EmpireCalc

Phase 2 · Wealth & Leverage

FIRE Velocity Calculator

Financial independence isn't about how much you earn — it's about the gap you keep. Set your savings and returns and see the exact age work becomes optional.

Your inputs

Six levers. The path to FI re-solves on every tick.

30 yr

Where the clock starts.

$90000

After-tax income you actually receive.

$50000

What you spend in a year — also your retirement need.

$100000

Current invested net worth.

5%

Annual return after inflation.

4%

Share of the portfolio you'll draw yearly.

Years to financial independence
—
On your current savings trajectory.
Your FI number
—
Savings rate
—
Invested / year
—
Progress to FI
—

Under the hood

The math, fully exposed

Your FI number is fixed by spending; your savings rate and returns set how fast you get there. We project year by year:

Annual savings = income − spending
Savings rate = annual savings ÷ income
FI number = annual spending ÷ safe withdrawal rate
Each year: portfolio = portfolio × (1 + real return) + annual savings
Years to FI = years until portfolio ≥ FI number
  • Spending is the double lever: cutting expenses both lowers your FI number and raises your savings rate — it moves the target closer and speeds you toward it at once.
  • Real returns only: we use returns after inflation so the FI number stays in today's dollars. A 5% real return is a common long-run stock/bond assumption.
  • Savings rate is destiny: at a 50% savings rate, FI arrives in ~17 years no matter the income. The percentage gap, not the dollar income, drives the timeline.

Your directives

What to do next, based on your numbers

Adjust the sliders to generate tailored recommendations.

Answers

Frequently asked questions

What is the 4% rule (safe withdrawal rate)?
The 4% rule says you can withdraw about 4% of your portfolio in year one, adjust for inflation each year after, and have a high probability the money lasts 30+ years. It comes from the Trinity Study. A 4% rate implies a FI number of 25× your annual spending. Lower rates (3.5%) are safer for very long or early retirements; higher rates carry more depletion risk.
What is my FI number?
Your FI number is the portfolio size at which work becomes optional: annual spending ÷ safe withdrawal rate. At a 4% rate, $50,000 of spending needs $1.25M invested. Notice it keys off spending, not income — cutting expenses lowers the target and raises your savings rate at the same time.
Why does savings rate matter more than income?
Because years-to-FI depends on the gap between what you earn and what you spend, expressed as a percentage. A 50% savings rate reaches FI in roughly 17 years regardless of whether you earn $60k or $600k. A high income with high spending can be slower to FI than a modest income lived frugally.
What is sequence-of-returns risk?
It's the danger of a market crash early in retirement, when withdrawals from a shrunken portfolio do permanent damage. Two retirees with the same average return can have very different outcomes based on the order of returns. It's why withdrawal rates above 4% — and retiring into a downturn — warrant extra caution and cash buffers.