Coast FIRE Calculator
Find out if your existing investments have already guaranteed your retirement. Stop aggressive saving, downshift your career, and let compound interest do the heavy lifting.
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Select a financial persona or customize your specific numbers below.
📅 Age & Time Horizon
33 Years to Grow💰 Portfolio & Spending Goals
📈 Investment Return & Safe Withdrawal Rate
📈 Coast FIRE Compounding Growth Trajectory
Watch your current portfolio compound to your target retirement number with $0 in additional contributions.
📋 Year-by-Year Coast Milestones TableDetailed
| Age | Year | Projected Balance | Target Number | Status |
|---|
What is Coast FIRE and Why is it the Ultimate Career Freedom Milestone?
In the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) movement, most people fixate on Full FIRE: saving 25× to 30× their annual expenses so they can quit work entirely forever. But reaching Full FIRE often requires 15 to 25 years of extreme frugality and intense work.
Coast FIRE flips this timeline on its head. Instead of waiting decades to enjoy financial freedom, Coast FIRE identifies the exact point where the relentless mathematical engine of compound interest guarantees your traditional retirement without another cent of savings.
Front-load your savings in your 20s and 30s into broad-market index funds (S&P 500, Total Stock Market).
Reach the critical net worth threshold where compounding alone will grow to your full retirement number by age 60 or 65.
Drop your savings rate to 0%. Work only to cover your current living bills: take lower-stress jobs, sabbaticals, or freelance.
The Formulas Behind the Coast FIRE Calculator
Coast FIRE calculations are rooted in the time value of money, the Trinity Study Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR), and the Fisher Equation for real inflation-adjusted investment returns.
Example: If you plan to spend \$60,000/year and use the classic 4% SWR (25× rule), your Full FIRE number is \$1,500,000.
Example: With a 7% nominal stock return and 2.5% inflation: r_real = (1.07 / 1.025) - 1 = 4.39% per year.
Where 't' is the time horizon (Retirement Age minus Current Age). If you are 27 and plan to retire at 60, t = 33 years. Coast FIRE Today = \$1,500,000 / (1.0439)^33 = \$365,000.
Coast FIRE vs. Barista FIRE vs. Traditional FIRE
| Strategy | Portfolio Requirement | Ongoing Work Needed | Primary Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coast FIRE | Discounted Future Target (e.g. $100k-$300k early) | Must earn 100% of current living expenses ($0 to savings) | Zero career burnout, work in passions, no pressure to save |
| Barista FIRE | 50%–75% of Full FIRE number | Part-time work for supplemental income & health benefits | Shorter hours, benefits coverage, flexible schedules |
| Lean FIRE | 25× minimal expenses ($20k–$40k/yr) | 0 hours (100% retired) | Retire extremely early on ultra-frugal lifestyle |
| Full FIRE | 25× to 33× standard living expenses | 0 hours (100% retired) | Complete financial autonomy with comfortable spending |
Frequently Asked Questions About Coast FIRE
What is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is the milestone where you have already saved and invested enough money that your current nest egg will grow to support your target retirement through compound interest alone, without adding another dollar of contributions. Once you hit Coast FIRE, your earned income only needs to cover your day-to-day living expenses.
How is Coast FIRE calculated?
Coast FIRE is calculated by determining your Full FIRE number (annual retirement expenses divided by your Safe Withdrawal Rate, typically 4%), and then discounting that future target back to today's dollars using compound interest: Coast Target = Full FIRE Number / (1 + r)^t, where 'r' is your expected real (inflation-adjusted) annual rate of return and 't' is the number of years until retirement.
What is the difference between Coast FIRE and Barista FIRE?
Coast FIRE means you have completely funded traditional retirement through compounding and only need to earn enough money to pay 100% of your current living expenses (no more retirement savings required). Barista FIRE means your investments cover a portion of your current living expenses, but you still work a low-stress or part-time job (e.g., at Starbucks or a bookstore) to cover the remainder of your expenses and secure health insurance.
Should I use nominal or inflation-adjusted (real) returns for Coast FIRE?
You should always use real (inflation-adjusted) returns for Coast FIRE calculations. If you assume a 7% nominal stock market return and 2.5% inflation, your real annual purchasing power growth is approximately 4.39% (using Fisher's exact formula). Using real returns ensures your projected target reflects 'today's dollars', making it easy to budget for expenses without guessing future inflated prices.
What happens if there is a stock market crash after I hit Coast FIRE?
Sequence of returns risk is much less dangerous during the Coast phase than in full retirement because you are not actively withdrawing money from your portfolio. When markets decline, your assets simply compound from a lower interim valuation. To protect yourself, maintain a 6-12 month emergency fund in cash and consider continuing small contributions during deep market bear markets to capitalize on discounted share prices.
Does Coast FIRE account for Social Security or government pensions?
Our calculator focuses purely on your personal investment portfolio for maximum conservatism. However, if you anticipate receiving Social Security, state pensions, or rental income in retirement, you can reduce your 'Target Annual Spending in Retirement' by that guaranteed amount to calculate a lower Coast FIRE milestone.