CALCULATOR
Coast FIRE Calculator
There's a point where you've saved enough that compounding handles the rest. You could stop contributing entirely - and still retire on time. That's your Coast number.
Based on the 4% safe withdrawal rate. Not financial advice.
Your Numbers
What you plan to spend monthly in retirement
YOUR COAST NUMBER
what you need invested today to coast to retirement
COAST AGE
FULL FIRE NUMBER
GAP TO COAST
YEARS TO COAST
PROGRESS TO COAST NUMBER
0%Portfolio Growth Path
What Hitting Coast FIRE Actually Changes
Once you've hit your Coast number, your retirement is funded. You still need income for living expenses - but it doesn't have to come from a high-pressure career. You can take a lower-stress job, go part-time, freelance, or try something risky without betting your retirement on it.
Barista FIRE is a Coast FIRE variant where you cover living expenses with a low-key job - often part-time or for the health insurance - while the portfolio compounds untouched. The job doesn't have to be glamorous. It just has to cover the bills without requiring everything you've got.
Your Coast number is always lower than your FIRE number - sometimes dramatically lower. Many people are closer to financial independence than they think, just in a form they hadn't named yet.
Coast FIRE Questions
What is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE is the point where your invested portfolio is large enough to grow to your full retirement number on its own, with zero further contributions. You still work to cover daily living costs, but your retirement is already funded by compounding. It is a milestone on the way to full FIRE, not the finish line.
How is the Coast FIRE number calculated?
Start with your full FIRE number, which is your annual retirement spending divided by the 4% safe withdrawal rate. Then discount it back to today using your expected return and the years left until retirement. The result is how much you need invested right now so that compound growth alone carries you to the finish. Our compound interest calculator shows the growth math behind it.
What is the difference between Coast FIRE and Barista FIRE?
Coast FIRE means you have stopped contributing but still earn enough to cover your bills. Barista FIRE is a specific version where you take a low-stress or part-time job, often for the health insurance, while the portfolio compounds untouched. Every Barista FIRE situation is a Coast FIRE situation. The difference is just the kind of work you choose.
Can I really stop contributing once I hit my Coast number?
Mathematically yes, as long as your return and spending assumptions hold. The risk is sequence of returns. A bad market run early on can dent the plan, so many people keep a small buffer or stay flexible. Stress-test the assumption with our sequence-of-returns tool before you actually turn off contributions.
What return rate should I use?
A 7% nominal return is a common default for a stock-heavy portfolio, roughly the long-run US market average after inflation is partly accounted for. If you want a more conservative plan, run it at 5 to 6%. The lower the assumed return, the higher your Coast number, so it pays to be honest rather than optimistic.
Is Coast FIRE realistic in your 30s or 40s?
It is one of the most achievable FIRE variants because time does the heavy lifting. Hitting your Coast number at 35 gives compounding 30 years to work, so the number you need today is far smaller than the full target. If you are starting later, it is still worth running. As we cover in never too late to start investing, the second best time is always now.