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FIRE Calculator: Years to Financial Independence 2026

Your FIRE number is $1,500,000.00 — 20.43 years away. With $60,000 of annual expenses, $100,000 saved, and $2,000 a month at 7% a year, financial independence is 245.14 months away. Enter your numbers to work out yours.

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FIRE — years to financial independence

FIRE is Financial Independence, Retire Early: the portfolio that can pay your expenses forever, and the wait to build it. The FIRE number is your annual expenses divided by your withdrawal rate — $60,000 a year at the classic 4% rule is $1,500,000.00. This calculator works out the FIRE number, the months and years to reach it, what you contribute, and what investment growth adds — with the expenses, savings, monthly savings, return, and withdrawal rate you choose.

Annual expenses ($)

What you spend in a year, in dollars. The default is $60,000.

Current savings ($)

What you have saved and invested already, in dollars. The default is $100,000.

Monthly savings ($)

What you save and invest each month, in dollars. The default is $2,000.

Annual return (%)

The average annual return on your investments, as a percent a year. The default is 7%.

Withdrawal rate (%)

The percent of your FIRE number you plan to spend each year in retirement. The default is 4% — the classic 4% rule.

FIRE number $1,500,000.00 — 20.43 years (245.14 months) to financial independenceFIRE number $1,500,000.00 — 20.43 years (245.14 months) to financial independenceWith $60,000 of annual expenses, $100,000 saved, and $2,000 a month at 7% a year, your FIRE number is $1,500,000.00 and you reach it in 245.14 months (20.43 years). You contribute $490,278.80 and investment growth adds $909,721.20.

FIRE number: $1,500,000.00

Months to FI: 245.14 months

Years to FI: 20.43 years

Total contributed: $490,278.80

Investment growth: $909,721.20

Lean FIRE (expenses $40,000): $1,000,000.00

Fat FIRE (expenses $100,000): $2,500,000.00

Coast FI (20 years): $371,403.07

Coast FI (10 years): $746,394.40

Monthly savings for FI in 10 years: $7,505.19

Monthly savings for FI in 15 years: $3,833.60

Monthly savings for FI in 20 years: $2,104.19

Max expenses for FI in 10 years: $21,885.43

Max expenses for FI in 15 years: $36,752.77

Max expenses for FI in 20 years: $57,829.09

Return needed for FI in 15 years: 11.44%

Return needed for FI in 15 years (exact): 11.4436

Return 0%: months: 700.00 months

Return 0%: years: 58.33 years

Already FI: years: 0.00 years

Branch: expenses $40,000: FIRE number $1,000,000.00, 190.72 months, 15.89 years

Branch: expenses $80,000: FIRE number $2,000,000.00, 286.41 months, 23.87 years

Branch: savings $0: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 289.14 months, 24.10 years

Branch: savings $250,000: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 194.99 months, 16.25 years

Branch: monthly savings $1,000: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 312.52 months, 26.04 years

Branch: monthly savings $3,000: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 204.17 months, 17.01 years

Branch: return 5%: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 295.29 months, 24.61 years

Branch: return 9%: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 210.44 months, 17.54 years

Branch: withdrawal rate 3%: FIRE number $2,000,000.00, 286.41 months, 23.87 years

Branch: withdrawal rate 5%: FIRE number $1,200,000.00, 214.59 months, 17.88 years

FIRE number $1,500,000.00 — 20.43 years (245.14 months) away. You contribute $490,278.80 and growth adds $909,721.20.

Expenses $40,000: FIRE number $1,000,000.00, 190.72 months, 15.89 years.

Expenses $80,000: FIRE number $2,000,000.00, 286.41 months, 23.87 years.

Savings $0: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 289.14 months, 24.10 years.

Savings $250,000: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 194.99 months, 16.25 years.

Monthly savings $1,000: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 312.52 months, 26.04 years.

Monthly savings $3,000: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 204.17 months, 17.01 years.

Return 5%: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 295.29 months, 24.61 years.

Return 9%: FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 210.44 months, 17.54 years.

Withdrawal rate 3%: FIRE number $2,000,000.00, 286.41 months, 23.87 years.

Withdrawal rate 5%: FIRE number $1,200,000.00, 214.59 months, 17.88 years.

