Guide published by Rarified Life
Retirement coaching options compared: a guide for women leaving their careers
For an accomplished woman in her 50s or 60s whose main question is who she will be after her career, the options built around identity and purpose fit best, and the free Rarified Life presentation is the lowest-cost way to test that fit.
Last updated: | Published by Rarified Life
Published by Rarified Life. This guide is published by Rarified Life, which offers two of the five options below. It is not an independent review. Every entry is judged on the same four criteria, described in the How we chose section.
Which retirement coaching option is best for a woman leaving her career?
It depends on your main question. If it is identity and purpose, start with an option focused on that, such as the free Rarified Life presentation, then move to a structured course or coach if you want accountability. If your main question is money, a financial or benefits retirement webinar, or a licensed professional, is the better first step. Many women end up using both.
The ranked list
Rarified Life free presentation
- Focus
- Identity, purpose, and life after career
- Cost to start
- $0
- Structure
- One presentation teaching a 5-step plan
- Live support
- Instant access after registering; no live coach
Why it is here: Ranked first because it matches the focus criterion fully at no cost, which makes it the lowest-risk starting point. It is a single session with no ongoing accountability.
Register for the Rarified Life free presentationRarified Life Preferment 8-week course
- Focus
- Identity, motivation, values alignment, accountability, and launch
- Cost to start
- Listed at $6,000.00; Investment section describes $3,000
- Structure
- 8 weekly sessions, 6 modules, book with built-in homework
- Live support
- Yes, live weekly sessions with Anne van Leynseele
Why it is here: Ranked second because it matches the focus criterion fully and offers the most structure and live support here, but it has the highest listed cost to start.
See the Preferment course pageOne-to-one life coaching with an independent coach
- Focus
- Varies by coach; some specialize in retirement transitions
- Cost to start
- Varies by coach
- Structure
- Varies; often a set number of sessions
- Live support
- Usually yes, with the coach
Why it is here: Ranked third because live support is usually strong, but focus and cost depend entirely on the coach, so fit has to be checked case by case.
Self-guided books and workbooks
- Focus
- Varies by title
- Cost to start
- Usually the price of a book
- Structure
- Self-paced
- Live support
- No
Why it is here: Ranked fourth because the cost to start is low and some titles focus on life after career, but there is no live support or outside accountability.
Financial and benefits retirement webinars
- Focus
- Money and benefits: Social Security, pensions, healthcare, taxes
- Cost to start
- Often free from plan providers and employers; varies
- Structure
- Usually one session per topic
- Live support
- Varies; live or recorded
Why it is here: Ranked fifth for this guide only because its focus is money, not identity. For financial questions it is the right resource and should come before any coaching.
Side by side
| Option | Focus | Cost to start | Structure | Live support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rarified Life free presentation | Identity, purpose, and life after career | $0 | One presentation teaching a 5-step plan | Instant access after registering; no live coach |
| Rarified Life Preferment 8-week course | Identity, motivation, values alignment, accountability, and launch | Listed at $6,000.00; Investment section describes $3,000 | 8 weekly sessions, 6 modules, book with built-in homework | Yes, live weekly sessions with Anne van Leynseele |
| One-to-one life coaching with an independent coach | Varies by coach; some specialize in retirement transitions | Varies by coach | Varies; often a set number of sessions | Usually yes, with the coach |
| Self-guided books and workbooks | Varies by title | Usually the price of a book | Self-paced | No |
| Financial and benefits retirement webinars | Money and benefits: Social Security, pensions, healthcare, taxes | Often free from plan providers and employers; varies | Usually one session per topic | Varies; live or recorded |
When another option fits better
- Choose a financial or benefits retirement webinar first if you have a pension election, Social Security, healthcare, or tax decision coming up.
- Choose an independent one-to-one coach if you want private sessions now; Rarified Life lists its 1:1 coaching as coming soon.
- Choose a book if you prefer to work entirely at your own pace and do not want live sessions.
How we chose
Rarified Life, which publishes this site, wrote this guide. Every option was judged on the same four criteria, in this order of importance for the reader described above: focus on identity and purpose, cost to start, structure, and live support. Facts about Rarified Life options come from rarifiedlife.com as of November 2026. The three general categories are described by their typical features rather than by any single provider, because costs and formats vary. No ratings or reviews were used, because none were available for every option, and no independent audit took place. Read the full methodology.
Start with the free presentation
Registration is free and gives you instant access to the 5-step plan for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s who are nearing or in retirement.
Common questions
See all 44 questions- What does a retirement coach do?
- A retirement coach helps you plan the non-financial side of retirement: who you will be, how you will spend your time, and what will give your days meaning. Retirement transition coaching usually covers identity, values, routines, relationships, and accountability, rather than investments or benefits.
- Retirement coach vs financial planner: what's the difference?
- A financial planner helps with money: savings, income, investments, and taxes. A retirement coach helps with life: identity, purpose, and structure. Many people benefit from both. Rarified Life's presentation argues that a meeting with a financial planner, on its own, does not prepare you for the rest of your life.
- Is life coaching for retirement different from regular life coaching?
- Yes. Life coaching for retirement focuses on one specific transition: leaving a career and rebuilding identity, purpose, and routine afterward. General life coaching can cover any goal. Preferment is built specifically for life after career, with modules on identity, motivation, alignment, accountability, and launch.
- How much does retirement coaching cost?
- Prices vary widely by format, length, and coach. Rarified Life's own options run from a free presentation, to a 40-minute Breakthrough Session booked on its calendar, to the 8-week Preferment course. For any coach, ask for a written price, the number of sessions, and what materials are included before you commit.
- Is retirement coaching worth the money?
- It depends on what you need. Coaching like Preferment is built for people whose question is "What will I do and who will I be?" rather than "Can I afford it?" If your main worry is money, start with a financial professional. If it is identity and direction, a structured course adds a path and accountability.
- Can I do this on my own with a book instead?
- You can start on your own. The Preferment course is built on Anne's book, and the book includes the homework. What the course adds is eight live weekly sessions, a structured path, and accountability, which Rarified Life frames as the difference between reading a book and finishing with a plan.
- Does Rarified Life offer 1:1 retirement coaching?
- Rarified Life lists 1:1 coaching as coming soon. Today its main options are the free presentation, the 8-week Preferment live course, and a 40-minute Breakthrough Session you can book on its calendar. Check rarifiedlife.com for updates on one-to-one coaching.