FIRE retirement calculator
By MoneyBees
Work out your FIRE number from what you spend, see how many years it takes to reach, and check whether your savings last once you stop working. CPF LIFE payouts, inflation and your withdrawal rate are built in.
Calculator
Your situation
Cash + investments. Exclude home equity.
Your own assumption. Figures are shown in today's dollars.
In today's dollars.
4% rule is a common starting point.
Reduces the FI target your private portfolio has to fund
FI number
$1,200,000
expenses / 4%
Years to FI
25 yrs
at age 55
Balance at 55
$1,237,875
FI reached
If you retire at 55, your money lasts
Beyond age 95
your savings outlast the projection at this spending rate
Progress to your FI number
4.2%
$50,000 of $1,200,000
Coast FIRE number at 30
$409,905
invested today, this grows to your FI number by 55 with no more saving
Nest egg projection (real $)
Blue: projected balance in today's dollars (real return of 4.39%). Gold dashed: your FI number.
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Types of FIRE
How aggressive a target you're aiming for changes the multiple of expenses you need.
| Type | What it means | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Lean FIRE | A frugal retirement on a tight budget | 20x (5% SWR) |
| Standard FIRE | A comfortable, regular budget | 25x (4% SWR) |
| Fat FIRE | A generous, high-spending lifestyle | 33x (3% SWR) |
| Coast FIRE | Enough invested now to reach FI by your target age without adding more | Coast number above |
| Barista FIRE | Semi-retire, with part-time income covering the gap | - |
Savings rate vs years to financial independence
Starting from nothing, at your real return of 4.39% and a 4% withdrawal rate.
| Share of take-home saved | Years to FI |
|---|---|
| 10% | 56 |
| 20% | 40 |
| 30% | 30 |
| 40% | 23 |
| 50% | 18 |
| 60% | 13 |
| 70% | 9 |
You spend what you do not save, so a higher savings rate both grows the pot faster and lowers the FI number.
Your FI number at each withdrawal rate
| Withdrawal rate | Multiple of spending | FI number |
|---|---|---|
| 3% | 33.3x | $1,600,000 |
| 3.5% | 28.6x | $1,371,429 |
| 4% | 25.0x | $1,200,000 |
| 5% | 20.0x | $960,000 |
How FIRE works
- FI number = annual expenses / safe withdrawal rate. At a 4% withdrawal rate, that's 25 times expenses.
- Safe withdrawal rate (SWR) is the % of your portfolio you can withdraw each year and still have a high probability of not running out. The Trinity Study popularised 4%, and many planners use 3% to 3.5% for retirements longer than 30 years.
- Projections use the real return (return minus inflation) so all figures are in today's dollars.
- Turn on CPF LIFE to model your payout from its start age: it lowers the FI number your private portfolio must fund and is drawn down with your expenses in the projection.
- The projection stops contributions at your target retirement age, then draws down your annual expenses each year, so it shows whether your savings actually last.
- Past returns don't guarantee future ones, so use the projection to plan and revisit it each year.
Worked example
You spend S$48,000 a year and plan on a 4% withdrawal rate, so your FI number is S$1,200,000. With CPF LIFE paying S$1,780 a month from 65, the portfolio only has to cover S$26,640 a year after that, which cuts the long-run target to S$666,000. At a 4% real return, S$1,200,000 needed in 25 years is the same as about S$450,140 invested today, your Coast FIRE number.
Sources
Figures checked 3 Oct 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is a FIRE number?
The size of portfolio that lets you live off withdrawals instead of a salary. Divide what you spend in a year by your withdrawal rate. At 4%, S$48,000 a year needs S$1,200,000, or 25 times spending.
Should I use a 4% or 3% withdrawal rate?
The 4% rule came from studies of 30-year retirements using past US market returns. If you stop work at 40 your money may need to last 50 years, so many planners use 3% to 3.5%. At 3%, S$48,000 a year needs S$1,600,000.
How does CPF LIFE change my FIRE number?
CPF LIFE pays you every month for life from 65, so your own portfolio only has to cover the rest. CPF Board estimates S$1,780 a month at the Full Retirement Sum for members turning 55 in 2026. That covers S$21,360 a year, which takes S$534,000 off a FIRE number at 4%.
What is Coast FIRE?
Having enough invested that, without adding another dollar, it grows to your FIRE number by the age you want to retire. The calculator shows that amount for your inputs. Once you pass it, your salary only has to cover what you spend today.
What savings rate do I need to retire early?
It depends on your real return. Starting from nothing at a 5% real return and a 4% withdrawal rate, saving 50% of take-home pay gets you to FI in about 17 years. The table on this page works it out at your own return.
What return should I assume?
Use a real return, after inflation, that you are comfortable defending. Nothing on this page is a forecast. For reference, the CPF Special and Retirement Accounts pay 4% a year in Q4 2026, and investments can lose money in any year.
Should my HDB flat count towards my FIRE number?
Usually not. Your home only pays for groceries if you sell it, rent out part of it or move somewhere smaller. Leave it out of investable assets unless you plan to do one of those.
What is sequence-of-returns risk?
The risk that markets fall early in retirement, while you are already drawing money out. Selling during a fall locks in the loss. A lower withdrawal rate, a cash buffer or spending less in bad years all reduce the risk.
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These calculators provide general estimates for educational purposes only and are not personalised financial advice. Results may rely on rates and rules that change over time, so verify against official sources (IRAS, CPF Board, HDB, MAS) or consult a licensed financial adviser before making decisions.
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