8.5% PF interest likely to be credited before Diwali: Here are 4 ways to check PF balance from home

New Delhi: The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is expected to credit 8.5 per cent interest on Provident Fund (PF) before Diwali, as per media reports.

The move will provide the much needed relief to over 6 lakh PF Subscribers. As per a report in the Mint, the PF interest credit will take place as the same time as hike in Dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) given to central government employees and pensioners.

On March this year, the Central Board of Trustees, EPF, recommended 8.50 per cent annual rate of interest to be credited on EPF accumulations in members' accounts for the financial year 2020-21.

The assured fixed return approach of EPFO, announced by CBT every year along with the tax exemptions makes it an attractive choice for investors, providing them with strong social security in the form of provident fund, pension and insurance schemes.

PF subscribers can check their PF Balance from the comfort of home using four different ways --check PF balance using SMS, online, missed call and UMANG App.

Know how to check EPF account balance ONLINE

Log on to epfindia.gov.in 
Feed in your UAN number, password and captcha code 
Click on the e-Passbook
Once you file all the details, you will land up on a new page
Now open member id 
Now you can see the total EPF balance in your account

How to check EPF balance through UMANG App 

Open the UMANG App
Click on EPFO. 
Click on Employee Centric Services
Click on the View Passbook option 
Feed in your UAN number and password
You will get OTP on your registered mobile number
Now you can now check your EPF balance

How to check EPF balance through SMS

Apart from the mobile number, the members registered on the UAN portal may get their PF details by sending an SMS from their registered mobile numbers. For this, you are required to SMS ‘EPFOHO UAN’ to 7738299899.

How to check EPF balance through MISSED Call

EPFO subscribers, registered on the UAN portal, may get their PF details available with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation by giving a missed call at 011-22901406 from their mobile number registered with UAN.

It may be recalled that EPFO's apex decision-making body Central Board of Trustees decided to fix 8.5 per cent rate of interest for 2020-21 at its meeting in March this year. While in March last year, the EPFO had lowered interest rate on provident fund deposits to a seven-year low of 8.5 per cent for 2019-20, from 8.65 per cent in 2018-19.

The EPF (Employees Provident Fund) interest rate provided for 2019-20 was the lowest since 2012-13, when it was 8.5 per cent. The EPFO had provided 8.65 per cent interest rate to its subscribers in 2016-17 and 8.55 per cent in 2017-18. The rate of interest was slightly higher at 8.8 per cent in 2015-16. It had given 8.75 per cent rate of interest in 2013-14 as well as 2014-15, higher than 8.5 per cent for 2012-13. The EPFO had provided 8.25 per cent rate of interest on provident fund in 2011-12.