Roth 401(k) - information on loans/withdrawals

[Dawn Anastasi]

I currently have a 401k through my full-time employer and have 6 rentals on the side. I have read some information on BP and other sites about taking money out of one's 401k or using some type of self-directed IRA.

Where do I find out if I can take money out of my 401k (it's a Roth) either as a loan or a withdrawal? Are there penalties? What are the tax implications?

I'm hoping someone can point me to resources I can read about to get more information. I'm seeing some growth in my 401K but much more in my real estate activities. I don't want to deplete my 401k completely and would prefer to do this as a loan versus a withdrawal because I still want to keep that.