What's my FIRE number?

A FIRE number is the invested balance that could fund your annual spending at the withdrawal rate you choose. At 4%, that is 25 times spending. The rate stays on screen because a longer retirement often uses a lower rate. The result is in today's dollars. It is an educational model, not a prediction or advice.

4% is the familiar 25× rule, so the savings-rate comparison stays familiar. Longer horizons often use a lower rate. The calculator shows a suggested rate for your horizon. Bengen's 30-year worst case of 4.7% is a reference, not the default. Markets, taxes, healthcare, and longevity can change the outcome.

Savings rate is annual savings divided by annual savings plus annual spending. It is not savings divided by gross pay. A higher rate shortens the time to the FIRE number when the return and withdrawal rate stay the same.

This page answers one question: what balance funds this spending, and how long current savings and new contributions take to get there. The retirement calculator models accounts, Social Security or CPP/OAS, RMDs, and Monte Carlo. Use this for the FIRE number, then the retirement calculator for the account-level plan.