Coast FIRE is the most underrated milestone in investing: the moment your existing portfolio, left completely alone, will compound into a full retirement fund by itself. No more mandatory saving — from that point on, work only needs to cover today’s bills. This calculator finds your Coast FIRE number in euros, checks whether you have already passed it, and if not, shows exactly how far along you are and what monthly investment would get you there within five years.
By Kestutis Balciunas · Last reviewed: 17 July 2026 · Figures and rules are 2026-vintage estimates — verify current data before acting. Educational tool, not advice.
The three numbers behind the verdict
First, the pot required at retirement: desired monthly income × 12 ÷ withdrawal rate. Wanting €2,000/month at a 4% withdrawal rate means €24,000 ÷ 0.04 = €600,000. Second, your projected pot: what your current portfolio grows to by retirement with zero new contributions — €50,000 at a 5% real return over 30 years becomes €50,000 × 1.0530 ≈ €216,000. Third, the star of the show, your Coast FIRE number today: the required pot discounted back to now, required ÷ (1 + r)years. In the example that is €600,000 ÷ 4.32 ≈ €138,800 — hold that much at 35 and compounding does the remaining €461,000 of work unassisted. With €50,000 you would be 36% of the way there.
Why everything is in real terms
The calculator works in today’s money, which is why the return input should be a real (after-inflation) figure — typically 4–5% for a diversified equity portfolio, versus the 7–8% nominal you may be used to. Using a real return means the €2,000/month you type keeps today’s purchasing power, and the withdrawal-rate presets carry their usual meaning: 4% is the classic 30-year figure from US data, while 3–3.5% suits the longer retirements early coasting implies — the single most sensitive input in the whole calculation, so try all three.
Closing the gap — and what coasting actually buys you
If you are short of your coast number, the tool computes the monthly investment that closes the gap within five years using the standard annuity formula — in the €50,000 example, about €1,670/month for five years reaches coast by age 40. That sounds heavy, but it is the front-loaded version of a bargain: save hard for a few years, then never have to save again for the rest of your career. Watch the mechanics of that trade in the compound growth calculator — early euros simply have more decades to multiply. Coast FIRE also pairs naturally with its siblings: Barista FIRE (coast plus a lighter job) and the full independence target you can size with the financial freedom calculator.
The European fine print
Coast math is where Europeans hold a quiet advantage: a state pension means your portfolio only has to fund the gap between the pension and the life you want, not the whole income — run the European pension gap calculator to see how much smaller your true target is. Our deeper dive into Coast FIRE in Europe covers the strategy end.
As always, know what the model leaves out: it projects a constant return, while real portfolios wobble around the average; it ignores taxes and fund fees, which nibble at the compounding; and a coast verdict computed at 35 deserves re-checking every year or two as returns, income wishes and withdrawal-rate research evolve. Reaching coast is a milestone worth celebrating — not a reason to stop paying attention. Estimates only, not financial advice.
These numbers make more sense with the guide
The free 12-page Starter Kit turns them into decisions: your first fund, a safe broker, and the tax basics for your country.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What exactly is a Coast FIRE number?
A: It is your full retirement pot discounted back to today at your expected real return: required pot divided by (1+r)^years. Hold that amount now and compounding alone is projected to deliver the full pot by retirement age, with no further contributions needed.
Q: Should I really stop saving once I reach Coast FIRE?
A: You can, which is the point — saving becomes optional rather than mandatory. Most people keep investing at a relaxed pace anyway, because every extra euro now buys an earlier retirement date or a higher retirement income. Coast FIRE is best treated as the moment financial stress ends, not the moment investing ends.
Q: Why does the calculator ask for a real return instead of a nominal one?
A: Because your desired income is entered in today’s money. Discounting with a real (after-inflation) return keeps everything in consistent purchasing-power terms, so the coast number you see is directly comparable to your portfolio balance today. For a diversified equity portfolio, 4-5% real is a common planning range — verify your own assumptions.
Q: Which withdrawal rate should I pick?
A: The 4% rule comes from 30-year US retirement data; 3.5% is a common European default for longer retirements, and 3% is conservative enough for the 40-plus-year horizons that early coasting implies. A lower rate raises your required pot and therefore your coast number, so it is the single most sensitive input in the tool.
Q: Does my state pension change my Coast FIRE number?
A: Substantially. If a state pension will cover part of your desired income, your portfolio only needs to fund the remainder, which can cut the required pot — and the coast number — by half or more. Compute the gap first with a pension gap calculator, then use that gap income as the desired income here.
Coast FIRE calculator FAQ
What does this coast FIRE calculator tell me? The exact age at which your existing investments, left untouched, will compound into your retirement target — meaning you could stop contributing today and still retire on time. It uses your current portfolio, expected real return, and target retirement spending.
Why a European version? Most coast FIRE calculators assume US tax-advantaged accounts. This one works from plain taxable investing, the reality for most EU investors, and pairs naturally with an accumulating ETF strategy where compounding happens without annual dividend tax drag.