Lean FIRE
A minimalist lifestyle requiring lower annual spending.
Desired Annual Spending
$
Required: $0
Begin Here · PhilosophyRetirement is not about stopping work.
Begin — find your number
Retirement is not about stopping work.
It's about creating choice.
Many people spend decades chasing retirement without ever stopping to ask what retirement actually means.
For some people, financial independence means leaving work completely. For others, it means working fewer hours, changing careers, starting a business, travelling, taking a sabbatical, pursuing creative projects, spending more time with family, or simply reducing stress.
The goal is not necessarily to stop working. The goal is to gain the freedom to choose how and why you work.
This tool helps you estimate the financial resources required to support that freedom.
Retirement is not an age.
Retirement is a number.
Once you understand that number, you can make more intentional decisions about your time, money, career, and life.
Module 00How to use this app
Learn as you go.
This is a step-by-step educational planner, not just a calculator. As you move through each section, short notes introduce the key ideas behind financial independence and long-term portfolio sustainability.
What you'll learn
- ›Withdrawal rates
- ›The 4% rule
- ›The 4.7% discussion
- ›Coast FIRE
- ›Barista FIRE
- ›FI age vs retirement age
- ›Longevity planning
- ›Monte Carlo simulations
- ›Portfolio sustainability
- ›Money, work & freedom
Take your time
The explanations are included intentionally. By the end, you should have a clearer view of your Freedom Number, the assumptions that shape it, and the options that may open up over time — not just what the number is, but why it matters.
Module 01Discover
Retirement is not an age.
Your Freedom Number is the invested capital required to support your lifestyle indefinitely. Let's calculate the exact threshold.
Monthly Spending$0/mo
Most people budget monthly, not annually. Enter your estimated monthly retirement expenses below — we'll automatically convert them into annual spending for your calculations.
- $/mo
- $/mo
- $/mo
- $/mo
- $/mo
- $/mo
- $/mo
- $/mo
- $/mo
- $/mo
Annual Spending$0/yr
Enter Expenses in Today's Money?
Your spending estimates should reflect what you would spend in today's currency and purchasing power. The investment growth assumptions used throughout the app (5%, 6%, and 7%) are real returns — already net of inflation.
Because inflation is built into the growth assumptions, there is no need to inflate future expenses manually. If you'd spend roughly $5,000/month today, enter $5,000/month. Monte Carlo and sustainability calculations all run in real (inflation-adjusted) terms, so inflation is never applied twice.
Withdrawal RateStandard
4.0%
The 4% Rule originated from the Trinity Study, published in 1998, which examined historical market returns between 1926–1995 across multiple portfolio allocations and 30-year retirement durations. It became the foundation of modern retirement planning.
The Formula
Freedom Number = Required Income ÷ Withdrawal Rate
$0 ÷ 4.0% = $0
Your Freedom Number
$0
Once your invested portfolio reaches approximately $0, it may sustain $0 of gross annual income under a 4.0% withdrawal strategy.
Possibility· Stage 02 of 05
Financial independence
Module 02Trajectory
How close are you?
Let's estimate how long it may take to reach your Freedom Number based on what you have today.
Current Age35
Desired Retirement Age
Custom
Current Portfolio Value
$
Annual Contributions
$
What counts as annual savings?
Include everything invested or set aside for the long term — your personal contributions plus any employer match.
Include
- ✓ Workplace retirement plans
- ✓ Pension contributions
- ✓ 401(k), SIPP, ISA, RRSP
- ✓ Brokerage / after-tax investments
- ✓ Employer matching contributions
- ✓ Other long-term investment vehicles
Don't include
- ✗ Emergency fund cash
- ✗ Checking account balances
- ✗ Short-term spending money
- ✗ One-off windfalls (unless reinvested)
Calculate My Savings RateOptional · ~30 seconds›
Calculate My Savings Rate
Optional · ~30 seconds
Savings Rate = Total Annual Savings ÷ Total Gross Compensation (salary + bonus + employer match).
Gross Compensation
Salary
$
Bonus
$
What You Save Each Year
Your Contributions
$
Pension, 401(k), SIPP, ISA, brokerage…
Employer Match
$
Money your employer adds on top.
Total Annual Savings (calculated)
$0
$0 you
+ $0 employer
+ $0 employer
Annual Savings Used Throughout App
$0
✓ Matches your total above. This single figure drives FI projections, Coast FIRE, Monte Carlo, and What-If scenarios.
Why include employer match?
