'I've Changed My Mind' Dave Ramsey Flips His Stance On Prenups

Anyone who scours the internet for financial advice will undoubtedly have come across Dave Ramsey's name at least once or twice. The financial pundit runs his own podcast, website, and has been in the business of delivering financial advice for roughly three decades. Ramsey got his start building wealth in real estate, and has plenty of opinions on the subject including some ideas on how to fix the housing market problem. Ramsey is also well-known for his 'Baby Steps' to achieving financial stability. Alongside avoiding things like credit cards and lending products, Ramsey has long opposed using prenuptial agreements. However, in 2025 he changed his mind on the value of this tool.

Responding to a listener-submitted question, via Ramsey Solutions, Ramsey argued that his issue with prenups stemmed from a fundamental misalignment (in his mind) of competing interests. He explained, "I'd tell folks not to get married if they loved money and material stuff more than they loved the person they planned to marry." However, his tune has changed in more recent years, "I started to realize just how many weirdos are out there." That's not the only reason for his change of heart, and it's worth considering the specific circumstances in which he suggests a prenuptial agreement could be worth the added security.

There are many financial topics that need to be navigated ahead of getting married. Some important questions to ask your partner before marriage include details about debt loads, savings figures, and even hypotheticals about winning the lottery or coming into a large inheritance. That last component is a particularly valuable crossover into Dave Ramsey's thinking. He says that people with moderate to large means (or a substantial future inheritance) should consider a prenup in order to defend themselves, and their marriage, against outside interests. Cousins, friends, and even parents may come calling for a loan or gift at some point in the future. However, if you have a prenuptial agreement in place, you have a built-in out for unwelcome requests. 

It's important to realize that a prenup doesn't have to exist solely as a defense mechanism to protect assets from a partner during a split. In fact, this way of thinking about the tool is exactly the type of cynicism that led Ramsey to dismiss prenups in the past. Instead, it can act as an armor against other family members, and even new in-laws, that could come looking for their own piece of your wealth.