[throwaway201607]

Well for example it could be a wealth tax... $1M of 401ks taxed just for existing.

Edit: Or maybe you;d like to talk about government's straight up taking away assets: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_6102 . Sure they gave them cash, but that could have as easily been "401ks are cancelled, they're being treated as income this year"

[Jtsummers]

I missed your earlier edit. Apples to oranges much?

One, that's an incident from 83 years ago. While it was upheld, legally, at the time it's unlikely it would fly today in a political sense. Especially for 401(k) accounts.

Two, that was about hoarding. The gold in question was money not moving in the economy. The rationale for the two would be entirely different. You want to stop hoarding during severe economic times because moving money means jobs, manufacturing, etc. Sitting money does nothing. Money in a 401(k) is invested money. It's at least moving in the markets, or purchasing government bonds.

Three, see my other post. By the time shit gets so bad the fed needs to consider this option, things will be bad enough that those accounts would be worthless.

Four, forcibly moving money out of the markets like this would necessarily cause massive problems. Do you really think any government with half a brain would do this?

Five, this is literally the people's retirement savings. These accounts exist so social security doesn't have to be expanded. Removing them introduces a major burden on the nation as the population ages, now without their retirement savings.

Six, if you're really this fearful you need to live on a farm off the grid. There's no other way to be prepared for the apocalyptic future you see.

[throwaway201607]

off to the farm i go.

[Jtsummers]

And where would the cash to pay that tax come from? Would it be deducted from the 401(k) directly? That'd be the only way most people middle-class individuals could afford such a tax.

EDIT: My point is this. If 401(k) accounts aren't safe, then literally no method of investment or saving is safe. There's no point fretting over this one particular one. If it turns out, in 20 years, that our retirement plans have been raided by way of taxation, then likely the rest of the economy is so fucked that the lack of funds in that account will not affect you in any meaningful way, as the dollar itself will have severely lost any value as there will no longer be any trust in the US government and economy.