FIRE Number Calculator

This calculator works out your FIRE number, the size of investment portfolio you need before you can live off it without paid work, using the safe withdrawal rate approach popular with New Zealanders pursuing financial independence. You enter your expected annual spending in retirement, the safe withdrawal rate you want to plan around (a commonly used starting point is 4%, meaning a portfolio 25 times your spending), and how much you already have invested. It instantly returns your FIRE number, the total portfolio required, alongside how much you still need to invest to close the gap, your progress as a percentage of that target, and the multiple of annual spending your chosen withdrawal rate implies. Lowering your planned spending or picking a higher withdrawal rate reduces the number, while a lower rate raises it, so try a few combinations to see how sensitive your target is to your assumptions. The result does not account for NZ Super, which would reduce the amount you need to fund from your own investments once you reach the qualifying age, so treat this as a conservative target rather than the full picture. It is a simple planning tool to give you a clear goalpost, not a guarantee of investment returns or a safe withdrawal rate, so use it alongside proper financial advice for your own circumstances.

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A 4% withdrawal rate means a portfolio 25 times your spending. It is a starting point, not a guarantee, and depends on your timeframe and risk. This ignores NZ Super, which would reduce the savings you need. Estimate only, not financial advice.