My Daughter's Ex Has Financially Ruined Her Life

Summary

The Ramsey Show Highlights – Episode Summary

Episode: My Daughter's Ex Has Financially Ruined Her Life
Date: May 26, 2026
Host: Ramsey Network
Duration: ~10 minutes

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Episode Overview

This episode features a distressed parent seeking advice for their daughter, whose ex-boyfriend has left her entangled in substantial debt despite never being married. The conversation, led by Ramsey personalities, revolves around the legal and financial challenges faced by the caller’s daughter, including co-signed loans, depreciating vehicles, and uncooperative behavior from the ex-partner. The hosts explore potential legal remedies, the viability of bankruptcy, and practical steps for financial recovery.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background of the Situation

• Caller (“B”) shares:

  • Daughter was in a 3-year relationship; they co-signed significant debts together.
  • Debt includes $70–80k in vehicle loans, $15k in credit card debt, and $20k in a business loan.
  • Daughter is now a single mom of two; she and the ex-boyfriend are broken up.
  • Ex-boyfriend has minimal/no verifiable income and is not cooperating.
  • She is on the hook as a co-signer for all the debts and struggling to get legal assistance.

  “We have about $70, $80,000 in vehicle loans, $15,000 in credit card and about $20,000 in a business loan... the majority of the vehicles are upside down on their loans.” – Caller (B), [00:06]

2. Legal and Financial Traps of Co-Signing

• Host (“C”) points out:

  • Banks prefer keeping her as a co-signer due to higher repayment assurance.
  • Attorneys are unwilling to help because nothing illegal has occurred—she voluntarily co-signed everything.
  • Discusses the risks and consequences of co-signing, especially when not legally protected by marriage.

  “That’s the whole point. If this guy doesn’t pay, I’m saying I will. That’s what you’re saying when you co-sign. So...there’s nothing, except him being a scumbag, there’s nothing illegal going on here.” – Host (C), [05:27]

3. The Collateral – Vehicles and Loans Break Down

• Detailed look at assets and liabilities:

  | Item | Owed | Value | Debt Status | |-----------------------|------|-------|----------------| | Chevy Silverado (2022)| $50k | $45–50k | At/below value | | Hyundai (2024) | $40k | $33k | $7k underwater | | Toyota Corolla | $9k | ~$4k | $5k underwater | | Motorcycle & Trailer | -- | $4–5k (both) | -- |

  “So they owe nine and it’s worth four.” – Host (C), [03:38]
  “She owes 33. [The Hyundai] is only worth 33. They owe 40.” – Caller (B), [03:48]

4. Ex-Partner’s Actions and Impact on Daughter

• Caller describes ongoing sabotage:

  • Ex-partner took her car using a spare key.
  • Daughter’s liability persists on insurance and registration.
  • He only pays minimal child support ($100/mo), leveraging unverifiable income so that increasing support could backfire legally.

  “He has come and taken her vehicle while she was at work.” – Caller (B), [06:16]
  “She is not ordered to pay. He pays $100 a month for child support...she may end up having to pay him.” – Caller (B), [07:09]

5. Exploring Legal Options

• Host suggestion:

  • Seek a judge’s order to allow her to sell assets to get out of the loans, since the ex will not cooperate.
  • Admits chances are slim because co-signing is legally binding; nothing “unlawful” has occurred.

  “I’d try to go before a judge and say, this person’s not paying. Here’s what it’s doing to me. Can we sell these assets so that we can clear that.” – Host (C), [05:32]

6. Assessing Bankruptcy

• Host warns against bankruptcy unless absolutely necessary:

  • Bankruptcy would lead to asset liquidation, likely at a loss, and further destroy her credit for 7-10 years.
  • Suggests handling debts one-by-one, increasing income, and selling assets where possible.

  “The bankruptcy is not going to help much because...she’s going to owe even more while her financial life gets destroyed for seven to 10 years.” – Host (A), [07:36]

7. Next Steps and Protective Measures

• Practical steps:

  • Sell assets where feasible—even if it means coming up with cash to bridge the gap between loan amounts and actual asset value.
  • Freeze her credit to prevent additional accounts being opened in her name.
  • Make sure all credit cards are closed or at least cannot be used further.
  • Start aggressively saving and working additional income to pay down the debts.

