Early Retirement Calculator
How much do I need to retire early?
The answer is simpler than most people think. Enter your monthly expenses below and find out your exact retirement number — the amount you need invested to never work again.
The honest answer to "how much do I need?"
The number most people need to retire early is between 20× and 33× their annual expenses, depending on how long their retirement needs to last and how conservative they want to be.
The most widely used rule is 25× annual expenses — based on the 4% rule from the Trinity Study, which found that a diversified portfolio can sustain a 4% annual withdrawal indefinitely under most historical market conditions.
If you plan to retire at 40 and live to 90, you need your money to last 50 years — which is longer than the 30 years the original study modelled. Most early retirees use a 3–3.5% withdrawal rate (28–33× expenses) to give themselves more margin.
The formula
Retirement Number = Annual Expenses × Multiplier
4% rule: Annual expenses × 25
3.5% rule: Annual expenses × 28
3% rule: Annual expenses × 33
What counts toward your retirement number?
Your retirement number should be in liquid, invested assets — not your home equity, not cash savings earning 0%, not your car. The reason: the 4% rule assumes your money is invested in a diversified portfolio generating returns. Cash sitting in a bank doesn't compound.
What counts
- Stock and bond index funds (ISA, 401k, brokerage accounts)
- REITs (real estate investment trusts) that generate passive income
- Dividend portfolios with predictable yield
What doesn't count (directly)
- Your primary residence — you can't withdraw 4% from a house you live in
- Cash in a current account
- Illiquid investments (private equity, some property)
This doesn't mean property doesn't help — rental income can reduce your withdrawal rate and lower the portfolio you need. But the FIRE number calculation starts with liquid invested assets.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 4% rule safe for very early retirement?
For retirements starting at 65 and lasting 30 years, the 4% rule has historically succeeded in over 95% of scenarios. For retirements starting at 40 lasting 50+ years, success rates drop — most early retirement researchers suggest 3–3.5% as a more conservative withdrawal rate. Our calculator lets you choose.
What if I have other income in retirement — pension, side projects, rental income?
Any guaranteed income reduces the amount you need to withdraw from your portfolio. If you'll receive $1,000/month from a pension, subtract that from your monthly expenses before calculating your FIRE number. A $5,000/month lifestyle with $1,000 in pension income only needs a $4,000/month withdrawal — requiring $1,200,000 instead of $1,500,000.
Should I account for inflation?
The 4% rule already accounts for inflation — the original Trinity Study used inflation-adjusted withdrawals. So your retirement number is in today's money, and the 4% rule assumes you'll increase withdrawals each year with inflation. What you should think about is whether your expenses in retirement will be higher or lower than today — children leaving home, mortgage paying off, healthcare costs rising.
How long does it take to reach the number?
It depends entirely on your savings rate and investment returns. At a 50% savings rate with 7% annual returns starting from zero, most people reach 25× annual expenses in roughly 15–17 years. The
amipoor.com calculator shows your specific timeline based on your actual salary, spending, and current portfolio.