Need money from Mutual Funds

No I am not an investor. It is not a retirement fund. There are two small funds for both my kids. Their father walked out on us with everything. I want to buy a home but need just a little more. They want me to have their money. They are teenagers and neither wants the money for themselves. It only adds up to about 30k but if I used it, what would be the point if I have to pay 40 or so percent taxes on it? Don't know whether they are load or no load. They were started with 5K when each was born 15 and 16 1/2 years ago. I don't really want to touch their money, but it would help and they WANT me to have it for all of us.

One of the funds WAS registered in their Dad's name, but I had that changed when he left. I am the custodian on both of the funds, one is with American Century and the other is with Delaware Funds. Not sure what you mean by what was paid for the funds. The initial investment on both were $5,000. They are both free and clear of their Dad. They are my boys' funds with me as custodian. 

As far as the income bracket I'm in, I am in the very low income bracket. I paid NO taxes for 2007. I did not make enough income at all (long story), but this year that will change, although will still be in the low-income bracket.

I don't know anything about the laws, but when I spoke with the financial advisor that is the "broker" that opened the funds for us, he didn't tell me that there were any options other than paying 40%. Although that was two years ago. I am guessing there were other options at that time anyway.

Anything to do with these funds has always been taken care of by the broker. If I recall, when I called one of the companies wanting to switch the one fund that was in their Dad's name, they told me that I had to do it through my broker. So they were started through him.