PF Return Filing
Once you're registered for PF, the work is monthly: deposit contributions and file the ECR with the EPFO by the due date. We file your PF returns every month so you avoid interest and damages — and your staff get their credit.
Quick answer
Contributions and administrative charges are due within fifteen days of the close of every month — paragraphs 20(1) and 28(3) of the Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 — and the same fifteen days applies to the pension share and the EDLI contribution. Miss it and paragraph 23(1) charges damages per month on the arrears: 0.25% under two months, 0.50% between two and four, 1% beyond four, capped so damages cannot exceed the arrears. A late return separately attracts ₹500 a day under paragraph 29(2), capped at that month's administrative charges.
Applies to: Code on Social Security, 2020 (in force 21 November 2025); Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 (G.S.R. 525(E), 29 June 2026), which superseded the 1952 SchemeJurisdiction: India — EPFO / Ministry of Labour and EmploymentSources checked: 2026-08-19
Starts at
₹999/mo
Professional fees, government fees, late fees, penalties, payroll size, transaction volume, number of employees, entity type, filings and compliance complexity may vary.
Timeline
Monthly, by the EPFO due date
Documents
Wages & contribution data
Monthly ECR filing
Avoid interest & damages
UAN upkeep
Expert-reviewed
Pricing
PF return filing
Monthly EPF ECR filing, priced by employee count. Contributions themselves are statutory and deposited separately. Needs an active PF registration.
PF Returns
Monthly ECR
+ GST | from
- Monthly ECR preparation
- Challan & deposit support
- UAN/KYC upkeep
- Expert review
PF + ESI Bundle
Both, monthly
By headcount
- PF + ESI returns
- New-joiner onboarding
- Reminders & tracking
- Dedicated reviewer
Prices are professional fees and indicative. Government fees, stamp duty, DSC, PAN/TAN, state charges and third-party costs are extra and may change. A final engagement summary separates each component before payment.
Overview
What is PF Return Filing?
Getting a PF registration is a one-time step; PF return filing is the recurring monthly obligation that follows. Every month, an employer must compute the provident-fund contributions (employer and employee shares), deposit them via challan, and file the Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR) with the EPFO by the due date — typically the 15th of the following month.
Miss the deadline and the EPFO levies interest and damages, and your employees' PF credit (in their UAN) is delayed. It also involves keeping UAN and KYC details current and onboarding new joiners into PF.
We file your PF returns every month — ECR prepared, contributions reconciled, deposit supported — so you avoid penalties and your team's PF is always up to date. (This is the ongoing filing; the one-time PF registration is in our Registrations vertical.)
Is it for you?
Who needs it — and who doesn't
Recommended if
- Employers with PF registration
- Establishments at/above the PF threshold
- Businesses that took voluntary PF coverage
- Anyone needing monthly PF compliance run for them
May not be needed if
- Businesses without PF applicability/registration
- Employers whose in-house team already files PF
Benefits
Why it's worth doing right
Avoid the new damages formula
Paragraph 23(1) of the EPF Scheme, 2026 charges damages per month on the arrears — 0.25% under two months, 0.50% between two and four, 1% beyond four — capped at the arrears themselves. And paragraph 29(2) adds a ₹500-a-day late fee on a delayed return, capped at that month's administrative charges. Both replaced the pre-Code position.
Employees get their credit
Correct, timely returns mean PF reflects in each employee's UAN without delay.
Hands-off monthly
We run the PF cycle every month so you never scramble before the 15th.
Eligibility
Eligibility & key conditions
- You have an active PF (EPFO) registration
- You have monthly wage and employee data
- You want monthly ECR filing handled
Documents
Documents required
What we need
- EPFO establishment/login details
- Monthly wages and PF-eligible salary
- New-joiner UAN/KYC details
- Exit/settlement details
- Prior ECR (for continuity)
Process
A clear path from start to filed
Official filing
How the EPFO Unified Portal flow works
Each month the employer prepares the ECR with member-wise wages and contributions, generates a challan and deposits both shares, and files the ECR on the EPFO Unified Portal by the due date; contributions then reflect in members' UAN accounts.
We prepare and file the ECR through the official EPFO portal and support the deposit. We never claim a private API or automated connection, and never promise penalty-proof filing — we keep you compliant through accurate, on-time work.
Costs
Fees & cost breakdown
| Cost component | Indicative amount |
|---|---|
| Government fee to fileThere is no filing fee for the monthly return | Nil |
| Employer's contributionEPF Scheme 2026, paras 18(2) and 18(3); ceiling notified by S.O. 2702(E) dated 29 May 2026. A reduced 10% applies to classes of establishment notified by the Central Government | 12% of wages, capped at the ₹15,000 ceiling |
| Employee's contributionEPF Scheme 2026, para 18(2). Rounded to the nearest rupee under para 18(5), whereas ESI rounds up to the next | Equal to the employer's — 12% |
| Of which, to the Pension FundEmployees' Pension Scheme, 2026, para 4(1). It comes out of the employer's 12%, not on top | 8.33% of wages up to the ceiling — ₹1,250 at ₹15,000 |
| Administrative charges and EDLIEPF Scheme 2026 paras 28(2) and 29(1), and EDLI Scheme 2026 para 5(2), leave both to Central Government notification and do not state them. We apply the currently notified figures rather than publish an unverified rate | Percentages fixed by notification |
| Damages on a late depositEPF Scheme 2026, para 23(1) — under two months, two to four months, beyond four months. Capped so damages do not exceed the arrears | 0.25% / 0.50% / 1% of arrears per month |
| Late fee on a delayed returnEPF Scheme 2026, para 29(2), capped at the administrative charges payable for the month the return relates to | ₹500 per day |
| Professional feeOur charge, by employee count. Plus GST | From ₹999/mo |
The damages formula changed with the 2026 Scheme and a great deal of published material has not caught up: the old 5%, 10%, 15% and 25% per annum slabs no longer apply, and paragraph 23(1) now charges 0.25%, 0.50% and 1% per month, with a cap at the arrears. The ₹500-a-day return late fee in paragraph 29(2) is entirely new. Two figures are deliberately not stated — the administrative-charge percentage and the EDLI rate — because both are left to notification and are not on the face of their Schemes.
