Calculator · Financial Freedom

When will you be financially free?

Exact date based on your numbers. See how exempt market accelerates freedom by years.

Quick start — pick a scenario:

Your age now

Net monthly income

Monthly expenses

Current savings

Saving monthly

$2,500

Savings rate

36%

How much you need for freedom

Safe (3.5% withdrawal)

$1,542,857

Cushion for longer retirement, sequence risk protection

Standard (4% Trinity)

$1,350,000

Trinity Study classic, 30-year retirement

Your plan now

Years to freedom (Balanced 8%)

19.3

Freedom date (Balanced 8%)

November 2045

Exempt market changes the math

Standard portfolio (Balanced ETF 8%) gives you freedom in 19.3 years. Moving part of portfolio to exempt market (target 9% historical) shortens this by 1.0 years.

What this means for you personally — let's discuss on a consultation

Strategy comparison

Years to freedom with different investment strategies

Strategy	Years	Date	vs Balanced
Bank savings (1.5%)	34.1	September 2060	+14.8
GIC (3%)	28.4	December 2054	+9.1
Conservative ETF (6%)	21.9	June 2048	+2.6
Balanced ETF (8%)	19.3	November 2045	—
Exempt Market (9%)EMD specialty	18.3	October 2044	-1.0
Aggressive ETF (10%)	17.4	November 2043	-1.9

Your exact strategy — in 30 minutes

We'll review your situation, KYC + suitability, build a personal exempt market plan based on your risk profile and horizon.

Book a consultation

FIRE in Canada — FAQ

What is a FI number and how is it calculated?

Your Financial Independence number is the capital you can live off without working. By the classic 4% rule (Trinity Study, US): annual expenses × 25 = FI Standard. With the more conservative 3.5% safe withdrawal rate: annual expenses × ~28.6 = FI Safe. Canadian context: add CPP/OAS at 60+ to shrink the capital you actually need.

Does the 4% rule still hold up?

Trinity Study (1998, 2018 updates) showed 95%+ probability of lasting 30 years drawing 4% from a balanced 60/40 portfolio. Critics note it's US-based, 30-year horizon, and doesn't reflect today's low bond yields. For a longer retirement (40+ years), 3.25–3.5% is safer.

Can you live on $1M in Canada?

$1M × 4% = $40K/year pre-tax. In Calgary, for a couple with no mortgage, that's workable (barely). In Toronto/Vancouver it isn't. The calculator gives the exact number for your real expenses. Layer in CPP ($1,300+/month at 65 if maxed) and OAS ($720+/month) and the capital you need drops significantly.

How do CPP and OAS affect a FI plan?

CPP is the contributory pension (start at 60, full at 65). OAS is residency-based (minimum 10 years in Canada after 18). For newcomers: full CPP needs 39+ years of contributions, so most Ukrainian newcomers will get a partial pension. The calculator does NOT include this automatically — model it into your plan.

Does exempt market accelerate the FI date?

Educationally: higher expected returns (8–12% vs 6–8% balanced) shorten the path to FI by years. But exempt market carries higher risk (low liquidity, possible loss of capital) and is only available to Eligible/Accredited Investors. It's not an alternative to TFSA/RRSP basics — it's an additional tool layered on top. Personal suitability is determined only through a formal Suitability Assessment.

What's the single biggest lever for an earlier FI date?

Mathematically: raising your savings rate (income minus expenses) beats chasing higher returns. Lifting savings rate from 20% to 40% roughly halves your time to FI — a bigger effect than moving from 7% to 10% returns. In real life it's the combination: cut expenses, grow income, invest properly.