More than one in three U.S. workers have taken loans, early withdrawals, or hardship withdrawals from their retirement savings, according to new data from the Transamerica Institute.

Personal finance experts warned that these loans should be a last resort. Mark Hamrick from Bankrate.com said, "It's sort of literally borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, as that old saying goes."

This borrowing trend is particularly prevalent among middle-class workers earning between $50,000 and $200,000 annually. An October report from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies indicated that nearly 40% of middle-class workers have taken a loan or early withdrawal from their retirement savings. They often cited financial emergencies, debt payoffs, and everyday expenses as reasons.

"You are poorer for

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