Employer match is real money invested on your behalf. It compounds in your portfolio just like your own contributions, so for long-term planning it should be included in both your annual savings and your savings rate.
Reference bands (educational only)
0–10%Building habits
10–20%Solid
20–30%Strong
30–50%Aggressive (pursuing FI)
50–50+%Very high savings rate
Rule-of-thumb only. Individual circumstances vary widely.
Why is savings rate based on gross income?›
Gross Savings Rate (default)
Total Annual Savings ÷ Total Gross Compensation (salary + bonus + employer match). This is the standard used across most FI / FIRE planning resources.
Why gross?
Gross compensation creates a consistent benchmark across regions because tax rates, pension systems, and healthcare costs vary widely by country and personal situation. Using gross income lets people compare savings habits on a like-for-like basis.
Net Savings Rate (alternative)
Total Annual Savings ÷ Take-Home Pay. Useful for personal budgeting and cash-flow management, but harder to benchmark against published FIRE guidance because tax systems differ so much.
Example: £250k salary + £75k bonus + £16k match = £341k comp. £121k saved ÷ £341k = 35.5% gross.
Neither method is universally "correct" — this tool defaults to gross because it is the most commonly used methodology in FIRE and retirement planning literature.
Expected Real ReturnModerate
6%
A commonly used planning assumption for long-term retirement modelling.
Longevity targetAge 90
The age you want your plan to cover. Pick a number that feels conservative — it's better to over-plan than to under-plan.
Your retirement horizon
30 years
Your portfolio is expected to fund spending from age 60 through age 90.
Living longer is generally a good problem to have — but it means your investments may need to support spending for many decades.
Progress toward freedom
0%Portfolio: $0Target: $0
FI Age
35
Years Left
Now
At Age 60
$0
Scenario Comparison
Conservative
Age 35
5%
Moderate
Age 35
6%
Optimistic
Age 35
7%
Insight
Based on your assumptions, you may achieve financial independence before your planned retirement age of 60. Remember: retirement is not determined by age — it's determined by whether your assets can support your spending.
What is FIRE?
Financial Independence, Retire Early. The goal isn't necessarily to stop working — it's to gain freedom of choice.
65+Traditional Retirement
50–60Early Retirement
Any AgeFinancial Independence
Optionality· Stage 03 of 05
FIRE pathways
Module 03Pathways
Which path fits you?
There is no single version of FIRE. Different people pursue different levels of independence.
Age 35
Coast FIRE
Your investments are large enough to compound to target without further contributions.
Your Coast FIRE №
$0
Current Portfolio
$0
Gap
$0
Progress
0%
Probability of Achieving Coast FIRE
Based on your current portfolio and assumed returns, the probability that compounding alone could grow your investments to your target by age 60.
You are 0% of the way to Coast FIRE.
At your current savings rate, you may reach Coast FIRE in approximately Now.
You would need approximately $0 invested today for compounding alone to grow to your Freedom Number ($0) by age 60. Your current gap is approximately $0.
What does Coast FIRE mean?
Coast FIRE does not mean you can stop working immediately. It means you may no longer need to keep contributing aggressively to retirement investments — your existing portfolio can "coast" toward your future target through compounding alone.
Someone who reaches Coast FIRE might choose to:
- Take a lower-paid but more meaningful job
- Start a business or take a sabbatical
- Work part-time or change careers
- Spend more time with family and reduce burnout
- Continue working but save less aggressively
The key idea: don't touch the portfolio — let it keep growing until your target age.
Important: Having enough money vs accessing your money
This planner estimates whether your portfolio may be large enough to support your target spending. However, not all investment accounts are equally accessible.
Some retirement accounts, pension schemes, and tax-advantaged vehicles may have age restrictions, withdrawal rules, taxes, or penalties that affect when funds can be accessed.
If your Financial Independence age is significantly earlier than traditional retirement age, consider how your assets are distributed between:
- Taxable investment accounts
- Retirement accounts
- Cash reserves
- Other income sources
This planner focuses on portfolio sufficiency and does not model account-specific withdrawal rules.
Barista FIRE
Combine investment income with part-time or passion-based work.
Expected Part-Time Income
$
Adjusted target: $0
Important: Having enough money vs accessing your money
This planner estimates whether your portfolio may be large enough to support your target spending. However, not all investment accounts are equally accessible.
Some retirement accounts, pension schemes, and tax-advantaged vehicles may have age restrictions, withdrawal rules, taxes, or penalties that affect when funds can be accessed.
