QuietCalcsTwo milestones on the way to done
You don't have to hit your full number to change how you work. Coast FIRE is the point where your existing investments, left alone to compound, will grow into a full retirement by your target age — so you can stop adding to them and just cover today's costs. Barista FIRE is one step earlier: enough that a modest part-time income covers the gap, letting you downshift years before traditional retirement.
Making the money last
Once you're drawing down instead of saving, the question flips to longevity. The how-long-will-my-money-last calculator models steady withdrawals against a realistic return and inflation, so you can see how long a balance survives — and how much difference a smaller withdrawal or a later start makes. The saving & investing tools cover the accumulation years that get you here.