FIRE Calculator
Financial Independence, Retire Early - Plan Your Path to Freedom
The FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has helped millions escape the traditional 40-year career path. Our comprehensive FIRE calculator helps you determine exactly how much you need to save, when you'll reach financial freedom, and whether your plan can survive historical market downturns like the 2008 financial crisis.
Open Source & Transparent
All calculations are open source and verifiable on GitHub. We believe in transparency and welcome contributions to improve our tools.
Your FIRE Number
$1,250,000
Time to FIRE: 16 years (Age 46)
Choose Your FIRE Path
Your Financial Details
Your Savings Rate
50.0%
Annual Savings
$50,000
FIRE Numbers Comparison
$875K
70% of expenses ($35,000/yr)
$1.3M
100% of expenses ($50,000/yr)
$1.9M
150% of expenses ($75,000/yr)
Coast FIRE
Amount needed to stop saving and coast to retirement at 65:
$329K
Reach Coast FIRE in 5 years (age 35)
Barista FIRE
Part-time income needed to cover the gap:
$46,000/year
Portfolio needed: $625KAchievable in 9 years (age 39)
FIRE Milestones
25% of FIRE Number
$313K
Year 4 (age 34)
Coast FIRE
$329K
Year 4 (age 34)
50% of FIRE Number
$625K
Year 8 (age 38)
75% of FIRE Number
$938K
Year 10 (age 40)
Regular FIRE Summary
Recommendations
- Consider including Social Security estimates for more accurate long-term projections. Even conservative estimates help with planning.
Warnings
- Planning for 49 years of retirement requires extra caution. Consider a lower withdrawal rate or larger cushion.
The 4% Rule
The 4% rule suggests you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio annually (adjusted for inflation) with a high probability of not running out of money over 30 years.
4% withdrawal rate =25x expenses
3.5% withdrawal rate =28.6x expenses
3% withdrawal rate =33.3x expenses
What is the FIRE Movement?
FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is a lifestyle movement dedicated to extreme savings and investment strategies that allow practitioners to retire far earlier than traditional budgets and retirement plans would permit. The goal is to accumulate assets until the resulting passive income provides enough for living expenses for the rest of your life.
By increasing your savings rate and optimizing investments, FIRE adherents aim to accumulate wealth rapidly and achieve financial independence within 10-15 years instead of the traditional 40+ year career path.
Types of FIRE
Lean FIRE
Retiring with a minimalist lifestyle. Plan for 70% of current expenses or a frugal budget around $20,000-$40,000/year per person.
FIRE Number: 17.5x annual expenses (4% rule on reduced spending)
Traditional FIRE
The standard FIRE approach. Maintain your current lifestyle indefinitely using the 4% safe withdrawal rate.
FIRE Number: 25x annual expenses
Fat FIRE
Retiring with an above-average lifestyle. Budget for 150% of current expenses to enjoy luxury, travel, and no financial compromises.
FIRE Number: 37.5x annual expenses
Coast FIRE
You've saved enough that without additional contributions, compound growth will get you to full FIRE by age 65. You only need to cover current expenses.
Freedom: Work any job without worrying about 401k matching or saving more
Barista FIRE
A hybrid approach where you have enough investments to cover most expenses, but supplement with part-time work. Named after the idea of working at Starbucks for health insurance benefits while enjoying semi-retirement.
Example: $30,000/year from investments + $20,000/year part-time work = $50,000 lifestyle with lower portfolio requirement
The 4% Rule Explained
The 4% rule comes from the 1998 Trinity Study, which analyzed historical market data to determine a "safe" withdrawal rate for retirement portfolios:
4%
Safe Withdrawal Rate
Annually, adjusted for inflation
25x
FIRE Multiplier
Annual expenses × 25 = FIRE Number
95%
Historical Success Rate
Over 30-year retirement periods
Important: The 4% rule assumes a 30-year retirement. For early retirees (40+ year retirements), consider a more conservative 3.5% or 3% withdrawal rate.
