Coast FIRE Tracker

What is a Coast FIRE tracker?

A Coast FIRE tracker is a planning tool that compares the money you have invested today against the amount you'd need invested today for compound growth alone to reach your FIRE number by your target retirement age. The tracker shows your Coast FIRE number, the gap left to close, your % progress, and your projected portfolio value at retirement. New to the concept? Start with what is Coast FIRE, or run a one-time estimate with the Coast FIRE calculator.

Coast FIRE tracker vs Coast FIRE calculator

A Coast FIRE calculator answers a one-time question: "what's my number today?" A Coast FIRE tracker answers an ongoing one: "am I closing the gap?" The math behind both is the same — your inputs change, markets move, and your target shifts every year, so most people get more value from a tracker they revisit monthly than a calculator they run once and forget. If you just want a snapshot, use the Coast FIRE calculator; for a number you can watch month over month, this page is the right tool.

How to calculate your Coast FIRE number

1. Estimate your annual retirement spending in today's dollars.
2. Divide by your safe withdrawal rate (usually 4%) to get your FIRE number.
3. Discount the FIRE number back to today using your expected real return and the years left until retirement.
4. Compare your current invested balance to that Coast FIRE number — anything above it means you've already hit Coast FIRE.

Coast FIRE formula

FIRE Number          = Annual Retirement Spending / Safe Withdrawal Rate
Coast FIRE Today     = FIRE Number / (1 + Expected Real Return) ^ Years Until Retirement

What assumptions should you use?

• Safe withdrawal rate: 3.5%–4% is the most common starting point.
• Real return: 4–6% after inflation for a globally diversified stock-heavy portfolio.
• Retirement age: the age you want to stop working entirely.
• Annual spending: use today's dollars — the tracker handles inflation by using real returns.

How often should you update your Coast FIRE tracker?

Update inputs monthly. Re-check assumptions (spending, retirement age, expected return) at least annually or after any major life change — new job, kids, home purchase, or a big shift in markets. If you're brand new to all of this, read the FIRE for beginners guide or try the early retirement calculator.

Coast FIRE vs traditional FIRE

Traditional FIRE means you have enough invested to withdraw your full annual spending today. Coast FIRE only requires enough invested today for compounding to reach the full FIRE number by your target retirement age — much faster to hit, but you still need earned income to cover today's expenses.

Coast FIRE vs Barista FIRE vs Lean FIRE

• Coast FIRE: portfolio is big enough to grow into full FIRE without new contributions.
• Barista FIRE: part-time or lower-income work covers living expenses while the portfolio coasts.
• Lean FIRE: full retirement on a deliberately low annual spending number.
• Fat FIRE: full retirement on a higher annual spending budget.

Coast FIRE example for a beginner

Common Coast FIRE mistakes

• Using nominal return assumptions without subtracting inflation.
• Forgetting healthcare or family costs in retirement spending.
• Stopping all saving the moment you hit Coast FIRE — a small buffer protects against sequence-of-returns risk.
• Setting an unrealistic retirement age and inflating the Coast FIRE discount.
• Ignoring taxes on withdrawals.

Frequently asked questions