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. 1d ago

    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

  2. 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

  3. Jul 10

    3 Warning Signs Your Corporate Wealth Plan Isn’t Working | Ep. 59

    Send us Fan Mail How do you know if the way you are managing wealth inside your corporation is actually working? In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Tré and Sierra discuss three warning signs that a corporation owner may not have a real financial plan: too much idle corporate cash, an advisor who is not discussing taxes, and no clear exit strategy for the business. The episode also includes a bonus red flag: using the exact same investments across your TFSA, RRSP, and corporate account without considering tax efficiency or asset location.  For Canadian corporation owners, incorporated professionals and business owners, these issues can become expensive because mistakes compound quietly. A strategy that feels “fine” today can create tax, investment and planning problems years later when the money matters most.  In this episode, we discuss:  Why corporate cash sitting in a chequing account may be a red flag  How much operating cash a business may actually need  Why excess corporate cash should have a defined purpose  Why setting up the right accounts early can prevent years of delay  Why not every advisor is a financial planner  Why not every financial planner specializes in corporations  Why tax planning matters when investing outside RRSPs and TFSAs  Why business owners should understand their eventual exit strategy  How selling shares, winding down a business, or retiring can create different tax issues  Why the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption and corporate structure can matter  Why identical portfolios across TFSA, RRSP and corporate accounts may signal weak asset-location planning  Why good intentions from an advisor do not guarantee good advice The main idea is simple: if your corporation is accumulating wealth, you need more than an investment account. You need a structure for deciding how much cash to keep in the business, what to invest, where to locate assets, and how today’s decisions affect your future exit, retirement, and taxes. A corporation can be a powerful financial planning tool, but only if the plan is deliberate. Website | Youtube | Linkedin

  4. Jul 2

    Should You Use Your TFSA to Buy a House? | Ep. 58

    Send us Fan Mail Should you use your TFSA to buy a home, or leave it invested and use a different strategy? In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Tré and Sierra work through a real planning puzzle: someone wants to buy a home, has money in both a non-registered investment account and a TFSA, and needs to decide whether using the TFSA creates a better long-term outcome. The answer depends on tax deductibility, investment returns, taxable income, how quickly the TFSA can be replenished, and whether the borrowed money is actually used to invest.  The key issue is that mortgage interest on a personal home is normally paid with after-tax dollars, whereas interest on money borrowed for investment may be deductible if certain conditions are met. In this case, using the TFSA helped pay off the home purchase fully, then allowed a larger investment loan to be created in a non-registered account. That created a larger potential interest deduction, but it also meant temporarily giving up tax-free TFSA growth.  In this episode, we discuss:  Whether it makes sense to use a TFSA for a home purchase  Why mortgage interest for a personal home is different from investment-loan interest  Why the paper trail matters when borrowing to invest  Why borrowed money cannot be used inside a TFSA or RRSP for this strategy  The trade-off between tax-free TFSA growth and deductible investment-loan interest  Why taxable income and tax bracket matter  Why investment allocation and risk tolerance matter  Why tax drag matters in non-registered accounts  Why active management can change the tax result  How quickly replenishing the TFSA can change the answer  Why the result may flip depending on market returns  Why this kind of decision needs actual planning, not rules of thumbWebsite | Youtube | Linkedin

