Plain English Finance

Tré Bynoe CFP®, CIM®
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The Plain English Finance podcast is hosted by Tré Bynoe CFP® CIM®, a financial planner with TCU Wealth Management and Aviso Wealth.  While Tré specializes in working with families with more complicated finances, typically involving corporations and trusts, this podcast is for anyone wanting to learn how to make high-quality decisions based on evidence, to give themselves the highest likelihood of financial success.  You should always consult with your financial, legal, and tax advisors before making changes.  This podcast is provided as a general source of information and should not be considered personal investment advice or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. The views expressed are those of the individual and are not necessarily those of Aviso Financial Inc.  Mutual funds and other securities are offered through Aviso Wealth, a division of Aviso Financial Inc. 

  1. 19h ago

    The Dangerous Reality of Managing Other People’s Money | Ep. 66

    Send us Fan Mail If you are making financial decisions for someone else, the bar is higher. In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Tré and Sierra discuss what it means to manage other people’s money responsibly. This can show up when you are acting as power of attorney, sitting on a condo board, serving on a not-for-profit board, or acting as executor of an estate. The common issue is simple: the money is not yours, but your decisions can still create serious consequences for someone else.  The episode focuses on the idea of a defensible decision. It is not enough to avoid making a decision because you are uncomfortable, scared, or unsure. If you have accepted responsibility for someone else’s financial affairs, you need a reasonable process, proper information, and professional help when the situation is outside your ability.  In this episode, we discuss:  Why managing someone else’s money creates a higher standard  Why power of attorney decisions need to be taken seriously  Why “that’s what they would have done” may not be good enough  How poor money management can lead to someone running out of money  Why condo boards and not-for-profit boards need a real cash management strategy  How poorly managed reserve funds can lead to cash calls  Why holding long-term money in cash or GICs may not be defensible  Why ignorance is not a good excuse when you accept responsibility  Why executors can become personally liable for estate mistakes  Why probate can protect an executor in Saskatchewan  Why money and estates often bring out conflict  Why asking for help is part of the responsibility, not a sign of failure When the money belongs to someone else, avoiding the decision is still a decision. Whether you are helping a parent, serving on a board, or settling an estate, you need a process. You do not need to know everything yourself, but you do need to know when to get help. Website | Youtube | Linkedin

  2. Aug 28

    A Good Decision Can Still Have a Bad Outcome | Ep. 65

    Send us Fan Mail You cannot judge the quality of a decision based only on the outcome. In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Tré and Sierra discuss how to make better financial decisions by focusing on the information you had, the range of possible outcomes, and whether the decision would still make sense if you repeated it many times under similar circumstances. The episode starts with a simple illustration: one person drinks and drives but gets home safely, while another takes a taxi and gets into an accident. The outcome looks backwards, but the taxi was still the better decision because it reduced unnecessary risk.  The same idea applies to personal finance. A bad investment decision can occasionally work out. A good financial decision can still lead to an uncomfortable result. That does not mean the decision was wrong. It means decisions should be judged by process, not hindsight.  In this episode, we discuss:  Why outcomes alone do not tell you whether a decision was good  Why likely outcomes matter more than perfect hindsight  Why a good decision should improve your odds, not guarantee success  Why bad decisions can sometimes lead to good outcomes  How to think about decisions you would repeat 1,000 times  Why too much information can lead to decision paralysis  How to decide what information actually matters  Why people often get stuck on small financial details  Why every decision has a downside  Why “safe” options can still carry risk  How to compare real alternatives instead of imaginary risk-free choices  Why worst-case scenarios matter  Why a financial plan should focus on avoiding unacceptable outcomes  When to revisit a decision after it has been madeGood decisions do not guarantee good outcomes. They improve the odds, protect you from avoidable mistakes, and give you a defensible reason for acting when certainty is impossible.  Website | Youtube | Linkedin

