Emergency Fund Calculator
Set a right-sized emergency fund target and see how long it will take to get there.
Your target
6-month emergency fund target
$25,200
You have $8,000 — 1.9 months of essentials — leaving a $17,200 gap. At $400/month you'd be fully funded in about 3 yr 2 mo.
Early days
- Months covered today
- 1.9 months
- Gap to target
- $17,200
- Time to fully funded
- 3 yr 2 mo
What this may mean for you
Park this money somewhere boring and reachable — high-yield savings or a money-market fund. If you're near or in retirement, many planners size the cushion at 12–24 months of portfolio withdrawals instead, so market drops never force a sale.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and may not reflect your complete financial or tax situation.
Understanding this calculator
An emergency fund is insurance you sell yourself: cash that turns a job loss, roof leak, or medical bill into an inconvenience instead of a debt spiral. Size it on essential monthly spending — housing, food, insurance, utilities, minimum debt payments — not your full lifestyle budget. Three to six months is the standard range; lean toward more with variable income or a single-earner household.
Retirees still need one, arguably more: a cash cushion of one to two years of portfolio withdrawals lets you skip selling investments during a market drop. Keep the fund somewhere boring and reachable — a high-yield savings account — where at least it earns something while it waits.
Assumptions and methodology
- Target = monthly essentials × months of coverage.
- Time-to-target simulates monthly contributions with interest at your savings APY, compounded monthly.
Official sources
Last reviewed August 30, 2026. Year-specific figures show their tax or data year in the tool; data is reviewed when the IRS, SSA, and CMS publish annual updates.
Common questions
Where should the money live?
Somewhere liquid and dull: high-yield savings or a money-market fund. It's insurance, not an investment — reachable in days, never at risk of being down 30% the week you need it.
Build the fund or pay off cards first?
A common compromise: build a small starter fund (about a month of essentials), attack high-APR debt hard, then finish the fund.
Keep going
- Compound GrowthWatch how a starting amount and steady monthly contributions grow over time.Calculator
- Snowball vs. AvalancheBuild a payoff plan across all your debts and compare the avalanche and snowball methods.Calculator
- Income GapCompare your expected retirement expenses with your guaranteed income and see how much your savings need to cover.Calculator
- Preparing for Your First Year of RetirementThe twelve-month runway: money moves, paperwork, and the parts nobody mentions.Guide
- Yes, Retirees Still Need an Emergency Fund — Arguably a Bigger One5 min readArticle
Want a second set of eyes on this?
If you'd like to talk through what these numbers mean for your situation, you can schedule a free, no-pressure conversation. No products, no pitch — just questions answered.