How to Withdraw Pension Contribution in EPF?

What is Employee Pension Scheme (EPS)?

Employers offer employee retirement benefit plans, or pension schemes to their workforce. The scheme is designed for employees in the organized sector, where the employer is registered with the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) and makes the necessary contributions. The Employee Provident Fund (EPF) assumes a pivotal role in securing one's retirement. The funds accumulated in this provident fund can be utilized to procure an annuity or withdrawn as a lump sum payment upon the employee's retirement.

To avail of the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) benefits, an employee must work for at least 10 years. Under this scheme, the employer contributes 8.33% of the employee's salary to a maximum of Rs. 1250 towards the pension fund.

Latest Update for EPS: Additional 1.16% To Come From Employer’s Contribution

In May 2023, the the Labour Ministry announced that employers will now contribute an extra 1.16% towards this scheme. This news is a welcome relief for many employees, as it means increased savings for their retirement.

Previously, the employer's contribution to the EPS was fixed at 8.33% of the employee's basic salary, capped at Rs.1,250 per month. However, with this latest announcement, the employer's contribution will rise to 9.49% of the employee's basic salary, with a maximum of Rs.1,800 per month.

In this blog we will answer some of the most common questions pertaining to EPF withdrawal: how to withdraw pension contribution in EPF online, what the eligibility for pension withdrawal is and what are the pension withdrawal rules and criteria.

Let’s start with the basics first.

When can You Withdraw Your Pension?

Rules to withdraw your pension amount change depending on the occasion or condition of withdrawal. Given below are provisions and rules to withdraw your EPF against different conditions:

Condition	Provision Under EPF
Retirement	If you defer pension withdrawal until 60 years, you benefit from an extra interest rate of 4% in a financial year.
Resignation	Employees can withdraw their EPF and pension contributions if they remain unemployed for 2 months after resigning.
Termination	Employees terminated from their job can withdraw EPF and pension after 2 months of unemployment.
Wedding Expenses	Partial withdrawals (50% of the total EPF contributed till date) allowed for marriage-related expenses of self/children/siblings.
Permanent Migration Abroad	If you are an Indian citizen but have migrated abroad permanently, you may be eligible to withdraw your pension contribution. However, certain conditions and documentation might be required to prove your permanent migration status.
Home Renovation	Partial withdrawals (12 times the current monthly salary) can renovate an existing home.
Home Loan Repayment	The employee can withdraw up to 90% of the EPF contribution
Permanent Disability	Employees with permanent disabilities can withdraw their full EPF and pension balance.
Migration Abroad	Employees migrating abroad for employment can withdraw their EPF and pension after 3 years of unemployment.
Close of Business	Employees can withdraw their full EPF and pension balance if a company is closed or winding up.
Inoperative Account	Accounts inactive for a certain period (typically 3 years) can be withdrawn.
Serious illness	Employees suffering from a serious illness, certified by a medical authority, can withdraw their pension contribution. They must have completed at least 5 years of service.
Death of the employee	The nominee of the deceased employee can withdraw the entire pension contribution.

How Much Pension Amount can You Withdraw from EPF?

The pension withdrawal rules dictate how much pension one can withdraw and is based on the following conditions:

Condition When You Can Withdraw EPF	EPF Limit for Withdrawal
Wedding Ceremony	50% of the total EPF contribution to date
Medical Emergency	It can be 6 times your present monthly salary or the entire corpus, whichever is less
Home Renovation	12 times your current salary
Repayment of Home Loan	Not more than 90% of your EPF contribution
Unemployment	In such a scenario- 25% of the EPF contribution after 2 months of unemployment, and 75% of the EPF contribution after 1 month of unemployment
Retirement	Total amount

Documents Required to Withdraw Your Pension from EPF

Here are the documents required to withdraw your pension from EPF:

Government approved ID proof
Address proof
Bank account statement
2 revenue stamps (not always)
Cancelled cheque with the relevant bank account
UAN Number

How to Check Your Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) Amount?

