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Estimate how long it could take before work becomes optional based on your spending and investing.
Last reviewed by FinSync LLC
Who this is for
People aiming for financial independence and trying to estimate how far away it is.
What to type in
Your yearly spending, current invested assets, monthly investing, and return assumptions.
Start with the assumptions, then use the interpretation below to compare tradeoffs without bouncing between sections.
Yearly spending to sustain after retirement.
Pre-inflation return on invested assets.
Percentage of portfolio withdrawn annually in retirement.
Financial independence
At your current pace, the model estimates about 19 years to reach it.
Years to FIRE
19
Monthly passive income
$5,000.00
Current progress
13.3%
13.3% of the target is already covered by your current assets.
The portfolio would support about $5,000.00 per month at the chosen withdrawal rate.
Your annual spending is the main driver. Lower spending often moves the target more than chasing a slightly higher return.
If the timeline feels too long, the biggest levers are monthly investing and annual expenses.
Run both nominal and inflation-adjusted modes so you do not mistake inflated future dollars for real buying power.
Calculators are useful for scenarios. BetterOff connects supported accounts so you can compare those assumptions with synced balances and transactions.
Connect a supported bank, brokerage, or exchange. Connections are read-only, encrypted, and cannot move money.
Use this if you want to understand how the calculator works, not just plug in numbers.
Step 1
Enter your annual expenses and current invested assets.
Step 2
Set monthly investment amount and expected return.
Step 3
Choose withdrawal rate and optionally enable inflation-adjusted mode.
Step 4
Review FIRE number, timeline, and current progress.
These cover the assumptions, tradeoffs, and edge cases behind the calculator.
Use the calculator for the math, then use these guides to make the decision with more confidence.
Compound Interest
Project long-term portfolio growth using principal, recurring contributions, and configurable compounding frequency.
Retirement
Project retirement savings, estimate sustainable monthly income at a 4% withdrawal rule, and quantify any gap to your target.
Savings Goal
Plan time-to-goal and required monthly contributions with milestone checkpoints and contribution-versus-growth decomposition.
Debt Payoff
Compare avalanche and snowball payoff plans and inspect month-by-month remaining balances.
Reviewed by FinSync LLC
13%
of FIRE
19 years to go
Each year you save more closes the gap faster than you'd expect — compounding accelerates near the finish line.