Coast FIRE Calculator
Find your Coast FIRE number — the amount you need invested today so compound growth alone carries you to full retirement, even if you never save another dollar.
🔒 100% private — every calculation runs in your browser. Your numbers never leave your device.
Your numbers
Used to estimate how many years until you reach Coast FIRE.
Your Coast FIRE number
$—
What coasting looks like
Portfolio growth from today to your retirement age — coasting (no more contributions) vs. keep saving.
How sensitive is your number?
Same inputs, different real returns. This is why the return assumption matters more than precision anywhere else.
Coast FIRE numbers by age
Based on your inputs above. Younger = more compounding = smaller number.
| Age | Years to retirement | Coast FIRE number | Full FIRE number |
|---|
What is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE is the point where you've invested enough that compound growth alone will carry your portfolio to your full retirement number by your target retirement age — even if you never contribute another dollar. After that, your paycheck only needs to cover today's bills, not your future.
The math is a present-value calculation:
Coast FIRE Number = FIRE Number ÷ (1 + r)n
- FIRE Number = annual retirement expenses ÷ withdrawal rate (e.g. $50,000 ÷ 4% = $1,250,000)
- r = expected real (inflation-adjusted) annual return
- n = years until your target retirement age
Example: $1,250,000 ÷ (1.07)33 ≈ $134,000. A 32-year-old with $134,000 invested can stop saving for retirement entirely and still hit $1.25M by 65 at 7% real returns.
Methodology
This calculator uses the standard Coast FIRE present-value formula above. The "years until Coast FIRE" estimate assumes your current annual savings continue and grow at the same real return. The projection chart compounds yearly. All figures are in today's dollars (real returns are inflation-adjusted, so no separate inflation input is needed).
Estimates for educational purposes only — not financial advice. Actual market returns vary. Consider consulting a fiduciary financial advisor for personal planning.
Frequently asked questions
What is my Coast FIRE number?
It's the amount you need invested today so that, with zero further contributions, compound growth reaches your full FIRE number by your target retirement age. Enter your numbers above for an instant answer.
How is Coast FIRE different from regular FIRE?
Regular FIRE means saving ~25× annual expenses and fully retiring. Coast FIRE is an earlier milestone: you save enough that compounding finishes the job, then keep working — but only to cover current expenses. You reach freedom decades sooner, without quitting work entirely.
What return rate should I use?
Most planners use 5–7% real (inflation-adjusted). The US stock market has averaged ~10% nominal, ~7% after inflation, over the long term. Use 5% to be conservative. Compare all three scenarios in the sensitivity section above.
Do I stop investing completely after Coast FIRE?
You stop needing to invest for retirement. You still need income for living expenses. Many people downshift to lower-stress or more meaningful work, since each paycheck only has to fund today.
Is Coast FIRE the same as Barista FIRE?
No. Coast FIRE describes how much you've saved (enough to coast). Barista FIRE describes how you live after — working a low-stress part-time job, often for health insurance, while a smaller portfolio compounds. Barista FIRE calculator (coming soon)