F-You Money Calculator
FU Money Calculator — Financial Independence Target
What this calculator does
This calculator shows how many months of expenses your current savings can cover, and what portfolio you need to live off a safe withdrawal rate.
The math, with a worked example
Months covered = savings ÷ monthly expenses. FIRE portfolio target = monthly expenses × 12 ÷ safe withdrawal rate. With $20,000 saved and $3,000 monthly expenses, you can cover about 6.7 months. To cover expenses forever at a 4% withdrawal rate, you need about $900,000.
Why this matters
FU money is independence measured in months: savings ÷ monthly expenses. The permanent version — expenses covered forever — is the FIRE target: annual spending divided by a safe withdrawal rate. Both numbers turn 'someday' into arithmetic.
Methodology and transparency
Months covered = savings ÷ monthly expenses; portfolio target = annual expenses ÷ safe withdrawal rate (the 4% convention from the Trinity-style studies). The withdrawal rate is the load-bearing assumption — it presumes a diversified portfolio and tolerates historical worst cases, not guarantees, and expenses are today's, unadjusted for the lifestyle you'll actually want. Everything runs in your browser; no data is sent or stored.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-08
Common questions
What is F-you money?
Enough savings that you can quit a bad job, move, or survive a major life change without panic.
What is a safe withdrawal rate?
A common rule of thumb is 4% per year for a 30-year retirement. Some use 3.5% for more safety or longer horizons.
Does this include investment returns?
The expected return field shows how fast your savings may grow, but the core numbers are based on current savings and expenses.