FIRE Calculator
Financial Independence, Retire Early
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Retirement Expenses
Enter your income, expenses, and current savings to calculate your FIRE number and timeline.
Your FIRE Number
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Target portfolio to retire
Progress to FIRE0%
Your FIRE TimelineValue
Current savings—
Annual savings rate—
Annual savings ($)—
Years to FIRE—
FIRE age—
Annual withdrawal needed—
Monthly withdrawal—
Real return (after inflation)—
FIRE Variations (at your expense level)
🦥 Lean FIRE
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$25K/yr · frugal lifestyle
🔥 Regular FIRE
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Your expense level
🍰 Fat FIRE
—
2x your expenses
☕ Barista FIRE
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50% covered · part-time
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What is the FIRE Movement?
Your FIRE number is yearly spending divided by your withdrawal rate: $60,000 a year at 4% needs $1,500,000, which is 25 times spending. How fast you reach it depends mostly on your savings rate, not your income. The calculator above works out your FIRE number, years to FIRE and FIRE age in today's dollars, plus Lean, Fat and Barista FIRE targets.
FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is a lifestyle and financial strategy where you save and invest aggressively, typically 50-70% of income, to build a portfolio large enough to live off investment returns indefinitely, without needing to work. The core formula comes from the Trinity Study (1998): a portfolio of 25x your annual expenses, withdrawn at 4% annually, has historically lasted 30+ years with 95%+ success rates.
Your savings rate is the single most powerful lever. Saving 50% of income means 1 year of work funds 1 year of retirement. Saving 75% means 1 year funds 3 years. The FIRE community popularized by Mr. Money Mustache and the Choose FI podcast demonstrates this is achievable at middle-class incomes with intentional spending decisions: not extreme wealth.
The 4% Rule (Trinity Study)
The Trinity Study found that a portfolio of 50-75% stocks, withdrawing 4% in year one (then adjusting for inflation), survived 30-year retirements in 95%+ of historical periods. For longer retirements (40-50 years typical in FIRE), many use 3-3.5% to increase safety margins. The rule is a guideline, not a guarantee.
Savings Rate vs Years to FIRE
This is the most important relationship in FIRE. Saving 10%: about 51 years to FIRE. Saving 25%: about 32 years. Saving 50%: about 17 years. Saving 65%: about 10.5 years. Saving 75%: about 7 years. These assume a 5% real return, a 4% withdrawal rate and starting from zero. The math is universal: it depends on your savings rate, not income level.
FIRE Variations
Lean FIRE: minimal lifestyle, ~$25K/year, FIRE number ~$625K. Regular FIRE: standard middle-class expenses. Fat FIRE: $100K+/year in retirement, $2.5M+. Barista FIRE: portfolio covers 50% of expenses, part-time work covers the rest. Coast FIRE: invested enough that it grows to FIRE number without further contributions.
Coast FIRE
Coast FIRE is a milestone where your current portfolio, left to grow without additional contributions, will reach your FIRE number by traditional retirement age. Once you hit Coast FIRE, you only need to cover current expenses: you no longer need to save for retirement. Many FIRE pursuers find this an important intermediate milestone that relieves financial pressure.
Years to FIRE by Savings Rate
Starting from zero, investing the same share of take-home pay every year and living on the rest, until the portfolio reaches 25 times spending (a 4% withdrawal rate). Returns are real, meaning after inflation.
| Savings rate | 4% real return | 5% real return | 7% real return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 58.7 years | 51.4 years | 41.7 years |
| 20% | 41.0 years | 36.7 years | 30.7 years |
| 30% | 30.7 years | 28.0 years | 24.0 years |
| 40% | 23.4 years | 21.6 years | 19.0 years |
| 50% | 17.7 years | 16.6 years | 15.0 years |
| 60% | 13.0 years | 12.4 years | 11.4 years |
| 70% | 9.1 years | 8.8 years | 8.3 years |
| 80% | 5.7 years | 5.6 years | 5.4 years |
The return matters less as the savings rate rises. At 10% saved, moving from a 4% to a 7% real return cuts 17 years; at 60% it cuts under 2.
