FIRE Calculator

Calculate your path to Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE). Find your FIRE number, how many years until you can retire, and track your progress.

FIRE Details

yrs
$

Your yearly spending

$

Gross annual income

%

% of income you save/invest

$

Total invested assets

%
%

Typically 3.5-4%

Enter your financial details and click "Calculate" to find your path to FIRE.

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Pro Tip

Your savings rate is the most powerful lever. Focus on the gap between income and expenses. Even a 5% increase in savings rate can cut years off your FIRE timeline.

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Understanding FIRE

FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is a movement focused on aggressive saving and investing to achieve financial independence well before traditional retirement age. The core idea is to accumulate enough wealth that investment returns cover your living expenses indefinitely.

The FIRE number is the amount of money you need invested to live off the returns forever. Using the 4% rule (based on the Trinity Study), your FIRE number is simply your annual expenses divided by 0.04, or equivalently, 25 times your annual expenses.

The savings rate is the most important lever in reaching FIRE. Someone saving 50% of their income can reach FIRE in roughly 17 years, regardless of income level. Saving 70% cuts that to about 8.5 years. The math works because a higher savings rate simultaneously increases your savings and decreases the expenses your portfolio needs to cover.

There are several FIRE variations: Lean FIRE (minimalist lifestyle, lower expenses), Fat FIRE (maintaining a higher standard of living), Barista FIRE (semi-retirement with part-time income), and Coast FIRE (enough invested that growth alone will fund retirement at a later date).

FIRE Number Formula

FIRE Number = Annual Expenses / Withdrawal Rate

Where:

FIRE Number = Total investment needed for financial independence

Annual Expenses = Your yearly spending in retirement

Withdrawal Rate = Safe withdrawal percentage (typically 4%)

Example

$50,000 annual expenses, 4% withdrawal rate, 40% savings rate:

  • • FIRE Number: $50,000 / 0.04 = $1,250,000
  • • Income: $80,000, Savings: $32,000/year
  • • Starting net worth: $100,000 with 7% returns
  • • Years to FIRE: ~17 years
  • • FIRE Age: 47

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 4% rule?
The 4% rule, based on the Trinity Study, states that you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement, then adjust for inflation each year, with a very high probability (95%+) of your money lasting 30+ years. Some FIRE advocates use 3.5% for extra safety.
Is FIRE realistic?
FIRE is mathematically sound and has been achieved by many people. The key requirements are: earning more than you spend, investing the difference wisely, and maintaining discipline. Higher incomes make it faster, but the savings rate matters more than absolute income.
What about healthcare before Medicare age?
Healthcare is a major consideration for early retirees. Options include ACA marketplace plans, health sharing ministries, part-time work with benefits (Barista FIRE), COBRA, or spousal coverage. Budget $500-$1,500/month per person for health insurance.
How does the savings rate affect FIRE timeline?
Dramatically. At 10% savings rate, FIRE takes ~51 years. At 25%, about 32 years. At 50%, roughly 17 years. At 75%, approximately 7 years. The savings rate is by far the most impactful variable because it both increases savings and reduces the expenses you need to cover.
What investments should I use for FIRE?
Most FIRE practitioners use low-cost index funds (like total stock market and international index funds) for the accumulation phase. In early retirement, a mix of stocks and bonds provides growth while reducing volatility. Tax-advantaged accounts (401k, IRA) should be maximized first.