Coast FIRE calculator

Coast FIRE is the point where you could stop saving and let growth carry your savings to the number you need by retirement.

Your result

Coast number today: CHF 251’521
Reached?: Not yet
Your savings at retirement age: CHF 477’098
Needed at retirement: CHF 1’200’000

Your result, explained

To coast from today you would need CHF 251’521 invested; you are about CHF 151’521 short. Keep saving a little longer.

Use this in your full plan →

Estimates for planning, not advice. Use at your own risk. Read the full disclaimer

How it is calculated

Needed at retirement = yearly spending ÷ withdrawal rate.
Coast number today = that amount ÷ (1 + real return) ^ years to retirement.
If your savings today are at least the coast number, growth alone could get you there.

It assumes steady returns and no withdrawals until retirement. Markets do not move in straight lines, so keep a margin. More about the variants in lean, fat, barista and coast FIRE.

Context

How markets did in the last 20 years

Real index returns, before inflation and fund costs. Our default for stocks is 8.0% a year; the last two decades were stronger, and they included a 67 % fall in francs.

Index	Period	Currency	Per year
S&P 500with dividends	2006–2025	USD	10.9%
MSCI Worldwithout dividends (add about 2 %)	Oct 2016–Sep 2026	CHF	9.4%
Swiss equitieswith dividends	2009–2025	CHF	8.5%

S&P 500: Worst year: 2008, -36.8%.
MSCI World (CHF): Largest fall in francs: -67.0% between 2000 and 2009.
Swiss equities: Since 1900: 6.8% a year, 4.6% after inflation.
Why francs earned less: the franc rose against the dollar, so a Swiss investor kept less of the US gains.

Past returns do not predict future returns. Sources: chartrow.com, msci.com, pictet.com. Try these returns in the calculator →

Frequently asked questions

Does coasting mean I can stop working?

No. You still need income for today’s spending. Coasting means you no longer need to save for retirement, which can allow part-time work or a lower-paid job.

What return should I use?

A long-run return before inflation. The result is in today’s francs, so a lower return is the more careful choice.

What about AHV and the pension fund?

They reduce the amount you need at retirement. Lower the monthly spending by your expected pensions to include them roughly, or use the full calculator.