FIRE Calculator
Calculate your FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) number and find out when you can retire. See how your savings rate, expenses, and investment returns determine your retirement age.
Your Situation
Your total yearly spending
Savings
Total invested assets (retirement + brokerage)
How much you save/invest each month
Assumptions
7% is a common long-term average
4% is the traditional rule
Typically 2-3%
Enter values and click Calculate to see results
How the FIRE Calculator Works
FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) means having enough invested to live off your portfolio's returns indefinitely. Your “FIRE number” is the portfolio size needed to cover your annual expenses at your chosen safe withdrawal rate. Once your savings reach that number, you're financially independent.
FIRE Number = Annual Expenses ÷ SWRSWR= Safe Withdrawal Rate — typically 4% (the "4% rule")$50K/yr= At 4% SWR → FIRE number = $1,250,000$80K/yr= At 4% SWR → FIRE number = $2,000,000Example Scenarios
Aggressive Saver
A 60%+ savings rate and low expenses create a short path to FIRE — just 14 years.
Moderate Saver
$2K/month with $150K saved — a solid path to early retirement in your early 50s.
Late Starter
Starting at 45 with $200K is still achievable — aggressive saving can reach FIRE by the late 50s.
Key Levers for Reaching FIRE
- Savings rate: The single biggest factor — a higher savings rate both grows your portfolio faster and means lower expenses to cover
- Reduce expenses: Every $100/month cut from spending reduces your FIRE number by $30,000 (at 4% SWR)
- Increase income: Side income, career growth, or higher-paying roles accelerate the timeline
- Investment returns: Low-cost index funds historically provide 7-10% annual returns
The 4% Rule
The 4% rule comes from the Trinity Study, which found that withdrawing 4% of your portfolio in year one (adjusted for inflation each year after) has historically survived 30+ years of retirement in most market conditions. Some FIRE practitioners use 3.5% for extra safety or 3% for very early retirement (40+ year time horizons).