Visit the EPFO website (https://www.epfindia.gov.in/site_en/index.php).
Navigate to the 'Services' section.
Choose the 'For Employees' option from the drop-down menu.
Click on 'Members Passbook'.
Log in to the page using your UAN credentials.
Tap on 'Passbook'.
Select the relevant Member ID.
The entire EPS amount contributed will be shown under the 'Passbook Overview' column.
Alternatively, you can download it in PDF format.

Form 10C, Form 10D, Form-31 and Form-19 for Pension Withdrawal

Form 10-C

Form 10-C is used for withdrawing all the pension amount from the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) when leaving employment before age 58.

Form 10-D

Form 10-D is used to apply for pension from the EPS, typically after reaching age 58 or upon retirement.

Form 13

Form 13 is used to move the EPF balance from an old account to a new account.

Form 19

Form 19 is used for complete withdrawal of the entire EPF balance, in case a person does not have a UAN number and only has a PF number.

How to withdraw pension contribution in EPF?

Steps to Withdraw Your Pension from EPF Online

Visit the Unified Member Sewa portal and log in with your password and UAN.
Under the ‘Online Services’ option, select ‘Claim (Form-31, 19 10C & 10D)’.
The member details, KYC and other service details will be displayed on the screen.
Enter the bank account number and click ‘Verify’.
Select the claim type as ‘Withdraw Pension Only.’
Go to the menu ‘I want to apply for’ and click ‘Only Pension Withdrawal (Form 10C).’
Enter the permanent address in Form 10C and tick the disclaimer section.
Click on ‘Get Aadhaar OTP.’ An OTP will be sent to your Aadhar-linked mobile number.
Enter the OTP, click ‘Validate OTP’, and then the ‘Submit Claim Form’.

Withdraw Your Pension from EPF Offline

Download the composite claim form (with or without Aadhaar) from the EPFO website and submit the form to the jurisdictional EPF Office post providing the details.

Conclusion

The Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) ensures a source of pension for employees in the organised sector. The employer contributes to the EPS account, building a retirement corpus. Withdrawal of pension contributions is allowed under various scenarios, including completion of less than 10 years of service or reaching 50 years of age with 10 years of service. Upon reaching 58 years of age with 10 years of service, one is eligible for 100% monthly pension payouts. The process of withdrawing pension contributions involves filling out the appropriate form online and verifying employment details.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I withdraw my pension fund while working?

You cannot withdraw funds from your EPS account when you are actively working. However, if you have completed less than 10 years of service but more than 6 months of service, you can withdraw funds from your EPS account — provided you are unemployed for more than 2 months. But if you have completed 10 years of service, you will only be eligible for your pension benefits after you have completed 58 years of age (or 50 years, in case you are okay with receiving a reduced pension).

2. How to withdraw pension contribution in EPF?

Before you withdraw your pension from your EPF account, make sure that all your PF accounts from your employers have been merged. You can then proceed to withdraw your pension in the following two ways -

a. Withdraw PF and the EPS with Aadhar Card

Activate your UAN (Universal Account Number)
Fill your bank account details and your Aadhar card number on the UAN portal.
Submit a filled Form 11 (new) to your employer
Submit a filled Composite Claim Form (Aadhar) to the concerned EPFO office along with a cancelled cheque.

b. Withdraw PF and the EPS without Aadhar Card

Submit two copies of Form 15G/15H if applicable.
Furnish your PAN card number if the service period has been less than five years.
Furnish your UAN if available, if not, then submit your PF account number.
Submit a filled Composite Claim Form (Non-Aadhar) to the concerned EPFO office.

3. Can I withdraw pension contribution?

On retirement you can withdraw your pension contribution with ease. In some cases you can opt in for for an earlier withdrawal as well.

4. How to withdraw pension for a deceased person?

If the claimant is either a nominee or a family member, they are required to complete Form 20, providing the necessary information about the EPF member. This application must be routed through the last employing employer of the member. Upon submission, the claimant will receive SMS notifications confirming the approval of the claim form, and the funds will be transferred to the claimant's bank account.