[legion]

The short answer is that you don't.

My grandfather's brother "retired" with essentially no savings. All he gets is social security and nothing else. He lives in low-income housing. He works 3 days a week at the local Publix behind the meat counter. He needs the job because after his rent utilities, and Medicare, he has no money left. I try to take him out to dinner whenever I'm down in Florida. He does have pride and self-respect, so he won't accept gifts, but he will accept a meal.

He made the decision decades before I was born not to save. He had no family so taking a job with no pension didn't bother him.

I, on the other hand started my 401k at 21. My company offers a generous pension (that is grossly overfunded, even in today's market). I started a Roth IRA earlier this year. My wife has a 401k and a traditional IRA. We have enough in our retirement savings to buy our house outright.

I can't imagine touching my 401k. The idea revolts me. I don't want to be like my great-uncle.