How Fast Can You Retire?

The FIRE community generally considers 50%+ a 'FIRE-grade' savings rate, but meaningful progress starts much lower. At a 10% savings rate you're looking at ~40+ years to retirement; at 25% it's roughly 27 years; at 50% it drops to about 17 years; at 65%+ you're looking at under 10 years. The relationship isn't linear — each additional percent of savings has a compounding effect because it simultaneously increases the amount invested AND reduces the retirement target (lower spending means a smaller FIRE number). Even moving from 15% to 30% can cut a decade off your working life.

To retire in roughly 10 years starting from zero savings, you'd need a savings rate of approximately 65–70%, assuming a 5% real return and a 4% safe withdrawal rate. Starting with existing savings reduces the required rate significantly. For example, with $200K already saved on a $100K take-home income, a 50% savings rate (~$50K/year) would likely reach FIRE in under 10 years for many spending targets. The exact answer depends on your current savings, income, and spending — use the calculator above for your personalized number.

The most useful savings rate formula for FIRE planning is: Savings Rate = Annual Savings ÷ Annual Take-Home Income × 100. Use take-home (after-tax) income rather than gross income, because your expenses also come from take-home pay — it keeps the numerator and denominator consistent. 'Annual savings' should include everything going toward net worth: 401(k) contributions (including employer match), IRA contributions, brokerage account deposits, HSA contributions, extra mortgage principal payments, and any other investment. Don't include savings that immediately go back out as spending (like a vacation fund).

Yes — absolutely. For FIRE purposes, your savings rate should include all retirement account contributions: your 401(k) employee contribution, any employer match (free money!), traditional and Roth IRA contributions, HSA contributions (triple tax-advantaged and highly effective), and taxable brokerage investments. The employer 401(k) match is especially important to count — it's an instant 50–100% return on that money. If your employer matches 4% of your salary and you contribute 4%, your effective savings rate from that portion alone is double what comes out of your paycheck.