Coast FIRE target
The amount invested today that could grow to the future retirement target under your selected assumptions, with no new retirement contributions in the basic test.
See how it is calculated →Free calculator · No account required
Coast FIRE Calculator
How much do you need invested today
for retirement later?
Enter your age, investments and retirement spending. See your Coast FIRE number, your investment gap and how your assumptions change the result.
Your starting point
Change any input. Your estimate updates automatically.
Your age today.
When portfolio-funded retirement begins.
$
Investments included in your retirement model.
$
Yearly portfolio-funded spending, in today’s dollars.
Model assumptions7% return · 3% inflation · 0.1% fees · 4% withdrawal rate
Your Coast FIRE estimate
Modeled Coast FIRE Target
$272,322
Below Modeled Coast Target
The amount invested today that is modeled to grow to $1,000,000 by age 65, without further retirement contributions.
Current investments$50,000Modeled target$272,322
18%$222,322 gap
Modeled portfolio projection
Modeled growth from age 30 to 65
Modeled portfolio value
Modeled Coast FIRE target
Modeled retirement target
| Age | Modeled portfolio value | Modeled Coast FIRE target |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | $50,000 | $272,322 |
| 35 | $60,211 | $327,933 |
| 40 | $72,506 | $394,901 |
| 45 | $87,313 | $475,544 |
| 50 | $105,143 | $572,655 |
| 55 | $126,614 | $689,597 |
| 60 | $152,470 | $830,420 |
| 65 | $183,606 | $1,000,000 |
Calculator results are educational mathematical estimates based on the inputs and assumptions entered. They are not guarantees of future investment performance or personalized financial recommendations.
Assumptions used in this calculation
Nominal return: 7.0%
Modeled real growth: 3.79%
Inflation: 3.0%
Investment fees: 0.10%
Withdrawal rate: 4.0%
Retirement spending: $40,000
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Useful next steps
Choose a focused calculatorExplore this result
Coast FIRE Date CalculatorFind the estimated month and year your portfolio reaches Coast FIRE based on your contribution rate.Coast FIRE Gap CalculatorCalculate your exact funding shortfall, progress percentage, and lump-sum or monthly savings needed.Coast FIRE Assumption LabStress-test your Coast FIRE number across return rates, inflation, retirement age, and withdrawal assumptions.Scenario ComparisonCompare multiple Coast FIRE strategies, career changes, or retirement spending levels side-by-side.
Continue in another model
Values use today’s purchasing power. Input helpView calculation assumptions
A simple starting point
How to use the Coast FIRE calculator
Start with the numbers you know. Use the same purchasing power throughout, then test a different scenario.
- 1
When will you retire?
Enter your current age and the age when you want portfolio-funded retirement to begin.
See how your starting age fits
Coast FIRE at age 30 - 2
What is invested now?
Use the investment balance included in your retirement model, separate from cash reserved for near-term spending.
- 3
What will you spend?
Enter yearly spending the portfolio needs to cover, in today’s dollars. Use a dedicated tool for pension or Social Security income.
- 4
What could change?
Change one assumption at a time and compare the target. A single projection cannot show the full range of future outcomes.
Explore a break in earnings
Coast FIRE after job loss
Make sense of your estimate
What does your Coast FIRE number mean?
Your Coast FIRE number is a target for your investments today. Your retirement target is the amount modeled for later. Here is how the two connect.
Build your portfolio
Reach a current target
Compare your invested balance with the modeled Coast FIRE number.
During the coast years
Cover life with income
The model assumes investments stay invested. Living costs still need funding.
At your retirement age
Compare the future target
Projected portfolio growth is compared with the target for retirement spending.
Gap or surplus
The difference between current investments and the modeled Coast target. A surplus is a comparison under these inputs; it does not establish that you can retire today.
Interpret the threshold →Retirement target
The portfolio amount at your selected retirement age, derived from annual retirement spending and the withdrawal-rate assumption.
Compare Coast FIRE with FIRE →Follow one worked example
How is your Coast FIRE number calculated?
Start with the retirement target, then work backward through the years available for growth. This example uses the same calculation engine as the tool.
Coast FIRE numberRetirement target ÷ (1 + real return)yearsRetirement target = annual spending ÷ withdrawal rate
The model’s real return is (1 + nominal return − annual fees) ÷ (1 + inflation) − 1. All rates are decimals in the formula.
Read the complete formula guide →FIXED EXAMPLE · SEPARATE FROM YOUR LIVE RESULT
Age 30, retiring at 65
- Annual retirement spending
- $50,000
- Withdrawal-rate assumption
- 4%
- Retirement portfolio target
- $1,250,000
- Return / inflation / annual fees
- 7% / 3% / 0.1%
- Real return / growth horizon
- 3.79% / 35 years
Modeled Coast FIRE number$340,403Calculated with the unrounded real return.
Replaces current inputs with this example, a $200,000 portfolio, the assumptions above and $0 future contributions.
Four inputs that shape the target
What changes your Coast FIRE number?
Spending, time and investment assumptions work together. Compare one change at a time to see what is driving your estimate.
- Retirement spending
- The annual amount the portfolio needs to cover in today’s dollars. It determines the size of the retirement target.Understand retirement spending →
- Real investment return
- Growth after the model subtracts investment fees and adjusts for inflation. Nominal return is the input before those adjustments.Understand real investment return →
- Withdrawal rate
- Annual spending divided by the retirement portfolio target. A lower selected rate produces a larger target for the same spending.Understand withdrawal rate →
- Time to retirement
- Selected retirement age minus current age. At a positive real return, a longer horizon reduces the current Coast FIRE target.Understand time to retirement →
Defaults are inputs, not predicted returns. Compare several scenarios to see how much the result depends on your assumptions.
