I Owe $10,000 In Taxes Or Else I Lose My House!

Summary

Podcast Summary: "I Owe $10,000 In Taxes Or Else I Lose My House!"

Podcast: The Ramsey Show Highlights
Host: Ramsey Network (featuring Dave Ramsey and guest experts)
Date: December 25, 2025
Episode Theme: Navigating urgent property tax debt to avoid losing a family home

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on a caller (B), a young single mom in crisis due to her family's financial instability. She seeks urgent advice after discovering her father owes $10,000 in back property taxes—risking imminent house foreclosure. The Ramsey Show team provides practical, sometimes tough-love advice, exploring immediate options to stave off losing the home. The exchange features characteristic blunt honesty, encouragement, and action steps.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Caller’s Situation

• Early Financial Mistakes and Baby Steps

  • The caller shares her history of poor financial decisions, moving back in with her parents alongside her 4-year-old daughter, and recently taking on more financial responsibility ([00:06]–[01:30]).
  • She confesses, “I've made a lot of mistakes over the years... when I first moved back in [I was] still being pretty irresponsible, like just kind of floating through life. And I've really gotten my act together these past few months.” [00:13]

• Current Crisis & Family Breakdown

  • With her mother having left the household, the caller now manages bills and faces the imminent risk of the house being auctioned for unpaid taxes ([01:30]–[02:27]).
  • The home is fully paid off but $10,000 is owed in back taxes due in less than a month ([03:49]–[04:56]).

The Ramsey Response

• Assessment of Finances

  • The hosts question the family income and assets. The caller brings in ~$3,600/month; her dad earns ~$3,000–4,000/month; mother is out of state with no savings ([01:43]–[02:14]).
  • The father has $2,000 in savings, and no mortgage is owed on the $150,000–$215,000 house ([03:53]–[03:49]).

• Realities of the Tax Situation

  • Dave Ramsey advises that the typical 30-day foreclosure warning may not reflect the exact timeline—recommending the caller seek expert, local advice:

    "I want you to get more knowledge than just the threat in the mailbox." (A, [04:48])

• Immediate Options Outlined

  • Sell the House Quickly: If payment isn’t possible, the hosts recommend urgently listing the house—preferably with a Ramsey-trusted real estate agent—before auction:

    “I really think that it might be a good idea for your dad just to sell the house now... Get an investor... and let's sell the house and pay the tax before the auction.” (A, [05:50])

  • Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: As a last resort to stall the auction (but not resolve underlying problems):

    “Your dad can file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and that will stop the auction... but all we're doing there is kicking the can down the road because your parents are going to screw that up.” (A, [05:22])

• Selling Assets as a Solution

  • The team asks if the father has sellable assets—vehicles, tools, or other valuables—to raise the needed funds:

    “Does your dad, between all the stuff they have, do they have $6,000 worth of stuff that you can sell quickly plus his two [thousand]... get this thing paid?” (C, [06:32])

  • The caller notes dad owns significant welding equipment and steel, but not valuable cars ([07:08]).
  • Dave and the team strongly urge her father to act, sell assets, and resolve the crisis immediately:

    “Get it sold and get the money and go pay the tax.” (A, [07:24])
    “Your dad's gonna have to get off his dad gum butt or he's going to lose his house, and it's not fair that you have to do this for him.” (A, [07:27]) “Maybe he ought to act like it. Hello.” (A, [07:44])

Tone & Takeaways

• Blunt Honesty & Accountability

  • The hosts emphasize personal responsibility for the father:

    “This is supposed to be a grown man. I mean, this guy's what, 60 years old?... Maybe he ought to act like it. Hello." (A, [07:44])

  • They express empathy for the caller's predicament while making clear she shouldn't be responsible for bailing out her parents.

• Immediate Action Over Delay

  • The central message is to act now—either liquidate assets, work directly with a local agent familiar with tax situations, or prepare to sell the house to avoid auction.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (With Timestamps)

• “I've made a lot of mistakes over the years... I've really gotten my act together these past few months.” — Caller (B), [00:13]
• “Your parents finances are a mess and you have taken over them with two whole months of experience controlling yours?” — Dave Ramsey (A), [01:30]
• “If it's not paid within a month, the house is going to go to auction. So I'm just juggling a lot right now.” — Caller (B), [01:10]
• “Get more knowledge than just the threat in the mailbox.” — Dave Ramsey (A), [04:48]
• “Your dad can file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and that will stop the auction. ...all we're doing there is kicking the can down the road because your parents are going to screw that up.” — Dave Ramsey (A), [05:22]
• “Does your dad, between all the stuff they have, do they have $6,000 worth of stuff that you can sell quickly plus his two...” — Co-host (C), [06:32]
• “Get it sold and get the money and go pay the tax.” — Dave Ramsey (A), [07:24]
• “Your dad's gonna have to get off his dad gum butt or he's going to lose his house and it's not fair that you have to do this for him.” — Dave Ramsey (A), [07:27]

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:06] Caller details her background and current family situation
• [01:30] Dave assesses the complexity of caller managing parents' finances
• [03:49] House status revealed: paid-off, but serious tax debt risk
• [04:56] Expert recommendation: seek local real estate/tax help urgently
• [05:22] Bankruptcy as last-resort option explained
• [06:25] Exploring asset sales to cover tax debt in time
• [07:24] Closing advice: liquidate assets and take action now

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Conclusion

This episode immerses listeners in a relatable, high-pressure scenario emblematic of generational financial stress and the consequences of financial mismanagement. The Ramsey team provides direct, actionable strategies, blending empathy and accountability. The take-home message: act immediately—whether it's selling assets, fortifying knowledge with local experts, or preparing to sell the home—because inaction will certainly cost the family their property. The house can be saved, but only if decisive steps are taken—by the person who truly owns the problem.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

I wish I was calling to talk about my own more of my own financial situation, you know, because I'm doing the baby steps, getting out of debt right now, which is a lot of what I've heard you call the stupid tax. Because I'm 28 and I've made a lot of mistakes, a lot of mistakes over, over the years. But I guess one of them is led me to moving back in with my parents, with my daughter who's now four years old. And anyways, I've been here and when I first moved back in, like, I was still like being pretty irresponsible, like just kind of floating through life. And I've really gotten my act together these past few months and crazy things have happened to where my mom left my dad about two months ago and I took over all the bills and all that. But now I'm looking at my father basically owing about $10,000 on property taxes. And if it's not paid within a month, the house is going to go to auction. So I'm just juggling a lot right now. And it occurred to me, okay, well, maybe I can call the Ramsey show and I got a hold of you guys.

