[Nonstop-driver]

Hi, did anyone manage to download their passbook based on UAN number? I tried last night it gave me an unrecognizable file format.

[nitinralli]

Originally Posted by .sushilkumar

As for withdrawal on new job goes, I believe if you let that PF earn interest for 5 years, it will be tax free after 5 years of last contribution. If you withdraw before 5 years, you get taxed at 30 % flat.

Is this true?

I left my job 3 years back (in Feb 2014) and have not withdrawn my PF till date. I haven't started working anywhere as i am studying as of now. So if this is true, then i guess i should wait another 2 years before taking out that money. Right?

Also i dont have a UAN number as i resigned in feb 2014 and i guess this is the time they came out with this. So now what can i do to withdraw PF? Do i have to apply for UAN or i dont need it at all?

[vinit.merchant]

Alright, so after getting tired of being unable to download the PF passbook from the UAN website for the last 4 months, I downloaded their app from playstore.
Its called "m-epf" and shows the developer name as "IS-Division, EPF India".

I could view the passbook there (there is an option to download as well) but I only see updates till November 2016.

Anyone here who was able to download the passbook and can see updates after November 2016?

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by nitinralli

Is this true?

I left my job 3 years back (in Feb 2014) and have not withdrawn my PF till date. I haven't started working anywhere as i am studying as of now. So if this is true, then i guess i should wait another 2 years before taking out that money. Right?

Also i dont have a UAN number as i resigned in feb 2014 and i guess this is the time they came out with this. So now what can i do to withdraw PF? Do i have to apply for UAN or i dont need it at all?

I suggest you to leave the PF money as it is, and then link up the same number when you get your next job. Your new employer will help you in applying for a UAN and in linking your Aadhar, PAN and Bank account numbers.

[Nonstop-driver]

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

Anyone here who was able to download the passbook and can see updates after November 2016?

Got opening balance as on April 2016 and contributions till December 2016.

[vnabhi]

I am not able to view my passbook today. The url is leading to weird errors in both Chrome and Mozilla browsers. Looks like when it works in one region, it fails in another!

[nitinralli]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

I suggest you to leave the PF money as it is, and then link up the same number when you get your next job. Your new employer will help you in applying for a UAN and in linking your Aadhar, PAN and Bank account numbers.

Thanks for the reply. The only issue here is that i wont be working for any company anymore, hence i would have to withdraw my PF on my own. What are the steps to do so?

[.sushilkumar]

Originally Posted by nitinralli

Thanks for the reply. The only issue here is that i wont be working for any company anymore, hence i would have to withdraw my PF on my own. What are the steps to do so?

Visit the PF office holding the account & file for withdrawal. I am suspecting that since you still have not completed 5 years since last contribution, It will be taxed.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by nitinralli

Thanks for the reply. The only issue here is that i wont be working for any company anymore, hence i would have to withdraw my PF on my own. What are the steps to do so?

How many years were you employed and contributing to EPF?

The Five year rule is a 'continuous service' type, applicable to years of subscribing to EPF, NOT years since unemployment.

If you have been employed and contributing 'continuously' to EPF for five years or more (even across multiple organisations, transferring funds at each change of employment), you're NOT liable to pay tax at withdrawal.

E.g. If you worked 2 years for company A, then moved to company B and transferred your accumulated PF amount, then worked for company B for 3 years, your total continuous service and PF subscription meets the five year rule and exempts you from taxation.

There are other applicable exemptions (termination for health reasons etc.). The PF Commissioner at your relevant PF office can explain the nuances to you, speak to them before applying for withdrawal.

[nitinralli]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

How many years were you employed and contributing to EPF?

The Five year rule is a 'continuous service' type, applicable to years of subscribing to EPF, NOT years since unemployment.

If you have been employed and contributing 'continuously' to EPF for five years or more (even across multiple organisations, transferring funds at each change of employment), you're NOT liable to pay tax at withdrawal.

