Coast FIRE Calculator for PAs, NPs & Nurses
See whether you can drop to part-time or per diem and let your investments coast to retirement — after accounting for the benefits you give up. Free, no signup, runs in your browser.
Educational only, not financial advice. Results are estimates. See our disclaimer.
How Coast FIRE works for healthcare workers
Coast FIRE means you already have enough invested that compound growth alone will reach your FIRE number by retirement. After that, you only need to earn enough to cover today's expenses. For clinicians, that often means trading 12-hour full-time shifts for a lighter part-time or per diem schedule. The Coast number is your FIRE number discounted back to today: FIRE ÷ (1 + real return)^years. New to the idea? Read what is Coast FIRE.
Part-time vs per diem
Part-time roles (commonly 0.5–0.8 FTE) usually keep some benefits and predictable shifts. Per diem pays a higher hourly rate and offers maximum flexibility, but typically no benefits, no guaranteed hours, and can be cancelled when census drops. Neither is better by default — compare effective income after benefits.
The hidden cost of lost benefits
- Health insurance / ACA premium: often the largest cost once your employer stops paying its share.
- Retirement match: a 4–6% 401(k)/403(b) match disappears, slowing growth.
- CME allowance: conferences and courses you'll now fund yourself.
- Malpractice coverage: some per diem or locum arrangements require your own policy or tail coverage.
- License, DEA and certification fees: state licenses, DEA registration, NCCPA/board recertification, and BLS/ACLS.
Worked PA examples
A 35-year-old PA with a $1,500,000 FIRE target needs this much invested today to coast:
| Real return | Retire at | Years | Coast FIRE number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7% | 65 | 30 | $197,051 |
| 7% | 60 | 25 | $276,374 |
| 5% | 65 | 30 | $347,066 |
| 5% | 60 | 25 | $442,954 |
If that PA drops from $130,000 full-time to $70,000 per diem and loses $17,000 a year in benefits, effective part-time income is about $53,000 — the number that must cover living costs while the portfolio coasts.
How to use the calculator
- Enter your age, invested savings, target retirement age and a real return (try 5% and 7%).
- Enter your FIRE number — roughly annual retirement expenses × 25.
- Enter full-time and part-time/per diem income, then each benefit you'd lose.
- Optionally add an annual contribution to see how many more full-time years you need before coasting.
Frequently asked questions
Is per diem or part-time better for Coast FIRE?
Per diem usually pays a higher hourly rate with full schedule flexibility but rarely includes benefits or guaranteed hours. Part-time (often 0.5–0.8 FTE) pays less per hour but may keep health insurance, a retirement match, and CME. Compare them using effective income after lost benefits.
Do ACA subsidies depend on how many hours I work?
No. ACA premium tax credits depend on household income relative to the federal poverty level and on whether you have an affordable employer offer, not on hours. Check current rules and estimates with the KFF subsidy calculator at kff.org. Visit KFF.
Should I keep benefits at 0.5 FTE?
If your employer offers benefits at 0.5 FTE, the employer-paid health premium and match are often worth several thousand to over ten thousand dollars a year. Enter their value as lost benefits and compare against a per diem rate to see which nets more.
Who pays malpractice coverage when I go per diem?
Many facilities cover per diem clinicians, but some locum or independent arrangements require your own policy or tail coverage. Confirm in writing and enter any out-of-pocket cost.
What return rate should I use?
Use a real (after-inflation) return. Many planners test 5% as conservative and 7% as historical-average. Because Coast FIRE compounds over decades, small rate changes move the number a lot.
Does this calculator save my data?
No. Everything runs in your browser, with no signup and nothing stored.