FIRE calculator
Find your FIRE number, the years until financial independence, and your Coast FIRE number.
- ๐บ๐ธ US federal & state rules
Your FIRE number
$1,250,000
About 18.5 years away, around age 50.
- Years to FI
- 18.5
- Progress
- 12%
- Coast FIRE number (to 60)
- $318,867
- Coast FIRE today
- $168,867 to go
This is an example. Enter your numbers above and press the button to see your own result.
FIRE number by withdrawal rate
| 3% | $1,666,667 |
|---|---|
| 3.25% | $1,538,462 |
| 3.5% | $1,428,571 |
| 4% | $1,250,000 |
| 4.5% | $1,111,111 |
| 5% | $1,000,000 |
Lean and fat FIRE (same rate)
| $35,000 a year | $875,000 |
|---|---|
| $50,000 a year | $1,250,000 |
| $75,000 a year | $1,875,000 |
| $100,000 a year | $2,500,000 |
- An estimate, not financial advice. Everything is in today's dollars, so use a return after inflation (for example 7% minus 2.5% inflation is about 4.5%).
- A 4% withdrawal rate comes from studies of 30-year retirements. Retiring at 40 can mean 50 years of withdrawals, and many FIRE planners use 3.25% to 3.5%.
- Health insurance before Medicare at 65 and taxes on withdrawals are easy to underestimate. Add them to yearly spending.
Show the math
| FIRE number | $50,000 รท 4% = $1,250,000 |
|---|---|
| Each year | Balance ร (1 + 5%) + $30,000 |
| Coast FIRE | $1,250,000 รท (1 + 5%)^28 = $318,867 |
What to do next
How it works
The FIRE number is your yearly spending divided by the withdrawal rate. The calculator then grows what you have invested by the real return each year and adds your yearly savings at year end, counting the years until the balance reaches that number.
The Coast FIRE number is the FIRE number discounted back from your target age at the real return. Once your balance passes it, you could stop saving and still reach the goal by that age, as long as you cover current spending with work.
Things to keep in mind
Money in a 401(k) or traditional IRA usually carries a 10% penalty before 59 and a half, with exceptions such as substantially equal periodic payments under rule 72(t). Many early retirees keep a taxable account or Roth contributions to bridge those years.
Returns are smooth here. A bad market in the first few years of retirement hurts more than the same drop later, which is why a lower withdrawal rate gives some cushion.
Frequently asked questions
What is a FIRE number?
It is the portfolio size that can pay your yearly spending at a chosen withdrawal rate. At 4%, multiply spending by 25, so $50,000 a year needs $1.25 million.
What is Coast FIRE?
It is the amount that, left alone with no new contributions, grows to your FIRE number by a target age. With a $1.25 million goal, 5% real return and 28 years to go, that is about $319,000.
Is 4% safe for early retirement?
The 4% rule was tested on 30-year retirements. For 40 or 50 years, many people use 3.25% to 3.5%, which raises a $50,000 budget's target to about $1.43 million to $1.54 million.
What counts as lean FIRE and fat FIRE?
There are no official cutoffs. Lean FIRE usually means a tight budget, often under about $40,000 a year, and fat FIRE a budget well above the typical household, often $100,000 or more.