About PHASE Into Retirement

Our Mission

Most retirement planning focuses on money. PHASE Into Retirement is different. We focus on life.

Retirement sits in the cultural imagination as both a promise and a paradox. The promise is freedom—an escape from alarm clocks, deadlines, and the perpetual rhythm of obligation. The paradox is what arrives when that freedom actually comes.

People spend decades thinking about what they want less of: less work, less stress, less pressure. But very few spend meaningful time imagining what they want more of—more purpose, more connection, more learning, more momentum, more joy.

The PHASE assessment helps answer a question many people quietly carry as retirement approaches: “Am I ready for what comes next?”

“Money makes retirement possible. Purpose, health, connection, and structure make it fulfilling.”

— The PHASE^™ Philosophy

Why This Matters

Research across decades confirms that non-financial factors are the strongest predictors of retirement satisfaction.

The PHASE^™framework synthesizes insights from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, Boston College's Center for Retirement Research, and decades of research in gerontology, psychology, and behavioral science.

See PHASE^™ in Action

Watch this short video to understand how the PHASE Into Retirement^™ framework helps you prepare for a fulfilling retirement.

The PHASE^™ Framework

PHASE Into Retirement^™guides you through the five non-financial dimensions that predict whether retirement becomes a season of flourishing or simply fading. These dimensions form a living ecosystem—each one strengthening and supporting the others.

Three Steps to Clarity

Create a free account in under a minute, then spend a few minutes in honest reflection. No credit card required.

Understanding Your Score

Each dimension is scored on a 10–100 scale based on your responses. Your score falls into one of four readiness bands:

Built on Research, Not Opinion

The PHASE™ framework is grounded in findings from some of the most comprehensive studies of aging and life satisfaction ever conducted, including the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging, and Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research.

Every question in the assessment maps to validated research on what predicts well-being in retirement.

Our Philosophy

You cannot “accidentally” create the retirement you want. You must design it—not all at once, but gradually, intentionally, and with compassion for yourself as you navigate this significant life transition.

PHASE^™does not prescribe a “right” way to retire. Instead, it encourages reflection and intentional choices—small, manageable steps that align retirement with the life you want to live.

Retirement does not demand perfection. It asks for intention.

Your next years can be among the richest, most meaningful, and most joyful you have ever lived—not by chance, but by design.

The Team Behind PHASE^™

Decades of research, technology, and real-world expertise — purpose-built for retirement readiness.

Cam Marston

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Nationally recognized generational and workplace expert, author of five books, and speaker who has spent over two decades advising organizations on how people navigate change. Host of the podcast What's Working with Cam Marston. B.A., Tulane University.

Gerald Bierling

Co-Founder & Head of Research

Designed the statistical methodology behind the PHASE Into Retirement™ assessment. Nearly 30 years teaching research methods and statistics at McMaster University, with over 25 years as a research and statistical analysis consultant specializing in demographic change and survey design.

Kai Gray

Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer

Built the PHASE Into Retirement platform from the ground up and leads development of Grace AI™, the engine that delivers personalized retirement readiness insights. Over two decades of software development experience. M.Eng.M., Tufts University; B.S., Boston University.

Dr. Taylor Gray

Co-Founder & Research Fellow

Supports the research foundation and data analysis behind the PHASE™ assessment. Fellow at the University of New Brunswick's Faculty of Management and published researcher in peer-reviewed journals. D.Phil. in Economic Geography, University of Oxford (Clarendon Scholar).