Here is a story for you! My husband has a 401k program through his work place. We have taken out 2 loans on it because of hard financial times. I have been out of work for nearly 2 years and things are hard, we are $500 behind in our water bill, had both of our vehicles repossesed, my children have had nothing but grilled cheese sandwiches for the last 2 months and I am ready for a nervous break down. My husband has had all he can do to pay the mortgage with just his income, our cooking gas tank is just about empty. And to top it off the bank that repossesed our vehicles is taking us to court for the remaining $10,000.00 we owe on the repossesed vehicles. My husband has $12,000.00 in his 401k account so I called his employer to see if we could get some money, they said the government would not allow it because we already have 2 outstanding loans and we do not fall under their hardship criteria which is the following, forclosure on residence, purchasing a new residence, student loan or medical bills. So here is the synopsis, my children are hungry, our water is going to be turned off and we have no vehicles, and I have tried to kill myself but the wonderful United States Government won't let us touch the money that belongs to us! Yet we are sending millions of dollars to Afganhastan to help them. I cannot believe that my father, uncles and grandfather fought for this country!