Reverse: monthly savings to reach FI in 10 years are $7,505.19, in 15 years $3,833.60, in 20 years $2,104.19; the most annual expenses at $2,000 a month are $21,885.43 for 10 years, $36,752.77 for 15 years, and $57,829.09 for 20 years; and the return needed for FI in 15 years is 11.4436%.

Coast FI: $371,403.07 saved now grows to $1,500,000.00 in 20 years at 7% with no more contributions; $746,394.40 for 10 years.

Edges: at a 0% return it takes 700.00 months (58.33 years); with savings at or above the FIRE number it takes 0.00 years — already financially independent.

How the FIRE number works

FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. The FIRE number is the portfolio that can pay your expenses forever: your annual expenses divided by your withdrawal rate. At the classic 4% withdrawal rate, a $60,000-a-year lifestyle needs $60,000 ÷ 4% = $1,500,000.00. The years to FI come from monthly compounding: the monthly rate is the annual return divided by 12, and the months to FI are the logarithm of the growth needed, divided by the logarithm of the monthly growth factor. The total contributed is your monthly savings times the months, and the investment growth is the FIRE number minus your savings minus what you contributed.

At the defaults — $60,000 of annual expenses, $100,000 saved, $2,000 a month, 7% a year, 4% withdrawal rate — the FIRE number is $1,500,000.00 and it takes 245.14 months (20.43 years). You contribute $490,278.80 and investment growth adds $909,721.20. Growth does most of the work: almost two thirds of the FIRE number comes from compounding, not from your contributions.

Case	FIRE number	Months	Years	Contributed	Growth
Default ($60,000 expenses, $100,000 saved, $2,000/mo, 7%, 4%)	$1,500,000.00	245.14	20.43	$490,278.80	$909,721.20
Expenses $40,000	$1,000,000.00	190.72	15.89	$381,442.26	$518,557.74
Expenses $80,000	$2,000,000.00	286.41	23.87	$572,822.86	$1,327,177.14
Savings $0	$1,500,000.00	289.14	24.10	$578,283.07	$921,716.93
Savings $250,000	$1,500,000.00	194.99	16.25	$389,973.81	$860,026.19
Monthly savings $1,000	$1,500,000.00	312.52	26.04	$312,519.69	$1,087,480.31
Monthly savings $3,000	$1,500,000.00	204.17	17.01	$612,524.64	$787,475.36
Return 5%	$1,500,000.00	295.29	24.61	$590,582.50	$809,417.50
Return 9%	$1,500,000.00	210.44	17.54	$420,876.21	$979,123.79
Withdrawal rate 3%	$2,000,000.00	286.41	23.87	$572,822.86	$1,327,177.14
Withdrawal rate 5%	$1,200,000.00	214.59	17.88	$429,182.03	$670,817.97

The worked example, line by line

Setup: annual expenses $60,000, current savings $100,000, monthly savings $2,000, annual return 7%, withdrawal rate 4%.

Line 1 — the FIRE number. $60,000 ÷ 4% = $1,500,000.00.

Line 2 — the monthly rate. 7% ÷ 12 = 0.5833% a month.

Line 3 — the months to FI. ln(($1,500,000 + $2,000 ÷ 0.5833%) ÷ ($100,000 + $2,000 ÷ 0.5833%)) ÷ ln(1 + 0.5833%) = 245.14 months.

Line 4 — the years to FI. 245.14 ÷ 12 = 20.43 years.

Line 5 — what you put in, and what growth adds. $2,000 × 245.14 = $490,278.80 contributed, and $1,500,000 − $100,000 − $490,278.80 = $909,721.20 of investment growth.

Line 6 — the totals check. $100,000 saved + $490,278.80 contributed + $909,721.20 of growth = $1,500,000.00. Rounding convention: all figures are computed from unrounded values and rounded only for display — money to cents, years to two decimals, so a figure worked out from the rounded numbers can differ by a few cents from the figure shown.

Reverse: monthly savings of $7,505.19 reach FI in 10 years (at $7,505.18 it takes 120.0001 months, just past the mark), $3,833.60 in 15 years (at $3,833.59 it takes 180.0001 months), and $2,104.19 in 20 years (at $2,104.18 it takes 240.0002 months). The most annual expenses at $2,000 a month are $21,885.43 for 10 years, $36,752.77 for 15 years, and $57,829.09 for 20 years. The return needed for FI in 15 years is 11.4436% (at 11.4435% it takes 15.0001 years).

