FIRE Calculator

The FIRE Calculator (Financial Independence, Retire Early) helps you determine the exact date you can achieve financial freedom and leave your 9-to-5 behind. By analyzing your savings rate, investment returns, and living expenses, it projects when your portfolio will generate enough passive income to cover your lifestyle indefinitely.

How FIRE Works

The FIRE Formula

Savings Rate vs. Years to FIRE

Your savings rate is the single most powerful lever in the FIRE equation. Here's how it impacts your timeline (assuming 7% nominal returns, 2.5% inflation, starting from zero savings):

Types of FIRE

Lean FIRE

Lean FIRE means reaching financial independence with a minimal budget — typically 80% or less of your current expenses. This path requires ongoing frugality in retirement but allows you to quit the rat race much sooner. It suits people comfortable with a simple, low-cost lifestyle.

Regular FIRE

Regular FIRE targets maintaining your current standard of living after retirement. Your FIRE number equals 25× your current annual expenses. This is the most commonly discussed FIRE target and provides a comfortable safety margin based on the Trinity Study.

Fat FIRE

Fat FIRE aims for a more comfortable or even luxurious retirement, typically targeting 125% or more of current expenses. This path requires a larger portfolio but provides greater financial security, room for lifestyle inflation, and a buffer for unexpected expenses.

Coast FIRE

Coast FIRE is the point where you've saved enough that, with zero additional contributions, your portfolio will grow to your full FIRE number by traditional retirement age (usually 65) through compound growth alone. Once you reach Coast FIRE, you only need to earn enough to cover current expenses — no more saving required. This can mean switching to a lower-paying job you love or working part-time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FIRE movement?

FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. It is a lifestyle movement focused on maximizing savings rate and investment returns to accumulate enough wealth to retire decades earlier than traditional retirement age. The core principle is saving 50-70% of income and investing aggressively to build a portfolio that can sustain your living expenses indefinitely.

What is the 4% rule and how does it work?

The 4% rule, derived from the Trinity Study, states that you can safely withdraw 4% of your investment portfolio annually without running out of money over a 30-year period. To calculate your FIRE number, divide your annual expenses by 0.04 (or multiply by 25). For example, if you spend $40,000 per year, your FIRE number is $1,000,000.

What is the difference between Lean FIRE, Regular FIRE, and Fat FIRE?

Lean FIRE means retiring with a minimal budget (typically 80% or less of current expenses), requiring strict frugality. Regular FIRE targets maintaining your current standard of living. Fat FIRE aims for a more comfortable or luxurious retirement with 125% or more of current expenses, requiring a larger portfolio but providing more financial cushion.

What is Coast FIRE?

Coast FIRE is the point where you have saved enough that, with zero additional contributions, your portfolio will grow to your full FIRE number by a target retirement age (usually 65) through compound growth alone. Once you reach Coast FIRE, you only need to earn enough to cover current expenses — no more saving required.

How much do I need to save to retire early?

Your FIRE number depends on your annual expenses and safe withdrawal rate. Using the standard 4% rule, multiply your annual expenses by 25. For $50,000/year in expenses, you need $1,250,000. A higher savings rate dramatically reduces the time to reach this goal — saving 50% of income typically leads to FIRE in about 17 years, while saving 70% can achieve it in roughly 8.5 years.

Learn More

• FIRE Movement (Wikipedia)
• Trinity Study / 4% Rule (Wikipedia)
• Compound Interest (Wikipedia)
• Financial Independence (Wikipedia)