Dave Ramsey

Dave Ramsey’s dogmatic anti-debt stance ignores the mathematical advantage of low-interest leverage, which can boost long-term portfolio returns by 2-3% annually when used wisely. His infamous 12% average return assumption is dangerously misleading—actual S&P 500 historical returns sit closer to 10% before inflation. This rigid advice costs followers opportunity gains that outperform Ramsey’s rigid plan by a measurable margin, especially for those under 40 with time to ride market cycles. Without nuance, his audience misses out on proven strategies that mainstream finance benchmarks have validated for decades.