How EPFO Form 6-A Streamlines Pension Benefits for Retired Employees

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is an important body which administers social security schemes for Indian workers. One of such offers which comes most importantly is the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS). Such scheme aids the employees to receive a pension after retirement. Recently, EPFO boasted of Form 6-A but this was meant to assist retirees by making the pension process much easier. This article discusses the EPFO Form 6-A particularly why it is important how it is to be filled, how does it any benefits and how does it impact the pensioners.

Table of Contents

What is EPFO Form 6-A?

EPFO Form 6-A is a filling the form which is used by the employees who wants to fill the application form to claim their pension under the scheme of Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS). This has been done as part of a overall initiative to aid the retirees in claiming their pension. This form seeks to make the processes bearable for the retirees by easing pension claimwait periods in an instant.

Form 6-A is specifically intended to assist those persons approaching or who have already retired, who are interested in drawing up their pension or retiring benefits. It acts as an application for commencement of the pension process and also confirms the claim of the employee on a pension. It is a necessary form for the EPS pension which makes it one of the important processes of pension planning.

Significance of EPFO Form 6-A

After the enactment of Form 6-A, pension claimants can now use this easy method to also initiate their retirement, as there was a tedious methods of requesting for retirement prior. A lot of documentation was involved which brought problems to the time of disbursement of pensions. The Form 6-A amendment to the EMB has enhanced the retirement processes more competent and amiable, making sure the employees get the twenty-four benefits of their retirement finances.

Indeed the advent of Form 6-A is also for the ease of Us the Employees by:

Streamlining the Provisions: The form amalgamates numerous provisions by various statuses which make the provision of pension easily accessible to a the retiree.angular*
Reducing Turnaround Time: With an effective method in place, retirees should expect less waiting time for their pension claims to be worked on.
Accurate Recoding Documentation correspondence Math: The use of templates reduces errors or omissions of documents thus reducing the possibilities for delays.

Who Should Fill Out EPFO Form 6-A?

Form 6-A has to be filled in by employees who have been working for a company that is under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) and are eligible for a pension. Most employees qualify for the pension if:

They have worked for at least ten years with the EPF scheme sponsoring employer.
He/she has retired and is 58 years and above.
They had made the minimum expected number of contributions to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) while in service.
He/she has already reached the age limit for receiving pension (58 years) and is in need of getting his/her pension at this time.

There are provisions for the members of the EPF scheme who have been previously employed in a company which was registered with EPFO and where the employee made frequent contributions into the EPF account.

Key Features of EPFO Form 6-A

EPFO Form 6A can be regarded as the master form for pension claim so that the process is simple and quick, some of its features are as follows:

Pension Application: It serves as an starting document that ushers in the process of seeking economic benefits attached to the pension.
Pension-wise Information: The application form facilitates the retirees to submit the pension claim to the EPFO, which would then perform the work of processing the pension application after the required documents are attached in the form.
Pension Amount Verification: The system aids in crosschecking the status of the employee in terms of his or her pension and also verifying the amount towards EPF worked for by the employee.
Latest Employment Documents: The form seeks such important information as the personal information of employee, employment history, and initial employment details of last employer. In addition, some documents such as age attestation, bank proof and EPF number of the employee are required as well.
EPS Specifics: Along with employment history, the form requires the working employees to mention details about their membership in the Employees’ Pension Scheme and how much they paid into the scheme over their working years.
Incoming Nominee Information: Just like every epfo form, Form 6-A as well has a nominee field to fill, so that in counteract of death of the worker it is assured that the pensioned amount reaches the selected individual after altering the worker with nominated individual.

