Calculate your Financial Independence number with Lean, Regular, or Fat FIRE — and see exactly how many years until you can retire.
If your monthly expenses are $3,000, your Regular FIRE number is $900,000 (25×). With $50,000 saved and $1,500/month contributions at 7% return (4% real), you'll reach FIRE in approximately 19 years. A 50% savings rate is the sweet spot — it typically gets you to FIRE in ~17 years regardless of income.
| Savings Rate | Years to FIRE | Lifestyle |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | 51 years | Normal retirement |
| 25% | 32 years | Early retirement possible |
| 50% | 17 years | FIRE sweet spot |
| 65% | 10.5 years | Aggressive FIRE |
| 75% | 7 years | Extreme FIRE |
| Monthly Expenses | Lean (20×) | Regular (25×) | Fat (33×) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $480,000 | $600,000 | $792,000 |
| $3,000 | $720,000 | $900,000 | $1,188,000 |
| $4,000 | $960,000 | $1,200,000 | $1,584,000 |
| $5,000 | $1,200,000 | $1,500,000 | $1,980,000 |
| $8,000 | $1,920,000 | $2,400,000 | $3,168,000 |
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. The core idea: save and invest aggressively until your portfolio generates enough passive income to cover all expenses forever. The 4% rule (Trinity Study) says you can safely withdraw 4% of your portfolio per year — so your FIRE number is 25× annual expenses. If you need $40,000/year, your target is $1,000,000. Lean FIRE targets minimal spending, Regular FIRE uses the standard 4% rule, and Fat FIRE uses a 3% withdrawal rate for luxury spending and extra safety margin.
The single most important variable is your savings rate — not income. A teacher saving 50% reaches FIRE faster than a doctor saving 15%. Use our Savings Goal Calculator for specific milestones, or 401(k) Calculator for US retirement accounts.
25× annual expenses (4% rule). $3,000/month expenses = $900,000. Lean FIRE uses 20×, Fat FIRE uses 33×.
Trinity Study finding: withdrawing 4%/year has historically lasted 30+ years. Your FIRE number = 25× annual expenses.
Lean: frugal, 20× (<$40K/yr). Regular: comfortable, 25× (4% rule). Fat: luxury, 33× (3% withdrawal, $100K+/yr).
50% savings rate = ~17 years. 75% = ~7 years. 25% = ~32 years. Savings rate matters more than income level.
Yes. Same principles globally. Use local tax-advantaged accounts: UK (ISA), Australia (Super), Canada (TFSA/RRSP).
50%+ is the FIRE target. Even 30-40% dramatically accelerates the timeline vs the typical 10-15% savings rate.
At 4%: $1M supports $40,000/year ($3,333/month). Enough in moderate-cost areas. High-cost cities may need $1.5-2M+.
A 50% savings rate gets you to FIRE in ~17 years regardless of income. Focus on the gap between income and spending, not just earning more.
Housing, transportation, and food are 60-70% of most budgets. Optimizing these three categories has far more impact than cutting small luxuries.
Total market or S&P 500 index funds with expense ratios under 0.10% outperform most active funds. Fees are the biggest drag on FIRE timelines.
Cutting expenses lowers your FIRE number (need less). Increasing income raises your savings rate. Both together are the fastest path.
Max 401(k), IRA, ISA, TFSA, or Super before taxable accounts. Tax-free compound growth accelerates FIRE by years.
Live on your projected FIRE budget for 6-12 months before quitting. "Coast FIRE" (stop contributing, let investments grow) is a safer middle ground.