FIRE · Core

Savings Rate Calculator

See how your savings rate sets your years to freedom.

6.9% growth a year after inflation, recommended.

Your savings snapshot

Your savings rate
38%
Monthly saved
$2,500
Years to FIRE
19.6 yrs
6.9% growth, 4% withdrawal
How savings rate shifts your FIRE date
10%
39.7 yrs
20%
29.7 yrs
30%
23.4 yrs
40%
18.5 yrs
50%
14.5 yrs
60%
11.0 yrs
70%
7.9 yrs

Turn your savings rate into a plan

Explore your income, spending and investments in the full calculator to find your freedom date. Then choose whether to create an account to save your plan and track progress.

Find my freedom date

Free to calculate. No account needed to see your result.

How to read your estimated years to FIRE

The comparison above uses your income and current investments for every savings rate. A higher rate means more money invested and less spending for your future portfolio to cover. Changing your starting investments also changes the timeline.

The model grows your investments once a year at the growth you choose (6.9% after inflation by default, the S&P 500's average since 1928; we recommend planning at a cautious 5%) and adds the year's savings, the same projection as the freedom date calculator. Your FIRE target is 25 times annual expenses, using a 4% withdrawal assumption. Amounts are in today's purchasing power; returns and spending are held constant.

These are planning estimates, not a promise that investments will grow at the rate you choose or that a 4% withdrawal will last. Taxes, fees, changing expenses and uneven market returns are not modeled separately. Use the full FIRE calculator to explore your wider plan.

How to calculate your savings rate

Subtract expenses from take-home income, divide the difference by take-home income, then multiply by 100. For example, $60,000 of annual take-home income and $42,000 of expenses leave $18,000 to save: a 30% savings rate, or $1,500 per month. Enter your own annual figures above, then compare the estimated timelines at different savings rates.

Turn your savings rate into a full timeline with the FIRE calculator, or size your end goal with the FIRE number calculator. To go deeper, read why savings rate matters more than income.

Savings rate FAQ

What is a savings rate?

Your savings rate is the percentage of your take-home income that you save or invest each month. It is calculated as monthly savings divided by monthly take-home income. A higher savings rate means you can retire earlier because you accumulate wealth faster and also prove you can live on less.

What savings rate do I need to retire early?

There is no single required savings rate. Compare the rates in the calculator using your current investments and income. Its estimates assume a constant 7% annual real return, applied monthly, and a target of 25 times annual expenses (a 4% withdrawal assumption). Different starting balances, returns, spending or withdrawal rates change the timeline; the results are estimates, not guaranteed retirement dates.

Does savings rate or income matter more for FIRE?

Both matter. Saving a larger share of income increases contributions and reduces the spending your portfolio must support. With no starting investments and the same return and withdrawal assumptions, equal savings rates produce the same modeled timeline regardless of salary. Once you include an existing portfolio, its size relative to your spending also matters.

How do I calculate my savings rate?

Savings rate = ((take-home income − expenses) ÷ take-home income) × 100. Use the same period for both figures. For example, $5,000 of monthly take-home income minus $3,500 of monthly expenses leaves $1,500, a 30% savings rate. This calculator takes annual figures, so enter $60,000 of income and $42,000 of expenses for that example.

Should I use monthly or annual income?

The inputs on this page are annual. Multiply regular monthly take-home income and expenses by 12, or total the last 12 months if they vary. Keep income and expenses on the same basis; do not compare annual income with monthly expenses.

How should I treat payroll retirement contributions?

This tool measures the surplus left from take-home pay after expenses. Retirement contributions already deducted from your paycheck are not included in that surplus. Do not add them only to savings while leaving the income denominator unchanged. An existing retirement account balance can be included in current savings and investments; modeling future payroll contributions separately needs a more detailed plan.