With job loss becoming a marketable commodity, it seems like the financial gurus across the nation are turning their eyes and tips to new tactics all across the economic spread. From multi-level marketing to lemonade stands, some pretty crazy advice is getting passed around. Some of the soundest advice, though, comes from those who profess to offer 401k tips. Now, not all 401k tips are what they are cracked up to be, so before you go buying into whatever some expert is espousing, you want to be sure that it’s something that will line up with your needs.

For example, some 401k tips surround the idea of cashing out your 401k early. For young professionals who are just getting started, that might not be too bad an idea. If you find yourself in a relatively low tax bracket and have the need for a little bit of extra cash, it can be very convenient to tap into that company-sponsored retirement program. At the lower tax bracket, you’ll keep a higher percentage of what you cash out. Furthermore, while it will dampen your retirement savings, you know that you’ve got enough of your working life ahead of you to take advantage of rebuilding your retirement fund at a later date. Those are some pretty good reasons to act now and get those few extra thousand dollars that might make the difference between working from hand to mouth until 55 or getting a head start right now.

With that said, though, that 401k tip isn’t for everyone. That’s a crucial thing to look at when you read about or talk to 401k experts. Who is their audience? Like we pointed out, a young professional could benefit highly from an early cash-out; a middle-aged middle manager might not derive the same benefits. Somebody finding himself or herself at a higher tax bracket might not want to take the hit that comes from the IRS when cashing out. Somebody in that position might be more willing to look into 401k rollovers or taking a loan against a 401k.

So those are some important points, too: rollovers and loans. In Congress’s quest to make 401ks user-friendly (no, our tongue isn’t all the way into our cheek when we say that), laws provide lots of opportunities to roll different items over from here to there to keep your money closer at hand. With all those options, though, people spouting out 401k tips will come rushing to your aid to tell you that IRAs, mutual funds, small investment funds, other 401ks, and a whole host of other rollover options are all the best. Again, it comes down to taking that advice with a grain of salt. What is your financial future like? How about your current financial status? Don’t wildly accept all 401k tips until you’re sure you have found something that really matches what you’re looking for.

Don’t be overly cautious, though—and that’s what we’ll leave you with. In a market where job losses area marketable commodity, look to benefit and then take the plunge. Just be sure you do it in that order.