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FIRE Calculator

Calculate when you can retire early — enter savings, income, and expenses to see your FIRE number, years to financial independence, and portfolio growth chart

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Auto-calculated from income & expenses

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FIRE Number

$1,250,000

25× annual expenses

Years to FIRE

12.5 years

August 2038

FIRE Age

42

$30,000/yr contribution

Horizontal line = FIRE number. Dot = when each scenario reaches FIRE.

About This Tool

FIRE — Financial Independence, Retire Early — is the goal of saving enough money that you never need to work again. Your investments generate enough income to cover your expenses forever. This calculator tells you exactly when you'll reach that point. The math is straightforward: your FIRE number is your annual expenses divided by your safe withdrawal rate (typically 4%). Once your portfolio reaches that number, you're financially independent. The question is: how long will it take to get there? Enter your current situation — savings, income, expenses — and see your projected path to FIRE. The interactive chart shows three scenarios: your current savings rate, plus what happens if you increase it by 5% or 10%. Small changes in savings rate can shave years off your timeline.

How to Use

1. Enter your current age 2. Enter your current savings/investments total 3. Enter your annual income (after tax) 4. Enter your annual expenses 5. Your savings rate calculates automatically (or enter it manually) 6. Adjust expected return and withdrawal rate if needed (defaults are standard) 7. See your FIRE number, years to FIRE, and retirement age 8. The chart shows your portfolio growth with three savings rate scenarios 9. Use "Copy Link" to save or share your calculation

Formula

FIRE Number = Annual Expenses ÷ Safe Withdrawal Rate Example: $40,000 ÷ 0.04 = $1,000,000 Years to FIRE (simplified): Uses compound growth formula with annual contributions FV = PV(1+r)^n + PMT × [((1+r)^n - 1) / r] Solve for n when FV = FIRE Number Savings Rate = (Income - Expenses) ÷ Income × 100% The 4% Rule: Based on the Trinity Study, withdrawing 4% of your portfolio annually (adjusted for inflation) has historically sustained a 30-year retirement in 95% of cases.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FIRE number?
Your FIRE number is the portfolio size that can sustain your lifestyle indefinitely. It's calculated as annual expenses ÷ safe withdrawal rate. At a 4% withdrawal rate, you need 25× your annual expenses. If you spend $40,000/year, your FIRE number is $1,000,000. Once you reach this, investment returns cover your spending.
What is a safe withdrawal rate?
The safe withdrawal rate (SWR) is the percentage you can withdraw annually without depleting your portfolio over a 30+ year retirement. The famous 4% rule comes from the Trinity Study, which found that 4% withdrawals survived 95% of historical 30-year periods. Some prefer 3.5% for extra safety or 5% for shorter retirements.
Why does savings rate matter so much for FIRE?
Savings rate is the single biggest factor in time to FIRE. At 10% savings rate, FIRE takes 51 years. At 25%, it takes 32 years. At 50%, just 17 years. At 75%, only 7 years. Higher savings rate both increases how much you invest AND decreases how much you need (since your FIRE number is based on expenses).
What investment return should I assume?
7% is the commonly used real (inflation-adjusted) return for a diversified stock portfolio, based on historical S&P 500 data. More conservative estimates use 5-6%. Using nominal returns (10%+) without adjusting expenses for inflation gives misleading results. This calculator uses real returns, so your FIRE number stays in today's dollars.
What is Lean FIRE vs Fat FIRE?
Lean FIRE means retiring on minimal expenses ($20-40k/year), requiring a smaller portfolio ($500k-$1M). Fat FIRE means a more comfortable retirement ($100k+/year), requiring $2.5M+. Regular FIRE is typically $40-60k/year. Your target depends on your desired lifestyle — this calculator works for any expense level.
Should I include Social Security in FIRE planning?
Most FIRE calculations ignore Social Security because: (1) you're retiring before eligibility age, (2) future benefits are uncertain, (3) it provides a safety margin. If you're closer to traditional retirement age, you can reduce your FIRE number by expected annual Social Security benefits ÷ withdrawal rate.
What about healthcare costs before Medicare?
Healthcare is the biggest wildcard for early retirees in the US. Budget $500-1500/month for ACA marketplace insurance, depending on location and subsidy eligibility. Include this in your annual expenses. Some FIRE planners add a separate healthcare fund or target Coast FIRE (enough saved that it grows to full FIRE by 65).

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