Path & PennyBack to my plan

Your own place.Rent or buy?

Sample numbers

A clay path forks between an apartment and a little house

Start with your ZIP.

USD

Buying now. Closing costs are separate.

Taxes, upkeep & closing costs

Sample costs, not a quote. Use local costs for your property.

$875/mo

left to save after buying

Keep rentingBuy a home
Monthly savings$1,500$875
Upfront$0$20,000
Estimated FI age4850

About 2 years later

Includes mortgage, taxes, insurance and upkeep.

FI = investments could cover spending. Estimate, not a guarantee.

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Assumptions & math

The monthly bill

Mortgage /mo
$1,485
Taxes, insurance & upkeep /mo
$550
Mortgage insurance /mo
$90
Total housing /mo
$2,125
Interest over the loan
$299,730

New spending = current spending − rent + ownership costs. Upfront = down payment + closing costs. Neither rent nor the down payment is counted twice.

Fixed-rate mortgage, paid off over 30 years. Mortgage insurance uses your entered quote until payoff; no automatic local cancellation rules. Property costs and rent rise with inflation.

Why the curve grows

Annual return, before inflation
7%
Annual inflation
3%
Withdrawal rate
4%

Savings earn returns. Those returns can earn returns too. The graph removes inflation, so future amounts have today's buying power.

FI target = annual spending ÷ withdrawal rate. Home equity is excluded. Paying off the mortgage lowers the target. Ages are estimated in whole years.

Quick comparison, not a full retirement plan. One fixed return for cash and investments. No investment taxes, market volatility or other life events. No tax deductions, resale costs, moving costs or rent-versus-buy resale breakeven. Add purchase fees to closing costs. This estimates when you first cross a target, not whether a retirement lasts.

WORKED EXAMPLE · MODEL REVIEW SEPTEMBER 14, 2026

Rent vs. buy: what changes your FI age?

For a $250,000 home, $15,000 down and 6.5% mortgage over 30 years, housing costs about $2,125 a month including the sample upkeep and insurance. Replacing $1,500 rent leaves about $875 to save from a $4,000 take-home budget.

Illustrative USD inputs, not an offer or a forecast. The example uses the same calculation code as the tool above.

Does home equity count toward financial independence?

Not in this quick model. FI uses cash and investments; a home does not pay living expenses unless you make a separate plan to sell or borrow against it.

How much should I trust the answer?

Use actual offers where possible and change uncertain inputs. Returns and inflation are assumptions. Estimated FI age is target crossing, not proof that retirement lasts. The assumptions panel explains exclusions.

Can I keep the result without signing up?

Yes. Save one snapshot on your device, compare it with an edited result, or download a one-page PDF. Email sharing opens your own mail app. No bank login needed.

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