Your freedom number is the amount of invested money that could cover your living costs indefinitely, so work becomes a choice rather than a requirement.
The starting estimate
A widely used rule of thumb multiplies your annual spending by 25. It comes from research suggesting a portfolio can support withdrawals of about 4% a year over a long retirement. Treat it as a starting point, not a guarantee.
Make it yours
Your number depends on what freedom costs you. Housing paid off? Kids grown? Social Security on the way? Each one changes the math.
Your moveAdd up a year of the spending you’d want in freedom, then multiply by 25 for a starting estimate.