Don’t cash out your EPF: Why today’s relief can wreck tomorrow’s retirement

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When you pull money out of EPF before you retire, two big costs arise. Lost compounding: Every rupee you withdraw stops earning 8.25 percent (or whatever the rate) year after year. That means you lose not just the interest on that rupee, but the interest on the interest as well — and over decades, that adds up to a big chunk. Reduced pension benefit: Part of your retirement benefits is also tied to the Employees' Pension Scheme 1995 (EPS-95), which your employer contributes to (8.33 percent of salary up to a salary cap) and which provides a monthly pension if you complete at least 10 years of service.

If you withdraw early and disrupt your service or your corpus, you reduce your ability to qualify or maximise the pension later.

New 2025 rules make early withdrawal easier — but costlier in future

In October 2025, the EPFO introduced changes that make it easier to withdraw early — up to 75 percent of your EPF corpus, provided you maintain a minimum 25 percent balance. In cases of job loss, you may now fully withdraw after 12 months of unemployment — up from 2 months earlier.

On the surface this gives more flexibility, but in reality it accelerates the opportunity cost of drawing down early. If you withdraw, say, Rs 3 lakh today instead of letting it stay earning compounded interest for 20 years, you might be losing several lakhs more in future value — money that would have bolstered your retirement corpus or monthly pension.

A simple illustration to show what you lose

Imagine you withdraw Rs 3 lakh today that otherwise would have remained until retirement in 20 years. Even ignoring future salary growth or further contributions — just the Rs 3 lakh compounding at around 8 percent for 20 years — it becomes roughly Rs 1.4 crore. That’s the compounded lost opportunity. Now add that your pension-base might be lower because your EPS credit may fall, and you see how big the long-term cost is.

What you should ask yourself before withdrawing

Before you pull EPF money early, ask:

· “Is this truly unavoidable?” Emergency needs are valid, but elective withdrawals (for non-critical spending) add up.

· “Can I borrow cheaper and repay faster, instead of dipping into EPF?” If yes, you might preserve retirement benefit.

· “How will this affect my pension eligibility or amount?” If the withdrawal reduces your years of service or lowers your contribution base, your EPS-95 pension may suffer.

· “Can I leave a portion untouched and allow compounding to work in my favour?” Even partial contributions increase future value dramatically.

The takeaway for your retirement strategy

EPF is not just a savings account—it’s a retirement engine that runs on compounding and long durations. With early withdrawal rules becoming more permissive, the temptation to tap the corpus will grow. But remember: every rupee you withdraw today is a rupee that loses years of growth and weakens your pension safety net. If you really must withdraw, aim to minimise what you take, use the rest for emergencies only, and rebuild contributions as soon as you can. By doing so, you preserve the “sleeper benefit” of EPF—time.