I Didn't Know I Had More Student Loans

Summary

The Ramsey Show Highlights — "I Didn't Know I Had More Student Loans"

Date: December 13, 2025
Host: Ramsey Network Team (Jade Warshaw and co-host)
Main Guest: Anonymous Caller (“B”)

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around a young adult who recently discovered he’s responsible for significant student loan debt—much of it under his father’s name via Parent PLUS loans, which he didn’t know existed. The conversation explores the emotional and financial implications, surfaces family dynamics, and offers practical advice for debt repayment while reflecting the trademark Ramsey focus on debt-free living and family honesty.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Caller’s Debt Situation (00:06–02:13)

• Caller’s Loans:
  • Three Parent PLUS loans under the father's name, totalling $70,000 at 7% interest
  • Monthly payment: $450 (not reducing balance meaningfully due to high interest)
• Other Debts:
  • $4,500 credit card balance
  • $3,000 remaining on car loan
  • $9,000 left in his own student loans (paid down from $20,000)
• Personal Situation:
  • Manager at Jersey Mike’s, making $90,000 a year
  • Dropped out of college during COVID instead of paying full tuition for online classes
  • Wants to pursue franchising in the quick service industry (02:04)

2. How the Debt Was Discovered (02:51–04:42)

• Surprise Parent PLUS Loans:
  • Caller didn't know about the Parent PLUS loans until his uncle (the co-signer) emailed him asking why he wasn’t paying them
  • He believed his remaining loans were the only ones and the rest were covered by grants or assistance (“I did not know they existed” — B, 03:02)
  • Uncle revealed the past-due status; his father then admitted to taking out the loans

3. Family Dynamics and Emotional Impact (04:42–06:47)

• Similar Incident with Sibling:
  • A similar scenario occurred with the caller’s brother, who also unknowingly had loans taken out by their father
• Caller’s Feelings:
  • Mixed emotions: frustration over not being informed, but not wanting to damage the relationship with his father
  • “Half and half. I'm definitely not going to let it get in the...relationship with me and my father...I was definitely a little frustrated with him…” (B, 05:17)
• Missed Financial Opportunity:
  • Caller expresses regret over not knowing about the debt earlier, especially since he could have avoided interest during the COVID forbearance window

4. Hosts’ Advice & Ethical Assessment (06:47–07:46)

• Jade Warshaw’s Direct Take:

  • Deeply unsettled by the situation, she stresses the importance of honesty and communication in families:
    • “This is so messed up. It’s really messed up.” (C, 04:55)
    • “If it were me, I'd be having a serious conversation. At the very least, I'd say, ‘I'm paying half of this because I didn't know about it...You didn't do me the service of even telling me about it. So you're on the hook for half. And it's not in your name.’” (C, 07:36)

• Debt Repayment Strategy:

  • List all debts from smallest to largest, pay minimums on all but the smallest, then attack the smallest with all extra cash (Ramsey’s “debt snowball”)
  • Order:
    1. Pay off the car loan first
    2. Tackle the credit card
    3. Pay the personal student loan
    4. Aggressively pay down the $70,000 Parent PLUS loans

• Co-host’s Agreement:

  • Fully endorses Jade’s approach: “I agree. Well said. Amen. Pass the plates.” (A, 07:46)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Caller on discovering the loans:

  “I did not know they existed.” (B, 03:02)

• Host (Jade) expressing concern:

  “This is so messed up. It's really messed up.” (C, 04:55)

• Caller on balancing emotions:

  “I'm definitely not going to let it get in the...relationship with me and my father...I was definitely a little frustrated with him...” (B, 05:17)

• Host (Jade) on her advice:

  “If it were me, I'd be having a serious conversation. And at the very least, I'd say, ‘I'm paying half of this because I didn't know about it...’” (C, 07:36)

• Co-host's final word:

  “I agree. Well said. Amen. Pass the plates.” (A, 07:46)

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Important Timestamps

• Caller lays out entire debt situation — 02:26
• Discovery of hidden loans — 03:02
• Family conversation about undisclosed debts — 05:17
• Jade’s strong ethical advice — 07:36
• Final agreement and closing comments — 07:46

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Summary Takeaways

• The episode highlights the emotional and financial turmoil when parents don’t communicate transparently about debt.
• The hosts emphasize honesty, clear family boundaries, and a practical debt repayment plan.
• Even when facing unexpected financial burdens, maintaining family relationships while standing up for personal financial boundaries is possible and important.

Listeners are left with actionable steps typical of the Ramsey method: list your debts, start with the smallest, and pay them down with aggression, but don’t shy away from hard family conversations when money and trust are on the line.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

So, yeah, I'm calling because I'm in a bit of a situation here with some college loans that I have some student loans that are. They're parent plus loans though, so they're under my father's name, but I'm the one paying them. They're about three different loans. They total to about 70k in total between the three and they have about 7% interest rate at the moment. I've been paying about 450amonth on them. But I just did the calculations and with the interest rate, it doesn't look like I'm going to be paying them off anytime soon with that.

[C]

No.

[B]

So I was just looking for some guidance there on what to. What to do. All right, so some other debts as well.

[A]

Obvious question. These are these loans your dad took out were for your education. True or false?

[B]

True.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

And what are you doing for a.

[B]

Living at the moment? I'm a manager at a Jersey Mike's. I actually ended up dropping out during COVID They wanted me to pay full tuition for online classes. I was not about that.

[A]

What were you in school to do.

