FIRE Calculator

Calculate your Financial Independence number and how many years until you can retire early. Based on the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) methodology.

Total invested assets (401k, IRA, brokerage, etc.)

FIRE Number

$1,250,000

The nest egg you need to retire

Years to FIRE

19

FIRE Age

49

Savings Rate

37.5%

Monthly Passive Income at FIRE

$4,167

You are making solid progress toward FIRE. Consider ways to boost your savings rate to accelerate the timeline.

How It Works

  1. 1Enter your current age, annual income, and annual expenses to establish your financial baseline.
  2. 2Input your current total savings (investments, retirement accounts, etc.).
  3. 3Set your expected annual investment return rate (historically ~7% after inflation for stocks).
  4. 4Choose your safe withdrawal rate (the classic 4% rule is the default).
  5. 5Review your FIRE number, years to FIRE, and projected retirement age to plan your path to financial independence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early)?
FIRE is a financial movement focused on aggressive saving and investing to achieve financial independence much earlier than traditional retirement age. The goal is to accumulate enough wealth that passive investment income covers all living expenses, making work optional.
What is a good savings rate for FIRE?
Most FIRE practitioners aim for a savings rate of 50% or higher. A 50% savings rate can lead to financial independence in roughly 17 years. At 70%, it drops to about 8.5 years. Even a 25-30% savings rate puts you well ahead of the average, though FIRE will take longer to achieve.
What is the 4% rule?
The 4% rule (also called the Safe Withdrawal Rate) comes from the Trinity Study. It states that if you withdraw 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement and adjust for inflation each subsequent year, your portfolio has a very high probability of lasting at least 30 years. Some prefer a more conservative 3.5% or even 3% rate.
What is the difference between Coast FIRE and Lean FIRE?
Coast FIRE means you have saved enough that compound growth alone will grow your portfolio to your FIRE number by traditional retirement age, so you only need to cover current expenses. Lean FIRE means achieving financial independence with a very lean budget, typically under $40,000 per year in expenses. There is also Fat FIRE (high spending, $100k+) and Barista FIRE (semi-retirement with part-time work).
What expected return rate should I use?
The U.S. stock market has historically returned about 10% per year nominally, or roughly 7% after inflation. Using 7% is a common conservative choice if your expenses are in today's dollars. If you include inflation in your expense projections, use 10%. A more conservative 5-6% may be appropriate for bond-heavy portfolios.
How accurate is the FIRE number calculation?
The FIRE number provides a useful target, but real-world results depend on many factors: market volatility, inflation, healthcare costs, tax implications, and lifestyle changes. Use it as a planning tool rather than a guarantee. Consider building in a safety margin of 10-20% above your calculated FIRE number.