FIRE Calculator

Your financial independence number and how long it takes.

%
After inflation. Historic global equities are about 5 percent.
%
$900,000.00Your FIRE number
20Years to financial independence
40%Savings rate
You invest each year
$24,000.00
Per month
$2,000.00
Income at 4% withdrawal
$36,000.00
Coast FIRE number at age 40 for retirement at 65
$265,772.49 Invest this much and stop contributing; it grows into the target on its own.

At a 40% savings rate you reach 900000 in about 20 years.

Projected portfolio

0250K500K750K1MYr 1: Portfolio 76.5KYr 2: Portfolio 104.33KYr 4: Portfolio 164.22KYr 6: Portfolio 230.25KYr 8: Portfolio 303.05KYr 10: Portfolio 383.31KYr 12: Portfolio 471.8KYr 14: Portfolio 569.36KYr 16: Portfolio 676.92KYr 18: Portfolio 795.51KYr 20: Portfolio 926.25KYr 1Yr 2Yr 4Yr 6Yr 8Yr 10Yr 12Yr 14Yr 16Yr 18Yr 20Portfolio

This is a projection, not financial advice. Real returns vary, sequence of returns matters, and tax treatment differs by country.

About the FIRE Calculator

FIRE stands for financial independence, retire early, and the whole movement rests on one number: the portfolio that can fund your spending indefinitely. Under the widely used 4 percent rule that number is 25 times your annual spending, derived from research showing a diversified portfolio historically survived 30 years of withdrawals at that rate. Choose a lower withdrawal rate for a longer or more cautious retirement.

The striking result is that your savings rate, not your income, drives the timeline. Someone saving half their take-home pay reaches independence in roughly 17 years regardless of the absolute numbers, because a high savings rate both builds the portfolio faster and shrinks the portfolio needed. Cutting spending therefore counts twice, which is why the calculator shows your savings rate alongside the target.

How to use the FIRE Calculator

  1. Enter your annual take-home income and your annual spending.
  2. Add what you already have invested and the real return you expect after inflation.
  3. Adjust the safe withdrawal rate if you want a more or less cautious plan, then read your FIRE number and timeline.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 4 percent rule?

A guideline from the Trinity study suggesting that withdrawing 4 percent of a diversified portfolio in the first year, then adjusting for inflation, historically lasted at least 30 years. Longer retirements often use 3 to 3.5 percent instead.

What is my FIRE number?

Annual spending divided by your withdrawal rate. At 4 percent, spending of 36,000 needs a portfolio of 900,000, which is 25 times annual spending.

What is Coast FIRE?

The point where your invested pot, left alone with no further contributions, will grow into your full target by traditional retirement age. After reaching it you only need to cover current spending, not save for the future.

Why use a real return rather than a nominal one?

Using returns after inflation lets you keep the whole calculation in today’s money, so the target and the projection are directly comparable to your current spending.