Objective This study aims to investigate the association between remnant cholesterol （RC） and the risk of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD） under the optimal triglyceride （TG） levels recommended by different guidelines. Methods The data were derived from the annual physical examinations of elderly people aged 65 and above in a community in 2023. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between RC and MAFLD risk. According to the TG normal level （< 1.7 mmol/L） recommended by the Chinese Lipid Management Consensus and the TG ideal target （< 1.2 mmol/L） proposed by the European Atherosclerosis Society， the individuals were divided into subgroups with different TG levels to explore the association between RC and MAFLD risk in each subgroup. Results A total of 2，800 elderly individuals aged 65 and above were included in this study. The proportion of the individuals meeting the diagnostic criteria for MAFLD was 20.85%， and RC was identified as an independent risk factor for MAFLD （P < 0.001）. In the elderly individuals with TG< 1.7 mmol/L， RC level was not significantly associated with MAFLD risk （P = 0.888）. In contrast， in the elderly individuals with TG ≥ 1.7 mmol/L， RC level was significantly and positively correlated with MAFLD risk （P < 0.001）. Interaction tests revealed no significant interaction between the stratification factor and the effect size of RC （P = 0.115）. In the elderly individuals with TG< 1.2 mmol/L， RC level was not associated with MAFLD risk（P = 0.505）， while in the elderly individuals with TG ≥ 1.2 mmol/L， RC level was significantly associated with MAFLD risk （P < 0.001）. Interaction tests showed a significant interaction between the stratification factor and the effect size of RC （P = 0.011）. Conclusion RC is an independent risk factor for MAFLD in older individuals. To reduce the risk of MAFLD related to RC in the elderly， a triglyceride level of < 1.2 mmol/L can serve as a reference for identifying early-stage risk.