Emergency fund calculator
Your emergency fund target is based on essential monthly expenses — not your income. Enter what it costs to keep your life running, and see your target and timeline.
Your fund
Interest is ignored here to keep the target conservative — any APY you earn just gets you there sooner.
Why expenses, not income
An emergency fund's job is to cover your bills if income stops. If you earn $6,000 a month but your essentials cost $3,200, six months of protection is $19,200 — not $36,000. Basing the target on expenses makes the goal both smaller and more accurate.
Don't let the big number stop you
A full fund can take years, and that's normal. Research from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and others consistently shows even small buffers ($250–$750) significantly reduce the chance of missing payments or turning to high-interest debt. The first $1,000 does a lot of work. More on choosing your number.