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Early retirement calculator
Want to retire at 50, 55, or 60? Plug in your savings rate, portfolio, and target spending. See your earliest possible retirement date and the monthly contribution to hit it.
Earliest retirement age by savings rate
| Save (% of take-home) | Years from $0 | If you start at 25, retire by… |
|---|---|---|
| 15% | ~43 | ~68 (standard) |
| 25% | ~32 | ~57 |
| 35% | ~25 | ~50 |
| 50% | ~17 | ~42 |
| 65% | ~10.5 | ~36 |
Assumes 7% real return and 4% safe withdrawal rate. Income level barely matters — savings rate is the lever.
Bridging to age 59½
Retire before 59½ and you need to bridge to penalty-free retirement access. Three legal paths: (1) Roth conversion ladder — convert Traditional → Roth in early retirement years, then withdraw after 5-year season. (2) Rule 72(t) / SEPP — substantially equal periodic payments from your IRA. (3) Taxable brokerage — liquid investments outside retirement accounts. Most early retirees combine all three.
What it takes to retire at 50
- Annual spending in retirement: $60k
- Target portfolio (25×): $1.5M
- Starting at 25 from $0, 7% real: need $1,830/month saved
- Starting at 30 from $30k: $2,440/month
- Starting at 35 from $80k: $3,500/month
- Starting at 40 from $200k: $5,500/month
Early Retirement Calculator FAQ
What's the minimum portfolio for early retirement?
25× annual expenses if you use the 4% rule. For a longer retirement (40+ years instead of 30), use 28–33× (3–3.5% withdrawal rate) to add safety margin. $60k spending = $1.5M (4%) or $1.8M (3.3%) for early retirement.
Is the 4% rule safe for early retirement?
Originally tested on 30-year retirements. For 40–50 year retirements (typical for FIRE), historical backtests show 4% has roughly an 85% success rate; 3.5% pushes that to 95%+. Plan with 3.5% if retiring before 50 and you want a high-confidence baseline.
Can I retire early without becoming frugal?
Yes — high income lets you save 30–40% even with comfortable spending. $200k household saving 35% = $70k/year invested. At 7% real, hits $1.8M in 18 years. The frugal path (50%+ savings rate on lower income) gets there in similar time but feels different.
What about health insurance before Medicare?
Big concern for early retirees. Options: (1) ACA marketplace — subsidies available when MAGI is moderate; (2) work part-time for employer coverage (Barista FIRE); (3) HSA-eligible high-deductible plan + healthshare ministries; (4) move to a state with cheaper plans. Budget $500–$1,500/month per adult.
Does Social Security still apply if I retire early?
Yes — but smaller benefit. SS calculates from your top 35 earning years; early retirees often have many zero years, dragging average down. Working 30 years instead of 40 typically cuts benefit by 15–25%. Still meaningful supplement starting at 62 or full retirement age.
Should I retire early or just downshift?
Partial-retirement is increasingly popular. Take a 3-day-week consulting role, or a low-stress passion job covering basic expenses while the portfolio grows untouched. Lower stress, longer career, lower risk of running out. Often called Coast FIRE or Barista FIRE.