This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Results are estimates based on inputs you provide. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making financial decisions.
FIRE Calculator
Calculate your Financial Independence, Retire Early date.
Your Details
Money In & Out
Post-tax (Take home pay)
Assumptions
Standard FIRE rule is 4.0%
Financial Freedom Date
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FIRE (Real Value)
$1,500,000
Buying power in today's dollars
The Crossover Point
Why "Real Value" Matters?
Inflation eats away purchasing power. A million dollars in 30 years won't buy what it does today. Use Real Value to plan purchasing power, and Nominal Value to see the actual bank account number you'll see on screen.
Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) is the practice of saving aggressively until your investments produce enough income to cover expenses indefinitely. The math is simpler than the discipline — but the math gives you the target.
The FIRE number formula
FIRE Number = Annual Expenses × 25. This comes from the inverse of the 4% safe withdrawal rate (1 / 0.04 = 25). If you spend $50,000/year, you need $1.25 million invested. Time-to-FIRE is determined almost entirely by your savings rate, not your absolute income. At a 50% savings rate you can FIRE in roughly 17 years from $0; at 25% it takes about 32; at 70% it's about 9.
When to use this calculator
Use it to set your target. Use it again to compare Lean FIRE (bare-bones expenses, ~$30-40K/year), regular FIRE (typical expenses), and Fat FIRE (comfortable retirement, $100K+/year). Coast FIRE is a useful intermediate concept: the savings level at which compound growth alone covers your retirement, even if you stop adding new contributions.
Worked example
A household spending $60,000/year needs a FIRE number of $1.5 million. If they save $30,000/year (50% savings rate at $60K spending = $120K income) and earn a 7% real return, they hit $1.5M in roughly 16 years. Cut spending to $40,000 and the FIRE target drops to $1M while savings rises to $50,000/year — they reach it in about 12 years.
Limits and assumptions
The projection applies one constant annual return and one constant level of spending. With the inflation-adjusted option on, growth uses the real return, (1 + return) ÷ (1 + inflation) − 1, and both your savings and your target rise with inflation each year; with it off, the nominal rate is used as entered. The FIRE number is annual spending divided by the withdrawal rate you set, and passive income is balance × withdrawal rate. Yearly figures are rounded to whole dollars.
Taxes on gains, fund fees, sequence-of-returns risk and any change in income or expenses are not modelled. The simulation stops at 50 years, so if the savings rate cannot reach the target within that window the chart simply ends without a FIRE age.
Frequently asked questions
What is FIRE?
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. The core idea: save aggressively (often 50%+ of income) until your investments produce enough income to cover expenses indefinitely.
What is the FIRE number?
Your FIRE number is 25 times your annual expenses — the savings level at which the 4% safe withdrawal rule supports your lifestyle indefinitely.
What's the difference between Lean FIRE, Fat FIRE, and Coast FIRE?
Lean FIRE = enough to cover bare-bones expenses (~$30-40K/year). Fat FIRE = comfortable retirement ($100K+/year). Coast FIRE = enough invested today that compound growth alone covers your retirement, even if you stop adding new contributions.
How does savings rate affect time to FIRE?
Savings rate is the most powerful lever. At 50% savings rate you can FIRE in ~17 years; at 70% in ~9 years; at 25% it takes ~32 years. The math comes from your savings rate alone, not your income level.
Guides for this calculator
- The Ultimate FIRE Calculator Guide: Find Your Independence Number
Calculate your exact FIRE number using the 4% Rule. Learn the difference between Lean FIRE, Fat FIRE, and Coast FIRE to map your early retirement strategy.