FIRE Lifestyle Calculator
Compare two retirement philosophies: preserve your wealth forever, or deploy it deliberately for maximum life impact.
📊 Traditional FIRE
Financial Independence, Retire Early. Save 25x your annual expenses, then withdraw 4% per year—statistically safe for 30+ year retirements. The goal: never run out of money. The risk: dying with millions unspent.
🎯 Die With Zero
From Bill Perkins' book. Your net worth should peak, then deliberately decline. Every dollar unspent is a missed experience or ungiven gift. The goal: maximize life, not account balances. The risk: running out too soon.
Key Concepts in This Calculator
Spending Smile
Spending typically drops 15-25% in your 60s-70s (less travel, simpler needs), then rises again for healthcare in your 80s.
Side Income
Part-time consulting, projects, or passion work. Even $10-20K/year dramatically extends portfolio life.
Giving While Living
Front-load giving when you can see the impact. Help family in their 30s, not their 60s. Give to causes while you're engaged.
📍 Starting Point
🎯 Your Plan
Portfolio Trajectory
📊 Traditional FIRE
🎯 Die With Zero
💡 The Tradeoff
Assumptions & Caveats
- Returns are constant (reality: sequence of returns risk matters)
- Inflation assumed at 2.5% annually
- Social Security starts at 67 (adjust SS Haircut for uncertainty)
- Spending smile: 100% → 85% → 75% → 110% across life phases
- Giving phases out: 100% → 70% → 30% as you age
- No taxes modeled (consider Roth conversions, capital gains strategies)
- Healthcare costs simplified into spending smile
This is a thinking tool, not financial advice. Reality has more variables. Consider working with a fee-only financial planner for your actual plan.