![‘Like taking poison and hoping he dies’: Dave Ramsey says this Kansas City woman serves as a case study for why you ‘don't buy a house with people you’re not married to’ — here’s more](http://vigedon.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Dave-Ramsey-says-this-Kansas-City-woman-serves-as-a.jpeg)
Untangling finances after a break-up can get messy, especially if there’s debt involved. Rachel, who lives in Kansas City, called into The Ramsey Show to explain how her breakup had left her facing potential bankruptcy.
But, during the episode, Ramsey was quick to dismiss that move: “It’s kind of like taking poison and hoping he dies,” he says.
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He believes Rachel is a “case study” on why people should never “buy a house with people you’re not married to.” Here’s why.
Untangling joint debt can be messy after a break-up
In the five years they were together, Rachel told Ramsey they’ve managed to accumulate a sizable debt. They have at least five types of loans, ranging from a $90,000 mortgage, to $50,000 in combined debt on a car and truck they own together. The couple has another $8,000 in combined loans. However, they don’t have any joint bank accounts.
These days, buying a house with friends or a long-term partner is becoming increasingly common. The rising price of housing coupled with a shortfall of affordable homes and stagnant wages have pushed more people to co-own real estate. Roughly 26.7% of all home purchases in the U.S. were completed by co-buyers this year, according to Co-Buy, a company that facilitates such transactions.
Rachel told Ramsey her relationship had broken down months ago, which is when she consulted a bankruptcy lawyer to see how they could untangle their shared debt. The lawyer recommended a bankruptcy filing. Ramsey isn’t convinced that’s the best path forward. “Asking a bankruptcy lawyer if you’re bankrupt is like asking a dog if it’s hungry,” he says.
Filing for bankruptcy as a married couple is complicated enough. It can be even more complicated for unmarried couples who’ve co-signed loans. However, Rachel and her ex seem to have enough assets to disentangle their finances without having to resort to filing for bankruptcy.
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Selling assets is a preferred alternative to bankruptcy
Ramsey recommends a mutual agreement that unwinds the couple’s assets and leaves both Rachel and her ex in a better financial position. At the top of the list? Selling the house. Rachel estimates the home is worth $130,000, while the outstanding mortgage balance is $90,000. That means they could sell the house and split the proceeds.
Similarly, selling the car and truck would eliminate the debt burden further. Doing this should leave the couple with just a few thousand in loans that could easily be paid off — no bankruptcy necessary.
Selling assets to pay down debt instead of filing for bankruptcy can be a good idea in certain situations. The average U.S. household’s net worth is $1.06 million, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Survey of Consumer Finances. Meanwhile, the average net debt per person is roughly $59,580, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Household Debt and Credit.
That means selling real estate, vehicles or even stocks could help most Americans mitigate the impact of debt and higher interest rates. This might be the best solution for Rachel and her ex too, provided they can come to a mutual agreement.
If they can’t, Ramsey suggests Rachel sue her ex for the dissolution of a partnership. To be fair, Ramsey is a financial expert and not a lawyer, so Rachel might need to reach out to another expert — particularly since most states have different laws related to the dissolution of a domestic partnership.
The process can be complicated, which is why Ramsey (and many financial experts) recommend keeping debt and assets separate unless absolutely necessary in the first place.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.