Coast FIRE Number by Age
How much you need invested today, at every age, to stop saving and still retire on time — for four levels of retirement spending.
By Evergreen Calc Editorial Team · Updated
Your Coast FIRE number is the amount you need invested today so that, without adding another dollar, compound growth carries you to your full FIRE number by retirement. The younger you are, the smaller it is — time does the heavy lifting.
Assumptions: 4% safe withdrawal rate, 7% average annual return, 3% inflation (a 3.88% real return). All amounts are in today’s dollars and rounded to the nearest $1,000.
Coast FIRE number by age — retiring at 65
| Current age | $40,000/yr | $60,000/yr | $80,000/yr | $100,000/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIRE number | $1,000,000 | $1,500,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,500,000 |
| 20 | $180,000 | $270,000 | $360,000 | $450,000 |
| 25 | $218,000 | $327,000 | $436,000 | $545,000 |
| 30 | $264,000 | $395,000 | $527,000 | $659,000 |
| 35 | $319,000 | $478,000 | $638,000 | $797,000 |
| 40 | $386,000 | $579,000 | $772,000 | $964,000 |
| 45 | $467,000 | $700,000 | $933,000 | $1,167,000 |
| 50 | $565,000 | $847,000 | $1,129,000 | $1,412,000 |
| 55 | $683,000 | $1,025,000 | $1,366,000 | $1,708,000 |
| 60 | $827,000 | $1,240,000 | $1,653,000 | $2,066,000 |
Coast FIRE number by age — retiring at 55
| Current age | $40,000/yr | $60,000/yr | $80,000/yr | $100,000/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | $264,000 | $395,000 | $527,000 | $659,000 |
| 25 | $319,000 | $478,000 | $638,000 | $797,000 |
| 30 | $386,000 | $579,000 | $772,000 | $964,000 |
| 35 | $467,000 | $700,000 | $933,000 | $1,167,000 |
| 40 | $565,000 | $847,000 | $1,129,000 | $1,412,000 |
| 45 | $683,000 | $1,025,000 | $1,366,000 | $1,708,000 |
| 50 | $827,000 | $1,240,000 | $1,653,000 | $2,066,000 |
How much returns matter
Coast FIRE number for a 35-year-old retiring at 65 on $60,000 a year, at different average returns (3% inflation):
| Average return | 5% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 9% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coast FIRE number | $842,000 | $634,000 | $478,000 | $362,000 | $274,000 |
Dropping from 7% to 5% raises the number by about 76%, while 9% cuts it by about 43% — so it pays to be conservative. Fees work the same way: a 1% annual fee is like knocking a full point off your return.
How these numbers are calculated
FIRE number = annual spending ÷ withdrawal rate
Coast FIRE number = FIRE number ÷ (1 + real return)years until retirement
The real return is (1 + 7%) ÷ (1 + 3%) − 1 = 3.88%. For example, a 30-year-old aiming to spend $60,000 a year from 65 needs a $1,500,000 FIRE number; discounted over 35 years at 3.88%, that’s about$395,000 today.
How to use the tables
- Find your age and the column closest to the yearly spending you expect in retirement.
- If your investments already exceed that number, you’ve likely reached Coast FIRE under these assumptions.
- If you expect Social Security or a pension, subtract that income from your spending first.
- For your exact situation — including how soon monthly contributions get you there — use the Coast FIRE calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Coast FIRE number at 30?
Using a 4% withdrawal rate, 7% returns and 3% inflation, someone who is 30 and wants to retire at 65 on $60,000 a year needs about $395,000 invested today. For $40,000 a year it is about $264,000.
Are these numbers in today’s dollars?
Yes. Spending and the Coast FIRE number are both in today’s dollars, because the table uses an inflation-adjusted (real) return. Your actual balance at retirement will be larger in nominal terms.
Can I use these numbers in an article?
Yes — please cite and link to Evergreen Calc (https://evergreencalc.com/coast-fire-number-by-age/). For your own exact numbers, use the Coast FIRE calculator.
This article is for general education and is not financial, investment or tax advice. Rates, rules and limits change; check current terms with your bank or the IRS. See our disclaimer.