This article will examine how to change the nominee in a PF account online in 2023. Firstly, we will define what a nominee in a PF account is and its benefits.
Nominee in PF Account
- Nominee’s Role:
The nominee plays a crucial role in receiving and managing the PF benefits on behalf of the deceased account holder’s family or dependents. - Designation Process:
The account holder has the option to designate a nominee by providing the nominee’s details, such as name, relationship to the account holder, date of birth, and address, to the PF account provider.
Adding or updating a nominee in a PF (Provident Fund) account comes with several benefits.
Here are the key benefits of adding or updating a nominee in a PF account:
Benefits of Adding/Updating Nominee in PF Account
- Smooth Transfer of Benefits:
By adding a nominee, you ensure a seamless transfer of the PF benefits to the nominee in the event of your demise. This helps in avoiding delays and complexities in the settlement process. - Financial Security for Family:
Adding a nominee provides financial security to your family members or dependents. They can receive the accumulated PF balance in case of your unfortunate demise, which can help them meet their financial needs and obligations. - Avoiding Legal Disputes:
Designating a nominee helps prevent potential disputes among family members regarding the rightful claim to the PF benefits. It provides a clear indication of your intention and simplifies the distribution process. - Speedy Claim Settlement:
With a nominee in place, the PF claim settlement process becomes faster and more efficient. The nominee can initiate the claim process without extensive paperwork or legal formalities, expediting the disbursement of funds. - Nominee’s Role in Decision-making:
In case of an incapacitated account holder, the nominee can act as a representative and make decisions on their behalf. This includes managing the PF account, withdrawing funds for essential purposes, or updating account details. - Flexibility to Update Nominee:
Updating a nominee allows you to accommodate changes in your personal circumstances, such as marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child. You can ensure that the most appropriate person receives the PF benefits by keeping the nominee details up to date.
Check-List before filing e-Nomination
Before you start ensure the following:
In your profile section:
Availability of all these details is mandatory:
(Since Aadhaar verification is a pre-condition, it means that Name, Date of Birth and Gender of the
member against UAN is verified against his/ her Aadhaar)
The EPFO has brought in a new rule whereby you have to add a profile picture in your EPF account before you apply for a new nomination or change an existing nomination.
If you do not have a profile picture picture and still try to add a nominee, you will get a message saying “Unable to proceed. Please upload your profile photograph. ( Menu : View – > Profile).”
Once the profile part is updated the link for filing e-nomination will open.
Before your start filing it is better to check the following.
Keeping the required data will help in filing
You make a check list with data of family members as per the family defined in the Scheme:
The list is as follows:
Important Notes
- Member has to file a fresh nomination and e-sign the same. No editing of the previously e-signed
nomination is possible. - E-Sign of the fresh nomination will replace the nomination filed earlier with the fresh one.
- A member who has filed nomination as unmarried later gets married the earlier nomination
becomes invalid. He has to file a fresh nomination after marriage. - Members should try to update the nomination as and when there is a change in family due to
new child birth, or death of a person in family. This will help the family to correctly get their
dues. - If the member wants to nominate only a few family persons he should add those family
members. - In case the member is married and has spouse and children, he should add them even if he
does not wish to nominate them under PF. Spouse and children are defined as family for
Pension Fund. So their names should be added in the family list. - Please keep the Aadhaar number and photo of the family member ready with you before you
start filing. - Guidelines for uploading photograph: – The photo should be of max 100 KB size in jpeg format.
- Only a member who is not married and is not having any of the family member as mentioned
above may nominate any other person irrespective of relation for PF. - Only a member not having spouse or children can nominate a person for Pension Contribution.
- In case there is no spouse and no children then only the Pension Nomination link will open
and member can nominate one person.
How to Change/Update Nominee in PF Account Online?
I can provide you with a simplified step-by-step guide on how to change/update the nominee in a PF (Provident Fund) account online:
- Log in to the EPFO Member Portal:
Visit the official website of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and log in to your member account using your Universal Account Number (UAN) and password. - Access the Manage tab:
Once logged in, navigate to the “Manage” tab or a similar section where you can view and update your PF account details. - Select the “E-Nomination” option:
Look for the “E-Nomination” option among the available services or options.
Tap on the ‘Yes’ option to update the family declaration.
Click on ‘Add Family Details’ and- For each family member upload photo and enter Aadhaar. Aadhaar data is verified against the
name, date of birth and gender of the family member entered by member. On successful
verification only the family will be added. - Bank account is not mandatory
- Once completed a pdf is generated and the pdf has to be e-signed by the member through his Aadhaar linked mobile OTP authentication.
- E-nominations that are only filed and pdf not e-signed will not be considered for action in the
event to demise of the member. - A valid -nomination ensures that the family members can login through OTP on their Aadhaar
linked mobile for filing online claim post death of the member.
- For each family member upload photo and enter Aadhaar. Aadhaar data is verified against the
- Enter the updated nominee details:
Now, click ‘Nomination Details’ to declare the total amount of share. Once done, click on ‘Save EPF Nomination’.
Select ‘E-sign’ to generate OTP which will appear on the mobile number linked to your Aadhaar number - Specify the nomination percentage (if applicable):
If you wish to allocate specific percentages of your PF balance to multiple nominees, enter the corresponding percentage for each nominee. Otherwise, you can leave it blank or specify 100% for a single nominee. - Verify and submit the changes:
Review the updated nominee details and nomination percentages (if applicable). - Acknowledgment and confirmation:
After successfully submitting the updated nominee details, you will receive an acknowledgment or confirmation message on the screen. This may include a reference number or receipt of your nomination update.
Please note that the process may slightly vary depending on the specific features and interface of the EPFO Member Portal.
FAQs
A: To add a nominee to your PF account, you need to fill out the nomination form provided by your employer or the PF account authority. You will need to provide the nominee's details, such as name, relationship to the account holder, date of birth, and address.
A: Yes, you can change or update the nominee in your PF account.
You need to fill out a fresh nomination form with the updated nominee details and submit it to
your employer or the PF account authority.
A: Yes, you can nominate a minor as the nominee in your PF account.
However, you will also need to appoint a guardian who will receive the PF benefits on behalf of the minor nominee.