Calculators / Government & bank savings
Government & bank savings
EPF Calculator India
EPF is the retirement corpus your salary builds on its own, a fixed slice of your basic pay every month, compounding at a government-set rate. This calculator projects what it grows to by the time you retire, and shows why it is the best safe money most salaried Indians own.
₹7,835 leaves a ₹50,000 basic every month into EPF before you see it, and over a career at 8.25% it becomes about ₹2.97 crore. It is the biggest SIP most salaried Indians never chose to start, and cashing it out at a job switch is the easiest way to lose it.
EPF rate is 8.25% as last declared. The rate is reset each year, so treat any projection as an estimate. Last reviewed September 2026.
Uses the 12% employee plus 3.67% employer share of basic, 15.67% in all. The employer's other 8.33% funds the EPS pension and is not counted here.
About the EPF calculator
EPF is the retirement balance built from your and your employer's monthly contributions, compounding at a government-set rate. It is automatic, tax-advantaged, and pays more than any FD or PPF. Below the tool is what really goes in, why cashing it out at a job change is so costly, and where EPF fits in a retirement plan.
| Cash out at age | You take now | What it would be at 60 |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | ₹2 lakh | ₹21.6 lakh |
| 40 | ₹2 lakh | ₹9.8 lakh |
| 50 | ₹2 lakh | ₹4.4 lakh |
The same ₹2 lakh job-switch balance, spent now or left to compound at 8.25% until 60. The younger you cash out, the more it costs, because you throw away the most years of growth. Transfer your EPF when you change jobs; never withdraw it.
Your EPF by life stage
How much will my EPF grow to?
On the calculator's default, a ₹50,000 basic salary growing 8% a year builds an EPF corpus of about ₹2.97 crore by age 60, from ₹1.07 crore of contributions and ₹1.9 crore of tax-free interest. It starts at just ₹7,835 a month. EPF is worked out on your basic, not your gross, so enter your actual basic above for your number.
How is EPF calculated?
You contribute 12% of your basic salary, and your employer adds a matching 12%, but only 3.67% of that reaches your EPF; the other 8.33% funds the EPS pension. So 15.67% of your basic goes into the growing corpus each month and compounds at the declared rate. It is figured on basic plus dearness allowance, not your full salary, which is why the corpus is often smaller than people expect.
What rate does EPF earn, and is it taxed?
8.25% as last declared. The EPFO sets the rate each year, so treat any projection as an estimate. The tax treatment is among the best available: the contribution counts under Section 80C, the interest is tax-free as long as your own contribution stays within ₹2.5 lakh a year, and the maturity is tax-free after five years of continuous service. Above ₹2.5 lakh of yearly contribution, interest on the excess is taxable.
How does EPF compare with PPF and an FD?
On the return you actually keep, EPF leads the safe-money field.
| Instrument | Headline rate | Real return |
|---|---|---|
| EPF | 8.25%, tax-free | +2.1% |
| PPF | 7.10%, tax-free | +1.0% |
| FD | 7.00%, taxed | -1.0% |
Real return is after 6% inflation; the FD is also after 30% tax, which the tax-free EPF and PPF never pay. Three safe instruments at a similar headline rate, and only the taxed one loses to inflation. EPF, when you have it, is the best safe rupee a salaried person earns.
What happens to my EPF when I change jobs?
Transfer it, do not withdraw it. Your UAN stays the same across employers, so the account can simply follow you. Withdrawing breaks decades of tax-friendly compounding for a sum that feels small now, and it can reset the five-year clock for tax-free maturity. A ₹2 lakh balance cashed out at 30 is more than ₹21 lakh gone from your retirement at 60, as the table above shows.
Should I withdraw EPF for a big expense?
Almost never. It is your retirement money, not an emergency fund, and it is usually the safest large asset you own. A home down payment, a car, a wedding: all are better funded another way than by raiding thirty years of compounding. The rules do allow partial withdrawal for specific needs like a house, medical treatment or a child's education, but treat those as a last resort, not a first.
What is VPF, and should I use it?
Voluntary Provident Fund lets you contribute more than the compulsory 12% of basic, up to 100%, at the very same 8.25% tax-free rate. For a saver who wants more safe, tax-free return it is the best rate available, better than PPF or any FD, and it comes straight out of your salary. Keep your own total contribution within ₹2.5 lakh a year to keep all the interest tax-free.
Is EPF enough for retirement on its own?
Usually not, and it is not meant to be. EPF is the safe, certain pillar of a retirement plan; it will not outgrow equity over decades. Pair it with an index SIP for growth, and use the retirement calculator to see whether the two together reach your number. EPF anchors the plan; it does not carry it alone.
What is EPS, and is it counted here?
EPS is the Employees' Pension Scheme. The 8.33% of employer contribution that does not enter your EPF goes here instead, and it buys a small monthly pension in retirement, worked out on a capped wage of ₹15,000. Because it is a separate, modest pension rather than a growing corpus, this calculator does not count it in the EPF figure. Treat any EPS pension as a small bonus on top.
How do I check my EPF, and keep it safe?
Your Universal Account Number, the UAN, is the key. Activate it on the EPFO member portal to see your passbook, or check the balance through the Umang app or an SMS to the EPFO. Do it once or twice a year, and confirm your employer is actually depositing what your payslip shows; a gap between the two is worth chasing early, not at retirement.