Friday, May 2, 2014

Before Investing Know All About Provident Fund

Provident Fund benefits

Purpose: To provide a lump sum amount to the employee at the time of retirement or permanent disability.
•       The contribution which shall be paid by the employer to the Fund shall be 12% of the basic wages and dearness allowance.
•       The employee’s contribution shall be equal to the contribution payable by the employer in respect of him and may, if any employee so desires, be an amount exceeding 12% of his basic wages and  dearness allowance
•       The employer shall not be under an obligation to pay any contribution over and above his contribution payable.  





Ø  EPFO guarantees the Employer contribution and credits interest at such rates as determined by the Central Government. (Present Interest Rate is 9.5%)
Ø  On resignation, the member can settle the account. i.e., the member gets his PF contribution, Employer Contribution and Interest.
Pension benefits
Purpose:
Ø  The purpose of the scheme is to provide for –
Ø  (a) superannuating pension, retiring pension or permanent total disablement pension to the employees of any establishment, and
Ø  (b) Widow or widower’s pension, children pension or orphan pension payable to the beneficiaries of such employees.
Ø  Pension to Member
Ø  Pension to Family (on death of member).
Ø  Scheme Certificate
Ø  Withdrawal Benefit
Ø  8.33% of (12% of employers contribution towards Provident Fund) or Rs.540/- which ever is less, will be transferred to Employees’ pension scheme and the balance amount will go towards Employee Provident Fund.

How to get Pension

Ø  Member has to attained the age of 50 years or more.
Ø  Member has to complete a total service of 10 years or more.
Ø  Member should not get any other EPF Pension.
Ø  Member has to apply in Form-10D at the EPF Office where Member has last worked through last Employer.
Ø  If the member wants to draw pension from a different place, The member have to furnish appropriate Bank / Post Office address in the application form.
Ø  Pension is distributed through Post Offices or through some designated banks only (eg: Indian Bank, SBI, Indian Overseas Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI and UTI Bank)

There Four situations when pension can be applied for:

Ø  On superannuation (Age 58 years or more and atleast 10 years of service) :The member can continue in service while receiving this pension On attaining 58 Years of age, a EPF member cease to be a member of EPS automatically
Ø  Before superannuation (Age between 50 and 58 years and at least ten years of service): The member should not be in service
Ø  Death of the member: Death while in service or Death while not in service
Ø  Permanent disability : Permanently and totally unfit for the employment which the member was doing at the time of such disablement

Scheme Certificate

Ø  This Certificate shows the service & family details of a member
Ø  This   is  issued  if  the  member    has  not  attained   the age   of 58  while  leaving   an establishment and he applies for this certificate
Ø  Member can surrender this certificate while joining another establishment and the service stated in  the  certificate  is added with   the  service he  is  gaining   from  the   new establishment.
Ø  After attaining the age of 50 or above, the member can apply for Pension by surrendering this scheme certificate (if total service is at-least 10 years)
Ø  This is a better choice than Withdrawal Benefit, as a member dies holding a valid scheme certificate, his family will get pension (Death when NOT in service)

Withdrawal Benefit

Ø  If not eligible for pension, member may withdraw the amount accumulated in his pension account.
Ø  The calculation of this amount is based only on (i) Last average salary and (ii) Service (Not based on actual amount available in Pension Fund Account)
Ø  No amount is taken from Member to give Pension to the Member. Employer and Govt. contributes to Pension fund @8.33% and @1.61% respectively .EPFO guarantees pension to members, even if the Employer has not contributed to Pension Fund.
How to settle EPF account

Ø  The Member has to resign or retire from the establishment and apply for settlement of PF in Form-19. If the exit is before 55 years of age, the member should not work in any covered establishment for a period of 2 months from the exit date.
Ø  If the member dies, Family members/Nominee have to apply in Form-20 for settlement of PF (In case of death, apply in From-10D and Form-5IF for Pension and EDLI also)

How to transfer the account / What to do if joined in another establishment

Ø  The Member has to apply in From-13(R) through the NEW Employer at the EPF Office from which transfer is sought clearly stating New and Old EPF Numbers. Member has to obtain new EPF Number from the New Employer. New EPF Number will be allotted by New Employer, not by EPFO.

Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme

Employees’ Deposit-linked Insurance Scheme
Purpose:
The Purpose of Employees’ Deposit-linked Insurance Scheme is for providing life insurance benefits to the employees of establishment.
Contribution: (only by employer) 1% of (Basic Salary + Dearness allowance)
Ø  On death of a member, the Family Members or Nominee (whoever has the entitlement to claim Provident Fund amount) can claim for EDLI Benefit. Maximum amount payable is Rs. 60,000/-.
Ø  The nominee(s) have to apply in From-5IF through the Employer.
Ø  No amount is taken from the Member for this facility. Employer contributes for this.
Ø  Average PF Balance, salary and service are the factors considered for the calculation of this amount
Advance/ Withdrawals may be availed for the following purposes:
•Marriage / Education
        Purpose               : For the marriage/education of Self & Family
        Eligibility               : Should Complete atleast 7years of service.
        Max Amount     : 50% of Emp’e Share
        Document           : Apply in Form 31 thorough the Employer

