Coast Retirement · Financial independence · Coast FIRE

Find the number.
Then stop
worrying.

Your Coast FIRE number — how much you need invested today to reach retirement without saving another dollar.

Precision FIRE calculators for high-income professionals. Built for the analytical mind — not the average investor.

Coast FIRE Quick Calculator
Your Coast FIRE Number
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Assumes 7% real return. For illustration only. See full calculator for detailed assumptions.
$150K+
Median household income of the Coast Retirement community. Generic calculators aren't built for this income range. Source: Coast Retirement 2022 Survey
47
Median target retirement age in the Coast Retirement community — not 65. Every model here is built around early exit. Source: Coast Retirement Survey
4%
Safe Withdrawal Rate — Bengen (1994). The foundation every model here is built on. Fully transparent assumptions.
Method

How it works

01 / 03
Enter your numbers once

Income, savings, properties, expenses. The full retirement planner stores your baseline so every model runs from the same source of truth. No re-entry.

02 / 03
Run the models

Each calculator pulls your data and runs against Python-powered models — the same math used by fee-only financial planners. Results in seconds.

03 / 03
Make the decision

Every output tells you a number and explains the assumptions. You decide. The models don't give you advice — they give you clarity.

Methodology

Built on the same research your financial planner uses

Every model cites its source. No black boxes, no proprietary algorithms. If you want to check the math, you can.

Bengen (1994) — 4% Safe Withdrawal Rate. The original paper.
Trinity Study (1998) — Portfolio success rates across 30-year periods.
Pfau (2012) — Sequence-of-returns risk in early retirement.
Social Security Administration — Break-even and actuarial tables.
IRS Publication 590-B — RMD rules, Roth conversion tax treatment.
No advice, only models

These calculators are not financial advisors. They are models. They reflect assumptions. You bring the judgment.

Assumptions are visible

Every calculator shows its assumptions. 7% real return. 3% inflation. 4% SWR. You can change all of them.

No advertising. Ever.

Revenue comes from book sales and premium model unlocks. No financial product recommendations, no sponsored results.

Open about limitations

Models don't predict the future. They stress-test assumptions. A plan that survives 1,000 simulations isn't guaranteed — it's better prepared.

Books

The playbooks

Coast to
Retirement
Available Now

Coast to Retirement

The financial independence playbook for high-income professionals. How to find your Coast FIRE number, stop over-optimizing, and actually enjoy the years before retirement.

What Coast FIRE actually means
The one number that changes everything
Asset allocation for the long coast
When to stop contributing
Includes: Coast FIRE model unlock
Learn more
The
Drawdown
Guide
Coming 2025

The Drawdown Guide

The sequencing problem nobody explains. Which accounts to pull from, in what order, to minimize taxes across 30 years of retirement spending.

The four-bucket framework
Roth conversion ladders explained
RMD planning and tax brackets
Includes: Drawdown Optimizer unlock
Preview supplementals
Coast FIRE explained

What is a Coast number?

Coast FIRE is a milestone in the path to financial independence. Once you hit your Coast number, your existing investments are projected to grow to your full retirement target by your chosen age — without you adding another dollar. You can shift to lower-stress work, partial employment, or simply stop obsessing over every savings rate tweak.

That is different from “retire tomorrow.” Coast FIRE means you have coasted past the hardest part of the savings curve. Compound growth does the rest while you live your life. Many high-income professionals in tech and white-collar careers reach this point years before traditional retirement age — often with a target exit around age 47, not 65.

Coast Retirement gives you the models to find that number honestly: transparent assumptions (7% real return, 4% safe withdrawal rate, visible inflation), Python-powered projections, and scenario flows so you can stress-test lean FIRE, barista FIRE, ACA cliffs, and drawdown sequencing — all from one baseline.

How to use this site:

Start with the Coast FIRE quick calculator above — three minutes, no account. Enter your age, savings, target retirement age, and expected annual spending. You will see whether you are already at Coast FIRE or how far you have left.

When you want year-by-year detail — income, properties, expenses, deficit drawdown — open the full retirement planner. Your baseline feeds every model on the Scenarios tab so you never re-enter the same numbers.

For deeper reading on ACA subsidies, emergency funds, Social Security timing, and the “boring middle” of saving, browse Research. Every guide cites primary sources; the calculators show their assumptions on screen.

Transparency

Assumptions & limitations

Default assumptions on the quick calculator include a 7% real return (after inflation), a 4% safe withdrawal rate, and spending held steady in real terms. The full planner lets you change these and model year-by-year lifestyle and housing costs.

What models do not promise: future market returns, tax outcomes, healthcare premiums, or job stability. NPV and Coast FIRE numbers depend on inputs you provide — they are illustrations for planning, not guarantees.

Not advice: Coast Retirement is educational only. We do not provide individualized financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Read how our calculators work and consult a qualified professional before major decisions.

Common questions

Coast Retirement FAQ

What is Coast FIRE?

Coast FIRE means your portfolio today is large enough that, at reasonable return assumptions, it will grow to fund your full retirement by your target age without further contributions. You have “coasted” to the point where compound interest finishes the job. See our FIRE types guide for how Coast FIRE compares to Lean, Barista, and Fat FIRE.

What is a Coast number?

Your Coast number is the balance you need invested right now to reach your retirement spending goal by a future age. Use the quick calculator on this page or the full planner for a projection that includes your income, housing, and expense detail.

Who is Coast Retirement for?

Analytical, high-income professionals — especially in tech and similar careers — who want precision tools, not generic retirement calculators. If you care about sequence-of-returns risk, ACA subsidy cliffs, and drawdown order, you are in the right place. Browse real-person FIRE scenarios to see how others model their numbers.

Is this financial advice?

No. Coast Retirement provides educational models and calculators with visible assumptions. We do not recommend specific investments or products. Consult a qualified advisor for personalized guidance. Read our Terms and Privacy policies for more.

Start with your Coast number.

Three minutes. No account required. Find out if you're already closer than you think.

Run the calculator → Browse scenarios

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