FIRE / Retirement Number Calculator

Methodology: deterministic formulas based on your inputs only. No account data, no external rates, and no personalized advice.

Last updated: February 23, 2026

Quick presets:

Calculator inputs

Currency

Formatting only. No FX conversion.

Annual Spending

Annual spending goal (today's money).

Safe Withdrawal Rate (%)

Common default: 4% (conservative: 3-3.5%).

Current Portfolio

Current invested assets.

Annual Contribution

Annual contribution while working.

Expected Annual Return (%) — timeline only

Affects timeline only, not the FIRE target.

Inflation (%)

Used for today-money values.

Projection Years

Projection horizon.

Results

Your FIRE Number (Today’s Money) Target

—

This target depends only on spending and safe withdrawal rate. Expected return affects the timeline (projection) only.

Monthly Spending Goal Budget

—

Annual spending divided by 12.

Current Safe Monthly Spend Now

—

Based on your current portfolio and SWR.

Years to FIRE (estimate): —

Progress (today’s money): —

Simplified model. Excludes taxes, fees, and sequence risk.

Solid: projected portfolio (real) · Dashed: FIRE target (real)

Compare Scenarios

Save your current inputs and compare Current + up to 2 saved scenarios.

Note: Saved scenarios are stored locally in your browser.

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Compare

Select up to 2 saved scenarios to compare with Current.

Year-by-year breakdown

Year	Portfolio (Nominal)	Portfolio (Today’s Money)	FIRE Target (Today’s Money)	Progress

Related calculators

Try these next for a deeper comparison.

Compound Interest Calculator Project long-term growth with recurring contributions. Investment Portfolio Growth Calculator Compare two contribution and return scenarios. Savings Goal Calculator Find the monthly amount needed to reach a target. Inflation Calculator Convert value across time using an inflation rate.

What this FIRE calculator measures

This calculator estimates your FIRE number and projects how long it may take to reach it. The FIRE target is derived from annual spending and your selected safe withdrawal rate.

It also shows progress over time in both nominal values and inflation-adjusted terms, so you can evaluate purchasing power, not just headline account balances.

Inputs that most affect your timeline

The strongest drivers are annual spending, contribution rate, and expected return. Lower spending and higher contributions usually move the timeline more than small changes in return assumptions.

Inflation also matters because it changes real purchasing power. A plan that looks strong in nominal terms can still be tight in real terms.

How to interpret the projection output

Use Years to FIRE as a directional planning metric, not a guaranteed date. Then review the year-by-year table to see progress against the real FIRE target.

If progress is slow, test adjustments one at a time: increase annual contribution, reduce spending assumptions, or extend the timeline.

Model limits to keep in mind

This model does not include taxes, changing withdrawal rules, asset allocation shifts, or sequence-of-returns shocks during retirement.

Use it as a disciplined planning baseline and rerun scenarios periodically as your spending, income, and market assumptions change.

Frequently asked questions

What is a FIRE number?

A FIRE number estimates how much invested money you need to fund your annual spending using a safe withdrawal rate. A common shortcut is: FIRE number = annual spending ÷ withdrawal rate.

Why doesn’t expected return change my FIRE number?

The FIRE number is a target calculated from spending and the safe withdrawal rate. Expected return affects how quickly you might reach that target in the projection, not the target itself.

Does this include taxes and fees?

No. This is a simplified estimate. Taxes, fees, and sequence-of-returns risk can change real outcomes.