FAQ
Retirement coaching questions, answered
Last updated:
Here are 49 plain answers about retirement coaching, the Preferment framework and course, cost, adjusting to retirement and getting started with Rarified Life.
What retirement coaching is
What does a retirement coach do?
A retirement coach helps you plan the non-financial side of retirement: who you are without your job title, how you will spend your days, and what gives you purpose. At Rarified Life, coaching uses the Preferment framework to work through identity, motivation, values and accountability, so your next chapter is active and intentional rather than accidental.
What is retirement coaching?
Retirement coaching is a structured process that helps people prepare emotionally and practically for life after career. It focuses on identity, purpose, relationships, health and daily structure rather than investments. Rarified Life offers retirement coaching built on its Preferment framework, which it presents as an alternative to the conventional idea of retirement as an ending.
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.
What is retirement transition coaching?
Retirement transition coaching supports you through the shift from full-time work to your next chapter, whether that shift is years away or already behind you. Rarified Life approaches transition to retirement coaching through Preferment, which treats the move as an ascension rather than an ending and starts by separating who you are from what you did for a living.
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.
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.
Cost and investment
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.
How much does the Preferment live course cost?
The Preferment course description lists an investment of $3,000 for eight weekly live sessions with Anne, the book and the guided homework. The Rarified Life store listing for the same course displays $6,000.00, so check the current price on rarifiedlife.com before enrolling. The book is included in the course either way.
What is included in the Preferment course price?
The Preferment course includes eight weekly live sessions with Anne van Leynseele, a copy of 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 across six modules, from Introduction through Launch, so the course works as a structured path rather than a pep talk.
Is there a free way to learn about Preferment?
Yes. Rarified Life offers a free presentation for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s who are nearing or in retirement. It introduces a five-step plan for replacing the "what now?" feeling of retirement within eight weeks, even for people whose identity has been wrapped up in their work. Registration details are on the Rarified Life website.
Does Rarified Life give financial advice?
No. Rarified Life focuses on the personal side of retirement: identity, purpose, values, structure and activity. Its material argues that meeting a financial planner alone is not enough preparation for the rest of your life, but coaching does not replace one. For investments, taxes and income planning, work with a qualified financial professional.
What is the $1000 a month rule for retirement?
The $1,000 a month rule is a common rule of thumb: for every $1,000 of monthly retirement income you want, save roughly $240,000, which assumes withdrawing about 5% a year. It is a rough starting point, not a plan. Rarified Life does not give financial advice, so confirm any withdrawal strategy with a qualified financial professional.
Is it better to have your house paid off when you retire?
It depends on your income, interest rate, taxes and how much you value lower monthly costs. A paid-off home lowers fixed expenses, while keeping savings liquid preserves flexibility. This is a financial decision, so weigh it with a qualified financial professional. Rarified Life coaching addresses the other half of the question: the life you want that home to support.
How Rarified Life coaching and Preferment work
What is Preferment?
Preferment is the Rarified Life framework, book and course for people who are done treating retirement as an ending. The word means advancement or promotion, and the approach treats life after career as an ascension. It moves through six modules: Introduction, Identity, Motivation, Alignment, Accountability and Launch, ending with a named mission for your next chapter.
What are the six modules of Preferment?
The six Preferment modules are Introduction, where you assess where you are now; Identity, separating who you are from your job; Motivation, finding what moves you without a paycheck; Alignment, matching values and strengths to your days; Accountability, building structure that turns intention into routine; and Launch, naming your mission and stepping into it.
How long is the Preferment course?
The Preferment live course runs for eight weeks, with one live session with Anne van Leynseele each week. You work through the Preferment book chapter by chapter and complete homework between sessions. The structure is designed so each week builds on the last, giving you a working plan by the end rather than a one-time burst of motivation.
Should I choose one-on-one coaching or the Preferment course?
Choose one-on-one retirement coaching if you want attention focused entirely on your situation, timing and pace. Choose the Preferment live course if you prefer a fixed eight-week structure working through the book with Anne. Rarified Life suggests starting with coaching for most people; the course suits those who like a set curriculum and weekly rhythm.
What is the Rarified Life Breakthrough Session?
The Breakthrough Session is a 40-minute call listed on the Rarified Life booking calendar. It is a starting conversation for people considering retirement coaching with Rarified Life. This site does not take bookings, so visit rarifiedlife.com for current availability and details of what the session covers before you decide whether coaching is right for you.
