[fr0sty]

The timeframe from the article was 30days. which make 401k or IRA funds available. If you can't sell your car in 30days you are not trying.

Also, most Brokers will allow you to borrow against the value of your IRA, or your 401k with very short notice. If you have a house and a mortgage you probably also qualify for an unsecured line of credit and could get a cash advance immediately.

The surgery example is a non sequitur because hospitals have very liberal payment terms and are willing to negotiate costs down significantly for people with financial hardships.

[chailatte]

Senate bill seeks to limit 401(k) borrowing http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011...

Hard to get a line of credit when 1 out of 4 mortgages are underwater http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125903489722661849.html