Retirement Readiness Isn't Just About Money
Decades of research show that emotional and social factors determine retirement satisfaction as much as financial security. The PHASE™ framework helps you assess and address them.
Trusted Advisory Firms Using PHASE™
The PHASE™ Framework
Five dimensions of non-financial retirement readiness, backed by decades of research
Purpose
Discovering meaning and direction that gives your days significance beyond work
Health
Physical, mental, and emotional wellness that enables everything else in life
Activities
Creative and recreational pursuits that bring joy, growth, and fulfillment
Social
Meaningful connections and community that provide support and belonging
Everyday
Daily routines and structure that provide rhythm and purpose to each day
What People Are Saying
Leaders and professionals share their experience with the PHASE framework
I have been very excited by the multi-dimensional aspects of the PHASE program, and it provided me with real insights especially about their interactions. I've shared it with my financial advisor and in my previous corporate leadership role would have welcomed the chance to offer it to my team members as they approached retirement.
Craig Philip
Professor at Vanderbilt University
Former CEO of an industrial enterprise
Built on Decades of Research
The PHASE framework is grounded in decades of research from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging, and the US National Health Interview Survey. Below is one representative finding from each — a sample of the broader work behind PHASE, not the full extent of it.
Harvard Study of Adult Development
One finding among many
The quality of people's relationships at age 50 are better indicators of their happiness at age 80 than many commonly-used health measures such as cholesterol levels.
Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging
One finding among many
Comprehensive research on social participation's impact on retirement satisfaction.
Boston College Center for Retirement Research
One finding among many
With the exception of non-mortgage debt, and once basic financial needs are met, there is little connection between the financial circumstances of older Americans and their perceived life satisfaction.
US National Health Interview Survey
One finding among many
Retirees who volunteer regularly report significantly greater life satisfaction and live longer.
A Few More Data Points Worth Knowing
Additional findings from the broader research landscape — not part of the PHASE framework itself, but worth sharing with clients
Comparable to smoking
Social isolation has a mortality risk similar to many other commonly used health risks, such as smoking cigarettes.
Holt-Lunstad, Smith & Layton (2010), PLOS MedicineA risk you can change
A strong sense of purpose is one of the most consistent predictors of a longer, healthier life — and researchers describe it as a risk factor which a person can change.
Alimujiang et al. (2019), JAMA Network OpenSee the Deliverable
See exactly what your clients or employees receive — a full, real PHASE™ Readiness Report, sample details removed.
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