The death of an EPF member — whether in service, after retirement, or in between — triggers a set of financial benefits that can provide meaningful relief to the family. Yet many families lose out on these benefits simply because they do not know what to claim or how to initiate the process. This guide covers every benefit, every eligible claimant, and the complete claim procedure as it stands in 2026.
Three Benefits Payable on an EPF Member’s Death
1. EPF Balance (Provident Fund Corpus)
The total EPF corpus — accumulated contributions and interest — is paid to the nominee or legal heir in a lump sum. This can be a substantial amount for long-serving members.
2. EPS Family Pension (Monthly Pension)
Under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), the eligible family members receive a monthly pension. This benefit applies if the deceased had been an EPS member for at least one month. There is no minimum service requirement for family pension in case of death in service.
3. EDLI Insurance Benefit (Lump Sum)
The EDLI scheme provides a one-time insurance benefit of up to Rs 7 lakh to the nominee or dependent family member. No separate insurance premium is paid by the employee — this is entirely funded by the employer’s EDLI contribution (0.5% of wages).
Who Is Eligible to Claim?
Priority of claimants:
- Registered nominee (person named in e-Nomination by the deceased EPF member)
- Family members as defined under EPF Act — spouse, children, parents (if no nominee exists or if nominee is deceased)
- Legal heirs (with succession certificate) — only if no valid nominee or family member exists
Having a registered nominee on file dramatically speeds up settlement. Without a nominee, families must produce legal heirship certificates, which can take months.
EPF Claim Process for Nominees and Family Members
Step 1 — Gather Required Documents
- Death certificate of the EPF member
- Nominee’s/claimant’s Aadhaar and PAN
- Bank account details (cancelled cheque) of the claimant
- EPF member’s UAN and last employer details
- Marriage certificate (for widow/widower claims)
- Birth certificates of minor children (for orphan pension)
Step 2 — File Online Claim (Composite Death Claim Form)
The nominee can file the composite death claim online through the EPFO member portal using the Composite Claim Form (Death). This single form covers EPF balance withdrawal, EPS family pension, and EDLI benefit.
- The employer must attest the claim form or the nominee must e-Sign using Aadhaar OTP
- Upload all supporting documents on the portal
- The claim is processed by the EPFO regional office
Step 3 — Offline Filing (If Online Not Possible)
If the nominee cannot complete the online process, they can visit the nearest EPFO office or the last employer’s HR department with the physical Composite Claim Form (Death) — Form 20 (EPF withdrawal), Form 10D (EPS pension), and Form 5IF (EDLI benefit).
Timeline for Claim Settlement
EPFO’s target is to settle death claims within 30 days of receiving a complete application. EPF balance and EDLI are one-time payments; EPS family pension is a recurring monthly payment that begins after processing.
What Happens to EPS After the Widow Remarries?
The widow’s EPS family pension continues even if she remarries. This is often not known — many widows incorrectly believe the pension stops on remarriage. The pension continues for life.
Orphan Pension Under EPS
If the widow also passes away, or if there is no surviving widow, the children receive orphan pension — typically 75% of the widow pension rate — until they turn 25 (or marry, whichever is earlier).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a family claim EPF benefits if the deceased never filed an e-Nomination?
A: Yes. In the absence of a nomination, eligible family members (spouse, children, parents) can claim EPF benefits by submitting family relationship proof documents. If no family exists, legal heirs with a succession certificate can claim. It is significantly more paperwork, but the benefit is not forfeited.
Q: Is the EPF balance paid to the nominee taxable?
A: No. EPF balance received by a nominee upon the death of an EPF member is fully tax-exempt under Section 10(12) of the Income Tax Act. EDLI insurance proceeds are also tax-exempt under Section 10(10D).
Q: What is the maximum EDLI benefit payable?
A: The maximum EDLI benefit is Rs 7 lakh, calculated as 35 times the average monthly wages of the last 12 months, plus a bonus of Rs 1,75,000. If the result exceeds Rs 7 lakh, it is capped at Rs 7 lakh. The minimum EDLI payable is Rs 2.5 lakh.
Q: Can the claim be filed if the employer has closed down?
A: Yes. If the employer has closed, the nominee should approach the EPFO regional office directly with all supporting documents. EPFO can process death claims from closed establishments using their internal records.
Q: How long does the EPS family pension continue?
A: The widow’s pension continues for life. Children’s pension continues until age 25 or marriage (whichever is earlier). If the children are permanently disabled, the pension continues indefinitely.
