NPS Death Claim Support for Nominees and Legal Heirs

How NPS money gets stuck after a death

The National Pension System (NPS) is regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). Every subscriber has a Permanent Retirement Account Number (PRAN), and the corpus stays in that account until an exit event such as retirement or death.

After a death, the corpus does not move on its own. Someone has to file a claim. Families get stuck when they do not know the PRAN, cannot find which PoP or nodal office handled the account, or discover the nomination is missing or outdated.

Contributions that never reached a PRAN

Some contributions are made but never credited to a PRAN, for example because of errors in the employer's or PoP's records. If contributions remain uncredited for 7 years or more, or the PoP's registration has lapsed, they are moved to the Subscribers' Pension Contribution Protection Account (SPCPA). These amounts remain refundable for 25 years.

NPS nominee claim: the direct route

An NPS nominee claim is the simplest case, and most nominees can handle it themselves:

1. Identify the PoP (for most private subscribers) or the nodal office (for government subscribers).
2. Collect the death certificate, the nominee's KYC and bank details, and the subscriber's PRAN if available.
3. Submit the death claim through the PoP or nodal office.
4. The corpus is paid to the nominee's own bank account.

A valid nominee receives the full corpus. Under PFRDA's December 2025 exit amendments, nominees also have multiple payout options, so it is worth understanding these before choosing.

NPS claim without nominee

If there is no valid nominee, the corpus goes to the legal heirs. They must establish heirship with succession or legal heir documents. This may be a legal heir certificate from the state revenue department, or a succession certificate from a civil court, depending on what is required.

A legal heir certificate is issued by the state revenue authorities; in Delhi, for example, a "Surviving Member Certificate" is issued by the SDM or DM. A succession certificate is issued by a civil court under section 372 of the Indian Succession Act, the petition is filed by an advocate, and uncontested cases usually take several months. See our succession certificate and legal heir support page.

NPS exit rules 2025: what changed

PFRDA's exit amendments of December 2025 made important changes that affect claims and payouts:

• Non-government subscribers can take up to 80 per cent of the corpus as a lump sum at exit.
• Full withdrawal is allowed if the corpus is ₹8 lakh or less.
• Nominees receive multiple payout options.

For a death claim, the key point remains the same: a valid nominee gets the full corpus. The payout options affect how the nominee chooses to receive it.

SPCPA refund: claiming uncredited contributions

If contributions were deducted but never appeared in the subscriber's PRAN, check whether they have moved to the SPCPA. An SPCPA refund can be claimed for 25 years. This often matters when an employer's records were incomplete or a PoP stopped operating. The claim needs evidence of the contributions and a clear link to the subscriber.

Atal Pension Yojana death claim

Atal Pension Yojana (APY) is also administered by PFRDA, but its death benefits work differently from NPS:

An Atal Pension Yojana death claim is usually made through the bank where the APY account is held.

Rules and updates, 2025–26

• December 2025: PFRDA exit amendments, with lump sum of up to 80 per cent for non-government subscribers, full withdrawal where the corpus is ₹8 lakh or less, and multiple payout options for nominees.
• Continuing: uncredited contributions move to SPCPA after 7 years and stay refundable for 25 years.

When families need help

• The family does not know the PRAN, the PoP or the nodal office.
• There is no valid nominee, or the nominee has also passed away.
• The subscriber's name or date of birth differs across the PRAN records, ID and death certificate.
• Contributions were deducted by an employer but never credited to the PRAN.
• Heirs live in different cities or abroad and must sign documents from there.
• NPS is one of several assets, alongside PF, bank deposits, shares or insurance, in the same estate.

How Expertvuw helps with an NPS death claim

You remain the claimant, and the corpus is paid directly to you. We organise the case in four broad stages:

1. Case review. A free initial case review to understand the account, the nomination and the family situation, and whether you can file it yourself.
2. Tracing and documents. Locating the PRAN, PoP or nodal office, identifying mismatches or heirship gaps, and preparing a consistent set of papers.
3. Filing and follow-up. Preparing the claim for your signature and following up with the PoP or nodal office on queries. Where a succession certificate is needed, advocates file the petition and we coordinate documents.
4. Credit. The corpus is paid only into the claimant's own bank account.

Expertvuw is independent and is not affiliated with PFRDA, any PoP or any nodal office.

Why Expertvuw

• A registered company, Expertvuw Management Pvt Ltd, GST- and Udyam-registered and ISO 9001:2015 certified.
• Offices in Dwarka, Delhi and Udyog Vihar, Gurugram, supporting families across India and NRIs.
• One team for NPS, PF, bank deposits, shares, mutual funds and insurance.
• Plain-language updates at each stage.
• Documentation discipline, so claims go in complete and consistent.

Related services

• Old PF and EPF death claim support
• Claiming investments of a deceased parent
• Claims where there is no nominee
• Unclaimed insurance claim services
• Unclaimed asset recovery for NRIs

Frequently asked questions

How do I file an NPS death claim?

File the claim through the subscriber's Point of Presence, such as the bank where the NPS account was opened, or through the nodal office for government subscribers. Submit the death certificate, the claimant's KYC and bank details, and the PRAN if available. A valid nominee receives the full corpus in their own bank account.

Who gets the NPS amount after the subscriber's death?

A valid nominee receives the full corpus. If there is no valid nominee, the legal heirs receive it after establishing heirship with succession or legal heir documents. Under PFRDA's December 2025 exit amendments, nominees also have multiple payout options, so they can choose how to receive the amount.

Can I make an NPS claim without a nominee?

Yes. Legal heirs can claim when there is no valid nominee. They need to establish heirship, typically with a legal heir certificate from the state revenue department or a succession certificate from a civil court, as the PoP or nodal office requires. Succession petitions are filed by advocates, and uncontested cases usually take several months.

What is SPCPA in NPS?

The Subscribers' Pension Contribution Protection Account holds contributions that were not credited to any PRAN for 7 years or more, or where the PoP's registration lapsed. These amounts are not lost. They remain refundable for 25 years, and the claim needs evidence linking the contributions to the subscriber.

What changed in NPS exit rules in 2025?

PFRDA's December 2025 amendments allow non-government subscribers to take up to 80 per cent of the corpus as a lump sum at exit, permit full withdrawal where the corpus is ₹8 lakh or less, and give nominees multiple payout options. A valid nominee still receives the full corpus on the subscriber's death.

How does an Atal Pension Yojana death claim work?

On the subscriber's death, the spouse can continue the APY account or receive the pension, and the nominee receives the corpus. The claim is usually made through the bank where the APY account is held, with the death certificate and the claimant's KYC and bank details.

Do I need an agent to claim NPS after a death?

No. Nominees can file an NPS death claim directly through the PoP or nodal office without any agent. Support is useful mainly when there is no valid nominee, records do not match, contributions were never credited, or heirs are abroad. Expertvuw offers a free initial case review and is not affiliated with PFRDA.

Can NRI heirs claim NPS of a deceased parent?

Yes. NRI nominees or heirs can claim, with documents executed abroad and attested or apostilled as required. The corpus is credited to the claimant's own bank account, and repatriation follows RBI rules on remittances from NRO balances. See our NRI unclaimed asset recovery page.