(Enroll for just $197, or Included With Your All Access Pass)
Retirement planning for women is different — not because women are less capable, but because the financial landscape they navigate is often more complex. Longer life expectancy, career interruptions, caregiving roles, income disparities, and life transitions like widowhood or gray divorce create a different set of variables.
This opening module sets the foundation. Helping you see the full landscape clearly, and begin to understand why every decision that you’ll make in retirement affects the other.
Retirement planning isn’t just math and spreadsheets— it’s mindset. Many women approach money differently than men, often carrying invisible pressures, responsibilities, and expectations. This module will help you understand how your wiring, values, and family dynamics shape financial decisions — so you can approach your retirement plan with greater clarity and confidence.
There are specific risks that affect women in retirement more frequently — and more severely — than men. Longer life expectancy, gray divorce, widowhood, and communication gaps can materially change your financial trajectory. This module addresses these realities directly. Not to alarm you — but to prepare you. As awareness creates options, and options create stability.
Retirement isn’t about how much you have saved, but rather It’s how much income you’re able to produce— reliable, sustainable income that supports your life year after year. In this module, you’ll learn how to identify your retirement income gap, coordinate multiple income sources, and structure your assets to create greater stability and income certainty over time.
When saving for retirement we’re in the accumulation phase of retirement planning. But as we move into retirement our mindset shifts from accumulation to protection. Protecting those assets and converting them into the income you need during retirement requires a different approach altogether. Inflation, longevity risk, healthcare costs, market volatility, and hidden fees can quietly eat away at your retirement savings over time. In this module we’ll explore how to navigate each — and how to protect your assets to help ensure they last.
Taxes are often the single largest expense you’ll face in retirement — yet many retirees significantly underestimate how much control they actually have. In this module you’ll how different retirement income sources are taxed, why timing matters, and how thoughtful planning can improve long-term after-tax outcomes.
Taking Action & Building Your Support Team
Understanding creates clarity. But clarity must translate into action. This final module will help you turn what you’ve learned into a written plan and provide guidance for surrounding yourself with the right professionals — so your retirement strategy is not dependent on guesswork and you aren’t let to ‘go it alone’.
Work through Arwen’s Module 3 income gap calculation with your own numbers — your Social Security estimate, your pension (if any), your investment income — instead of a hypothetical couple’s. Each worksheet mirrors a module as you go: the Module 4 risk tolerance vs. risk capacity exercise has you name both, side by side, so you can see where they don’t match. The Module 6 page has you building your one-page retirement roadmap in real time, not after the fact.
By the last page, you’re not holding six modules of notes about retirement in general — you’re holding your own income gap number, your own risk profile, and a one-page roadmap with your name on it, built the same week you learned each piece.
Answer a short set of questions about your income sources, your accounts, your coverage, and your current plan (or lack of one). You’ll get back a score across the six areas the course covers — income, tax, healthcare, longevity, investments, and estate — showing you which one needs attention first, before you sit down with anyone.
This isn’t a quiz that sorts every woman into the same three retirement “types.” It’s built from the same six areas Arwen walks through module by module, so a low score in one category points you straight to the module that addresses it — the healthcare score to Module 4’s Medicare gaps, the tax score to Module 5’s IRMAA and RMD rules. Take it before you start, and again after Module 6; most women find at least one score moves once they understand what’s actually driving it.
Questions about your own numbers don’t wait for office hours — they show up while you’re recalculating your income gap from Module 3 at your kitchen table, or re-reading the fee disclosure on a statement after Module 4’s section on hidden investment fees. Ask then, and get an answer from someone who’s worked through Arwen’s material, not a script reciting definitions of Social Security timing back at you.
You’re not working through gray divorce, widowhood, or a Social Security timing decision alone between now and whenever you next talk to an advisor. Support is built into the course itself, for as long as you’re using it.
You may not remember the exact day — only the moment you realized, “this feels different now.”
Nothing is wrong.
But suddenly, “I’ll figure it out later” doesn’t feel like a plan anymore.
It might be an unexpected drop in the market that suddenly has you watching the news more closely.
A birthday approaching — and the question you can no longer ignore: Should I take Social Security now, or wait?
Or a comment from your spouse that lingers:
“Don’t worry. If something happens to me, it’s all taken care of.”
And suddenly, a new question replaces the old:
Am I really prepared for what’s ahead?
