Are you counting down the days until retirement? When that day finally comes, will you ride off into post-career bliss without ever looking back? If so, then good for you!

But if closing the chapter on your work life makes you uneasy, you’re not alone. As with any life change, the transition into retirement can bring on a huge range of emotions for many people, from anxiety to excitement and even sadness. Many people struggle to get organized and established in their new lives once their careers are behind them.

With more people retiring than ever before, a new professional field of retirement coaching has emerged to help people navigate the challenges and opportunities of post-work life. Dorian Mintzer is one of these professionals.

“Retirement is clearly no longer the destination that it used to be,” Mintzer told the New York Times. “Now, the likelihood is you have 20, 30, maybe 40 more years ahead of you, and that’s a long time to not know what you want to do.”

What is a retirement coach?

A retirement coach helps you make sense of the many changes that come your way when you stop working. They work with you to:

• Identify what’s important to you. After retiring, you may suddenly have more time than ever before to pursue your interests and passions. It can be overwhelming to think about how you want to spend the rest of your days, and a retirement coach can help you think things through.
• Create a schedule. Most people who transition into retirement go from a full workday that they schedule their lives around to … a whole lot of free time. While it can sound delightful at first, many new retirees find they miss having a daily structure. A retirement coach can assist in developing a routine that works for your lifestyle, plans, and purpose.
• Look after your health. Nowadays, retirement can last decades, so it’s important to stay physically and mentally well enough to enjoy it! A retirement coach can help you craft a healthy diet plan and exercise routine, organize your doctor’s appointments, think about the best ways to care for your mental health, and prepare for how your health or abilities may change in the future.
• Develop new relationships. Unless you worked remotely, you probably spent the majority of your days with your colleagues. When that built-in social circle disappears, a retirement coach can help you figure out ways to make new friends, and perhaps even navigate difficult relationships with loved ones.

Learn more about making new friends after retirement.

Every retirement coach is different, and some may offer different services, like basic financial advice, as well. Be sure to look around for one that meets your needs.

Working with a financial advisor is important, too.

Finding a retirement coach or financial advisor is crucial in retirement because it helps ensure that your hard-earned savings are sustained throughout your retirement years while allowing you to maintain your desired lifestyle. It’s one challenge to save for retirement during your working years, it’s another challenge entirely to ensure your money will last throughout retirement. These challenges amplify the need to find a trusted financial advisor for your retirement coach.

Retirement planning is a complex phase of life that requires careful planning to answer the important questions:

• How much money do I need to sustain my desired lifestyle in retirement?
• What’s the right time to elect Social Security?
• What’s safe to spend each month? 
• How can I minimize my tax burden as I start to decumulate my retirement accounts?
• How do I build an emergency fund in retirement to cover unexpected expenses?

A retirement coach and financial advisor can help you navigate these challenges and make informed decisions that align with your goals and risk tolerance. Our partners at Retirable are dedicated fiduciary advisors who help everyday Americans plan, invest, spend, save, and protect themselves in retirement—regardless of income level. Retirable offers a free retirement consultation with a fiduciary advisor and exclusive savings for ClearMatch Medicare customers. Talk with a licensed Retirable Advisor today!