Below is the closest thing to an exact answer: a table that maps what you've saved today to the age you can stop working, based on your savings rate and standard investment returns.
First: The Benchmark You're Measured Against
Fidelity's widely cited savings guidelines give you the "on track for 67" milestones:
| Age | Target (× your salary) | On a $80K salary |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1× | $80,000 |
| 40 | 3× | $240,000 |
| 50 | 6× | $480,000 |
| 60 | 8× | $640,000 |
| 67 | 10× | $800,000 |
These assume you save 15% of income starting at 25 and retire at 67. Ahead of these numbers? You're buying yourself an earlier exit. Behind? You're buying a later one.
The Savings-Rate Table: Your True Retirement Age
The single biggest lever is your savings rate — the percentage of take-home pay you invest. Standard FIRE math (verified across multiple calculators, ~5–7% real returns) says:
| Savings rate | Years until you can retire | If you start at 30, you retire at… | If you start at 40, you retire at… |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | ~51 years | 81 | 91 |
| 25% | ~32 years | 62 | 72 |
| 40% | ~22 years | 52 | 62 |
| 50% | ~17 years | 47 | 57 |
| 60% | ~12.5 years | 43 | 53 |
| 70% | ~8.5 years | 39 | 49 |
| 75% | ~7 years | 37 | 47 |
Read that 50% row again: save half your income and you're done in 17 years. Start at 30, retire at 47. That single number has launched a million early retirements.
The Savings → Age Translation Table
Already have a nest egg? Your existing savings buy you a head start. Assuming a $100,000 income, 7% real returns, and continued saving at the same rate:
| Already saved | Savings rate 25% | Savings rate 40% | Savings rate 50% |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | ~32 years | ~22 years | ~17 years |
| $50,000 | ~29 years | ~20 years | ~15.5 years |
| $100,000 | ~27 years | ~18.5 years | ~14 years |
| $200,000 | ~23 years | ~16 years | ~12 years |
| $300,000 | ~19 years | ~13.5 years | ~10 years |
(Illustrative; computed from the standard financial-independence formula. Your actual numbers depend on returns, taxes, and spending.)
So: a 35-year-old with $200,000 saved and a 50% savings rate is roughly 12 years from done — retiring at 47. That same person at a 25% rate works until 58.
How to Shave Years Off Your Number
1. Raise the rate, not the income. Every extra 10 points of savings rate is worth more than the last. Going from 10% to 20% barely moves you; going from 50% to 60% cuts years.
2. Remember: spending cuts work double. Cutting $1,000/month in spending both adds $12,000/year to savings and shrinks the target you need to hit (because your target is 25× spending). No other move has a double effect.
3. Front-load. Money invested at 30 has 30+ years to compound before 65. The Fidelity table's "1× salary by 30" exists because early dollars do the heaviest lifting — at 7% real returns, $1 invested at 30 is worth about $7.60 at 65.
4. Know your "enough." Many people overshoot their target because they never defined it. Your number is 25× your annual spending (4% rule) — calculate it once and aim at that, not at a vague "more."
A Reality Check
The average 401(k) balance for workers 55–64 is around $305,000 (Vanguard's How America Saves 2026), against a Fidelity target of roughly 7–8× salary — for a $75,000 earner, that's $525,000–$600,000. The typical American is behind.
But "behind" just means "later," not "never." Catch-up contributions (extra $7,500/year to 401(k)s for those 50+, per IRS rules — [verify] 2026 limits), delayed Social Security (benefits grow ~8% per year until 70), and even modest spending cuts can close a shocking amount of ground.
Your retirement age is a dial, not a destiny. Turn the savings rate up, and the dial turns back.
FAQ
What savings rate do I need to retire at 55?
Starting at 30, you need roughly a 45–50% savings rate to retire at 55. Starting at 40, you'd need 60%+ — aggressive, but the math is honest about it.
Do these tables include Social Security?
The FIRE math here assumes your portfolio covers your spending. Social Security is a bonus that lets you spend more or retire earlier — it typically replaces about 40% of pre-retirement income for average earners.
What return assumption is used?
About 5–7% real (after inflation) returns, the standard long-run assumption for a stock-heavy portfolio. Lower returns mean longer timelines.
What if I have debt?
High-interest debt (credit cards) should be killed before investing — its interest rate exceeds your expected returns. A mortgage at a low rate can coexist with investing.
Can I really retire with "only" 25× spending?
The 25× rule (4% withdrawal) held up in the Trinity Study's 30-year historical tests with 95%+ success. For very early retirement (40+ year horizons), 28–30× is safer.
Tool tie-in: A "when can I retire?" calculator — enter age, savings, income, savings rate → exact retirement age — is the natural interactive version of this table.