You may have changed jobs a few times, but have you kept track of your old PF accounts? A new study suggests many people haven’t, and the amounts left behind are surprisingly large.
According to a report by 1 Finance Magazine, over 31.87 lakh inoperative EPF accounts in India are currently holding around Rs 10,915 crore. What’s more worrying is that this number has risen sharply over the years, despite systems meant to simplify things.
INACTIVE ACCOUNTS ON THE RISE
The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is meant to be a long-term savings tool for retirement. But when accounts are left inactive for three years, they are classified as inoperative.
The study shows that such accounts have jumped from 9.8 lakh in 2020 to nearly 31.9 lakh in 2025—a threefold increase in just five years.
Adhil Shetty, CEO of BankBazaar, points out that this trend raises questions about how effectively the system is working.
“The UAN was supposed to be the fix. One number, one account, regardless of how many times you change jobs. But inoperative EPF accounts have grown from 9.8 lakh in 2020 to 31.9 lakh in 2025, a threefold jump in five years,” he said.
WHY IS YOUR EPF MONEY GETTING STUCK?
The Universal Account Number (UAN), introduced in 2014, was meant to link multiple PF accounts under one umbrella. But gaps remain.
Shetty explains that many older accounts, especially those created before 2014, were never linked to a UAN. As a result, they remain non-KYC compliant and difficult to access.
“Millions of pre-2014 accounts were never linked to a UAN and remain non-KYC compliant. Add frequent job changes where employees don’t initiate transfers, employer shutdowns that leave accounts stranded, and KYC mismatches that block online access, and you have money that is technically yours but practically unreachable,” he said.
A SMALL NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS HOLD MOST OF THE MONEY
Interestingly, the study also found that nearly 50% of the unclaimed EPF money is concentrated in just 0.4% of accounts.
This suggests that a small group of people—likely those who have switched jobs multiple times—have left behind several partially funded accounts over the years.
“The 50% corpus concentration in just 0.4% of accounts points to serial job-changers, who are likely senior professionals who left behind partially-funded accounts each time they moved,” Shetty added.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CLAIM YOUR MONEY
The good news is that reclaiming your EPF balance is not as complicated as it may seem—if your details are in order.
Shetty suggests starting with a simple check. “Log into the EPFO member portal and check how many accounts are linked to your UAN. Accounts without completed KYC cannot be claimed or transferred online.”
Once KYC details are updated, transferring old balances into your current account becomes easier.
“Resolve that first through your former employer or directly at an EPFO field office. Once KYC is in order, merging old balances into your current account is straightforward,” he said.
DON’T IGNORE YOUR RETIREMENT SAVINGS
Your EPF is often one of your biggest long-term assets, yet it is easy to overlook, especially during job changes.
“Do that and then check your EPF passbook every quarter. Your PF is your largest retirement asset, and it deserves the same attention you give your bank account,” Shetty advised.
The takeaway is simple: a quick check today could help you recover money that’s already yours but sitting idle.
