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“I think the main way that a coach helps somebody is as an accountability partner,” Burke says. “I had to think about my retirement tangibly every two weeks. I had to do some exercises. I
had to be thinking about that throughout the two weeks. I had to prepare for our meetings. That right there is worth its weight in gold.” Burke says a values-clarification exercise was an
especially enlightening part of the process. She reviewed a list of values, ranked her top 10 based on her core beliefs, then re-ranked those based on her actual behavior. That helped her
identify things she might want to change going forward. She realized that her work accomplishments mean a great deal to her, but so do goals and values that she’ll have more freedom to
fulfill in retirement, such as serving her community, having fun and spending time with her wife. Carr “asked the question in the beginning: ‘What are you doing when you are at your best?’
” says Burke, who plans to retire in May 2025. “And for me, that’s [being] an extrovert, being around people, interacting with people, and listening and sharing and caring. She helped me
flesh that out or focus on that a little bit more.” HOW MUCH DOES A RETIREMENT COACH COST? Typically, a retirement coach costs about the same as a local mental health professional, Laura
says. Prices may vary depending on background, training, experience and location. “Depending on where you live, that may mean somewhere between $125 to $150 an hour all the way up to $800 to
$1,000 per hour for major cities like Boston, Miami or San Francisco,” he says. “Fortunately, many retirement coaches offer virtual sessions, allowing you the opportunity to find someone
that fits your budget." Chambers offers her retirement clients a couple of sessions at around $150 each, but she says the coaching can be tailored to the individual. “It's not
like it’s a stringent, ‘This is how you go about doing retirement coaching,’ ” she says. “Everyone's different and their personalities are different.” Carr charges a flat fee of
$3,600 for six months. That includes biweekly phone calls and unlimited texts and emails so she can follow up on a client's progress between sessions and give encouragement or
additional guidance. HOW DO YOU FIND A RETIREMENT COACH? Searching online is a good first step. There are directories from coaching companies and platforms such as the RCA, Retirement Coach
and Noomii. Look for professional credentials such as CPRC, or the Retirement Life Coach certification awarded by Retirement Life Plan, a company that offers workshops and coaching
services. Many coaches “either come from the financial services industry, human resources, or they've done some type of executive or leadership coaching or academics,” Laura says. He
recommends looking at their background and professional experience to see how they ended up in the coaching field. As with a mental health professional, it’s important to find a coach who
fits with your personality as well as your needs. For example, you may prefer working with someone of a similar age, gender or life experience. If available, listen to podcast interviews or
read blog posts to get a sense of their style before reaching out. Many coaches offer a free initial consultation that lets you both decide if you are a good match.