•Treatment
        Purpose               : Treatment of Self, Family (Dependents)
        Eligibility               : No minimum service required
        Max Amount     : 6 times of Wages or Full of Emp’e Share
        Documents         : Apply in Form 31 through the Employer
•Purchase or construction of Dwelling house
        Purpose               : Purchase or Construction House/Flat
        Eligibility          : Should complete 5years only in one service.
        Max Amount     : 36 times of Wages.
        Documents         : Apply in Form 31 through Employer
Repayment of Housing Loan
                Purpose               : Payment of House Loan
                Eligibility               : Should complete 10years only in one service.
                Max Amount     : 36 times of Wages
                Documents         : Apply in Form 31 through the Employer
•Purchase of Plot
                Purpose               : Purchase of Site/Plot
                Eligibility               : Should complete 5years only in one service
                Max Amount     : 24 times of Wages
                Documents         : Apply in Form 31 through the Employer
•Addition/Alteration of House
                Purpose               : Repair of house
                Eligibility               : Should complete 5years only in one service /  Construction of House.
                Max Amount     : 24 times of Wages
                Documents         : Apply in Form 31 through the Employer
•Lockout
                Purpose     : Lockout of Closure of the Establishment
                Eligibility   : Should be closed for 15days / No wages for 2months.
                Max Amount     : Total of wages multiplied by no.of months closed
                Documents         : Apply in Form 31 through the Employer
•Withdrawal Prior to Retirement
                Purpose               : Withdrawal prior to Retirement
                Eligibility               : No min service, atleast 54 years of age /
                                                  1year before retirement.
                Max Amount     : 90% of total of both shares
                Documents         : Certificate from the Emp’r showing the date of
                                                   retirement / Apply in Form 31
•Other Advances
                Purpose               : Advance in Abnormal Conditions
                Eligibility               : Certificate of damage from appropriate authority
                Max Amount     : Rs. 5000/- or 50% of member’s own share of contribution.
                Documents         : Certificate  from Appropriate authority / Form 31.

IMPORTANT:

•         The amount of advance/withdrawal is not required to be refunded under normal circumstances. If the amount is not utilised, the same should be refunded with penal interest.

FORMS RELATED TO Provident Fund, Employee Pension and Employee Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme
•          Form-19 : To claim final settlement of Provident Fund by a member.
•          Form-20 : To claim Provident Fund by nominee/legal heir on death of the member.
•          Form-10-D : To claim pension. (In duplicate : If within state, In triplicate : If outside  state.)
•     Form-10-C : To claim withdrawal benefit/scheme certificate under Employees' Pension Scheme '95
•    Form-5IF : To claim assurance benefit under Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance '76 by nominee/legal heir of a member.
•        Form-31 : To claim temporary withdrawal/advance under Employees' Provident Fund scheme
'52.
•          Form-13 : To effect transfer of Provident Fund/Pension from one A/C to another.
Procedure to be followed in case of Provident Fund, Pension Scheme and Employee Deposit Linked Scheme

Use the appropriate form for claiming Provident Fund Pension, withdrawal benefit/scheme certificate, Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance benefit, etc.Application should be signed by the member/claimant. 
Application for final settlement can be sent by a member on completion of 2 months from the date of leaving service, if the reason for leaving service is other than superannuating, medical ground, retrenchment and V.R.S./ Female members getting married etc. 
Desired mode of payment can be given legibly, if the amount involved is more than Rs. 2000/-. The amount will sent by deposit in payees' bank a/c. To facilitate this, Bank a/c no., name and address of the bank should be furnished. An advance stamped receipt should also accompany this application. 
Application may be supported by the return Form-10, showing the details of leaving service and details of contribution for the year in Form-3A, if not sent earlier by the employer. 
Procedure in case of Pension

Joint photograph of member/spouse or the claimant should accompany the application. 
Option for return of capital/commutation should be specified clearly. 
Details of non-contributory period during the service, wages/salary for last 12 months should also accompany, if not already sent. 
Details of the branch of the specified bank may be given legibly.
Date of birth certificates of children
In case of death away from service, an undertaking by the claimant to the effect that the member was not working / had not worked in any other covered establishment after exit from the establishment on the basis of which pension is being claimed.

PROCEDURE IN CASE OF DEATH

Nominee/legal heir should apply in Form-20 /Form-10-D /Form-5IF. 
If the member has not executed any nomination, application should be supported by certificate of family members issued by employer/revenue official/sworn in an affidavit by the family/ member/legal certificate from a court of law. 
Death certificate of the member. 
What is the time taken for disposal of the application in the Provident Fund office?
        
        The claims received complete in all respects are disposed off within a maximum period of 30 days from the date of receipt of claims in the office. In case the member is not hearing anything about his application within 30 days, he can approach the Public Relation Officer.





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