It takes a lot of time to prepare documents and send them to the EPFO office. This was the situation a few years ago when there were no online resources. But today, it’s really quick and simple to check Provident Funds and the amount collected. 

PF balance check can be performed in a number of ways. Employees who earn less than Rs. 15,000 per month can enjoy the benefit of the Provident Fund by contributing a percentage of their salary. Employers having 20 or more employees need to register with the PF and assign UAN to employees who contribute. In this blog, we examine how to check the PF balance in various ways. But first, we must understand precisely what Provident Fund and UAN are.

What is Provident Fund?

The Provident Fund is a saving program by the government where the employee receives interest from the money that has been incurred after it has been invested. This plan primarily applies to salaried workers, with both the company and the employee contributing an equal amount of pay to the employee’s account each month. Because of this, when an employee retires or leaves their job, they receive their cumulative income in a lump sum along with the interest.

Employee Provident Fund is a way through which employees have access to savings. The government recently moved the EPF procedure online, making it easier and simpler to transfer an account when changing jobs. When moving from one employment to another, the sum taken and the accounts are automatically transferred. 

What is UAN?
 

UAN is Universal Account Number given to employees so that they can use it to view their Provident Fund balance or connect to their PF account.  A password must be provided in addition to the UAN. The employee cannot access their PF account and details without the UAN.  

Different Ways to Check your PF balance

Due to changes in the scheme, it is now simpler than ever to find out your Provident Fund account balance. Information is now readily available online. Here are several quick and effective methods for your PF balance check:

PF Balance Check using EPF portal

On the EPF portal, employees with UANs can quickly check their PF balance. Follow these procedures to check your PF balance on the EPF Portal:

Step 1. Access the EPFO website. Select the "for employees" option from the drop-down menu under the "Our Services" page.

Step 2. Now select "Services" and then "Member passbook."

Step 3. There will be a login page. Once activated, enter your UAN number and password here.

You can access the PF account and check the balance once you log in.

PF balance check through SMS
 

You must create a Universal Account Number (UAN Number) with current KYC details, such as an updated Aadhar or Permanent Account Number (PAN) or bank account information, in order to receive your EPF balance through SMS. You will be able to receive SMS alerts with access to your EPF balance upon successful registration of the same.  

Following the generation of the UAN Number and the updated KYC, there are other additional steps to be taken: -

Step 1. Send SMS to mobile number 7738299899.

Step 2. The message you will send should be “EPFOHO UAN ENG”.

The chosen language must be specified when sending the message. The first three characters of the chosen language must be stated in order to identify the preferred language of communication.

If you want to receive updates in English use the first three letters of the word English, for instance, EPFOHO UAN ENG, where the full form of ENG is English. Enter EPFOHO UAN MAR, where MAR stands for Marathi, to receive updates in that language.

There are various supported languages for this service such as English, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Bengali.

Through Missed call 
 

For people who do not always have access to the internet, this strategy is effective. In rural areas where internet access is not yet widely available, such a method is advantageous. This is quite simple and is frequently liked by many.

Step 1. Give a missed call to 011-22901406

Step 2. When you will give a missed call, you will get an SMS about your PF details containing the EPF balance.

PF Check balance using Umang App
 

UMANG App is the Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance that can be downloaded by employees to check the status of their EPF accounts on their smartphones. You can file and track claims using the app in addition to the Employee PF balance check. To access the app, users must first register once with their UAN-registered mobile number.

Let's look at how you can check your EPF transactions using the UMANG app:

Step 1. Download and install the UMANG App from Play Store on your smartphone.

Step 2. Look for the EPFO option on the home page of the app. Choose "Employee Centric Services".

Step 3. When asked, enter your EPF Universal Account Number (UAN). You will get an OTP on your mobile number registered with UAN. 

Step 4. Enter the OTP. The balance of the user's PF as well as all other PF-related information would be displayed.

FAQs

1. How can I check my PF account balance?
 

Ans. There are four options to check the EPF account balance managed by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO): the Umang App, EPFO Portal, SMS, or by placing a missed call. However, if the employer manages the EPF account through a trust, the employee must ask the employer for the EPF account statement. 

2. Can one check the PF balance of their previous company?
 

Ans. You can check the EPF balance of the previous company via the UMANG app or the EPFO portal. 

3. Can I access or check the PF account balance using the Adhaar card?
 

Ans. The Aadhar card cannot be used to access the account or check the EPF amount.

Conclusion

Knowing your exact savings amount enables you to plan and manage your accounts more efficiently and in an organised manner for all future plans. Well, one technique to settle your financial records for investments and savings is the PF balance check frequently. Get your PF registration done through the experts of Online Legal India and check your PF balance easily.