Emergency fund calculator
How much emergency money does your situation need?
A real emergency fund is measured in months of essential expenses, not a round number. Enter your monthly essentials, household situation and job stability, and the calculator turns them into a target amount — then shows you the gap and how long it takes to close it.
Your situation
Emergency fund target
months of essentials ×
% funded
Still to save
At your current pace
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Rule of thumb used here: 3 months for a single person, 4 for a couple, 6 for a family, plus extra months for variable or unstable income — capped at 12. Financial advisers typically recommend 3 to 6 months of essential expenses.
Frequently asked questions
How many months of expenses should my emergency fund cover?
A common guideline is 3 to 6 months of essential expenses. This calculator refines that: 3 months for a single person, 4 for a couple, 6 for a family, plus extra months when income is variable or unstable, capped at 12.
What counts as essential expenses?
Only the costs you cannot easily stop: rent or mortgage, utilities, food, transport, insurance and minimum debt payments. Non-essentials like dining out and subscriptions are excluded — they stop first in an emergency.
More tools
Planning aid only. This tool gives general estimates and standard procedures — not legal, financial or medical advice. In a life-threatening situation, call your local emergency number first. Always verify country-specific rules with official sources.