Retirement lifestyle
FIRE Number
$1.0M
@ 4% SWR
You reach FIRE at
Age 45
15 years away
You save now
$3.3K/mo
40% of income
Needed to retire at 50
$2.1K/mo
On track ✓
Progress to FIRE Number
$50K of $1.0M
5%
Wealth Accumulation (today's dollars)
Retirement Drawdown — from FIRE to life expectancy
Your number is the destination
The playbook is the path. Body first. Then mind. Then money.
Come back to this planner every few months — watch your FIRE age move closer as you save more and spend with intention.
What is Coast FIRE?
Once your portfolio reaches the Coast number, compound growth alone carries it to your full FIRE number by your target retirement age — even if you never contribute another dollar. From there you only need to earn enough to cover today's living costs.
Coast FIRE Number
$250K
Stop contributing at this amount
Full FIRE Number
$1.0M
@ 4% SWR
Coast Age
Age 38
8 years away
Coast Progress
20%
$50K of $250K
Path to Coast FIRE
Safe Withdrawal Rate Analysis
How long the same portfolio lasts if you withdraw at different rates. The classic "4% Rule" comes from the Trinity Study (30-year retirements). Lower rates are safer; higher rates risk running out — especially for 40+ year early retirements.
Portfolio Longevity by Withdrawal Rate
Your FIRE Number
$1.0M
@ 4% SWR
Yearly Withdrawal
$40K
Spending + taxes, today's dollars
Retirement Length
40 yrs
Age 50 → 90
Will your money survive a market crash?
Real markets don't grow smoothly. This test runs your retirement through 1,000 different possible markets — good decades, bad decades and crashes — and through four crash scenarios, so you see how often your money lasts.
Your success rate
92%success
Your money lasts in 920 of 1,000 markets.
Retiring at 50 with $1.0M, withdrawing $44K a year until age 90.
Typical outcome
$1.2M
Left at 90 (middle of all markets)
Bad markets (worst 10%)
Runs out at 78
1 in 10 markets is this bad or worse
To reach 90% success
$41K/yr
Spending (after tax) that passes 9 in 10
Range of outcomes across 1,000 markets
Hypothetical simulation based on your expected return and market ups & downs. Not a prediction.
Crash scenarios — same retirement, different luck
Your portfolio in each scenario
Common Questions
FIRE Planner FAQ
What is the FIRE number and how is it calculated?
Your FIRE number is the total portfolio value needed to retire and live off investment returns indefinitely. It's calculated as: Annual Expenses ÷ Safe Withdrawal Rate. With $40,000/year expenses and a 4% SWR, your FIRE number is $1,000,000. This stems from the Trinity Study, which found a 4% withdrawal rate historically survived 30-year retirement periods across most market conditions.
What is the difference between Lean FIRE, Regular FIRE, and Fat FIRE?
Lean FIRE means retiring on a very frugal budget — typically under $30K/year. It needs the smallest nest egg but demands strict spending discipline.
Regular FIRE targets a moderate lifestyle, usually $40–60K/year — comfortable but not extravagant.
Fat FIRE aims for a luxurious retirement, often $80K–$200K/year. It needs a much larger portfolio but gives the most flexibility. You can set your own Lean and Fat budgets in the inputs panel.
Regular FIRE targets a moderate lifestyle, usually $40–60K/year — comfortable but not extravagant.
Fat FIRE aims for a luxurious retirement, often $80K–$200K/year. It needs a much larger portfolio but gives the most flexibility. You can set your own Lean and Fat budgets in the inputs panel.
What is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE is the point at which your current portfolio will grow to your full FIRE number by your target retirement age — without any additional contributions. The Coast number is calculated as: FIRE Number ÷ (1 + real return)^years to retirement.
How much do I need to save each month to retire early?
The "Needed to retire at…" card solves for the exact monthly amount that grows your current savings to your FIRE number by your target age, using your real (inflation-adjusted) return. If what you save now is higher, you're on track — and the planner shows how many years earlier you'll get there.
Is the 4% safe withdrawal rate still valid?
The 4% rule originated from the 1994–1998 Trinity Study research and was designed for 30-year retirements. For early retirees with 40–50 year horizons, many planners suggest a 3% to 3.5% SWR for greater safety. The rule also assumes a diversified stock/bond portfolio and doesn't model sequence-of-returns risk. Use the SWR Model tab to compare how your portfolio holds up at different withdrawal rates.
Are these calculations inflation-adjusted?
Yes. All projections use the real return — (1 + return) ÷ (1 + inflation) − 1 — so every figure is in today's purchasing power.
How does the planner handle taxes?
Money you withdraw from pre-tax accounts (401(k), traditional IRA) is taxed as income; Roth withdrawals are tax-free; from a taxable account only the gains are taxed (we assume about half of each withdrawal is gains). The planner blends these into one tax cost, adds it to your yearly withdrawal, and raises your FIRE number to match. It's a simplified estimate — not tax advice — so use your expected average tax rate, not your top bracket.
What is the Stress Test and the success rate?
Instead of assuming the same return every year, the Stress Test runs your retirement through 1,000 simulated markets with realistic ups and downs (a "Monte Carlo" simulation). Your success rate is the share of those markets where your money lasts to your life expectancy. Many planners aim for 85–90% or higher. The crash scenarios show sequence-of-returns risk: a crash early in retirement hurts far more than the same crash later.
What savings rate do I need to retire early?
Savings rate is the single biggest lever in FIRE planning. A 10% savings rate typically means a 40+ year accumulation phase; a 50% savings rate can cut that to under 20 years. A higher savings rate means more invested each year and a lower lifestyle to fund — which shrinks your FIRE number at the same time.