FIRE Number by Spending and Withdrawal Rate
| Yearly spending | 4% (25x) | 3.5% | 3% |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $750,000 | $857,143 | $1,000,000 |
| $40,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,142,857 | $1,333,333 |
| $50,000 | $1,250,000 | $1,428,571 | $1,666,667 |
| $60,000 | $1,500,000 | $1,714,286 | $2,000,000 |
| $80,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,285,714 | $2,666,667 |
| $100,000 | $2,500,000 | $2,857,143 | $3,333,333 |
Coast FIRE: what you need invested today
The amount that grows to $1,500,000 in today's dollars by age 65 with no further contributions.
| Your age now | 5% real return | 7% real return |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | $213,069 | $100,171 |
| 30 | $271,935 | $140,494 |
| 35 | $347,066 | $197,051 |
| 40 | $442,954 | $276,374 |
| 45 | $565,334 | $387,629 |
| 50 | $721,526 | $543,669 |
Health Cover and Taxes Before 65
Bridging to Medicare
Medicare starts at 65, so an early retiree needs 5 to 25 years of other coverage: COBRA for up to 18 months, then a marketplace plan, a spouse's employer plan or a health sharing arrangement. Put the premium and a realistic deductible into the retirement expenses field, because it can be the biggest single line in a FIRE budget.
Low-tax years are an opportunity
- 0% capital gains. In 2026 long-term gains and qualified dividends are taxed at 0% while taxable income is up to $98,900 for a married couple. Add the $32,200 standard deduction and a couple living only on those can have $131,100 of income with no federal income tax ($65,550 for a single filer).
- Roth conversions. The 10% bracket covers the first $24,800 of a couple's taxable income and the 12% bracket runs to $100,800 ($12,400 and $50,400 single), so converting traditional IRA money in those years can be cheap.
- Getting money out before 59½. Roth contributions can come out any time, converted amounts after 5 years, 401(k) money from the job you leave at 55 or later, and any account through 72(t) payments. Other early withdrawals cost a 10% penalty on top of income tax.
Once you know your number, the compound interest calculator and the capital gains tax calculator help with the details.
Method and sources. FIRE number = spending not covered by other income ÷ withdrawal rate. Years to FIRE: the portfolio grows each year at the real return (1 + return) ÷ (1 + inflation) − 1 and receives income minus expenses, until it reaches the FIRE number. Savings-rate table: n = ln(1 + target × r ÷ s) ÷ ln(1 + r) with target = 25 × (1 − s). Coast FIRE = target ÷ (1 + r)years. All figures computed with these formulas. Withdrawal research: Cooley, Hubbard and Walz (1998). Tax figures: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 brackets, standard deduction, capital gains). Early withdrawal rules: IRS Publication 590-B and Topic No. 558. Estimates only, not financial advice.
FIRE projections assume consistent returns and do not account for market volatility, sequence of returns risk, tax changes, healthcare costs, or other life events. The 4% rule has historical support but is not guaranteed. Consult a fee-only financial advisor for personalized retirement planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your FIRE number is the portfolio size needed to retire. Formula: FIRE Number = Annual Expenses in Retirement / Safe Withdrawal Rate. At 4% SWR: FIRE Number = Annual Expenses x 25. Example: spending $60,000/year needs a $1,500,000 portfolio (60,000 / 0.04 = 1,500,000). The 25x rule is the shortcut. If you have other income (pension, Social Security, part-time work), only the expenses NOT covered by that income need to be funded by your portfolio.
It depends almost entirely on your savings rate. Universal estimates (5% real return, 4% SWR, starting from zero): 10% savings rate: 51 years. 20%: 37 years. 30%: 28 years. 40%: 22 years. 50%: 17 years. 60%: 12 years. 70%: 9 years. 80%: 6 years. Starting with savings already accumulated significantly reduces time. The key insight: a 50% savings rate means you live on half your income today, so you only need your portfolio to support half your income in retirement.
Lean FIRE: retiring on minimal expenses, typically under $25,000/year per person. Requires extreme frugality. FIRE number around $625K. Regular FIRE: middle-class lifestyle in retirement, $40,000-$80,000/year depending on location. Fat FIRE: retiring with $100,000+/year in expenses, $2.5M+ portfolio. Barista FIRE: partially retire, portfolio covers 50-70% of expenses, part-time or seasonal work covers the rest. Allows earlier retirement with a smaller portfolio and often includes employer health insurance. Coast FIRE: portfolio is large enough to coast to full FIRE by traditional retirement age without additional contributions.
