NPS Retirement Shake-Up: RIS Vs Annuity Vs SLW — Which Option Should You Choose?

India's National Pension System just got a major update. The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority has rolled out the Retirement Income Scheme, or RIS, giving NPS subscribers a third post-retirement option alongside annuities and Systematic Liquidity Withdrawal (SLW). Under RIS, up to 80% of the corpus can remain invested even after retirement, with an age-based glide path gradually shifting the mix from equities to safer government securities. Payouts start at 4% and rise with age, but unlike annuities, this income isn't guaranteed — it moves with market performance. The corpus is also expected to run out by age 84, raising fresh questions for retirees. So how should you choose between annuity, RIS and SLW? Financial educator Mrin Aggarwal joins us to explain.