organisation to help employees create a retirement corpus.

This blog will help you understand EPF balance and how to check EPF balance online and offline.

• EPF (Employees' Provident Fund) is a government-backed retirement savings scheme in India where employees and employers contribute to the employee’s EPF account.
• EPF balance is the total amount accumulated in an employee's Provident Fund account, including contributions from the employee and employer and accrued interest.
• You can use various methods to check EPF balance and make withdrawals subject to certain conditions.

Employee Provident Fund (EPF) balance is the total amount of money an employee has in the EPF account at any time during the EPF tenure. Each month, a portion of an employee's salary (typically 12% of their basic salary) is contributed to the EPF account. This is deducted directly from the employee's salary. The employer also contributes to the employee’s EPF account.

Also read: Check EPFO Pension Status

Here are the ways you can use to check EPF balance anytime:

EPFO portal/UAN number

You can visit the EPFO portal and use your Universal Account Number (UAN) to check the EPF balance through the following steps:

• On the EPFO portal, click on the ‘Known your balance option’ and select your regional EPF office location.
• Enter your allotted PF account number and your registered mobile number to check the EPF balance.
• You can also visit https://uanmembers.epfoservices.in/ to check your EPF balance using your UAN number. You will need to enter your UAN number, password, EPF state and city.

UMANG app

Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance (UMANG) is a mobile application launched by EPFO, which can help you check your EPF balance by following the below steps:

• Click on the EPFO option after downloading the app and select the ‘Employees Centric Services’ option.
• Select the ‘View Passbook option’ and enter your UAN number along with the OTP you receive on your mobile phone.
• Click on the ‘Login’ option and you will see your EPF balance.

Mobile Number

You can also check your EPF balance using your mobile number by giving a missed call on the PF number. Use your mobile phone and dial 9966044425 from the phone number which is registered with the EPFO, and you will receive a text message with your current EPF balance.

Unregistered mobile number

If your mobile number is not registered with the EPFP, follow these steps to check the EPF balance:

• Visit the PF Passbook portal and log in using your UAN number and password.
• Select your PF account and click on the option named ‘View PF Passbook Old’ to check the EPF balance.

SMS service

You can check your EPF balance by texting the EPFO. Use the SMS format: ‘EPFOHO UAN ENG’ and send the text message to 7738299899. You will receive a text back with the current EPF balance.

The EPF balance is added based on the monthly deductions from your salary. The employee contributes 12% of their basic salary and dearness allowance each month. The employer’s contribution is also 12% of the employee’s basic salary. However, out of this 12%, only 3.67% goes to the EPF, while the rest is directed towards the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS).

Also read: TDS Rate Chart for FY 2024-25

Employee contributions to EPF are eligible for tax deduction under section 80C of the Income Tax Act up to a limit of Rs. 1.5 lakh per financial year. The interest earned is also tax-free if the employee has completed 5 years of service. The final withdrawal amount is also tax-free based on certain conditions.

Employee Provident Fund (EPF) is an ideal and mandatory savings scheme where employees and employers contribute monthly to help employees save for retirement. Now that you know what is EPF balance and how to check EPF balance, you can ensure better EPF monitoring and withdrawal.

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