Guided help

How to check your EPF balance online

Your Employees' Provident Fund balance can be checked without visiting an office, as long as your UAN (Universal Account Number) is activated and linked to your mobile number.

1. 1Find your UAN. It appears on your salary slip, on your EPF passbook, or can be obtained from your last employer's HR.
2. 2Activate the UAN once on the EPFO member portal using your UAN, Aadhaar or PAN and the mobile number registered with EPFO. You will set a password at this step.
3. 3Log in to the EPFO member passbook service with the UAN and password to view the passbook for each employer you have worked with.
4. 4Alternatively, give a missed call from the registered mobile number to EPFO's missed-call service, or send the SMS balance request in the format EPFOHO UAN ENG to EPFO's SMS number, to receive the balance by text.
5. 5If the passbook is empty or the balance looks wrong, check whether contributions were filed under a different member ID, and raise a grievance on EPFO's grievance portal with your UAN and establishment details.

Keep your mobile number with EPFO current — almost every online step depends on the OTP going to that number.

How to update the nominee on a bank account

A nominee is the person the bank pays out to. Updating it is free, takes one short form, and prevents the single most common problem families face later.

1. 1Decide the nominee's full name, date of birth, address and relationship to the account holder. For a minor nominee you also need an appointee (an adult who will receive on their behalf).
2. 2Get the nomination form for the account type — banks use standard forms for deposit accounts, lockers and safe custody. Most banks also allow nomination changes inside internet banking or the mobile app.
3. 3Fill it in and sign it. All joint account holders must sign, even if only one of them is changing the nominee.
4. 4Submit it at the branch or through the app. Ask for an acknowledgement, and ask that 'nomination registered' be printed in the passbook or shown in the account details.
5. 5Check within a week that the change appears on your statement or account summary, then record it in Sambhaal so the family knows it is done.
6. 6Repeat the same exercise for fixed deposits, demat accounts, mutual funds, insurance policies, PPF and EPF — a nominee on one does not carry across to the others.

A nominee receives the money as a trustee; it does not by itself override a will or succession law. For estate planning, speak to a lawyer.

How to complain when a UPI payment fails but money is debited

Most failed UPI transactions auto-reverse within a set timeline. If yours has not, there is a defined escalation path and you do not need to pay anyone to use it.

1. 1Wait for the auto-reversal window first. A debited-but-failed UPI transaction is generally reversed automatically within a few working days under NPCI's rules.
2. 2Note the UPI transaction ID (UTR/RRN), amount, date, payer and payee — take a screenshot from the app's transaction history.
3. 3Raise a complaint inside the UPI app you paid from. Every app has a 'Raise dispute' or 'Report an issue' option on the transaction itself. This registers the case with the bank's system.
4. 4If there is no resolution, complain to the bank that holds the debited account — through its official helpline or branch — and get a complaint reference number in writing.
5. 5Still unresolved after 30 days, or unhappy with the reply, escalate to the RBI Ombudsman through the RBI's online complaint portal, quoting the earlier complaint reference.
6. 6Never search for a 'UPI customer care number' on the open web or social media. Fake support numbers are one of the most common frauds in India — use only the number inside the official app or on your bank's own website.

What documents you need to update your KYC

KYC (Know Your Customer) is a periodic identity re-verification. Banks and insurers ask for it every few years, and it can usually be completed with the same small set of documents.

1. 1Carry proof of identity: PAN card is normally required for financial accounts, along with one officially valid document such as Aadhaar, passport, voter ID or driving licence.
2. 2Carry proof of current address. Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, driving licence or a recent utility bill in the account holder's name are commonly accepted.
3. 3Carry recent passport-size photographs, and the filled KYC or re-KYC form provided by the institution.
4. 4For a re-KYC where nothing has changed, many institutions accept a simple self-declaration that details are unchanged, submitted in the branch, by post, or through the official app or net banking.
5. 5For a senior citizen who cannot travel, ask the institution about doorstep KYC or video KYC — most banks offer at least one of these for pensioners.
6. 6Keep a copy of the acknowledgement, and store a scan in your Sambhaal document vault so the next renewal is easier.

Never share KYC documents with anyone who calls you claiming your account will be frozen. Genuine KYC is done at the branch, in the official app, or in a scheduled video call you initiated.