Coast FI Calculator
Coast FI Calculator
Current Age
Current Invested Portfolio
Annual Contribution
Final Retirement Age
Annual Expenses in Retirement
FIRE Multiplier / SWR
Nominal Annual Return (%)
Assumed Annual Inflation (%)
Results
Your Coast FI Age
61
The age you can stop contributing.
Portfolio at Coast FI
$2,099,449
The projected portfolio value at age 61.
Full Retirement Number
$2,730,670
Target at age 65 (in future dollars).
Find Your Freedom to Coast
Coast FI is a powerful milestone on the path to Financial Independence. It's the point where you have enough invested that your portfolio will grow to your full retirement goal by your target retirement age without any further contributions.
Reaching Coast FI gives you incredible flexibility. You can stop saving aggressively and only need to earn enough to cover your current living expenses. This might mean switching to a less stressful job, working part-time, or pursuing a passion project. This calculator helps you find the exact age and portfolio size you need to achieve this liberating goal.
How to Use This Calculator
1. Enter Your Current Situation
Input your current age, invested portfolio value, and your planned annual contributions.
2. Define Your Retirement Goal
Enter your target retirement age, your estimated annual expenses in retirement, and your desired FIRE multiplier (or Safe Withdrawal Rate).
3. Set Economic Assumptions
Provide your expected annual investment return and the assumed rate of inflation.
4. Find Your Coast FI Number
The calculator will determine the age at which you can stop making contributions and let your portfolio 'coast' to your full retirement number.
The Mechanics of Coasting
This calculator works backwards from your desired retirement. First, it calculates your target FIRE number based on your desired expenses and safe withdrawal rate, and adjusts it for inflation to get your target number in future dollars.
Then, for each year starting from your current age, it calculates two things:
- Your projected portfolio value, including your annual contributions.
- The amount of money you would need today to reach your future FIRE number if it just grew untouched (this is the "required to coast" amount).
Explore Other FI Concepts
Coast FI is just one of many milestones on the journey to financial freedom.
- First, determine your ultimate goal with our FIRE Number Calculator.
- See how your savings rate impacts your journey with the Savings Rate Calculator.
- Understand the core engine of growth with the Compound Interest Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Coast FI (Coast FIRE)?
Coast FI (or Coast FIRE) is the point at which you have enough money in your retirement accounts that, without any further contributions, it will grow to support you in a traditional retirement. Once you reach your Coast FI number, you only need to earn enough money to cover your current living expenses, freeing you from the need to save aggressively.
How is Coast FI different from regular FIRE?
Regular FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) means you have enough invested to stop working completely. Coast FI is a milestone on the way to FIRE; it means you can stop *saving* for retirement, but you still need to work to cover your current bills until your portfolio grows to your full FIRE number.
What is Barista FIRE?
Barista FIRE is a concept very similar to Coast FI. It refers to leaving a traditional high-stress job for a lower-paying, less stressful one (like a barista) that covers your living expenses. Often, this new job also provides health insurance, which is a major benefit. Your retirement nest egg is left to grow (coast) untouched until you fully retire.
What should I do after I reach Coast FI?
Congratulations! You have many options. You could switch to a more fulfilling, lower-paying job, go part-time, start your own business, or take a mini-retirement. The key is that you no longer have the pressure of saving for retirement, which gives you immense flexibility and freedom in your career choices.