The only way you'll be allowed to withdraw from your 401k is if you're having a hardship. Simply planning on paying your rent with it won't do it, you'll have to have a real hardship, like a notice of eviction in hand for non-payment of your rent.

First and foremost, please do NOT look at your 401(k) investment as one more type of savings account - where you can withdraw money at will. The 401(k) investment is meant to be used in retirement for retirement, with only limited exceptions available.

Assuming that you are still working for the same employer where your 401(k) plan is located, and that your 401(k) plan does not have the option of in-service distributions after reaching a certain age (many do not), the only real exception that MAY be available under your 401(k) plan is the Hardship Withdrawal (aka, Hardship Distribution).

To qualify for a Hardship Withdrawal, you will need to prove to your 401(k) Plan Administrator that you truly are suffering from an economic Hardship, and that taking a Distribution from your 401(k) investment is necessary. Be aware, though, that many 401(k) plans that offer Hardship Distributions normally require that you take out all available loans from your 401(k) investment first. Such loans would not be Taxable (unlike the Hardship Distribution), so long as you gradually paid them back through your paycheck.

Now the real answer that you are looking for: the limit on how much you can withdraw as a Hardship Distribution is the lesser of your actual Hardship-determined financial need or the contributions that you made directly from your paycheck to your 401(k) plan. These are your original contributions - any earnings/losses do not count - and you also cannot count what your employer put in for you (either out of the goodness of her/his heart and/or because s/he is required to do so).

If you need any additional clarification, you may add such here, or talk to your 401(k) Plan Administrator's staff.

*Tax Disclaimer* The above material is not to be construed as a complete analysis of all Tax considerations. The opinion issued should not be used to avoid or evade Taxes, nor should it be relied upon to avoid any proper federal and/or other Tax-related penalties. Accordingly, this material is not intended or written to be used (and a Taxpayer cannot use it) for the purpose of promoting, marketing, and/or recommending to another party and Tax-related matters. Please be aware that Tax laws are subject to change at any time. Consult your trusted independent Tax advisor for the latest information/interpretations of Tax law.

No, most plans carry no real minimums for borrowing or withdrawing money. Unfortunately, rules are pretty strict. You can't just take money out of it for renting.

You'll have to effectively apply for a loan from yourself, which you'll be obligated to pay back into the account like any other. This is the surest way to get your money. Unless you default, you shouldn't incur much tax penalty, which would be beneficial in helping you through your hardship.

It's sometimes possible to get an early withdrawal approved if you're threatened with foreclosure or eviction. You'll have to check with a 401k administrator to see about your specific case though. This is one of the rare hardships that could let you withdraw money early, without incurring an added tax penalty. Note that any money taken from the account will always be subject to your regular income tax rate. So, if you're able to do a withdrawal, make sure you take out enough to cover the increased income tax burden for both Federal and State levels too.