Can Prudential deny me rights to access my 401k? I am no longer employed with my former company and would like to cash out, not rollover, my 401k. They always tell me that because of the economic downfall the $200,000+ I had worked hard to save is not available. Isn't there an amendment or some kind of law protecting my money like FDIC or something? Please help.

How did you have your money invested, if it was invested in many areas, it is very possible that 1/2 or more can be gone

over the past 3 years, my own investments lost over 1/3 of their value.

But it all depends on the way you invested it, ( how you picked where the money would go)

Any monies you deposit in a 401K are yours. You may, however, lose company contributions if they were not vested when you terminated. However, if you terminate, you have the right to request a distribution of the current value. What did your most recent statement show the value as? What does Prudential say the value is?

Can you please give us more info

If you had 200,000 a few years ago, it is possible that it is only 100,000 or 140,000 or so today ( or even less if you had it invested in higher risk stocks)