Master Your COAST FIRE Journey

Calculate exactly how much you need to save now to coast into retirement without ever contributing again. Harness the power of compound interest for true financial freedom.

5-15
Years of Intensive Saving
40-70%
Typical Savings Rate
25-40
Best Starting Ages
30+
Years of Career Freedom

COAST FIRE Calculator

Enter your information below to discover your personal COAST FIRE number and see if you're already on track to financial independence.

Your Information

Real return rate (after inflation). Conservative: 4%, Optimistic: 6-7%

Traditional: 4%, Conservative: 3.5%

Your COAST FIRE Number

$380,123

This is how much you need to save to coast into retirement.

Your Progress

Current Savings:$50,000
Still Need to Save:$330,123

13% Complete

Retirement Projection

Required Nest Egg at 65:$1,500,000
Your Savings Will Grow To:$197,304
Annual Income at 4%:$7,892

Years until retirement: 35

How to Reach Your Goal

  • • Monthly savings needed: $786
  • • Focus on increasing income through career growth
  • • Optimize expenses to boost savings rate
  • • Consider side hustles for additional income
  • • Invest in low-cost, diversified index funds

Important Assumptions & Disclaimers

  • • Returns are assumed to be consistent, but markets are volatile
  • • Inflation is built into the "real return" rate you specify
  • • This doesn't include Social Security or other income sources
  • • Consider keeping emergency funds separate from retirement savings
  • • Tax implications may vary based on account types (401k, IRA, taxable)
  • • Consult a financial advisor for personalized advice

How COAST FIRE Actually Works

A simple three-phase approach that transforms your relationship with work and money

1

Intense Savings Phase

Save aggressively for 5-15 years early in your career. This might mean living on 30-50% of your income while investing the rest in low-cost index funds. The earlier you start, the less you need to save total.

Example: Save $4,000/month from age 25-35

2

Coast Phase

Once you hit your target number, stop contributing to retirement accounts entirely. Your money grows through compound interest while you enjoy career flexibility - take risks, pursue passions, or work less stressful jobs.

Example: $480,000 grows to $1.5M over 30 years

3

Retirement Phase

At traditional retirement age, your investments have grown enough to support your desired lifestyle. Withdraw 3.5-4% annually and enjoy the retirement you planned decades earlier.

Example: Withdraw $60,000/year from $1.5M portfolio

Why Choose COAST FIRE?

A smarter, more sustainable approach to financial independence

Front-Load Your Savings

Save aggressively early in your career when you have fewer obligations, then let compound interest do the heavy lifting for decades to come.

Freedom of Choice

Once you hit your number, pursue passion projects, lower-stress jobs, entrepreneurial ventures, or geographic arbitrage without retirement anxiety.

Peace of Mind

Know your retirement is secured through mathematical certainty, regardless of future career changes, market volatility, or life circumstances.

Real COAST FIRE Examples

See how COAST FIRE works across different ages and income levels

Sarah, Age 25

Software Developer, $75,000 salary

Target retirement income:$50,000/year
Needs to save by 35:$378,000
Monthly savings needed:$2,800
Savings rate required:45%

By saving aggressively for 10 years, Sarah can stop contributing and still retire with $1.25M at 65.

Mike, Age 30

Marketing Manager, $85,000 salary

Target retirement income:$60,000/year
Needs to save by 40:$675,000
Monthly savings needed:$4,200
Savings rate required:59%

Starting later requires higher savings rates, but Mike can still achieve COAST FIRE and career freedom by 40.

Lisa, Age 35

Nurse, $65,000 salary, $80k saved

Target retirement income:$45,000/year
Still needs to save:$440,000
Monthly savings needed:$3,100
Years to COAST FIRE:12 years

Even starting at 35 with some savings, Lisa can reach COAST FIRE by 47 and enjoy career flexibility.

Common Questions About COAST FIRE

Get quick answers to the most frequently asked questions

Real People, Real Results

Success stories from people who transformed their lives with COAST FIRE

JM

Jennifer M.

Teacher, Age 41

"I reached my COAST FIRE number at 38 after saving 55% of my income for 12 years. Now I teach part-time, travel during summers, and never worry about retirement. The freedom is incredible."

DK

David K.

Software Engineer, Age 33

"Hit my COAST number at 32 by living in a low-cost area and saving $60k annually. Now I work on passion projects and side businesses without retirement stress. Best decision ever."

Join Thousands Who've Found Financial Freedom

COAST FIRE isn't theoretical - it's a proven strategy that real people use to escape the traditional work-until-65 mindset. These stories show what's possible when you harness the power of compound interest early in your career.

Career flexibility in your 30s and 40s
Stress-free approach to retirement planning
Freedom to pursue passion projects
Mathematical certainty of retirement security
Read More Success Stories

Ready to Start Your COAST FIRE Journey?

Download our free COAST FIRE planning guide and get exclusive updates on strategies to reach financial independence.

Free guide includes COAST FIRE worksheet and retirement tracker