Coast FIRE Calculator – Financial Independence Retire Early
Calculate when you can coast to financial independence
How to Use
- Enter your current age and planned retirement age
- Input your current retirement savings amount
- Enter your expected annual expenses in retirement
- Set your expected investment return rate (typically 7-8%)
- Enter your safe withdrawal rate (typically 4%)
- Calculate to see if you can coast to FIRE
What is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) is a variation of the FIRE movement where you save enough money early that you can stop contributing to retirement savings and let compound interest carry you to your retirement goals.
Once you reach your Coast FIRE number, you no longer need to save for retirement. You can work part-time, pursue lower-paying passion projects, or simply reduce work stress knowing your retirement is secured through compound growth.
How Coast FIRE Works
The Coast FIRE number is calculated by working backwards from your retirement goal:
- Determine your FIRE number (annual expenses ÷ withdrawal rate)
- Calculate how much that amount will be worth today using your expected return rate
- That present value is your Coast FIRE number
- Once you reach it, compound interest does the rest
For example, if you need $1 million at 65 and you're 35 with a 7% return, your Coast FIRE number is about $131,000. Save that amount and you can coast to retirement.
Benefits of Coast FIRE
- More career flexibility earlier in life
- Ability to pursue passion projects or part-time work
- Reduced financial stress while still working
- Time to explore entrepreneurship or creative pursuits
- Better work-life balance during working years
- Security of knowing retirement is handled
Coast FIRE Strategies
To reach Coast FIRE faster:
- Maximize savings early in your career when possible
- Take advantage of employer retirement matching
- Invest in tax-advantaged accounts (401k, IRA, Roth IRA)
- Focus on low-cost index funds for steady growth
- Increase income through career advancement or side hustles
- Reduce expenses to accelerate savings rate
- Consider geographic arbitrage for lower cost of living
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between Coast FIRE and regular FIRE?
- Regular FIRE means you have enough saved to retire immediately and cover all expenses. Coast FIRE means you have enough that compound interest will grow your savings to your FIRE number by retirement age, even if you never contribute another dollar. You still work, but don't need to save for retirement.
- What's a realistic expected return rate?
- Historically, the U.S. stock market has returned about 7% annually after inflation. Conservative estimates use 5-6%, while aggressive ones use 8-10%. Most Coast FIRE calculations use 7% as a balanced assumption.
- Can I still contribute to retirement after reaching Coast FIRE?
- Absolutely! Reaching Coast FIRE means you no longer need to contribute, but any additional savings will let you retire earlier or with a larger nest egg. Many people use Coast FIRE as a milestone, not an endpoint.
- Is the 4% withdrawal rate still valid?
- The 4% rule (withdrawing 4% of your portfolio annually) comes from the Trinity Study and is based on historical data. Many experts still consider it reasonable for a 30-year retirement, though some suggest 3.5% for longer retirements or conservative estimates.