  “I would freeze her credit. So that no accounts can be opened under her name and Social Security number as well.” – Host (A), [09:14]
  “Her biggest job right now is to work hard to save...let's earn $20,000 and start knocking out debt.” – Host (C), [09:19]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On co-signing pitfalls:
  “That’s just one of the worst things that you can do because you’re on the line. That’s the whole point. If this guy doesn’t pay, I’m saying I will. That’s what you’re saying when you co-sign.” – Host (C), [05:27]

• On legal recourse:
  “Can we get a judge to order it? … That's what I'd check on. I don't know if they will because what's taken place is totally legal.” – Host (C), [05:06]

• On the emotional toll:
  “This is a nightmare. I'm so sorry.” – Host (A), [07:20]

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Key Takeaways by Timestamps

• 00:06–01:38: Caller explains the scale and nature of debts.
• 01:49–03:37: Breakdown of individual vehicle loans/assets.
• 04:37–05:52: Legal limitations and challenges with co-signing.
• 06:16–07:11: Ongoing post-breakup issues; minimal support from ex-partner.
• 07:22–08:44: Bankruptcy discussion; practical downsides.
• 08:44–09:35: Immediate steps—sell assets, freeze credit, block further debt.

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Summary

The daughter’s financial entanglement with her ex-partner—despite never marrying—serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of co-signing and mixing finances outside of marriage. The advice centers on legal limitations, minimal relief through bankruptcy, and the paramount importance of methodical, practical action: try to sell assets, cut off further credit exposure, and rebuild financial independence through income and paying off debts. The hosts provide both empathy and hard truths, urging careful steps and grit as the path out of this difficult situation.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

My daughter recently got out of a relationship that she was in for about three years. While she was in that relationship, they acquired an enormous amount of debt together, although they were not married. We have about 70, 80,000 in vehicle loans, 15,000 in credit card and about 20,000 in a business loan. Her boyfriend had quit his job when the owner sold the business so he could branch out and open his own. And the majority of the vehicles are upside down on their loans because he took additional equity to start his new business now that they are no longer together. She is a co signer on all of this stuff. Oh, boy. He is a single mom of two and he has no verifiable or income because the business is so new. And he is in with a partner. She is the only one that has verifiable income and it's not that much. So we're not sure. She's contacted a couple attorneys. Nobody wants to really work with her to get it to where her name is off these loans. I know it can be very difficult, but we're wondering if she should probably file bankruptcy to get her out of all of this debt that she actually has no benefit of.

[C]

Oh, boy. And you've already run this by attorneys to see if there's anything there to maybe legally split this or do something and nobody will touch it.

[B]

They really don't want to because where he is the primary loan holder and she is the co signer. Even if they get a judgment, the banks don't necessarily want to take her off as the co signer.

[A]

Well, they know how risky this is. They like her on there. They want someone else on the hook.

[B]

Absolutely.

[C]

Tell us about the cars. You said they're both upside down. How, how badly and how many are there?

[B]

There currently are three vehicles. I believe it's a 22 Chevy Silverado that has about 50,000 that's owed on it. In addition to the vehicle loan, there was also a trailer for a motorcycle as well as motorcycle. I do not believe that has extra equity. I believe that is just straight for those three pieces of property. They have a Hyundai, a 24 Hyundai that is only valued at 33,000, but they got an additional 7,000 to put into his business. She had a Toyota Corolla that was paid off. It's an older Corolla. They went in and got a $9,000 loan on it. The car's not worth, but maybe about 4,000.

[C]

So they owe nine and it's worth four.

[A]

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[C]

So they owe nine and it's worth four.

[B]

Correct.

[C]

And let's go back to the Hyundai. She owes 33. What's the Hyundai worth?

[B]

It's worth 33. They owe 40.

[C]

Okay. And then let's go back to the first one, the $50,000 one. They owe 50. And what's that one worth?

[B]

It's probably worth around 45 to 50. It is a very nice Chevy Silverado club cab pickup.

[C]

And you're telling me the trailer and the motorcycle are worth nothing?

[B]

Um, it's a dirt bike trailer.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

For racing dirt bikes. It's. It would maybe be worth $3,000. Okay, that's in our area, in the market.

[C]

Yeah, we need that. And what about the motorcycle or the dirt bike?

