UntilFire

UntilFire is a comprehensive personal finance platform designed specifically for individuals pursuing Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) goals. Unlike traditional retirement calculators that simply produce a number, UntilFire provides a complete, actionable workflow that blends budgeting, net worth tracking, scenario planning, and clear next-step guidance. The platform centers around the concept of a "freedom date" — the specific day when work becomes optional and life becomes something to explore rather than survive. Users can access the core functionality for free, without creating an account, and their financial data remains private. UntilFire securely connects to over 14,000 banks and brokerages, enabling real-time financial synchronization. The platform is built on trusted FIRE community principles, including the 25x rule and 4% safe withdrawal rate. What sets UntilFire apart is its focus on continuous guidance: it does not just calculate a target number but shows users exactly which changes to their savings, spending, or income will move their freedom date closer. The platform also includes a rich dataset of cost-of-living estimates across 392 cities worldwide, helping users visualize where they might live their "second life." Whether you are just starting your FIRE journey or refining an existing plan, UntilFire transforms abstract financial independence concepts into a concrete, date-driven roadmap with clear daily actions.

Freedom Date Calculation

Enter a few key numbers — income, monthly spending or savings, and current net worth — and UntilFire instantly calculates your personalized freedom date. This is the specific day when work can become optional based on your current financial trajectory. The platform uses the 25x rule and 4% safe withdrawal math trusted by the FIRE community. You can see your freedom date displayed as a countdown, making the abstract concept of financial independence tangible and motivating.

Decision Sliders and Scenario Planning

UntilFire provides interactive decision sliders that allow you to adjust variables like monthly savings, spending reductions, or income increases and see the immediate impact on your freedom date. This feature transforms financial planning from a static calculation into an dynamic exploration. You can experiment with different scenarios — such as saving an extra 200 per month or reducing discretionary spending by 15 percent — and watch your retirement timeline shrink or grow in real time.

Ranked Next Moves

The platform does not just show you where you stand; it tells you exactly what to do next. UntilFire analyzes your financial data and ranks potential actions by the amount of time each move would save toward your freedom date. This feature eliminates guesswork and decision paralysis by presenting a clear, prioritized list of steps. For Pro users, this extends to ranked next moves based on your actual spending patterns and financial behavior.

Global Cost of Living Comparison

UntilFire includes a rich dataset of cost-of-living estimates across 392 cities worldwide. You can see how your FIRE number changes based on where you choose to live your second life. Cities like Chiang Mai or Mexico City may show immediate FIRE readiness, while higher-cost locations like San Francisco or London push your target date further out. This feature helps users make informed geographic decisions as part of their overall FIRE strategy.

Starting Your FIRE Journey from Scratch

A user with no existing retirement plan can enter their income, current savings, and monthly spending to receive an immediate freedom date. UntilFire shows them the single most impactful action they can take today to move that date closer. This use case is ideal for beginners who feel overwhelmed by the complexity of financial independence and need a clear starting point without creating an account or sharing personal information.

Optimizing an Existing FIRE Plan

An experienced saver who already tracks their net worth can use UntilFire to test different scenarios and find optimization opportunities. By adjusting savings rates, exploring different retirement locations, or comparing the impact of side hustle income versus expense reduction, the user can identify which changes yield the greatest timeline compression. The ranked next moves feature is particularly valuable for this use case.

Geographic Relocation Planning

A user considering an international move can leverage the 392-city cost of living dataset to determine how different locations affect their FIRE number and freedom date. They can compare living expenses in Chiang Mai versus Lisbon versus Tokyo and see which cities make financial independence achievable sooner. This use case helps users make data-driven decisions about where to spend their retirement years.

Couples or Family Financial Planning

Two-income households can use UntilFire to model joint financial scenarios, testing how changes in combined income, shared expenses, and individual savings rates affect their shared freedom date. The platform helps couples align on financial priorities and see the concrete impact of decisions like one partner reducing work hours or both increasing their savings rate. This collaborative use case turns abstract discussions into a shared, visual roadmap.

What is a freedom date?

A freedom date is the specific day when work can become optional based on your current income, spending, and savings. It is calculated using the 25x rule and 4% safe withdrawal rate, which are standard principles in the FIRE community. The freedom date serves as a starting line that you can move closer through better financial choices, and UntilFire shows you exactly which actions will have the greatest impact on that timeline.

How is this different from a typical retirement calculator?

Most calculators provide a single number — your FIRE target or retirement age — and stop there. UntilFire goes further by creating a complete, ongoing workflow. It shows your freedom date, allows you to explore scenarios with decision sliders, ranks your next moves by time saved, and provides continuous guidance as your financial situation evolves. It is designed to be a practical, daily-use tool rather than a one-time calculation.

Do I need an account to use UntilFire?

No, the core functionality is available for free without creating an account. You can enter your financial numbers, see your freedom date, explore decision sliders, and get one clear next move immediately. Your data remains private and is not stored. Creating an account unlocks additional features like unlimited bank and brokerage sync, progress tracking, and ranked next moves based on your actual spending.

Is this financial advice?

UntilFire is a planning and educational tool, not a source of professional financial advice. The calculations are based on standard FIRE community principles like the 25x rule and 4% safe withdrawal rate, but individual circumstances vary. The platform helps you explore scenarios and understand the potential impact of your choices, but you should consult with a qualified financial advisor for personalized guidance specific to your situation.

UntilFire offers two pricing tiers to accommodate different levels of engagement. The Free tier provides immediate access to the core experience: your freedom date calculation, one clear next move, decision sliders for scenario exploration, and a shareable result card. This tier requires no account and no payment information. The Pro tier is available for 4.99 per month after a three-month free trial. Pro includes everything in the Free tier, plus ranked next moves sorted by time saved, an action plan derived from your actual spending patterns, unlimited bank and brokerage synchronization for real-time tracking, and detailed progress reports. Pro users can connect to over 14,000 financial institutions for seamless data integration.