Starting at 50 can still build a retirement cushion — if saving becomes deliberate

Experts say people with only 10 to 15 years before retirement can still improve their financial security by saving regularly, reducing debt and combining reliable income sources rather than chasing risky returns.

For anyone in their mid-40s or 50s who has little or nothing set aside, retirement can feel uncomfortably close. But the experts quoted by aif.ru say the situation is not hopeless. Even with only 10 to 15 years to prepare, it is still possible to build a meaningful cushion if saving becomes deliberate and regular rather than occasional and improvised.

The first priority is to free up money that can actually be saved. Alexey Tarapovsky of the National Association of Financial Planning Specialists says the realistic order is to raise income where possible, cut spending, and aim to direct at least 20% to 30% of earnings into savings. Alexey Denisov of the National Pension Association argues that the key is not extreme thrift from day one, but a routine of making regular contributions and increasing them when income rises. That approach also aligns with broader retirement guidance from Fidelity and Kiplinger, which both stress that people in their 50s should focus on catching up, reducing debt and defining a realistic target rather than obsessing over a single magic number.

For a time horizon of a decade or more, the most useful tools are those that combine predictability with enough flexibility to cope with life changes. Tarapovsky points to government bonds and other bond issues as relatively low-risk instruments with known coupon payments, while longer-dated issues can lock in yields in the 14% to 15% range. Dividend-paying shares can also work over a long period, but they are more volatile and need time to recover from market falls. By contrast, he says property often looks safer than it is: after taxes, maintenance and vacancies, net rental returns in major Russian cities are usually modest, while the money is tied up. That fits with the wider retirement-planning advice from Fidelity and SmartAsset, which both recommend matching investments to time horizon and risk tolerance rather than chasing the highest possible return.

The aif.ru article also highlights the role of state-backed long-term savings. It notes that returns in Russia’s long-term savings programme reached 20% in 2024 and 19% in 2025, while inflation stood at 9.5% and 5.6% respectively. The point is not that such figures will repeat, but that tax relief and public support can help savings outpace inflation without forcing investors into reckless bets. The article says the programme’s structure can suit people who are still roughly 10 to 15 years from retirement, especially because it offers the possibility of payouts after 15 years, or earlier in certain circumstances.

The most sensible answer, according to the experts, is not to rely on a single product at all. Dmitry Klyuchnik of the Evolution non-state pension fund says the state pension should be combined with other income streams to produce a more comfortable retirement. He describes this as a layered strategy: low-risk instruments for near-term needs, longer-term savings vehicles for money that can stay invested, and a gradual shift from growth to capital preservation as the payout date draws closer. That idea is echoed by Kiplinger, which argues that retirement confidence comes less from a headline net worth figure than from having dependable income that covers basic living costs.

Protection matters as much as return. The article says Russia’s Deposit Insurance Agency guarantees both personal contributions and investment income within a limit of 2.8 million roubles, while transferred pension savings and state co-financing are protected in full. That kind of safety net is important for savers who are too close to retirement to recover from a large mistake. The same logic underpins the advice from Fidelity and Kiplinger, which recommend paying down debt, understanding retirement benefits and health costs, and, where appropriate, working with a financial planner to build a plan that can actually be followed. The message is straightforward: after 50, the goal is not to hit the jackpot, but to build a reliable income stream and avoid unnecessary risks.