The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) operates India’s provident fund and pension fund scheme, through joint contributions from both employers and employees. You receive the lump sum corpus at retirement.
You are eligible to open an if your basic pay and dearness allowance are up to ₹15,000, and you can add the VPF option if the basic pay and DA exceed ₹15,000 per month. It provides 8.25% interest (this quarter) for EPF and voluntary provident fund (VPF) contributions by salaried citizens.
In terms of tax benefits, annual employee contributions up to ₹1.5 lakh are exempt under Section 80C of the old tax regime. Employers’ contribution of up to 12% (below ₹7.5 lakh) is exempt under both the . There is no comparable benefit under the new tax regime at present. Further, interest on employees’ accumulated contribution is tax-free up to ₹2.5 lakh, while interest on the employer’s contribution is tax-free.
Today, we explain how you can check your , EPF account passbook or track the status of your application through the Umang app, SMS or WhatsApp, or the missed call facility.
Check EPF balance via the Umang app
- Download the Umang app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and log in using your registered mobile number.
- Search for and go to ‘Employee Centric Services’.
- Navigate to the ‘Track Claim’ option from the list and enter your UAN (Universal Account Number) and click ‘Get OTP’.
- As you enter the OTP sent to your registered mobile number, you can click ‘login’ and get access to all of your EPF-related details.
Check EPF balance via WhatsApp
- Members can type ‘Hello’ to EPFO’s registered number (differs based on local office, i.e. Central Delhi: 8178457507, South Delhi: 9717547174), which is verified by a green Tick mark for safety and assurance, to initiate the conversation with the EPFO.
- All communication will be in the local/vernacular , enabling members to engage with EPFO more comfortably in their language.
- Members will have 24/7 access, and the automated systems can handle repetitive queries around the clock.
Check EPF balance via Missed call
- Use your EPFO registered mobile number to give a on 9966044425.
- The call will automatically get disconnected after two rings, and the customer will not incur any cost.
- Following this, the subscriber will be able to find out the details of the last contribution and the balance.
Check EPF balance via text message — SMS
- You can check your EPF balance and information about the latest provident fund contribution by sending the text message ‘EPFOHO UAN’ from your registered mobile number to the following mobile number: 7738299899.
- You can access the SMS in multiple languages, including , Hindi and other regional languages such as Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.
Check EPF balance via the official website
- Visit the EPFO India website and click on ‘Services’ from the menu options. Further select ‘For ’ from the drop-down options.
- Next, click on ‘Know Your Claim Status’, which will promptly open a new window where you can enter your UAN, password and captcha.
- Once you submit these details, you can log in to your account.
- After logging in, you’ll be able to view your claim status on your dashboard.