FAQ
Retirement coaching questions, answered
Here are 47 common questions about retirement coaching and the Preferment course, each answered in a few plain sentences.
Last updated: November 2026
What questions should you ask about retirement coaching?
The most useful retirement coaching questions cover what it is, what it costs, who it suits, how it differs from financial planning, and how to start. Rarified Life answers each below, using facts from the Preferment course page and named outside sources.
What retirement coaching is
- What is retirement transition coaching?
- Retirement transition coaching is structured support for moving from a full-time career into the next stage of life, focused on identity, purpose, relationships, and daily structure rather than money alone. Rarified Life offers it through Preferment, an 8-week live course led by Anne van Leynseele that treats life after 50 as an active new chapter instead of an ending.
- What does a retirement coach do?
- A retirement coach helps you plan the non-financial side of retiring: who you are without the job title, what you want your days to hold, and how to build routines around that. According to lifecoachingcertification.net, retirement coaches typically charge $150 to $300 per session. Rarified Life currently delivers its coaching through the Preferment course, with 1:1 coaching listed as coming soon.
- What is Preferment?
- Preferment is the framework Rarified Life offers as an active, purpose-driven alternative to traditional retirement for high achievers redesigning life after 50. Rarified Life describes it as research-backed. It is taught through an 8-week live course and through Anne van Leynseele’s book of the same name, which serves as the course companion text and workbook.
- Why is it called Preferment instead of retirement?
- Rarified Life’s own tagline is “Ditch retirement... try Preferment instead.” The course description frames this stage as an ascension rather than an ending, written for driven people who do not want retirement to feel like a full stop. The name signals moving forward into a chosen next chapter built on your values and strengths.
- Is retirement coaching the same as therapy?
- No. Retirement coaching is forward-looking planning and accountability around identity, purpose, and routine; it is not mental health treatment. A meta-analysis cited by lifecoachingcertification.net found 28% of retirees experience depression. If you are dealing with depression or another health concern, speak with a licensed clinician. Coaching can sit alongside that care but does not replace it.
- What does life coaching for retirement focus on?
- Life coaching for retirement focuses on the questions a pension cannot answer: who you are after your career, what motivates you now, and how you will spend your time. The Preferment course works through these in six modules: Introduction, Identity, Motivation, Alignment, Accountability, and Launch, with homework from the book between weekly live sessions.
How the Preferment course works
- How long is the Preferment course?
- The Preferment course runs for eight weeks, with one live session with Anne van Leynseele each week. The sessions work through her book Preferment chapter by chapter, and each week builds on the one before, so the course follows a structured path rather than a collection of separate talks.
- What are the six modules of the Preferment course?
- The six modules are: Introduction, on where you are now; Identity, separating who you are from what you did; 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 for the next chapter.
- How do six modules fit into eight weeks?
- The course page lists six modules delivered across eight weekly live sessions, but it does not publish a week-by-week mapping of modules to sessions. If you want to see the exact schedule before enrolling, ask Rarified Life directly through the contact page at rarifiedlife.com, or raise it during a free Breakthrough Session call.
- Are the Preferment sessions live or recorded?
- The sessions are live. Rarified Life describes Preferment as a live course with eight weekly live sessions led by Anne van Leynseele. The course page does not say whether recordings are provided afterward, so if replay access matters to you, confirm it through the contact page before you enroll.
- Is the Preferment book included in the course?
- Yes. The book Preferment is included with the course and acts as both the companion text and the workbook. Each live session works through the book chapter by chapter, and the homework is built into its pages. Separately, Rarified Life lists its books as coming soon in its shop.
- Is there homework in the Preferment course?
- Yes. Homework is built into the book and done between sessions. Rarified Life describes it as real exercises, not busywork, and the course page calls it the guided homework that turns reading into a plan. Because each week builds on the last, completing the exercises keeps you ready for the next live session.
- Who teaches the Preferment course?
- Anne van Leynseele, founder of Rarified Life and author of Preferment, leads the eight weekly live sessions. 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, and co-owns an award-winning chocolate farm in Hawaii.
- Is the Preferment course online or in person?
- The course page describes eight weekly live sessions with Anne but does not state the platform or location. Rarified Life lists addresses in Edmonds, Washington and Captain Cook, Hawaii. To confirm how and where sessions are held, contact Rarified Life through the contact page at rarifiedlife.com before you purchase.
Pricing and enrollment
- How much does the Preferment course cost?
- The Preferment course page states an investment of $3,000 for eight weekly live sessions with Anne, the book, and the guided homework. The store listing on that same page displays $6,000.00, so confirm the current price at checkout or through the contact page at rarifiedlife.com before you enroll.
