If you’re thinking of retiring or find yourself suddenly “retired,” there’s a lot to worry about right now. There’s inflation (lowering your spending power) and the instability of the stock market.There’s debate around the country, and even around the world, about appropriate ages for retirement payments to kick in (see the changes instituted in China and France). There’s anxiety about the long-term viability of both Social Security and Medicare. And of course the question of whether your money will carry you through your retirement years. To see some data about how everyone else is doing in this regard, put down your calculator and click here (Wall Street Journal post which may be behind a paywall). 

These are serious and legitimate concerns. But there’s another aspect to retirement that’s often overlooked and under-discussed. That is, what will your life look like once your full-time work is finished? How will you spend your days? What will provide you pleasure and purpose and motivate you to get up in the morning? While you may have hired a financial planner to help you organize and arrange your retirement finances, who will help you organize and plan your retirement days? After all, if you do nothing, you can’t assume your life will be the fulfilling reward you presumably worked so hard for all these years. Moreover, even if you have a bucket list (which experts recommend you focus on in the early, “healthy” days of retirement), you’re likely to work your way through the list and then be left with the “Now what?” days of retirement. Enter the “Retirement Coach.”

A Retirement Coach can be (but doesn’t necessarily have to be) a certified professional who can help you design and execute whatever life goals you have once you are in retirement. In fact, stepping back, this type of coach can help you figure out what your goals should be as you enter this major transition in your life. As one expert made clear, “You’ve worked for decades earning a retirement, but it’s not worth it if you’re miserable.” What would give you pleasure- and purpose (considered an essential factor for finding meaning and enjoyment in retirement) are essential explorations when you begin to leave the work world. A retirement coach can help you go through this important thought process. 

How do you find a retirement coach? There are organizations that both train and certify professionals to do this work and through which you can find someone to work with. For example, the organization Retirement Options trains and certifies retirement coaches and helps develop assessment tools to aid in your retirement journey. You can use their website to find one of their trained coaches here. There is also a national Retirement Coaches Association which works to establish training and credentialing programs for retirement coaches and also provides an opportunity to locate a coach for you. The organization Retirement Life Plan also provides free assessment tools and can help you locate a retirement coach. But finding the right retirement coach may be a journey, just as it is with any professional help you seek out. You may have to speak with many individuals before you find one you “click” with and you should be offered a complimentary session to see if the coach’s approach and personality are the right fit for you. Regarding cost? Estimates are that such a professional may charge you anywhere between $100-$300 an hour for services rendered. Obviously, your financial picture will color whether you feel this is a service you can splurge for.

However, given the importance of getting your retirement “right,” this may be less of a splurge and more of a necessity. For those who want to start considering the issues without hiring a professional, you may want to try looking first at the website The Future Of You, which has an online assessment and tools to help you begin to think through your retirement years. And while  you’re going through your search process, take a look at these 10 tips designed to help you structure your “retirement” day.