FIRE Calculator and Planner

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FIRE Calculator & Planner

Financial Independence, Retire Early

Plan Your Path to Freedom

This interactive tool helps you calculate your Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) number. Based on your savings rate, investment returns, and the famous "4% Rule," discover exactly when work becomes optional. Adjust the inputs on the left to see how small changes today impact your freedom date tomorrow.

Your Scenario Inputs

These are the "Green Cells" you can edit to model your future.

Personal Profile

Current Age

Target Retirement Age

Current Finances

Annual Income ($)

Annual Expenses ($)

Current Savings ($)

Annual Contribution ($)

Calculated Savings Rate: 12.5%

Assumptions

Investment Return (%)

Inflation Rate (%)

Safe Withdrawal (%)

Contrib. Growth (%)

Real Return: 3.88%

FIRE Goal Amount

$1,000,000

Expenses / Withdrawal Rate

Time to FIRE

22 Years

Based on current trajectory

Projected FIRE Age

52

Target Age: 55

Wealth Growth Trajectory

Projected Savings

FIRE Goal

Understanding the Graph

The green line represents your projected portfolio balance growing over time due to contributions and compound interest. The red line is your calculated "FIRE Number." Where the green line crosses the red line, you have achieved Financial Independence.

Annual Projection Table

A year-by-year breakdown of your journey. This engine uses your "Real Rate of Return" to project future wealth.

Year	Age	Start Bal	Contribution	Interest	End Bal	Status

Generated based on the FIRE Retirement Calculator Methodology.

Calculations are projections based on input assumptions and do not constitute financial advice.

FIRE And How To Retire Early

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FIRE Explorer

The Math Strategy Variations Reality Check

The Pursuit of Freedom

The Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement is a philosophy challenging the 40-year career timeline. It focuses on aggressive saving, strategic investment, and choice over necessity.

"A paradigm shift offering an alternative vision of life."

The Foundation

The 4% Rule & Your "Number"

At the heart of FIRE is the 4% Rule. This rule posits that you can safely withdraw 4% of your portfolio annually (adjusted for inflation) without running out of money for 30 years.

To find your freedom number, you multiply your annual expenses by 25 (the reciprocal of 4%).

• ✓ Calculated on annual spending, not income.
• ✓ Requires drastic savings rates (50-75%).

Your FIRE Calculator

Estimated Annual Expenses

$

Your FIRE Number (25x)

$1,250,000

Safe Withdrawal (4%)

$50,000/yr

Savings Target

25 Years

The Strategy Shift

FIRE isn't just about earning more; it's about a fundamental shift in how income is allocated. The goal is to maximize the "Savings Rate."

Traditional vs. FIRE Allocation

Standard advice suggests saving 10-15%. FIRE adherents aim for 50-75% to accelerate the timeline.

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Radical Frugality

Minimizing major costs like housing (geoarbitrage, downsizing) and transportation. Tracking and eliminating discretionary spending to boost the savings gap.

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Aggressive Investing

Focusing on low-cost, diversified index funds. The strategy relies on market growth over decades to compound the high savings rate.

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Income Maximization

Increasing earning potential through career advancement or side hustles to provide more fuel for the investment engine.

Choose Your Path

The movement is adaptable. Select a FIRE variation to see how the goals and lifestyles differ.

Lean FIRE

For those aiming for a minimalist, low-budget retirement. This often involves extreme frugality and lower nest egg requirements.

Nest Egg Comparison (Based on $50k Base Expenses)

The Reality Check: Risks & Critiques

While promising freedom, FIRE invites debate regarding sustainability. Critics point out several significant risks that early retirees must navigate.

Relative Intensity of Challenges

1

Sequence of Returns Risk

The danger of poor market performance early in retirement. A crash in the first few years can permanently deplete a portfolio, as selling assets at a loss destroys compounding potential.

2

Longevity & The 4% Rule

The 4% rule was designed for a 30-year horizon. Retiring in your 30s means the money must last 50-60 years, increasing the risk of outliving your savings.

3

Healthcare Access

Early retirees face a massive gap before qualifying for government programs like Medicare. High out-of-pocket insurance costs can wreck the budget.

4

Deferred Life Satisfaction

The psychological toll of extreme frugality. Sacrificing life experiences in your 20s and 30s for a future that is not guaranteed.

"FIRE is a powerful expression of the desire for self-determination."

Interactive Summary based on "The Pursuit of Freedom" essay.