Revisiting premature IRA/401(k) distributions. Don't take the money without careful consideration. I just completed a tax return for a middle class working couple with one kid. In 2012 they took a distribution from a 401(k) plan. The effective, combined marginal tax rate on that distribution was 50.3%.
In English: the distribution pushed them into the highest tax brackets and they lost half of their distribution to taxes and penalties.
For those who don't know, TWC is a tax guy in real life.
As Always,
The Wine Commonsewer