Borrowing against a 401K may seem like a good idea when you need a short term loan to cover next semester's tuition until your company's tuition reimbursement kicks in. However, Carmen Wong Ulrich explains why it's not the best move and how you can borrow smarter to pay for your education and keep your credit clean.

If you have a financial question you'd like Carmen to tackle, post it here in the comments or email us directly at ivcommunity@mail.ivillage.com

Watch Carmen Wong Ulrich's 'On The Money' Saturdays at 8PM ET on CNBC! Find more information on coping with the economy with our Bail Yourself Out resources.