Employees Provident Fund: How To Merge Two Or More EPF Accounts At EPFO In Few Easy Steps?

The employees provident fund (EPF) account is mandatory for employers to open for employees. As per the latest EPFO guidelines, both employees and employers contribute 12% of the employees' basic salary to the EPF account. Notably, the employer's contribution is divided into 8.33% in EPS and 3.67% in EPF. However, over time, employees switch their organization depending upon opportunities and future growth. This sometimes led to having more than one EPF account.

The rule is that every time you switch jobs, a new EPF account is created by the current organization through your old UAN number. However, the chances of your old funds not getting transferred into the new EPF are always high. When such a situation arises, salaried individuals can always merge their previous EPF funds with the new one for seamless transactions and transparency.

Among the benefits of merging two or more EPF accounts is that it allows you simplify your provident funds and save money in a single account for the long run. Further, tracking your expenses and income tax returns becomes easier.

Step-By-Step Guide To Merge EPF Accounts:

There are various methods to merge two or more employees provident fund accounts.

EPFO Portal:

Step 1: Visit the main login-page of EPFO. Click at the link below:

https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/

Step 2: Sign in using your UAN and password. If you have forgotten your password, you can easily reset it and take the process ahead.

Step 3: You will be taken to the main page. The next step is to select 'one member and one EPF account' link. This will lead you to another window.

Step 4: On the new window, enter required personal information such as mobile number, UAN number among others. Once done, click on 'Generate OTP'.

Step 5: You will get a message from EPFO with a one-time password (OTP) on your registered mobile number. Enter the OTP for verification.

Step 6: This will take you to a new window, where you will be required to enter information of your earlier EPF accounts which you want to merge with your current EPF account.

Step 7: After entering necessary information, click on 'SUBMIT'.

Another method to merge PF accounts is through email.

Email Process:

In cases of having two UANs, you can send an email to EPFO on their official email address ' [e-mail]'. You can mention to deactivate your previous UAN. In the mail, ensure to mention both your previous and current UAN and which one you need to be deactivated.

EPFO will block your previous UAN after verifying necessary information. The current UAN will continue to be active. After the previous UAN is blocked, you submit a claim to get your funds transferred from previous PF account to your current working EPF account.

What to do after merging two or more PF accounts?

As per ClearTax report, after merging your PF or EPFO accounts in India, there are numerous things you need to follow. Here is the list of the most prominent ones:

1. Verify your accounts. This will ensure that your information is correct and there are no errors. If necessary, EPFO may also request additional information like proof of residence or income.

2. In the online portal, update all your relevant information. For instance, your bank account number, name and Aadhaar number. If your EPF account has changed, you must update it online.

3. Choose whether you will get full or partial pension payment depending on your current pensionable status (part-time employee, full-time employee, casual worker, etc.).