Question: how much do you lose if you withdraw your 401k?
Answer: If you withdraw money from your 401(k) before you're 59½, the IRS usually assesses a 10% penalty when you file your tax return. That could mean giving the government $1,000 of that $10,000 withdrawal. Between the taxes and penalty, your immediate take-home total could be as low as $7,000 from your original $10,000.