If your Financial Independence age is significantly earlier than traditional retirement age, consider how your assets are distributed between:
- Taxable investment accounts
- Retirement accounts
- Cash reserves
- Other income sources
This planner focuses on portfolio sufficiency and does not model account-specific withdrawal rules.
Traditional FIRE
Full financial independence before traditional retirement age.
Required: $0
Important: Having enough money vs accessing your money
This planner estimates whether your portfolio may be large enough to support your target spending. However, not all investment accounts are equally accessible.
Some retirement accounts, pension schemes, and tax-advantaged vehicles may have age restrictions, withdrawal rules, taxes, or penalties that affect when funds can be accessed.
If your Financial Independence age is significantly earlier than traditional retirement age, consider how your assets are distributed between:
- Taxable investment accounts
- Retirement accounts
- Cash reserves
- Other income sources
This planner focuses on portfolio sufficiency and does not model account-specific withdrawal rules.
Fat FIRE
A higher-spending version for greater flexibility and lifestyle choices.
Desired Annual Spending
$
Required: $0
Module 04Simulator
What happens if…
Testing changes against your current plan. All adjustments below are measured relative to the inputs you've already entered.
Your current planBaseline
Current portfolio$0
Annual savings$0/yr
Expected return6.0%
Retirement age60
Freedom number$0
Projected FI age35.0
Live scenario
Matches your current plan
Additional Annual Savings· $0/yrno change
Expected Return· 6.0%no change
Retirement Spending Reduction· $0no change
Retirement Age· Age 60no change
Current Portfolio· $0no change
New FI Age
35.0
Already FI
Timeline Impact
0.0 yr
vs your baseline plan
Biggest levers in your plan
Calculated from your inputs — these numbers update as your plan changes.
Reducing monthly spending by $50 would lower your Freedom Number by $15K at your 4.0% withdrawal rate.
Biggest Lever
Your biggest opportunity is Add $10,000/yr to savings. This single change could move your Financial Independence date forward by approximately 0.0 years.
Probabilistic FI Age (Monte Carlo)
Most Likely FI Age
36
Likely Range (p10–p90)
36–36
Probability of FI by age 55100%
Probability of FI by age 60100%
Probability of FI by age 65100%
Probability of FI by age 70100%
Unlike the deterministic estimate above, this accounts for year-to-year market variability and sequence-of-returns risk across 2,000 simulated paths.
Freedom MeterNot Started
StartBuildingOn TrackApproachingFree
Financial Independence is not about quitting work. It's about creating options — to pursue meaningful work, reduce stress, or retire entirely.
Retirement is not an age. It's a number.
Baseline PlanBased on Baseline Plan
Projected Portfolio at Retirement Age (60)
$0
You are projected to reach Financial Independence at age 35. If you continue working and investing until age 60 (25 extra years), your portfolio could grow to approximately $0.
This assumes
Current Age35
Projection Age60
Starting Portfolio$0
Annual Savings$0/yr
Expected Return6.0%
Time Horizon25 yr
How was this calculated?›
Starting portfolio$0
+ Annual contributions$0/yr × 25 yr
× Compound growth6.0% over 25 yr
= Projected portfolio$0
Deterministic projection using a constant annual return. For market-variability modeling, see the Monte Carlo panel above.
Confidence· Stage 04 of 05
Retirement sustainability
Two retirees, same average return — very different outcomes.
Two retirees may earn the same average return over 30 years. The person who experiences poor market returns early in retirement may run out of money significantly sooner.
This is known as sequence-of-returns risk: the order in which returns occur matters as much as the average. Withdrawing from a falling portfolio locks in losses you can't recover from.
The Monte Carlo simulations below test thousands of possible market paths — including the bad ones — to estimate how robust your plan really is.
Module 05Forecast
When could you reach financial independence?
Projected Financial Independence Age
36
Best Case
36
If markets perform well
Expected
36
Based on your assumptions
Conservative
36
If markets underperform
You may achieve financial independence approximately 24 years before traditional retirement age. This creates the possibility of:
- ✓Career flexibility
- ✓Sabbaticals
- ✓Reduced work intensity
- ✓Entrepreneurship
- ✓Earlier retirement
- ✓Greater freedom of choice
Can you reach your Freedom Number?
Across 2,000 simulated market paths, the share of paths in which your portfolio reaches your Freedom Number by each age.
