Philip Chao pushes personalized retirement plan design in new book and audiobook

ERISA investment fiduciary Philip Chao is promoting a personalized approach to retirement planning through his book, now available in print and audiobook after a recent appearance at the 2026 NAPA 401(k) Summit. The message: defined contribution plans need to move beyond generic defaults to improve participant outcomes, savings behavior and retirement readiness.

Why it matters: - Retirement savings has shifted from employers to individuals, putting more pressure on plan design to support better outcomes. - Chao argues that one-size-fits-all default investing leaves participants exposed to poor savings, investment and withdrawal decisions. - Personalized plan design could help fiduciaries align retirement strategies with individual circumstances, risk and income needs.

What happened: - ERISA investment fiduciary Philip Chao released “From Save to Safe: A Personalized Journey from Fragility to Resilience” in print and audiobook formats. - Chao promoted the book at the 2026 NAPA 401(k) Summit, where he met with advisors and industry professionals. - The book centers on fiduciary strategy, participant outcomes and default personalized retirement plan design.

The details: - Chao’s framework calls for retirement plans that use individual data to better match accumulation strategies to participant needs. - The book draws on more than 40 years of fiduciary experience. - Chao compares the shift from traditional pensions to defined contribution plans and the challenges participants now face managing their own retirement assets. - Those challenges include saving consistently, making prudent investment decisions, understanding distribution options and staying on track over time. - Chao outlines five steps to improve retirement outcomes for Americans: expand access to tax-advantaged savings plans, use automatic enrollment, implement auto-escalation, re-enroll participants into personalized accumulation strategies and add lifetime income options. - Chao says advisors and plan sponsors should move beyond investment fiduciary compliance and rethink plan design. - Chao says better outcomes require higher savings, automated portfolio construction, risk optimization based on individual circumstances and thoughtful retirement distribution strategies. - Chao also argues that ERISA fiduciaries must develop a prudent process and act exclusively in the best interest of participants. - The book has drawn praise from Don Trone, known as the “Father of Fiduciary,” who called it a “governance-forward call to action.” - Chao is the founder of Nexus338, an ERISA participant-level discretionary investment fiduciary. - Chao created the Individualized Glide Path Solution, or iGPS, which is designed to align retirement strategies with individual participant profiles. - “From Save to Safe” is available on Amazon. - Advisors, plan sponsors and individuals can learn more at igps.one or by contacting pchao@nexus338.com.

Between the lines: - Chao is framing personalization as the next step in defined contribution plan evolution, not just a nicer feature. - The argument reflects a broader shift in retirement policy: better defaults are no longer enough if participants face different savings rates, ages, incomes and retirement timelines. - The emphasis on fiduciary process suggests Chao sees personalization as both an investment and governance issue.

What's next: - Chao is positioning iGPS and Nexus338 as tools for advisors and plan sponsors seeking more individualized retirement design. - The book and audiobook are likely to serve as a calling card for Chao’s broader push for personalized fiduciary solutions. - Interest from advisors, plan sponsors and individuals could shape how widely the iGPS approach is discussed and adopted.