The retirement countdown widget for iPhone
By Kevin Lan · Updated September 2026
A retirement countdown widget keeps the time until you retire on your home screen, so your goal is in view every time you glance at your phone. This one counts down to the date your money is projected to reach financial independence, not a date you type in, and shows how far along you are.
What the widget shows
The home-screen widget shows the years, months, and days until your projected financial-independence date, alongside your progress toward your FIRE number. The date is not one you enter. The app computes it from your age, investments, yearly contributions, spending, and expected return, so the countdown reflects when your portfolio is actually on track to fund your retirement.
It comes in three sizes. The small widget shows the headline countdown and progress, the medium widget adds your saved amount against your FIRE number, and a lock-screen complication keeps a short countdown on your Lock Screen. Every size reads the same computed date.
It moves as your net worth grows
Because the date is an output of the math, it changes when your numbers change. Update your net worth after a strong month and the app recomputes your financial-independence year; the widget follows. The number on your home screen stays tied to your real progress instead of a fixed guess, which is what turns a one-time calculation into something you check each week.
On your home screen
To add it: touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen until the icons jiggle, tap Edit then Add Widget, search for FIRE, choose a size, and tap Add Widget. Set your plan in the app first so the widget has a date to count down to.
Free to set up, private by design
Finding your FIRE number and putting the countdown widget on your home screen are free. The deeper planning tools (Monte Carlo, scenarios, Social Security and pensions) are an optional one-time Pro unlock, not a subscription. What you enter stays on your device with no account and no analytics, and the App Store privacy label is Data Not Collected. Try the free web calculator below to see your number and date, then add the widget when you want it in view.
References
- Investopedia. Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE): a definition. investopedia.com
- Bengen WP. Determining withdrawal rates using historical data. Journal of Financial Planning. 1994;7(4):171–180. The paper that introduced the 4% withdrawal guideline.
See your date, then put it on your home screen
Find the year you reach financial independence here. The app turns it into the countdown widget.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a retirement countdown widget for iPhone?
Yes. FIRE: Retirement Calculator includes a home-screen and lock-screen widget that counts down to your financial-independence date. The date is computed from your finances, so the widget reflects your real projected retirement year rather than a date you type in.
How do I add the retirement countdown widget?
Touch and hold an empty area of the Home Screen until the apps jiggle, tap Edit then Add Widget, search for FIRE, pick a size, and tap Add Widget. Set your plan in the app first so the widget has a date to show. iOS does not let an app add its own widget, so this one-time step is done from the widget gallery.
Does the countdown widget update on its own?
The date is recalculated whenever you update your numbers in the app, and the widget reflects the new date and progress. It stays tied to your actual net worth rather than a fixed date you entered once.
Is the countdown widget free?
Yes. The countdown widget and finding your FIRE number are free, with no subscription. Optional Pro adds deeper planning tools as a one-time purchase.