Her Husband Is Facing Up To 10 Years In Prison. 'Ramsey Show' Hosts Urge Her To Take Over His Business, But It's Not That Simple

A recent call to “The Ramsey Show” revealed the emotional and financial chaos one Louisiana woman is trying to navigate after her husband was arrested and could be facing years behind bars. Rental Properties, Two Kids And A Failing Business Plan Megan, a mother of two from Baton Rouge told hosts Jade Warshaw and Ken Coleman that her husband had been arrested just the week before their call. The timeline of his potential sentence isn't yet clear, but it could be anywhere from two to 10 years. That uncertainty has upended their finances. Megan said her husband ran a successful lawn care and landscaping business and also handled maintenance for their three rental properties. He brought in between $10,000 and $15,000 a month. Don't Miss: The AI Marketing Platform Backed by Insiders from Google, Meta, and Amazon — Invest at $0.85/Share Missed the AI Boom's Biggest IPOs? This Platform Lets Everyday Investors Access Private Tech Early Now, it's just her. She works full-time and brings home about $4,000 a month after taxes and insurance. They have two children, ages 11 and 17, both attending private school. “I’m just trying to get ahead so I don’t get behind,” she told the hosts. Coleman pressed for details on the business. “Does he have people that work for him, or is he doing all the work?” Megan said he does the majority of it himself and only has one employee during the slower winter season. That led to the hosts suggesting she consider keeping the business running in some form, possibly by bringing someone in to take over the physical labor and offering them a profit share. “Instead of losing out on $15,000 a month, maybe you’re only missing out on five or six,” Warshaw said. But Megan admitted she had kept her distance from the business side of things. “I’ve never really wanted to be involved. I wanted to keep our jobs separate,” she said. Trending: Americans With a Financial Plan Can 4X Their Wealth — Get Your Personalized Plan from a CFP Pro Still, Coleman encouraged her to have a direct and practical conversation with her husband. “How many hours a week are you actually doing something in these lawns?” he suggested she ask. “Who does the accounting?” He also urged her to explore her support network before turning to job ads. “Do you have a good support system and community, whether it be church or neighbors or family?” Megan said a few close friends and family are still standing by her, and she plans to reach out to the employee who currently works for her husband. Simplifying Finances Is The Next Step If the business can't be salvaged, Warshaw shifted the conversation toward managing what Megan can control. Megan said their mortgage payment is $4,000 a month and they owe about $260,000 on the house. One rental property still carries a $140,000 mortgage. See Also: Blue-chip art has historically outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, and fractional investing is now opening this institutional asset class to everyday investors. “I'd be looking to simplify this if I were you,” Warshaw said. She recommended Megan write out all their consumer debt and consider selling one of the properties to free up cash and reduce monthly obligations. With her husband likely unable to contribute financially for the foreseeable future, cutting expenses now could prevent a deeper financial crisis later. Expert Help Could Make A Big Difference Families dealing with financial upheaval often don't know where to start. Domain Money offers personalized financial planning tailored to households earning $100,000 or more. For people like Megan, having a professional guide them through tough choices, like whether to sell a home, how to budget on one income, or what to do with a small business, can result in a clearer plan and greater peace of mind. For now, Megan is exploring her options. She's not giving up, but as Coleman pointed out, she's facing a storm: “All of this is coming at you like a tornado.” Read Next: Private-Market Real Estate Without the Crowdfunding Risk—Direct Access to Institutional-Grade Deals Managed by a $12B+ Real Estate Firm Image: Shutterstock