FIRE Calculator (2026)
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. Enter your savings, your yearly spending, and how much you add each year to find your financial independence number and an estimate of how many years until you reach it. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Estimate updates as you type. Use a real return (already adjusted for inflation) to keep everything in today's dollars.
How your FIRE number is calculated
Your financial independence number is your yearly spending divided by your safe withdrawal rate. At the common 4 percent rate that equals spending multiplied by 25: spend $40,000 and the target is $1,000,000. A lower withdrawal rate, say 3.5 percent, raises the target because you are planning for a longer or more cautious retirement. The years-to-reach figure grows your current savings and yearly contributions at the real return you enter, then reports the first year your balance reaches the target.
Why the savings rate matters most
For early retirement, how much you save each year usually matters more than small differences in investment return. A higher savings rate does two things at once: it builds your portfolio faster and it lowers the spending your portfolio has to support, which shrinks the FIRE number itself. That is why people pursuing FIRE focus on widening the gap between income and spending, then investing the difference in a low-cost, diversified way.
Common questions
Should I use a nominal or real return?
Use a real return that already subtracts inflation, for example a 5 percent real return from an 8 percent nominal return minus 3 percent inflation. That keeps your target and your projected balance in today's dollars so they are comparable.
What if I am already past my number?
If your current savings already exceed the target, the years-to-reach shows zero, meaning you may already be at or near financial independence under these assumptions. Pressure-test it with a lower withdrawal rate and realistic spending before acting.
Is my data saved?
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is stored, transmitted, or shared.
Method: FIRE number = annual spending divided by the safe withdrawal rate (the 4 percent rule equals 25 times spending); years to reach found by growing current savings plus annual contributions at the real return entered. General references include published explainers from Investopedia, NerdWallet, and the original Trinity study on withdrawal rates. Always verify your plan with a licensed professional.