
Check your EPF balance via the official website, SMS to 7738299899, or the Umang app. The new E-PRAAPTI portal helps recover old or lost accounts.
The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) runs India's retirement savings scheme through joint contributions from employers and employees. You get the lump sum at retirement.
You can open an EPF account if your basic pay and dearness allowance are up to ₹15,000. The scheme adds a VPF option if basic pay and DA exceed that monthly threshold. It pays 8.25% interest this quarter on EPF and voluntary provident fund contributions by salaried workers.
On the tax side, annual employee contributions up to ₹1.5 lakh are exempt under Section 80C of the old tax regime. Employer contributions up to 12% (below ₹7.5 lakh) are exempt under both old and new tax regimes. The new tax regime offers no similar benefit. Interest on your accumulated contribution is tax-free up to ₹2.5 lakh, while interest on the employer's side is also tax-free.
You can check your balance or track an application through the official website, by SMS, or via the Umang app. Send the text 'EPFOHO UAN' from your registered mobile number to 7738299899. The SMS works in English, Hindi, and regional languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.
The EPFO is also launching a new web portal called E-PRAAPTI – short for Employee Provident Fund Aadhaar-Based Access Portal for Tracking Inoperative Accounts. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced it in April, saying the portal will let members access old accounts even without a UAN.
The first phase uses member-ID based access for security and efficiency. Later phases will expand to include members who cannot recall their old IDs. "The platform is expected to reduce manual intervention, minimise documentation, and enhance transparency and efficiency," Mandaviya said.
The portal should give older EPF members a way to recover abandoned or lost retirement funds. It also aims to improve financial inclusion and direct access for EPF members.
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