EPFO: Want to claim provident fund after EPF member's death? Here's how — Stepwise guide for families

The Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) is a government-backed investment and retirement savings option in India. Salaried individuals are eligible to open an EPF account when basic pay and dearness allowance are up to ₹15,000. You can further opt for voluntary provident fund (VPF), if the basic pay and DA exceed ₹15,000 per month.

For FY26, the Centre ratified the EPFO's suggestion of 8.25% interest rate for both EPF and VPF and interest credits were completed earlier this month on 15 July, PTI reported. This marked the third consecutive time the instrument delivered 8.25% returns on provident fund.

Today, look at how the family (nominees or legal heirs) of EPF subscribers can claim their provident fund savings amount after the member's death. You will have to complete the process through the official portal, as this service is not yet rolled out on the Umang mobile app.

What documents are needed to make claim?

In case of death, nominees can apply for provident fund withdrawal after death of the account holder through the portal. You will need the following documents:

• Deceased member’s 12-digit UAN
• Beneficiary’s Aadhaar, name, and date of birth (as declared in e-Nomination)
• Death certificate of member (PDF, max 2MB)
• Bank proof of beneficiary, cancelled cheque or passbook (PDF, max 2MB)

How is provident fund of deceased member paid?

It is paid to the nominee, according to details filed by the member. In the absence of nomination, EPF is payable to the family members in equal shares. Spouse and children are defined as family for the provident fund.

As per rules, if at the time of making a nomination the member has no family (including dependent parents), they can nominate any person(s) of choice. However, if the member subsequently acquires a family, there is need for fresh nomination in favour of one or more persons belonging to his family.

Further, rules allow that a member who is not married or does not have any living spouse and/or an eligible child can nominate their sibling for PF and pension.

Notably, if there are no eligible family member and no nominee, it is payable to the person(s) who are legally entitled to it.

How families can claim EPF after member’s death: Stepwise guide

• Visit the official EPFO members portal here — unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/no-auth/nomineeAppForm

• On the form, enter the deceased member’s UAN, beneficiary’s Aadhaar, name, date of birth, and captcha and click “Get Authorisation PIN”
• You will receive an OTP to the member's linked mobile number, which has to be filled and validated.
• Next step is to select and fill the death claim
• Review employee details, enter the date of death, and upload the death certificate
• Complete contact and address information
• Choose from the three claim options as applicable. The options are as follows:

1. PF withdrawal — Form 20 (Lump sum withdrawal)

2. Pension claim — Form 10D (Monthly pension after retirement)

3. Insurance claim — Form 5IF (EDLI life insurance benefit for family)

• Enter your bank details and upload the cancelled cheque for each claim.
• Submit with OTP sent to the beneficiary’s Aadhaar-linked mobile number.

What to do in case of error message?

Most issues are likely due to verification gaps, outdated details, or system delays.

In case the screen displays: “Members’ service details are required against all service records”, this means the past employment data is incomplete. To resolve this:

• Click on ‘View’ and then navigate to Service History to correct any gaps.
• Ask previous employers to update records via DSC.
• If unavailable, submit a Joint Declaration to the EPFO office or raise a complaint on EPFiGMS with proof like salary slips and a death certificate.

EPF interest rate, tax benefits: Key highlights

• EPF and VPF contributions offered 8.25% interest for FY2025-26 — the third consecutive time it has offered this rate.
• In terms of tax benefits, annual employee contributions up to ₹1.5 lakh are exempt under Section 80C of the old tax regime. There is no comparable benefit under the new tax regime at present.
• Employers' contribution of up to 12% (below ₹7.5 lakh) is exempt under both the old and new tax regimes.
• Further, interest on employees' accumulated contribution is tax-free up to ₹2.5 lakh, while interest on the employer's contribution is tax-free.
• You can access a maximum of 75% of your corpus during partial withdrawal, with requirement to maintain 25% minimum balance.