E.g. If you worked 2 years for company A, then moved to company B and transferred your accumulated PF amount, then worked for company B for 3 years, your total continuous service and PF subscription meets the five year rule and exempts you from taxation.

There are other applicable exemptions (termination for health reasons etc.). The PF Commissioner at your relevant PF office can explain the nuances to you, speak to them before applying for withdrawal.

I have been contributing to PF for 15 years and for this last company i was with them for last 8 years. So according to what you say, i do qualify for 5 years rebate thing. Right?

So now do you suggest i wait for another 2 years and then apply for withdrawal in order to say 30% tax?

Also as i said that i wont be working for anyone anymore so how do i go about claiming it without having a UAN number?

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by nitinralli

I have been contributing to PF for 15 years and for this last company i was with them for last 8 years. So according to what you say, i do qualify for 5 years rebate thing. Right?

So now do you suggest i wait for another 2 years and then apply for withdrawal in order to say 30% tax?

Also as i said that i wont be working for anyone anymore so how do i go about claiming it without having a UAN number?

Yes, you are tax exempt NOW (actually were the day you quit), not two years from now.

The rule is about how long you need to contribute 'continuously' to get exempt status (think of it as a lock-in period), not how long you need to wait after quitting a job before applying for withdrawal. Entirely different and unrelated things. Before UAN got in the picture, lots of people withdrew PF everytime they quit a job, as the new employer would create a new PF account unrelated to the previous one and transferring was often a long-drawn process. The time limit to apply was 2 months minimum after quitting (i.e. no active contributions to the account).

For the UAN query, it's best to talk to the PF Commissioner, though I'm inclined to think you aren't an isolated case and there must be provisions to handle accounts that became dormant around the time or before UAN became mandatory (e.g. retired people yet to withdraw money). Service quality has increased by leaps and bounds in the last few years. Most EPFO staff are courteous, efficient and helpful. You can always get all your questions answered before you submit any paperwork.

[vnabhi]

I was regularly checking the EPFO website to see if my claim will show up under their 'Know your claim status'. There was nothing till yesterday, but today I was surprised to see a message that reads:

STATUS for Member ID: APHYD005xxxx----

Claim ID : APHYD1704xxxxxx---
Status : CLAIM FORM 31 FOR PF ADVANCE FOR MEMBER ACCOUNT NO APHYD005xxx-- HAS BEEN RECEIVED ON 04.04.2017 IS UNDER PROCESS.

So it looks like they do indeed provide updates! I guess the holiday for Ram Navami last week might have delayed this update.

[hserus]

EPFO now introduces a mobile app

http://www.business-standard.com/art...1000653_1.html

[.sushilkumar]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

The rule is about how long you need to contribute 'continuously' to get exempt status (think of it as a lock-in period), not how long you need to wait after quitting a job before applying for withdrawal.

Thanks for above chetan. I always thought that one need to wait for 5 years after last contribution to be exempted from tax net. This means, I am also eligible for withdrawal as i am contributing for almost 10 years now with no withdrawals till date.

Originally Posted by hserus

EPFO now introduces a mobile app

http://www.business-standard.com/art...1000653_1.html

So the epfo app will see end of light . Reading through article this seems to be a work in progress. Might take a while before they launch it . May be around election time .

[sachinayak]

Originally Posted by hserus

EPFO now introduces a mobile app

http://www.business-standard.com/art...1000653_1.html

This is a massive security breach. All you need is UAN and Mobile number and you can view the details.

No security
No password
No OTP

....amidst all the hoopla of Digital India


Their website had been up and running for a couple of years now, dont know why they had to mess up with that too. Site was down for close to 2 months, and after it is restored does not show passbook info. To view your passbook you need to go to another shady website (without a domain name - it is IP Address/port number) with no HTTPS/security and finally after all the trouble you get data as of December 2016.

They really need to get their act together.