Finance / Planning
FIRE Calculator (Financial Independence, 4% Rule)
Work out your financial independence number from your spending and a safe withdrawal rate, and how many years it takes to get there from what you have invested and what you save, with a year-by-year table.
FIRE Calculator (Financial Independence, 4% Rule): The target is spending ÷ withdrawal rate: at 4%, 25 times what you spend a year. Each year the invested total grows by the real return and your savings (income minus spending) are added; the year the total passes the target is interpolated. With 50,000 invested, 70,000 income, 40,000 spending, 5% real return, and 4% withdrawals, the target is 1,000,000 and is reached in about 18.5 years. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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| Year | Invested at year end | Share of target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82,500 | 8% |
| 2 | 116,625 | 12% |
| 3 | 152,456 | 15% |
| 4 | 190,079 | 19% |
| 5 | 229,583 | 23% |
| 6 | 271,062 | 27% |
| 7 | 314,615 | 31% |
| 8 | 360,346 | 36% |
| 9 | 408,363 | 41% |
| 10 | 458,782 | 46% |
| 11 | 511,721 | 51% |
| 12 | 567,307 | 57% |
| 13 | 625,672 | 63% |
| 14 | 686,956 | 69% |
| 15 | 751,303 | 75% |
| 16 | 818,868 | 82% |
| 17 | 889,812 | 89% |
| 18 | 964,303 | 96% |
| 19 | 1,042,518 | 100% |
Your FIRE number is the sum whose yearly withdrawals at the chosen rate cover your spending: at 4%, 25 times spending, the rule of thumb from US studies of past market returns over 30-year retirements. The model adds what you save at the end of each year and grows the total at a real return, after inflation, so the figures are in today's money. Markets do not grow evenly, taxes and fees reduce returns, and early retirements last longer than 30 years; it is a model to explore, not financial advice.
A worked example
Saving 30,000 a year from 50,000 already invested, with 40,000 of yearly spending, a 5% real return, and a 4% withdrawal rate: the FIRE number is 40,000 ÷ 0.04 = 1,000,000, passed between years 18 and 19.
An emergency fund comes first, so a surprise bill does not mean selling investments.
Real returns
The model uses real returns, after inflation, so every figure is in today's money. Long-run stock returns after inflation have averaged around 5–7% a year in the US, with large swings; a mixed portfolio of stocks and bonds expects less.
For growth in nominal terms, use the compound interest calculator.
How to use it
- Enter what you have invested, your yearly income after tax, and your yearly spending.
- Set the real (after-inflation) return and the withdrawal rate, usually 4%.
- Read your FIRE number, the years to reach it, and the table.
Privacy & limitations
Your figures stay in your browser.
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Frequently asked questions
Where does the 4% rule come from?
From studies of US stock and bond returns, best known the 1998 Trinity study, which found that withdrawing 4% of the starting balance, raised with inflation, lasted 30 years in most historical periods. Longer retirements and other markets may need a lower rate.
Why does the savings rate matter so much?
Saving more both grows the pot faster and lowers the spending it must cover. From zero, saving half your income takes about 17 years at a 5% real return and 4% withdrawals.
Is this financial advice?
No: it is a model with smooth returns and no taxes or fees. Real returns vary year to year.
Free tool · runs in your browser · no account required