A recent survey found that 20 percent of Americans above the age of 50 have no retirement savings, and more than half are worried they will not have enough money to support them in retirement.

A course that teaches you how to plan for retirement is a great first step towards unlocking your dream retirement. But there are well over a hundred personal finance and retirement planning courses online.

Which one should you pick? I analyzed all of them so you don’t have to. I’ll walk you through the best retirement planning courses, including programs that are free and paid, online and offline, and even certification courses.

Methodology

After combing through every course I find online, speaking to my industry connections and finally, drawing from my own experiences, I have shortlisted more than a dozen courses for you in this article.

Here are the key criteria.

• Courses For All Levels: I’ve included courses for beginners and for folks who are further in financial matters.
• Realistic Advice: My suggestions assume the most common retirement scenarios and don’t offer simplistic advice like “move in with your parents”.
• Renowned Institutions / Instructor Expertise: I have only looked for courses from recognized organizations and instructors with experience in personal finance and financial planning.
• Actionable Course Content: Theory will only get you so far. These courses will show you how it’s done and some of them will even do it for you.

At a Glance: Course Comparison

Quick Reference Table

Price Comparison

Self-paced Digital Courses

1. Financial Independence Roadmap by Joe DiSanto

I wouldn’t have included my course in this list if I didn’t think it belonged here.

After spending 20 years in Los Angeles building entertainment businesses, managing artist’s careers, working on the world’s biggest brands and investing millions of dollars in real estate, I decided to help people navigate their personal and business adventures financially.

In this course, I have distilled everything I know into the simplest and the most practical advice for anyone thinking about retirement. I cover topics like what your retirement destination will look like, how big of a nest egg you will need, the rate at which you need to save, investing in stocks and real estate, and tax planning.

Best of all, I offer the intro course that lays the foundations for your retirement planning, completely for free, making it a zero-risk way to start your retirement planning journey before deciding if you want to invest in the advanced material.

Get instant access for free to proven strategies that have helped hundreds of students achieve their dream retirement.

2. The Only Retirement Guide You’ll Ever Need on Udemy

Udemy is perhaps the first place to go to for anyone looking for an online course. As you would expect, they have a bunch of courses on retirement planning and this is my pick of the lot.

In about 90 minutes of recorded video, the course manages to cover topics like saving $12,000 more in social security benefits, retirement living options, managing medical costs, investing and becoming your own financial planner.

The course has been put together by Stacy Johnson, host of the Money Talks television news series, winner of two Emmys and author of five personal finance books.

3. Planning for Risk and Retirement by Indiana University on edX

I’ve heard great things about this course on edX, especially because it covers the aspect of risk in the context of retirement.

Do you need to buy life insurance? How much and from where? Do you need full coverage auto insurance or can you save money with liability insurance? The course dives deep into answering such questions for you, in addition to covering retirement and investment planning.

The best feature of this course is that you can test drive it for free on edX, although with limited access to course material, graded assignments and exams.

4. Retirement Planning 101 by Universal Class

This course by Universal Class promises to take a holistic approach to planning your retirement. The syllabus covers all the financial strategies you will need, as well as often overlooked aspects of retirement like investing in health, building social connections and evaluating living options.

Clearing exams and accruing points is necessary to complete this course. Universal Class is IACET accredited, which means you should expect quality content and instruction.

5. Online Retirement Planning Fundamentals by University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

I know many people who always prefer doing courses from well-known universities. This would be my pick, given how well-designed it is to help you assess your current financial situation and develop a personalized plan to pursue your retirement goals.

The course has been developed by a Certified Financial Planner, Certified Retirement Counselor, and Accredited Asset Management Specialist with several years of real-world experience.

Additionally, you get access to a complimentary one-on-one consultation with one of the instructors.

7. Alternative Investments As We Age: Building Wealth by University of Illinois on Coursera

This list wouldn’t be complete with a course from Coursera! Designed for folks to learn the fundamentals, this beginner level course should give you some insights into the topic of building wealth as you approach retirement.

The course introduces financial strategies for those in their 40s and 50s. Case study analysis is done for you to understand wealth building, financial planning and generational wealth transfer. The role of private market and non-traditional investments in early wealth accumulation is also discussed.

As it’s on Coursera, this is a learn at your own pace program.

8. Planning for Retirement by LinkedIn Learning

If you’re looking to get your feet wet on the subject of financial retirement and what the journey might entail, this would be the course for you.

With just a time commitment of one hour, it is the least demanding of all courses here. In that short span, financial expert Natalie Taylor manages to cover all the steps you need to take to prepare yourself for retirement – different retirement accounts, how much to save for retirement, basics of investing and how much to withdraw.

You will need a LinkedIn Learning subscription (they do have a 1-month trial) for this course, which will also give you access to their entire course library.

Offline Programs

1. Advanced Retirement Courses by Retirement Education Foundation

If you’re someone who prefers in-person interaction and instruction to online programs, you must check out the courses offered by the non-profit Retirement Education Foundation.

