See what share of take-home you save, and how raising it shortens the years to independence
Savings rate = Savings ÷ Take-home × 100
Your curve uses this page’s income, nest egg, real return and withdrawal rate — not a generic table.
| Scenario | Rate | Annual save | FI number | Years | vs now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjust inputs to see results | |||||
| Year | Contributions | Growth | Balance | % of FI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjust inputs to see results | ||||
The free Savings Rate Calculator shows what percentage of take-home pay you keep, the portfolio that would cover your lifestyle (your FI number), and how many years of compounding stand between you and independence. Raise the rate and you both invest more and need less — that double lever is why savings rate usually beats a higher return or a bigger salary alone.
Start with the numbers you actually live on, not headline salary:
Every field updates the page immediately. The core identity is:
R = S ÷ T × 100
Independence is modelled as the year your portfolio first covers spending at the chosen withdrawal rate:
FI = Annual spending ÷ SWRn = ln((FI·r + S) / (P·r + S)) / ln(1 + r)
Where S is annual savings, P is today’s portfolio and r is the real return. The year-by-year table uses monthly contributions and monthly compounding so it stays consistent with the Compound Growth Calculator.
Goal: See how a typical “good saver” timeline looks once a starter portfolio is included.
Approximate results: ~34 years to independence · FI age ~69 · lifting the rate to 25% trims roughly 4 years
Goal: See the double benefit — more invested, and a smaller target.
Someone who saves 10% of take-home spends 90% of it, so the FI number is huge and contributions are small. Someone who saves 50% spends half as much, needs half the nest egg, and invests five times more each year. That is why 50% is often quoted as “about 17 years from zero” and why an extra 5 points near the low end of the curve is worth several calendar years.
10% ≈ 51 years | 25% ≈ 32 years | 50% ≈ 17 years | 70% ≈ 8.5 years
Not professional advice: This calculator is an estimation and educational tool. It does not constitute financial, tax or investment advice. Actual returns vary; past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Speak to a qualified adviser about your own situation.
Assumptions: Take-home and spending stay constant in real terms. The portfolio earns a constant real return with no fees or taxes modelled. The safe withdrawal rate is an assumption, not a promise that a given withdrawal will last. Housing equity, pensions with restricted access, and employer contributions are included only if you put them in the inputs.
Estimation purposes only: Markets are volatile. Contribution rates change. Inflation and withdrawal needs are not constant. The charts and tables are illustrations of the savings-rate lever, not a forecast.
Please email all suggestions for improvements and any bug reports to: savingsratecalc@personalfinances.me, thank you.