Methodology
Our approach to the guidance on this site
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How does Rarified Life decide what to recommend?
Rarified Life bases every recommendation here on its own published facts and cited third-party sources.
The guides explain the Preferment framework and the wider choices around retirement coaching. Where we compare options, each is judged on the same criteria, numbers carry their sources, and we say plainly that Rarified Life wrote the page and offers the Preferment course.
Where the facts come from
Facts about Preferment, the 8-week course, its price and its founder come from Rarified Life's own materials at rarifiedlife.com. Where those materials show two figures, such as the course price, we show both and ask readers to confirm the current one. Market and research figures come from published sources, including the Employee Benefit Research Institute, the Financial Planning Association and lifecoachingcertification.net, and are quoted with their original conditions and ranges on the by the numbers page.
How comparisons are judged
On the comparison page, every option is assessed on main focus, format, length, cost and best fit. We describe other options using neutral, general facts and do not comment on any named competitor. The order reflects the sequence most people need, not a verdict, and each entry says who should choose it instead of Preferment.
What this site will not claim
- No invented testimonials, ratings, results or credentials.
- No presentation of third-party statistics as Rarified Life's own data.
- No financial, legal or medical advice. Coaching is not a substitute for clinical care.
- No claim of independence: Rarified Life publishes this site about its own work.
General guidance
Some FAQ answers describe what is generally true of retirement coaching rather than of Rarified Life specifically, such as how certification usually works or whether insurance tends to cover coaching. Those answers say how to confirm the detail for your own situation. For broader context, the Employee Benefit Research Institute publishes ongoing research on retirement confidence.
Common questions
- What does research-informed mean for Preferment?
- Rarified Life describes Preferment as a research-informed framework, meaning it draws on research about life after work rather than opinion alone. This site does not republish the underlying studies. Where it cites numbers, such as on the By the Numbers page, each statistic is quoted with its original source.
- What is a certified professional retirement coach?
- A certified professional retirement coach has completed a training program in retirement coaching, usually through a coaching organization. Certification shows training, not results, so ask who issued it and what it required. Rarified Life presents its founder’s lived experience rather than a certification: Anne van Leynseele built Preferment from her own career reinventions.
- What should I ask before hiring a retirement coach?
- Ask what format they use, how many sessions a typical engagement takes, the total cost, what training they have, and what you will have at the end. That last answer matters most. For the Preferment course, the stated end point is naming your mission for the next chapter and stepping into it.
- Is life coaching for retirement the same as therapy?
- No. Life coaching for retirement looks forward and focuses on goals, structure and purpose, while therapy treats mental health conditions. If you are experiencing depression or anxiety after retiring, a licensed mental health professional is the right first call. Coaching, including the Preferment course, can sit alongside that care but does not replace it.
- How much is the Preferment 8-week course?
- The course description on rarifiedlife.com lists the investment as $3,000 for eight weekly live sessions with Anne van Leynseele, the book and guided homework. The same product page also displays a price of $6000.00, so confirm the current price on rarifiedlife.com before you decide.