Dave Ramsey

David Lawrence Ramsey III (born September 3, 1960) is an American radio personality who offers financial advice. He is the founder and CEO of Ramsey Solutions and a co-host of '' The Ramsey Show'', a nationally syndicated radio program. He has written several books on personal finance and business, including '' The Total Money Makeover'', a ''New York Times'' bestseller.

Early life and education

Ramsey was born on September 3, 1960, in Maryville, Tennessee, to parents who worked in the real estate industry.Drury, Susan (May 31, 2007).
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on January 6, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2025. He was raised in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville and graduated from Antioch High School. At age 18, Ramsey took the real estate exam and began buying and selling property while attending the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and real estate.

Career

By 1986, Ramsey had accumulated a real estate portfolio valued at over $4 million. Following the passage of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, he was unable to meet his loan obligations and filed for bankruptcy in September 1988.

While rebuilding his personal finances, Ramsey began providing financial counseling sessions at his church. In 1991, seeing his demand for counseling grow, he formed the Lampo Group (now known as Ramsey Solutions) to begin providing counseling professionally. Ramsey wrote and self-published his first book, ''Financial Peace'', in 1992.

Ramsey's media career began that same year, when he was a guest on a local radio show on WWTN in Nashville—answering money-related questions from listeners and promoting his book. After the show's host left the station over a financial dispute, Ramsey and two other money experts began hosting a show called ''The Money Game''—a daily three-hour call-in financial advice talk show. By 1996, Ramsey was the solo host and the show was eventually renamed ''The Dave Ramsey Show'' three years later.

In 1994, Ramsey introduced Financial Peace University, his nine-lesson course on personal finance.

In 2004, the Gannett newspaper group dropped Ramsey's financial advice column after discovering that the names in readers' letters had been changed without disclosure. Ramsey responded by offering to pay Gannett their money back.

In October of 2007, Ramsey took his radio show to television with ''The Dave Ramsey Show'' on Fox Business, which aired until 2010.

In 2014, ''The Daily Beast'' reported Ramsey had criticized former employees for discussing company culture on social media. Ramsey himself reportedly infiltrated a private Facebook group, offered cash for the identities of its members, and later addressed the situation in staff meetings. Some Twitter accounts linked to former employees alleged that Ramsey "pulled a gun out of a bag to try to teach a lesson about gossip". The incident prompted an increased backlash, a meeting Ramsey set up to confront critics, and the eventual deletion of several of the critical Twitter accounts.

''The Dave Ramsey Show'' was renamed ''The Ramsey Show'' in 2020 to better incorporate the show's new full-time co-hosts, and to position the brand for long-term continuity beyond Ramsey's personal involvement. Ramsey was quoted saying that the name change will "set the show up for generational success; that it doesn't die when I do". Ramsey also said that he will continue to co-host ''The Ramsey Show'' "as long as I make sense".

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramsey opposed public health measures such as mask mandates, referring to them as "a sign of fear". On his March 2, 2020, show, Ramsey dismissed refund requests for his upcoming live events, calling those who sought them "wusses" and stated that he would attend an event "by my freaking self" if necessary.

In February 2021, Ramsey told Fox News that he did not support stimulus checks, saying, "If $600 or $1,400 changes your life you were pretty much screwed already. You got other issues going on."

Teachings

Ramsey advocates a "biblically based approach" to personal finance, which includes a debt-free lifestyle—a stance shaped in part by his own experience with bankruptcy.

One of Ramsey's central strategies is the "debt snowball" method, in which individuals pay off smaller debts first to gain momentum before tackling larger ones, regardless of interest rates. He discourages the use of credit cards, and frequently demonstrates his adherence to this philosophy by showing the only cards he carries: two debit cards, a driver's license, and a concealed-carry permit.

Criticism

Economists and financial professionals have criticized aspects of Ramsey's teachings for diverging from mainstream economic theory. His advice to avoid borrowing during economic downturns runs counter to the concept of consumption smoothing, which suggests that individuals should borrow early in life and save during peak earning years.

Critics also argue that Ramsey's approach may not account for income inequality, emergency financial needs, or long-term investment strategies. The "debt snowball" method has drawn mixed reviews in academic studies, with some research supporting its psychological benefits and others criticizing its higher cost compared to the "avalanche" method.

Ramsey's investing advice has been challenged for its emphasis on stock-based mutual funds with load fees, and claims of consistent 12% annual returns on investments, which critics view as unrealistic.

Journalist Helaine Olen argued in her book, ''Pound Foolish'', that some of Ramsey's financial advice "doesn't even work on a base, mathematical level".

Personal life

Ramsey married his wife, Sharon, on June 26, 1982. The Ramseys have three children: Denise Whittemore, Rachel Cruze, and Daniel Ramsey. All three work for Ramsey Solutions.

Ramsey was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2015.

As of 2018, Ramsey had an estimated net worth of $55 million. In 2021, he sold his custom-built home in Franklin, Tennessee, for $10.2 million and began construction on a new home in the area.

Ramsey is an evangelical Christian and described himself as fiscally and socially conservative. He has blamed politics for what he considers Americans' economic dependence, and has said presidents should do "as little as possible" about the economy.

In the fall of 2024, Ramsey announced on his show that he was voting for Republican Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election, while encouraging his listeners to vote for candidates who best align with their values.

Selected works

* ''Financial Peace'' (1992)
* ''More Than Enough'' (1999)
* ''Financial Peace Revisited'' (2002)
* ''The Total Money Makeover'' (2003)
* ''Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide to Money'' (2011)
* ''EntreLeadership'' (2011)
* ''Smart Money Smart Kids'' (with Rachel Cruze, 2014)
* ''The Legacy Journey'' (2014)
* ''Baby Steps Millionaires'' (2021)
* ''Build a Business You Love'' (2025)

References

External links

2003 profile
by ''This American Life''
"Ask Dave Ramsey" on the Christian Broadcasting Network

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramsey, Dave
1960 births
Living people
20th-century American businesspeople
20th-century American male writers
20th-century American non-fiction writers
20th-century evangelicals
21st-century American businesspeople
21st-century American male writers
21st-century American non-fiction writers
21st-century evangelicals
American business writers
American conservative talk radio hosts
American education businesspeople
American Evangelical writers
American financial commentators
American finance and investment writers
American financial literacy activists
American male non-fiction writers
American motivational speakers
American motivational writers
American self-help writers
American talk radio hosts
Christians from Tennessee
People from Antioch, Tennessee
People from Nashville, Tennessee
Personal finance education
Radio personalities from Tennessee
University of Tennessee alumni
Writers from Tennessee