Retirement coaching
Retirement coaching and life coaching for retirement
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Retirement coaching helps you plan who you will be and how you will live after your career, the part of retirement a financial plan does not cover.
What is retirement coaching, and what does a retirement life coach do?
Retirement coaching is a structured process that prepares you emotionally and practically for life after work. At Rarified Life, retirement coaching uses the Preferment framework to separate your identity from your career, uncover what motivates you without a paycheck, align your values with your days, and build the accountability that turns intentions into a routine.
A retirement life coach is different from a general life coach because the questions are specific to this one transition. What do I say when someone asks what I do? What fills a Tuesday? Who are my people when the office is gone? How do I keep growing, learning and moving? Coaching for retirement gives those questions a sequence and a deadline, instead of leaving them to surface one by one over several years.
Who is life coaching for retirement for?
Rarified Life works with high achievers and driven people who built something over decades and now want an active, purposeful next chapter. Its free presentation is aimed at accomplished women in their 50s and 60s who are nearing or in retirement, including those whose entire identity has been wrapped up in their work.
Retirement life coaching tends to help most when the career was a major source of identity, structure or social connection. If any of those three disappear on your last day, coaching gives you something to build in their place. It also helps people who are already retired and feel adrift, since the framework starts with where you are right now.
Numbers
How much does a retirement coach cost?
Retirement coaches typically charge $150 to $300 per session, according to the 2026 overview Retirement Coaching: An Emerging Niche for 2026 published by lifecoachingcertification.net. That figure describes the market, not Rarified Life's fees.
Rarified Life does not list one-on-one coaching fees on this site. The booking calendar on rarifiedlife.com lists a 40-minute Breakthrough Session as the starting conversation. The Preferment live course is priced as a package: its course description states $3,000 for eight weekly live sessions, the book and guided homework, while the store listing displays $6,000.00, so confirm the current figure before enrolling.
What changes the cost of retirement coaching in general: one-on-one versus course formats, the number of sessions, and whether materials such as a book or workbook are included.
Comparison
Retirement coach, financial planner or therapist: which do you need?
Rarified Life recommends a retirement coach for the identity, purpose and structure questions, and a financial planner and licensed clinician for the questions they are trained to answer. Many people need more than one.
| Type of support | Main question it answers | Typical focus | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retirement coach (such as Rarified Life) | Who will I be, and how will I spend my time? | Identity, motivation, values, routine, accountability | You want a purposeful, structured next chapter |
| Financial planner | Will my money last? | Savings, withdrawals, taxes, investments | You need income, tax or investment decisions made |
| Licensed therapist | How do I treat what I am feeling? | Mental health assessment and treatment | You have persistent low mood, anxiety or depression |
| Planning on your own | What can I work out myself? | Books, journaling, workshops | You are self-directed and accountable without help |
Money still matters. Boldin's guide Do You Need a Retirement Coach? 6 Ways They Help notes that the net investment income tax adds 3.8% to investment income once modified adjusted gross income tops $200,000 or $250,000. That is a question for a financial professional, which is why Rarified Life does not offer financial advice.
Procedure
How Rarified Life retirement coaching works
Start with a Breakthrough Session
A 40-minute call listed on the Rarified Life booking calendar at rarifiedlife.com.
Take stock of where you are
The Introduction stage looks honestly at your current situation and why the old model of retirement may not fit.
Separate identity from career
Work out who you are apart from what you did for a living.
Find motivation and align your days
Identify what moves you now, then match your values and strengths to a real weekly shape.
Build accountability and launch
Create the structure that keeps intention alive, then name the mission for your next chapter.
How to find a retirement life coach
Look for three things: a defined method you can have explained to you, experience with major career transitions, and a format that suits how you like to work. Location matters less than it used to, since the Rarified Life Breakthrough Session is listed as a call.
Ask whether the coach offers financial advice. A good retirement coach will be clear about what they do not cover. If you are considering a certified professional retirement coach, certification is one signal among several. For a perspective on why coaching helps near retirement, see Forbes contributor Sara Zeff Geber's article Retiring Soon? You Need A Coach.
If you prefer a set curriculum, the eight-week Preferment live course covers the same framework in weekly sessions with Anne van Leynseele.
Common questions
What is the difference between a life coach and a retirement coach?
A life coach works on goals at any stage of life, while a retirement coach specializes in the transition out of a career. A retirement life coach focuses on the questions that surface at that point: identity after work, time without a schedule, changing social circles and purpose. Rarified Life coaching focuses on that transition for high achievers.
Is a retirement coach worth it?
A retirement coach is worth it if you expect the loss of work identity, structure or purpose to be hard, or you already feel it. A 2026 overview from lifecoachingcertification.net cites a meta-analysis finding 28% of retirees experience depression. Coaching does not replace medical care, but it gives the transition structure, direction and accountability.
How much does a retirement coach cost?
Retirement coaches typically charge $150 to $300 per session, according to the 2026 overview of retirement coaching published by lifecoachingcertification.net. Rarified Life does not list one-on-one coaching fees on this site, so confirm current pricing on rarifiedlife.com. Course formats such as the Preferment live course are priced as a package rather than per session.
Is a retirement coach the same as a therapist?
No. A therapist is a licensed clinician who treats mental health conditions, while a retirement coach helps you set direction, build structure and stay accountable. If you are experiencing persistent low mood after retiring, a clinician is the right first step. Coaching with Rarified Life focuses on identity, purpose and designing your next chapter.
Do I need a certified professional retirement coach?
Certification is one signal, but lived experience and a clear method matter too. Rarified Life founder Anne van Leynseele built her approach from four reinventions across film and television, Fortune 100 consulting, public service and a Hawaii chocolate farm, and wrote the Preferment book her course is built on. Ask any coach to explain their method before you commit.
How do I find a retirement coach near me?
A retirement coach does not have to be near you. The Rarified Life booking calendar lists its Breakthrough Session as a call, so location matters less than fit. Rarified Life is based in Edmonds, Washington, with a mailing address in Captain Cook, Hawaii. Look for a defined framework, transition experience and a format that suits you.
Is this a retirement coaching certification program?
No. Rarified Life offers retirement coaching and the Preferment live course for people navigating their own transition, not a retirement coaching certification for people who want to become coaches. If you want to train as a coach, look to retirement coaching associations and certification bodies, which publish their own requirements and course details.