Savings rate — not investment returns — is the dominant lever. Drag the slider below and watch why the relationship isn't a straight line.
Should describe your actual portfolio blend, not the stock market in general — a diversified portfolio typically runs lower than 100% equities.
Defines your FI number. See "The 4% Rule" for the case behind these figures.
Years until a traditional retirement age — the point by which growth alone needs to finish the job.
Ten more points of savings rate (50%) gets you to FI in 15.5 years instead of 20 — 4.4 years sooner.
A starting estimate, not a plan — pre-tax, pre-fee, and assumes a constant real savings amount. See The Numbers section for sequence risk, healthcare, and drawdown mechanics.
Independent of your actual income — this is the general relationship between savings rate and time, at your selected return and withdrawal rate. Drag to explore.
Every rate on this chart is a share of after-tax income, not gross — 50% of take-home pay is a very different bar than 50% of what you earn before taxes. Notice how flat the curve gets past ~50% — and how steep it is below ~20%.
This tool is a model, not a financial plan. Every result depends on the assumptions you set — return expectations, withdrawal rate, and the horizon you choose — and real outcomes will differ, especially since it doesn't account for taxes, fees, irregular income, or lifestyle changes over time. Nothing here is financial, tax, or legal advice, and it isn't a substitute for one. Use it to build intuition about the shape of the tradeoff, not as the basis for a decision on its own. Before making significant financial decisions, consult a qualified financial planner, tax advisor, or other licensed professional who can account for your complete situation.