**You Can Now Withdraw Your Entire PF Balance Anytime**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Oct 13, 2025, 07:55 PM*
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**What’s the story?**
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has taken a significant step to enhance the ease of living for its members. In a recent decision by the EPFO’s Central Board of Trustees (CBT), members are now allowed to withdraw up to 100% of their eligible Provident Fund (PF) balance. This includes both the employee’s and employer’s contributions.
The decision was made during the 238th meeting of the CBT held in New Delhi, chaired by the Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya.
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**Major Changes in Withdrawal Rules**
Previously, full withdrawal of PF funds was permitted only in cases of unemployment or retirement. However, under the new liberalized rules, members can withdraw up to 100% of their eligible balance anytime, subject to certain conditions or categories.
Additionally, the CBT has simplified the partial withdrawal process by consolidating 13 complex rules into one streamlined framework. This new rule categorizes withdrawals into three main types:
– Essential Needs (such as illness, education, and marriage)
– Housing Needs
– Special Circumstances
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**Increased Flexibility for Education and Marriage Withdrawals**
The board has also increased the withdrawal limits for education and marriage expenses. Members can now make withdrawals up to **10 times** for education and **5 times** for marriage purposes.
Another notable change is the reduction of the minimum service requirement for all partial withdrawals to just **12 months**. This is a significant relaxation compared to previous rules that required members to provide explanations under “Special Circumstances” — often causing claim rejections.
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**Member Benefits: Minimum Balance Requirement and Auto-Settlement**
To ensure continued growth of retirement savings, the CBT has introduced a new rule requiring members to maintain a **minimum balance of 25% of their contributions** in their PF accounts at all times. This enables members to benefit from EPFO’s attractive interest rate, currently at **8.25% per annum**, compounded annually to build a substantial corpus for retirement.
Moreover, the board announced a move towards **100% auto-settlement of claims for partial withdrawals**, eliminating the need for any documentation. This change aims to simplify and speed up the withdrawal process, making it seamless for EPFO members.
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These reforms mark a progressive step by EPFO to offer greater flexibility and convenience to its members while ensuring long-term financial security. Members can now access their funds more easily without compromising their retirement savings.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/epfo-members-can-now-withdraw-entire-balance/story
