Is your EPF paperwork in shape? A simple checklist to check it yourself

Next, look at your KYC section on the EPFO website. Your Aadhaar, PAN and bank account should all be updated and marked as verified. Small mismatches in name, spelling or date of birth between these three can create big headaches later when you try to withdraw or transfer your PF. If something is wrong, fix it now through your employer and the EPFO portal rather than discovering it in the middle of an urgent withdrawal.

Personal details and service history

Open your profile and check your basic details: name, date of birth, father’s or spouse’s name, gender and marital status. Then look at your service history to see whether each job change is correctly reflected with proper dates of joining and leaving. If an old employer never marked your exit, it can block online transfers and withdrawals. In that case, you may have to ask them to update your date of leaving or use the online facility to request a correction.

EPF balance, EPS share and interest credit

Download your EPF passbook and read it line by line instead of just glancing at the total. You should see separate entries for your share, your employer’s share and the smaller portion that goes into the Employees’ Pension Scheme. Check whether fresh contributions are being credited every month from your current employer, and whether annual interest has been added for previous years. If an entire year shows no interest credit despite having a balance, raise it through the EPFO grievance system.

Multiple PF accounts from past jobs

Most people who have changed jobs have more than one PF account linked to the same UAN. Ideally, all those old balances should be transferred into the current member ID. If you can still see old accounts with money lying in them, use the online transfer request to consolidate everything into your present PF account. Leaving them scattered is risky: you may forget them, miss interest issues, or struggle later when you want to make a large withdrawal.

Nominee details: Not just a formality

Many people never complete their e-nomination, or they did it years ago and life has changed since then. Check whether you have an active nominee on record and whether the percentage share and details reflect your current family situation. An updated nomination makes it much easier for your dependants to claim PF, pension and insurance benefits if something happens to you.

Bank account for payouts

Look at the bank account registered for your PF. Is it the same account where you want refunds or withdrawals to come in today? Has that account been closed or converted? If you have shifted your salary account to another bank, it is worth updating the PF bank details as well and ensuring they are approved. Wrong or inactive bank accounts are a common reason for delayed settlements.

Watch out for TDS and tax surprises

Your PAN status in EPFO matters when you withdraw PF before completing five years of continuous service. If PAN is not updated or not verified, TDS can be deducted at a higher rate. Also, make sure your service history reflects earlier jobs that were part of PF, so that your total PF service period is counted correctly for tax purposes when you finally withdraw.

Make PF checks a yearly habit

A quick annual routine works well: log in once a year, download the latest passbook, scan contributions and interest, confirm KYC, nominees and bank details, and make sure old PF accounts have been transferred. It takes less than half an hour but can save you weeks of running around later, especially when you are leaving a job, buying a house or facing a family emergency. An in-order PF account is simply one where your money, your records and your access are all aligned.