It’s that, for the first time, you realize you have less time to “figure it out later” than you did when you were raising your family and building a career.
Until now, there was always more time.
More time to save.
More time to plan.
More time to talk about it later.
In retirement, time works differently.
Paychecks are replaced by Social Security and investments.
Market declines affect not just statement balances, but spendable income.
And each decision begins to carry more weight than the last.
That shift — from accumulation to reliance — is often what you’re feeling.
Instead, it’s shaped by a number of smaller transitions and decisions that tend to arrive quietly — often during distraction, transition, or change in circumstances.
You don’t need to know when these moments will show up — only how your plan will handle it when they do.
A market decline in retirement feels different in retirement than it did when you were still working.
It’s no longer about recovery on paper.
It’s about income — and how long your money will last.
When income needs and market corrections overlap, income stability matters more than your annual return.
Before retirement, Social Security is often treated like a simple decision to “take it early, or wait till full retirement age“.
In reality, it’s one of the most consequential income decisions you’ll ever make.
A choice that will shape income for decades — and once the decision is made, it’s often difficult to reverse.
A divorce later in life doesn’t just divide spouses.
It divides assets.
It reshapes income, housing, and long-term security — often all at once.
Even plans that once felt solid can feel suddenly fragile and uncertain.
Inflation rarely threatens retirement security today.
Instead, it slowly eats away at your income and savings — year after year — steadily compounding your need to draw down your savings faster than you had planned.
Retirement plans designed primarily for investment safety can often be impacted significantly by years of rising inflation, even when nothing appears “wrong.”
All women dread the day when they become the sole financial decision-maker. But statistically, 80% of women will become widowed at some point during retirement.
And when that happens, confidence and assurance matters more than numbers and spreadsheets.
The goal isn’t to solve for every one of these risks today.
The goal is to gain confidence and understanding.
Because with understanding comes clarity — and when things are clear, fear and uncertainty begin to fade.
This course exists to help you understand how retirement actually works, and the decisions and life events you’ll need to navigate — before those events become present day reality.
It’s designed to give you context first.
Clarity before action.
And confidence rooted in understanding.
Women in Retirement is a self-paced, on-demand course created specifically to help women navigate this transition thoughtfully — often while still juggling the day to day of work, family, and the other responsibilities you carry.
It’s designed for you to move through it at your own pace.
Pause when you need to.
And then pick it back up when life allows.
Because you don’t need more pressure.
You need support and clarity.
As women, we need education and clarity in order to gain understanding and confidence.
So the course doesn’t begin with numbers, charts, or spreadsheets.
It begins by providing context — helping you understand how retirement actually works, and why certain decisions carry more weight than others.
Each lesson is intentionally short and focused.
You’re not expected to “keep up.”
You’re not asked to make decisions as you go.
Instead, you’re guided through these topics the way they unfolds in real life — income first, then risk management, followed by longevity, healthcare, and life transitions.
It’s about giving you the confidence to trust yourself when the time to make these decisions arrives.
Inside Women in Retirement, you’ll explore the areas of planning that most often create the most uncertainty — income, risk, longevity, healthcare, and life transitions — explained clearly and without financial jargon.
You’ll learn how retirement income actually works, and how decisions like Social Security timing shape your future income needs.
You’ll also learn how markets and inflation affect your long-term planning, and why planning now for unexpected changes later leads to greater peace of mind.
You’ll also spend time clarifying what matters most to you — so decisions feel grounded and in alignment with your values, rather than simply a decision you made because someone told you what they thought was best.
The goal isn’t to cover everything.
It’s to help you understand deeply what matters most.
To help reinforce what you’ll learn in each lesson, Women in Retirement also includes a companion course workbook which mirrors the course lesson by lesson, giving you space to slow down, reflect, and connect what you’re learning to your own life and planning.
In it, you’ll also find guided questions, simple exercises, and visual examples that help you; clarify your income needs, identify real risks, and prepare for conversations — without turning learning into another overwhelming task.
Some women use the workbook to follow along as they watch.
Others return to it later, when questions surface.
There’s no right way to use it — only what feels supportive to you.
And You Don’t Have to Do It Alone!
As you move through the course, you’ll also have access to support thorough our on-demand chat, available to you 24/7.
That way, when a question comes up — either while you’re watching a lesson, reading through the workbook, or thinking something through later — you don’t have to spend hours Googling possible answers.
You just ask.
Get added clarity.
And needed reassurance — in real time.