The 4% rule has faced scrutiny in recent years. Critiques: original Trinity Study was based on 30-year retirements; FIRE retirements may span 50+ years. Low interest rate environment of 2010s reduced expected bond returns. Sequence of returns risk in early retirement is more dangerous with a longer timeframe. Most current research suggests 3-3.5% is more appropriate for 40-50 year retirements. However, the FIRE community often mitigates this with flexibility: reducing spending during downturns, part-time income, or geographic arbitrage (living in lower cost areas).
Healthcare is the biggest practical challenge for early US retirees. Options: ACA marketplace plans (subsidized based on income, strategic income management can keep premiums low), health sharing ministries (lower cost, higher risk), spouse coverage if still working, COBRA for 18 months after leaving employment, VA coverage if eligible, HSA funds accumulated during working years. Many FIRE practitioners manage taxable income carefully to maximize ACA subsidies. Healthcare costs should be explicitly included in your retirement expense estimate, typically $500-$1,500/month for a couple depending on plan choice.
Several strategies allow penalty-free access: Roth IRA contributions (not earnings) can always be withdrawn tax and penalty-free. Substantially Equal Periodic Payments (SEPP / Rule 72(t)): take a series of fixed withdrawals calculated by IRS methods, penalty-free. 72(t) payments must continue for 5 years or until age 59.5, whichever is later. Roth conversion ladder: convert Traditional IRA to Roth each year, then withdraw those conversions tax-free after 5 years. Rule of 55: if you leave employment at 55+, you can access your current employer 401(k) without penalty. Taxable brokerage accounts have no age restrictions.
Coast FIRE is the point where your current invested portfolio, left untouched to compound, will grow to your full FIRE number by traditional retirement age (65-67) without any additional contributions. Formula: Coast FIRE Number = FIRE Number / (1 + r)^years to 65. Example: FIRE number $1M, age 35, 30 years to 65, 7% return: Coast number = $1,000,000 / (1.07)^30 = $131,367. Once you reach $131K invested at 35 (and stop saving), it grows to $1M by 65. Coast FIRE allows you to shift from aggressive saving to just covering current expenses: a major psychological milestone.
Tax optimization is critical in FIRE. Key strategies: Maximize tax-advantaged accounts (401k, IRA, HSA) before taxable accounts. In early retirement, income may be very low: enabling Roth conversions at 0% or 10-12% tax brackets. Long-term capital gains at 0% for taxable income up to $49,450 (single) or $98,900 (MFJ) in 2026. Tax-loss harvesting in taxable accounts. Strategic withdrawal sequencing: taxable first, then Traditional IRA, then Roth. A good FIRE plan includes a tax projection for each year of retirement, not just the accumulation phase.
During accumulation: aggressive stock allocation (80-100% stocks, often 3-fund portfolio: US total market, international, bonds) is common. Growth matters more than stability when you have decades of compounding ahead. At FIRE: the key is managing sequence of returns risk. Common approaches: hold 2-3 years of expenses in cash/short bonds as a buffer, maintain 60-70% stock allocation, rebalance annually. The JL Collins Simple Path to Wealth model (VTSAX + bonds) is widely followed in the FIRE community. International diversification (10-30% of stocks) reduces single-market risk.
Yes, and many FIRE retirees report higher life satisfaction than before. Strategies that make middle-income FIRE viable: Geographic arbitrage (relocate to lower cost city, state, or country, LCOL areas in US or abroad can cut housing costs 60-70%), paid-off home (no rent/mortgage dramatically lowers required income), reduced transportation costs (no commute, one car vs two), healthcare optimization, cooking at home. The FIRE community is full of examples of couples or families living well on $40,000-$60,000/year in the US, and $20,000-$35,000 internationally.
Plan on a lower withdrawal rate than the 4% rule, because the money must last 50 years or more. At 3.5%, spending $50,000 a year needs about $1,428,571; at 3% it needs $1,666,667. You also need a plan for health insurance until Medicare at 65 and for reaching retirement accounts before 59½, such as a Roth conversion ladder or a taxable account to live on first.
Yes. The expenses you enter should be what you spend including income tax and health insurance. Many early retirees pay little federal tax because long-term gains are taxed at 0% up to $98,900 of taxable income for couples in 2026, but withdrawals from traditional 401(k)s and IRAs are taxed as ordinary income, and state taxes vary.