When Can I Retire?
Here's a quietly surprising idea: how soon you could stop working leans far more on the share of your pay you keep than on how much you earn. This is just a small way to feel that for yourself — no spending spreadsheet required. Tell it what you take home, then drag the slider. Saving more does two things at once: it grows the pile faster and shrinks the pile you need.
The part that surprises people
Starting from nothing, here's how long it takes at each savings rate (5% real return, 4% withdrawal). This is the heart of it: the salary cancels out. Someone saving half of a small paycheck and someone saving half of a big one reach freedom in the same number of years — the dollars don't decide it, the rate does. Your slider's rate is highlighted.
| Save this much | Years to freedom |
|---|---|
| 10% | 51 |
| 15% | 43 |
| 20% | 37 |
| 25% | 32 |
| 30% | 28 |
| 35% | 25 |
| 40% | 22 |
| 45% | 19 |
| 50% | 17 |
| 55% | 14 |
| 60% | 12 |
| 65% | 11 |
| 70% | 9 |
| 75% | 7 |
| 80% | 6 |
Rough math, not advice. It assumes you spend whatever you don't save, a steady savings rate, returns already adjusted for inflation, and it ignores taxes and Social Security — both of which can move the real answer. Treat it as a feel for the shape, not a plan.