Is the Preferment framework research-backed?
Rarified Life describes Preferment as a research-backed framework that emphasizes personal values, meaningful pursuits, learning and physical activity. Those themes match concerns raised in published work on retirement adjustment, such as the depression figures summarized by lifecoachingcertification.net. For the specific research behind the framework, see the Preferment book itself.
Do I need to be retired to start?
No. Rarified Life says you can start this work without waiting for retirement day, even if your last day at work is still years away. Starting while you are still working gives you time to separate identity from career and test new pursuits, so the transition becomes a plan you are carrying out rather than a shock you are reacting to.
Is there homework in the Preferment course?
Yes. Homework is built into the Preferment book and done between weekly sessions. Rarified Life describes it as real exercises, not busywork. The homework is what turns reading into a plan, so expect to set aside time for it each week alongside the live session with Anne, the same way you would prepare for any important project.
Who it is for
Who is Rarified Life retirement coaching for?
Rarified Life is for high achievers and driven people who built a career, a reputation and a way of moving through the world, 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, especially those whose identity has been wrapped up in work.
Is Preferment only for women?
No. The Preferment live course is described for driven people in general. The free presentation is specifically for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s who are nearing or in retirement, a group Rarified Life focuses on. Anyone whose identity has been closely tied to their career may find the framework and the coaching useful.
Can retirement coaching help if I am still working full time?
Yes. Rarified Life says you can start turning around the post-retirement slump today, even while working full time, and build a real answer to "So, what do you do?" that does not start with "I used to." Planning the personal side early gives you time to try new pursuits before you rely on them to fill your weeks.
What if my spouse is not retiring at the same time?
Staggered retirements change routines, expectations and time together. Retirement coaching can help you build your own structure and purpose rather than relying on a partner to fill newly empty days. The Preferment Alignment and Accountability modules focus on designing how you will actually spend your time, which makes the conversation with your partner more concrete.
I retired a few years ago and feel lost. Is it too late?
It is not too late. One Preferment participant quoted on rarifiedlife.com described spending a few years "wandering around like a goldfish in a bowl" before the program, then learning to "be" rather than just "do" on autopilot. The framework starts with where you are right now, whether that is before or long after your last day.
When is Rarified Life not the right fit?
Rarified Life is not the right fit if you need investment, tax or income advice, which belongs with a financial professional, or if you are experiencing depression or a mental health crisis, which calls for a licensed clinician. It may also not suit someone looking for a self-paced video course, since Preferment is taught in live weekly sessions.
Compared to alternatives
Should I see a retirement coach or a financial planner?
Most people benefit from both, because they solve different problems. A financial planner addresses whether your money will last; a retirement coach addresses what you will do with your time and who you will be. Rarified Life argues that meeting only with a financial planner is the weakest way to prepare for the rest of your life.
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.
Can I plan my retirement life on my own instead?
You can, and books, journaling and workshops help. The common gap is accountability: intentions fade without structure. The Preferment framework gives accountability a whole module, and Rarified Life coaching adds a person who checks your progress. If you prefer to start independently, the free presentation and the readiness quiz on this site are low-commitment first steps.
How is Preferment different from conventional retirement?
Conventional retirement treats the end of a career as the finish line. Preferment treats it as an ascension: a deliberate move into a new chapter built on your values, meaningful pursuits, learning and physical activity. Rarified Life presents it as an alternative to retirement, captured in its own line: "Ditch retirement... try Preferment instead."
Is a course or one-on-one coaching better for retirement?
One-on-one coaching is better when your situation is complex, your timing is uncertain or you want to move at your own pace. Course formats work well when you want a set curriculum and a fixed weekly rhythm. Rarified Life offers both: one-on-one retirement coaching as the first recommendation, and the eight-week Preferment live course as the structured option.
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.
Adjusting to retirement
Do people have a hard time adjusting to retirement?
Many do. A meta-analysis summarized by lifecoachingcertification.net found 28% of retirees experience depression, with a 40% spike in self-reported depression during the first years after retiring. When identity was built around work, losing the title and the structure is often the hardest part, which is why Rarified Life starts with identity.
How long does it take to adjust to retirement?
