FIRE calculator – when can you be financially independent?
Drag the sliders for capital, monthly savings, spending and return and see straight away how many years you have left to financial independence. Free, in Swedish kronor, and nothing you enter is saved.
Results
All Lifestyle Targets
Portfolio Growth Projection
Use your household's real numbers
With a Sambokoll account the calculator starts from your actual savings, spending and account balances — and you can see what a raise, a cheaper flat or a higher savings rate does to your date.
How the calculator works
- Your yearly withdrawal in retirement is today's spending × the lifestyle factor (lean 0.7, regular 1.0, fat 1.3) — or an amount you choose. Today's spending itself does not change.
- Target portfolio = yearly withdrawal × target multiple.
- Each year your capital grows by the real return and your annual savings (12 × monthly) are added: FV = PV·(1+r)^t + PMT·((1+r)^t − 1)/r.
- Years to financial independence is the first point where the portfolio reaches the target, to a fraction of a year.
- Part-time (Barista FIRE): pay during a part-time period is today's net income (spending + savings) × the working share, spending stays the same and the portfolio covers the difference. The calculator finds the earliest year you can go part-time so that the portfolio never runs out and has reached the target when the last period ends.
- Income changes: for a raise (or a period of lower pay) the net income changes by the given percent for the given years. Spending stays the same, so the whole difference is added to (or taken from) the yearly savings — also on a part-time salary — until you retire fully.
- Monte Carlo runs 1,000 market paths with 15 % yearly volatility and shows the success rate and the 10th, 50th and 90th percentile.
The calculation is an estimate, not financial advice. Returns are uncertain and past returns are no guarantee of future ones.
Levers that move your date
- Savings rate — Every krona you stop spending counts twice: it is saved today and lowers the target you need.
- Starting capital — Capital you already have compounds for the whole period; early money matters most.
- Return — Low fees and a diversified index fund raise the real return you actually keep.
- Target multiple — 25× follows the 4 % rule; 30× or more gives a larger margin for a long retirement.
What is FIRE?
FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) is a lifestyle movement focused on achieving financial freedom through strategic saving and investing. The goal is to accumulate enough wealth to cover your living expenses without needing to work.
The 3.3% Rule & 30× Multiplier
FIRE is traditionally based on the 4% withdrawal rate from the Trinity Study. From a Swedish perspective, a more conservative withdrawal rate of about 3.3% is often recommended — meaning you need 30 times your annual expenses — for a portfolio that lasts through a long retirement.
FIRE Variations
- LeanLean FIRE (70% of current spending) — Minimalist lifestyle with careful budgeting. Lower target but requires lifestyle adjustments.
- RegularRegular FIRE (100% of current spending) — Maintain your current standard of living in retirement.
- FatFat FIRE (130% of current spending) — Comfortable retirement with room for travel, hobbies, and discretionary spending.
Key Principles
Frequently asked questions about FIRE
What does FIRE mean?
FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. You are financially independent when the return on your savings can cover your living costs, so working becomes optional.
How much money do I need to be financially independent?
A common rule of thumb is 25–30 times your annual spending. The 4 % rule from the American Trinity Study gives 25×; many Swedish FIRE savers use a more cautious 3.3 % withdrawal rate, which gives 30×. If you spend 360,000 kr a year you need about 10.8 million kr at 30×.
How does the FIRE calculator work?
The calculator grows your current capital by the expected real return each year and adds your annual savings (the future value of an annuity), then finds the point where the portfolio reaches your target. With Monte Carlo enabled it also runs 1,000 simulations with 15 % annual volatility to show a range of outcomes.
What return should I assume?
Use a real return, i.e. after inflation. A globally diversified equity index fund has historically returned roughly 5–7 % a year after inflation, but future returns are uncertain — 4–5 % is a cautious assumption.
What is the difference between Lean, Regular and Fat FIRE?
Lean FIRE plans for 70 % of today's spending, Regular FIRE for the same spending as today, and Fat FIRE for 130 % — room for more travel and discretionary spending.
What is Barista FIRE, and can I plan for part-time work?
Barista FIRE means leaving full-time work before you are fully financially independent and working part-time for a while: the pay covers part of your spending and withdrawals from the portfolio cover the rest. In the calculator you can add one or more part-time periods — say ten years at 75 % — and see how early you can go part-time and when you are fully financially independent.
Is the calculator free and does it store my numbers?
The calculator is free and runs entirely in your browser; nothing you enter is saved. With a Sambokoll account it can start from your household's real savings, spending and accounts instead.