Every branch, checked

Expenses $40,000: the FIRE number is $1,000,000.00 and it takes 190.72 months (15.89 years) — Lean FIRE, and 4.54 years sooner than the default. Expenses $80,000: the FIRE number is $2,000,000.00 and it takes 286.41 months (23.87 years). Every $20,000 of annual spending adds about $500,000 to the FIRE number and about 3.5 years to the wait.

Savings $0: it takes 289.14 months (24.10 years) — starting from nothing costs 3.67 years. Savings $250,000: it takes 194.99 months (16.25 years) — an extra $150,000 saved cuts 4.18 years. Money already saved is worth more than money saved later, because it compounds for the whole wait.

Monthly savings $1,000: it takes 312.52 months (26.04 years). Monthly savings $3,000: it takes 204.17 months (17.01 years). An extra $1,000 a month saves 3.42 years; the next $1,000 saves another 3.42 years.

Return 5%: it takes 295.29 months (24.61 years). Return 9%: it takes 210.44 months (17.54 years). Two points of return are worth about 3.5 years each way — and the return is the lever you control least.

Withdrawal rate 3%: the FIRE number is $2,000,000.00 and it takes 286.41 months (23.87 years) — the same wait as $80,000 of expenses at 4%, because the math is the same. Withdrawal rate 5%: the FIRE number is $1,200,000.00 and it takes 214.59 months (17.88 years) — faster, but a 5% withdrawal is the riskier bet.

Lean FIRE and Fat FIRE: Lean FIRE at $40,000 of expenses is $1,000,000.00; Fat FIRE at $100,000 of expenses is $2,500,000.00. Coast FI: $371,403.07 saved now grows to $1,500,000.00 in 20 years at 7% with no more contributions, and $746,394.40 does it in 10 years.

Reverse — the other way round: monthly savings of $7,505.19 reach FI in 10 years, $3,833.60 in 15 years, and $2,104.19 in 20 years; the most annual expenses at $2,000 a month are $21,885.43 for 10 years, $36,752.77 for 15 years, and $57,829.09 for 20 years; and the return needed for FI in 15 years is 11.4436%.

What the defaults assume

The model assumes your investments return 7% a year on average, compounded monthly, with no taxes, no fees, and no inflation adjustment — the FIRE number is in today’s dollars, and your expenses are in today’s dollars too. It assumes you save the same amount every month, on time, and never touch the portfolio. It assumes the 4% withdrawal rate holds forever, which comes from the Trinity study: a stock-and-bond portfolio, withdrawn at 4% a year and adjusted for inflation, survived 30 years in nearly every historical test. It leaves out Social Security, pensions, and any part-time income in retirement, which all lower the number you need. With a 0% return the wait is linear: ($1,500,000 − $100,000) ÷ $2,000 = 700 months (58.33 years). With savings at or above the FIRE number the wait is 0 years — you are already financially independent. With $0 saved a month and $0 saved, you never reach FI. Rounding convention: all figures are computed from unrounded values and rounded only for display — money to cents, years to two decimals, so a figure worked out from the rounded numbers can differ by a few cents from the figure shown.

