Coast FIRE Calculator for $100k Salary
Earning $100k per year puts you in a strong position to achieve Coast FIRE. With a 20% savings rate, you could save approximately $1,667/month ($20k/year) toward your Coast FIRE goal. Use our calculator to see exactly when you could reach financial independence and stop actively saving for retirement.
Why This Matters
At $100k, your path to Coast FIRE is well-paved if you can maintain discipline. This income level provides enough cushion for comfortable living while still allowing meaningful savings. The key is avoiding lifestyle creep as your career progresses. Investing $1,667/month at 7% returns could grow to over $503k in 15 years.
Key Considerations for Your Situation
At $80-120k, you have excellent Coast FIRE potential. Your income allows for both comfortable living and aggressive saving. Many people at this income level reach Coast FIRE in under 10 years by maintaining a lifestyle suited to a lower income while banking the difference.
Consider the powerful strategy of "living on last year's salary." Each time you get a raise, pretend it didn't happen and invest the entire increase. If your salary grows from $90k to $100k, you just added $10k/year to your investments without any lifestyle change.
At this income level, you can likely max out all tax-advantaged accounts: 401k ($23,000), Roth IRA ($7,000), and HSA ($4,150 individual/$8,300 family). That's $34,000+ in tax-advantaged savings before you even touch a taxable brokerage account.
Watch out for golden handcuffs. Higher incomes often come with higher stress, longer hours, and less flexibility. Coast FIRE can free you from this trap - once you hit your number, you can choose work based on enjoyment rather than compensation.
Middle-Income Tax Strategies
You're likely in the 22% federal bracket. Every dollar in Traditional 401k/IRA saves 22 cents in taxes now. Roth may be better if you expect higher income later.
The "tax torpedo" zone: your income is high enough for meaningful tax savings but not so high that you phase out of credits. Optimize AGI through 401k contributions.
HSA is the most tax-advantaged account: tax-deductible going in, tax-free growth, tax-free for medical expenses. At your income, prioritize: 401k match → HSA max → IRA → 401k max.
State taxes matter: moving from California (13.3% top rate) to Texas (0%) on $80k saves $5,000+/year in state taxes alone - potentially accelerating Coast FIRE by years.
Healthcare & Your Income
ACA subsidies phase out around 400% FPL (~$62k single, $129k family of 4). You may be just above or below this cliff - small income changes can mean big premium differences.
Spousal coverage strategy: if one spouse earns significantly less, they may qualify for better ACA subsidies on their own. Sometimes filing taxes separately makes sense.
Employer coverage is often best at this income: employer subsidies (averaging 70-80% of premium) beat ACA subsidies for most middle-income earners.
FSA vs HSA: if your employer offers a traditional plan with FSA, you can save $3,050/year pre-tax for medical expenses. Less flexible than HSA but still valuable.
Healthcare costs vary significantly by state, age, and family size. Factor in premium subsidies, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums when planning your Coast FIRE budget.
The Psychology of Coast FIRE
The "middle class trap": earning enough to afford nice things but not enough for nice things AND freedom. Every lifestyle upgrade extends your working years.
Hedonic adaptation: that raise felt amazing for 2 weeks, then became normal. The happiness from income above $75k diminishes rapidly. Invest the difference.
Keeping up with colleagues is a losing game: if you earn $80k and spend like your $120k-earning coworkers, you'll never reach Coast FIRE. Define your own "enough."
The "one more promotion" trap: believing the next raise will finally enable saving. If you can't save now, you won't save at 20% higher income either.
How Coast FIRE Works
Compound Growth
Your investments grow exponentially over time. Einstein called compound interest the 8th wonder of the world.
The Coast Strategy
Once you hit your Coast number, you never need to save for retirement again. Work for passion, not survival.
Freedom Date
Discover when you can switch to part-time work or pursue your dreams without financial anxiety.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long to Coast FIRE on $100k?
With a $100k salary and 20% savings rate ($20k/year), you could reach Coast FIRE in approximately 8-12 years assuming you start with minimal savings and need about $300-400k invested to coast (depending on your age and spending targets). Your exact timeline depends on your current age, how much you already have saved, target retirement spending, and actual investment returns. Use our calculator for a personalized projection.
What's a good savings rate on $100k?
For a $100k salary, we recommend aiming for 20% or higher, which translates to roughly $1,667/month. At this income level, you can likely max out your 401k ($23,000/year), fully fund an IRA ($7,000/year), and still have room for taxable brokerage investing or HSA contributions.
Can I reach Coast FIRE on $100k?
Absolutely. This income provides a solid foundation for Coast FIRE, especially if you avoid lifestyle inflation as your career progresses. Focus on widening the gap between income and expenses, and you could reach Coast FIRE in under a decade.
How much should I have saved on a $100k salary?
A common guideline is 1x your salary by 30, 3x by 40, and 6x by 50. On $100k, that's $100k by 30, $300k by 40, and $600k by 50. However, Coast FIRE focuses on your spending needs, not income - your actual target depends on what you plan to spend in retirement. Someone spending $30k/year needs much less than someone spending $80k/year, regardless of current income. Use our calculator with your actual spending expectations.
Your Next Steps
Run the calculator with different savings rates to see how much each percentage point accelerates your timeline.
Verify you're maxing out tax-advantaged accounts: 401k ($23,000), IRA ($7,000), and HSA ($4,150/$8,300) if available.
Audit your spending to ensure it reflects your actual values rather than lifestyle inflation or keeping up with peers.
Consider whether your current career trajectory aligns with your Coast FIRE timeline, or if optimization is needed.
Related Tools & Resources
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Use our free calculator above to see exactly when you could stop saving and let compound interest carry you to retirement.
Use Calculator NowSources
- [1]Retirement Savings: Choosing a Withdrawal Rate That Is Sustainable(1998)
- [2]Determining Withdrawal Rates Using Historical Data(1994)
- [3]Historical Returns on Stocks, Bonds and Bills
- [4]Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook
- [5]Safe Withdrawal Rate Series
- [6]Healthcare.gov Marketplace
- [7]TSP.gov - Thrift Savings Plan
- [8]IRS Publication 571