FIRE Calculator

Find out when you will reach financial independence. Enter your expenses, savings, and expected return — the calculator will tell you at what age you can stop working.

Age30 yr.
Monthly expenses1 500 €
Monthly savings500 €
Portfólio0 €
Annual return7 %
SWR4 %

What is FIRE?

FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is a movement of people who want to achieve financial independence as soon as possible — and thereby gain the freedom to choose whether they want to work, and if so, on what. It's not necessarily about stopping work at 40 and doing nothing. It's about having the option.

What is the FI Number?

The FI Number (Financial Independence Number) is the portfolio size at which you can live off the returns without ever running out of money. It is calculated simply:

FI = annual expenses withdrawal rate

At the standard 4 % withdrawal rate that means you need 25 times your annual expenses. If you spend €1,500 per month (€18,000 per year), your FI target is €450,000.

What is the safe withdrawal rate (SWR)?

The safe withdrawal rate (SWR) is the percentage of the portfolio you can spend each year without running out of money during retirement. The famous Trinity Study (1998) found that 4 % works reliably over a 30-year horizon. For a longer FIRE horizon (40+ years) some people use 3.5 %.

Frequently asked questions

What return should I enter?

The historical average nominal return of a broad stock index (e.g. MSCI World or S&P 500) is around 7 % per year before inflation. After accounting for inflation it is closer to 5 %. For a conservative estimate use 5–6 %, for a more optimistic one 7–8 %.

What if I have no savings?

No problem — enter 0 in the Current portfolio field. The calculator will work only with your regular monthly savings starting from zero. Time and consistency matter more than the starting amount.

Does the calculator account for inflation?

This version shows nominal values (without deducting inflation). For a more realistic estimate, reduce the annual return by the expected inflation rate (e.g. enter 5 % instead of 7 %) — you will get the real purchasing power of the result.