Tools · Coast FIRE

Have you already saved enough to coast?

Coast FIRE is the moment your invested savings will grow into a full retirement on their own — no more contributions needed. Hit it, and you only have to cover today's bills.

Last updated: June 2026

Coast FIRE is the point at which your existing invested savings, left completely untouched, will compound on their own into a full retirement nest egg by a target age — meaning you no longer need to add another dollar to reach financial independence, though you still need income to cover today's living costs until then.

How it's calculated

The math works backward from your FIRE number using the compound growth formula: Coast number = FIRE number ÷ (1 + r)^n, where r is your expected annual real return and n is the number of years between now and your target retirement age. For example, if your FIRE number is $1,000,000, you're 35, plan to retire at 65 (n=30), and expect a 6% real return, your coast number today is roughly $1,000,000 ÷ 1.06^30 ≈ $174,000.

Why it matters

Coast FIRE reframes the goal: once you hit the coast number, work becomes optional-intensity rather than mandatory. Many people use it to justify a lower-stress job, a move to nonprofit or public-sector work, or simply stepping back from overtime — because retirement is now "on autopilot" regardless of future contributions, so the pressure shifts to covering current expenses rather than building more nest egg.

Common pitfalls

The calculation is highly sensitive to the assumed return rate and time horizon — a 1-2 percentage point change in expected real return swings the coast number substantially given the exponent. It also assumes truly hands-off investing (no further withdrawals) and doesn't account for sequence-of-returns risk in the intervening years, a market crash early in the coast period can meaningfully delay things even if the long-run average return assumption holds.

After inflation. ~5% is a common long-run stock/bond estimate.

The classic 4% rule = a 25× nest egg.

Full exit readiness → F-You money calc
Coast FIRE assumes steady real returns that never actually arrive in a straight line — treat it as direction, not destiny. Education, not financial advice. How we calculate.

Frequently asked questions

What is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE is the point where your existing investments will grow into a full retirement nest egg on their own — with no new contributions — by traditional retirement age. After that, you only need to earn enough to cover current expenses.
How is Coast FIRE calculated?
Take your future FIRE number and discount it back to today using your expected real return and the years until retirement. If your current invested savings already meet that present-value figure, you've reached Coast FIRE.
Coast FIRE vs Barista FIRE — what's the difference?
Coast FIRE means you stop investing but keep working to cover today's costs. Barista FIRE means you cover part of your expenses with light or part-time work while a partial portfolio handles the rest.
Can I retire once I hit Coast FIRE?
Not immediately — Coast FIRE means your retirement is funded for the future, but you still need income for present-day living costs until your investments mature. It removes the pressure to keep saving, which is often enough to leave a high-stress job.
How does Coast FIRE fit with the other FIRE variants?
Coast, Barista, Lean and Fat FIRE are all variations on the same 4% rule math. See the complete guide to FIRE for the full picture, or the types of FIRE guide for a quick comparison.