25% of Americans, in dire straits, raided their 401(k)s

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/nest_eggs_poached_eGV8KOHFGaYXWj3crbIcoJ

High unemployment and underemployment forced one in four Americans to pull money out of a retirement plan to make ends meet.

Not even the high penalties that make it prohibitive to tap into 401(k) accounts were a deterrent as a record $60 billion was yanked from nest eggs to pay for mortgages, car loans and credit card debts.