The equation is simple.

I feel the same way about my IRA.

If the government absorbs (or even just takes control of) 401(k) retirement accounts, I'm taking the hit and withdrawing every last penny of mine.

Heck, I'll probably do that anyway if it looks like the stock market is going south. If I lose money, I'd rather do it the old-fashioned way and let it depreciate naturally, in my mattress.

The trick will be withdrawing the money once they've taken control of it. I'll guarantee you'll never see it again if they do.

I plan to put the order through the day before the issue comes up for a vote. And if I jumped the gun, well, I'll just stick it all in my savings account and let it earn interest that way.

Come to think of it, I may just do that anyway in a couple weeks. Depends on how blue or red things look when I wake up tomorrow.

Well, just remember, they'll withhold the taxes that are due for early withdrawal. When I cleaned out my PERF account back in 1996, they took over a third of it.

The penalties for pulling it are in my opinion too severe to warrant pulling it now. You might want to switch to a lower risk investment.

If the government tries this, they're going to run into a lot of resistance.

My 401(k)'s only been in action for about a year; I'd lose maybe $200, tops. And I'd rather lose that for sure than have the whole thing taken away and doled out in what Nanny thinks are reasonable portions.