EPFO: This Proposal Might Increase Your Pension

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has proposed a significant change in the Provident Fund (PF) to enhance the financial security of retirees by increasing their monthly pension. The proposal is to raise the wage ceiling for PF contributions by ₹6,000 under EPFO. This could significantly increase the maximum pension payout for organised sector employees under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS).

Impact of the Wage Ceiling Increase

The Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), managed by the EPFO, currently calculates pensions based on a maximum pensionable salary of ₹15,000 per month. This ceiling has been in place since September 1, 2014. However, with inflation and rising living costs, the Ministry of Labour has recognised the need to adjust this ceiling to ₹21,000.

How Is Pension Calculated?

To understand the potential impact of this change, let’s break down the calculation of the EPS pension.

EPS Pension = (Average Salary x Pensionable Service) / 70

• Average Salary: Basic salary + Dearness Allowance (DA)
• Maximum Pensionable Salary: Currently ₹15,000
• Maximum Pensionable Service: 35 years

With the current wage ceiling of ₹15,000, the maximum EPS pension an employee can receive is calculated as:

EPS Pension = ₹15,000 x 35 / 70 = ₹7,500 per month

This amount represents the current upper limit of the monthly pension for those retiring under the existing scheme.

The Proposed Increase And Its Effects

If the wage ceiling is raised to ₹21,000, as proposed, the pension calculation would change significantly:

EPS Pension = ₹21,000 x 35 / 70 = ₹10,050 per month

This calculation shows an increase of ₹2,550 per month in the EPS pension, boosting the retirement income for eligible employees.

EPF and EPS Contribution Breakdown

The increased wage ceiling will also affect the contributions made by both employees and employers to the EPF and EPS. Under the current EPS, the employer contributes 8.33% of the employee’s salary towards the pension scheme. With the proposed ceiling of ₹21,000, the maximum contribution from the employer would increase:

EPS Contribution = ₹21,000 x 8.33% = ₹1,750 per month

The total EPF contribution, including the employee’s and employer’s share, would also increase. For example, if an employee joins a company in October 2024 with a basic salary of ₹21,000, the total EPF contribution for that month would be ₹3,290. This increase ensures that a higher portion of the employee’s earnings is saved for retirement, providing greater financial security in the long term.

Summing Up the Benefits

The EPFO has gained 6.2 crore members in the last 6 years, with 19 lakh new members added in May 2024 alone. Raising the maximum pensionable salary could significantly increase the EPS pension from ₹7,500 to ₹10,050 per month.

This adjustment would boost the monthly pension and enhance overall retirement savings by increasing the EPF and EPS contributions.

As we await the final decision, it’s clear that the potential rise in the wage ceiling could lead to more prosperous and secure retirements for those covered under the EPFO’s schemes.

EPFO 16,600,000: 66

PF: 2,240,000: 73

EPF: 1,830,000: 63

Employees’ Pension Scheme: 3,600: 60

Ministry of Labour:3,600:57

EPS Pension: 2,400: 51