For Coaches
Retiring population
Countries all over the world have a large population reaching retirement age. By 2030, the youngest Baby Boomers will have turned 65. 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day. In the U.K., 65+ is the fastest growing age group.
1 in 3 struggle
with retirement
Retirement is a significant transition and, for some, a very difficult one. While many hope to delay retirement, as many as 50% are pushed to retire, sooner-than-planned.
Designing a fulfilling retirement
We have researched retirement challenges and wellbeing. An understanding of these issues enables coaches to further support clients in designing their own fulfilling new lifestyle.
Retirement Life Plan offers more than a certification for coaches. We have built a community of experienced coaches dedicated to changing the way people experience retirement, and learning together along the way.
Let’s change the way people prepare for retirement.
Join us in transforming the way people prepare for retirement, and supporting one of life's most significant transitions. The Retirement Life Coach™ Certification is designed for trained coaches who want to deepen their expertise, expand their practice into a growing niche, and deliver research-backed coaching that goes to the heart of what their clients are navigating in retirement.
If you are coaching people who are working toward or in their retirement, and its many phases, this is the most thorough and detailed programme to ensure that as a coach you can confidently explore and support people with their individual experiences and enjoyment in retirement.
Lesley Roberts, Director, LR Consultancy Ltd, UK
Why enroll?
With insights, frameworks, and tools from this program, you will be able to:
✔ Help clients design a retirement that is personally fulfilling
✔ Deliver coaching grounded in research on retirement wellbeing
✔ Explore retirement-specific changes and adjustments
✔ Help clients avoid post-retirement challenges
✔ Specialize or extend your services in an underserved niche
✔ Be on the forefront of more holistic retirement planning
Are you working with clients who are in or near the retirement transition?
Work provides far more than income. For many people, it is a primary source of identity, purpose, daily structure, and social connection. When that chapter ends, the adjustment can be more complex than anyone anticipated, and your clients may be looking for support with retirement-specific changes.
1 in 3
people struggle with retirement. Through an in-depth review of research on retirement adjustment, we have identified the specific challenges that tend to emerge after leaving work behind, so that coaches can be better prepared to support clients through them.
Who the Certification is For
The Retirement Life Coach Certification is designed for coaches who already have training or experience and want to specialize in the retirement transition. Whether your clients are approaching retirement, newly retired, or somewhere in the middle of the adjustment, the certification gives you the frameworks, tools, and confidence to support them more effectively — within your current practice, or as the foundation for a growing and underserved niche.
Interested but don't yet have coaching credentials? Contact us to discuss options.
This is a fit if you:
✔ Have coaching training or credentials
✔ Work with clients near or in retirement
✔ Want to grow in an underserved niche
✔ Value research-based practice
✔ Want to connect with a community of coaches who share your passion
By completing the program, you will be able to:
Assess client needs across key areas of retirement wellbeing.
Recognize and address common retirement beliefs and misconceptions
Identify where clients are in the retirement transition
Apply a range of coaching approaches based on retirement-specific circumstances
Deliver targeted coaching, grounded in research, that addresses what clients actually need to thrive in retirement
The program includes:
Guided cohort experience with three 90-minute live webinars
10 core modules with over 10 hours of content, featuring an in-depth review of retirement research, frameworks, and tools
15 hours of CCE with the International Coaching Federation (ICF)*
Case studies, reflective exercises, and sample client exercises
Online instructor access with Pauline Johnson-Zielonka, PhD
Program Materials mailed to you: the Retirement Life Coach Training Manual and a copy of Retirement Life Plan: Navigating the Transition from a Rewarding Career
Certificate of completion and Certified Retirement Life Coach badge upon successful program completion
Access to the Retirement Life Coach Community with opportunities to earn additional CCE with ICF
What is the format of the certification?
The Retirement Life Coach Certification is an online course, with both self-study modules and live webinars with group discussion. The self-study modules include recorded videos and exercises to independently explore the content. There are three, 90-minute live webinars that focus on case studies and discussion of the topics covered in the independent learning modules. Participants will need to complete specified modules prior to each live webinar.
A self-paced option is also available, with case study assignments in place of live webinars, and optional participation in one live webinar.
For more details about the course content and schedule, please see the brochure.
The Retirement Life Coach Certification is approved by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) for 15 hours of Continuing Coach Education (CCE).
