Retirement coachLast updated: November 2026
What a retirement coach does, and how to know you need one
A retirement coach helps you build a life after work that fits who you are now, by working on identity, purpose, relationships and daily structure rather than money. Rarified Life offers this kind of coaching through its 8-week Preferment course for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s.
What does a retirement coach do?
A retirement coach asks the questions your career used to answer for you, then helps you act on the answers. Rarified Life structures that work in a clear order: who you are apart from your job, what moves you without a paycheck, how your values translate into a week, how to stay accountable, and what mission you are launching into. The goal is a life people ask you about, not a calendar of errands.
Definition
Retirement coach, retirement life coach, life coach for retirement
These phrases describe the same kind of professional: a coach who specializes in the transition out of a career. People type “life coach for retirement,” “retirement life coach” or “retirement coach near me,” but they are usually looking for help with purpose and identity rather than investments. Rarified Life’s version is Preferment, an approach the business describes as research-backed, designed for high achievers redesigning life after 50.
Who benefits from a retirement coach?
- People whose identity has been wrapped up in their work for decades.
- People who are financially prepared but unsure what their days are for.
- People a few months into retirement who feel restless, flat or withdrawn.
- People still working who want to design the next chapter before it starts.
Rarified Life focuses on accomplished women in their 50s and 60s, and its free presentation speaks directly to women who get eight months into retirement and stop answering the phone.
The numbers
How much does a retirement coach cost?
- Retirement coaches typically charge $150 to $300 per session, according to lifecoachingcertification.net.
- AARP quotes an expert saying that, depending on where you live, rates run from $125 to $150 an hour all the way up to $800 to $1,000 per hour in major cities like Boston, Miami or San Francisco.
- AARP also describes one coach offering a couple of sessions at around $150 each, and another charging a flat fee of $3,600 for six months.
- Rarified Life’s 8-week Preferment course page describes the investment as $3,000, while the store page also lists $6,000.00; confirm the current price before enrolling.
Retirement coach vs financial advisor
A financial advisor answers “Can I afford to stop working?” A retirement coach answers “Who will I be, and what will I do, when I stop?” Most people benefit from both. If your main worry is money, start with a financial professional. If the money is settled and the days are not, a coach is the right call. Rarified Life works on the second question.
Should you look for a certified professional retirement coach?
Retirement coaching certification programs exist and requirements vary by program, so ask any coach what training they completed and what it covered. Also ask about structure, price and who the coaching is designed for. Rarified Life’s course is led by founder Anne van Leynseele, who built and sold a Los Angeles production company, served as an Attorney Advisor in the Obama Administration and co-owns a chocolate farm in Hawaii. Read the guide to retirement coaching options or return to our overview of retirement coaching.
Common questions
- What does a retirement coach do?
- A retirement coach helps you work out who you are and what you want once your career no longer sets the agenda. Typical work covers identity, motivation, values, daily structure and accountability. In the Preferment course, Anne van Leynseele leads these topics across eight weekly live sessions built on her book, with homework between sessions. More in the FAQ
- Is a retirement coach the same as a life coach for retirement?
- Mostly, yes. People search for a "life coach for retirement" or a "retirement life coach" when they want the same kind of help: a coach focused on purpose and identity as they move out of work. Rarified Life’s Preferment course sits in this category, with a specific focus on accomplished women in their 50s and 60s. More in the FAQ
- How much does retirement coaching cost?
- Prices vary widely. lifecoachingcertification.net reports retirement coaches typically charge $150 to $300 per session. AARP quotes an expert saying rates run from $125 to $150 an hour up to $800 to $1,000 an hour in major cities like Boston, Miami or San Francisco. Rarified Life’s 8-week Preferment course has its own published price. More in the FAQ
- Retirement coach vs financial advisor: what is the difference?
- A financial advisor plans the money; a retirement coach works on how you will spend your time and who you will be. Many people need both. Rarified Life focuses on the non-financial side, meaning identity, motivation, values and daily structure, through the Preferment framework and its 8-week course. More in the FAQ
- How do I find a retirement coach near me?
- Coach directories let you search for retirement coaches and filter by location and specialization. Location may matter less than fit, so ask any coach how sessions are delivered. Rarified Life lists Edmonds, Washington, and Captain Cook, Hawaii; contact the business to ask how its live course sessions work for you. More in the FAQ
- What is a certified professional retirement coach?
- The phrase usually refers to a coach who completed a retirement coaching certification program, and requirements vary by program. Ask any coach which program they completed and what it covered. Rarified Life’s Preferment course is led by founder Anne van Leynseele, whose background spans media, strategy, law and agriculture. More in the FAQ
Start with the free presentation
Watch the free presentation for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s, then decide whether the 8-week Preferment course is your next step. Questions first? Contact Rarified Life.