Your numbers are crunching… drag a slider to see your financial independence age.
rules · Real-time · Privacy-first · No sign-up

Should I Quit
Now?

— Earliest retirement age
— Monthly income
— Readiness score
— Nest egg
Try the Calculator — Free
United States · 2025 Social Security, 401(k), IRA & Medicare rules loaded Last synced: May 10, 2025

Retirement Questions, Plain-English Answers

The classic rule of thumb: 25× your annual expenses — the "4% rule." If you spend $60,000/year, you need ~$1.5 million. But everyone's number is different. This tool calculates your personal target based on your real inputs, life expectancy, and income sources.

Claiming at 62 gives you money sooner but 25–30% less per month, forever. Waiting to 70 gives you up to 32% more per month than FRA. If you're healthy and expect to live past 80, waiting wins. The SS chart above shows your personal break-even age.

Researcher William Bengen found in 1994 that retirees who withdraw 4% of their portfolio per year (adjusted for inflation) historically never ran out of money over 30 years. It's not perfect, but it's the gold-standard starting point. This calculator uses it automatically.

401(k): Employer-sponsored, higher limits ($23,500/yr in 2025), often with employer match — always contribute enough to get the full match first. IRA: Individual account you open yourself, lower limit ($7,000/yr), more investment choices. Both grow tax-advantaged.

FRA is the age at which you receive 100% of your Social Security benefit. For anyone born in 1960 or later, FRA is 67. For those born 1943–1954, it's 66. Claiming before FRA permanently reduces your benefit; claiming after increases it.

Generic mode strips out US-specific rules (SS, 401k, Medicare) and gives you a universal investment-only calculator. It uses the 4% safe withdrawal rule and a single combined savings pool — perfect for anyone outside the US, or anyone who wants a simpler view.

Everything runs in your browser — nothing is sent to any server. Your numbers never leave your device. No login, no email, no tracking of personal financial data. Refresh the page and it's gone.

It's a planning tool, not financial advice. The calculations use standard financial formulas — compound growth, the 4% rule, actual 2025 Social Security bend points and FRA rules. For personalized advice, consult a fee-only Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

Financial independence means your investment portfolio generates enough income to cover your living expenses indefinitely — making paid work optional, not mandatory. Retirement is when you actually stop working. Many people who reach financial independence keep working — just on projects they choose. The financial independence movement combines both goals: reach financial independence fast, then retire early if you choose. This calculator helps you find both your financial independence date and your ideal retirement date.

Sequence of returns risk is the danger that poor market returns in your first few retirement years — when your portfolio is largest and you're actively withdrawing — can permanently damage your portfolio's longevity, even if long-term average returns are fine. Two retirees with identical 7% average returns can have very different outcomes depending on when the bad years hit. Our Monte Carlo premium report models 1,000 market sequences to show your true range of outcomes.

From Our Guides

The Financial Independence Knowledge Base

View all guides
Financial Independence
What Is Your Financial Independence Number? The 25× Rule Explained
The portfolio size that makes work optional — and why most people calculate it wrong.
Read article →
Tax Strategy
How to Pay Zero Taxes on $80K/Year in Retirement
Withdrawal sequencing, capital gains harvesting, and Roth conversion playbook.
Read article →
Risk & SWR
Safe Withdrawal Rate in 2026: Is the 4% Rule Still Valid?
Current research says 3.3–3.7%. What that means for your financial independence number and early retirement date.
Read article →
Tax Strategy
Roth Conversion Ladder: Access Your 401(k) Before 59½
The step-by-step strategy for penalty-free early access to pre-tax retirement funds.
Read article →
Healthcare & Early Retirement
Health Insurance Before Medicare: The Complete Bridge Guide
ACA marketplace, COBRA, HSA strategy, and managing the ACA subsidy cliff.
Read article →
Financial Independence
Coast Retire Early: The Number That Lets You Stop Saving
Calculate the portfolio size where compounding does all future work for you.
Read article →
Know someone wondering when they can quit their job?
— FI Age
— Score
— Monthly