EPFO Form 10C: What Is It and How Can It Help You Claim Pension Benefits? Know the Details

Employees contribute towards their retirement through the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF). However, EPF savings are not the only retirement benefit available under the EPFO. A part of the employer's contribution goes towards the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), which provides pension-related benefits.

If you need to claim certain EPS benefits, EPFO Form 10C can be important. But it is not meant for every pension claim. Here's what you need to know.

What is EPFO Form 10C?

Form 10C is used to claim certain benefits under the Employees' Pension Scheme. Eligible members can use it to claim EPS withdrawal benefits or obtain a scheme certificate, depending on their circumstances.

Under the EPF system, a portion of the employer's contribution is allocated towards EPS. The pension benefit depends on factors such as the member's eligible service period and applicable EPFO rules.

A scheme certificate can help preserve pensionable service for future employment covered under EPS.

When is Form 10C used?

Form 10C is generally relevant when an eligible member has less than 10 years of EPS service and wants to claim the applicable withdrawal benefit.

Instead of taking the withdrawal benefit, an eligible member may choose a scheme certificate. This can help retain pension-related service so that it can be considered along with future eligible employment.

In certain cases involving the death of a member, family members or legal heirs may also need to complete the relevant process for EPS benefits.

Form 10C vs Form 10D

Form 10C and Form 10D serve different purposes, so they should not be confused.

Form 10C: Mainly used for EPS withdrawal benefits or a scheme certificate in eligible cases.

Form 10D: Used for claiming pension under applicable circumstances, including certain early pension and disability pension cases.

Therefore, the correct form depends on the type of pension benefit being claimed.

Documents required for Form 10C

The information and documents required can vary depending on the claim. Generally, members may need details such as:

• UAN
• Aadhaar and PAN
• Date of birth
• Date of joining and leaving employment
• Reason for leaving
• Bank account details
• Address

Additional documents may be required in specific situations, such as a cancelled cheque, children's date-of-birth documents for certain scheme certificate cases, death certificate, succession certificate for a legal heir, or a revenue stamp for an offline claim.

How to submit Form 10C online

Eligible EPFO members can submit the claim online through the EPFO member portal using their UAN and password.

Follow these basic steps:

1. Log in to the EPFO member portal using your UAN and password.
2. Select Claim (Form-31, 19, 10C & 10D).
3. Enter the last four digits of your bank account and verify them.
4. Give consent to the certificate of undertaking and select Proceed for Online Claim.
5. Choose Withdraw Pension Only (Form-10C) where applicable.
6. Enter the required details and complete OTP verification.
7. Submit the claim.

Once the claim is successfully submitted, an acknowledgement or status update may be sent to the registered mobile number. After EPFO processes and approves the claim, the eligible amount is credited to the registered bank account.

Check the correct form before applying

Form 10C is specifically meant for certain EPS benefits and should not be treated as a universal pension claim form. Before submitting a claim, check your service period and the type of benefit you are eligible to receive. This can help avoid choosing the wrong form or facing delays in processing.