Coast FIRE Calculator
Coast FIRE is the amount invested today that grows into your full retirement target on its own, letting you stop adding new money.
Range of outcomes
Coast FIRE assumes your money grows at a steady rate every year with nothing added. Real markets do not move in a straight line, and a run of weak early years is hard to make up when you are no longer contributing. This simulation grows your Coast number across 500 random return paths to show the spread of where you could land.
The figures below are the ending balances at the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles, plus how often the paths reach your FIRE target. A high probability means coasting is on solid ground. A lower one is a sign to keep contributing a little longer or aim for a bigger cushion. Past performance never guarantees future returns, so read this as a range to plan around.
Simulating a range of outcomes...
How it's calculated
Your Coast FIRE number is the present value of your FIRE target. It is that target divided by growth compounded over the years until retirement. If you already have that much invested, compounding alone can carry you the rest of the way, and you can stop adding new money.
For example, to reach a $2,000,000 portfolio in 25 years at a 7% return, you would need about $368,498 invested today. Left untouched, that sum grows into the full $2 million by retirement without another contribution.
Coast FIRE does not mean you stop working. It means your retirement saving is already handled, so your income only needs to cover today’s living costs. Barista FIRE, available as a mode here, goes one step further by letting part-time income cover part of your expenses.
Assumptions
- Returns compound annually for this projection.
- Assumes no further contributions after today, which is the definition of Coast FIRE.
Last updated: 2026-08-07
These assumptions follow our general methodology.
Frequently asked questions
What is Barista FIRE?
A related idea where part-time income covers some of your expenses, so your portfolio only needs to cover the gap. This calculator has a Barista mode for that.
Can I really stop saving?
For retirement, mathematically yes. You would still need to cover your current living costs from income until you actually retire.
How is Coast FIRE different from regular FIRE?
Regular FIRE is the full portfolio you can retire on right now. Coast FIRE is the smaller amount you need today so that, with growth alone, you reach that full number by your target retirement age.
What return should I assume for Coast FIRE?
A long-run diversified return of around 7% is a common assumption, but a lower and more conservative figure raises your Coast number. Since you are relying entirely on growth, it is worth checking a range.
How confident can I be that coasting reaches my target?
The main number assumes a smooth return every year, but real markets do not cooperate. The Monte Carlo panel grows your Coast number as a lump sum across many random return paths and reports how often it reaches your FIRE target. Because you add nothing after today, a run of poor early years can leave you short, so the probability is worth a look before you stop contributing.