Emergency Fund Calculator
Work out how big your emergency fund should be from your monthly essentials, how much you still need, and how long it will take to get there.
Target emergency fund
-
Show the math
The fund covers a set number of months of essentials:
target = monthly essentials × months of coverage
Include only costs you could not skip in a crisis, housing, utilities, food, insurance, minimum debt payments, transport. The gap is your target minus what you have saved, and the time to fund it is that gap divided by what you set aside each month. Three to six months is a common guideline.
What this does
An emergency fund calculator works out how big your safety net should be from your monthly essentials, how much you still need, and how long it will take to get there at your current savings rate.
How to use it
- Enter your essential monthly expenses.
- Choose how many months you want covered.
- Enter what you already have saved.
- Enter your monthly saving to see the time to fully fund it.
How it works
The target fund is your essential expenses multiplied by the months of coverage. The tool subtracts what you have saved, then divides the remaining gap by your monthly saving to estimate how long it takes.
Understanding your result
A common guideline is three to six months of essentials, more if your income is variable or you support dependents. Include only costs you could not skip in a crisis.
Example
With $3,000 of essential monthly expenses, a three-month fund is $9,000; saving $500 a month from a $1,500 start reaches it in about 15 months.
Sources & methodology
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Building an Emergency Fund, How much to save and why
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Consumer Tools, Guides for saving and budgeting
Last updated .
Frequently asked questions
How many months should I save?
A common guideline is three to six months of essential expenses, more if your income is variable or you support dependents. Set the number of months you want covered and the tool sizes the fund.
What counts as essential expenses?
Include only the costs you could not skip in a crisis: housing, utilities, food, insurance, minimum debt payments, and transport. Leave out discretionary spending.
How long until I reach it?
Enter what you can set aside each month and the tool divides the remaining gap by that amount to estimate the number of months to fully fund your safety net.
Do you store my details?
No, everything runs locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
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