Your income & savings
Use gross (pre-tax) income for consistency. Some use take-home — either works, just pick one.
Include 401(k), IRA, HSA, brokerage, and extra mortgage principal. Include employer match.
Enter income and savings to see your rate
Savings rate → years to FI
| Savings rate | Years to FI | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5% | ~66 yrs | Avg US (2026) |
| 10% | ~51 yrs | |
| 15% | ~43 yrs | Rule-of-thumb min |
| 20% | ~37 yrs | |
| 25% | ~32 yrs | |
| 30% | ~28 yrs | |
| 40% | ~22 yrs | |
| 50% | ~17 yrs | FI in ~17 yrs |
| 65% | ~11 yrs | FI in ~10 yrs |
Assumes starting from $0, 5% real annual return, 4% safe withdrawal rate.
Why savings rate beats income
If you save 10% of a $200K income, you're 90% dependent on that paycheck and FI is ~51 years away. If you save 50% of a $80K income, you only need to replace half your spending and FI is ~17 years away. The lower spender wins — by decades.
The single biggest lever isn't return rate — it's savings rate. A 50% savings rate gets you to FI in ~17 years regardless of income. A 10% savings rate takes ~51 years. That's the entire game.
What counts as savings? Everything that builds wealth: 401(k) and IRA contributions, HSA, taxable brokerage, extra mortgage principal, and your employer match. Don't include emergency-fund contributions you'll spend within a year, or 'savings' for short-term goals. Pair this with our net worth calculator to see where you stand today.
Avg US savings rate
~4.5%
FI would take ~66 years at that rate.
FIRE community target
50%+
FI in ~17 years from $0.
See your savings rate's full impact
PeakWorth projects your net worth and FI age year by year — accounting for taxes, income growth, and your exact spending plan.
Start free trialPeakWorth provides educational projections, not financial advice. We are not a registered investment advisor, broker-dealer, tax preparer, or attorney. Consult a licensed professional before making major financial decisions. Read full disclosures