



If you can save 85%, you can retire in 4 years.īefore we get started, we're going to assume a simple scenario: you don't have an emergency fund, you have some sort of debt (credit card, student loans, house, etc.) and you have no investment accounts. If you save 75%, you can retire in 7 years. Assuming a net worth of zero, if you save 50% of your income, you can retire in 17 years. Money Mustache's article on The Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement. The more you save, the quicker you will reach financial independence. How long does it take to reach financial independence?Īn important factor to financial independence is your savings rate, which is how much of your income you can save. With some of these assumptions in place, we do not have to be so conservative with our safe withdrawal rate and can use the standard 4% safe withdrawal rate.

How much money do I really need to save in order to retire? The less you spend, the less you will need to save. The more you spend, the more you will need to save. The key to financial independence is how much money you spend. Some people want to retire as soon as possible and are more willing to cut back some expenses. Some people want to have a more lavish retirement and therefore will need to save more money. Your assets are producing more income than you spend in a year.Įveryone has a different financial independence number. You become financially independent when your wealth's assets produce enough income to cover your expenses.įor example: If you have $500,000 in assets and your assets produce $20,000 per year (4% of your total assets value) and your expenses for the year are $20,000 or less, then congratulations, you are now financially independent. Financial Independence, Retire Early What is financial independence?įinancial independence is having enough wealth such that you no longer have to work for money.
