The Ramsey Show — Episode Summary

Episode Title: My Mom Wrecked My Rental & I Have To Evict Her
Air Date: February 25, 2026
Hosts: Jade Warshaw & George Campbell (with Dave Ramsey appearances)
Main Theme: Facing and resolving personal financial dilemmas with a focus on accountability, family, debt management, and difficult conversations around money.

Episode Overview

This episode highlights real financial problems faced by listeners including the emotional and practical challenges of mixing family and money, debt management, and setting boundaries. Callers seek help with issues ranging from evicting a parent from a rental and the aftermath of hidden debts, to car loan disasters, generosity dilemmas, and tough choices in early marriage or supporting relatives. The advice is rooted in the Ramsey principles: avoid debt, cash flow expenses, prioritize healthy boundaries, and communicate clearly with loved ones.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Evicting a Parent & Rental Property Damage

[00:28–08:43]
Caller: Brandon (Nashville, TN)

Discussion Points

• Rented his house to his mother who caused ~$20,000 in damages; she has exhausted retirement funds and is unable to pay.
• No rental agreement, insurance, or deposit.
• Feels responsibility due to helping without boundaries.

Notable Quotes

• "Normal is broke and common sense is weird. So we're here to help you transform your life." — Jade, [00:13]
• "It's on you... we also need to own that we made a whole lot of mistakes on our own that got us here." — George, [04:29]
• "If you could get a return by that money just being invested, it might be more than if you had a tenant." — George, [07:52]

Advice & Resolution

• Don’t count on collecting damages from mom—take ownership and move forward.
• Use cash flow over several months if possible.
• Consider selling the rental property and investing proceeds, rather than staying in a stressful landlord situation.

2. Underwater Car Loan and Voluntary Repossession Temptation

[10:26–18:52]
Caller: Cordell (Pittsburgh, PA)

Discussion Points

• Owes $7,100 on a car worth $200, payment of $322/month. Currently drives a car gifted by his mom.
• Wondering about voluntary repo.

Notable Quotes

• "When you hear the word repossessed, what do you think of, Jade?" — George, [17:04]
• "Repossession, guys, is never the answer." — Jade, [17:04]

Advice & Resolution

• Avoid voluntary repossession as it wrecks credit and leaves you liable for the difference.
• Scrape together funds, pay off the car, and sell to minimize loss.
• Start budgeting to knock out all debts quickly.

3. Hidden Spousal Debt and Financial Infidelity

[21:50–30:44]
Caller: George (Boise, ID)

Discussion Points

• Discovered wife has $24,000 in maxed credit card debt after 15 years of marriage; had been keeping accounts separate.
• Emotional fallout around trust, values, & communication.

Notable Quotes

• "This is straight-up financial infidelity." — George, [23:46]
• "We've gotten off on the wrong track, both of us. I want to change what I'm doing today." — Jade, [28:12]

Advice & Resolution

• Move to full financial transparency, combine accounts, and tackle debt together with methods like the debt snowball.
• Seek to reset the relationship and rebuild trust through joint commitment and micro-commitments.
• Freeze credit to avoid opening new debt.

4. Wage Garnishment & Old Car Loan Judgments

[33:01–41:35]
Caller: Sarah (Las Vegas, NV)

Discussion Points

• Husband’s wages garnished due to a repo’d car debt, living paycheck to paycheck, with separate finances and poor communication.
• Concerns about broader debt and risk of future garnishments.

Notable Quotes

• "Debt doesn't solve for debt. The only way you can solve debt is to pay it off with actual earned money." — Jade, [37:44]
• "It's like whack-a-mole right now trying to clean up these debts." — George, [40:16]

Advice & Resolution

• Find out exact owed amounts and try to settle for a lump sum if possible.
• Both spouses must unite finances, budget together, and refuse further debt (no HELOC, no new loans).
• Seek extra income through any available means.

5. Families Overwhelmed by Debt and Medical Expenses

[44:37–53:26]
Caller: Austin (Tulsa, OK)

Discussion Points

• Family of five, $100k in consumer debt (credit cards, student loans, cars), much of which is due to medical costs for children.
• High combined income ($164k), but feeling defeated.

Notable Quotes

• "Your biggest opportunity is with that car payment." — Jade, [48:33]
• "When you got little kiddos as your why, there's nothing that will stop you." — George, [52:39]

Advice & Resolution

• Sell expensive car, downgrade to free up monthly cash flow for debt repayment.
• Switch to debt snowball by balance, not interest rate, for psychological wins.
• Build a medical sinking fund for recurring costs.

6. Supporting Dependent Family Members Abroad

[55:03–60:45]
Caller: Steve (Chicago, IL)

Discussion Points

• Wants to support mother-in-law in the Philippines without enabling her dependent, jobless brother-in-law.
• She’s reluctant to change living situation.

