Dave Ramsey’s Top 4 Tips That Will Save Retirees from Financial Disaster
Written by
Ashley Donohoe
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 40% of Americans weren’t confident they would have enough money for retirement or even reach that milestone.
Unfortunately, inflation, age-related health problems and market changes can make your finances more unpredictable in your golden years.
If you’re worried about your future, money expert Dave Ramsey has offered plenty of helpful retirement advice on everything from Social Security and investing to health care and debt. Here are his top four tips that might help you avoid financial disaster.
Don’t Count on Social Security
In a blog post, Ramsey cautioned against relying on Social Security to cover your needs and instead called it “the little cherry on top of your retirement sundae.”
The average monthly benefit for retirees was only $2,071 in January 2026, and future changes could lead to benefit cuts before the estimated 2034 trust fund depletion date. So, be proactive and save enough before you retire.
As for claiming Social Security, Ramsey generally recommends doing so at age 62, especially if you can invest the payments. While waiting longer would lead to a larger benefit amount, it also involves more uncertainty. You can see your estimate on your Social Security account.
Enter Retirement Without Debt
While Ramsey recommends everyone become debt-free, this advice is especially important for retirees. When you’re trying to cover bills and unexpected expenses on a fixed income, debt payments can become harder to manage and hurt your quality of life. Plus, they cost interest.
If necessary, work longer, find a side gig or cut back to crush your debt before retiring. Ramsey suggests using the debt snowball method, which involves paying off debts from smallest to largest while making minimum payments on the others. You can use Ramsey’s calculator to see how long it will take.
Invest 15% of Your Pre-Tax Income
Ramsey’s 7 Baby Steps include consistently investing 15% of your before-tax income for a secure retirement, but only after your consumer debt is gone. This savings rate excludes employer matches and is designed to be sustainable while still leaving you with income for other financial goals.
Ramsey also advises contributing to a 401(k) account up to your employer match and using a Roth IRA to benefit from tax-free growth. Plus, he recommends putting money in growth stock mutual funds, which help mitigate risk and provide diversification.
Plan for Health Care Expenses
Fidelity’s 2025 Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate showed that medical expenses can reach $172,500 for a 65-year-old retiree. While Medicare is helpful, it doesn’t cover everything, including most long-term care costs, so you must plan for out-of-pocket costs to avoid disaster.
In a Facebook post, Ramsey suggested both getting a long-term care insurance policy and saving money to cover your costs. If you qualify, a health savings account offers triple tax benefits, and you can contribute to one alongside your retirement accounts.
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