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FIRE Calculator
Find out your FIRE number, how many years until financial independence, and how much you can withdraw each month in early retirement.
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Your FIRE Number
Years to FIRE
Monthly Withdrawal in Retirement
Calculated in your browser. We never see your numbers.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your annual living expenses — the amount you spend (or plan to spend) each year in retirement. Set your Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR); the default of 4% follows the widely cited Trinity Study. Enter your current investment portfolio balance, how much you save per year, and your expected annual investment return (7% is a common inflation-adjusted estimate for diversified stock portfolios). Click Calculate to see your FIRE number, how many years until you reach financial independence, and your monthly withdrawal amount in retirement.
FIRE Formula
Your FIRE Number = Annual Expenses ÷ (SWR ÷ 100). For the standard 4% rule, this is Annual Expenses × 25. For example, $50,000/year in expenses → FIRE Number = $1,250,000. Years to FIRE is calculated by simulating month-by-month portfolio growth: each month, your portfolio earns (portfolio × monthly return) and you add your monthly savings. The simulation runs until your portfolio reaches your FIRE number. The Lean FIRE number uses a 3.5% SWR (portfolio × ~28.6) and Fat FIRE uses a 3% SWR (portfolio × ~33.3).
Example Calculation
Suppose you spend $60,000 per year and use the 4% rule. Your FIRE number is $60,000 ÷ 0.04 = $1,500,000. You currently have $200,000 invested, save $40,000/year, and expect a 7% annual return. Starting from $200,000 and adding ~$3,333/month at 0.583% monthly return, you would reach $1,500,000 in approximately 15–16 years. Your monthly withdrawal in retirement would be $60,000 ÷ 12 = $5,000.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is FIRE?
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. It is a movement focused on saving and investing aggressively — typically 50–70% of income — so you can retire far earlier than the traditional retirement age. The goal is to accumulate enough assets that passive investment returns cover your living expenses indefinitely.
What is the 4% rule?
The 4% rule (also called the Safe Withdrawal Rate, or SWR) is a guideline stating that you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio annually in retirement and it should last at least 30 years. It originated from the Trinity Study, which analyzed historical US stock and bond returns. Your FIRE number is simply your annual expenses divided by 0.04 (or multiplied by 25).
What is the difference between Lean FIRE and Fat FIRE?
Lean FIRE means retiring with a minimal budget — typically under $40,000/year — using a more conservative 3.5% withdrawal rate, requiring a larger portfolio. Fat FIRE means retiring with a comfortable or luxurious lifestyle — often $100,000+/year — using a 3% withdrawal rate for extra safety. Standard FIRE uses the 4% rule as a middle ground.
How do I calculate my FIRE number?
Your FIRE number is calculated as: Annual Expenses ÷ Safe Withdrawal Rate. For the standard 4% rule, this equals Annual Expenses × 25. For example, if you spend $60,000 per year, your FIRE number is $60,000 ÷ 0.04 = $1,500,000. Once your investment portfolio reaches this number, your investment returns should cover your expenses indefinitely.
What return rate should I use for FIRE calculations?
A commonly used assumption is 7% annual return, which approximates the historical inflation-adjusted average return of a diversified US stock portfolio (the S&P 500 has returned about 10% nominally, minus ~3% for inflation). More conservative planners use 5–6%, while aggressive optimists might use 8–10%. We recommend 7% as a balanced starting point, but run multiple scenarios to stress-test your plan.
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