Linked with the same Universal Account Number (UAN), it is quite common for individuals to be left with multiple Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) accounts as they switch workplaces. Even as your UAN remains
the same, you could have multiple separate PF accounts as your new employer creates one.
Merging these accounts doesn’t happen automatically and an employee must forward a request to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to transfer the balance of an old PF account to a newly active one. The basic advantage of this merger is that you can access all your retirement savings in one place, which then also helps prevent complications faced in withdrawals.
Process To Merge PF Accounts
The merger or the transfer process for PF accounts has turned easier over time as EPFO allows members to submit transfer requests online via its official portal as long as their UAN is activated and linked with Aadhaar. Here is a detailed step-by-step guide on how you can merge your multiple PF accounts:
Step-1: Go to the official EPFO website.
Step-2: Sign in using your UAN and password (if forgotten, reset).
Step-3: Navigate to the online services tab, under which you will get the ‘one member and one EPF account’ link. This link will take you to another window showing your personal details and EPF account of the current employer, where the transfer is meant to be credited.
Step-4: Fill in all the required information, including the registered phone number and UAN.
Step-5: Select the ‘Generate OTP’ option. Once the One-Time Password pops up on your registered mobile phone number, enter it on the portal for verification purposes.
Step-6: Once done, you will be taken to a new window requiring information about your earlier EPF accounts intended to be merged.
Step-7: Mark the declaration box and click ‘submit’.
The merger request submitted would then have to be approved by your current employer. Once this approval is received, EPFO will process the request and merge the previous EPF accounts with the latest one.
On EPF
EPF account holders would know the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is a savings scheme backed by the government of India, providing post-retirement financial security to the GOI’s employees. Under the EPFO-controlled scheme, the employee and the employer each contribute 12 per cent of the employee’s basic salary and DA towards the EPF account.
The EPF interest rate currently stands at 8.25 per cent per annum for FY 2025-26, i.e. the period spanning April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Apart from the interest, employees also get tax benefits linked to the EPF account.
