When Can You Stop Working?
Five numbers about you. Three answers about your future. That's it.
About You
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How it works — in plain words
Your freedom number is roughly 25× what you spend in a year — a pot big enough that investment returns can cover your bills forever (the "4% rule"). The calculator grows your savings and monthly investing, after inflation, and finds the age where your line crosses that number. Everything is shown in today's money, so the amounts mean what you think they mean.
Two levers move the date: invest more, or spend less. Spending less is twice as powerful — it frees up money to invest and shrinks the pot you need.
Common questions
What is a freedom number?
It's the pot of money big enough that investment returns can pay your bills forever — roughly 25 times what you spend per year. If you spend $2,500 a month ($30,000 a year), your freedom number is about $750,000. Once you reach it, working becomes optional.
When can I stop working?
When your investments reach your freedom number. The calculator grows your current savings plus monthly investing (after inflation) and finds the age where the pot covers your spending. Saving more per month or spending less both move the date closer — spending less is twice as powerful because it also shrinks the target. It's a straight-line plan, so for a probability view of a real asset try Future Mode.
What growth rate should I pick?
🛡️ Safe (5%) fits savings-heavy portfolios, ⚖️ Balanced (7%) fits a classic stock/bond mix, 📈 Stocks (9%) fits an all-stock portfolio. The S&P 500 has averaged roughly 10% per year over the long run, before inflation. You can verify any asset's real history with Replay Mode.