1) No, but I am curious about why the questioner chose that particular number.

2) N/A

3) I do not expect to retire (see comments below).

4) N/A

5) None of my business (but certainly not me).

6) See 5.

7) I define "success" as the ability to shelter and feed myself. That condition happens to approximate my current standard of living, but I have been worse off in the recent past, yet I survived, which in itself is a kind of success.

8) N/A

Here's my situation:

After a run of approximately three years, during which I was employed for less than a third of that time (and not consecutively), I am now a temp for a firm which has promised to make me a permanent employee as soon as their contract with my agency runs out (March, 07). At that time I will gain health insurance -- for the first time since 2001-- and, probably, the opportunity to contribute to a 401(k). This outfit seems to be particularly enlightened about retaining the knowledge and skills of older professionals: many of my co-workers are in their 60s, and I know at least one who is 70 (I am 55). So, if I elect to remain in this area, I will most likely be able to work well past what others (including the Social Security Administration) consider to be retirement age. This is a good thing, because I will need to.

Shelter and food are primary, obviously. The third major factor in aging is health care. As mentioned above, I have not been insured in five years (nearly six). I have also had no out-of-pocket medical expenses, except for eyeglasses, for much longer than that, despite my tobacco consumption. I exercise, I avoid fats and sugars (especially the latter), and am within the 'safe' body/mass ratio for my height. In short, I refuse to be frightened of the potential costs of treatments and medicines for illnesses I do not now have. If something catastrophic occurs, I will deal with it at the time, or die from inability to pay for care. It's that simple.

I have no family to whom to leave an estate, so the question of amassing funds beyond future need is as irrelevant as it possibly could be. My books will be donated to a library; what few mementos and items of nostalgia will be offered to a couple of people who might, perhaps, be interested... and my creditors can meet me in Hell to collect. Disposal of the corpse is not my problem: I won't be here. Potter's Field is, in many ways, fitting.