In the current era, employee turnover can be very high, as individuals change jobs too often. It may happen at times that you have worked for just six months and now need to change your job.

If you have changed four jobs in the last 24 months, you may not have bothered to transfer your EPF. This could mean that you may have as many as four inoperative accounts.

Recently, the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) launched an online help desk which will help the account holders of an inoperative EPF account to track their account online.

This could mean that you can now get the money from all your inoperative accounts and have the same transferred to your present EPF account.

When Will An EPF Account Be Termed As Inoperative?

If the account is not been credited for a continuous period of three years or 36 months, the account is termed as an inoperative account.

This may happen due to job change by an individual who fails to transfer or withdraw the amount orhe might not have opeted for a provident fund account. He may have also bothered not to encash the same.

However, with the launch of Universal Account Number for each Provident Fund contributor, the same has been made easy to track your EPF account online.

Interestingly, in 2011, it was decided that no interest would be paid on the account from the 37 month after the account becoming inoperative from 37 month.

Here is how you can track an inoperative EPF account and take appropriate measures to ensure that the amounts in balance are dealt with.

Steps to Track Inoperative EPF Account Status Online

1. Visit the EPFO website
2. Click on "Inoperative Account Help Desk"
3. If you are a first time user click on the tab which says "First time user"
4. In the next landing page, in the space, one needs to write the details and reasons of account being in operative. Click "Next"
5. In the next page one needs to provide as much details as possible such as Establishment Code, PF Account number, Date of Joining, PF Office Name etc. More the details provided higher the chances of tracing your account. Click " Next"
6. In the next box, one needs to mention personal details such as Name, Mobile Number, DOB, Language and Contact Details.
7. Next you need to enter the KYC details in the same page in different box. KYC details includes, Aadhaar card, PAN card, Bank Account Number and IFSC Code. After filling all the necessary details click on generate PIN, to receive details on the phone.
8. Enter the 4 digit PIN in the box and click on " Verify PIN and Submit"
9. Now, visit the Helpdesk Login Page and login with the reference generated and mobile number.

Following this steps will send your message to the respective officer in Regional EPFO. The concerned officers will help you in tracking the account.

In cases, where the Establishment Code or PF number was sent to different department they may call for more information if needed.

GoodReturns.in