[B]

Originally? I was a biochem major and I was planning on a pre med track. But that first year I really did not enjoy it and I decided, all right, I'm not going to want to do this the rest of my life. Happy? I got out then instead of going into more debt. First medical school and then, you know, kind of in like an in between area. And then we all got sent home and you know, I didn't end up taking anything.

[A]

So what do you. What are you making now at Jersey Mike's?

[B]

I make about 90k a year.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

And that's a management position?

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Do you have any other ideas for your future?

[B]

I would like to go into franchising and continue with the quick service.

[A]

Okay, so you found your spot.

[C]

That's cool.

[A]

That's great.

[B]

Yeah, no, I love it.

[C]

Okay, great.

[B]

I came back after over Covid, fell in love. We realized this is what I want to do.

[C]

Okay, great.

[A]

That checks that box. And now we can we bring Jade in here and we start going? Okay, let's knock this out. Let's get her the full picture. Beyond the 70,000 and in over three student loans, what other debt do you have? Give us the full picture.

[B]

So I have about 4,500 on a credit card. I've been pretty aggressively or trying to aggressively paying that off at the moment. I do also have about 3,000 left on a car loan.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

And I also have 9,000 of my own student loans as well.

[C]

So what was the deal on the student loans? Did you know from the beginning that you were going to be on the hook for those parent plus loans, even though it was just your dad's name on the note?

[B]

I did not know they existed.

[C]

Oh, how did you find out?

[B]

So, because my uncle is a co signer on them. And so I was paying the ones that were in my name and I was doing that all. Actually, I started paying them early, before I even had to. I did not want them gaining more interest. And, you know, so it was your.

[C]

Uncle and your dad. Your uncle and your dad took these out?

[B]

Yeah, so my dad took them out and my uncle had to co sign on those loans for them.

[C]

How did you think education was being paid for when you were showing up for class in your mind, how was it being paid for?

[B]

So I knew I have some loans, but when I was filling out the, like, FAFSA and doing that stuff with my dad, I was under the impression that I had, like, grants and that it was, you know, that I had gotten assistance from the school.

[C]

So you thought the 9,000 a lot more. You thought the 9,000 was it and everything else was grants and help.

[B]

So the 9,000 is what's left. It was originally 20, but I paid it down to nine so far.

[C]

So how did it come to be that you're paying for loans that you didn't even know were being taken out? How did that happen? Did your uncle call you up? Dad called.

[B]

Yeah. I got an email from my uncle saying, you know, like, hey, why haven't you been paying your student loans? And I was very taken aback because I was like, I. I have been like, I started doing it early. I don't know what you're talking about. I showed them my loans as well. And then, you know, he pulled up what he had and he showed me, no, they're past due. Like, I don't know what you're. Listen, this is. And then we figured it out. And then my father finally was like, oh, yeah, like I had to do that.

[C]

Listen, I'm not in the business of splitting up families or, you know, trying to cause drama between families. This is so. This is so messed up. It's really messed up.

[A]

It's a polite way of saying it.

[C]

Yeah, it is. And I want to know. But it might not be as messed up if I hear your side of it. In your mind, are you like, this is my Responsibility. I'm happy to pay it. It was my education. It makes sense to me, Jade. I'm cool. Or. Or is this something that causes you a bit of resentment and anger and is it problematic for you emotionally?

[B]

Half and half. I'm definitely not going to let it get in the. In between my relationship with me and my father and any means. Been a great dad, you know, nothing like that. I was definitely a little frustrated with him because about two years ago I was looking to move out and I did end up moving out, but before I did, a similar situation happened with my brother as well where he had student loans that he was not aware of that my father did also take out. I don't know if they were under his name or under my brother's name in that situation, but, you know, I just remember him being pretty upset not knowing about those.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So before I moved out, I went to my father and asked him, I was like, hey, do I have any other student loans that I'm not aware of that I should be paying right now before I move out? Because if I did know that I had this 70k, I probably would not have moved out when I did. I would have stayed home and tried to put more of my resources towards these to get them paid down. And how long after my dad was.

[C]

Like, how long after the fact that they were due did you find out about them? Because, you know, after six months they become due to. Upon graduation. So how long?

[B]

Yeah, I think there was, there was some for like, I forget what it's called, but they, they were like pushed back because of COVID and there was a lot of stuff there, but.

[C]

And you didn't know all that time, all that time that you could have been paying them off interest free? You didn't know about him?

[B]

I did not know about.

[C]

Let me tell you, I'm going to be, I'm going to be flat out honest with you. I love relationships. I love that you are honoring your parents. This is bothering me. I, um. Now if you tell me this is your life, so you can decide if you tell me, Jade, I'm just going to go ahead and pay it. Can you please move on with the advice? Fine. The advice would be for me, you need to take all the debts, credit cards, car, student loans, list them smallest to largest. Based on what you told me, we need to be tackling the car first. All your extra money after you've paid minimum payments, all the extra needs to go on that car, knock it out fast. And then next would be the credit cards. Next would be the student loan. And then you start tackling the $70,000 student loan in Chun chunks. But if it were me, I'd be having a serious conversation. And at the very least, I'd say I'm paying half of this because I didn't know about it and I had an opportunity to take care of it when there is no interest. And you didn't do me the service of even telling me about it. So you're on. You're on the hook for half. And it's not in your name.

[A]

I agree. Well said. Amen. Pass the plates. Create your free every dollar budget today. The simplest way to budget for your life.