Here is the presentation for the SCEV / SCT meeting in February 2026: Personal Finance Reimagined February 2026 for SCHEV and SCT My name is Jeff Hulett – I help students achieve long-term, life-changing wealth! I am a Personal Finance professor at James Madison University.  I am a Behavioral Economist and data scientist.  I am an experienced banker who has spent decades leading consumer financial products organizations like Citibank, Wells Fargo, and Capital One.  The one gl

In our last 2 VidCasts, we walked through the 7-point car buying process and building decision confidence. In today’s vidcast, I highlight several best practices to help supercharge your car buying experience. These best practices will add to your decision confidence.   Car buying is surprisingly complex, Auto buying has many criteria and deciding what is important to you.   Plus there are 1,000s of potential alternatives and financing questions.   Then, negotiating with the

Now we jump into part 2 of the 7-step car-buying process.    In part 1, we discussed helpful resources including c hoice architecture tools like: Definitive Choice and our Auto buying workflow We also went through lenders, lender s, and car data aggregators, plus my book and other content.   As a recommendation, we suggest you first go through the entire process without exploring the details. The important first step to car-buying success is building a mental map of the ent

In today’s presentation , we will introduce part 1 of the car decision process and building confidence.  Naturally … Today’s presentation will soon be followed by part 2. Car buying is surprisingly complex, auto buying has many criteria and deciding what is important to you.   Plus there are 1,000s of potential alternatives and financing questions.   Then, negotiating with the salesperson adds even more spice.   Car buying is one of many important life decisions b enefiting 

Ever wonder why it's so hard to do the things that will make us rich? 🧠💸 I’m Jeff Hulett, and in my personal finance class at JMU, I show my students the path to $16 million. But here’s the kicker: some STILL won't show up. It’s not laziness—it’s neurobiology. In this video, I explain why our brains are hardwired to choose a "nap today" over "retirement riches" and how we use "Industrial Grade Accountability" to fix it. Learn how to: ✅ Use Commitment Devices to automate su

Behavioral economists such as Richard Thaler and Daniel Kahneman identified a concept both intuitive and profound: individuals frequently prioritize immediate gratification over long-term benefit. Behavioral economists suggest our default wiring overweighs the present compared to future benefits. This neurological reality suggests humans struggle to sustain the discipline required for a prosperous tomorrow (Kahneman, 2011). For instance, enjoying a fun dinner with friends act

History is not merely a collection of dates and names; it is a series of "pivots." These are the moments when the tectonic plates of human productivity shift, forever changing how we live, work, and relate to one another. From the steam engine to the internet, every great economic leap has required something deeply human, yet frequently resisted: a leap of faith. Today, as Artificial Intelligence weaves its way into the fabric of our professional lives, we stand at the thresh

I’ll let you in on a secret: I REALLY don’t like New Year’s resolutions. 🙅‍♂️ Most fail because we're hard-wired for "Survival Today," not 100% perfection. In this video, I explain how to use the 80/20 Rule (The Pareto Principle) to ensure compliance and avoid burnout. Stop chasing perfection and start mastering your tradeoffs. Take control of your 2026 goals: 📖 Get the book: Making Choices, Making Money #NewYearNewMe   #2026Goals   #Resolutions   #8020Rule   #PersonalFinan

Today, I will show you how to put luck to work for you.   Luck has an element of pursuit energy that goes beyond preparation and opportunity.  Plus, we need to be adaptable in our opportunity pursuits.  In the last vidcast, I introduced 2 friends to help us with adaptability.   Those friends are Stanford entrepreneurship program leader Tina Seelig and Venture Capitalist Natalie Fratto.    I will be integrating some of their amazing thinking to help explain my success framewor

On this episode of Personal Finance Reimagined , we had the pleasure of interviewing Lindsey Scott, a certified financial coach whose incredible story is an inspiration for anyone looking to take control of their financial future. Lindsey and her husband started their journey facing a daunting $64,000 in debt. Through strategic decisions, disciplined habits, and a clear purpose, they paid off every penny in just 18 months—an achievement that has since become the foundation of

Personal Finance Reimagined (PFR) maintains a mission empowering individuals to cultivate a consistent, repeatable decision-making process for a lifetime of wealth. We work with students, entrepreneurs, and all those interested in this success path. This pursuit extends beyond spreadsheets; it requires understanding the biological engine driving those decisions. While our brains are dynamic products of evolution and environment, they are not static. The core of this framework

Connect the dots between “what is” in the present and “that which may be" in the future.

Luck is where preparation and opportunity meet - building the success mindset In the YouTube video "Luck is Where Preparation and Opportunity Meet: Building the Success Mindset,"  Jeff Hulett delves into the timeless wisdom of Seneca's aphorism and expands it into a modern framework for success. Drawing on his expertise as a career banker, behavioral economist, and educator, Hulett emphasizes that success is not just a product of preparation and opportunity but also adaptabil

Generative AI makes mistakes. While many observers use the term hallucination  to justify avoidance, this hesitation results in missing a massive opportunity. The technology thrives on a partnership where the tool remains imperfect but proves incredibly useful. Adopting a proactive mindset enables users to extract maximum value while navigating inherent limitations. Figuring out how to increase machine precision through your own accuracy ultimately makes you smarter and faste

In the American cultural narrative, the term "first-generation" is often regarded as a niche category or a specific demographic box. At PFR, we see it differently. The challenges facing these students often remain hidden in plain sight. These obstacles rarely stem from a lack of talent or ambition; instead, they reflect a lack of exposure to the "family business" of higher education and the complex financial systems supporting it. According to U.S. Census Bureau data released

At some point, almost everyone confronts a financial decision that feels heavier than it should. Sometimes it arrives early, with a first job and a benefits portal full of unfamiliar investment options. Other times it shows up years later: a year-end email asking you to revisit your elections, a promotion that shifts your tax bracket, a divorce that forces new priorities, or a market downturn that makes risk suddenly feel personal. The circumstances change, but the experience

Dear PFR Advisory Board Members and Supporters, First, I have really appreciated your amazing support this year. I value each of our touch points and I look forward to more in the future. 2025 was a really good year for Personal Finance Reimagined (PFR). Lots of market validation and delivery refinement. Our messaging gets better all the time and the client feedback has been positive and provides growth opportunities. The bottom line: PFR IS WORKING , our DecisionFIRST, finan

Learning to take strategic risks is the essence of financial freedom. It is important for both startup founders and for achieving financial success in your personal life. The concept of De-Moral Hazarding (DMH) is one of the most powerful ideas in personal finance, yet its implementation is often the greatest challenge. At its core, DMH suggests when you choose to self-insure against manageable losses—meaning you build personal savings to cover the risk—you change your beha

Next is a short, interesting story about 1) why we are naturally bad decision-makers and then 2) how to turn that frown upside down and use the same nature to your massive advantage! We will walk through some ancient history and how our brain operates. We conclude the story with you as the hero. Showing how you can make great decisions. If you turn to the great wisdom traditions of the world—particularly Stoicism or Buddhism—you will find a consistent warning: Judgment is

I spent decades in the high-stakes banking world, watching how institutional systems often win at the expense of the individual. I eventually realized how millions of Americans are held back not by a lack of money, but by a "Decision Deficit"—a gap between how banks think and how people choose. I chose to leave the secure banking world behind to found Personal Finance Reimagined (PFR) because I knew I had to turn the tools of the banking industry into a shield for the people.