Path to financial independence
Projected portfolio compared with the FIRE target.
PortfolioTarget
FIRE Calculator
Estimate financial independence target, years to FIRE, and progress using savings rate and withdrawal assumptions.
FIRE target£800,0004.0% withdrawal rate
Time to target24 years 8 months
Progress8.1%
FIRE model
Current portfolio£65,000
Monthly saving£1,000
Spending funded by portfolio£32,000
Tax and fees buffer£00.0%
Projected balance at target£804,280
Assumptions
Calculation notes
- This simplified model does not calculate exact income tax, CGT, platform fees, sequence-of-return risk, inflation changes, state pension, property, or drawdown rules.
- Use the tax and fees buffer to add a broad margin when your portfolio will not be entirely inside tax wrappers.
- A constant annual return is used for illustration.
- This is planning maths, not financial advice.
Financial independence
How the FIRE target and timeline are estimated
This calculator turns annual spending into a target pot, then tests how savings and returns might move the date.
Target and timeline
The calculator estimates a financial independence target from annual spending and the selected withdrawal-rate assumption.
It then projects progress towards that target using current savings, ongoing contributions and an assumed annual growth rate.
FIRE pathannual spending / withdrawal rate -> target pot; current pot + contributions + growth -> projected path to target
Spending target example
Example: spending target from annual costs
- Annual spending: GBP 18,000
- Withdrawal rate: 4%
- Current portfolio: entered by user
- Regular saving: entered by user
Result: A 4% withdrawal assumption implies a target pot of about GBP 450,000 before allowing for tax, inflation or changing costs.
The target is driven mainly by annual spending and withdrawal-rate assumptions, while the timeline depends on savings rate and returns.
What moves the date
- FIRE projections are scenario tools rather than retirement advice; inflation, market falls, fees and lifestyle changes can materially alter the outcome.
- Run optimistic and cautious cases to understand how sensitive the target date is.
Content reviewed: 7 September 2026.
Guide
FIRE Calculator notes
Model a simplified financial independence path based on annual spending, current investments, saving, returns, and withdrawal rate.
Review the calculation notes where rules, tax years, thresholds, or eligibility affect the result.
FAQs
FIRE Calculator FAQs
What is the FIRE Calculator for?
Model a simplified financial independence path based on annual spending, current investments, saving, returns, and withdrawal rate.