Coast FIRE Calculator

Coast FIRE means you have already invested enough that compound growth alone will carry you to your retirement number — no more retirement contributions needed. Enter your portfolio, ages, spending, and expected return to see whether you are there yet, and how far you have left to go.

Current invested portfolio ($)

Current age

Retirement age

Annual spending in retirement ($)

Expected annual return (%) Default 7% is a long-run real (after-inflation) return for a stock-heavy portfolio.

Safe withdrawal rate (%) Default 4% — the classic 4% rule. FIRE number = annual spending ÷ withdrawal rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Coast FIRE?

Coast FIRE means your invested portfolio is already large enough that compound growth alone will reach your full FIRE number by retirement age — you never need to add another dollar to retirement savings. You still need income to cover living expenses until you retire; you just no longer need to save for retirement itself.

How is the Coast FIRE number calculated?

Coast FIRE number = FIRE number ÷ (1 + return)^years until retirement. Your FIRE number is annual retirement spending ÷ your withdrawal rate (4% by default, so 25× spending). Example: retire at 65, now 30, 7% return, $40,000/year spending → FIRE number $1,000,000, Coast FIRE number ≈ $93,663. With $100,000 already invested, you are past Coast FIRE.

What is the difference between Coast FIRE, FIRE, Lean FIRE, and Barista FIRE?

FIRE = you can retire now (portfolio ≥ 25× spending). Coast FIRE = your portfolio will grow to FIRE by retirement without new contributions. Lean FIRE = retiring on very low spending. Barista FIRE = semi-retired with part-time work covering expenses while the portfolio grows. Coast FIRE is the earliest milestone of the four.

What return should I assume?

7% is the common planning assumption for a stock-heavy portfolio after inflation (about 10% nominal minus ~3% inflation). Using a real return keeps all numbers in today's dollars, so your $40,000 spending means $40,000 in today's purchasing power. For a conservative portfolio, use 4–5%.

What is the 4% rule?

The 4% rule says you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement, then adjust for inflation each year, with a high chance the money lasts 30 years. That is why the FIRE number is 25× annual spending (spending ÷ 4%). It is a rule of thumb from the 1998 Trinity Study, not a guarantee.

Does reaching Coast FIRE mean I can quit my job?

Not yet. Coast FIRE means you can stop saving for retirement — but you still need income for rent, food, and bills until you actually retire. What it buys you is freedom: you can take a lower-paying job you enjoy, go part-time, or stop stressing about maxing out retirement accounts.

Is this Coast FIRE calculator free?

Yes — completely free, no signup, no downloads. It runs 100% in your browser, so your answers never leave your device. Results are estimates based on a constant return assumption, not financial advice — real markets fluctuate.