This work isn’t meant to be rushed — or done alone.
Women in Retirement is offered for a simple one-time enrollment fee.
Your enrollment includes lifetime access to the complete course, so you can move through it at your own pace. Your enrollment also includes the course companion workbook, and access to our on-demand chat support, available inside the course 24/7 anytime you need it.
You’ll have lifetime access, so you can take your time, return to the course whenever questions — or life — changes.
This is an investment in understanding and long term peace of mind.
You don’t need to know today whether or not this program is right for you.
We want you to feel supported — not pressured.
That’s why you’re invited to enroll today and take your time exploring the course and companion workbook.
Watch the lessons.
Skim the materials.
Notice whether it feels clear, supportive, and relevant to you.
If, within 30 days, you decide this course isn’t what you expected, you can simply request a full refund.
No explanations required.
No questions asked.
This guarantee exists so you can begin with confidence — knowing you’re free to explore the course, without pressure or risk.
At some point, retirement stops being about numbers and spreadsheets — and starts being about how confident you feel navigating what’s ahead.
Taking the time to gain clarity now is a gift you give yourself — one that will last throughout retirement.
Women in Retirement exists to give you that clarity — so you can face what’s ahead with confidence.
Begin with clarity — and move forward at your own pace.
Arwen Becker is a retirement planning specialist who has spent her career helping women navigate one of life’s most complex transitions with clarity, confidence, and calm. With decades of experience in financial services and retirement education, Arwen focuses exclusively on the realities women face — longer lifespans, caregiving interruptions, divorce or widowhood, income uncertainty, and the emotional weight of managing finances alone. Her work is grounded not only in professional training, but in firsthand understanding of how traditional financial planning often fails to meet women where they are.
Rather than leading with spreadsheets and financial jargon, Arwen’s approach centers on education, understanding, and values-based decision-making. She is known for translating complex retirement concepts into plain language, helping women feel informed rather than intimidated — and supported rather than rushed.
Arwen’s teaching style reflects the belief that confidence comes from understanding — not perfection — and that women deserve retirement guidance built around their lives, not outdated assumptions.
Reach out to us at support@theretirementinstitute.com
Yes — This course was created for women who may be approaching retirement, recently retired, or already navigating later life changes — women who want greater clarity, without the hype or pressure.
Absolutely.
Women in Retirement doesn’t replace professional advice — it helps you understand your own situation so conversations with an advisor feel more productive and less intimidating.
Many women find that having this context allows them to ask better questions and feel more confident participating in decisions.
No.
The course is intentionally designed to be clear, straightforward, and free of financial jargon. Lessons are short, self-paced, and focused on increasing understanding rather than creating complexity.
As much or as little as you want.
The lessons are short and available on demand. Some women move through the course in just a few hours. Others return to it continually as questions arise.
There’s no schedule, and no deadline.
Most women report the opposite.
Understanding tends to reduce anxiety — even when nothing changes immediately — because uncertainty loses its grip once things start to make sense.
The program is designed to help you feel more confident, not more alarmed.
Not at all.
The course is simple and straightforward — easy-to-watch videos and downloadable materials. No complicated platforms or tools to learn.
And if you ever have a question, support is always available and happy to help.
You’ll have access to our on-demand chat support, available to you 24/7.
So if a question comes up while you’re watching a lesson, reading through the workbook, or later as you’re reflecting on the course, you don’t have to sit with uncertainty.
You can ask — and get answers in real time.
It addresses both.
Retirement planning isn’t just financial — it’s deeply connected to identity, relationships, health, and life stages.
The course includes thoughtful guidance around transitions like divorce, widowhood, caregiving, and becoming the sole decision-maker.
Not at all!
Many women begin this work later than they expected — often because life demanded a lot of them. Understanding where you are today, and what’s ahead always makes a meaningful difference at any stage.
This course meets you where you are.
Not to worry.
You have 30 days to explore the course. If it’s not what you expected, you can simply request and receive a full refund.
No questions asked.
No explanations required.
That’s a fair question — especially if you’re comparing us to Netflix : )
This course isn’t designed to be something you skim or binge. It’s meant to help you understand the decisions that often carry long-term consequences. Many women spend far more on a single meeting, a seminar, or fixing a mistake they didn’t see coming.
We’ve priced it so it’s taken seriously — without requiring a big leap of faith. That’s also why we offer you an unconditional guarantee, so you can get started risk-free.