FIRE Calculator
Financial Independence, Retire Early: find the portfolio size that could cover your spending forever, and how long it takes to get there.
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The classic '4% rule' is the common starting point
Long-term diversified portfolios have averaged about 7% after inflation
Your path to FIRE
At a 4% withdrawal rate
Your FIRE number
$1,250,000
$50,000/year ÷ 4% withdrawal rate
Time to reach it
21 yr 1 mo
Progress today
8%
Portfolio growth toward your FIRE number
Starting at $100,000 with $1,500/month at 7% returns
How the FIRE number works
The FIRE number is your annual spending divided by a safe withdrawal rate. At the classic 4% rule, that's 25× your yearly expenses — a portfolio large enough that withdrawing 4% a year has historically survived most 30-year retirements. Notice that spending, not income, drives the target: cutting annual expenses lowers the goal and frees more money to save, which is why the timeline is so sensitive to it. Read more in our FIRE movement guide.
How this is calculated
It sizes the portfolio that could fund your spending indefinitely, then simulates saving toward it.
FIRE number = annual spending ÷ withdrawal rate (25× spending at the 4% rule). Your current savings and monthly contributions are then grown month by month at your expected return until the balance crosses that line.
What it assumes
- Returns are a steady average — real sequences of returns matter a lot in early retirement.
- Spending stays constant in today's dollars; use an inflation-adjusted (real) return.
- No taxes on growth or withdrawals are modeled.
Uses a constant return and withdrawal rate; real markets vary and early retirements can outlive the 4% rule's assumptions. For educational purposes only, not financial advice.