Retirement Savings Calculator
Project your 401k/IRA balance at retirement and calculate your FIRE number. Includes employer match, inflation adjustment, 4% safe withdrawal rule, and Coast FIRE analysis.
Age & Timeline
Savings & Contributions
Your personal contribution (401k, IRA, etc.)
e.g. 50% = $0.50 per $1
Returns & Inflation
US stocks: ~10% nominal. Balanced: 6–7%.
Target Monthly Retirement Income
Used to calculate your shortfall or surplus.
Projected Balance at Retirement
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After -- of saving
Inflation-Adjusted Value
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In today's dollars
Monthly Retirement Income
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4% safe withdrawal rule
Years Savings Lasts
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At retirement spend rate
Total Employer Match
$0
Free money over career
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--
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vs target income
Balance Growth Over Time
Your contributions · employer match · investment growth — stacked
Year-by-Year Breakdown
| Age | Balance | Your Contrib. | Employer | Growth |
|---|
Monthly Expenses
Your expected annual spend = $48,000
25x (4% rule): Based on Trinity Study. Historically sustains 30+ year retirements. Best for traditional retirement ages.
Current Position
Your FIRE Number
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The portfolio size needed to retire
Years to FIRE
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At current savings rate
Coast FIRE Number
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Coast to 65 w/o new savings
Progress to FIRE
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Of FIRE number reached
Savings Gap
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Still needed
Lean FIRE vs. Fat FIRE
Lean FIRE
$2,500/mo spend · 25x multiple
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Your FIRE Target
$4,000/mo spend
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Fat FIRE
$10,000/mo spend · 25x multiple
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Coast FIRE Explained
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Savings Journey to FIRE
Portfolio growth vs. FIRE target — year by year
Understanding Retirement Planning
Key concepts behind the numbers this calculator uses.
The 4% Safe Withdrawal Rule
The Trinity Study (1998) found that withdrawing 4% of your portfolio annually — adjusted for inflation — has historically sustained a 30-year retirement. This implies you need 25x your annual expenses to retire safely.
Caveat: With early retirement (40+ year horizon), many planners use 3–3.5% withdrawal (28–33x) to buffer sequence-of-returns risk.
Sequence of Returns Risk
A market crash early in retirement is far more damaging than one later. Withdrawing from a declining portfolio locks in losses and accelerates depletion. Counter-strategies: bond tent (hold more bonds near retirement), cash buffer (1–2 years of expenses), or flexible withdrawal.
Tax-Advantaged Accounts (2025 Limits)
- 401(k): $23,500/year employee contribution limit. Employer match is on top. Pre-tax lowers taxable income now.
- Roth 401(k): Same limits. Contributions after-tax; withdrawals tax-free in retirement.
- Traditional IRA: $7,000/year ($8,000 if 50+). Tax-deductible if eligible.
- Roth IRA: $7,000/year. Income phaseout 2025: $146k–$161k (single), $230k–$240k (married).
FIRE Variants Explained
- Lean FIRE: ~$2,500/mo ($30k/yr). Frugal lifestyle, often in LCOL areas. FIRE number: ~$750k.
- Regular FIRE: $4–6k/mo. Comfortable middle-class lifestyle. FIRE number: $1.2–1.8M.
- Fat FIRE: $10k+/mo. Travel, private school, luxuries. FIRE number: $3M+.
- Coast FIRE: You have enough invested that — without adding more — it will compound to your FIRE number by traditional retirement age (65).
- Barista FIRE: Part-time work covers basic expenses while investments grow. Reduces savings pressure dramatically.