FIRE Guides
Every FIREPath guide and reference on one page: the five FIRE types compared at default inputs, withdrawal and savings-rate research, healthcare before Medicare, how each number is calculated, and downloadable scenario data.
Which FIRE strategy should you learn first?
At the common defaults (age 30, $40,000/yr expenses, 4.0% SWR), Lean FIRE needs $600K, Regular FIRE needs $1.00M, and Fat FIRE needs $1.50M. The published guides below explain these illustrative targets, withdrawal assumptions, and healthcare bridge scenarios. As of 2026-10-07, these are illustrative defaults, not guaranteed outcomes.
Updated .
- 4.0% default Safe Withdrawal Rate — Trinity Study (1998)
- 7% default nominal expected return (FIREPath assumption you can adjust, set below long-run U.S. stock returns) — NYU Stern historical U.S. equity return data
The Complete FIRE Guide
Withdrawal research, savings-rate examples, retirement accounts, and the trade-offs between FIRE approaches.
ComparisonCompare the Five FIRE Types
Formulas, worked examples, and default assumptions for the five FIRE types.
HealthcareHealthcare Before Medicare
Estimate the years and premium costs between early retirement and age 65 using an illustrative scenario.
MethodologyHow We Calculate
The formulas, inflation adjustment, simulation horizon, and assumptions behind the FIRE calculator.
DataFIRE Target Scenarios
Compare default scenario targets and retirement-age sensitivities, with downloadable calculation data.
Next steps
- Run your own FIRE numbersEnter your age, expenses and savings to compare all five FIRE types instantly.
- Compare the five FIRE typesLean, Regular, Fat, Coast and Barista targets with formulas and worked examples.
- Estimate your health insurance before MedicareRetiring before 65 means paying for private coverage. Enter your own premium to see the cost.