Emergency Fund Calculator
Enter your monthly expenses and how much you currently have in savings — see how many months that would cover, and how much more you'd need for a 3-, 6-, or 12-month emergency fund.
Calculator
Calculator
Your current savings would cover
2.25 months
Emergency fund targets
| Target | Total needed | Still needed |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months | $6,000.00 | $1,500.00 |
| 6 months | $12,000.00 | $7,500.00 |
| 12 months | $24,000.00 | $19,500.00 |
How it's calculated
This is simple arithmetic, not a growth or interest projection — no rate is applied anywhere:
Months covered = Current savings ÷ Monthly expenses.
Target for a given number of months = Monthly expenses × that number of months.
Still needed = Target − Current savings, floored at $0 — once you've reached a target, "still needed" shows $0, not a negative number.
Worked example
Suppose your monthly expenses are $2,000 and you currently have $4,500 saved. That covers 2.25 months. A 3-month fund needs a total of $6,000 — $1,500 more than you have now. A 6-month fund needs $12,000 ($7,500 more), and a 12-month fund needs $24,000 ($19,500 more).
Frequently asked questions
Why 3, 6, and 12 months specifically?
These are the ranges most commonly recommended for an emergency fund: 3 months often suits a stable job and low fixed costs, 6 months is the most common general guideline, and 12 months suits less predictable income or a higher tolerance for risk around job loss. There's no single correct target — pick whichever fits your own situation.
Does this include interest my savings might earn, or rising costs over time?
No — this is a simple cash-buffer calculation using today's numbers only. It doesn't model interest earned on savings or expenses rising with inflation; use our inflation calculator separately if you want to see how prices might change over time.
What should I count as "monthly expenses" — everything I spend, or just essentials?
That's your choice: some people use their full average monthly spending, others use only essential costs (housing, food, utilities, insurance, minimum debt payments), on the idea that an emergency fund only needs to cover necessities. Either way, use the same number consistently across the 3-, 6-, and 12-month comparison.
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For information only. Not financial or tax advice.