[ndriscoll]

There are a few ways you can withdraw from your 401k early without penalty. The best is probably Roth conversion laddering, which requires that you plan your withdrawals 5 years ahead of time. If you have a spouse and children, then it also makes sense to consider what will help you best set them up for a good life; you might not get to benefit much from that savings, but maybe your children will be able to avoid starting their adulthood as debt/rent slaves.