In India, EPF or Employees Provident Fund is a scheme under the Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and it is regulated under the EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation). All the establishments in India that have employed 20 or more than 20 employees can apply for PF Registration in India. In some instances subject to the conditions & the exemption establishments employing less than 20 are still eligible for EPF Registration in India. The employee gets an amount that includes the employer and the employee’s contribution with interest on resignation or retirement.
What is EPFO and its objectives?
EPFO stands for Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation and is a non-constitutional body that promotes employees to save funds for retirement and this organisation is governed by the Ministry of Labor & Employment, Government of India & was launched in 1951.
The following are the objectives of EPFO in India:
1: To make sure that every employee has only 1 EPF Account;
2: To ensure that online services are reliable and trustworthy & to make improvements in their facilities;
3: Encouragement & promotion of voluntary compliance;
4: Ensure that organisations follow all the rules & regulations laid out by the EPFO on a regular basis;
5: Compliance must be provided easily;
6: Claim settlements are to be reduced from 30 days to 3 days only;
7: For all EPF member accounts to be accessed online easily.
Applicability of EPF Registration
In India, the employer must obtain the EPF Registration within 1 month of attaining the strength, failing which penalties will be applicable. A registered establishment continues to be under the Act even if the employee strength falls below the required minimum. The Central Government of India may apply the provisions to any establishment employing less than 20 employees after giving not less than 2 months’ notice for mandatory registration. Where the employer & the most of employees have agreed that the provisions of this act should be made applicable to the establishment, they may themselves apply to the Central PF Commissioner.
The Commissioner may apply the provisions of the Act to that establishment after passing the notification in the Official Gazette from the agreement date or from any particular date specified in the agreement.
All the employees will be eligible for a Provident Fund from the beginning of their employment & the responsibility of deduction and the payment of Provident Fund lies with the employer. The PF contribution of 12% should be equally divided between the employer & employee. The contribution of the employer is 12% of the basic salary. If the establishment has employed less than 20 employees, the PF deduction rate will be 10%.
What are the Benefits of EPF in India?
The following are the benefits of EPF Registration in India:
Long-term goals:
Long-term goals like marriage or higher education, necessitate the immediate availability of funds. During such times, the accumulated Provident Fund amount is frequently useful.
EDLI Scheme:
- Employee Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme or EDLI Scheme is available to all PF account holders. As per this, the life insurance premium is deducted at the rate of 0.5% of the salary.
Risk Coverage:
- One of the main benefits of EPF Registration is that it covers the risks that employees & their dependents may face as a result of illness, death, or retirement.
Pension Coverage:
- Apart from the employee’s contribution to EPF, the employer contributes an equal amount, which includes 8.33% to the EPF.
Need in Emergency:
- Some unexpected events like marriage or other family gatherings and any mishap/illness, necessitate quick financial help, the Provident Fund amount can be extremely beneficial.
Eligibility Criteria for EPF Registration in India
EPF in India is the primary way for employees to save for retirement and it’s managed by EPFO. The Employees’ Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 sets out who can join
For Employees:
- Employees who earn less than Rs. 15,000/month must join the EPF & make regular contributions;
- Employees whose salary is more than Rs. 15,000/month at the joining time aren’t required to make PF contributions. Yet, they can still opt to join the Employee Provident Fund & make contributions with the employer agreement & the Assistant PF Commissioner.
For Employers:
- EPF Registration is compulsory for all businesses or organisations that employ 20 or more people;
- If a business or organisation employs at most 20 people, it may still require EPF Registration if specified by the Central Government notification.
What are the Different Types of EPF Forms?
Following is the list of different types of EPF Forms:
Form 10D:
- This form is basically used for availing of a monthly pension.
Form 10C:
- This is used to claim benefits under the EPF Scheme and this form is used to withdraw the funds that the employer contributes towards EPS.
Form 13:
- Form 13 is used to transfer your PF account from the last job to your current job and this helps in keeping all the PF money under one account.
Form 19:
- This form is used to claim the final settlement of the EPF Account.
