FatFIRE Math

Spending floor and legacy calculator

How much can you spend and still leave a legacy?

Set annual retirement spending and the inflation-adjusted portfolio value you want left at the end. The calculator reports how often both conditions held.

Your plan

Today's dollars. Inputs stay in this browser.

The inflation-adjusted amount at the end of retirement.
Allocation
Stocks with a fifth in 10-year Treasuries — the usual Fat FIRE accumulation mix.
Starts that preserved the legacy48 of 58Ended with at least $1,000,000 after 40 years.
Spending that preserved it every time$102,390/yrThe strict historical ceiling.
Median ending legacy$7,898,118After all retirement spending.
Worst ending legacy$0From a retirement beginning in 1929.

48 of 58 historical starts funded $120,000 a year and still finished with the $1,000,000 legacy floor. Spending $102,390 or less preserved it in every complete period.

Exhibit 1 — the legacy left by every start yearRust missed the floor
Ending portfolio by historical starting year$0$5.0M$10M$15M193019401950196019701980
A retirement counts as successful here only if it both funded every withdrawal and finished with at least $1,000,000 in today's money.
Exhibit 2 — the worst and median pathsAgainst the legacy floor
Worst start compared with Median start$0$5.0M$10MLegacy floor $1.0MStart+10+20+30+40
The dashed rule is the desired ending legacy, shown throughout only as a reference; the portfolio may fall below it during retirement and recover by the end.
Historical startLowest pointEnded withResult
Worst endingStarted in 1929$0Ran out in 1962Missed
Median endingStarted in 1935$2,654,804$7,898,118Held
Best endingStarted in 1982$3,000,000$48,592,047Held

Results use historical US returns. They are pre-tax, before fees and are not forecasts. Read how spending turns into the number, or see about and method.