- What does the Preferment course price include?
- The stated $3,000 investment includes eight weekly live sessions with Anne van Leynseele, the book Preferment as your companion text and workbook, and the homework built into the book. The course page does not list extra fees. Financial planning is not part of the course, so budget for that separately if you need it.
- How does the Preferment price compare with 1:1 retirement coaching?
- At the stated $3,000, Preferment works out to $375 per live session, with the book included. Lifecoachingcertification.net reports retirement coaches typically charge $150 to $300 per session, so eight 1:1 sessions would typically total $1,200 to $2,400. Preferment costs more per session but includes a fixed curriculum, the book, and built-in homework.
- Is the Preferment presentation really free?
- Yes. Rarified Life offers a free presentation for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s who are nearing or in retirement. You register on the Rarified Life registration page and watch the training. It is the recommended first step before deciding whether the paid 8-week course fits you.
- How do I enroll in the Preferment course?
- Start with the free presentation at rarifiedlife.com/registration. If you want to talk it through, book a 40-minute Breakthrough Session at rarifiedlife.com/book or send a question through the contact page. When you are ready, purchase the course on its product page at rarifiedlife.com. The Enroll page on this site links to each step.
- Can I talk to someone before I buy the course?
- Yes. Rarified Life’s booking page offers a 40-minute Breakthrough Session that you can schedule online, and its contact page takes questions directly. Both are good places to ask about schedule, format, and whether the course fits your situation before you commit to the 8-week program.
- Does the Preferment course have a refund policy?
- The course page does not describe a refund policy. Rarified Life publishes Terms of Service at rarifiedlife.com/terms-6937, which is the place to check purchase terms. If refunds or cancellations matter to your decision, ask through the contact page before you buy so you have a clear answer in writing.
Who Preferment is for
- Who is the Preferment course for?
- Preferment is for accomplished people, and Rarified Life’s free presentation speaks specifically to women in their 50s and 60s who are nearing or in retirement. The course page describes driven people who spent decades building a career and reputation and now want retirement to be a new beginning rather than an ending.
- Do I have to be retired to take Preferment?
- No. Rarified Life’s free presentation says the approach works even if your last day at work is still years away and even if you are still working full time. It also speaks to people already retired who feel stuck. Starting before retirement gives you time to shape the transition.
- Is Preferment only for women?
- Rarified Life’s free presentation is written specifically for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s. The course page itself describes the course for driven people more broadly. If you are not in that presentation’s audience and want to know whether the course fits you, ask through the contact page at rarifiedlife.com.
- What if my whole identity is tied to my career?
- That is exactly the situation the Preferment presentation addresses, promising a path even if your entire identity has been wrapped up in your work. The course’s Identity module focuses on separating who you are from what you did for a living, so you can answer “So, what do you do?” without starting with “I used to.”
- Do I need a plan for retirement before I start?
- No. The Preferment course page says you do not need a five-year plan; you just need a room to start figuring it out in. The course starts with where you are right now and works toward naming your mission in the final Launch module, so arriving uncertain is expected.
- Am I too young at 50 for retirement coaching?
- Not for Preferment. Rarified Life’s presentation is aimed at women in their 50s and 60s and says it works even if retirement is years away. Beginning early lets you test interests and build new routines while you still have your career, instead of facing an empty calendar the week after you leave.
Compared to alternatives
- Retirement coach vs financial advisor: what is the difference?
- A financial advisor plans your money; a retirement coach helps you plan your life, including identity, purpose, and daily structure. Rarified Life’s presentation argues that meeting with a financial planner alone is not enough preparation for the rest of your life. Most people benefit from both, because the questions are different.
- Is a group course better than 1:1 retirement coaching?
- It depends on what you need. A group course like Preferment gives you a fixed curriculum, a book, homework, and live sessions with others on the same path. 1:1 coaching gives a fully tailored agenda and flexible pacing, typically at $150 to $300 per session according to lifecoachingcertification.net. Rarified Life lists 1:1 coaching as coming soon.
- Can I just read the Preferment book on my own?
- Rarified Life lists its books as coming soon in its shop, and today the book Preferment comes included with the course. Reading on your own costs less but gives up the eight live sessions with Anne and the week-by-week accountability, which the course includes as its own module.
- How is Preferment different from other retirement coaching?
- Preferment is a named framework taught live by its author over eight weeks, using her book as the workbook, in six modules from Identity to Launch. Anne van Leynseele has lived several career reinventions herself. Other retirement coaching may be 1:1, workshop-based, or self-paced; compare formats in this site’s retirement coaching guide.
