How Can Heirs Claim a Deceased Person's EPF Savings in Malaysia?

How heirs claim a deceased person's EPF savings depends first on whether the member made a nomination. If there is a nominee aged 18 or above, the nominee applies to the EPF (Employees Provident Fund, or KWSP) for a Death Withdrawal of the nominated savings. If there is no nomination, close family members such as the spouse, children (through their guardian if they are minors), parents or siblings, or the estate administrator, can apply. Without a nomination, the EPF pays up to RM25,000 without any court document. Any balance above that is released only on an official letter from a court, a legal institution or Amanah Raya Berhad. This guide explains each route, the documents you need and what happens to the money after it is paid.

EPF savings are often one of the largest assets a person leaves behind. Knowing the right route early can save the family months of back-and-forth.

Step 1: Find out whether the member made a nomination

Start by checking with the EPF whether the deceased member made a nomination. A nomination is the member's instruction to the EPF on who should receive the savings on death. Members can nominate through the KWSP i-Akaun app, the i-Akaun web portal (with thumbprint verification at an EPF office), or by submitting Form KWSP 4 at an EPF office.

The answer decides who can apply, how much can be released and how quickly.

If there is a nomination: the nominee applies

A nominee aged 18 or above can apply for the Death Withdrawal of the nominated portion of the member's savings. The nominee submits the application with the supporting documents listed below.

Muslim members: the nominee acts as wasi

For a Muslim member, the EPF states that the nominee acts as a wasi (administrator) responsible for distributing the deceased member's EPF savings to the rightful beneficiaries under Islamic law. In other words, the nominee receives the money but must pass it on to the heirs according to faraid. If the nominee is also an heir, they keep only their own faraid share.

Non-Muslim members: the nominee is the beneficiary

For a non-Muslim member, the EPF states that the nominee is the rightful beneficiary of the savings. The money belongs to the nominee and is not shared out under the deceased's will or the intestacy rules.

What if the nominee has also died?

The EPF has specific rules on who can apply if a nominee dies before or after the member. Contact the EPF with the death certificates of both the member and the nominee so that it can confirm who is entitled to apply.

If there is no nomination: who can apply

Where there is no nomination, the EPF allows the following people to apply:

• Married member: the widow or widower, the children (or their guardian), the parents, the siblings, or the administrator of the estate.

• Unmarried member: the parents, the siblings, or the administrator of the estate.

How much is paid without a court document

Without a nomination, the amount the EPF releases, and when, depends on the balance in the account and how soon after the death you apply.

If the balance is above RM25,000, the family will need to go through the estate administration process to release the rest. Depending on the estate, this may be a small estate distribution through the Land Administrator (for estates with a total value of RM5 million or less; for a non-Muslim, only where there is no will), letters of administration or a grant of probate from the High Court, or administration through Amanah Raya Berhad (ARB). Our guides to letters of administration and probate versus letters of administration explain the High Court route.

Documents you will need

According to the EPF, a Death Withdrawal application generally needs:

• Form KWSP 9KM (AHL), with its checklist

• the member's death certificate

• certified copies of the applicant's identification document

• the member's birth, marriage or divorce certificate, where relevant

• the applicant's birth certificate, where required to prove the relationship

• the applicant's bank account details or bank statement

• a declaration of responsibility by the nominee or recipient (there are separate versions for Muslim and non-Muslim members)

• a power of attorney, where someone is applying on another person's behalf

• for amounts above RM25,000 without a nomination, the official letter from the court, legal institution or ARB

Completed applications can be submitted at an EPF office or by post to the EPF. Check the EPF's current checklist before you go, because the exact requirements depend on the applicant's relationship to the member.

Does the money still have to be shared?

Receiving the money from the EPF does not always mean the person who applied can keep it.

• Muslim member with a nominee: the nominee holds the money as wasi and must distribute it to the heirs by faraid.

• Non-Muslim member with a nominee: the nominee keeps the money as the beneficiary.

• No nomination: the family member or administrator who receives the money receives it for the estate. It must be distributed with the rest of the estate, by faraid for a Muslim, or under the will or the intestacy rules for a non-Muslim.

Before the money is shared out, the estate's funeral costs and debts come first. For a Muslim estate, a valid wasiat (up to one third of the net estate) is then given effect, and faraid applies to the balance. If you are unsure what the heirs' shares are, get them confirmed before distributing rather than relying on your own calculation.

Death Assistance: a separate RM2,500 benefit

Separately from the savings, the EPF provides a one-off Death Assistance payment of RM2,500 to eligible dependants (the widow or widower, children or parents). According to the EPF, the member must have died before age 60 and had savings remaining, and the application must be received within six months of the death. The EPF makes the final decision on Death Assistance applications.

Common reasons EPF claims are delayed

• Applying without a nomination when the balance is above RM25,000, without starting the estate administration process at the same time

• Missing documents that prove the applicant's relationship to the member, such as a marriage or birth certificate

• More than one family member applying without agreeing among themselves

• A nomination that has become invalid, which means the claim is processed as a case without a nomination

If the balance is large, start the estate administration process early, so that the official letter needed to release the rest is ready when the EPF asks for it.

Why nomination matters for your own family

The claim is far simpler when a valid nomination is in place. Members can make or update a nomination through the KWSP i-Akaun app, the i-Akaun web portal or Form KWSP 4. A new nomination replaces all earlier ones, so it is worth checking yours after major life events such as marriage, divorce or the birth of a child.

How ASCOLAW can help

Where EPF savings above RM25,000 are held up because there is no nomination, the family usually needs an estate administration order before the balance is released. ASCOLAW (Messrs Akmal Saufi & Co) can help you work out which administration route applies, prepare the application, and deal with the other assets in the estate at the same time.

Fill in the ASCOLAW enquiry form below with a short description of the estate, and our team will contact you.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an EPF death claim take?

It depends on whether there is a nomination and on the balance. Without a nomination, balances above RM2,500 may be paid in stages, and anything above RM25,000 waits until the court or other official letter is produced.

Can the family claim EPF without letters of administration?

Yes, up to RM25,000 where there is no nomination. The balance above RM25,000 needs an official letter from a court, a legal institution or ARB.

My late father was Muslim and named my mother as nominee. Is all the money hers?

Not automatically. For a Muslim member, the EPF treats the nominee as a wasi who must distribute the savings to the rightful heirs under Islamic law. Your mother keeps her own faraid share.

Can a minor child claim?

Children who are minors can be represented by their guardian. A nominee must be 18 or above to apply as nominee.

Is the RM2,500 Death Assistance part of the savings?

It is a separate EPF benefit, paid to an eligible dependant who applies within six months of the death, subject to the EPF's conditions.

This article is general information only and is not legal advice. EPF rules, forms and payment limits can change, so check the current position with the EPF before you apply. Faraid shares depend on the particular family and are confirmed by the Syariah Court or in the administration proceedings. The small estate process referred to here applies in Peninsular Malaysia; Sabah and Sarawak have their own procedures.

Related guides

• Letter of Administration in Malaysia

• Grant of Probate vs Letter of Administration in Malaysia: Which One Applies?

• Can a Beneficiary Replace the Executor Named in a Will in Malaysia?

• MyLand Malaysia System: Digital Innovation in Land and Estate Management

• ASCOLAW estate distribution service