Find your FIRE number.
Type what you expect to spend each month. Truve works out the portfolio you need, how many years it takes at your pace, and what Coast FIRE and Barista FIRE would look like. Free, no signup.
FIRE number calculator
Same spending, different withdrawal rates
Estimates in today's dollars, not financial advice. They leave out Social Security, taxes on withdrawals and market ups and downs.
One clear number, and an honest way to get there.
Spending sets the number
Your FIRE number is yearly spending divided by your withdrawal rate. Cutting what you spend shrinks it faster than almost anything else.
The 4% rule is a starting point
It was built for 30 year retirements. For 40 to 50 years many people use 3.25% to 3.5%, so the calculator lets you switch.
Time matters as much as the number
Years to FIRE depends on what you have invested, what you add each month and the growth you assume, so you see all three.
What is a FIRE number?
FIRE stands for financial independence, retire early. Your FIRE number is the size of the investment portfolio that could pay for your spending without a paycheck. It is the finish line you are saving toward.
FIRE number = yearly spending ÷ withdrawal rate
At the common 4% rate, that is 25 times what you spend in a year. If you expect to spend $48,000 a year, your FIRE number is $1,200,000.
How the 4% rule works, and when to use less
The 4% rule comes from a 1998 study, often called the Trinity study, that looked at US stock and bond returns over 30 year retirements. Retiring in your 30s or 40s can mean 40 to 50 years of withdrawals, and longer periods fail more often at the same rate. That is why many early retirees plan on 3.25% to 3.5%, which means about 29 to 31 times yearly spending instead of 25.
No rate is a guarantee. Treat it as a planning figure and leave yourself room.
FIRE numbers at different spending levels
| Yearly spending | At 4% | At 3.5% | At 3.25% |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $750,000 | $857,143 | $923,077 |
| $40,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,142,857 | $1,230,769 |
| $60,000 | $1,500,000 | $1,714,286 | $1,846,154 |
| $80,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,285,714 | $2,461,538 |
| $100,000 | $2,500,000 | $2,857,143 | $3,076,923 |
How many years until FIRE?
Your savings rate decides it. This table starts from zero invested, assumes 5% growth after inflation and a 4% withdrawal rate, and counts the share of your income you save.
| You save | Years to FIRE |
|---|---|
| 10% of income | 51 years |
| 25% of income | 32 years |
| 40% of income | 22 years |
| 50% of income | 17 years |
| 60% of income | 12 years |
| 70% of income | 9 years |
Estimates only. Real markets go up and down, and your growth will not be a steady 5%.
Lean, Fat, Barista and Coast FIRE
Lean FIRE
Live on a small budget, so the number is small. A common rule of thumb is about $40,000 a year or less, which is $1,000,000 at 4%.
Fat FIRE
Keep a comfortable lifestyle, so the number is large. A common rule of thumb is about $100,000 a year or more, which is $2,500,000 at 4%.
Barista FIRE
Part-time work covers part of your spending, so the portfolio only covers the gap. Barista number = (yearly spending minus part-time income) ÷ withdrawal rate.
Coast FIRE
Enough is already invested that growth alone reaches your FIRE number by retirement age. Coast number = FIRE number ÷ (1 + growth) to the power of years left. For $1,000,000 in 35 years at 5%, that is about $181,290 today.
Definitions vary between sources, so check the assumptions behind any number you see.
What a FIRE number leaves out
- Healthcare before Medicare. Medicare starts at 65, so early retirees usually buy their own health insurance. Put it in your monthly spending.
- Taxes. Withdrawals from some accounts are taxed. Include a tax estimate in your spending.
- Social Security. This calculator assumes none, which is the cautious choice. It can lower the portfolio you need later in life.
- Market timing. A drop in the first years of retirement hurts more than the same drop later. A lower withdrawal rate gives you more cushion.
- Spending that changes. Costs rarely stay flat for decades, so revisit your number as your life changes.
Turn the number into a plan with Truve
The plan builder on the home page has a FIRE number option. It saves your number as a Retirement goal with a target amount and a timeframe when you continue into the app, and your bills, budget and debt sit in the same place so you can see what you can really invest each month.
Open the plan builderFree to download. 14 days free either way.
No feature splits hidden until checkout — here's exactly what each plan includes.
- All accounts, spending & budgeting
- One savings or debt-payoff goal
- Upcoming bills & subscriptions
- Ask Iris
- Everything in Basic
- Multiple goals at once
- Subscription ROI Tracker
- Data export
- Partner mode: combined balances & shared goals
What people ask about their FIRE number.
What is a FIRE number?
Your FIRE number is the size of the investment portfolio that could cover your spending without you working. FIRE stands for financial independence, retire early. The usual formula is your yearly spending divided by a withdrawal rate. At 4% that is 25 times what you spend in a year.
How do I calculate my FIRE number?
Add up what you expect to spend in a year in retirement, then divide by your withdrawal rate. For $48,000 a year at 4%, the answer is $1,200,000. The calculator above does this as you type and lets you switch the rate.
Is the 4% rule still safe?
The 4% rule comes from a 1998 study of 30 year retirements in the US. Retiring in your 30s or 40s can mean 40 to 50 years of withdrawals, and longer periods fail more often at the same rate. Many early retirees plan on 3.25% to 3.5% instead. Nothing is guaranteed, so treat any rate as a planning figure.
What is a good FIRE number?
There is no single good number, because it depends on what you spend. At 4%, $30,000 a year needs $750,000, $40,000 needs $1,000,000, and $100,000 needs $2,500,000. Lowering your spending shrinks the number faster than almost anything else.
What are Lean, Fat, Barista and Coast FIRE?
Lean FIRE means living on a small budget, so the number is small. Fat FIRE means keeping a comfortable lifestyle, so the number is large. Barista FIRE means part-time work covers part of your spending. Coast FIRE means you already have enough invested that growth alone reaches your number by retirement age. Definitions differ between sources, so check the assumptions in any calculator.
Does my FIRE number include healthcare and taxes?
Only if your spending figure does. Medicare starts at 65 in the US, so early retirees usually have to buy their own health insurance. Withdrawals can also be taxed. Put both into the monthly spending you enter.
How long does it take to reach FIRE?
It depends mostly on your savings rate. Starting from zero with 5% growth after inflation and a 4% withdrawal rate, saving 25% of your income takes about 32 years and saving 50% takes about 17 years. The calculator above uses your own savings and monthly investing instead.
Does this calculator include Social Security?
No. It treats your portfolio as the only source of income, which is the conservative choice. Social Security or a pension later in life would lower the portfolio you need.
Can I save my FIRE number in Truve?
Yes. The plan builder on the home page has a FIRE number option. It saves your number as a Retirement goal with a target amount and a timeframe when you continue into the app.
What does Truve cost?
Truve is free to download. Truve Basic is $9.99/mo and Truve Pro is $14.99/mo, and both start with a 14-day free trial.