Jasonmel Online

FIRE Financial Independence Calculator

Step 1

Describe the life you want

All amounts use today's purchasing power
years
years
$

Exclude your home and emergency fund.

$

In today's purchasing power.

$

Include tax, insurance, healthcare, and travel.

$

Only net income available from retirement onward.

$

Net income after tax and work costs.

years

The full FIRE portfolio covers spending after this age.

Advanced assumptions

Keep the defaults if unsure, then test lower rates.

%

Nominal return after fees and taxes.

%
%

Lower is safer; 4% is not guaranteed.

%
%
Withdrawal-rate scenarios:
12%
Traditional FIRE progress
Your FIRE Number

Your Traditional FIRE number

$857,143

Based on annual spending of $30,000, after recurring income, using a 3.5% withdrawal rate.

Treat Traditional FIRE as a direction. To reach it by age 50, invest about $2,793 per month.
Estimated Traditional FIRE age
Around age 62 and 2 months
About 27 years and 2 months to go
Projected portfolio at age 50
$421,219
$435,924 short of the Traditional target
Today's Coast FIRE threshold
$481,358
$381,358 still needed
Expected return after inflation
3.92%
The chart uses real returns, so amounts can be compared directly with today
Step 2

See compound growth as a path

Green: keep investing. Dashed blue: stop investing.
View chart data as a table
Projected investable assets by age with and without ongoing contributions
AgeOngoing contributionsNo further contributionsGap to Traditional FIRE
Age 35$100,000$100,000$757,143 short
Age 40$187,260$121,207$669,883 short
Age 45$293,024$146,912$564,118 short
Age 50$421,219$178,068$435,924 short
Age 55$576,600$215,831$280,542 short
Age 60$764,934$261,603$92,209 short
Age 65$993,207$317,081$136,064 above target
Age 70$1,269,891$384,326$412,748 above target
Age 74$1,532,923$448,252$675,780 above target
Step 3

Five FIRE paths—the differences go beyond the numbers

Coast is a savings milestone, not retirement, and is not always first.
Coast FIRE

Coast

Build enough for compounding, then ease the pressure to save.

Portfolio needed today
$481,358
Not reached by age 50
Savings milestone; current living costs still need income
Best for
Changing careers or reducing hours.
Watch out
Still needs work income and long-term returns.
Lean FIRE

Lean

Trade a leaner lifestyle for financial flexibility sooner.

Portfolio target
$642,857
Around age 56 and 11 months
Best for
Low, stable spending.
Watch out
Less room for healthcare, housing, or family costs.
Barista FIRE

Semi-retired

Use flexible work income to lower the portfolio needed.

Portfolio needed to start semi-retirement today
$547,527
Around age 60 and 6 months
The threshold changes with work through age 65.
Best for
Leaving a high-pressure job while keeping some income.
Watch out
The portfolio covers any lost work income.
Suggested starting point
Traditional FIRE

Traditional

Use your portfolio to support your current expected lifestyle.

Portfolio target
$857,143
Around age 62 and 2 months
Best for
Leaving full-time work while keeping today's lifestyle.
Watch out
Allow for taxes, fees, and market swings.
Fat FIRE

Fat

Plan for more travel, comfort, and surprises.

Portfolio target
$1,285,714
Around age 70 and 4 months
Best for
A more generous retirement lifestyle.
Watch out
A larger target may delay retirement.
Step 4

Turn the estimate into a next step

Compare contributions, spending, and time.
Stay on track for your target age
$2,793 per month

Contribute $1,793 more per month for a better chance of reaching Traditional FIRE by age 50.

Invest 10% of monthly spending more ($250)
Could be 2 years and 10 months sooner

New estimate: Around age 59 and 4 months for Traditional FIRE.

Reduce spending by 10%
Target falls by $85,714

Could be 2 years sooner; make sure the budget is sustainable.

How it works

Three formulas explain the model

All formulas use today's purchasing power.
1. FIRE portfolio
(Annual spending − annual recurring income) ÷ withdrawal rate
2. Real return after inflation
(1 + nominal return) ÷ (1 + inflation) − 1
3. Today's Coast FIRE threshold
Traditional FIRE target ÷ (1 + real return) ^ years remaining
Reality check

What this chart intentionally leaves out

Markets do not grow in a straight line. Recalculate regularly.
  • Investment taxes, management fees, and trading costs
  • Sequence-of-returns risk from a major downturn early in retirement
  • Healthcare, long-term care, dependants, and large one-off expenses
  • Uncertainty in salary, contributions, and work income
For education and planning only—not investment, tax, or retirement advice.
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Common assumptions and pitfalls.
How is my FIRE number calculated?

Subtract recurring retirement income from annual spending, then divide by the withdrawal rate. For example, annual spending of $60,000, no other income, and a 4% withdrawal rate gives a FIRE number of $1.5 million.

Is a 4% withdrawal rate always safe?

No. The 4% rule is a planning starting point based on historical market data, not a guarantee. Longer retirements, higher fees, and higher taxes call for testing more conservative rates such as 3%–3.5%. This calculator defaults to 3.5%.

Should I include my primary home in my investable assets?

Usually not, unless you plan to sell it, rent it out, or otherwise use it to generate cash flow. Keep your emergency fund separate as well.

How is Coast FIRE different from regular FIRE?

Coast FIRE means your current investments may grow to your regular FIRE target by your target age without further contributions. It does not mean you can stop working today.

Method and further reading

Historical research is a starting point, not a guarantee.

Do not count pensions before they are available.