How to Transfer PF from a Private Trust to EPFO Account

PF from a Private Trust to EPFO Account: PF is not handled in one single simple system everywhere. Many companies are directly linked to EPFO, but some companies run their own private PF trusts. Because of that, when a person leaves one job and joins another, the PF money may not move on its own in every case.

If your old company had its own PF trust, then you usually get two choices. One choice is to take out the money. But that is not always a smart move. If your total continuous service is less than five years, then tax can apply and 10% TDS may be deducted. The second choice is to move the PF money to the EPFO account connected with your new employer.

This helps you keep the tax benefit and also keeps your service history going without a break. EPFO’s official guidance says members should get the PF account transferred when they change jobs, and Form 13 is used for this process. In exempted trust cases, a physical Form 13 is also needed for the trust side of the transfer.

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Kunal Kabra, Founder, Kustodian.life, explained it like this: “PF transfer from a trust has two parts: first, initiating the PF component transfer through the trust’s portal, and second, ensuring that the pension component is transferred by repeating the transfer process through the EPFO portal,” Kunal Kabra, Founder, Kustodian.life.

Amol Joshi, founder, PlanRupee Investment Services, also shared the process in simple terms. He said, “Member should submit a physical Transfer Claim Form (Form 13) to the Trust while submitting Online Transfer Claim Form (Form 13) to the PF Office for transferring your service details to new account. As you file online claim on the Portal, you have option to download Form 13 later to be physically submitted to the Trust,” said Amol Joshi, founder, PlanRupee Investment Services.

How the Transfer Works from Trust to EPFO?

Before starting, the employee should make sure the UAN is active. This is very important. Then the person has to log in to the EPFO Unified Portal and go to the transfer request section. EPFO’s official instructions say that for members coming from an exempted establishment trust, the online claim is filed on the portal, and the printable Form 13 must also be given physically to the previous trust. The trust then sends transfer details through Annexure K and moves the money to EPFO.

Once the trust gets the form, it checks the PF balance and starts the transfer. After that, it prepares Annexure K. This paper is very important because it shows the member’s PF amount, interest, and service details. EPFO’s official material also confirms Annexure K is the transfer certificate that carries full details of the transfer. In 2025, EPFO even updated the revamped Form 13 process and added more details to Annexure K, including taxable and non-taxable breakup.

Kabra also warned people not to ignore small problems in the process. He said, “Since the rules and processes of individual trusts may vary, if you get rejections or face challenges, it is advisable to consult an expert to avoid multiple failures and ensure a smooth transition of service history,” Kabra said.

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Experts also say you should check all your details before applying. Your name, date of birth, PAN, bank account number, IFSC, and job details should all match properly. It is also a good idea to keep copies of forms and acknowledgements. After applying, keep checking the transfer status from time to time.

Steps to transfer PF from trust to EPFO

Activate your UAN first if it is not active already.
Log in to the EPFO Unified Portal.
Go to Online Services and choose One Member, One EPF Account (Transfer Request).
Check your personal details and current job details carefully.
Click on the option to get details of your previous employment.
Choose which employer will attest the claim.
Click Get OTP and enter the OTP
Submit the online transfer request.
Download the PDF version of Form 13 generated after submission.
Print it and sign it then give it physically to your previous employer’s PF Trust.
Wait for the trust to verify the details, prepare Annexure K then send the funds to EPFO through NEFT or cheque.

If you want to merge multiple PF accounts, that is also done through the EPFO system.