Withdrawals from 401(k)s must follow IRS guidelines to avoid taxes and early withdrawal penalties. Learn strategies to get ...

Early withdrawals can shrink your 401(k) savings. See how to calculate the IRS 10% penalty, and learn about exceptions, ...

A financial emergency hits. The 401(k) balance is sitting right there. The temptation to pull from it is powerful — and for ...

A hardship withdrawal refers to accessing funds in a retirement account before you reach the eligible age for withdrawals.

If you have a 401(k) and a lot of outstanding bills or a surprise expense, you may be considering raiding your account. According to a 2025 Vanguard report, early 401(k) withdrawals have reached an ...

Long-term care is one of the most significant expenses many retirees face. Annual costs can easily exceed $100,000 for nursing home care, with tens of thousands more for in-home or assisted living ...

Workers may take hardship withdrawals from a 401(k) account if they have an “immediate and heavy financial need.” Hardship distributions are limited only to the amount necessary to fulfill the need ...

A record number of Americans are taking money from their 401(k) plans before retirement, according to a new study from investment firm Vanguard. In 2025, 6% of Vanguard customers with retirement funds ...

WSJ Buy Side is The Wall Street Journal’s research and commerce team. Our commerce content is distinct from our newsroom coverage. We earn a commission from some links in our articles. Learn more. The ...

The good news is that low-income workers taking out hardship withdrawals are still saving, thanks to auto-enrollment If you had a choice between eviction or taking money out of your 401(k) to pay what ...