Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTRebecca PayneSun, June 7, 2026 at 3:30 PM GMT+2 5 min readA caller to The Ramsey Show (1) recently wanted to know whether she was in the right for being wary of a TikToker’s financial advice, or if she was “crushing” her husband’s dreams.Brooke from Baton Rouge, La., said that her husband was keen on an idea from a TikToker who was promoting first-lien HELOCs.Must ReadRobert Kiyosaki says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year and begs investors not to miss this ‘explosion’Prime US real estate was a rich person's game — then something changed. Now everyday Americans are getting a piece of the action for as little as $100Millionaires under 43 are reshaping investing — just 25% of their portfolios are in stocks. Here’s where their money is going“I’m very hesitant about it,” Brooke said in the call. “In fact, my family gives me the name ‘dream crusher.’ because I’m just not a risk taker.”But co-hosts Jade Warshaw and John Delony were squarely in Brooke’s corner when it came to the idea — and on the prospect of taking advice from “finfluencers.”“Hey, here’s my big problem number one, Brooke: Your husband’s quote, ‘following a TikToker,’” Delony laughed.Brooke agreed, saying that she looked at the numbers and didn’t see a way that the plan made sense.What is a first-lien HELOC?Whereas HELOCs are typically second mortgages, a first-lien HELOC is a line of credit that replaces your existing mortgage.If you defaulted on a home loan, the first-lien lender would be first in line to be repaid — traditionally the mortgage lender. So, when you take a first-lien HELOC, it moves into first position.According to consumer credit reporting agency Experian (2), people who choose a first-lien HELOC often do so for “access to equity and initial interest-only payments,” using the money for home renovations, investments or for debt consolidation.Similar to a regular HELOC, a first-lien HELOC usually has a draw period, when you’re able to borrow and repay funds, like a credit card, and a repayment period where you can’t withdraw funds and you have to repay the principal and interest.While a mortgage can have a fixed or a variable interest rate, a HELOC’s interest rate is variable, and is “calculated daily based on your outstanding balance,” according to Experian. That’s why it can be “a smart idea to repay whatever you can during the draw period, even if you’re not required to,” Experian adds.Read More: BlackRock warns buying and holding the S&P 500 isn’t enough for retirement anymore — here's why‘It’s just total madness’For Ramsey Show caller Brooke, the question the hosts had was: Why does your husband want to get a first-lien HELOC?Terms and Privacy PolicyPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info