Coast FIRE Number Calculator
Example: Full retirement portfolio target (FIRE number): 1500000 $ · Your current age: 35 · Target retirement age: 60 · Expected annual return: 7 % · Current portfolio balance: 150000 $
| Your Coast FIRE number | $276,374 |
| Gap to your Coast FIRE number | $126,374 |
| Coast FIRE achieved today (1=yes, 0=no) | 0 |
| Full FIRE target | $1,500,000 |
Worked example
Targeting a $1,500,000 FIRE number at age 60, starting from age 35 — that is 25 years of compounding at 7%. Your Coast FIRE number is $1,500,000 divided by (1.07)^25, or approximately $277,680. With $150,000 saved, you are $127,680 away. Once you save that difference, you can stop contributing entirely and your portfolio reaches $1.5M by retirement through growth alone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Coast FIRE and Barista FIRE?
Coast FIRE means you stop contributing entirely and rely on compound growth to reach your full number. Barista FIRE means you semi-retire with part-time work that covers living expenses (and maybe health insurance), allowing the portfolio to grow untouched. Both reduce the portfolio you need today — they differ in whether you still work at all.
How do I calculate my FIRE number?
The standard approach is 25 times your annual expenses (the inverse of the 4% safe withdrawal rate). For $60,000/year in expenses, your FIRE number is $1,500,000. You can adjust for Social Security income — if SS covers $20,000/year, you only need 25 × $40,000 = $1,000,000 from your portfolio.
Does sequence of returns risk matter at Coast FIRE?
Less so than at full retirement — because you are not withdrawing during the accumulation phase. The risk rises once you start drawing down. However, a bad decade before you reach your full FIRE target could still delay retirement, so a small buffer above the Coast number is wise.
What return rate should I use for coasting?
Historically, a diversified stock-heavy portfolio has returned 7% real over long periods. For a 25-year coast, 6–7% is a reasonable planning rate. More conservative investors use 5–6% to build in a margin of safety.