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Financial independence (FIRE) calculator

Work out your FIRE number (the wealth to live off your assets) and how many years to get there.

FIRE number
€600,000
Years to FIRE
27 years

Path to financial independence

Composition when reaching FIRE

Wealth€623,484
  • Contributed€279,20045%
  • Interest€344,28455%

Information, not tax or financial advice.

How the financial independence calculator works

This calculator answers two FIRE questions: how much wealth you need to live off your assets (your FIRE number) and in how many years you could reach it given your saving and return.

Where the FIRE number comes from. Divide your annual spending by the safe withdrawal rate. With the classic 4 % rule, that's your spending times 25.

Worked example (default values). You want to spend €24,000 a year, already have €20,000 invested, add €800/month and assume a 5 % real return, with a 4 % withdrawal rate:

  • FIRE number: €24,000 ÷ 0.04 = €600,000.
  • Starting from €20,000 and adding €9,600/year at 5 %, you'd take about 27 years.

Lower the withdrawal rate to 3.5 % and the target rises (more prudent); raise it and it falls (more risk of depleting the portfolio).

Bear in mind. Use a real return (net of inflation). When you sell to withdraw, the gain is taxed as a capital gain in the savings base.

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