Engaged 40-Year-Old Making $150K Wants Second Home For Mom — 'Ramsey Show' Host Warns, 'I Don't Think That You Have The Funds To Float Two Homes'
- - Engaged 40-Year-Old Making $150K Wants Second Home For Mom — 'Ramsey Show' Host Warns, 'I Don't Think That You Have The Funds To Float Two Homes'
Casey B. RennerFebruary 16, 2026 at 5:01 AM
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As his wedding date approaches, a housing decision is complicating plans for marriage and family.
Chuck told "The Ramsey Show" he is planning for married life while sharing a home with his 67-year-old mother in Florida, with the wedding scheduled in a few months. He told hosts Dave Ramsey and Jade Warshaw he owes about $140,000 on the house, which he estimates is worth roughly $550,000. He also has around $130,000 in cash savings.
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Marriage Counseling Raises A Concern
The issue came up during marriage counseling. An elder at Chuck's church encouraged him and his fiancée to live alone for at least their first year of marriage, advice he agrees with but hasn't figured out how to make work yet.
Chuck, 40, said his mother is retired, healthy, and lives on about $2,200 a month from Social Security and a union pension. He said his plan was to use his savings to buy a second home so she could remain in the current house while he and his fiancée establish their own household.
"You do not need to be having a brand new marriage with your mom in the house," Ramsey said.
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When Helping Becomes Overstretching
"I don't think that you have the funds to float two homes," Warshaw said after Chuck explained that he earns a base salary of $150,000 a year, with total income that can reach about $180,000. His fiancée earns roughly $72,000 annually.
Ramsey agreed and pointed out that Chuck's mother is not ill and does not require in-home care. At 67, she can live independently, which makes it important not to tie her housing permanently to her son's finances.
Instead of buying another property, the hosts encouraged Chuck to help his mother rent a one-bedroom apartment. Ramsey said renting would be an out-of-pocket monthly cost, while purchasing a second home would add long-term risk.
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A Boundary Drawn For The Marriage
Ramsey told Chuck that physical and emotional separation was necessary and said planning for his mother to return later would create problems for the marriage.
"If your fiancée called me and said, ‘My fiancé wants his mom to move back in 18 months,' I'd tell her not to marry you," Ramsey said.
Both hosts said separating households does not mean abandoning family. Helping Chuck's mother live independently, they said, gives the new marriage room to form without added strain.
"It's going to be super healthy for your relationship with your fiancée," Ramsey said.
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