Retirement coaching FAQ
Retirement coaching questions, answered
Here are direct answers to 44 retirement coaching questions, from what a retirement coach does to what the Preferment™ course from Rarified Life costs and includes.
Last updated: November 2026 · Published by Rarified Life
What are the most common retirement coaching questions?
People most often ask what retirement coaching is, how much a retirement coach costs, whether they can start before retiring, and how coaching differs from financial planning. Those are answered first in each group below.
What retirement coaching is
What is retirement coaching?
Retirement coaching is structured guidance for the non-financial side of leaving work: identity, purpose, routine, relationships, and how you spend your time. Rarified Life approaches it through Preferment™, a research-informed framework that aligns your next chapter with your personal values and meaningful pursuits rather than treating retirement as an ending.
What does a retirement coach do?
A retirement coach helps you work out what you want your days to look like after your career, then builds a plan to get there. Typical work covers separating identity from job title, clarifying motivation, matching values and strengths to daily life, and building accountability. In Rarified Life’s Preferment course, those topics are the core modules.
What is retirement transition coaching?
Retirement transition coaching focuses on the move itself: the months before and after your last working day, when routines, identity, and social ties shift at once. Rarified Life’s Preferment approach is built for this window, and its free presentation says you can start even if your last day at work is still years away.
Is a retirement life coach different from a regular life coach?
Yes. A retirement life coach specializes in the transition out of a career, while a general life coach may work on any goal. Sessions center on questions like who you are without your job title, what motivates you without a paycheck, and how to structure open time. Preferment™ is designed specifically for life after career.
What is Preferment?
Preferment™ is Rarified Life’s framework and life platform for rethinking retirement, summed up in its line “Ditch retirement... try Preferment™ instead.” It is taught through a live 8-week course built on founder Anne van Leynseele’s book Preferment, moving through six modules: Introduction, Identity, Motivation, Alignment, Accountability, and Launch.
Is retirement coaching the same as therapy?
No. Retirement coaching is forward-looking planning for your next chapter, while therapy is mental health care from a licensed clinician. Coaching can help you build purpose and structure, but it does not diagnose or treat depression or anxiety. If you are struggling emotionally after leaving work, talk with a licensed mental health professional.
Does a retirement coach help with money?
Usually not. Most retirement coaches, including Rarified Life, focus on purpose, identity, and how you spend your time rather than investments or income planning. Rarified Life’s free presentation argues that meeting with a financial planner alone does not prepare you for the rest of your life. For investment or tax decisions, work with a qualified financial professional.
Cost and pricing
How much does a retirement coach cost?
Published figures vary widely. AARP quotes one coach estimating $125 to $150 an hour in some areas, up to $800 to $1,000 per hour in major cities like Boston, Miami or San Francisco. A 2026 article on lifecoachingcertification.net says retirement coaches typically charge $150 to $300 per session. Location, format, and experience drive the difference.
How much is the Preferment course?
The Preferment™ course listing on rarifiedlife.com shows a price of $6000.00, while the course description on the same page lists the investment as $3,000 for eight weekly live sessions with Anne, the book, and guided homework. Because the two figures differ, confirm the current price on the course page before enrolling.
Is the free presentation really free?
Yes. Rarified Life describes its presentation for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s who are nearing or in retirement as free. It introduces a 5-step plan for replacing the “What now?” dread of retirement. Registration happens on rarifiedlife.com, and watching it is a low-commitment way to see whether Preferment fits you.
What is included in the Preferment course price?
The course includes eight weekly live sessions with Anne van Leynseele, her book Preferment as your companion text and workbook, and homework built into the book that you complete between sessions. Each week builds on the last, moving through six modules from Introduction to Launch, so you finish with a named mission for your next chapter.
Is it better to pay a flat fee or hourly for retirement coaching?
It depends on how you like to work. AARP’s article describes both: one coach offers a couple of sessions at around $150 each, while another charges a flat fee of $3,600 for six months. A fixed-length program like Rarified Life’s 8-week Preferment course gives you a set structure and end point, while hourly sessions offer flexibility.
Does insurance or Medicare cover retirement coaching?
Generally, no. Coaching is not a medical service, so health insurance and Medicare typically do not pay for it. Rarified Life does not mention insurance arrangements on its website. If cost is a concern, the free presentation lets you learn the Preferment approach before deciding whether the paid course is worth it for you.
