How to Use the FIRE Retirement Age Calculator
FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is a lifestyle movement built around reaching financial independence and leaving traditional work early. This calculator divides your annual retirement spending by your chosen withdrawal rate to find your FIRE number, then projects how fast your current net worth and monthly savings grow at your expected return to see what age you'd hit that number.
The withdrawal rate is the percentage of your portfolio you plan to spend each year in retirement. The most cited benchmark is 4% a year, based on historical research suggesting a portfolio withdrawn at that rate has a high chance of lasting 30+ years. Many people choose a more conservative 3-3.5% rate to reduce the risk of running out of money.
If your target age comes out later than you'd like, consider increasing your monthly savings rate, trimming planned retirement spending to lower the target number itself, or reassessing your portfolio's expected return. Raising your savings rate usually has the fastest, most reliable impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Divide your annual retirement spending by your withdrawal rate (commonly 4%). For example, if you need $40,000 a year, the 4% rule puts your FIRE number at $1,000,000.
Increasing your monthly savings or expected return moves your target date closer. Lowering planned retirement spending also lowers the target number itself, which helps too.
The 4% rule is a general guideline based on historical U.S. market data, not a guarantee. Depending on market conditions, a more conservative rate like 3-3.5% may be safer.