Coast FIRE Calculator

Category: Retirement
- May 12, 2025
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Calculate how much you need to save to "Coast" to Financial Independence. Coast FIRE means you've saved enough that your investments will grow to your retirement goal without additional contributions.

Current Financial Information

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$

Investment Assumptions

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Typically 3-5%. 4% is the traditional rule of thumb.
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Historical average for a balanced portfolio is around 7%.
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Historical average is approximately 2-3%.

Understanding Coast FIRE

Coast FIRE is a milestone where you've saved enough that your existing investments will grow to your retirement goal without requiring additional contributions.

Key Concepts
  • Coast FIRE Number: The amount you need to have saved now so that it will grow to your FIRE number by your target retirement age
  • FIRE Number: The total amount needed to fund your retirement (typically 25x annual expenses with a 4% withdrawal rate)
  • Safe Withdrawal Rate: The percentage of your portfolio you can withdraw yearly with minimal risk of running out of money
  • Expected Return: The annual growth rate you expect from your investments, adjusted for inflation if selected
How to Use Coast FIRE

Once you've reached your Coast FIRE number, you have several options:

  • Continue working but only cover your current expenses (no more saving for retirement)
  • Switch to a lower-stress or part-time job that covers your basic needs
  • Pursue passion projects or start a business without worrying about retirement savings
  • Continue saving to reach traditional FIRE faster or increase your retirement income

Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates based on consistent returns and does not account for market volatility, sequence of returns risk, or other factors that could impact your actual results. Always consult with a financial advisor before making important financial decisions.

What Is the Coast FIRE Calculator?

The Coast FIRE Calculator is a Financial independence tool that helps you determine how much you need to have saved today so your investments can grow on their own until Retirement—without requiring any more contributions.

This concept is especially useful for people who want to stop aggressively saving and instead focus on covering current expenses through part-time work or a lower-stress job. Once you hit your "Coast FIRE number," your retirement is on track as long as you don't touch your investments.

How the Coast FIRE Number Is Calculated

FIRE Number = Annual Retirement Expenses Ă· Safe Withdrawal Rate

Coast FIRE Number = FIRE Number Ă· (1 + Real Return)Years Until Retirement

Real Return = (1 + Expected Return) Ă· (1 + Inflation Rate) - 1 (if not inflation-adjusted)

How to Use the Calculator

Follow these simple steps to get your Coast FIRE results:

  • Step 1: Enter your current age and the age you plan to retire.
  • Step 2: Input your current Investment portfolio value and your expected annual retirement expenses.
  • Step 3: Provide assumptions for your expected annual return, safe withdrawal rate (typically 4%), and expected inflation rate.
  • Step 4: Choose whether to adjust your expenses for inflation.
  • Step 5: Click "Calculate Coast FIRE" to see your personalized results, including graphs and yearly growth projections.

What the Results Tell You

  • Coast FIRE Number: How much you need to have saved today so your portfolio can grow to your retirement goal on its own.
  • FIRE Number: The total amount you’ll need saved by retirement to support your desired lifestyle.
  • Annual Growth: Projected portfolio growth each year, based on your inputs.
  • Status: Whether you’ve reached Coast FIRE already or how much more you need to save.

How the Calculator Helps You

This retirement planning tool simplifies the decision-making process by showing you:

  • Exactly how much to have invested today for a secure financial future.
  • Whether you can stop contributing and let your investments work for you.
  • How inflation, return rates, and retirement age affect your future independence.
  • Clear savings goals that support early retirement strategies or reduced work hours.

Unlike a basic 401K savings tool or a Roth IRA Calculator, this tool offers a unique perspective for those who want the option to scale back now while still ensuring a secure future.

Common Questions (FAQ)

What is Coast FIRE?

Coast FIRE stands for "Financial Independence, Retire Early" but with a twist—you’ve saved enough that, if left untouched, your investments will naturally grow to meet your retirement needs.

What’s the difference between Coast FIRE and traditional FIRE?

With Coast FIRE, you stop contributing but keep your funds invested. With traditional FIRE, you save aggressively until you can live off your portfolio immediately.

Can this calculator be used alongside a 401K Calculator or IRA calculator?

Yes. It complements Other tools like a 401K growth projection or Roth IRA growth estimate by giving you a new metric: your Coast FIRE number.

What does the "Safe Withdrawal Rate" mean?

It’s the estimated percentage you can safely withdraw from your retirement fund annually, often set around 4%. It’s a key part of retirement withdrawal calculators and income planning tools.

Does the calculator adjust for inflation?

Yes. You can choose whether to factor in inflation when calculating your retirement expenses, making it similar in flexibility to a financial retirement planner or post-retirement budgeting tool.

Why This Matters

The Coast FIRE Calculator isn’t just about numbers—it’s about giving you the freedom to make choices today with confidence. Whether you're using a retirement savings planner, a pension benefits estimator, or even a Social Security Calculator, knowing your Coast FIRE number adds clarity to your overall retirement strategy.

It also fits well with retirement withdrawal calculators, RMD rules, and annuity payout estimates—allowing you to align all your financial goals under one forward-looking vision.

Next Steps

Once you’ve calculated your Coast FIRE number, you can:

  • Adjust your savings to meet the target faster.
  • Plan to switch to part-time work or passion projects.
  • Review your projections regularly as assumptions change.
  • Integrate insights from other tools like an IRA savings estimate or future annuity income calculator.

This simple tool helps you take control of your future by showing you what’s possible—even today.