[B]

That's. That's probably the. The motorcycle in the trailer might bring four or five out of them. Combined them together.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Correct.

[C]

So what I'd want to know what. What I'd be seeking out next is if she can sell these items, being the co signer. And that's what I'd want a judge to approve. Hey, we can't find this guy. We can't track him down. He has no income. This is destroying her credit. Can we have the ability for order

[B]

to sell where he's at?

[C]

Okay.

[B]

He will not cooperate.

[C]

Right. And that's why I'm saying, can we get a judge to order it?

[B]

Okay.

[C]

That's what I'd check on. I don't know if they will because what's taken place is totally legal. She co signed on. On. On debt, which is honestly. And I mean, you already know this is just one of the worst things that you can do because you're on the line. That's the whole point. If this guy doesn't pay, I'm saying I will. That's what you're saying when you co sign. So there's nothing. Except him being a scumbag. There's nothing illegal going on here. There's nothing, quote, wrong going on here. So it's going to be hard, but I would at least try to say. I'd try to go before a judge and say, this person's not paying. Here's what it's doing to me. Can we sell these assets so that we can clear that.

[B]

That is an issue we're running up against is he is making monthly payments. But, but at the rate that he's making these monthly payments, if, if he ever stops, she doesn't know until it's too late.

[C]

Right.

[B]

If he. Her name's on the vehicles as well, so she can't go get something independently of him. And he has come and taken her vehicle while she was at work.

[C]

Well, how can he do that? Is she driving one of these?

[B]

He has an extra key.

[C]

Oh, she's driving one of these. She's driving the Corolla.

[B]

She's driving the Hyundai at this time.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Are they both on the insurance for all these vehicles?

[B]

From what we understand, yes. But at any time he could take her off the insurance and she would have no knowledge.

[C]

Why is that if she's also on it as well?

[B]

Because they are not currently together. It's his insurance agent.

[A]

Um, is he trying to actively destroy her life at this point? Like where. Where's his head at?

[B]

Basically, they. They have. He left her one month after they had a child together. He is not ordered to pay. He pays $100 a month for child support.

[A]

That's what was.

[B]

They have told her.

[A]

Ordered by the court.

[B]

If she can. Yes. If she contests it because he does not have verifiable income, she may end up having to pay him.

[A]

This is a nightmare. I'm so sorry.

[B]

100%. Which is why we're wondering, if she files bankruptcy, would that get her out from under as co signer from all of this? So at least she doesn't end up with all this on her lap.

[A]

Well, the bankruptcy is not going to help much because they're going to liquidate all the cars and if they get repoed, she's going to be on the hook for the difference. They're going to sell it at auction for nothing and then she's going to owe even more while her financial life gets destroyed for seven to 10 years from the bankruptcy. So I don't love that option. I would try to see how we can get her out of these individual situations one by one and get her income up enough to where she could pay them if she had to.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

And I would try to get up. You're about 15 grand underwater on all these vehicles. Obviously she needs something reliable to drive. And obviously we need the ability to find this car and be able to sell it, which that's going to be the difficult part because he's got most of these toys, doesn't he?

[B]

He has everything. He. She has access to the Hyundai and the Toyota, but you know, she would love to sell the Toyota. She can't because of this loan that's on it. Yeah, she has told him, come get the Hyundai. I will go out and buy something that, you know, I can afford so I can make my own payment. But. But she can't with her credit wrapped up and all of that.

[A]

Yeah, well, she could drive the Corolla. Right? If she sold the Hyundai, she could do that.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

Okay, so if we at least get out of those two, it solves some problems here. Cause that's. That at least alleviates some of this pain when you owe 33 on 1 and 9 on the other. Which means you need to come up with 12 grand to get out from underwater on this. And then you can keep the Corolla.

[C]

Yeah. And what about the credit cards? Are those still actively going? Because I'd want to make sure that those are shut down and that more money is not able to be rung up on those.

[A]

I would freeze her credit.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

So that no accounts can be opened under her name and Social Security number as well.

[C]

And the same thing with this business loan. Her biggest job right now is to work hard to save. I mean, she is on the hook for this money. So let's. Let's earn $20,000 and start knocking out debt and make sure it can't come back to haunt us later on by freezing the credit.

[A]

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