What is PF – Provident Fund ?

You would have come across the term Provident Fund – PF while discussing paychecks, salaries, savings, and government schemes. But do you have in-depth knowledge about it? If you are willing to get an insight into the concept of Provident Fund, its functioning, and the terms related to it, this article is for you.

What is a PF? 

PF stands for Provident Fund

A provident fund – PF can be understood as a mandatory retirement savings scheme that is managed by the government. It is prevalent in developing countries like India and Singapore.

Provident funds include a certain portion of the salaries of an employee and a contribution made by the employer for the employee. The funds are managed by the government and can be withdrawn by the retiring individual or their family (depending upon the rules and procedures of the country).

How Does a PF Function?

 PF – Provident funds are a portion of the total monthly salary of an employee. Every employee who receives a monthly salary faces certain deductions for taxes and insurance.

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Provident funds are a part of this deduction that is mentioned on the contract and payslip of the employee. These funds are held by a trust. A rate of interest decided by the government is applied to them and the balance keeps growing with the monthly contributions and annual compound interest.

The PF can be withdrawn in the following two ways –

1. If the employee has reached their retirement age, they can apply for withdrawing their PF.
2. The employee can withdraw their PF before the retirement age if they ate out of work for a prescribed period by the government. In this case, they can withdraw 75% of the total amount of their provident fund. The portion of the Employer’s contribution will not be applicable in this case as it is only accessible after the retirement age of the employee.

PF Contribution and PF Withdrawal

PF contributions are the minimum rate of contributions that is declared by the National Provident fund both for the employers and the employee. It depends on the age of the employee and there is a specific age limit when the employee is entitled to withdraw the funds.

You may also like to read : What is Flexible Benefit Plan – FBP 

When an employee withdraws their funds at the declared age limit, they are exempt from penalties that are applicable on early withdrawals. In case of situations like medical emergencies and pre-retirement, withdrawals are permitted.

Important Terms related to PF

Encumbrance

Encumbrance refers to the charge by a party who is not the authorized proprietor against a property.

Earnest Money

Earnest money is the deposit that is paid by a buyer to a seller. This is to ensure that the buyer has the actual intention of buying the house.

Caveat Emptor

Caveat emptor is a neo-Latin term. It means can be translated in English to “let the buyer be vigilant.”

Senior Citizens Saving Scheme (SCSS)

The SCSS or Senior Citizens Savings Scheme  was implemented with the goal of procuring day-to-day income for senior citizens after they reach the age of 60.

Land

The land refers to a property or real estate, except buildings and facilities allocated by fixed spatial boundaries.

Property

The property stands for any physical or virtual commodity that is owned by an individual. This commodity can also be owned jointly or by a group of individuals.

Public-Private Partnership

Public-Private Partnerships or PPP is an arrangement of alliance and joint involvement of the government and the private sector in projects that are of public interest.

Voluntary Retirement Scheme

Voluntary Retirement Scheme is availed by an employee who wishes for voluntary retirement.

Types Of Provident Funds

There are four types of PF – Provident Funds depending upon different tax conditions-

Statutory Provident Fund (SPF)

Statutory Provident Funds (SPF) are managed by local authorities, government agencies, railways, and universities. Under this, the employee contributions ate taxable under 80c whereas the employers may not have tax on their contributions.

The interest provided on this is free from tax implications as is not considered a part of the income. In case if the individual deactivates their PF account, no additional tax implications are employed during the withdrawal procedure.

Public Provident Fund (PPF)

The Public Provident Fund or PPF is functional for everyone, regardless of their employment status. The minimum rate is Rs. 500, and the maximum rate extends up to Rs 1.5 lacs. The amount is reimbursed after 15 years. Moreover, the interest paid on this amount is tax-free and this makes it one of the most beneficial schemes for future savings and investments.

Recognized Provident Fund (RPF)

Recognized Provident Fund (RPF) is when all the employees in companies with more than 20 employees contribute to the PF. Employees can exercise the liberty of setting up the scheme for their contributions on their own PF trust.

They can also follow the PF commissioner system. In any scenario, the CIT (Commissioner of Income Tax) must approve all schemes. In case if the employee contributions surpass the limit of 12%, it will be subjected to tax for the year in which the contribution was made. The tax applicable on it falls under Section 80B for the percentage of employee contributions.

Unrecognized Provident Fund (UPF)

Unrecognized Provident Funds (UPF) are not acknowledged by the Commissioner of Income Tax, i.e. CTI. It is an insurance fund and the contributions made to it, during a financial year are not subject to taxation. No interest tax is paid under this and the amount is taxable as salary income at the time of withdrawal.

Conclusion

Knowing about PF – Provident Funds is essential for all individuals who are an active part of the public or private work sector. One must keep themselves updated with all the variations, government updates, and revisions that occur with respect to the regulations, guidelines and schemes related to Provident Funds.