There is no single timeline; adjustment can take months or several years. Research summarized by lifecoachingcertification.net points to the first years after retiring as the period with a 40% spike in self-reported depression. The Preferment course is structured to give you a working plan in eight weeks, so you are not left to drift.
What are the five emotional stages of retirement?
The five emotional stages of retirement are commonly described as pre-retirement, honeymoon, disenchantment, reorientation and stability, a model drawn from gerontologist Robert Atchley’s phases of retirement. Not everyone passes through every stage or in the same order. Rarified Life coaching helps people move from disenchantment toward reorientation with a clear identity and plan.
What is the happiest age to retire?
There is no proven happiest age to retire; satisfaction depends on health, finances, relationships and purpose more than on a number. Rarified Life’s view is that retiring with a plan for your time matters more than the exact age, and it encourages starting the identity work years before your last day, whenever that turns out to be.
What is the number one mistake retirees make?
From Rarified Life’s perspective, the biggest mistake is planning the money and not the life. People prepare their finances carefully, then reach their last day with no answer to what the time is for. Filling days with errands and appointments can feel productive at first, but it rarely replaces the identity and purpose work once provided.
What is the #1 regret of retirees?
Surveys differ, so there is no single verified answer. Regrets retirees commonly describe include not saving enough, retiring without a plan for their time, and losing touch with people from work. Rarified Life focuses on the second: building a meaningful, active next chapter before the empty calendar arrives. For savings questions, talk with a financial professional.
What not to do after retirement?
Avoid large irreversible decisions in the first months, letting your days fill with errands by default, drifting away from friends and abandoning physical activity. Avoid defining yourself only by what you used to do. The Rarified Life framework emphasizes personal values, meaningful pursuits, continued learning and physical activity as the foundations of a strong next chapter.
What are 10 things I should do before retiring?
Before retiring: review finances with a professional, test-drive a new daily routine, define who you are beyond your title, list the values your days should reflect, choose a learning goal, plan regular physical activity, build friendships outside work, talk expectations through with your partner, pilot a meaningful pursuit, and name a mission for your next chapter.
How do I know if I am emotionally ready to retire?
You are likely emotionally ready to retire when you can describe who you are without your job title, know what will fill your weeks, and have relationships and activities outside work. The free Rarified Life emotional readiness quiz on this site walks through ten reflection questions based on the Preferment themes and shows which area needs attention first.
Getting started and practical details
How do I get started with Rarified Life retirement coaching?
Start at rarifiedlife.com, where the booking calendar lists a 40-minute Breakthrough Session for people exploring one-on-one coaching. If you would rather learn first, the free presentation and the emotional readiness quiz on this site are low-commitment starting points. The Preferment live course is the structured eight-week option once you know you want a set curriculum.
Where is Rarified Life based?
Rarified Life lists Edmonds, Washington, and a mailing address at PO Box 1174, Captain Cook, Hawaii 96704. Founder Anne van Leynseele co-owns an award-winning chocolate farm on the Big Island of Hawaii. Because the Breakthrough Session is listed as a call, you do not need to live near either location to explore coaching with Rarified Life.
Who is Anne van Leynseele?
Anne van Leynseele is the founder of Rarified Life and author of Preferment. She built and sold a Los Angeles film and television production company, advised Fortune 100 companies on digital strategy across three continents, served as an Attorney Advisor in the Obama Administration, helped write Washington State’s recreational cannabis legal framework, and co-owns a Hawaii chocolate farm.
Is the Preferment book available on its own?
The Preferment book is included with the live course as your companion text and workbook. The Rarified Life store lists books as coming soon, so check rarifiedlife.com for the status of a standalone edition. An excerpt from Chapter 5, Embracing the Currents of Change, uses water as a metaphor for persistence, adaptation and personal growth.
What happens at the end of the Preferment course?
The final module, Launch, is where you name your mission for your next chapter and step into it. By then you have worked through identity, motivation, alignment and accountability, so the mission rests on your values and a lived routine. One-on-one retirement coaching with Rarified Life is a natural way to keep that momentum going afterward.
How can I enjoy life after retirement?
Enjoy life after retirement by building your days around your values, a meaningful pursuit, ongoing learning, physical activity and people you care about. Structure matters: a loose plan beats an empty calendar. The Rarified Life Preferment framework turns those themes into a sequence, from separating identity from career to naming a mission for your next chapter.
Ready to go deeper? Start with the Rarified Life retirement coach overview or read about retirement coaching.