Provident Fund (PF) is considered long-term retirement fund corpus but as per the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) rules, PF withdrawal is allowed in certain conditions like medical emergency, buying a flat or land, home construction etc. According to tax and investment experts, one can use the PF balance during medical emergency or critical illness that attracts high cost of treatment. They said that a PF or EPF account holder can withdraw PF money for Covid too, provided there is hospitalisation post-infection.
Speaking on the PF withdrawal rules for medical treatment SEBI registered tax and investment expert Jitendra Solanki said, “A PF/EPF account holder is allowed for withdrawal, in the case of medical emergency happening with him, spouse, children or parents. But, remember, medical emergency for PF withdrawal means critical illness that attracts high cost of treatment.”
On how much one can withdrawal from one’ PF/EPF balance during medical emergency Mumbai-based tax and investment expert Balwant Jain said, “One can withdraw six times of one’s one month basic salary or his or her net contribution plus interest, whichever is lower.” Jain said that there is no lock-in or mandatory service period for PF/EPF withdrawal for medical emergency.
On whether one is eligible for PF/EPF balance withdrawal for Covid treatment too, Balwant Jain said, “Yes. If a PF account holder, his spouse, children or parents gets hospitalised post-Covid infection, then PF/EPF withdrawal is possible. But, the PF account holder will have to show the hospital bills and hospitalisation papers to establish the critical illness and high cost of treatment.”
Jain said that PF withdrawal is allowed if the hospitalisation period is more than one month or for a major surgery, etc. If the Covid-19 treatment fulfills these conditions, then the PF account holder can withdraw money from the Provident Fund account.
