FIRE Calculator
Calculate when you can achieve Financial Independence and Retire Early. Based on the 4% safe withdrawal rule.
Personal Information
Income & Expenses
Investment Assumptions
FIRE Variants
Net Worth Projection
Savings Composition at FIRE
Shows how much of your final balance comes from contributions vs investment growth
Income vs Expenses
FIRE Milestones Progress
Year-by-Year Projection
| Age | Phase | Cash Flow | Gains | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Working | — | — | $50K |
| 31 | Working | +$30K | +$3K | $83K |
| 32 | Working | +$30K | +$4K | $117K |
| 33 | Working | +$30K | +$5K | $152K |
| 34 | Working | +$30K | +$7K | $188K |
| 35 | Working | +$30K | +$8K | $227K |
| 36 | Working | +$30K | +$10K | $266K |
| 37 | Working | +$30K | +$11K | $307K |
| 38 | Working | +$30K | +$13K | $350K |
| 39 | Working | +$30K | +$15K | $395K |
| 40 | Working | +$30K | +$16K | $441K |
| 41 | Working | +$30K | +$18K | $490K |
| 42 | Working | +$30K | +$20K | $540K |
| 43 | Working | +$30K | +$22K | $592K |
| 44 | Working | +$30K | +$24K | $646K |
| 45 | Working | +$30K | +$26K | $703K |
| 46 | Working | +$30K | +$29K | $761K |
| 47 | Working | +$30K | +$31K | $823K |
| 48 | Working | +$30K | +$34K | $886K |
| 49 | Working | +$30K | +$36K | $952K |
| 50 | Working | +$30K | +$39K | $1.0M |
| 51 | Working | +$30K | +$41K | $1.1M |
| 52 | Working | +$30K | +$44K | $1.2M |
| 53 | Working | +$30K | +$47K | $1.2M |
| 54 | Working | +$30K | +$50K | $1.3M |
| 55 | Retired | -$50K | +$53K | $1.3M |
| 56 | Retired | -$50K | +$53K | $1.3M |
| 57 | Retired | -$50K | +$53K | $1.3M |
| 58 | Retired | -$50K | +$53K | $1.3M |
| 59 | Retired | -$50K | +$53K | $1.3M |
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What is FIRE?
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. It's a movement focused on extreme savings and investment that allows you to retire far earlier than traditional retirement age.
The core idea is simple: if you save enough money and invest it wisely, you can live off your investment returns without needing to work. Imagine your money working for you instead of you working for money.
The 4% Rule
The foundation of FIRE is the 4% safe withdrawal rate, derived from the famous Trinity Study. Here's how it works:
If you spend $40,000 per year, your FIRE number is $1,000,000. Once you reach this amount, you can safely withdraw 4% ($40,000) each year, and historically, your portfolio would last 30+ years.
Why 25x? Because 1 ÷ 0.04 = 25. The 4% rule means you need 25 times your annual expenses.
FIRE Variants
Not everyone pursues the same type of FIRE:
- Lean FIRE: Retire with minimal expenses (70% of current spending). Requires less savings but tighter budget.
- Regular FIRE: Maintain your current lifestyle in retirement.
- Fat FIRE: Retire with 150%+ of current expenses. More cushion for travel, healthcare, unexpected costs.
- Coast FIRE: Save enough early so that compound growth alone will reach your FIRE number by traditional retirement age. You can then work less stressful jobs.
- Barista FIRE: Reach partial FIRE, then work part-time for healthcare benefits and supplemental income.
Why Savings Rate Matters Most
Your savings rate (the percentage of income you save) is the single most important factor in reaching FIRE:
| Savings Rate | Years to FIRE |
|---|---|
| 10% | 51 years |
| 25% | 32 years |
| 50% | 17 years |
| 75% | 7 years |
Notice how doubling your savings rate from 25% to 50% nearly cuts your timeline in half. This is why FIRE enthusiasts focus obsessively on reducing expenses—it has a double effect: lower expenses mean you need less to retire AND you can save more.
Understanding Real Returns
When planning for FIRE, always think in real returns (after inflation):
- Nominal return: 7% (historical S&P 500 average)
- Inflation: 3% (historical average)
- Real return: 4% (what your money actually grows in purchasing power)
This is why we subtract inflation from investment returns in our calculator. A million dollars 30 years from now won't buy what a million dollars buys today.
Getting Started with FIRE
- Track your expenses - You can't optimize what you don't measure
- Calculate your FIRE number - Annual expenses × 25
- Maximize savings rate - Aim for 50%+ if possible
- Invest in low-cost index funds - Keep fees under 0.1%
- Stay the course - Market volatility is normal; don't panic sell
The journey to FIRE is a marathon, not a sprint. Even if you don't retire at 35, the financial habits you build will give you freedom and options most people never have.