FIRE / Coast FIRE / Barista FIRE Calculator

Traditional FIRE targets full portfolio-funded expenses. Coast FIRE means your invested balance could reach FIRE by retirement age without major new contributions. Barista FIRE assumes part-time or lighter income covers part of expenses, reducing required portfolio size. This tool lets you compare all three paths with one input set.

Withdrawal rate directly scales your target portfolio. A lower rate increases required assets, while a higher rate lowers the target but may increase failure risk. Small rate changes can move FIRE timelines by years, so testing multiple withdrawal assumptions is essential.

Use both through scenario testing. Nominal return reflects market growth assumptions, while real return adjusts for inflation and often better reflects purchasing power. Running conservative real-return cases helps avoid overestimating timeline speed.

It is a deterministic projection from your current assumptions and does not simulate market volatility or sequence risk. Use it as a planning baseline, then stress-test with lower returns, higher spending, and contribution interruptions to evaluate robustness.

For many people, yes. Partial earned income can reduce early withdrawal pressure and smooth market risk in down years. This can improve flexibility while still reducing full-time work dependency. The calculator helps estimate how much portfolio gap part-time income can cover.

Update at least annually, or sooner after major income, spending, or market changes. Re-checking assumptions keeps your timeline grounded and avoids drift from outdated inputs. Consistent updates are more valuable than aiming for one perfect forecast.