Loading calculator… (JavaScript required)
Results are hypothetical illustrations based on the numbers you enter and simple assumptions: constant rates and returns, with no taxes or fees unless stated. They are not predictions or guarantees; real returns vary and can be negative. Educational content only. Not financial advice. Examples are hypothetical, not guaranteed. See our Disclaimer.
Quick answer: Your FIRE number is your yearly spending divided by your withdrawal rate. At the 4% rule that is 25× your spending: $40,000 a year needs $1,000,000. With $50,000 invested and $1,500 a month at a 7% real return, you’d get there in about 20 years 3 months (around age 50 if you start at 30). Hypothetical, not guaranteed.
What is a FIRE number?
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. Your FIRE number is the amount invested that could cover your yearly spending from withdrawals alone, so work becomes optional. This calculator finds that number, then how many years it takes to reach it from where you are today.
How to use it
- Enter what you expect to spend each year in retirement, in today’s dollars.
- Pick a withdrawal rate: 4% is the classic rule; 3.5% is more cautious for early retirees.
- Add what you have invested now and what you invest each month.
- Set a real (after-inflation) return; 7% is a common long-run assumption for a stock-heavy portfolio. Add your age to see the age you could reach FIRE.
From the channel
Worked example
Inputs: $40,000 yearly spending, 4% withdrawal rate, $50,000 invested, $1,500 a month, 7% real return, age 30.
- FIRE number: $40,000 ÷ 0.04 = $1,000,000.
- Time to FIRE: 20 years 3 months (243 monthly contributions), so around age 50.
- Invest $2,000 a month instead: 17 years 8 months.
- Spend 10% less ($36,000 a year): the target drops to $900,000 and you get there in 19 years 1 month.
FIRE number by spending
| Yearly spending | FIRE number at 4% (25×) | At 3.5% (28.6×) |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $750,000 | $857,143 |
| $40,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,142,857 |
| $60,000 | $1,500,000 | $1,714,286 |
| $80,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,285,714 |
| $100,000 | $2,500,000 | $2,857,143 |
Try next
Coast FIRE calculator
The number where you can stop saving and let compounding finish the job, by age.
Open calculator →Millionaire by age calculator
How much to invest each month to hit $1M by 40, 50 or 60.
Open calculator →Rent vs buy calculator
Total cost of renting vs buying over the years you’ll stay, plus your break-even year.
Open calculator →5 days, 5 money moves
One short email a day: your money map, the debt rule, your emergency fund, Roth or traditional, and putting it all on autopilot. Free. Unsubscribe any time.
Questions people ask
What is a FIRE number?
The amount you need invested to live off withdrawals, so working becomes optional. It is your yearly spending divided by your withdrawal rate: at 4%, 25× spending. Spending $40,000 a year means a $1,000,000 FIRE number.
How do I calculate my FIRE number?
Multiply your expected yearly spending by 25 (the 4% rule), or by about 28.6 for a more cautious 3.5% withdrawal rate. $40,000 × 25 = $1,000,000; at 3.5% it is $1,142,857.
What is the 4% rule?
A guideline from US market history (William Bengen’s 1994 study and the later Trinity study): withdrawing 4% of a stock-and-bond portfolio in year one, then adjusting for inflation, lasted at least 30 years in the historical periods tested. It is not a guarantee, and early retirees often plan for 3.25-3.5%.
How long does it take to reach FIRE?
It depends mostly on your savings rate. With $50,000 invested and $1,500 a month at a 7% real return, reaching $1,000,000 takes about 20 years 3 months; at $2,000 a month, about 17 years 8 months. Hypothetical, not guaranteed.
Is $1 million enough to retire early?
At a 4% withdrawal rate, $1,000,000 supports about $40,000 a year; at 3.5%, about $35,000. Whether that is enough depends on your spending, health insurance before Medicare, taxes and how long the money must last.
What is the difference between FIRE and Coast FIRE?
FIRE means you have enough invested to stop working now. Coast FIRE means you have enough that growth alone reaches your FIRE number by a normal retirement age. For a $1,000,000 target at 65 and a 7% real return, the coast number at 30 is about $93,663.