Courses are taught as 8-hour sessions at most major universities in Michigan and Missouri (they have online options too). You’ll dive deep into key topics and strategies in this program like income planning, investment, healthcare planning, tax planning and estate planning.

Your course fee of $29 goes to causes and charitable organizations like Alzheimer’s Association, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Wounded Warrior Project.

Their courses are best-suited for ages 50+ with a minimum of $250K of investable assets.

2. Financial Survival for Retirement by University Of South Carolina

This offering by the University of South Carolina is perfect for those who love the idea of going back to college campuses as they approach their golden years.

You will learn how to navigate retirement financially by understanding topics like increasing your Social Security, controlling investments, managing taxes, protecting assets and wealth transfer, so that you can live the retirement of your dreams.

You might have to join the mailing list for their upcoming course schedule.

Professional Certification Programs

1. Retirement Planning Learning by AICPA & CIMA

The American Institute of Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIPA) are the most renowned organizations in the US for accounting and finance.

This retirement planning course is a part of their bigger personal financial planning certificate program. It covers all the critical steps in the retirement planning life cycle, including special planning for aging and chronically ill clients.

The course allows you to earn 12 CPE credits (Continuing Professional Education). You can complete this course to fulfill CPE requirements for both the CPA license (Certified Professional Accountant) and PFS (Personal Financial Specialist) credential. It also qualifies for Certified Financial Planner (CFP) board CE credits.

2. Retirement Income Certified Professional by The American College of Financial Services 

As far as retirement planning certifications go, this one’s among the best. The RICP program has been designed for financial planning professionals and retirement advisors looking to upgrade their income strategies and solutions for clients.

The course covers the process of creating an effective retirement income plan, including evaluating client goals, possible risks, and overall management strategies. Their faculty includes eminent names and the earned designation will hold plenty of weight.

There are no prerequisites to earn the RICP designation, except for participation in the Annual Recertification Program and three years of experience in financial planning or a related profession.

3. Retirement Planning by Florida State University

This retirement planning course comes as a part of FSU’s financial planning program and it has the pedigree of an upper division college course.

The course aims to help you become better prepared to match retirement objectives of an individual to the appropriate retirement plan. Another goal of this course is to help you become skilled at using a financial calculator.

While you don’t need any special degrees to enroll in this program, they do strongly recommend completing their Introduction to Financial Planning course. The university offers two program modes: traditional and fast track. Check out their program calendar for the upcoming course schedules.

4. Comprehensive Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Course by Udemy

My final recommendation for this list is a certification course by Udemy. 

It isn’t strictly a retirement planning course and doesn’t have the same weight as the other programs mentioned above. But it is extensive and well-rounded in its coverage of topics for you to master the art of retirement planning for professional success.

The course has a special emphasis on practical application of subjects discussed through case studies, simulations, and real-world scenarios.

Free Courses

1. Personal Budgeting Basics by Joe DiSanto

I put this course together with just one goal in mind: to give you only the most practical steps to better money management, without the fluff.

Many of you have ambitions of retiring early. To get there, you need to know how to maximize your income and wisely invest your savings. The course covers these topics to help you secure that dream retirement you’ve been thinking about.

I have built multi-million dollar businesses during my career and I’m sharing a lifetime of fiscal know-how through courses such as this one.

2. Planning For A Secure Retirement by Purdue University

It might not look like much, but this is a comprehensive free resource by Purdue University for you to comfortably plan ahead for retirement.

The course includes 10 modules, each providing valuable information on topics such as retirement expenses, social security, medicare and health benefits, and individual retirement accounts.

The modules include specific goals, activities and information sources to help you ascertain when you will be ready to retire.

3. Retirement Planning Course by Brigham Young University

Another excellent free resource that covers all the information necessary for you to create an educated retirement plan.

The course covers retirement planning in six chapters, with topics like perspectives on wealth, social security, employer qualified plans, estate planning and small business plans.

It should take roughly 12 hours for you to complete all the chapter readings and videos.

Book Recommendations

1. How to Make Your Money Last: The Indispensable Retirement Guide by Jane Bryant Quinn

Essential reading for both retirees and soon-to-be retirees. The author’s advice is both practical and accessible for navigating common financial concerns like creating a reliable income stream, maximizing Social Security, and avoiding the risk of outliving their savings.

2. The Bogleheads’ Guide to Retirement Planning by Taylor Larimore, Mel Lindauer, and Richard Ferri

Inspired by John Bogle’s investment philosophy, this book emphasizes simple, cost-effective strategies for securing a financially sound retirement. With a focus on low-cost and straightforward investments, it’s especially useful for those interested in a DIY approach to retirement savings.

Final Thoughts

Retirement is one of the biggest changes you will encounter in your life, after getting married and having kids.

You spent over a decade of your youth studying for a job. I think it’s only fair that you spend at least a few weeks learning to prepare for retirement.

I hope this article was useful in nudging you towards a worry-free retirement.