A Tennessee widow is facing a decision that blends love, money and long-term financial security.<\/p>\n
At 69 years old, she told \u201cThe Ramsey Show<\/a>\u201d that she is considering remarrying, but doing so would mean giving up a fire department pension she receives from her late husband.<\/p>\n The woman, Lisa, said she receives about $4,600 per month after taxes from the pension, along with roughly $1,000 per month in Social Security benefits. The catch is that the pension would end if she remarried.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t Miss:<\/p>\n A Costly Decision <\/p>\n Lisa explained that she has been dating a man for about a year and that the relationship is becoming more serious. While she is debt-free and owns her home outright, her boyfriend still has a truck payment<\/a> and about $100,000 remaining on his mortgage.<\/p>\n \u201cI own my house, my car,\u201d she told personal finance expert Dave Ramsey. \u201cI don\u2019t have any credit card bills. I\u2019ve got money in the bank. I got IRA, a mutual fund.\u201d<\/p>\n She said she has about $40,000 in savings, $129,000 in an IRA and roughly $30,000 in a mutual fund.<\/p>\n Ramsey immediately understood why she was hesitant.<\/p>\n \u201cThe gross is 54, but the net I take home 4,600,\u201d Lisa said of the pension. \u201cPlus social security.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWow. Huge,\u201d Ramsey replied.<\/p>\n Trending: Empower\u2019s Retirement Fee Analyzer shows exactly how much you\u2019re paying in fees across your 401(k), IRA, and other retirement accounts \u2014 and calculates how those fees compound against you over time. Most people are surprised by what they find.<\/a><\/p>\n While he said he would never let money alone stop him from marrying the right person, he emphasized that Lisa would be giving up a valuable financial asset.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s $50,000 a year income, which is the equivalent of a half million dollar investment that you\u2019re giving up,\u201d Ramsey said.<\/p>\n That reality made him focus less on whether she should marry and more on how she could protect herself if she did.<\/p>\n Protecting Financial Security <\/p>\n Ramsey recommended that Lisa and her boyfriend spend significant time in premarital counseling and make sure they are completely aligned on money before getting married.<\/p>\n He also suggested that her boyfriend eliminate his debt and stop borrowing money.<\/p>\n In an unusual move for Ramsey, who rarely recommends prenuptial agreements<\/a>, he suggested one might make sense in this situation because the pension would be lost permanently.<\/p>\n \u201cIf this thing goes in and you\u2019ve been scammed somehow and you gave up $50,000 a year, I would want you to come away from it,\u201d Ramsey said. \u201cLeaving him wishing he didn\u2019t do this.\u201d<\/p>\n See Also: Explore Jeff Bezos-backed Arrived Homes and see how investors are earning passive rental income \u2014 now with a limited-time 1% bonus match for new investors.<\/a><\/p>\n When Lisa mentioned that her boyfriend could potentially sell his home for about $400,000 and move into her paid-off home, Ramsey suggested some of that money could be protected through a prenup as a way to offset the pension she would be giving up.<\/p>\n He also recommended a $1 million life insurance policy if her boyfriend is healthy enough to qualify. The goal, Ramsey said, would be to \u201cput you right back where you were, but a little better\u201d if something unexpected happened.<\/p>\n For people facing major retirement and estate-planning decisions, and who can\u2019t get direct advice from Ramsey, AdviserMatch<\/a> can help connect them with financial advisors who offer guidance on retirement planning, investing and other money matters. Consultations are no-obligation and it only takes about two minutes to get started.<\/p>\n By the end of the call, Ramsey\u2019s message was not to let money stop you from finding happiness, but make sure you understand exactly what you\u2019re giving up and put safeguards in place before making a life-changing decision.<\/p>\n Read Next: Retirees With $1M+ In Savings Are Rethinking Their Tax Strategy \u2014 Here\u2019s Why Some Are Turning To Specialized Advisors<\/a><\/p>\n Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market <\/p>\n Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That\u2019s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn\u2019t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.<\/p>\n Arrived<\/p>\n Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100<\/a>. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.<\/p>\n ARK7<\/p>\n Residential real estate has historically provided investors with income potential and long-term appreciation, but direct ownership can be expensive and time-consuming. ARK7 enables investors to buy fractional shares of rental properties, offering access to potential rental income and real estate exposure without property management responsibilities.<\/a> By lowering the barrier to entry, the platform gives investors another way to diversify beyond traditional stocks and bonds.<\/p>\n Doroni<\/p>\n Electric aviation is an emerging industry with the potential to transform personal transportation and urban mobility. Doroni is developing eVTOL aircraft designed for personal use, aiming to combine the convenience of a car with the flexibility of vertical flight.<\/a> As interest in advanced air mobility grows worldwide, the company is positioning itself within a sector that could play a significant role in the future of transportation.<\/p>\n Immersed<\/p>\n Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing<\/a>. Known for its AR\/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.<\/p>\n Vinovest<\/p>\n Fine wine and rare whiskey have historically moved independently of the stock market, making them a compelling alternative asset. Vinovest manages authenticated, insured portfolios of investment-grade wine and whiskey starting at $5,000<\/a> \u2014 sourcing, storage, and insurance all handled for you.<\/p>\n EnergyX<\/p>\n EnergyX is a clean energy technology company focused on direct lithium extraction and refinery technologies for the lithium-ion battery supply chain.<\/a> Its proprietary DLE systems are designed to recover lithium from brine resources more efficiently and with less environmental impact, supporting efforts to expand lithium supply for electric vehicles, grid-scale storage, and other battery applications.<\/p>\n FarmTogether<\/p>\n Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000<\/a> \u2014 fully managed, with no landlord headaches.<\/p>\n EquityMultiple<\/p>\n For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000,<\/a> with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.<\/p>\n Fundrise<\/p>\n Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate<\/a> and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.<\/p>\n American Hartford Gold<\/p>\n American Hartford Gold is a precious metals dealer that helps clients buy physical gold and silver coins and bars, either for direct delivery or within self-directed precious metals IRAs.<\/a> The company\u2019s services include gold and silver IRAs, IRA rollovers, and home delivery of bullion, giving investors a way to use tangible metals to diversify portfolios and seek protection against inflation and market volatility.<\/p>\n Mode Mobile<\/p>\n Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day.<\/a> Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte\u2019s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.<\/p>\n Image: Shutterstock<\/p>\n UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily<\/a>, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets.<\/p>\n Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga:<\/p>\n This article Widow Says Remarrying Would Mean Losing A $4,600 A Month Fire Department Pension. Dave Ramsey Says That’s The Equivalent Of A $500K Investment<\/a> originally appeared on Benzinga.com<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A Tennessee widow is facing a decision that blends love, money and long-term financial security. 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