Debt
Should you tithe while paying off debt? What Christian teachers say
In short
Christian teachers differ. Ramsey Solutions says keep tithing while you pay off debt and pause only giving beyond the tithe, except in extreme cases where basic needs can't be covered. Crown Financial Ministries says start giving now at an amount that doesn't cause you to miss bills, even $1. GotQuestions.org holds that pausing to repay debt is permissible. Decide together, put the gift in the budget first, and keep every minimum payment covered.
Few money questions carry more weight for Christian households than this one. The conviction is yours to settle; what helps is seeing how respected teachers answer it, and what each answer means for an actual budget.
Every quote below comes from the organization's own site, checked on October 5, 2026.
Keep tithing, pause the extra
Ramsey Solutions answers directly: "Yes, you should still tithe while paying off debt." Its advice: "Tithe first, but pause extra offerings until you're debt-free." It makes an exception for extreme situations where people cannot cover their Four Walls, which it describes as the basic expenses for survival.
Its reasoning: "If we can't live off 90% of our income, then we probably can't live off 100% either."
Start where you can, even small
Crown Financial Ministries' Chuck Bentley advises: "Start giving now. Pray with your spouse and agree on a dollar amount to give each week. This should be an amount that does not cause you to default on your current bills or harm your marriage. Then, give, even if you can only afford $1."
The Tithe.ly blog makes a similar point: "You might not be in a position to part with a large portion of your take-home pay, especially while making substantial payments toward debt." It leaves the amount to each giver.
A pause to repay is permissible
GotQuestions.org takes a different view: "It is permissible to stop tithing while paying off debt." It reasons that paying debts is a duty and that the command to tithe belonged to the Mosaic Law, and it describes a temporary pause when repaying and giving truly cannot both be done.
What it looks like in a budget
A hypothetical household with $5,000 of monthly take-home pay, $3,900 of essential spending and $350 of minimum debt payments has $750 left. The three approaches lead to different plans for that $750.
| Approach | Giving | Extra toward debt |
|---|---|---|
| Tithe on take-home, pause extra offerings | $500 | $250 |
| Start smaller, grow as debt falls | $100 | $650 |
| Pause giving for a season | $0 | $750 |
Deciding together
The teachers above differ on whether giving comes first, but some practical steps fit any of their views: know your essentials and minimum payments, decide the giving amount together if you're married, and write the decision into the budget so it's planned rather than whatever is left. Revisit it when a debt is paid off and see whether the freed payment changes what you can give.
Sources
Ramsey Solutions: ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/daves-advice-on-tithing-and-giving and ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/give-while-in-debt. Crown Financial Ministries: crown.org/all-resources/ask-chuck-should-i-give-or-get-out-of-debt. Tithe.ly: get.tithe.ly/blog/student-debt-and-giving. GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org/tithing-debt.html. All checked October 5, 2026.
Key takeaways
- Ramsey: keep the tithe, pause extra offerings, except when basic needs can't be met.
- Crown: start giving now at an amount that doesn't cause missed bills, even $1.
- Some teachers hold that pausing to repay debt is permissible.
- Whatever you decide, know your minimums, decide together and write the gift into the budget.
Questions people ask
Does Dave Ramsey say to tithe while in debt?
Yes. Ramsey Solutions says to keep tithing while paying off debt and to pause extra offerings beyond the tithe until you're debt-free, except in extreme cases where basic needs can't be covered.
Is it wrong to stop tithing to pay off debt?
Christian teachers disagree. Ramsey and Crown encourage continuing to give in some amount; GotQuestions.org holds that pausing to repay debt is permissible. It's a conviction to settle prayerfully, together if you're married.
How much should I give if I'm in debt?
Crown suggests an amount that doesn't cause you to miss bills, even $1 a week; Ramsey suggests the full tithe with extra giving paused. Cover essentials and minimum payments first, then decide.
UniFi puts giving first in the budget and shows a payoff date for each debt from the terms you enter.
Plan giving and debt together