By The Sampadak Express
The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is a popular retirement savings scheme in which both employees and employers contribute a portion of the employee’s salary every month. This amount earns interest over time and creates a substantial retirement corpus that can be utilized post-retirement.
Why Is Nomination in EPF Important?
Adding a nominee to your EPF account is crucial because, in the unfortunate event of the member’s death, the nominated individual becomes entitled to receive the entire EPF balance and associated benefits. Without a nomination, the family may face legal complications and delays in accessing these funds.
If a nominee is registered in the EPF account, the same person is automatically considered the nominee for the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) as well. Under EPS, the nominee is eligible to receive a monthly pension after the member’s demise.
How to Complete E-Nomination Through EPFO Portal?
1. Visit the EPFO Member e-Sewa portal.
2. Log in using your Universal Account Number (UAN) and password.
4. 3. Go to the ‘Manage’ tab and click on ‘E-Nomination’.
5. Select ‘Enter New Nomination’ and declare family details (choose Yes/No).
6. Provide nominee details, upload their photo, and save the information.
7. Enter the share percentage and save the EPF nomination.
8. Go to ‘Pending Nomination’ and complete the e-Sign process.
9. Enter your Aadhaar Virtual ID and verify through OTP.
Who Can Be an EPF Nominee?
For male members: Wife, children (married or unmarried), parents, deceased son’s widow, and grandchildren.
For female members: Husband, children, parents, deceased son’s widow, and grandchildren.
Can Multiple Nominees Be Added?
Yes, EPF members can add multiple nominees and allocate different share percentages to each.
How Will the Nominee Receive the EPF Amount?
In case of the member’s death, the nominee must submit Form 20 along with the required documents at the PF office to claim the funds.
Documents required include:
Member’s death certificate
Nominee’s identity proof
Bank passbook
Succession certificate (if there is no registered nominee)
Indemnity Bond
Affidavit
Two witnesses
Is There Any Deadline for E-Nomination?
The EPFO has clarified that there is no fixed deadline for completing e-nomination. However, failure to add a nominee can cause significant legal hurdles for the family when trying to claim EPF and pension benefits after the member’s demise. Therefore, it is strongly advised to complete the e-nomination process at the earliest.
