'This Is Insanity. If I Woke Up in Your Shoes, I Would Put $250,000 Down on That House': Dave Ramsey Tells Couple To Sell Stocks And Pay Off Their Mortgage — Even With a 2.875% Rate and a Baby on the Way

Core Perspective - Personal finance commentator Dave Ramsey advises a caller to liquidate his stock portfolio to pay down a mortgage, despite the low interest rate of 2.875% [1][5]. Group 1: Caller’s Financial Situation - The caller, Nick, has a household budget deficit of $500 per month, with $30,000 in emergency savings, $100,000 in a high-yield money market account, and $150,000 invested in stocks [2]. - Nick and his wife have a mortgage of $329,000 [2]. Group 2: Ramsey's Advice - Ramsey suggests that holding onto stocks while having a mortgage is equivalent to taking a loan against the house to buy stocks, which he deems illogical [4]. - He recommends reducing the emergency fund to $30,000 and using the remaining $250,000 to pay down the mortgage, arguing that the family's total backup cash of $280,000 is excessive [4][5]. - Ramsey emphasizes prioritizing peace of mind and security over potential investment returns, contrasting with conventional financial advice that suggests investing excess cash due to low mortgage rates [5]. Group 3: Financial Philosophy - Ramsey cites research indicating that self-made millionaires often pay off their homes before aggressively funding retirement accounts, with an average millionaire having around $800,000 in paid-off real estate by their late 40s [6].