Reach FI by 55
100%Excellent
Reach FI by 60
100%Excellent
Reach FI by 65
100%Excellent
What's the chance your money lasts?
Your current plan
If you begin drawing income at age 60, your portfolio has a 100% chance of funding retirement spending through age 90.
You may reach financial independence at age 35 — 25 years before withdrawals begin. Those extra years of growth are already reflected in this number.
100%
Very Strong
Based on 2,000 market simulations using your assumptions.
Your retirement assumptions
- Projected FI age
- 35
- Planned retirement age
- 60
- Withdrawals begin
- Age 60
- Longevity target
- 90
- Retirement duration
- 30 years
- Withdrawal rate
- 4.0%
Portfolio survival curve
Probability your portfolio is still funding retirement at each age, from retirement (age 60) through your planning horizon (age 90).
Age 60
100%
Age 65
100%
Age 70
100%
Age 75
100%
Age 80
100%
Age 85
100%
Age 90
100%
Extreme longevity stress testOptional scenario
If you live to age 105, your portfolio has a 100% chance of still funding retirement.
This stress test evaluates a much longer retirement period than originally planned. It is intended to assess resilience against extreme longevity risk, not your primary retirement scenario.
Simulation assumptions
- Simulations
- 2,000 runs
- Expected return
- 6.0%
- Market volatility (σ)
- 12% (Moderate)
- Withdrawal rate
- 4.0%
- Return convention
- Real (inflation-adjusted)
- Inflation handling
- Returns & spending both in today's dollars
- Retirement start age
- 60
- Life expectancy target
- 90
- Primary horizon
- Age 60 → 90 (30 yrs)
- Stress test horizon
- Age 105
How could you improve your odds?
We tested several changes against your plan. Here's what would move the needle most.
No single action stands out
None of the changes we tested improved your confidence by more than 5 percentage points — the threshold below which differences are indistinguishable from Monte Carlo simulation noise. Your plan is broadly stable to small adjustments.
Similar impact (within simulation noise)
These changes moved confidence by less than 5 points, so we can't reliably rank them against each other. Treat them as roughly equivalent and choose based on what fits your life.
Savings
Action
Save an additional $500 per month
$0/mo$500/mo
Impact
Current Plan
Projected Financial Independence Age
36
Confidence Score
100%
With Suggested Change
Projected Financial Independence Age
36
Confidence Score
100%
Why this helps
Additional contributions accelerate compounding and reduce the amount of future growth required.
What this could mean for you
Builds a stronger margin against market downturns.
Savings
Action
Save an additional $250 per month
$0/mo$250/mo
Impact
Current Plan
Projected Financial Independence Age
36
Confidence Score
100%
With Suggested Change
Projected Financial Independence Age
36
Confidence Score
100%
Why this helps
Additional contributions accelerate compounding and reduce the amount of future growth required.
What this could mean for you
Builds a stronger margin against market downturns.
Spending
Action
Reduce retirement spending by 10%
$0/yr$0/yr
Impact
Current Plan
Freedom Number
$0
Confidence Score
100%
With Suggested Change
Freedom Number
$0
Confidence Score
100%
Why this helps
A lower spending target reduces the size of the portfolio required to support retirement.
What this could mean for you
Reduces the savings pressure required to retire on schedule.
Spending
Action
Reduce retirement spending by 5%
$0/yr$0/yr
Impact
Current Plan
Freedom Number
$0
Confidence Score
100%
With Suggested Change
Freedom Number
$0
Confidence Score
100%
Why this helps
A lower spending target reduces the size of the portfolio required to support retirement.
What this could mean for you
Reduces the savings pressure required to retire on schedule.
Retirement Timing
Action
Begin portfolio withdrawals 2 years later
Withdrawals start age 60Withdrawals start age 62
Impact
Current Plan
Confidence Score
100%
Portfolio Survival to Age 95
100%
With Suggested Change
Confidence Score
100%
Portfolio Survival to Age 95
100%
Why this helps
Delaying when you start drawing income gives your portfolio 2 additional years of growth and 2 fewer years to fund. This is about when you start withdrawals — not when you become financially independent.
What this could mean for you
Strengthens portfolio resilience against poor early-retirement market sequences.
An extra $100/week invested over 20 years could add roughly $191K to your future portfolio. Small changes, consistently applied, create significant long-term freedom.
Adjust market volatility assumption
Freedom· Stage 05 of 05
Freedom dashboard
Module ◆Freedom Dashboard
Freedom is closer than you think.
