FIRE Calculator
The number that makes work optional. Find your Financial Independence number and how many years of investing it takes to reach it.
About the FIRE Calculator
FIRE - Financial Independence, Retire Early - rests on one number: the corpus that can fund your annual expenses indefinitely without being depleted. It is derived from a safe withdrawal rate, commonly 4%, which implies a corpus of about 25 times annual spending. This calculator finds that target and estimates how long your current savings and monthly investing take to reach it.
FIRE number and timeline
FIRE number = inflation-adjusted annual expenses / safe withdrawal rate
- Safe withdrawal rate
- The share of the corpus you spend each year, commonly 4%
- Timeline
- Years until current savings plus monthly investing reach that target
Expenses are inflated to the year you reach independence, because a corpus sized for today's spending will not cover tomorrow's.
Using this calculator
- Enter what you spend in a year today.
- Add your current invested savings and monthly investment.
- Set the expected return, inflation and withdrawal rate.
- Read your FIRE number and the years required to reach it.
FIRE Calculator FAQs
What is the 4% rule?
It suggests withdrawing 4% of your corpus in the first year of retirement, then adjusting that amount for inflation annually. It came from US historical data, so many Indian planners use a more conservative 3-3.5% given different inflation and market history.
How do I calculate my FIRE number?
Divide your expected annual expenses by your safe withdrawal rate. At a 4% rate that means 25 times annual spending; at 3% it becomes about 33 times. Use inflation-adjusted expenses for the year you actually stop working.
Does the FIRE number include healthcare and one-off costs?
Only if you build them into annual expenses. Medical costs typically inflate faster than general prices, and a corpus sized on current spending often understates later healthcare needs. Adding a separate buffer is common practice.
What are lean FIRE and fat FIRE?
Lean FIRE targets a minimal-expenses lifestyle, so the corpus required is smaller and reached sooner. Fat FIRE targets full discretionary spending and needs a substantially larger corpus. Both use the same withdrawal-rate arithmetic.
How reliable is this projection?
It assumes a constant return and constant inflation, neither of which happens in reality. Sequence-of-returns risk - a poor market in the first few years after you stop earning - is the largest threat this simple model cannot capture.
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Important: this calculator provides general information and arithmetic only. It is not personal financial, tax or investment advice. Projected returns are illustrations based on the rate you enter, not guarantees, and market-linked investments can fall in value. Verify current tax rates and scheme terms before acting, and consult a qualified adviser where the decision matters.