Notable Quotes

• "You're just enabling his behavior." — George, [56:10]
• "If you can give directly to the need, and that way he can't get access, that's probably the best way." — George, [59:25]

Advice & Resolution

• Offer help only if mom separates from the brother, or provide direct assistance for expenses to avoid enabling.
• Set clear boundaries and communicate expectations.

7. Handling a Sudden Windfall

[61:24–64:59]
Caller: Jack (Kansas City, MO)

Discussion Points

• 28, single, about to receive ~$730K (judgment + savings). Wants to know what to do with it.

Notable Quotes

• "I would split it across a few areas: give, save and invest, and maybe lock in a house in cash at your age." — George, [62:47]

Advice & Resolution

• Give generously.
• Max out Roth IRA, invest remainder, consider paying cash for a reasonable home.
• Use cash for upgrades and maintain long-term focus.

8. Radical Generosity Dilemma

[95:44–104:59]
Caller: Melanie (Minneapolis, MN)

Discussion Points

• Wants to gift a $25K trip to family and friends, but husband is hesitant.

Notable Quotes

• "This is the 'live like no one else' part so later you can give like no one else." — George, [101:15]
• "The best way is to pay directly for the trip through the travel agent." — Jade, [101:58]

Advice & Resolution

• Make the offer direct but gracious, possibly via a travel agent.
• Ensure both spouses agree; consider a compromise.
• Embrace calculated generosity, especially when it’s a small percent of net worth.

9. Building an Apartment for Adult Children (Should I use debt?)

[106:18–111:22]
Caller: Richard (Nashville, TN)

Discussion Points

• Considers using a HELOC or car title loan to build an apartment for daughter/son-in-law to live in and pay “rent.”
• Has cash, just doesn’t want to use it.

Notable Quotes

• "There's all cons, all of them." — Jade, [106:59]
• "You're trying to do a nice thing in a bad way." — George, [110:45]

Advice & Resolution

• Don't borrow (via HELOC or car title) for this; it’s all downside.
• You’re subsidizing adult children—a short-term fix that risks your financial health.

10. Marriage and Property Ownership Concerns

[86:12–93:10]
Caller: Greg (Texas)

Discussion Points

• Engaged, moving into fiancée's home, but she never wants him on the deed due to family divorce trauma.
• He’s about to acquire $500K in cash and unsure whether to use it to pay down her mortgage, invest, etc.

Notable Quotes

• "What we're really seeing is a trust issue." — Jade, [88:25]
• "The most loving thing you can do is get to the root of that and build trust with her." — George, [92:49]

Advice & Resolution

• Seek honest, compassionate premarital counseling and financial openness.
• Avoid joint financial moves until both are comfortable and boundaries are clear.
• Understand the roots of money fears from both sides before making big financial moves in marriage.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• "If you go down to the dealership and ask what they think, they don’t have your best interest at heart." — Jade, [18:47]
• "When you silo your money, there is going to be a level of secrecy." — Jade, [24:50]
• "It’s not an attack on her. Start with ‘I’ statements. The way I’ve been leading us when it comes to money has not been great. I own up to that." — George, [15:23]
• "Debt does not solve for debt. The only way you can solve debt is to pay it off with actual earned money." — Jade, [37:44]
• "Live like no one else so later you can GIVE like no one else." — George, [101:15]

Time-stamped Navigation

• Evicting Mom/Family Loans: [00:28–08:43]
• Underwater Car Repo: [10:26–18:52]
• Spousal Debt/Financial Infidelity: [21:50–30:44]
• Wage Garnishment/Collections: [33:01–41:35]
• Debt & Medical Bills: [44:37–53:26]
• Family Dependency Abroad: [55:03–60:45]
• Young Windfall Investing: [61:24–64:59]
• Radical Generosity: [95:44–104:59]
• Family Apartment via Debt: [106:18–111:22]
• Joint Assets in Marriage: [86:12–93:10]

Episode Tone & Takeaways

Throughout, Jade and George maintain a candid, empathetic, and oftentimes humorous tone, encouraging accountability while never shying away from hard truths. The recurring calls about family boundaries—whether with parents, spouses, or siblings—showcase the emotional complexity behind financial choices. The Ramsey team consistently re-centers listeners on taking personal responsibility, living within means, refusing new debt, and pursuing generosity with wisdom.

For listeners:
This episode is a practical guide in navigating the emotional landmines of family money, how to respond to crises rooted in debt, and the necessity of boundary-setting—even when it gets uncomfortable. It's a powerful primer for anyone wanting to marry love and logic in personal finance.