Free Tool
FIRE Calculator
Find out how many years until you reach financial independence. Enter your savings, contributions, and expected expenses to see your FIRE number and projected retirement income. No signup required.
FIRE planner
Pick a lifestyle, then dial in your own numbers. Updates live.
Path to FIRE
The crossover — where your portfolio meets your FIRE number — happens at age 48.
You'll reach FIRE at age 48 — 2 years ahead of your target retirement age of 50.
What is the FIRE movement?
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. It is a lifestyle movement focused on aggressive saving and investing so you can stop relying on employment income far earlier than the traditional retirement age. FIRE practitioners typically aim to save 50–70% of their income and invest in low-cost index funds, dividend stocks, or real estate to build a portfolio that generates enough passive income to cover living expenses.
The 4% rule explained
The 4% rule is a widely cited guideline from the 1998 Trinity Study. It states that if you withdraw 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement and adjust for inflation each subsequent year, your money has a high probability of lasting at least 30 years. This means your FIRE number is simply your annual expenses divided by 0.04 (or multiplied by 25). For example, if you spend $40,000 per year, your FIRE number is $1,000,000.
How this calculator works
Enter your current age, target retirement age, existing savings, monthly contribution, expected annual return, planned retirement expenses, and safe withdrawal rate. The calculator computes:
- FIRE Number — Annual retirement expenses divided by your safe withdrawal rate. This is the portfolio size you need to retire.
- Years to FIRE — How many years of saving and compounding it takes to reach your FIRE number, starting from your current savings and monthly contributions.
- Projected Portfolio at Retirement — The total value of your investments at your target retirement age, assuming consistent contributions and compounding.
- Monthly Income in Retirement — How much you can withdraw each month based on your projected portfolio and safe withdrawal rate.
Tips to reach FIRE faster
- Increase your savings rate — even small increases compound significantly over time.
- Reduce annual expenses — this lowers your FIRE number and accelerates the timeline simultaneously.
- Invest in diversified, low-cost index funds to maximize long-term returns while managing risk.
- Consider dividend-paying stocks or REITs to build passive income streams that supplement withdrawals.
FIRE Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions
What is a FIRE number?
Your FIRE number is the portfolio balance you need for withdrawals to cover your annual expenses indefinitely. Using the 4% safe withdrawal rate, it equals annual expenses × 25. For $40,000/yr in spending, the FIRE number is $1,000,000.
Is the 4% rule still safe in 2026?
The 4% rule from the 1998 Trinity Study still has strong historical backing for 30-year retirements across US-equity-heavy portfolios. More conservative modern updates suggest 3.3–3.5% for longer retirements (40+ years) or more bond-heavy portfolios. Use the safe-withdrawal-rate input to model both.
How accurate is a FIRE calculator?
Calculators assume a constant annual return, which real markets never deliver. They are best used to estimate the order of magnitude of your timeline — "10 years" vs "25 years" — not to predict the exact year you reach FI. Sequence-of-returns risk, tax drag, and inflation volatility can shift actual timelines by several years.
Should I include my home equity in my FIRE number?
Generally no, unless you plan to downsize or relocate. Home equity does not generate withdrawable income. Most FIRE practitioners exclude primary residence equity from the FIRE number but may subtract remaining mortgage payments from annual expenses.
What return assumption should I use?
For long-horizon US equity portfolios, 6–7% real (after inflation) is a reasonable base case. Using nominal returns (before inflation), 7–9% matches long-run averages. The calculator uses nominal return by default — be consistent with how you input expenses.
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- Dividend Growth Calculator — project future dividend income over decades
- Free Dividend Tracker App — automate everything with your real brokerage data