How the Preferment course works
How long does retirement coaching take?
Program lengths vary by coach. Rarified Life’s Preferment™ course runs eight weeks, with one live session each week. Its free presentation describes making your post-work years the best years of your life in just 8 weeks. Other coaches use different formats; AARP’s article mentions one coach’s six-month flat-fee program.
What are the six Preferment modules?
The modules are Introduction (where you are now and why the old retirement model may not fit), Identity (who you are apart from your work), Motivation (what moves you without a paycheck), Alignment (values and strengths in your days), Accountability (structure that turns intention into routine), and Launch (naming your mission).
Who teaches the Preferment course?
Anne van Leynseele, founder of Rarified Life, leads the live sessions. She built and sold a production company in Los Angeles film and television, advised Fortune 100 companies on digital strategy across three continents, served as an Attorney Advisor in the Obama Administration, and helped write the legal framework for recreational cannabis in Washington State.
Is there homework in the Preferment course?
Yes. Homework is built into the Preferment book and done between the weekly sessions. Rarified Life describes these as real exercises rather than busywork, designed so that each week’s reading turns into decisions and a plan. Expect to set aside time each week beyond the live session itself.
Are Preferment sessions live?
Yes. The course is described as live, with eight weekly live sessions led by Anne van Leynseele. The free presentation is offered as a training you watch after registering. Session times and how you join are not listed on this site, so check the course page on rarifiedlife.com for current scheduling details.
Do I need a plan before I start?
No. Rarified Life says you do not need a five-year plan, only a room to start figuring it out in. The Introduction module starts with where you are right now, and the course works step by step toward a named mission in its final Launch module.
What is the 5-step plan in the free presentation?
The free presentation introduces a 5-step plan that Rarified Life says smart women in their 50s and 60s use to replace the “What now?” dread of retirement. Topics include having a real answer to “So, what do you do?” that does not start with “I used to,” and pinpointing what your future self wants from you.
Who it is for
Who is Rarified Life’s retirement coaching for?
Rarified Life speaks most directly to accomplished women in their 50s and 60s who are nearing or in retirement, especially those whose identity has been wrapped up in their work. The Preferment course itself is described as being for driven people who are done treating retirement as an ending and ready to treat it as a new beginning.
Can I start retirement coaching while I am still working?
Yes. Rarified Life’s free presentation says you can begin without slowing down, without waiting for retirement day, and even if your last day at work is still years away. Starting early gives you time to test new pursuits and routines before your schedule opens up completely.
Is it too late if I already retired?
No. The free presentation is for women who are nearing or already in retirement. A quote on the Rarified Life website describes spending a few years “wandering around like a goldfish in a bowl” before Preferment. The course starts from where you are now, whatever your retirement date.
Is Preferment only for women?
The free presentation is specifically for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s. The Preferment course page describes its audience more broadly, as driven people ready to treat retirement as a new chapter rather than an ending. Read the course page or watch the presentation to decide whether it fits you.
What if my whole identity is my career?
That is the situation Preferment™ is built around. The free presentation is aimed at women whose entire identity has been wrapped up in their work, and the course’s Identity module focuses on separating who you are from what you did for a living, before moving on to motivation and alignment.
How do I find purpose in life after 50?
Start by separating your identity from your job title, then look at what motivates you when a paycheck is no longer the reason, and match your values and strengths to how you spend your days. That sequence mirrors the Identity, Motivation, and Alignment modules of Rarified Life’s Preferment course, followed by structure and a named mission.
Compared to alternatives
Should I see a retirement coach or a financial planner?
Many people benefit from both because they solve different problems. A financial planner addresses savings, income, and investments, while a retirement coach addresses identity, purpose, and daily life. Rarified Life’s free presentation argues that a financial planner alone is not enough to prepare for the rest of your life, but coaching does not replace financial advice.
Is a structured course or 1:1 coaching better?
Each suits different people. A structured course moves you through a set curriculum on a fixed schedule, while 1:1 coaching tailors every session to you. Rarified Life currently offers the live 8-week Preferment course, and its website lists 1:1 coaching as coming soon.
Can I just read a book instead of taking a course?
You can, and self-guided reading is the lowest-cost option. The difference is structure and accountability: Rarified Life’s course pairs the Preferment book with weekly live sessions and built-in homework. Its website lists books as coming soon as a separate product.
