You can use either, and they work very differently. With a 401(k), the usual move is a loan: under IRS rules you can generally borrow up to the lesser of $50,000 or 50% of your balance (confirm your plan's terms), repaid to yourself over time. We like this route because it keeps some cash reserves in place instead of draining your savings to zero. A Roth IRA runs on a different principle. Your contributions were already taxed, so those can generally come out tax-free at any time with no repayment required. The investment growth is another story: withdrawing earnings early can trigger taxes and a penalty. Put in $40,000 that grew to $100,000, and the $40,000 of contributions is accessible while the $60,000 of growth generally isn't without cost. Between the two, we usually lean toward the 401(k) loan. You're borrowing from yourself, the money gets repaid, and your retirement stays on track rather than losing dollars permanently. Tax rules here change and depend on your situation, so confirm the specifics with a CPA before you move anything.