FIRE calculator: your FIRE number and when you reach it

Your FIRE number is what you spend in a year divided by a safe withdrawal rate. At €30,000 a year and 4%, that's €750,000. With €50,000 invested and €1,500 more each month at a 5% real return, you'd get there in about 20 years.

How the FIRE number works

FIRE (financial independence, retire early) means your investments can pay for your life. If you withdraw a fixed share of your portfolio each year, the portfolio you need is:

FIRE number = yearly spending ÷ withdrawal rate

At 4% that's 25 × your yearly spending; at 3.5% it's about 28.6 ×. The 4% figure comes from US studies of historical returns over 30-year retirements; for longer retirements or other markets, many people plan with 3–3.5%.

Example

€30,000 a year ÷ 4% = €750,000. Starting from €50,000 and adding €1,500 a month at 5% a year after inflation, the portfolio reaches €750,000 after 242 months, a little over 20 years.

Living across two countries?

Where you retire changes the number a lot: the same lifestyle can cost very different amounts in Germany and in India, and inflation differs too. Run the calculator once for each place you might live, in that country's currency.

Estimates for planning, not financial advice. Returns, inflation and taxes vary; review your plan regularly. Last reviewed 4 October 2026.