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FIRE Calculator
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. Plug in your savings rate and target and see how many years stand between you and work becoming optional.
🤮 Interactive calculator coming soon
The live version will estimate your FIRE date from your savings, spending, and savings rate. For now, here’s the math behind it.
The 4% rule & your FIRE number
A common starting framework: if you can live on about 4% of your portfolio per year, you need roughly 25 times your annual spending invested to be financially independent. Spend $40,000 a year? That points to a FIRE number near $1,000,000. It’s a rule of thumb, not a guarantee — but it’s a powerful way to turn “someday” into a concrete target.
Why savings rate matters most
Here’s the counterintuitive part: your savings rate — the share of income you invest — drives your timeline more than your salary or your returns. A higher savings rate does double duty: it builds your pile faster and lowers the number you need, because you’re living on less. That’s why the FIRE community obsesses over it. Build the engine with low-cost index funds and tax-advantaged accounts, and protect it with an emergency fund.
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For educational use only. The 4% rule is a guideline, not a guarantee. Not personalized financial advice.
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