Since a distribution from a retirement plan may result in tax consequences to the employee, a retirement plan created by an employer must comply with IRS criteria in order to offer a hardship withdrawal as an alternative.

FORBES: Taxes From A To Z (2013): H Is For Hardship Withdrawal

Neglecting to fund a retirement plan or forgoing an employee stock purchase plan could have catastrophic results in losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars and delaying retirement for many years.

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Develop a budget by figuring out how much you need to set aside for quarterly tax payments, capital expenditures, your retirement plan, employee salaries and other areas.

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