Upcoming Certification Dates
August 6 - September 30, 2026
Live webinars on Aug 20, Sep 3 & Sep 17 (Thursdays, 9-1030am Pacific Time)
September 1 - October 31, 2026
Live webinars on Sep 11, Sep 25, & Oct 9 (Fridays, 4-530pm Pacific Time)
🌏 This cohort has Australia-friendly live webinar times: Saturdays morning AEST
The modules become available on the start date, but are completed in your own time. Please contact us if you are unable to attend one of the live webinars so that we can arrange an alternative.
Self-Paced Option
Complete the certification at your own pace, with optional participation in one live webinar. Case study reflections are assigned in lieu of live webinars.
“I learned, I had fun, I met others who feel passionately about retirement coaching, and I’m looking forward to staying connected. I’m glad I took the time to research and that I chose Retirement Life Plan as the course for certification. It was a wonderful experience!”
Total Investment: $1,250
Information Session:
Date: Friday, June 26th, 2026
Time: 9-930am Pacific Time/ 5-530pm BST
Join us for information about the Retirement Life Coach Certification!
What People Are Saying
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This course offers an exceptionally effective framework to understand the dynamics a client will likely face as they navigate their retirement journey. It's filled with important research and insights that help a coach support their clients to make this portion of their life a purposeful, contented and healthy chapter.
Kimberly A. O'Keefe, CEO Tesseract 505, LLC
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The Retirement Life Coach Certification has provided me with a research-based, easily understood, and actionable approach to incorporate into my practice. Now when clients raise questions and concerns about retirement, I am better equipped to assist them in developing a roadmap for a fulfilling next chapter. The program is comprehensive and insightful, and the materials, webinars, and case studies are relevant and engaging. My clients and I have greatly benefited from the concepts presented in this course. I highly recommend it!
Wendy Leggett, Certified Professional Coach
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Pauline is a master teacher. With the materials and in each live webinar, I knew I was learning from an expert and that what we discussed was grounded in research. Pauline is easy to connect with and clearly wants to be sure that participants leave this course feeling confident in taking the next steps in their retirement coaching journey. I appreciated her gentle nature and ability to create safe space for exploring in the live webinars. I also appreciated her responsiveness outside of class. I learned, I had fun, I met others who feel passionately about retirement coaching, and I'm looking forward to staying connected. I'm glad I took the time to research and that I chose Retirement Life Plan as the course for certification. It was a wonderful experience!
Laurie Crawford, M.S., PCC
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I found the course greatly useful. It is very well organized in the platform and the three online seminars have been enriching for me. I am from Argentina, I speak English as a foreign language and come from a very different culture. However, I consider everything I learnt in the course absolutely valuable and useful to be applied in this part of the world as well. Besides, the fact that the contents of the course are based on thorough research makes it fully reliable. Do not miss the chance to read the book as well!
Adriana Tutavac, Ontological and Vocational Coach
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The course has been very instructive and well delivered. It is easy to follow and it also goes into some depth with theories that substantiate what is being taught. It is an excellent enhancement to my coaching practice and gives me more confidence when guiding someone through the retirement phase of life.
Sarah McWatters MSc, Careers Guidance and Counselling
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I found this course well structured and delivered. The materials were comfortable self paced but with enough of a structure to keep me on track between the live classes. The live classes were flexible enough to be adaptable to the concerns of the participants whilst addressing the core materials. Thank you! I have a lot more in my understanding and toolkit with which to help people through this transition. I also liked that the course was research based and the sources of the research made clear!
Richard Ingate, Holistic Retirement Coach
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As a retirement coach, I had looked at other certification courses, but they didn’t get to the essence of what I wanted to do. Retirement Life Plan immediately made sense to me and I was delighted to be able to take up the training programme offered by Pauline. She really understands that the issue for people facing retirement is not just the practicalities of everyday life, it is primarily the transition from career to the next phase of life. The course has a strong foundation based on Pauline’s own research and sets out a clear process for understanding the challenges people face and how to help them navigate a path to a successful retirement. I thoroughly recommend the course to other coaches who work in the retirement sector.
Nigel Pacey, Retirement Coach
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Great opportunity to meet the author and have the research of the book come to life whilst learning with other coaches. On completion of the course I feel better equipped to support my clients with their retirement journey.
Gavin Roberts, Retirement and Wellbeing Coach
Questions?
Send us an email! We’re happy to answer any questions you have.
RETIREMENT LIFE COACH™ Certification is approved by the International Coaching Federation for 15 hours of CCE and certification indicates successful completion of the course, including a passing score on course requirements, but is not intended to signify or replace any licensing or other professional requirements.
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“As in all successful ventures, the foundation of a good retirement is planning.”
- Earl Nightingale -
