Fat FIRE Calculator

Size financial independence at a comfortable spending level with a conservative withdrawal rate.

About Fat FIRE Calculator

Fat FIRE combines a higher spending level with a more cautious withdrawal rate, so the multiple of spending rises above the usual 25 times. At 3.25% the multiple is nearly 31 times annual spending. Lowering the withdrawal rate is the most reliable way to reduce sequence-of-returns risk, and the cost of that safety is visible directly in the multiple.

Formula

Fat FIRE

Fat FIRE number = comfortable annual spending ÷ a conservative withdrawal rate

conservative withdrawal rate: A lower rate, typically 3 to 3.5%, bought for extra safety

Worked example

With the default values below, Fat FIRE Calculator returns Fat FIRE Number of $3,076,923.08. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Comfortable annual spendingminimum 0: 100,000
Conservative withdrawal rateaccepts 0–100 %: 3.25 %
Current portfoliominimum 0: 400,000
Annual savingsminimum 0: 60,000
Expected real returnaccepts 0.1–20 %: 5 %

Results

Fat FIRE Number: $3,076,923.08
Years to Fat FIRE: 20.2 years
Multiple of Annual Spending: 30.8 x
Still Needed: $2,676,923.08
Progress: 13.0%

Step by step

1Values used
2Fat FIRE
3Fat FIRE Number= 3,076,923.08
4Years to Fat FIRE= 20.2 years
5Multiple of Annual Spending= 30.8 x
6Still Needed= 2,676,923.08
7Progress= 13.0

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 5 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
This is an estimate for general information and not professional financial, tax or legal advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Fat FIRE calculated?

Fat FIRE number = comfortable annual spending ÷ a conservative withdrawal rate Fat FIRE combines a higher spending level with a more cautious withdrawal rate, so the multiple of spending rises above the usual 25 times. At 3.25% the multiple is nearly 31 times annual spending.

Why does Fat FIRE matter?

Lowering the withdrawal rate is the most reliable way to reduce sequence-of-returns risk, and the cost of that safety is visible directly in the multiple.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 5 inputs: Comfortable annual spending, Conservative withdrawal rate, Current portfolio, Annual savings, Expected real return. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.