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FIRE Calculator Pro

Guides

FIRE, explained with real numbers

Short, sourced guides to financial independence and early retirement. Every example is computed with the same engine as our calculators, and every outside statistic links to its source.

All guides

  1. Guide 01 Coast FIREWhat Is Coast FIRE? Meaning, How It Works and ExamplesCoast FIRE explained in plain English: the formula, the coast number by age, pros and cons, and how to know when you can stop saving.Read the guide
  2. Guide 02 FIRE numberHow to Calculate Your FIRE Number (Beyond 25x)The 25x rule, when it breaks, and how to adjust your FIRE number for Social Security, pensions, healthcare and early-retirement taxes.Read the guide
  3. Guide 03 4% ruleThe 4% Rule: What the Research Actually SaysWhere the 4% rule came from, what the Trinity study found, why early retirees often use 3.25% to 3.5%, and how our backtest compares.Read the guide
  4. Guide 04 Barista FIREWhat Is Barista FIRE? The Part-Time Path to FreedomHow Barista FIRE works, how much part-time income you need, health insurance before Medicare, and a worked example.Read the guide
  5. Guide 05 Fat FIREWhat Is Fat FIRE? Lean vs Chubby vs Fat FIRE ComparedFat FIRE defined, the spending tiers from Lean to Fat, what each needs at a 4% and 3.5% withdrawal rate, and tax drag at high spending.Read the guide
  6. Guide 06 Early retirementHow to Retire at 55: A Step-by-Step PlanHow much you need to retire at 55, the Rule of 55, bridging to Social Security and Medicare, and a sample plan with numbers.Read the guide
  7. Guide 07 FIREFIRE Statistics: Withdrawal Rates, Savings and BacktestsFIRE statistics from 98 years of market data and official surveys: how often withdrawal rates survived, retirement savings by age, and how long FIRE takes.Read the guide
  8. Guide 08 FIREWhat Is FIRE? Financial Independence, Retire EarlyFIRE explained: how financial independence and early retirement work, the math behind your FIRE number, the types of FIRE, and the risks to plan for.Read the guide
  9. Guide 09 Coast FIRECoast FIRE vs Barista FIRE: Which Fits Your Plan?Coast FIRE vs Barista FIRE compared with worked numbers: what each needs, how the work differs, health insurance, risks, and how to choose between them.Read the guide
  10. Guide 10 Early retirementHow to Retire at 40: How Much You Need and a PlanHow much you need to retire at 40, the savings rate it takes, how to reach your money before 59½, health cover, and a sample plan with numbers.Read the guide

Put a guide into practice

Each calculator runs your numbers through 2,000 Monte Carlo simulations and every historical retirement since 1928. See how they work on our methodology page.