- Who should choose something other than Preferment?
- Choose a financial advisor first if your main question is whether you can afford to retire. Choose 1:1 coaching if you need a tailored schedule now, since Rarified Life lists its 1:1 coaching as coming soon. And if you are struggling with depression or health concerns, start with a licensed clinician.
Purpose and life after 50
- How do I find purpose in life after 50?
- Start by separating who you are from what you did, then look for what genuinely moves you now that a paycheck is not the reason. From there, match your values and strengths to how you spend your days. Those are the Identity, Motivation, and Alignment modules of Rarified Life’s Preferment course.
- Is it too late to start life over after 50?
- No. Anne van Leynseele, who teaches Preferment, describes having lived four reinventions, moving from film and television production to digital strategy, government legal work, and chocolate farming. Starting over after 50 is less about erasing your past and more about choosing what you carry forward into the next chapter.
- What should I do if I have no direction in life at 50?
- Begin with an honest look at where you are, without a five-year plan. Then work through identity and motivation before deciding what to do next. Rarified Life’s free presentation is a low-commitment first step, and the Preferment course gives that process eight weeks of structure.
- Why is the first year of retirement so hard?
- Many people lose structure, identity, and daily connection at once. A meta-analysis cited by lifecoachingcertification.net found a 40% spike in self-reported depression during the first years after retiring. Rarified Life’s presentation also describes capable women who stop answering the phone around eight months into retirement.
- What is the best retirement advice from retirees?
- A common thread is to plan who you will be, not just what you can afford. One Preferment participant, quoted on rarifiedlife.com, said they spent a few years “wandering around like a goldfish in a bowl” before discovering they were more than their work and learning to “be” rather than just “do” on autopilot.
- How do I answer “So, what do you do?” after retiring?
- Build an answer around who you are and what you are doing now, not your former title. Rarified Life’s presentation sets this as a core goal: a real answer that does not start with “I used to.” The Preferment Identity and Launch modules focus on this, ending with naming your mission.
Getting started and practical details
- What is covered in the free Preferment presentation?
- The free presentation walks through a 5-step plan for replacing the “What now?” feeling of retirement. Topics include answering “So, what do you do?” without “I used to,” why capable women stall months into retirement, why a financial planner alone is not enough, and how to work out what your future self wants.
- What is the Rarified Life Breakthrough Session?
- The Breakthrough Session is a 40-minute call you can book online through Rarified Life’s booking page at rarifiedlife.com/book. It is a natural place to ask questions about Preferment, your timing, and whether the course fits you before you enroll in the full 8-week program.
- How do I contact Rarified Life?
- Use the contact page at rarifiedlife.com/contact-7521. It is the right place for questions about the course schedule, format, price, and terms. You can also book a 40-minute Breakthrough Session online through the booking page if you would rather talk your questions through.
- Where is Rarified Life based?
- Rarified Life’s about page lists Edmonds, Washington and a mailing address of PO Box 1174, Captain Cook, Hawaii 96704. Anne van Leynseele also co-owns an award-winning chocolate farm on the Big Island of Hawaii. The course page does not state whether sessions are online or in person, so confirm that through the contact page.
- When does the next Preferment course start?
- Start dates are not published on the course page. The fastest way to find out when the next 8-week course begins is to ask through the contact page at rarifiedlife.com or book a Breakthrough Session. Watching the free presentation first means you are ready to decide when dates are announced.
- What happens if I miss a live Preferment session?
- The course page does not describe a missed-session policy or recordings. Because each week builds on the last and homework is in the book, you can keep up with the reading, but ask through the contact page how Rarified Life handles missed sessions before you enroll.
- How should I prepare for the Preferment course?
- You do not need a plan. Watch the free presentation, set aside time each week for the live session and the homework in the book, and come willing to look honestly at where you are now. The first module, Introduction, starts exactly there.
- What questions should I ask a retirement coach before hiring?
- Ask what the program covers, how many sessions there are, whether they are live, group, or 1:1, who leads them, what the price includes, how missed sessions and refunds work, and what you will leave with. For Preferment, the course page answers several of these; ask Rarified Life about the rest.
- What questions does retirement coaching help you answer?
- Good retirement coaching helps you answer: Who am I without my job title? What moves me now? How do I want to spend my days? What structure will keep me on track? What is my mission for this chapter? Those map directly to the Preferment modules.
Start with the free presentation
Watch Rarified Life’s free presentation for accomplished women in their 50s and 60s. If it resonates, the 8-week Preferment course is the next step.