About the FIRE Calculator
FIRE — financial independence, retire early — means saving enough that a safe withdrawal covers your spending indefinitely. This calculator finds your FIRE number (commonly 25× annual expenses) and how long it takes to get there at your savings rate.
How it’s calculated
FIRE number = annual expenses ÷ withdrawal rate (4% → 25×). The timeline is found by growing your current savings plus contributions at the expected return until they reach the FIRE number.
Example calculation
With $50,000 of annual expenses, the FIRE number at a 4% rate is $1.25 million; from $100,000 saving $30,000/year at 7%, that's roughly 16–17 years away.
Frequently asked questions
What's the single biggest factor?
Your savings rate — the share of income you invest. It determines both how fast the nest egg grows and how small it needs to be, so it dominates the timeline far more than investment returns.
Is 4% safe for early retirement?
The 4% rule was calibrated to ~30-year retirements. For a much longer early retirement, many use a more conservative rate (3–3.5%) or plan to stay flexible.
Retirement projections are estimates based on the assumptions you enter and do not guarantee future outcomes. Contribution limits and tax rules change over time — verify current figures and consider speaking with a financial professional.