Savings Rate vs. Years to FIRE
Your savings rate is the most powerful lever for achieving FIRE. Here's how it affects your timeline (assuming 7% real returns):
| Savings Rate | Years to FIRE | Example ($100K Income) |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | 51 years | Save $10K/yr, spend $90K |
| 20% | 37 years | Save $20K/yr, spend $80K |
| 30% | 28 years | Save $30K/yr, spend $70K |
| 40% | 22 years | Save $40K/yr, spend $60K |
| 50% | 17 years | Save $50K/yr, spend $50K |
| 60% | 12.5 years | Save $60K/yr, spend $40K |
| 70% | 8.5 years | Save $70K/yr, spend $30K |
| 75% | 7 years | Save $75K/yr, spend $25K |
Why Stress Test Your FIRE Plan?
Sequence of Returns Risk
The biggest risk for early retirees isn't average returns—it's retiring right before a market crash. Our calculator tests your plan against:
- 2008 Financial Crisis: -37% drop followed by slow recovery
- 2000 Dot-Com Crash: -49% drop over 3 years
- 1973-74 Oil Crisis: -48% drop with high inflation
- 1929 Great Depression: -89% drop (worst case scenario)
A plan that survives these historical worst-case scenarios has a high probability of success in normal market conditions.
Tips to Accelerate Your FIRE Journey
- 1. Maximize tax-advantaged accounts – Max out 401(k), IRA, and HSA before taxable investing
- 2. Focus on the Big 3 – Housing, transportation, and food account for 60-70% of most budgets
- 3. Increase income aggressively – Side hustles, promotions, and job changes often beat expense cutting
- 4. Invest in low-cost index funds – Keep expense ratios under 0.10% (e.g., VTI, VTSAX)
- 5. Track every dollar – You can't optimize what you don't measure
- 6. Build flexibility into your plan – Have Coast or Barista FIRE as backup options
Frequently Asked Questions
What is my FIRE number? ▼
Your FIRE number is the amount of money you need invested to sustain your lifestyle indefinitely. Using the 4% rule, your FIRE number is 25 times your annual expenses. For example, if you spend $50,000 per year, your FIRE number is $1,250,000.
Is the 4% rule safe for early retirement? ▼
The 4% rule was designed for 30-year retirements. For very early retirement (40+ years), consider a more conservative 3-3.5% withdrawal rate, or plan for some flexibility (working part-time if markets crash early). Our stress tests help you understand the risks.
Should I include my house in my FIRE number? ▼
Generally, no. Your FIRE number should only include invested assets that generate income. Your primary residence is a place to live, not an income-producing asset (unless you plan to downsize or rent rooms). However, a paid-off house does reduce your expenses, lowering your FIRE number.
What about healthcare costs before Medicare? ▼
Healthcare is a major concern for early retirees. Options include ACA marketplace plans (often with subsidies if you manage income), healthcare sharing ministries, Barista FIRE with employer benefits, or COBRA continuation. Budget $500-$2,000/month for coverage depending on your situation.
How do I access retirement funds early without penalties? ▼
Several strategies exist: Roth IRA contributions can be withdrawn anytime; Roth conversion ladder after 5 years; SEPP/72(t) distributions; taxable brokerage accounts (no restrictions). A common approach is to have 5-10 years of expenses in taxable accounts while converting traditional funds to Roth.
What's the difference between Coast FIRE and Barista FIRE? ▼
Coast FIRE means you've saved enough that compound growth alone will reach your FIRE number by traditional retirement age—you just need to cover current expenses. Barista FIRE means you've already reached partial FIRE and use a mix of part-time work and investment withdrawals to cover expenses now.
Related Tools
Explore more calculators to support your FIRE journey
Retirement Planner
Traditional retirement planning with Social Security, pensions, and required minimum distributions
Compound Interest Calculator
Visualize how your investments grow over time with the power of compound returns
Savings Goal Calculator
Plan your savings milestones and track progress toward any financial goal