Should I look for a certified professional retirement coach?
Certification can show that a coach completed formal training, and several organizations offer retirement coaching certification. It is one factor among several: also weigh the coach’s life experience, method, program structure, and price. The Rarified Life pages reviewed for this guide do not list a coaching certification; they present Anne van Leynseele’s four reinventions as her background.
Do I need a retirement coach near me?
Not necessarily. Many coaches work by video or phone, so fit often matters more than distance. Local rates can differ: AARP quotes one coach saying hourly prices depend on where you live. Rarified Life lists Edmonds, Washington, and Captain Cook, Hawaii, on its website; check the course page for how its live sessions are delivered.
Can I plan my retirement life on my own?
Yes, and many people do. A coach or course adds a structured sequence, outside perspective, and accountability, which helps if you have tried to plan alone and stalled. Rarified Life’s Accountability module exists for that reason: building the structure that turns intention into a lived routine.
Getting started and practical details
What is the best first step with Rarified Life?
Watch Rarified Life’s free presentation. It costs nothing, introduces the 5-step plan behind the Preferment approach, and helps you decide whether the 8-week course fits before you spend anything. Registration is on rarifiedlife.com, and you can watch even if retirement is still years away.
How do I enroll in the Preferment course?
Enrollment happens on the Preferment™ course page at rarifiedlife.com, where the course is listed for purchase. This guide explains the approach but does not take enrollments. Confirm the current price and session schedule on that page before you buy, since the listing and description show different figures.
What happens in the first week of Preferment?
The course opens with the Introduction module: where you are right now, and why the old model of retirement was never built for someone like you. Sessions follow the Preferment book chapter by chapter, so the first week also sets up the reading and homework rhythm you use for the remaining seven weeks.
How much time does the course take each week?
Plan for one live session per week for eight weeks, plus reading and homework from the Preferment book between sessions. Rarified Life does not publish exact homework hours, so total weekly time depends on how deeply you engage with the exercises. Ask before enrolling if you need a precise figure.
Where is Rarified Life based?
Rarified Life lists Edmonds, Washington, and a mailing address in Captain Cook, Hawaii, on its website. Founder Anne van Leynseele co-owns an award-winning chocolate farm on the Big Island of Hawaii, one of the four reinventions she draws on in her teaching.
Does Rarified Life offer books or 1:1 coaching?
Rarified Life lists both books and 1:1 coaching as coming soon on its website. Today its main offerings are the free presentation and the live 8-week Preferment course, which already includes the Preferment book as a companion text and workbook.
Common problems and concerns
Why do I feel lost after retiring?
Losing a work identity, daily structure, and workplace relationships at once is a real shock. A meta-analysis summarized on lifecoachingcertification.net found 28% of retirees experience depression, with a 40% spike in self-reported depression during the first years after retiring. If low mood persists, see a licensed professional; coaching helps with purpose and structure.
What if I feel isolated in retirement?
Isolation often follows the loss of daily workplace contact. Rarified Life’s free presentation says it explains why smart, capable women get 8 months into retirement and stop answering the phone, and what you can do to start turning that around. Building relationships into your new routine is part of aligning your days with your values.
What if my days are just errands and appointments?
That is a common pattern, and the free presentation addresses it directly: moving from filling your days with errands and appointments to a life people ask you about. In the Preferment course, the Alignment and Accountability modules turn your values into a weekly structure you actually follow.
How do I answer “So, what do you do?” after retiring?
Rarified Life’s free presentation focuses on giving you a real answer to that question in 8 weeks, without starting with “I used to.” In the course, the final Launch module has you name your mission for this next chapter, which becomes the basis of a confident answer.
What if I have no idea what I want?
That is a normal starting point. Rarified Life says you do not need a five-year plan, and its free presentation covers how to pinpoint what your future self really wants from you, even if that seems like a total mystery right now. The Motivation module of the course is built around this question.
What if retirement coaching does not work for me?
No program fits everyone. Watching the free presentation first lets you test the approach at no cost. Before buying the course, read the full course page and Rarified Life’s terms on rarifiedlife.com, and consider whether a structured 8-week live format suits how you like to learn.
Next step: watch the free presentation
Rarified Life offers a free presentation for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s who are nearing or in retirement. It walks through the 5-step plan behind Preferment™, so you can see whether the approach fits before committing to anything.