  3. Aug 21

    Why You Can’t Stop Fighting About Money (And How To Fix It) | Ep. 64

    Send us Fan Mail Why do couples keep having the same money arguments? In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Sierra and Tré talk about the money conversations couples avoid and why many financial arguments are not really about the dollars. They're often about safety, security, freedom, control, fairness, guilt, or feeling unheard.  The conversation touches on money scripts, financial infidelity, hidden accounts, different upbringings, perpetual relationship problems, and why couples can share the same financial goal but still disagree about how to get there. Sierra also connects the conversation to relationship research around recurring conflict, while Tré explains how these patterns often show up in financial planning conversations with couples.  In this episode, we discuss:  Why money fights are often about deeper emotional needs  What “money scripts” are and why they matter  Why couples can see money through completely different lenses  How safety, security, control, freedom, fairness, and guilt show up in money decisions  Why hidden savings accounts can sometimes be tied to fear or insecurity  Why some money conflicts become recurring “perpetual problems”  Why couples often stay stuck arguing about the surface issue  How to reframe money arguments by asking what the real concern is  Why outside guidance can help when couples are gridlocked  How Tré and Sierra use systems to reduce daily money friction  Why separate spending accounts can reduce unnecessary conflict  Why check-ins still matter even when systems are in place  Why curiosity usually works better than criticismWebsite | Youtube | Linkedin

  4. Aug 14

    Do Financial Planners Judge Your Money Decisions? | Ep. 63

    Send us Fan Mail What is it actually like to be married to a financial planner? In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Sierra and Tré talk about the pros, cons, myths, and awkward social dynamics that come with being married to someone who works in financial planning. The conversation covers financial literacy, complacency, money mistakes, judgment, family expectations, lending money, and the pressure people sometimes feel when money comes up socially.  One of the biggest benefits is having someone deeply invested in the family’s financial picture. But one of the biggest risks is becoming too dependent on that person and not developing your own financial knowledge. Sierra talks about the temptation to default to Tré, while Tré explains why he still wants her involved in day-to-day financial decisions.  In this episode, we discuss:  The obvious pros of being married to a financial planner  Why financial knowledge can create complacency  Why both spouses still need to understand the family finances  Why financial planners are still human and make mistakes  A real example involving property taxes early in marriage  Why people sometimes over-explain their spending around financial professionals  Whether financial planners are silently judging your choices  Why social money conversations can feel awkward  Why one-off financial decisions usually lack enough context to judge  The pressure to appear successful when people know what you do  Driving an older car while working in wealth management  First-generation wealth and family expectations  The difference between helping and enabling  Why lending money to friends or family can damage relationships  Why gifts and loans should be treated very differentlyWebsite | Youtube | Linkedin

  5. Aug 7

    The Default Retirement Decisions Most People Get Wrong | Ep. 62

    Send us Fan Mail What retirement decisions should you make if you don't know where to start? In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Tré and Sierra discuss a “default decision” framework for retirement planning. The goal is not to pretend there is one perfect answer for everyone. The goal is to start with a reasonable default, then ask: why might this not apply to me? This episode focuses on several major retirement decisions: when to withdraw from RRSPs, when to take CPP and Old Age Security, how to think about investment allocation, and which retirement risks are worth taking versus avoiding. For retirees with enough assets that they are not forced to withdraw just to pay bills, the planning question often shifts from “where do I get income?” to “how do I draw income tax-efficiently?” That can make RRSP withdrawals, CPP timing, OAS clawback planning, and investment structure much more important. In this episode, we discuss:  Why default decisions can help simplify retirement planning  When to start withdrawing from RRSPs  Why low-income retirement years may be useful RRSP withdrawal years  Why RRSP taxes will eventually be paid either during life or at death  Why delaying CPP and Old Age Security can be powerful  Why CPP and OAS are more than just “extra pension money”  How OAS clawback can make certain income ranges very expensive  Why the fixed-income part of a portfolio should have a clear job  Why reducing volatility is not the only reason to own fixed income  How a cash wedge or war chest can protect retirement spending  Why each dollar in retirement should have a purpose  Why inflation may be more dangerous than market volatility  Why individual business risk can be disastrous in retirement  Why diversification should make every bad thing hurt a little, but nothing hurt a lotWebsite | Youtube | Linkedin

