Early Retirement

San Diego Union Tribune - Tapping retirement money too early can be costly

Saving enough for retirement can fall far down on a to-do list for Americans squeezed by rising costs for necessities like food and energy. But even those who do set aside money can in a single move risk much of what they've saved.

Financial experts worried about the thin wallets of some workers are warning lawmakers in Washington that an increasing number of investors have begun to treat their retirement plans like piggy banks. While making loans or withdrawals from a retirement account is often linked to an emergency like illness, there is fresh evidence that the impact of even briefly sidelining money can be huge by the time retirement arrives.