Your Freedom Journey
Financial independence and retirement are not the same thing.
- 01TodayAge35Current Age
You are here.
↓ - 02Financial IndependenceAge35Work becomes optional
Your portfolio reaches your Freedom Number. You may continue working, change careers, reduce hours, or pursue other opportunities.
↓ - 03Planned RetirementAge60Withdrawals begin
This is the age you've chosen to begin drawing income from your portfolio. Retirement is a personal decision, not a financial requirement.
↓ - 04Longevity TargetAge90Portfolio must last
Your retirement plan assumes your portfolio continues funding spending through age 90.
Freedom Window
25
Years
The period between Financial Independence and Planned Retirement. During this time, work becomes increasingly optional and your flexibility increases.
What this means
You may reach Financial Independence 25 years before your planned retirement age. During this window, work becomes optional. You could:
- ✓Continue working
- ✓Change careers
- ✓Reduce hours
- ✓Start a business
- ✓Take a sabbatical
- ✓Pursue passion projects
Freedom Gained
You may achieve Financial Independence approximately 25 years earlier than your planned retirement age of 60.
Compared to a traditional retirement age of 65, that's approximately 30 years earlier.
- ✓More career flexibility
- ✓More time with family
- ✓Greater ability to take risks
- ✓Reduced financial stress
- ✓Increased life optionality
Freedom Number
$0
Current Portfolio
$0
Projected FI Age
35
Plan Confidence
100%
Coast FIRE
0%
Barista FIRE
Age 35
Edit your assumptions
Jump straight back to any input — small adjustments often shift the picture more than you'd expect.
Current Progress0%
$0 of $0 Freedom Number.
What your progress could unlock
Based on your projections:
- ✓Coast FIRE by 35
- ✓Reduced retirement savings pressure by 35
- ✓Barista FIRE by 35
- ✓Full Financial Independence by 35
What if you never saved another dollar?
Portfolio today
$0
At age 60
$0
Coast FIRE status: Achieved
A glimpse at the quiet power of compounding — not a recommendation.
Ready to Go Deeper?
Your dashboard provides a high-level view.
The Freedom Report expands on your results with:
- •Financial Independence roadmap
- •Scenario analysis
- •Risk review
- •Key planning assumptions
- •Action steps
- •Questions to consider and discuss with financial professionals
Take it with you
Download your report
Two PDF reports, generated entirely in your browser from the inputs above. No data leaves your device.
Free
Freedom Snapshot
A concise 5-page summary of your assumptions, timeline, and top insights. The fastest way to see and share where you stand today.
- Cover, executive summary, freedom timeline
- Biggest opportunity & biggest risk
- Approx. 5 pages
Pilot Programme
Freedom Plan Pro
Enhanced Report Preview
A more detailed interpretation of your results, including:
- Executive assessment
- Risk audit
- Scenario analysis
- Stress testing
- Action plan
- Strategic observations
Currently available as part of our pilot programme while we continue improving the experience.
Both reports are generated from your current inputs and saved directly to your device. No data leaves your browser. For educational and entertainment purposes only — not financial advice.
Recommended Next Step
Tools to help you explore what comes next
PhilosophyFinancial independence is not the finish line.
Financial independence is not the finish line.
It is a tool that creates choice.
For some people that means retirement. For others it means changing careers, working less, taking a sabbatical, starting a business, spending more time with family, or pursuing meaningful work.
The goal is not necessarily to stop working. The goal is to gain the freedom to choose how and why you work.
Freedom is closer than you think.
Retirement isn't an age. It's a number. Every contribution, every investment, and every year of compounding moves you closer to choice.
Your goal isn't just wealth. Your goal is freedom.
This is not financial advice, investment advice, or financial coaching.
This is simply a fun educational planning tool designed to spark curiosity and conversation about financial independence, retirement, and life planning.
The goal is not necessarily to retire early. The goal is to understand the relationship between spending, savings, investments, and freedom.
Many people overestimate the amount they need to retire, while others underestimate it. Some people may choose to continue working long after reaching financial independence because they enjoy their work. Others may choose to reduce hours, pursue passion projects, spend more time with family, travel, volunteer, or explore new opportunities.
This tool is intended to help users better understand their numbers so they can make more informed decisions about how they spend both their money and their time.
All calculations are expressed in your selected local currency and are intended solely for educational and illustrative purposes. Results should not be interpreted as personalised financial, investment, tax, or retirement advice.
Please consult a qualified financial professional before making financial or investment decisions.