Financial Runway Calculator
See how many months your liquid savings can cover expenses if income drops.
Inputs
Result
Visual breakdown
System view
See how this fits into your full financial system.
Zoom out and connect income, expenses, debt, savings, housing, transportation, and runway in one private system view.
Formula
Burn = max(0, expenses − income). Runway = savings ÷ burn. If income ≥ expenses, burn is zero and runway is open-ended.
Example
$10,000 saved ÷ $2,500/mo expenses = 4 months of runway.
Related: Emergency fund · Monthly budget · Savings rate
How to use
- Use only liquid savings — cash, checking, HYSA, short-term funds.
- Set monthly expenses to a realistic 'survival' baseline.
- Add any reliable side income to extend the runway.
When it's useful
- Considering a sabbatical, layoff scenario, or job switch.
- Sanity-checking your emergency fund against real burn.
- Planning a business runway from personal savings.
Common examples
Common answers
- How many months will my savings last?Savings ÷ monthly expenses, assuming zero income.
- What's a healthy runway?3–6 months as an emergency fund; 12+ months gives real career flexibility.
- Should I include investments?Only if you'd actually liquidate them — otherwise track them separately.
- Does this assume zero income?Yes. For partial-income scenarios, subtract income from expenses before computing.
- What about inflation?Bump monthly expenses up a few percent if you're modeling a long runway.
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Frequently asked
Should I include retirement accounts?
Generally no — early withdrawals incur penalties. Stick to liquid savings.
What's a 'good' runway?
3 months is a basic buffer; 6 months is stronger; freelancers or owners often target 9–12.
What if income > expenses?
You're cash-flow positive — runway is effectively unlimited, and savings grow.
Does it model investment growth?
No. For interest-earning savings goals, use the Savings calculator.
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