From Author: Philip Chao
From Save to Safe: A Personalized Journey from Fragility to Resilience
Backed by decades of academic study, regulatory insight, and investment fiduciary fieldwork, From Save to Safe reframes the way Americans must think and act regarding retirement income.
Philip Chao-a renowned ERISA expert and employer-sponsored retirement planning specialist – draws on a career advising public regulation commentary and myriad clients to expose how our legacy “401(k) mindset” leaves retirees vulnerable in decumulation.
This isn’t theory – it’s an urgently practical blueprint for transitioning from accumulation robustness to income sufficiency with clarity, confidence, and control. Whether you’re a fiduciary, policymaker, or retiree-in-waiting, this book delivers research-tested models that replace guesswork with governance.
Employer-sponsored plan governance will never look the same.
What You’ll Discover
We now live in what many call the “silver economy.” Roughly 10,000 Baby Boomers retire every day, and Generation X is close behind. Yet, our retirement systems — from Social Security to employer plans — are under pressure like never before.
In From Save to Safe, Philip Chao explores how we can strengthen financial resilience for individuals and institutions alike. Inside, you’ll find:
- The demographic and economic realities shaping today’s retirement landscape
- Why defined contribution plans must evolve beyond accumulation
- How human behavior, fear, and inertia undermine sound financial decisions
- Practical strategies for converting savings into sustainable income
- The fiduciary principles that can restore confidence, dignity, and stability in retirement
This is not just a technical guide — it’s a call to action for plan sponsors, advisors, and individuals who want to move from fragility to lasting financial resilience.
About Philip Chao
Philip Chao is a recognized expert in wealth management and a fiduciary investment consultant and advisor to employer-sponsored retirement plans. With four decades of industry experience, he has served as a product and strategy consultant for insurance and asset management firms.
In 2023, through his firm, Nexus338, Philip launched Individualized Glide Path Solution (iGPS) – the first personalized investment portfolio for retirement plan participants. In 2025, he is launching iGPSLifetime by incorporating a guaranteed lifetime income option into iGPS.
Regardless of the role Philip takes, he serves in his clients’ best interest and adheres to the fiduciary standard in all his conducts. Philip is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences on global macroeconomics, corporate retirement plan management, and portfolio construction topics.
Philip is the creator of the Tao of Chao podcast and shares his diverse conversations with experts that touch on decision-making, demographics, immigration, and the investment landscape, among other contemporary topics.