Coast FIRE number at 55
Coast FIRE means you've invested enough that, even if you never save another dollar, compound growth alone carries you to a full retirement. At age 55, roughly $767,000 invested today would grow to a $1,250,000 nest egg by 65 (assuming a 5% real return) — enough to fund a comfortable retirement. After that, your paycheck only has to cover today's expenses.
Your Coast FIRE number at 55, by return assumption
Coast FIRE is sensitive to the return you assume over the 10 years to 65 — a higher real return means a smaller amount needs to compound:
| Return | Coast number | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 4% real | $844,000 | 1.5× |
| 5% real | $767,000 | 1.6× |
| 6% real | $698,000 | 1.8× |
What Coast FIRE does and doesn't mean
Hitting your Coast FIRE number is a genuine milestone: your retirement is essentially on autopilot, and you gain the freedom to take a lower-paying but more fulfilling job, go part-time, or stop retirement contributions and spend that money now. It does not mean you can stop working — you still need income to cover current living expenses until you actually retire.
The number rests on two assumptions worth pressure-testing: the return you earn over the years to 65 (markets are uncertain, and a weak stretch early does outsized damage), and the target nest egg itself, which depends on your future spending. Model your own inputs to see how sensitive your coast number is to both.
Where Coast FIRE and semi-retirement blur together
By 55 the runway to a traditional retirement age is short, and Coast FIRE starts to look a lot like plain semi-retirement. If the invested balance you already hold can grow into your target over the next decade, the only open question is how much current income you need to cover living costs without drawing on the portfolio, which is essentially what semi-retirement means.
This age also unlocks an option the earlier milestones cannot use. If you separate from an employer in or after the year you turn 55, the Rule of 55 lets you take penalty-free withdrawals from that employer's 401(k) or 403(b). It does not extend to IRAs, and rolling the plan into an IRA gives the exemption up, so the timing of any rollover matters.
Even here, the coast framing earns its keep as a way to size two decisions:
- whether the balance you have is genuinely on pace to reach the target by 65, or still needs a few more years of contributions
- how many years of work covering only today's expenses stand between you and stopping entirely
Common questions
What is the Coast FIRE number at 55?
About $767,000 invested at age 55, assuming a 5% real return, would grow to a $1,250,000 retirement nest egg by 65 with no further contributions. At a 6% real return it's closer to $698,000; at 4%, about $844,000.
Does Coast FIRE mean I can stop working?
No — it means you can stop saving for retirement. You still need enough income to cover your current living expenses until you retire; your retirement savings just grow on their own from here.
What return should I assume for Coast FIRE?
A real (after-inflation) return of about 5% is a common, moderate assumption for a stock-heavy portfolio over a long horizon. Because markets are uncertain, it's wise to check your number against a lower rate too.