Guide

Retirement transition coaching that starts before your last day

Retirement transition coaching supports the move from a defining career to a chosen next chapter, and Rarified Life designs it to begin while you are still working.

Published by Rarified Life. Last updated: November 2, 2026

When should you start transition to retirement coaching?

Start before you retire, ideally while your last day is still months or years away. Rarified Life’s free webinar is designed for that window, so you can build a real answer to “So, what do you do?” in eight weeks and test new pursuits while a job still gives your week its shape.

Comparison

What retirement transition coaching covers at each stage

Rarified Life retirement transition coaching by stage
Stage	Common challenge	What Preferment works on	Rarified Life starting point
Years before retiring	Identity tied to job title	Identity and Motivation modules	Free webinar
Final months of work	No plan for the first Monday after	Alignment and Accountability modules	8-week Preferment course
First year of retirement	Days filled with errands and appointments	Accountability and Launch modules	8-week course or a Breakthrough Session
Already retired and adrift	No direction, low energy	All six modules, from Introduction to Launch	Free webinar, then the course

Context

Why the transition is the hard part

Identity does not retire on schedule

If your work has been the answer to who you are, the last day can feel like losing that answer. Rarified Life’s webinar addresses why smart, capable women can get eight months into retirement and stop answering the phone, and what to do about it early.

What published research reports

A meta-analysis cited by lifecoachingcertification.net found 28% of retirees experience depression, with a 40% spike in self-reported depression during the first years after retiring. More statistics.

Approach

How Rarified Life approaches the transition

Rarified Life does not ask you to slow down or wait. The approach is to start without waiting for retirement day and without asking anyone’s permission. You work out what your future self really wants, match your values and strengths to your days, and build the accountability that makes it stick.

The result is not a vague list of hobbies. It is a named mission for your next chapter, the final module of the Preferment framework. For the full picture, see Rarified Life retirement coaching for high achievers.

FAQ

Questions about retirement transition coaching

What is retirement transition coaching?: Retirement transition coaching supports the period before, during, and just after you leave your career, when routines, identity, and relationships shift at once. The Rarified Life webinar and 8-week Preferment course are both designed to be started while you are still working, so the transition begins before your last day rather than after it.
Can I join if I am still working full time?: Yes. The webinar describes an approach you can start without slowing down and without waiting for retirement day, and it is aimed at people whose last day may still be years away. The course runs weekly over eight weeks, which can fit around a working schedule; confirm session times on the enrollment page.
What are 10 things I should do before retiring?: Review income with a licensed financial professional, decide how you will answer “What do you do?”, list your core values, test a new pursuit while still employed, sketch a weekly structure, align expectations with your partner, build friendships outside work, set a health routine, confirm benefit timing with HR, and name a mission for the first year.
What is the smartest month to retire?: The best month depends on your employer’s benefits, bonus and pension timing, and your tax situation, so ask your HR department and a financial professional. On the personal side, any month works if you have a plan for the first Monday after. Starting Preferment before your last day means that Monday already has a purpose.
What is the number one mistake retirees make?: A common mistake is treating retirement as only a financial event and leaving identity, purpose, and daily structure to sort themselves out. The Rarified Life webinar describes capable women who stall around eight months into retirement. Planning the non-financial side early, while still working, is the core idea behind Preferment.
What not to do after retirement?: Avoid filling your days only with errands and appointments, waiting for purpose to arrive on its own, and making large financial moves without professional advice. The Rarified Life webinar focuses on moving from a calendar of errands to a life people ask you about, while energy, health, and close relationships grow stronger.

Read all 47 retirement coaching questions and answers

Start with the free webinar. Go deeper in eight weeks.

The free presentation lays out the 5-step plan. If it fits, the live Preferment course turns it into your own plan with Anne van Leynseele. Questions, speaking requests, or coaching inquiries go straight to Rarified Life.