EPFO Form 6-A- Filling Instructions

Even though filling out Form 6- A is not difficult, one must be careful in order to not make careless errors. Here is a brief description of how to fill out the form:

Begin with its Downloading– The first step is to download Form 6-A from the official EPFO website or collect it from the EPFO office.
Individuals Private Information– As per sequence begin with the personal particulars which are- name, EPF number, address, date of birth, and marital status.
Service Records of Employment– Employment details covering the name of the organization, the duration for which employment was held, and the reason for resignation.
Account Details: Besides, you will have to furnish your bank account number, name of the bank, branch, and IFSC code. In this case, these are required for the funds to be deposited directly into your account representing the pension amount.
Registered Representatives Information: Additionally, include information pertaining to the account holders nominees such as their name, how they are related to you, and whether they have provided any bank account details.
Put your Signature: Make sure to fill out the required fields then sign the application form in order to verify and complete your application.
Submit the Form: After duly filling the form with the accurate information, it is to be carried in person to the nearest office of the concerned EPFO state the documents annexed to the form such as proof of age, proof of identity and details of the bank account.

Documents Needed for Submission of EPFO Form 6-A

When submitting EPFO Form 6-A, the following set of documents are as a rule of thumb, always presented during the submission:

Proof of Age: A birth certificate, passport, or Aadhaar card are acceptable age proofs.
Identity Proof: An Aadhaar card, PAN card, and or voter ID.
Bank Account Details: A copy of bank b/passbook or a blank CHEQUE.
PF Account Statement: A printed version of your EPF passbook, account statement, and or history.
Nominee Details: If required, a document that mentions the name and relationship of the nominee.
Retirement Certificate: A retirement letter given by the employer if the person is retired.

Advantages of Using EPFO Form 6 A for Retired Persons

Convenience: With the EPFO Form 6-A at hand, the retirees are able to receive pension without having to go through so much documentation.
Quicker Operations: The form helps cut delays for other particulars required and hence the pension processing time is cut down.
Openness: The procedure is such that while retiring the members have full knowledge of the entire procedure and they are able to monitor the status of their pension claim through relevant EPFO web based applications without any difficulty.
Ease of Use: Now with the new online submission options available, there is no need for the retiring members to walk in to the EPFO office to submit the form and other documents.

What Happens After You Fill Up Form 6-A And Submit It?

After you have filled and submitted FF orm 6-A, the EPFO will proceed as follows.

The EPFO Will Check Your Service Records: The EPFO will check you as a registered member of the institution with full membership details, in other words all details which have being filled in the form.
Settle the Payment: If you become eligible to receive pension, then EPFO will process your eligibility.
Remit Pension Amount: Finally, when all the processes are done, your pension amount will be deposited in the nominated bank account as mentioned in the form. This is however, subject to many other factors such as backlogs that may delay the process.

Recurring Hurdles Encountered and Their Solutions

The basic intention of any process is to enable retired people fast and easy access to their pension money; however there are retired members who may find it easier to counter certain hurdles such as:

Inadequate Documentation: All required documentations like certificates of age and banking information should be completed and submitted to prevent delays.
Unresolved Claims: Some of the retirees may experience some hold up because of unresolved claims or other verification concerns. It is better to check with EPFO in case there is a lag in processing.

Concluding Remarks

Having EPFO Form 6-A instruction has been the result of recognizing the gaps in the pension claim form and the processes as such that result into unnecessary delays in most cases. This is because having most of the required data in the same form minimizes duplication of data entry, which delays the processing of information. Thus, the ability of pensioners to access their pensions is greatly enhanced. But foremost, it is the duty of pensioners to submit the relevant information as it is expected so as not to delay the processes. The older employees can claim their pension seated at home as this form is already available on the net.

However, if you satisfy the conditions of becoming a member of the Employees’ Pension Scheme, please do not forget to complete and sign Form 6-A in the prescribed manner and attach the other documentations so as to facilitate quicker and hassle free claiming of your pension.

This particular article seeks to assist the pensioners who are in the process of understanding the EPFO pension structure. It is advisable to visit the official page of the EPFO for any information regarding form 6-A or any other recommendations for official pension processes.