FIRE Number Calculator
Calculate your FIRE number from your annual expenses and safe withdrawal rate, then see how close you are and how many years until financial independence.
Updated 2026-06-14 · Free · No sign-up · Runs privately in your browser
Show the formula & steps
How the FIRE Number Calculator Works
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. Your FIRE number is the portfolio size at which safe withdrawals can cover your living costs forever, so paid work becomes optional. This calculator finds that target from your annual expenses and withdrawal rate, then estimates how many years it takes to get there given your current savings, annual contributions and expected real return.
The Formula
FIRE number = annual expenses ÷ (withdrawal rate ÷ 100)
At the popular 4% withdrawal rate this simplifies to 25 × annual expenses. Choosing a lower rate, such as 3.5%, raises the target and adds a safety margin.
To project the time to reach it, the tool grows your current savings and adds each year’s contributions at your chosen real return until the balance meets the FIRE number:
Future value = current × (1 + r)ⁿ + savings × ((1 + r)ⁿ − 1) ÷ r
where r is the real return and n is the number of years, solved for n.
Worked Example
Suppose your annual expenses are $40,000 and you use a 4% withdrawal rate, with $100,000 saved, $25,000 added per year, and a 5% real return:
- FIRE number = 40,000 ÷ 0.04 = $1,000,000 (25× expenses)
- Progress so far = 100,000 ÷ 1,000,000 = 10%
- Years to FIRE ≈ 17.9 years at a 5% real return
| Annual expenses | 4% rate (25×) | 3.5% rate (≈28.6×) |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $750,000 | $857,000 |
| $40,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,143,000 |
| $60,000 | $1,500,000 | $1,714,000 |
Using Your FIRE Number
Your FIRE number is a moving target — it rises if your spending grows and falls if you trim expenses. Lowering annual spending is doubly powerful: it shrinks the target and frees up more money to invest, pulling your financial independence date closer on both ends.
Frequently asked questions
What is a FIRE number?+
Your FIRE number is the size of the investment portfolio you need so that safe withdrawals cover your living expenses indefinitely. It is your target for financial independence and early retirement, and it is calculated from your annual spending and a chosen withdrawal rate.
How do you calculate your FIRE number?+
Divide your annual expenses by your safe withdrawal rate expressed as a decimal. With the common 4% rule, that means multiplying annual expenses by 25. For example, $40,000 of yearly spending gives a FIRE number of $40,000 ÷ 0.04 = $1,000,000.
What is the 4% rule?+
The 4% rule, based on the Trinity Study, suggests you can withdraw 4% of your starting portfolio in the first year of retirement and adjust for inflation each year afterward, with a high chance the money lasts 30 years. A 4% rate corresponds to a 25× expenses target.
Should I use a withdrawal rate lower than 4%?+
Many people planning a very long retirement use 3% to 3.5% for a larger safety margin, which raises the FIRE number. A lower rate is more conservative; a higher rate needs a smaller portfolio but carries more risk of running out in poor market sequences.
How many years until I reach my FIRE number?+
It depends on your current savings, how much you add each year, and your real (after-inflation) return. The calculator projects your balance forward — growing existing savings and adding annual contributions — until it reaches your FIRE number, then reports the number of years.