Form 20:
- Family members can use Form 20 to withdraw the PF amount in case the account holder passes away.
Form 31:
- It’s also known as the PF Advance Form and it can be used for getting loans, advances & withdrawals from the EPF Account.
Form 51F:
- This form is used by a nominee to claim the benefits of the EDLI.
Important details need to provide for the Registration under EPFO
Following are some important details need to provide for EPF Registration:
1 : No. of employees;
2 : Complete name and address of your Company;
3 : Head office and branch details;
4 : Type of business activity;
5 : Nature of the business;
6 : Company Registration date;
7 : Details of all the Directors or Partners;
8 : Basic details of the employees;
9 : Salary details of the employees;
10 : Company’s bank account details;
11 : PAN Card.
Documents Required for EPF Registration
Following is the list of all the essential documents required for EPF Registration:
1: PAN Card of the Partner or Proprietor or Director;
2: Aadhar Card of the Partner or Proprietor or Director;
3: Digital Signature Certificate of the Partner or Director or Proprietor;
4: GST Registration Certificate or Shop & Establishment Certificate or any Licence issued by the Government for the Establishment;
5: Hired or Leased or Rented Agreement (if any);
6: Address Proof such as the water bill or electricity bill or telephone bill of the registered office (not older than 2 months);
7: Canceled cheque or bank statement of the company or entity;
8: License proof issued by the Licensing Authority or Identifier.
Our Procedure for Online EPF Registration in India
The EPF Registration can be a great support, assurance & safety for employees as it provides a sense of financial security to all the employees. It is regulated by the EPFO which is also one of the well-known Social Security Organizations in India. They handle large amounts of financial transactions on a daily basis. The online process of EPF Registration is not a difficult task as long as you have experts to help you sort things out. Following is the step-by-step procedure for online EPF Registration in India::
What are the PF Withdrawal Rules after the Registration under EPFO?
EPFO establishes the processes for withdrawals from the PF after Resignation. As per the Rules, employees who have been unemployed for 2 months or more are allowed to withdraw the complete balance in their Provident Fund Account. This shows that a person who resigns from their job may withdraw the complete balance in their account 2 months after their last day of employment.
Before an employee can take the entire amount from the Provident Fund (PF) account, a number of limits & requirements must be satisfied. The employee must have worked for the present company or organisation for a minimum of 5 years, which is one of the vital conditions. If the employee hasn’t yet worked for 5 years, they are only permitted to withdraw the money they deposited to the Provident Fund account, interest-free.
Who is exempted from EPF Registration in India?
In India, any business with less than 20 employees is exempt from the Employee Provident Fund Act’s requirement that they register. Such businesses can still register under the EPF programme if they choose. The process will subsequently be known as Voluntary Provident Fund Registration.
Mandatory Compliance
Following are some mandatory compliance after EPF Registration that should be completed:
1: Monthly returns are submitted digitally by uploading the ECR sheet using the establishment login;
2: Online returns are submitted by the 15th of the following month;
3: Once the company or establishment has registered with EPFO, it must follow certain legal requirements on a monthly/yearly basis;
4: A file must be created from an XML sheet before it can be uploaded for Return Filing;
5: Every employee registered with the Company during the month for which the return is filed is listed by name & UAN on the ECR Sheet, which is available for download via EPFO in an XML format;
6: By adding online payment gateways, finish filling out the return.
What is the Due Date for PF Filing?
Before paying the salaries of employees, the employer must deduct the contribution of the employee. The EPFO will thereafter receive both the employer share & employee half within 15 days of the end of each month. The EPF Registration is unique in terms of returns from a debt instrument. A sovereign guarantees the currency & the interest is tax-free. The PF has exempt status since contributions are tax-deductible from income. Debt securities with such large yields & solid safety & reliability are uncommon. Hence, to reduce the temptation to withdraw money, it’s good to relocate the PF account while switching jobs.
Penalty Prescribed for the Employer’s Delay
| Delay period | Penalty rate per annum |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 months | 5% |
| 2 to 4 months | 10% |
| 4 to 6 months | 15% |
| More than 6 months | 25% |
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