Output · formula · meaning

Output	Formula	What it means
FIRE number	annual expenses ÷ withdrawal rate	$1,500,000.00.
Months to FI	ln((FIRE + monthly ÷ monthly rate) ÷ (savings + monthly ÷ monthly rate)) ÷ ln(1 + monthly rate)	245.14 months.
Years to FI	months ÷ 12	20.43 years.
Total contributed	monthly savings × months	$490,278.80.
Investment growth	FIRE number − savings − contributed	$909,721.20.
Lean FIRE	$40,000 ÷ withdrawal rate	$1,000,000.00.
Fat FIRE	$100,000 ÷ withdrawal rate	$2,500,000.00.
Coast FI (20 years)	FIRE number ÷ (1 + monthly rate)²⁴⁰	$371,403.07 saved now, no more contributions.
Coast FI (10 years)	FIRE number ÷ (1 + monthly rate)¹²⁰	$746,394.40 saved now, no more contributions.
Monthly savings for FI in 10 years	the monthly savings that reach the FIRE number in 120 months	$7,505.19 a month (at $7,505.18 it takes 120.0001 months).
Monthly savings for FI in 15 years	the monthly savings that reach the FIRE number in 180 months	$3,833.60 a month (at $3,833.59 it takes 180.0001 months).
Monthly savings for FI in 20 years	the monthly savings that reach the FIRE number in 240 months	$2,104.19 a month (at $2,104.18 it takes 240.0002 months).
Max expenses for FI in 10 years	the most annual expenses that still reach FI in 120 months at $2,000 a month	$21,885.43 a year.
Max expenses for FI in 15 years	the most annual expenses that still reach FI in 180 months at $2,000 a month	$36,752.77 a year.
Max expenses for FI in 20 years	the most annual expenses that still reach FI in 240 months at $2,000 a month	$57,829.09 a year.
Return needed for FI in 15 years	the annual return that reaches the FIRE number in 180 months	11.44% (exact 11.4436; at 11.4435% it takes 15.0001 years).
Return 0%	same model, 0% return	700.00 months = 58.33 years (linear: (FIRE − savings) ÷ monthly).
Already FI	same model, savings at or above the FIRE number	0.00 years.
Expenses $40,000	same model, $40,000 of expenses	FIRE number $1,000,000.00, 190.72 months, 15.89 years.
Expenses $80,000	same model, $80,000 of expenses	FIRE number $2,000,000.00, 286.41 months, 23.87 years.
Savings $0	same model, $0 saved	FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 289.14 months, 24.10 years.
Savings $250,000	same model, $250,000 saved	FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 194.99 months, 16.25 years.
Monthly savings $1,000	same model, $1,000 a month	FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 312.52 months, 26.04 years.
Monthly savings $3,000	same model, $3,000 a month	FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 204.17 months, 17.01 years.
Return 5%	same model, 5% return	FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 295.29 months, 24.61 years.
Return 9%	same model, 9% return	FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 210.44 months, 17.54 years.
Withdrawal rate 3%	same model, 3% withdrawal rate	FIRE number $2,000,000.00, 286.41 months, 23.87 years.
Withdrawal rate 5%	same model, 5% withdrawal rate	FIRE number $1,200,000.00, 214.59 months, 17.88 years.

Who uses this

The saver with $100,000 and $2,000 a month: they learn the FIRE number is $1,500,000.00 and the wait is 20.43 years — so they know growth adds $909,721.20 and they contribute only $490,278.80, and they check whether $3,000 a month, at 17.01 years, is worth the extra $1,000.
The saver who wants FI in 15 years: they learn it takes $3,833.60 a month — so they know $2,000 a month is not enough, and they check whether $36,752.77 of expenses, the most 15 years allows, fits their life.
The saver who has hit Coast FI: they learn $371,403.07 saved now grows to $1,500,000.00 in 20 years — so they know they can stop saving and still retire on schedule, and they check the 10-year figure, $746,394.40, before deciding how much coasting they can afford.
The saver choosing a withdrawal rate: they learn 3% needs $2,000,000.00 and 23.87 years while 5% needs $1,200,000.00 and 17.88 years — so they know the safer rate costs 6 years, and they check the 4% middle ground before picking a rate they will live with.

Accuracy & limitations

The math is exact for the numbers you enter: the FIRE number is expenses divided by the withdrawal rate, the months are the monthly-compounding logarithm, the contributed amount is monthly savings times months, and the growth is the FIRE number minus savings minus contributions. What the model cannot do is know your real return: check the return, because 7% is a long-run average and any single decade can be far above or below it, and check the withdrawal rate, because 4% is a rule of thumb from the Trinity study, not a guarantee. It assumes no taxes, no fees, and no inflation, so the FIRE number is in today’s dollars. It leaves out Social Security, pensions, and part-time income in retirement. For how much you need to retire, see retirement number calculator; for projecting your savings, see retirement savings calculator; for the step-by-step guide, see how to calculate your FIRE number.