Open the Assumption Lab →Same goal. Different starting ages.
How much do you need for Coast FIRE at each age?
The same retirement goal produces different current targets at different ages. This table holds retirement age at 65 and changes only starting age and annual spending.
Assumptions: 7% nominal return, 3% inflation, 0.1% fees and a 4% withdrawal rate. Rounded estimates in today’s dollars.
Explore Coast FIRE by age →| Current age | $40,000annual spending | $50,000annual spending | $60,000annual spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | $226,142 | $282,677 | $339,213 |
| 30Example above | $272,322 | $340,403 | $408,483 |
| 35 | $327,933 | $409,917 | $491,900 |
| 40 | $394,901 | $493,626 | $592,351 |
| 45 | $475,544 | $594,430 | $713,315 |
| 50 | $572,655 | $715,818 | $858,982 |
| 55 | $689,597 | $861,996 | $1,034,395 |
Learn at your own pace
Guides to understanding Coast FIRE
01→02→03→04→
What is Coast FIRE?
Understand what coasting means and how it differs from retiring today.
When have you reached Coast FIRE?
Interpret the relationship between your balance and the modeled target.
What happens after Coast FIRE?
Explore continued saving, changing inputs and ongoing living costs.
Coast FIRE vs FIRE
Compare a current Coast target with a portfolio-funded retirement target.
Straightforward answers
Coast FIRE calculator questions, answered
Find help with the numbers to enter, what the result means and how to compare assumptions.
Understanding Coast FIRE
What is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE is a retirement-planning concept: an existing investment portfolio is modeled to grow to a future retirement target without further retirement contributions. Income is still needed for living costs during the years before retirement. FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early.
Understand Coast FIRE →How do I calculate my Coast FIRE number?
First divide annual retirement spending by the withdrawal-rate assumption to get a retirement portfolio target. Then divide that target by (1 + the modeled annual real return) raised to the number of years until retirement. The calculator adjusts nominal return for investment fees and inflation.
Follow the formula →Does reaching Coast FIRE mean I can retire now?
No. A Coast FIRE target is the current amount modeled to grow toward a later retirement target. It does not establish that current living expenses can be funded from the portfolio today. The calculator also does not determine job, insurance, tax or account-access decisions.
Interpret the threshold →How is Coast FIRE different from FIRE and Barista FIRE?
Full FIRE models a portfolio intended to fund spending from the selected retirement date. Coast FIRE models the smaller current portfolio that may grow toward a later target. Barista FIRE incorporates ongoing work income that offsets part of current spending. The assumptions and timing matter in each comparison.
Compare FIRE models →Choosing your inputs
Should I include my 401(k), IRA or home in Coast FIRE?
Include retirement investments such as a 401(k), IRA and taxable investment account if they are part of your retirement model. Keep money reserved for near-term spending or emergencies separate if it will not remain invested toward retirement. A home value is not an invested portfolio balance in this model. Account-access rules and taxes need separate analysis.
Explore the detailed model →Does this Coast FIRE calculator account for inflation?
Yes. Enter the annual spending you want the portfolio to cover in today’s purchasing power. This calculator uses an inflation-adjusted return, so its targets and projected balances are also expressed in today’s dollars. Increasing spending for inflation again would mix two different units.
Explore inflation inputs →Can this calculator include a pension or Social Security?
The basic calculator models spending funded by the portfolio. Use the pension or Social Security calculator to enter recurring income and its starting age. Income that starts later can leave a spending gap in the years before it begins.
Model pension income →Testing your assumptions
What return rate should I use for Coast FIRE?
There is no single return that applies to every portfolio or future period. The default is a model input, not a forecast. Compare multiple return, inflation and fee assumptions and observe how the target changes. A constant-return projection does not reproduce market volatility.
Understand return assumptions →Does the 4% withdrawal-rate assumption guarantee retirement income?
No. The withdrawal-rate input converts spending into a mathematical portfolio target. It does not guarantee that withdrawals will last for a particular retirement period. Investment returns, inflation, taxes, fees and the timing of withdrawals can change outcomes.
Understand withdrawal rates →How does my age affect my Coast FIRE number?
Current age and selected retirement age determine the growth horizon. With a positive modeled real return, fewer years of growth produce a higher current target for the same retirement spending. If the real return is zero or negative, the relationship changes.
Compare starting ages →Saving and sharing
Can I continue saving after reaching the modeled Coast FIRE target?
Yes. The zero-contribution assumption isolates the growth of the existing portfolio; it is not an instruction to change savings. Adding contributions changes the projected balance and possible target-crossing date, while the basic Coast FIRE number still depends on spending, time and assumptions.
Explore what happens next →Are my calculator inputs stored or shared?
Calculations run in your browser. Copy Link puts your calculator inputs in the URL, so anyone with that link can see them. CSV and print exports include your displayed inputs and results. Loading an example replaces the inputs without publishing them. Question suggestions are a separate action; omit personal account details.
Read the privacy policy →Help make the calculator clearer
What question is missing?
Suggest a calculator question, flag an unclear result or describe a scenario you want to model. Use rounded examples and leave out personal account details.
Transparent calculations, documented assumptions
Explore the formulas, sources and limitations behind the Coast FIRE Calculator. Methodology version 1.2.0 · Methodology reviewed August 23, 2026.