CalcHub

FIRE Calculator

Financial Independence, Retire Early — calculate your number

Your FIRE Number

Your expected annual spending in retirement

7% is a common real return assumption

4% is the classic rule; use 3–3.5% for 40+ year retirements

Your FIRE Results

FIRE Number

$1,000,000

Years to FIRE

20.2

Progress

5.0%

$50,000 / $1,000,000

FIRE Types Comparison

Lean FIRE

$625,000

$25,000/yr

Regular FIRE

$1,000,000

$40,000/yr

Fat FIRE

$2,500,000

$100,000/yr

How the FIRE Number is Calculated

The FIRE number formula is simple: FIRE Number = Annual Expenses ÷ Safe Withdrawal Rate

With the classic 4% SWR, this equals 25× your annual expenses. The logic: if your portfolio grows at 7% annually and you withdraw 4%, the remaining 3% growth keeps pace with inflation, theoretically allowing your money to last indefinitely.

The years-to-FIRE calculation uses compound growth: your portfolio grows monthly at (annual return ÷ 12) plus your monthly contributions, until it reaches your FIRE number.

Frequently Asked Questions

FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. It's a lifestyle movement focused on extreme saving and investing to achieve financial independence — the point where your investments generate enough passive income to cover your living expenses — decades earlier than traditional retirement age.