Find out exactly how many years until you can retire early
Your Financial Profile
What you spend per year in retirement
Nominal return; 7% is a common long-term stock average
The "4% rule" is widely used as a starting point
Used to compute real (inflation-adjusted) returns
Your FIRE Timeline
Savings Rate
Saving 43.8% of your income. A higher savings rate dramatically shortens the path to FI — each 5% increase can cut years off your timeline.
Portfolio Growth Projection
Bar shows progress toward FIRE number of $1,125,000. Values are in real (inflation-adjusted) terms.
Disclaimer: This calculator is for educational purposes only. Results are based on constant savings, constant returns, and constant expenses — real-world results will differ due to market volatility, taxes, lifestyle changes, and other factors. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making retirement decisions. The 4% withdrawal rule is a guideline, not a guarantee.
The FIRE Calculator helps you find your Financial Independence, Retire Early number and timeline. Enter your income, expenses, current savings, and expected investment return to instantly see how many years until your portfolio can sustain your lifestyle forever. Discover how powerful your savings rate is and which levers move your retirement date the most.
Your FIRE number is the portfolio size needed to cover your living expenses indefinitely. It's calculated by dividing your annual expenses by your safe withdrawal rate. For example, $40,000 per year in expenses at a 4% withdrawal rate gives a FIRE number of $1,000,000.
The 4% rule is a guideline from the Trinity Study suggesting that retirees can withdraw 4% of their portfolio annually, adjusted for inflation, with a high probability of not running out of money over a 30-year retirement. Many FIRE practitioners use 3-3.5% for longer retirements.
Your savings rate determines both how fast your portfolio grows AND how small your FIRE number is. A high savings rate means you need less to retire (lower expenses) while simultaneously saving more each year. Going from a 10% to a 50% savings rate can cut your timeline from 40+ years down to about 17 years.
The nominal return is the raw investment return (e.g., 7%). The real return adjusts for inflation using the formula: (1 + nominal) / (1 + inflation) - 1. Using real returns means all portfolio values in the projection are expressed in today's purchasing power, giving you a more accurate picture of your actual financial independence.