POMIS Nomination Rules 2026 — How to Add & Change Nominee
Complete guide: adding a nominee, claim process after death, joint account succession rules
⚡ Key Takeaways
Applies to POMIS accounts with up to ₹9,00,000 (single) or ₹15,00,000 (joint)
- Nominee can be added at account opening or any time during the tenure — free of charge
- On account holder's death: nominee can claim principal + accrued interest easily
- Nomination is not mandatory for POMIS opening — but strongly recommended
- In joint accounts: surviving holders continue the account; nominee's claim is on last survivor's death
- You can have multiple nominees with defined percentage shares
- Nomination can be cancelled or changed any number of times — visit Post Office with Form
Why Nomination is Critical for POMIS
Without a nominee, when a POMIS account holder passes away, the family must go through a lengthy legal succession process — obtaining a succession certificate, submitting court orders, and dealing with Post Office legal department — which can take months or years.
With a nominee, the process is simple: nominee submits a claim form, death certificate, and their ID — the Post Office transfers the balance within a few weeks. No courts needed.
How to Add a Nominee to POMIS
| When | How | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| At account opening | Fill nominee details in the POMIS application form — name, address, relationship, DOB (for minors) | Free |
| After account opening | Visit Post Office with passbook + Nomination Form (SB-3 or equivalent) — fill and submit | Free |
| Changing existing nominee | Submit fresh Nomination Form cancelling old nominee — new nominee takes effect | Free |
- You can nominate one or more people — specify percentage shares if multiple nominees
- Nominee need not be a family member — any person can be nominated
- Nomination is made per account — different nominees can be on different POMIS accounts
Claim Process After Account Holder's Death
- Nominee visits the Post Office where the POMIS account is held
- Submits: original death certificate, nominee's photo ID (PAN/Aadhaar), POMIS passbook
- Fills claim application form (Form SB-84 or equivalent at the Post Office)
- Post Office verifies documents and processes the claim
- Balance (principal + accrued interest not yet paid) is credited to nominee's POSA or cheque issued
- If nominee is a minor: their guardian manages the claim until they turn 18
Joint Account — Succession on Death
| Scenario | What Happens |
|---|---|
| One holder dies (other holder alive) | Surviving holder(s) continue the account — no disruption to monthly income |
| All joint holders die | Nominee claims the full balance — same process as individual account |
| No nominee registered | Legal heirs must approach Post Office with succession certificate — lengthy process |
| Nominee is a minor | Guardian manages the claim; minor takes full control at age 18 |
How to Change or Cancel a Nominee
- Visit the Post Office with your POMIS passbook
- Fill the fresh nomination form (SB-3) specifying the new nominee's details
- Old nomination is automatically cancelled when new one is registered
- To cancel without new nominee: fill a cancellation form — account continues without nominee
- For joint accounts: all holders must sign the nomination change form
- Nomination changes can be made any number of times — no limit, no fee
Minors as Nominees
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Can a minor be a nominee? | ✅ Yes — a child below 18 can be nominated |
| How is the claim managed? | The minor's parent/guardian makes the claim on their behalf |
| Guardian details required? | Yes — at nomination, provide guardian's name and DOB of minor |
| When minor turns 18 | Minor can directly manage the claim without guardian involvement |
🔗 Also read
✅ Advantages
- Simple process — just a form at Post Office, no cost
- Protects family from legal succession complexity
- Can be changed unlimited times — flexible
- Multiple nominees allowed with percentage shares
⚠️ Limitations
- Not mandatory — many investors forget and leave accounts unnominated
- Nominee claim requires Post Office visit with original documents
- For joint accounts, nomination only triggers on death of all holders — not just one
✅ This applies to you if
- All POMIS account holders — nomination protects your family from complex succession
- Joint account holders — both/all holders should update nomination for the last survivor scenario
- Parents who want to nominate children as beneficiaries of POMIS savings
⚠️ Think twice if
- Those with a will and formal estate plan — while nomination still helps, they may already have legal succession covered
- NRIs — not eligible for POMIS at all
📋 Disclaimer & Source: All POMIS data on this page is sourced from India Post / Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India and India Post official guidelines. Interest rate of 7.4% p.a. is effective Q1 FY 2026-27 (April 1, 2026). Last reviewed: April 15, 2026. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. · Full Disclaimer
Frequently Asked Questions
Nomination is not mandatory to open a POMIS account, but it is strongly recommended. Without a nominee, your family must go through a lengthy legal process to claim the balance after your death. Adding a nominee takes 5 minutes and can save your family months of paperwork.
Yes — a nominee can be added, changed or cancelled at any time during the tenure by visiting the Post Office with your passbook and filling the nomination form. There is no fee and no limit on how many times you can change the nominee.
The nominee receives the outstanding principal of the POMIS account plus any monthly interest that was credited but not collected. All previously paid and collected monthly interest belongs to the original account holder's estate. The nominee does not receive interest that was already spent.
Yes — you can nominate multiple people and specify the percentage share each nominee receives. For example, 50% to spouse and 25% each to two children. The total must add up to 100%.
When one holder of a joint POMIS account dies, the surviving holders continue the account without any disruption. The monthly income continues to the first holder. The account is only fully paid out to the nominee when all joint holders have passed away.