[A]

Wow. So your parents finances are a mess and you have taken over them with two whole months of experience controlling yours?

[B]

Yes, sir.

[A]

Okay, what do you make a year.

[B]

Right now before taxes? I'm bringing in about 3,600amonth. Sometimes a little bit more, sometimes a little less, but right around.

[A]

Okay, and what does your mom make?

[B]

Well, my mom, she doesn't live here anymore. She actually moved to another state.

[A]

Oh, I'm sorry, your dad lives there?

[B]

Yes, sir.

[A]

Oh, and what does he make?

[B]

It varies, but I'd say on a good month he's making about three to 4,000.

[A]

And why have they not paid their taxes?

[B]

It was just a lot of infidelity throughout their marriage, you know, on all levels, including financial, just never being on the same page about things.

[A]

So they don't have any money. I guess. You wouldn't have called me. You would have just paid the taxes? Yeah. Okay.

[B]

Yeah, well, my father, he. He has about 2,000 in his savings account, give or take. And. Yeah, but my mom definitely no savings like that.

[A]

And, and you're in touch with her? You have the ability to get in touch with her?

[B]

Yes, yes, I do. Okay. All right.

[A]

And what's the house worth?

[B]

I'm looking at this number here. Let's see if I see this correctly. Oh, wow. It says a judged value. 215,000.

[A]

Okay. What's that? What are you reading there?

[B]

This is the notice of sale.

[A]

Oh. That had anything to do with reality. What do you think the house is actually worth? Dude.

[B]

I'm not sure. Probably at. Probably like, around 150. Okay. All right.

[A]

And what is owed on it?

[B]

Nothing. The house is paid off. Oh, okay. All right. Wow.

[A]

That'S really sad. So I would tell you to go to ramseysolutions.com and click on real estate trusted real estate agent. Get one of our trusted people and tell them what's going on and see if they have any knowledge of tax. Property tax in Texas that I don't have. There's a possibility you could apply for some kind of a thing. Take your dad's 2000 and maybe, you know, 2000amonth for the next four months or whatever and clear the thing. Right. There's a possibility they have some kind of a program for that. Or there's a possibility they give you these notices, and then it's a while before they actually do it. It's not really 30 days. I want you to get more knowledge than just the threat in the mailbox. And I don't know. I don't. I don't have the knowledge to give you.

[B]

Yes. Yes, sir. Well, I did. I spent, like, about two hours on the phone with these tax office people, and because they were on payment plans in the past, it's pretty much said that house will go to auction January 6th if it's not paid in full. Mm. Like I said, I wish I was calling.

[A]

Yeah, and you don't. You don't have the money, and they don't have the money. So what's our option? There's two options. Neither one are good. Your dad can file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and that will stop the auction. Okay. And before I lost the house at auction, I would do that, but I really think that it might be a good idea for your dad just to sell the house. Your dad and mom sell the house now. Get an investor. Call one of our Ramsey trusted real estate agents, and let's sell the house and pay the tax before the auction. Okay. Because they're going to lose this house, and you guys don't have any money to stop them. And so, you know, you can go into Chapter 13 bankruptcy, but all we're doing there is kicking the can down the road because your parents are going to screw that up.

[C]

I'm curious, how many years of the property taxes? What's a year's Worth of property taxes on this house, do you know?

[B]

Well, it varies, but I think it goes all the way back to 2020. About five years worth.

[C]

Right. So here's the, this is kind of an outside the ball, outside the box idea here. But does your dad, between all the stuff they have, do they have $6,000 worth of stuff that you can sell quickly plus his two that gets you or wait, wait, wait, we got to get eight more. Sorry, my math was bad for a second. 8,000. Does he have $8,000 worth of stuff?

[B]

Yeah, I think so. And I, I, I have a, that's.

[C]

The quickest turnaround on this thing. I mean to be honest with you, if he really has $8,000 worth of stuff and what's his car, I would do that.

[B]

No, not really through his cars, but he's got a lot of. Because he's a welder, he's builds fences. So he has a lot of material steel here and.

[A]

Yeah, get it sold.

[B]

Yeah, just kind. Yes, sir.

[A]

Yeah, get it sold and get the money and go pay the tax.

[C]

That's it.

[A]

But your dad's gonna have to get off his dad gum butt or he's going to lose his house and it's not fair that you have to do this for him. This is supposed to be a grown man. I mean this guy's what, 60 years old?

[B]

Yes sir, 62.

[A]

Yeah. So maybe he ought to act like it. Hello. So, yeah, I don't really want you fixing this for him, but I, if he's got the assets, if he got a bunch of junk around there, he can take salvage or whatever and sell it and scratch up ten grand to go with his two or eight grand to go with his two grand. Get this thing paid. That's the answer. Other than that, yeah, you can file bankruptcy, but it's not going to work because it's going to crash if he catches it up. That's his only shot at making this work. Create your free every dollar budget today. The simplest way to budget for your life.