New Delhi, Aug. 20 -- For a salaried employee, putting a fixed amount into retirement savings every month can be relatively straightforward. For a freelancer, consultant, delivery partner, cab driver or small business owner, income can vary sharply from one month to the next.

Experts say this does not mean retirement planning has to be put on hold. The National Pension System (NPS) allows subscribers to contribute at different times and in different amounts, making it possible to align retirement savings with fluctuating cash flows. The bigger challenge, they say, is maintaining the habit of saving even when income is uneven.

"Income may vary from month to month, but retirement savings need not stop," said Pranay Ranjan Dwivedi, MD & CE...