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EPFO Family Pension Rules 2025: Have you ever wondered who receives the family pension (EPFO pension for two wives in India) if an EPFO ​​member has two wives? This question often causes considerable confusion among people. Sometimes, family disputes arise over who will receive the pension and who will not. However, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) rules clarify this matter quite clearly. Let's understand what the EPFO ​​rules say.

According to EPFO, a family pension is only granted if the member's second marriage is legally valid. That is, if the second wife's marriage is within the bounds of the law, only then will she be considered eligible for the pension.

Which of the two wives will receive the pension?
Now, the biggest question is, which of the two wives will receive the pension (who gets the family pension if two wives)? In fact, the EPFO ​​has a clear rule that in such a situation, the family pension will first go to the wife whose marriage took place first, i.e., the pension will be given to the first wife.

Pension will be given to the 'senior wife.'
To understand this in simpler terms, if a person has two legal wives, meaning both marriages are valid under the law, then the family pension is first given to the wife whose marriage took place first. This means the right to the pension goes to the senior wife. Here, 'senior' does not refer to age, but to the date of marriage.

When will the second wife receive the pension?
Now, another important question is, when will the second wife receive the pension? The EPFO ​​rule is clear on this: the second wife is entitled to the family pension only after the death of the first wife. That is, if both marriages are valid, the pension cannot be given to both simultaneously. The pension is given sequentially – first to the first wife, and then to the second wife after the first wife's death.

This rule has been made to avoid disputes in pension distribution and to ensure that payments are made smoothly according to government records.

No pension if the marriage is not valid
It is also important to note that if the second marriage is not valid, i.e., not legally recognized, then the second wife has no right to the family pension. In such a situation, the pension will go directly to the first wife, and even after her death, the second wife will not receive any benefit from it.

In many cases, families not only go through emotional stress but also get entangled in legal complications due to a lack of clear information on issues like pensions. Therefore, the government has made the rules absolutely clear. Pension entitlement is determined based on validity, date of marriage, and the order of succession.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Dainik Jagran. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.