  6. Jul 31

    Don’t Hire an Advisor Without Asking This | Ep. 61

    Send us Fan Mail Does your financial advisor have a clear investment philosophy? In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Tré and Sierra discuss why your investment strategy should not be treated as a random collection of products, funds, trends or one-off opinions. The way you invest affects the rest of your financial plan, including tax planning, retirement income, corporate investing, asset location and how much risk you are actually taking.  The key idea is that there are many valid ways to invest, but your investment approach needs to be consistent enough that the planning around it still works. A high-dividend strategy, momentum strategy, index-based strategy, active stock-picking strategy or conservative fixed-income approach can each create different tax, income and risk outcomes. That means the “best” strategy is not just the one that sounds good. It is the one you understand, can stick with, and can build a real financial plan around.  In this episode, we discuss:  What an investment philosophy actually means  Why there is no single perfect way to invest  Why your advisor should be able to explain and defend their philosophy  Why changing one part of the portfolio can affect the rest of the plan  Why high-dividend strategies sound appealing but can create planning issues  Why corporate owners need to think carefully about investment income  How passive income rules can be affected by portfolio income  Why momentum strategies can work but may create higher volatility and tax drag  Why fixed income should have a defined role in the plan  Why “we customize everything” can sometimes be a red flag  Why your investment plan and tax plan need to be connected  What to ask an advisor before trusting them with your portfolio The main point is simple: You do not need to understand every investment philosophy in the world. But you do need to understand the one being used with your money. If an advisor cannot explain their investment philosophy in plain English, that is a problem. If they can explain it, but you cannot stick with it when markets are uncomfortable, that is also a problem. Website | Youtube | Linkedin

  7. Jul 24

    BONUS: The Market Won’t Wait Until You Feel Better | Q2 2026 Review

    Send us Fan Mail Markets do not wait until investors feel comfortable again. In this Q2 2026 market review, Tré Bynoe, CFP®, CIM®, looks at what happened across Canadian stocks, U.S. stocks, international stocks and bonds from mid-2025 to mid-2026, then focuses on the more important lesson: long-term returns are never experienced in a smooth straight line. The past year showed why reacting emotionally to market declines can be costly. Canadian stocks returned approximately 32%, U.S. stocks approximately 27%, international stocks approximately 25%, Canadian bonds approximately 3.5%, and global bonds approximately 1.5% over the period discussed in the episode.  But the real lesson is not which market performed best. Recent returns tell us what happened, not what will happen next, and using short-term performance as a forecast can lead investors into poor decisions.  In this episode, we discuss:  Why markets can recover before the headlines improve  Why waiting for certainty is so difficult to execute  What Q2 2026 showed investors about volatility  Why long-term returns feel much worse while you are living through them  Why getting out of the market creates a second hard decision: when to get back in  Why diversification means something in your portfolio will usually disappoint you  Why a portfolio should not depend on guessing the next winning asset class  Why bonds and cash still matter when equities are performing well  Why short-term spending needs should not be invested in equities  Why volatility is a feature of markets, not a flaw  Why the right plan needs to exist before the next market declineWebsite | Youtube | Linkedin

  8. Jul 17

    Your Password Isn’t Enough Anymore | Ep. 60

    Send us Fan Mail Does it feel like staying safe online is getting harder? In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Tré and Sierra talk about one simple digital safety step that more people need to understand: using an authenticator app for two-factor authentication. This is especially important for bank accounts, email accounts, MyCRA, investment accounts, shopping accounts, and anything else that could cause serious problems if someone gained access.  Scammers are getting better, passwords are getting leaked, and older family members are often being asked to make a technology leap that feels overwhelming. A username and password may have been enough years ago, but today they are often not enough to keep important accounts safe.  In this episode, we discuss:  What an authenticator app is  How two-factor authentication works  Why passwords alone are outdated  Why leaked usernames and passwords are such a problem  Why authenticator apps are stronger than relying only on passwords  Why older adults are especially vulnerable to online scams  How scammers use fear, urgency, and emotion  Why you should protect email, banking, CRA, and investment accounts first  Why the human being is usually the weak point, not the technology  How authentication apps use changing codes  Why setting this up may feel annoying but is worth it  How trusted contacts can help prevent scams  A real family story involving a fake emergency phone scam  Why AI and voice scams may make this problem worse The main point is simple: If an account matters to you, protect it with two-factor authentication. Website | Youtube | Linkedin

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About

The Plain English Finance podcast is hosted by Tré Bynoe CFP® CIM®, a financial planner with TCU Wealth Management and Aviso Wealth.  While Tré specializes in working with families with more complicated finances, typically involving corporations and trusts, this podcast is for anyone wanting to learn how to make high-quality decisions based on evidence, to give themselves the highest likelihood of financial success.  You should always consult with your financial, legal, and tax advisors before making changes.  This podcast is provided as a general source of information and should not be considered personal investment advice or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. The views expressed are those of the individual and are not necessarily those of Aviso Financial Inc.  Mutual funds and other securities are offered through Aviso Wealth, a division of Aviso Financial Inc. 

Information

  • Creator
    Tré Bynoe CFP®, CIM®
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Plain English Finance
  • Show Website
    Plain English Finance