How to Check Your PF Balance by SMS?

Employees Provident Fund, introduced in 1951, is a retirement benefits scheme by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation. Besides tax benefits, it is also known for offering higher interest rates than other retirement schemes. Under this scheme, the employer and the employee contribute an amount equal to 12% of the latter’s basic salary and dearness allowance to a retirement fund.

What is EPF?

The EPF was launched in the early 1950s to provide millions of hard-working individuals with a secure future. If you are an employee, in the government sector or private sector, with a salary less than ₹15000 per month (basis plus dearness allowance), it will be compulsory for you to register for EPF. One main benefit of the scheme is that both the employee and the employer can contribute to the corpus. The high-interest rate, currently set at 8.1%, makes it an attractive investment option.

It is mandatory for a company with more than 20 employees to subscribe to the scheme. However, those with less than 20 may also register voluntarily. While most employers have to contribute 12% of an employee’s basic salary and dearness allowance to the latter’s EPF fund, the percentage can be 10% in specific cases.

How to Check PF Balance through SMS?

Checking your EPF balance via SMS won’t cost you any extra charges. All you need to do is send a message to 7738299899 in the below format:

                                                                “EPFOHO UAN ENG”

While the first two words remain constant for all subscribers, the last letters, representing your preferred language, may vary from person to person. For instance, if Tamil is your choice of language, then type “EPFOHO UAN TAM”. The SMS service is currently accessible in the following languages- English, Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati, Telugu, Bengali, Punjabi, and Malayalam. 

One thing needs to be remembered, though. You can only access our EPF balance via SMS two days (approximately 48 hours) after registering your UAN on the EPFO portal. 

*For the uninitiated, the Universal Account Number or UAN is a 12-digit number provided to each employee registered under the EPF scheme.

Also Read: how to check pf balance by missed call

Benefits of EPF’s SMS Service

1. Convenience 

There is no need to log in every time on the portal once you have successfully activated your account. With no hassles, you can send a message to know the account details whenever you desire.

2. No Language Barrier

EPF supports SMS services in 10 languages, making them accessible to a broader audience.

3. Instant service

EPF’s SMS service eliminates the chances of delayed response and saves time. You can know your account balance instantly by sending the message in the correct format.

4. User-friendly 

EPF’s SMS service is especially beneficial for those with basic phones who are not internet savvy.

Other Ways to Check PF Balance

Now that you know how to check EPF balance by SMS, you must learn about the other available services by EPFO for the same purpose. These include:

1. PF balance through a missed call.
2. PF balance via EPFO portal.
3. PF balance via UMANG application.

Closing Thoughts 

Apart from being one of the best retirement tools, EPF offers attractive interest rates. Moreover, due to the government’s backing, your EPF investment is risk-free. However, since the amount gets deducted from the salary monthly, it is often overlooked – not an ideal choice if you are keen on active financial planning. So, learn the tips and tricks of how to know PF balance through SMS and stay updated about your EPF details. 

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