{"id":26631,"date":"2026-02-13T21:06:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/texas-woman-in-collections-for-10k-loan-she-cosigned-after-ex-vanishes-how-ramsey-show-hosts-say-to-protect-her-credit\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T21:06:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:06:20","slug":"texas-woman-in-collections-for-10k-loan-she-cosigned-after-ex-vanishes-how-ramsey-show-hosts-say-to-protect-her-credit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/texas-woman-in-collections-for-10k-loan-she-cosigned-after-ex-vanishes-how-ramsey-show-hosts-say-to-protect-her-credit\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas woman in collections for $10K loan she cosigned after ex vanishes. How Ramsey Show hosts say to protect her credit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-testid=\"article-body\">\n<div class=\"bodyItems-wrapper\">\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Annie from Texas thought a breakup had put an old chapter of her life firmly in the past.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->She was wrong.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Years after splitting from an ex-boyfriend, Annie finds herself dealing with debt collectors over a $10,000 motorcycle loan she cosigned. She hasn\u2019t seen the bike in four or five years and doesn\u2019t know where her ex is or if he is \u201calive or dead\u201d (1).<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->\u201cHe hasn\u2019t made a payment,\u201d she told <em>The Ramsey Show<\/em>. \u201cI don\u2019t care about my credit, but they keep calling.\u201d<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Cohosts Jade Warshaw and George Kamel had \u201cbad news\u201d for Annie.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Even though she doesn\u2019t have the motorcycle and is no longer with her ex, Annie is on the hook for the loan.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->And that is the part many people don\u2019t realize until it\u2019s too late: cosigning means the debt is yours.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), cosigners are legally on the hook for the entire balance the moment the primary borrower stops paying (2). Lenders don\u2019t have to track down the other person first. They can come straight to the cosigner, like what happened with Annie.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->The motorcycle couldn\u2019t be repossessed. The ex couldn\u2019t be found. So, the lender did the only thing it could do, which was turn to the cosigner.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->When you cosign a loan, you\u2019re agreeing to be responsible for someone else\u2019s debt. Whether it\u2019s for a car, motorcycle or some other consumer purchase, you get exposed to the financial risk. In this case, the asset is gone but the $10,000 balance remains. And that\u2019s on top of $10,000 worth of debt Annie said she already had.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->It\u2019s a warning sign for those considering cosigning: be prepared for the worst-case scenario.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->As Warshaw put it plainly to Annie, \u201cYou gotta stack up the money.\u201d<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->\u201cAnd If it doesn&#8217;t get paid,\u201d she added, \u201cyour credit&#8217;s going to get destroyed.\u201d<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><strong>Read More: The average net worth of Americans is a surprising $620,654. But it almost means nothing. Here\u2019s the number that counts (and how to make it skyrocket)<\/strong><!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Experian explains that cosigned loans show up on both borrowers\u2019 credit histories (3). Late payments, collections or defaults can damage the cosigner\u2019s score just as much as the person who stopped paying.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>   <button class=\"secondary-btn fin-size-large readmore-button    rounded   yf-r7dg9i\" data-ylk=\"elm:readmore;itc:1;sec:content-canvas;slk:Continua%20a%20leggere\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;readmore&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Continua a leggere&quot;}\" aria-label=\"Continua a leggere\" title=\"Continua a leggere\"> <span>Continua a leggere<\/span> <\/button> <\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more-wrapper\" style=\"display: none\" data-testid=\"read-more\">\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Annie is now married, living on a tight budget and going back to work after retirement to make ends meet. Legally, the debt may be hers alone but practically, it affects the entire household. Having unresolved debt can create stress, limit options and result in friction between couples.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Warshaw suggested that Annie sit down with her husband and go over their finances together so they can both have the full picture, and make a plan for moving forward.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->As for how to tackle the problem, guidance from CFPB, Experian and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) includes:<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->The CFPB advises cosigners to treat the debt as their own the moment the primary borrower misses payments (2). Lenders are not required to pursue the other borrower first and delays can increase fees, penalties and credit damage.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->If you are contacted by a collector, consumer regulators recommend responding quickly, asking for account details, and understanding your options. Ignoring calls or letters can just make the situation worse (4).<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Experian recommends monitoring your credit reports to see how the cosigned loan is being reported. Late payments, charge-offs and collections hit the cosigner\u2019s credit just as hard as the primary borrower\u2019s (3)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->The FTC notes that creditors might be open to negotiation, especially with older debt. In some cases, a lender or collection agency may accept a lump-sum settlement for less than the full balance, but be sure to get any agreement confirmed in writing before payment (5).<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Create a full budget, prioritizing the household nonnegotiables (mortgage\/rent, utilities, health care, transportation, food) and see what can be trimmed in the short term. Also consider whether there are ways to increase your income, as Annie is doing by going back to work. This is a strategy to help keep the household stable, while still paying down debt.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Annie\u2019s story is about more than just a missing motorcycle and her disappearing ex. The financial decision she made to cosign a loan means that even though she finds herself in a financial bind, she still has a legal responsibility to pay that debt.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->When it comes to deciding to cosign, don\u2019t sign on the dotted line unless you\u2019re willing and able to tackle that full debt solo \u2014 because even if the relationship ends, the contract does not.<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->Join 200,000+ readers and get Moneywise\u2019s best stories and exclusive interviews first \u2014 clear insights curated and delivered weekly. <strong>Subscribe now.<\/strong><!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><em>We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our<\/em> <em>editorial ethics and guidelines<\/em><em>.<\/em><!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START -->The Ramsey Show Highlights\/YouTube (1); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2), (4); Experian (3); Federal Trade Commission (5)<!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<p class=\"yf-vbsvxt\"><!-- HTML_TAG_START --><em>This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.<\/em><!-- HTML_TAG_END --><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Annie from Texas thought a breakup had put an old chapter of her life firmly in the past. She was wrong. Years after splitting from an ex-boyfriend, Annie finds herself dealing with debt collectors over a $10,000 motorcycle loan she cosigned. She hasn\u2019t seen the bike in four or five years and doesn\u2019t know where [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26632,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_daextam_enable_autolinks":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10],"tags":[1419,1059,3033,269,3032,469,468,2678],"class_list":["post-26631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-news","tag-cfpb","tag-consumer-financial-protection-bureau","tag-cosigner","tag-credit","tag-credit-histories","tag-dave-ramsey","tag-jeff-bezos","tag-the-ramsey-show"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/2cb5691c4f79d08c6220189a126ebe56.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26631"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26631\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}