FINANCIAL · FIRE
FIRE Calculator
Calculate your FIRE number, years to financial independence, and FI age based on your savings, expenses, contributions, and expected real return.
| Period | Portfolio | FIRE Target |
|---|---|---|
| Yr 1 | $72,500 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 2 | $96,125 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 3 | $120,931 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 4 | $146,978 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 5 | $174,327 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 6 | $203,043 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 7 | $233,195 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 8 | $264,855 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 9 | $298,098 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 10 | $333,003 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 11 | $369,653 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 12 | $408,135 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 13 | $448,542 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 14 | $490,969 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 15 | $535,518 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 16 | $582,294 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 17 | $631,408 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 18 | $682,979 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 19 | $737,128 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 20 | $793,984 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 21 | $853,683 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 22 | $916,367 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 23 | $982,186 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 24 | $1,051,295 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 25 | $1,123,860 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 26 | $1,200,053 | $1,250,000 |
| Yr 27 | $1,280,055 | $1,250,000 |
Showing 7 of 27 years
| Year | Age | Contributed | Growth | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36 | $20,000.00 | $2,500.00 | $72,500.00 |
| 5 | 40 | $100,000.00 | $24,326.70 | $174,326.70 |
| 10 | 45 | $200,000.00 | $83,002.58 | $333,002.58 |
| 15 | 50 | $300,000.00 | $185,517.68 | $535,517.68 |
| 20 | 55 | $400,000.00 | $343,983.97 | $793,983.97 |
| 25 | 60 | $500,000.00 | $573,859.72 | $1,123,859.72 |
| 27 | 62 | $540,000.00 | $690,055.35 | $1,280,055.35 |
About This Calculator
Find out how much you need to retire early and how long it will take to get there. Enter your current savings, annual expenses, how much you save each year, and an expected real return rate to see your FIRE number, years to financial independence, and a year-by-year portfolio projection.
How It Works
The calculator uses your annual expenses and safe withdrawal rate to compute your FIRE number — the portfolio size that can sustain your lifestyle indefinitely. It then projects how your current savings will grow each year (compounded at your chosen real return rate, plus your annual contributions) until the portfolio reaches that target. The result tells you how many years until you're financially independent and what age you'll be when you get there.
The Formula
FIRE # = expenses ÷ SWR P(n) = P₀ × (1+r)ⁿ + C × [(1+r)ⁿ − 1] / r
- FIRE #
- target portfolio size (financial independence number)
- expenses
- annual spending in retirement
- SWR
- safe withdrawal rate as decimal (e.g. 0.04 for 4%)
- P(n)
- portfolio value at year n
- P₀
- current savings (initial portfolio)
- r
- annual real return rate (inflation-adjusted, as decimal)
- n
- number of years from today
- C
- annual contribution (amount added to investments per year)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the FIRE number?
- The FIRE number is the portfolio size at which you could theoretically stop working and live off investment returns. It is calculated as your annual expenses divided by the safe withdrawal rate (SWR). At the widely cited 4% rule, your FIRE number equals 25 times your annual expenses. For example, if you plan to spend $50,000 per year in retirement, your FIRE number is $1,250,000.
- What is the 4% rule (safe withdrawal rate)?
- The 4% rule originated from the 1998 Trinity Study, which found that a diversified stock/bond portfolio could sustain inflation-adjusted withdrawals of 4% per year for at least 30 years in the vast majority of historical scenarios. A 4% SWR is the most common FIRE target, though some early retirees use 3–3.5% for a longer or safer horizon. Note that the Trinity Study used historical US market returns and a 30-year horizon — your actual results will vary with market conditions, sequence-of-returns risk, and time horizon.
- What is real return vs. nominal return?
- A real return is already adjusted for inflation. If markets return 9% nominally and inflation is 3%, the real return is approximately 6%. This calculator uses real return so your spending target stays in today's dollars. Common real return assumptions are 4–7% for a diversified equity/bond portfolio, depending on your allocation and risk tolerance.
- What is Lean FIRE vs. Fat FIRE?
- Lean FIRE means retiring on a very frugal budget (often under $40,000/year), resulting in a smaller FIRE number. Fat FIRE targets a more comfortable lifestyle ($80,000–$150,000+/year), requiring a much larger portfolio. Barista FIRE and Coast FIRE are hybrid strategies that combine a smaller portfolio with part-time work or rely on investment growth alone — these are not modeled here.
- What are the limitations of this calculator?
- This calculator assumes a fixed annual real return, no sequence-of-returns risk, constant expenses, and no tax-advantaged account sequencing. Real portfolios experience market volatility, so your actual FIRE date could be earlier or later than projected. This is a long-horizon planning tool only — not financial advice. Consider working with a fee-only financial planner for personalized guidance.