Podcast Summary: "The IRS Says I Owe Them $180,000"
Podcast: The Ramsey Show Highlights
Host: Ramsey Network (Dave Ramsey & Rachel Cruze)
Date: December 23, 2025
Duration: ~8 minutes (content, excluding ads/intro/outro)
Episode Overview
In this episode, a distressed caller seeks guidance after being notified by the IRS and Colorado Department of Revenue that he owes over $180,000 in taxes due to a clerical error involving his former employer’s use of his Social Security number. Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze respond with strong, practical advice, underlining the urgency of legal action, self-advocacy, and not letting bureaucratic mistakes go unchallenged.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Caller’s Situation
- Backstory:
- The caller's Social Security number was mistakenly linked to his former employer’s Shopify account.
- Both the IRS and the Colorado Department of Revenue believe he owes significant back taxes.
- Attempts to get his former employer involved have failed; they haven’t helped resolve the error.
- Current Status:
- IRS claims he owes over $180,000.
- Colorado says he owes $13,000+.
- Facing imminent wage garnishment.
Immediate Advice: Get Aggressive Legal Help
- Dave Ramsey's Stance:
- Strongly advises hiring a tax attorney immediately, not waiting another day.
- Emphasizes: “You can't afford not to do it” ([02:29]).
- Suggests fighting fire with fire—threatening legal action against garnishment (“We're going to sue you for $20 million because it's not his debt. It's a clerical error, and you can't garnish him” [01:38]).
- Rachel Cruze’s Perspective:
- Affirms the caller is in the position of power if he takes action, not as powerless as he feels.
Critique of Inaction and Misplaced Faith in Bureaucracy
- On Waiting:
- Dave: “Did you think this was just going to go away? Honey, no.” ([02:47])
- Rebukes the idea that relying on IRS processing or hoping for resolution is a viable strategy.
- On Faith in IRS/Employer Help:
- “You just said the IRS is competent. That’s hilarious. That’s a funny joke.” ([02:57])
- Rachel: “The IRS is going to help you. Come on, man. Really?” ([03:09])
- On Employer Responsibility:
- Sharp criticism for lack of employer’s action:
- “That does not qualify as good. Christian, by the way. Hello. Missing on your employees does not qualify. Hello.” ([04:24])
- Sharp criticism for lack of employer’s action:
Empowerment and Taking Control
- Dave’s Motivational Push:
- “You need to be the hero of the story, not the victim. Get up and get them. Because this is not going to fix itself, man.” ([04:34])
- Calls for action—“You’re going to have to be like a grown up and go attack this situation with a vengeance.” ([04:47])
- Attorney Selection Guidance:
- “You hire an attorney who gets excited about this, not one who’s like, ‘oh, no, no.’ … You want an attorney that even you don’t really like. That’s the kind of attorney you want. … You want one that pisses off everybody because that’s his job as an attack dog. Sick ’em.” ([05:16]–[05:43])
Emotional Cost and the Urgency of Resolution
- Caller’s Struggle:
- Admits the ordeal has weighed on him for three years.
- Dave: “This has owned you every waking moment for the last year, hadn’t it?”
Caller: “The last three years.” ([05:50]) - Dave: “You need to be free from this. And the only one’s going to set you free is you with action. Okay?” ([05:53])
- Host Empathy & Relatability:
- Rachel: “He’s been losing sleep for three years.” ([07:05])
Lessons on Self-Reliance & Accountability
- Do it Yourself:
- Rachel: “If you want something done, sometimes you just got to do it yourself.” ([07:19])
- Dave: “No. Every time. … You got to do it yourself.” ([07:22])
- Ignoring Problems Only Makes Them Worse:
- Dave’s analogy: “When something’s wrong and you … kick it up under the rug, you know what you get? Lumpy rug. … Things have a high rate of resurrection. Like a hundred percent chance it’s going to resurrect—it looks like a zombie when it comes out from under the rug. Now go ahead and kill it now so you don’t have to deal with it later.” ([07:25])
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Taking Immediate Legal Action:
“You can’t afford not to do it because Colorado’s getting ready to take $6,000 out of your butt any minute. Yeah, you may as well give it to an attorney and fight back. Yesterday.”
– Dave Ramsey ([02:29]) -
On Relying on the IRS:
“You just said the IRS is competent. That’s hilarious. That’s a funny joke.”
– Dave Ramsey ([02:57]) -
On Self-Advocacy:
“You need to be the hero of the story, not the victim. Get up and get them. Because this is not going… It’s not going to fix itself, man.”
– Dave Ramsey ([04:34]) -
Attorney Selection Wisdom:
“You want an attorney that even you don’t really like. That’s the kind of attorney you want. … You want one that pisses off everybody because that’s his job as an attack dog.”
– Dave Ramsey ([05:37]) -
On Letting Problems Fester:
“When something’s wrong and you kick it up under the rug, … you get lumpy rug. … [It] looks like a zombie when it comes out from under the rug.”
– Dave Ramsey ([07:25])
Timestamps of Key Segments
- Caller describes his IRS and employer problem – 00:06–01:16
- Dave drills down: wages, partnership, employer status – 01:16–01:26
- Immediate legal advice – 01:26–01:38
- Attorney cost versus risk – 02:09–02:29
- Dave & Rachel mock faith in IRS bureaucracy – 02:57–03:11
- Action, motivation, and legal options – 04:31–05:16
- Empowerment and attorney qualities – 05:16–05:43
- Emotional toll and long-term impact – 05:50–06:30
- Reflection on employer accountability and urgency – 06:30–07:19
- Final lessons on self-reliance – 07:19–07:45
Conclusion
This episode encapsulates Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze’s direct, energetic approach to personal finance crises. The clear message: tackle bureaucratic errors head-on immediately, don’t trust government agencies or inattentive employers to look out for your interests, and take proactive, decisive steps to resolve financial threats. Their trademark tone blends tough love with actionable guidance, designed to empower listeners facing seemingly overwhelming hardship.