What Is Your FIRE Number?
Your FIRE number is the amount you need invested to live off withdrawals forever — usually 25 times your annual expenses, based on the 4% safe withdrawal rule. If you spend $50,000 a year, your FIRE number is $1.25 million. Once your portfolio hits that figure, a 4% annual withdrawal ($50,000) should sustain a 30-year-plus retirement without running out, according to the Trinity Study.
How to Use This FIRE Calculator
Enter your age, current invested savings, expected annual expenses in retirement, and how much you invest each year. Set your expected return and withdrawal rate. The calculator returns your FIRE number, the years and age at which you reach it, and your Coast FIRE target.
What Is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE is the amount you need invested today so that, without adding another dollar, it grows to your full FIRE number by traditional retirement age.Once you hit Coast FIRE, your existing investments "coast" to the finish line — you only need to earn enough to cover current expenses and can stop retirement saving entirely. It's a popular milestone because it buys freedom to take a lower-paying but more fulfilling job.
The Levers That Move Your FIRE Date
Your savings rate is the dominant factor — saving 50% of income reaches FIRE in roughly 17 years regardless of income level, versus 40+ years at a 10% rate. Cutting expenses does double duty: it raises your savings rate and lowers your FIRE number. Model the growth side with our Compound Interest Calculator and fund it tax-efficiently using our Roth vs Traditional IRA and 401(k) calculators.