Deliverables
What you receive on completion
After this filing
What you need to stay compliant next
Every month
PF is monthly — we run it on a tracked calendar so it's never late.
Joiners & exits
We add new members and process exits/settlements as they happen.
Avoid delays
Common mistakes & reasons for rejection
Common mistakes
- Missing the monthly ECR deadline
- Wrong PF-wage computation
- Not generating UAN/KYC for joiners
- Depositing late (interest + damages)
Risks
Penalties & risks of getting it wrong
Late PF return/deposit
The EPFO levies interest and damages on delayed PF contributions, alongside recovery action for persistent default.
AI-powered assistance
AI does the heavy lifting. Experts make the call.
AI assists with checks, drafting and explanations only. A qualified professional reviews every defined checkpoint and the final filing before submission. AI does not make consequential compliance decisions on its own.
Never miss a PF deadline
We prepare and file your monthly ECR, support the deposit and keep UANs current — so PF compliance just runs, no interest or damages.
Compare
PF Return Filing vs PF Registration
| Factor | PF Return Filing | PF Registration |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The monthly ECR filing | The one-time EPFO registration |
| Frequency | Every month | Once, before you start |
| Output | Filed ECR + deposited PF | An EPFO establishment code |
Use cases
Built for how real businesses operate
Registered employer
Need: Monthly PF run
We suggest: Monthly ECR filing with deposit support.
Growing team
Need: PF + ESI together
We suggest: PF + ESI bundle with joiner onboarding.
Why MyFinancialAdvisory
A more accountable way to stay compliant
Quality & accountability
Reviewed by compliance experts
Every pf return filing engagement is prepared with structured checks and signed off by qualified professionals before anything is filed — speed without sacrificing accuracy.
Reviewed by
Reviewed by MyFinancialAdvisory Compliance Team
Accounting, payroll & compliance review
Your books, payroll and filings are prepared with AI-assisted checks and reviewed by qualified accountants and compliance professionals before anything is filed. Business compliance, powered by AI — verified where possible, reviewed by experts, tracked by you.
Structured document checks
Documents and eligibility follow structured checks before expert review.
Expert-reviewed before filing
A qualified professional signs off every defined checkpoint.
Compliance-safe guidance
Advice mapped to current rules — no shortcuts, no guesswork.
Keep exploring
Hub
Accounting & Compliance
Bookkeeping, payroll, virtual CFO and recurring compliance.
Service
PF Registration
EPFO registration for employers.
Service
ESI Return Filing
Monthly ESIC contribution filing.
Service
Payroll Management
Monthly payroll run with statutory deductions.
Service
HR Payroll Services
End-to-end payroll and HR compliance.
FAQs
PF Return Filing — frequently asked questions
What is PF return filing?
The recurring monthly obligation, after PF registration, to compute provident-fund contributions, deposit them and file the ECR (Electronic Challan-cum-Return) with the EPFO.
When is the PF return due?
Monthly — the ECR and contribution deposit are typically due by the 15th of the following month. We file before the deadline.
Do I need PF registration first?
Yes — PF return filing is the ongoing step after you have an EPFO registration. We link PF registration from our Registrations vertical and can arrange it.
What is the ECR?
The Electronic Challan-cum-Return filed monthly on the EPFO portal, reporting member-wise wages and contributions, against which you deposit PF.
What happens if I file PF late?
The EPFO levies interest and damages on delayed contributions, and members' credit is delayed. We file on time to avoid this, though we never promise penalty-proof outcomes.
How is PF return filing priced?
From ₹999/month (+ GST), by employee count. The PF contributions themselves are statutory and deposited separately.
Do you handle UAN and new joiners?
Yes — we keep UAN/KYC current and onboard new members into PF each month as part of the filing.
References
Official sources
- Code on Social Security, 2020 (Act 36 of 2020) — First Schedule coverage thresholds, section 2(26) counting rule, section 2(89) wage ceiling, section 53 gratuity
- Gazette of India, S.O. 5319(E) dated 21 November 2025 — commencement of the Code on Social Security, 2020
- Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 — G.S.R. 525(E), 29 June 2026, in supersession of the 1952 Scheme
- Employees' Pension Scheme, 2026 — G.S.R. 527(E), 29 June 2026
- S.O. 2702(E) dated 29 May 2026 — ₹15,000 per month notified as the Chapter III wage ceiling
Rules, fees and due dates change by notification. Confirm the current position on the official portal before you act.
Ready to get pf return filing done?
Start with a quick conversation. We’ll confirm scope, documents, fees and the next deadline.