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Coast FIRE Number by Age — Am I on Track? (2026 Benchmarks)

Check your invested assets against a Coast FIRE number for your age — then see what waiting costs.

Not at Coast FIRE Yet
Your Age: 30

Your Coast FIRE Number

$263,555

Your Invested Assets

$50,000

Amount Still Needed

$213,555

Your Details

Adjust Your Assumptions65 · $40K expenses · 7%

7% nominal return and 3% inflation equal a 3.9% real return in today's purchasing power. Retire at 65; 4% withdrawal rate.

Coast FIRE Benchmarks by Age

Swipe horizontally to read every table column.

Coast FIRE benchmark amounts by age
AgeCoast FIRE NumberYears to Target Retirement
25$217,84040 years
Your Age 30$263,55535 years
35$318,86230 years
40$385,77725 years
45$466,73320 years
50$564,67915 years
55$683,17910 years
60$826,5465 years

Each Coast FIRE number is the amount that could grow to the retirement target without additional contributions.

What does this gap actually mean?

The Coast number for your age is how much you need invested today so compound growth can reach your retirement target — if you leave that money invested. The status above already says whether you've cleared this checkpoint.

  • •At or above it: the estimate says you're on track for this age under these assumptions. That is not permission to stop saving or quit your job. Try a worse return before you change your plan.
  • •Below it: the dollar gap still has to be saved or grown. On this page, raise the retirement age or lower spending to see the checkpoint move. For a monthly contribution path, use the main calculator.
Calculate your exact number

How does this benchmark work?

Two linked amounts: the full retirement target, then today's smaller Coast number.

The table discounts that target back to each age using real return and years left until retirement. Age changes how many years compounding still has, so the same retirement plan needs a smaller Coast number at 30 than at 45. Skip this check and it's easy to compare yourself to a full FIRE nest egg you don't need yet.

In plain steps:

  1. 1.Retirement target = annual expenses ÷ withdrawal rate
  2. 2.Coast FIRE number = retirement target ÷ (1 + real return)^years until retirement

All dollar figures are in today's purchasing power. 7% nominal return and 3% inflation produce a 3.9% real return. The 4% withdrawal rate used on this page is a planning assumption, not a promise that withdrawals will be sustainable.

What should you compare with the number?

Compare money you expect to leave invested for retirement — not every dollar you own.

Usually include

  • •Retirement accounts such as a 401(k), IRA, or similar
  • •Taxable brokerage investments set aside for retirement

Usually keep separate

  • •Emergency cash and near-term spending reserves
  • •Your primary home, unless your plan converts equity into retirement assets

Leave a pension or Social Security out of this comparison unless you model them separately. Pension calculator · Social Security calculator

What does an age-30 example look like?

More years left → a smaller Coast number for the same retirement plan.

At age 30, $40,000 of annual spending and a 4% withdrawal rate produce a $1,000,000 retirement target.

With 35 years until age 65 and a 3.9% real return, the Coast FIRE number is $263,555.

That Coast number is lower than the retirement target because the calculation assumes the invested amount keeps compounding until retirement.

Rule of thumb: more time to retirement lowers the Coast number when every other assumption stays the same.

What does this estimate not decide?

Use it as a planning checkpoint — not a green light to stop saving or quit your job.

The number does not decide:

  • •Whether you can stop saving
  • •Whether you can retire
  • •Which investment mix to use

Taxes, fees, uneven returns, account-access rules, spending changes and life expectancy can all change the outcome.

Educational planning estimate, not personalized investment advice. Read the formula guide.

Why does waiting raise the Coast number?

Same spending and retirement age — fewer years left means you need more saved today.

The chart shows the Coast FIRE number rising as the starting age rises, using the assumptions selected above. The data table lists the exact values by age.
Coast FIRE number chart data by age
AgeCoast FIRE Number
25$217,840
30$263,555
35$318,862
40$385,777
45$466,733
50$564,679
55$683,179
60$826,546

Think of it like a head start

Money that sits longer can do more of the heavy lifting. Start later under the same plan, and you have to bring a bigger pile today.

What does waiting cost?

Wait 5 years

+$45,715

more needed

Wait 10 years

+$101,022

more needed

Wait 15 years

+$167,937

more needed

❓

What else do people ask?

With the default assumptions ($40,000 annual expenses, 7% return, 3% inflation, 4% withdrawal, retire at 65), you'd need about $263,555 at age 30. Change the assumptions to match your plan and the table updates the benchmark for every age.

Related Calculators

Need a different calculation? Try these:

Quick Calculator

Simple Coast FIRE calculator with just 3 inputs

For Couples

Calculate with dual incomes and joint expenses

With Pension

Subtract pension income from your target, including the gap years

With Social Security

Count all, some or none of your benefit and see the lower target

"It's not that I don't want to work hard—I just want to work hard for myself."

May you reach the shore soon 🌅