More from Suze Orman's Women and Money Month Three:

Do not touch your retirement money before you reach retirement age.

Two common mistakes that people make that put their retirement years in financial danger:

1. taking out a loan:
- If you are ever laid off or change jobs, you normally have to repay the amount left on the loan within a few months of leaving. If you don't have the money to pay the loan off, you owe a 10% penalty as well as income tax on the withdrawn money
- You end up paying taxes twice on the money you withdraw. The money you use to pay back the loan is after-tax money, and when you do withdraw the money at retirement, it is taxed once again.

2. cash-outs:
- There are 4 options for your 401(K) when you leave a company:
- if you have at least $5,000 you can keep the money in the plan
- move it to your new employer's plan
- move it into an IRA rollover account
- take the money in cash
Never take the money in cash. You will owe a 10% penalty and income tax on any money you withdraw before age 59 and a half. You may think you need the money now, but think ahead to how much more you will need it in the future.