Financial Independence, for People Who Want a Different Pace
Calculators and guides for FIRE — Coast, Barista, Fat, or income-based. Real math. No lifestyle influencer nonsense.
Still building toward FI
If you are running the numbers on when you could step back from full-time work — whether that is traditional early retirement, Coast FIRE, Barista FIRE, or dividend-income independence — the calculators here cover the math that generic retirement tools do not.
Already at or near FI
If you are past the accumulation phase and thinking about withdrawal strategies, tax-efficient drawdown order, or how to turn invested assets into monthly income that lasts, the Decumulator mode adapts the tools to your situation.
This site is written by someone actually navigating multi-source retirement income — a mix of guaranteed income streams, investment income, and the math that decides whether you have enough. That is not expertise in the credentialed sense. But it is real experience applied to the same questions you are probably asking.
Calculators
Coast FIRE Calculator
Find the portfolio balance where you can stop contributing and let growth carry you to FI by your target age.
Open calculator →Barista FIRE Calculator
Model part-time income + portfolio drawdown. See how much you need to cover the gap between expenses and earnings.
Coming soonFat FIRE Calculator
Higher spending targets, higher portfolio requirements. Plan for a comfortable early retirement, not a lean one.
Coming soonDividend Income Calculator
Build a portfolio of income-producing ETFs and see monthly distributions vs your expense target.
Coming soonSafe Withdrawal Rate Simulator
Test withdrawal rates against historical market sequences. See how 3%, 4%, and 5% survive the worst decades.
Coming soonGeo-Arbitrage Calculator
Compare cost of living between cities. See how far your FI number stretches in different locations.
Coming soonThe Editorial Approach
Every number in these calculators has a source. Historical market returns come from SEC investor.gov and the official data. Withdrawal rate research comes from Bengen, Kitces, and the Trinity Study. Cost of living data comes from Numbeo and Teleport. When data is approximate (it often is), we say so.
Calculator results never route to sponsored recommendations. No “click here for our partner Wealthfront” nonsense. Some guides may link to specific tools where genuinely relevant, but the calculators themselves are neutral.
Every calculator shows its assumptions in a methodology note. You can disagree with our defaults (7% real returns, 4% withdrawal rate) and override them in every tool. Methodology is public at /methodology.
This site is not financial advice. Not a replacement for a CFP if you need one. Not arguing that FIRE is right for everyone. Just the math, honestly presented, so you can make your own informed decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between Coast, Barista, and Fat FIRE?
Coast FIRE means you’ve saved enough that market growth alone will carry you to a full retirement portfolio by a target age — you no longer need to save, just cover current expenses. Barista FIRE means you leave full-time work for part-time or lower-stress work that covers living expenses while your portfolio grows untouched. Fat FIRE targets a higher annual spending level in retirement ($100K+ typically), requiring a proportionally larger portfolio. Each is a different answer to the same question: how much is enough?
Is this financial advice?
No. This site provides educational calculators based on publicly available data and established research (Bengen, Trinity Study, historical S&P returns). We are not licensed financial advisors. The tools help you think through scenarios — they don’t tell you what to do. If you need personalized advice for your specific situation, work with a fee-only fiduciary financial planner.
How current is the market data?
Default return assumptions (7% real, 10% nominal) are based on long-term historical averages. They are not predictions. ETF yield data is updated periodically from fund prospectuses. All data is year-tagged in our methodology page so you know exactly what vintage you’re working with.
What return rate should I assume?
The default is 7% real (after inflation), which approximates the historical long-term average of a broadly diversified U.S. equity portfolio. Conservative planners use 5–6%. Aggressive projections use 8–10% nominal. Every calculator lets you override the default. There is no “right” answer — lower assumptions are more likely to be met; higher ones produce more optimistic projections.
Are my inputs saved anywhere?
No. All calculations run in your browser. Your numbers (savings, income, expenses, withdrawal rates) are stored only in the URL hash on your device. We cannot see them. Copy the URL to share or bookmark your scenario.
Who built this site?
Oddlogix LLC, run by a US Navy veteran and former federal civilian with over 30 years in IT. Currently navigating multi-source retirement income (VA, planned FERS, projected Social Security, UK pension, dividend ETF distributions). Not a credentialed financial planner — someone actually living the math these tools model.
Is FIRE realistic for most people?
FIRE math works for anyone with a gap between income and expenses that can be invested. Whether it’s realistic depends entirely on income level, expense control, time horizon, and personal circumstances. The calculators don’t advocate for FIRE — they show you the math for your specific numbers so you can decide.