Most FI calculators apply one withdrawal rate to one inflation number. Yours doesn't work that way. Housing inflates differently than groceries. Healthcare inflates differently than both.
fvequals calculates your FI number from your actual CPI-category spending — not a flat assumption applied to everyone. The calculator below shows a simplified version of that difference: fvequals' CPI-adjusted withdrawal rate against the standard 4% rule, using the budget you enter.
Three numbers. No account required. The full app adds tax-aware withdrawal ordering, state-specific calculations, and a historical failsafe cross-check — this is the quick version.
Estimated time to reach your FI number
assuming 7% annual return
Blended at 3.17%/yr using the CPI-U (standard household) basket applied to the national 16-year BLS average (2009–2024) per spending category — national, not regional.
Estimates assume 7% nominal annual return, compounded monthly. This demo uses a simplified 3.5% withdrawal rate to illustrate the difference vs. the 4% rule. Actual fvequals results apply real CPI data weighted to your specific budget categories.