Posted on 06/10/2011 12:31:19 AM PDT by Nachum
About a year ago Zero Hedge posted an article titled: "Record Number Of Americans Using Retirement Funds As Source Of Immediate Cash" after a report by Fidelity uncovered that "plan participants with loans outstanding against their 401(k) accounts had reached 22 percent versus 20 percent a year earlier." It is now time to revisit this very important topic because if recent press reports are true, last year's record number has just increased by another 50%. "On "The Early Show" Thursday, financial journalist and Newsweek columnist Joanne Lipman said, "Right now we have 30 percent of people who have 401(k)s have loans against their 401(k)s, which is a historic high. And the problem is, it's growing like crazy: By 2014, we're expecting to see 30 million people take loans against their 401(k)s." The raiding of the last ditch piggybank is on, and who can blame them? With banks setting the example of always reverting to the Discount Window (or the Excess Reserve stash as is now trendy) when in trouble, ordinary working Americans are merely following in the footsteps of their financially more "literate" betters. Unfortunately, unlike the "depositor" institutions, nobody will replenish these funds should they not be repaid and the retirement money is gone for good.
CBS News explains why raiding your 401(k) is so easy a caveman can do it:
Sheri Chaney Jones, of Columbus, Ohio, started a consulting business in October and borrowed from her 401(k) to help pay her bills.
"It was extremely easy,' she told CBS News, adding that her financial planner told her "she was seeing more and more people" do it, "because the banks were not giving loans out traditionally to small businesses anymore."
"It's not right for everyone," Jones noted, " but it is your money, you can borrow from it tax-free, you do pay yourself back at interest, but a very low interest, much lower than maybe a traditional bank."
Just like Wall Street sellside research, delusions are rampant:
"What I feel optimistic about," Jones says, "is that I will be able to grow this business to not only pay myself back at the current interest, but continue to contribute more toward the 401K than I would have if I would have stayed where I was."
And for those wondering why doing a 401(k) raid is the worst possible idea:
"It's a big, big problem," she remarked to co-anchor Chris Wragge, "and it's one that's really been under the radar. And the big problem is that, if you lose your job, you have to pay that loan back within 60 days. So suddenly, you have no income, you owe all this money back, and the fact is that most people are unable to pay it back.
"There was a survey recently that found that 70 percent of people who lose their jobs are unable to pay back the loan and go into default. And the number is even higher ... for young people -- it's closer to 80 percent."
It gets worse: "If you go into default," Lipman pointed out, "you've just raided as a piggybank your 401(k), you don't have retirement funds and you owe taxes and penalties."
Step aside HELOCs, here comes the pension money for iPad exchange:
Still says Lipman, "There are certain times when it makes sense. If you're secure in your job, if there is a one-time expense -- let's say you need money for a down payment on a home, that's fine. You know, that makes sense. Or for education, for medical expenses. You know, that can make a lot of sense. Because you are paying yourself back. And if you can stay on track, you're fine with that.
"But the problem is, when you use it as a piggybank. When people are using this to pay for a vacation, to pay for a home that's perhaps larger than they can afford - that's where we really get into trouble."
Luckily, Americans have demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt that when it comes to abusing rainy day capital to satisfy trivial material needs, there is nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.
I’ve done it. In fact, I did it to get rid of a credit card. And, with one credit card left, and 6 months left on my loan to myself, I’m planning to do it again. Pay off the next card - all the while borrowing the money from myself to do it, paying myself the interest, as well.
Of course, the presupposes I do not use the credit card anymore - which I am not going to do.
>I think the better action would be to live within your means before considering loans.<
It depends on what they are doing with the funds. I doubt that the dollar will be worth anything soon. The 401’s maybe worthless in a few years. The buying power that it has NOW may be leveraged better using it today to buy what people will need tomorrow if you get my drift.
My concern aren’t with the folks who are cashing in their retirement funds because they don’t believe the funds will be worth much, that’s just business.
It is the people who are cashing in their funds trying to maintain an unrealistic standard of living.
They are the smart ones. They'll vote to replenish theirs with part of mine.
True enough.
I agree with that. Anyone who cashes in their funds just to keep up a status is being stupid.
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