About FireVerdict

FireVerdict is built and maintained by me — I go by Mike — a software engineer working toward my own financial independence. This site started because I kept running other FIRE calculators and leaving with more questions than answers. Some bury the number you actually came for under twenty inputs and a wall of charts; others hide their assumptions so completely that you can't tell whether the answer is conservative, optimistic, or quietly broken. I wanted a calculator that does the opposite: lead with the verdict, then show every assumption behind it.

That's the whole philosophy of FireVerdict. Every calculator here gives you an instant, plain-language verdict — coasting, on track, or behind, with the fix if you're behind — and every formula it uses is published openly on the methodology page. If a projection assumes 7% nominal returns against 3% inflation, it says so, converts to a real return properly instead of naively subtracting, and shows its work. You should never have to trust a black box with a decision this big.

What FireVerdict is not

It is not a financial adviser, and nothing on this site is personalised advice. I'm an engineer, not a licensed planner; the calculators are education and arithmetic, not recommendations to buy, sell, or retire. Your situation has details no web tool can see — tax wrappers, dependents, health coverage, the things that keep you up at night. For decisions with real money on the line, talk to a fee-only professional who can look at your whole picture.

Your numbers never leave your browser

Privacy isn't a feature bolted on at the end — it's how the site works. All of the math runs in your browser. Nothing you type into any calculator is stored, tracked, or sent anywhere; there are no accounts and no signup. Close the tab and your inputs are gone. The site can afford to work this way because there's nothing to sync: the entire engine ships to you as code and runs locally.

Where to start

Most people arrive looking for one number. If you want to know when you can stop saving but keep working, that's Coast FIRE — the flagship Coast FIRE calculator answers it in about ten seconds. If you want the full price of never working for money again, use the FIRE number calculator. New terminology gets defined in plain language in the FIRE glossary, and each calculator page explains the math underneath it before asking you to trust it.

Corrections and questions

Found a bug, spotted a formula you disagree with, or want a feature? I genuinely want to hear it — the math is meant to be argued with, and corrections make the site better for everyone. Email me at [email protected] and I'll read it.

— Mike, builder of FireVerdict