When does EPF become taxable?

As per current law, an employee’s own contribution to the EPF account is not taxable. However, effective from April 1, 2020, onwards, the employer’s contribution to the EPF account can become taxable if it exceeds Rs 7.5 lakh in a financial year.

Though the biggest USP of the Employees’ Provident Fund is its EEE tax status, however, there are certain instances when EPF can become taxable. Here is a look at instances when you are required to pay tax on EPF.

Full withdrawal from the EPF account is allowed if an employee has left his/her job and has not joined any other new job after two months.

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When does an EPF contribution become taxable?

According to a new regulation introduced in Budget 2020, if an employer’s total contribution to an employee’s NPS account, superannuation fund, and EPF account in a financial year exceeds Rs 7.5 lakh, the excess contribution becomes taxable in the hands of the employee.

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Case I: When your company contributes more than Rs 7.5 lakh to your NPS, superannuation fund, and EPF account in a financial year.
Assume an employer contributes Rs 1 lakh to the superannuation fund, Rs 5 lakh to the NPS, and Rs 2 lakh to the EPF account in a fiscal year. This is a total donation of Rs 8 lakh, which is Rs 50,000 more than the tax-free maximum of Rs 7.5 lakh. As a result, an employee must pay tax on the extra contribution.

Case II: When a financial year’s contribution to the EPF account exceeds Rs 7.5 lakh and no contributions to the NPS or superannuation fund are made.
Assume a worker does not have an NPS account or a superannuation fund. In a financial year, however, the employer contributes Rs 8.5 lakh to the EPF account. In this scenario, too, the extra amount will be taxable in the employee’s hands.