Dave Ramsey Urges Limits on 84-Year-Old Father-in-Law's $33,000 Debt

3 articles · Updated · 24/7 Wall St. · Jun 21

Ramsey told the couple to stop open-ended support for an 84-year-old father-in-law whose requests kept growing after knee surgery, saying the help "won't end until you end it."
George Kamel said the $33,000 credit-card balance may not be the family's problem if the father-in-law has no assets, because unsecured debt generally cannot be passed to the couple.
At a 21% average credit-card APR, interest on $33,000 runs about $578 a month, far beyond what the father-in-law can cover with roughly $100 left after expenses.
Ramsey said any further help should come only after full visibility into the father's income and spending, and after involving the husband's three siblings to set dollar and time limits.
The broader lesson, he said, is that family generosity needs firm boundaries so one household does not become the default long-term safety net.