03/06/25 - 401k's Being Tapped for Emergencies

Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 5:22 PM

Almost five percent of Americans enrolled in a 401k style plan, made a hardship withdrawal in 2024. Image courtesy of Istock. 03/06/25.

More Americans are making 'hardship withdrawals.' But does this signal a major issue?

More Americans are withdrawing money from their retirement accounts. What does this signal?.

Vanguard released their latest survey, finding almost five percent of Americans with a 401k style retirement plans made hardship withdrawals in 2024. That was almost a two percent increase over the previous year. 

Often this signals people are struggling with dramatic bills or are at risk of some financial catastrophe. But researchers believe two factors are contributing to the increase. First, more Americans were automatically enrolled in 401k style plans, reducing how much they were taking home in the paycheck. Second, Congress loosened the restriction on what constituted a ‘hardship withdrawal,’ making it easier to take out money from those plans.

 

More from Featured

On Air Now Music with Susan
Highly Favored Brandon Heath w/ Ryan Ellis 1:53pm
Take You At Your Word Cody Carnes 1:48pm
Encouraging Words From Your Bible

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

MATTHEW 7:12 NLT
Family-Friendly Commercial-Free
91.3 WCSG
Grand Rapids / Lakeshore
88.3 WCXK
Kalamazoo
90.9 WCFG
Battle Creek
89.9 WCXB
Benton Harbor