<prompt> Human: I have a retirement savings account with Wells Fargo from a job I had about 8 years ago. I no longer am with this employer and do not make active contributions to this account.I have a little over 9000 in this account, am 34 years old, and have credit card and other debt at around 7000. I have a personal loan that will be paid off in June of 2019 - the monthly payment is 285. Credit card payment minimum is 200 each month - I am barely scrapping by getting the 500 each month to pay these.After looking at penalties and taxes, I would pay 3000 if I took out 9000 from the retirement fund. That nets me 6000.By doing this, I could reduce my credit card and other debt to near 0, pay off my personal loan early, and be reinvesting in retirement by June of next year.Right now I am making about 400 short each year of being in the next tax bracket - right now I sit at about 12, but the next bracket is 25. I am set to get a small raise on either my anniversary date 12718, or the new year 1119, which would bump me over. If that happens, the amount of taxes on taking out of my retirement fund goes up.So, basically, it seems to me a good idea to use this retirement money now to get onto solid footing and then turn around in 6 months with a solid foundation and begin reinvesting.But I am not so smart with retirement funds. Am I missing anything?TL;DR: When is it a smart idea to use retirement savings to pay off current debt?  <response>: Only to avoid bankruptcy, foreclosure, etc. dont take it out of retirement. Hurts in the long term. 