A 59-year-old Virginia woman with 3 degrees and $258K in student debt got this advice from Dave Ramsey

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Millions of Americans proceed to beryllium saddled with pupil indebtedness that tin enactment with them for decades, weighing down their ascent to a amended life.

The latest authorities information shows that astir 43 cardinal radical person outstanding pupil indebtedness debts. That amounts to 1 successful six big Americans (1).

Presently, the full sum for pupil loans stands successful excess of $1.6 trillion.

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“I’m presently moving 2 jobs to marque ends meet,” Larhonda, 59, told big Dave Ramsey. “I beryllium $258,000 successful pupil loans. Is determination immoderate mode I tin marque that spell away?”

That $258,000 successful loans wasn’t conscionable from 1 degree. Larhonda explained that not lone did she wage for herself to get 3 degrees, but she besides paid for her son’s tuition done Parent PLUS Loans.

Even aft gaining those 3 degrees, Larhonda stated she’s moving successful logistics, making astir $60,000 per year.

“These are disturbing numbers astatine 59 years old,” Ramsey said. “The reply to your question is, ‘We person to marque much money.’ And we person not monetized your cognition basal precise well.”

The Federal Reserve shows that astir 10% of adults betwixt the ages of 45-59 person outstanding pupil indebtedness debt, portion that percent decreses to 2% aft the property of 60 (2).

Ramsey suggested it’s clip Larhonda recovered a caller job. At the time, Ramsey claimed that astir radical successful accounting marque $100,000 to $125,000 starting salary. However, those figures mightiness beryllium off. ZipRecruiter shows an accountant would marque connected mean $68,326 successful the U.S. arsenic of November 2025, portion successful Virginia, the mean is $67,740 (3).

However, arsenic Ramsey went connected to explain, you tin gain much if you go a certified nationalist accountant (CPA). This would bump the mean basal wage to $96,543 according to Indeed (4).

While it’s casual to blasted your areas of survey oregon wherever you unrecorded for your fiscal troubles, Ramsey said, these aren’t usually the premier culprits erstwhile it comes to getting paid what you’re worth.

As for the pupil loans themselves, there’s nary mode for them to simply spell away. And if Larhonda foots the measure for her son’s education, present that he’s older, it whitethorn beryllium clip to inquire him to spot in.