Cite this calculatorBright Side Kit. “FIRE Calculator: Years to Financial Independence 2026” brightoolbox.com, 2026. Method: FIRE number = annual expenses ÷ withdrawal rate; monthly rate = annual return ÷ 12; months to FI = ln((FIRE + monthly ÷ monthly rate) ÷ (savings + monthly ÷ monthly rate)) ÷ ln(1 + monthly rate); years = months ÷ 12; total contributed = monthly savings × months; investment growth = FIRE number − savings − contributed; Coast FI = FIRE number ÷ (1 + monthly rate)^months. Defaults: $60,000 / $100,000 / $2,000/mo / 7% / 4% → FIRE number $1,500,000.00, 245.14 months, 20.43 years, contributed $490,278.80, growth $909,721.20. Branches: expenses $40,000 → FIRE $1,000,000.00, 190.72 mo, 15.89 yr; expenses $80,000 → FIRE $2,000,000.00, 286.41 mo, 23.87 yr; savings $0 → 289.14 mo, 24.10 yr; savings $250,000 → 194.99 mo, 16.25 yr; monthly $1,000 → 312.52 mo, 26.04 yr; monthly $3,000 → 204.17 mo, 17.01 yr; return 5% → 295.29 mo, 24.61 yr; return 9% → 210.44 mo, 17.54 yr; withdrawal 3% → FIRE $2,000,000.00, 286.41 mo, 23.87 yr; withdrawal 5% → FIRE $1,200,000.00, 214.59 mo, 17.88 yr. Lean FIRE $1,000,000.00; Fat FIRE $2,500,000.00. Coast FI: $371,403.07 (20 yr), $746,394.40 (10 yr). Reverses: monthly savings for FI in 10 yr $7,505.19 (at $7,505.18 → 120.0001 mo); 15 yr $3,833.60 (at $3,833.59 → 180.0001 mo); 20 yr $2,104.19 (at $2,104.18 → 240.0002 mo); max expenses 10 yr $21,885.43, 15 yr $36,752.77, 20 yr $57,829.09; return for FI in 15 yr 11.4436% (11.4435% → 15.0001 yr). Edges: return 0% → 700 months, 58.33 yr; savings at or above the FIRE number → 0 years; $0 a month and $0 saved → never reaches FI.

Bright Side Kit. "FIRE Calculator: Years to Financial Independence 2026" https://brightoolbox.com/fire-calculator/ Accessed October 25, 2026.

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Frequently asked questions

What is my FIRE number?

$1,500,000.00 at the defaults. The FIRE number is your annual expenses divided by your withdrawal rate: $60,000 divided by 4% is $1,500,000.00. At $40,000 of expenses it is $1,000,000.00, and at $80,000 it is $2,000,000.00. The number is the portfolio that can pay your expenses forever at that withdrawal rate.

How many years until I reach financial independence?

20.43 years at the defaults. With $100,000 saved and $2,000 a month at 7% a year, it takes 245.14 months. Saving $3,000 a month cuts it to 17.01 years, and a 9% return cuts it to 17.54 years. Starting from $0 instead of $100,000 adds 3.67 years.

What is Coast FI?

The savings that grow to your FIRE number on their own. With no more contributions, $371,403.07 saved now grows to $1,500,000.00 in 20 years at 7%, and $746,394.40 does it in 10 years. Coast FI is the point where you can stop saving and still retire on schedule.

How much do I need to save a month to retire in 15 years?

$3,833.60 a month. At $2,000 a month it takes 20.43 years, so 15 years needs almost double the monthly savings. For 10 years it is $7,505.19 a month, and for 20 years it is $2,104.19 a month. A cent less than $3,833.60 misses the 15-year mark by 0.0001 months.

What return do I need to retire in 15 years?

11.4436% a year. At 7% it takes 20.43 years, so reaching FI in 15 years on $2,000 a month needs an 11.4436% return. At 11.4435% it takes 15.0001 years — just past the mark. A higher return is the least reliable lever: it is the one you cannot control.

What does the 4% rule assume?

That your portfolio earns enough to pay 4% a year forever. The rule comes from the Trinity study: a portfolio of stocks and bonds, withdrawn at 4% a year and adjusted for inflation, survived 30 years in nearly every historical test. A 3% rate needs a $2,000,000.00 FIRE number and takes 23.87 years; a 5% rate needs $1,200,000.00 and takes 17.88 years, but it is the riskier bet.