{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dataset",
  "name": "Years to Financial Independence by Savings Rate",
  "description": "Years required to reach financial independence (25× expenses portfolio) as a function of take-home savings rate, assuming 5% real return and 4% safe withdrawal rate. Derived from Mr. Money Mustache's 2012 formulation and Bengen 1994 / Trinity 1998 withdrawal-rate research.",
  "version": "2026.1",
  "datePublished": "2026-06-08",
  "dateModified": "2026-06-08",
  "publisher": { "name": "Snowballr", "url": "https://snowballr.io" },
  "creator": { "name": "Snowballr Research Team", "url": "https://snowballr.io/editorial-standards" },
  "assumptions": {
    "realReturn": 0.05,
    "safeWithdrawalRate": 0.04,
    "startingPortfolio": 0,
    "incomeConstant": true,
    "taxModel": "post-tax (use take-home pay, not gross)"
  },
  "primarySource": [
    {
      "title": "The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement",
      "author": "Pete Adeney (Mr. Money Mustache)",
      "year": 2012,
      "url": "https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/01/13/the-shockingly-simple-math-behind-early-retirement/"
    },
    {
      "title": "Determining Withdrawal Rates Using Historical Data",
      "author": "William P. Bengen",
      "year": 1994,
      "journal": "Journal of Financial Planning"
    },
    {
      "title": "Retirement Savings: Choosing a Withdrawal Rate That Is Sustainable",
      "authors": ["Philip L. Cooley", "Carl M. Hubbard", "Daniel T. Walz"],
      "year": 1998,
      "institution": "Trinity University"
    }
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "Snowballr (2026). Years to Financial Independence by Savings Rate. https://snowballr.io/data",
  "data": [
    { "savingsRate": 0.05, "yearsToFI": 66, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": null },
    { "savingsRate": 0.10, "yearsToFI": 51, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 76 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.15, "yearsToFI": 43, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 68 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.20, "yearsToFI": 37, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 62 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.25, "yearsToFI": 32, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 57 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.30, "yearsToFI": 28, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 53 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.35, "yearsToFI": 25, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 50 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.40, "yearsToFI": 22, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 47 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.50, "yearsToFI": 17, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 42 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.55, "yearsToFI": 14.5, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 39 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.65, "yearsToFI": 10.5, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 36 },
    { "savingsRate": 0.75, "yearsToFI": 7, "retireByAgeStartingAt25": 32 }
  ],
  "notes": "Income level is absent from the formula. Doubling income while doubling spending leaves years-to-FI unchanged. Cutting spending counts twice: less needed at FI, more saved each month."
}