  5. Jun 26

    Why Investing Gets Complicated for Corporation Owners | Ep.57

    Send us Fan Mail Investing gets more complicated once you move beyond RRSPs, TFSAs and simple registered accounts. For Canadian corporation owners, incorporated professionals, and investors with taxable accounts, the type of income your investments generate can matter almost as much as the return itself. In this episode of the Plain English Finance Podcast, Tré and Sierra discuss three core investment concepts that help explain how financial planning, tax planning and portfolio construction fit together for corporation owners. The episode focuses on investment income types, how to think about risk, and why a consistent investment philosophy matters when taxes and corporate accounts are involved. In this episode, we discuss:  Why investing becomes more complicated in non-registered and corporate accounts  The three main types of investment income: interest, capital gains and dividends  Why GICs, bonds and fixed income create interest income  Why capital gains are treated differently from interest income  Why Canadian dividends can have a different tax profile  Why RRSPs change the tax treatment of investment income  Why asset location matters across RRSPs, personal taxable accounts and corporations  Why “risk” should not only mean volatility  Why fixed income may become riskier over long timeframes  Why market ups and downs are a feature, not a flaw  Why low-cost, globally diversified investments can simplify planning  Why turnover matters in taxable accounts  How active management can create unexpected taxable capital gains  Why corporate investment decisions should be made with tax drag in mindLearn more about working with Tré Bynoe, CFP®, CIM®:  https://trebynoe.ca This podcast is provided as a general source of information and should not be considered personal investment, tax or legal advice. Consult your financial, legal and tax professionals before making changes to your financial plan. Website | Youtube | Linkedin

  6. Jun 19

    Send This to Someone Who Needs to Start Investing | Ep. 56

    Send us Fan Mail Do you know someone who keeps saying they’ll start investing “later”? This episode is for the person who knows investing is important but feels overwhelmed by where to begin. Tré and Sierra talk through the simplest possible starting point for a young Canadian or beginner investor: understand compound interest, stop waiting to learn everything, open a TFSA, start investing, and learn more as you go. The point is not to build the perfect investment strategy on day one. The point is to stop losing time. In this episode, we discuss:  Why compound interest matters so much  Why the first $100,000 invested is such an important milestone  How starting earlier can matter more than saving more later  Why “I’ll catch up later” usually does not work  Why young investors should focus on getting started instead of optimizing  Why a TFSA is often the simplest place to begin  Why a low-cost global equity portfolio can be a reasonable default  Why early market drops can actually help you build investing experience  The difference between risk tolerance and risk capacity  Why keeping everything in cash or GICs can create its own long-term risk  How parents, friends and family can encourage someone to start investing If you are young, new to investing, or trying to help someone you care about get started, the message is simple: Start now. Keep it simple. Learn as you go. Waiting until you understand every detail may feel safer, but time is one of the most valuable ingredients in building wealth. Once it is gone, you cannot get it back. Chapters 00:00 Helping someone start investing  00:44 Why “just start” matters most  01:24 Compound interest explained simply  02:13 Why starting young changes everything  02:45 The first $100,000 invested  03:30 Why compound interest feels unimpressive at first  05:04 When investment growth starts to feel real  06:32 Why lost time cannot be recovered  07:45 What an 18-year-old should do first  08:24 Step 1: understand compound interest  09:25 Step 2: do not wait to learn everything  10:18 Step 3: start with a TFSA  11:04 When young people can start investing  12:00 Investing for kids before they can open their own account  12:46 Step 4: choose a 100% equity portfolio  13:12 Investing is like learning to drive  14:18 Why owning assets builds wealth  14:42 Global equity index funds  15:20 Why early market drops can be useful lessons  16:00 Risk capacity versus risk tolerance  17:30 Use the default, then learn why  18:14 Why early losses feel bigger than they are  19:10 Where to open an investment account  20:05 Why starting early made such a difference  21:00 First-generation financial literacy  22:28 Recap: compound interest matters  22:58 Recap: there is no catching up later  23:10 Recap: start with a TFSA  23:28 Recap: choose a low-cost global equity fund  24:00 Why a market crash should not stop you  24:40 Building a lifetime investing habit  25:08 Send this episode to someone who needs to start  25:52 Final thoughts and disclaimer Learn more about working with Tré Bynoe, CFP®, CIM®:  https://trebynoe.ca Website | Youtube | Linkedin

  7. Jun 12

    RRSPs Aren’t a Scam, But This Mistake Is Costly | Ep. 55

    Send us Fan Mail RRSPs are not a scam, but using one without a withdrawal plan can create an avoidable tax problem. In this episode, we explain when RRSP contributions help, when they don't, and why retirement withdrawals need to be planned years in advance. What I cover: • Why an RRSP is best understood as a tool for moving income between years • The mistake people make when they spend their RRSP tax refund • How one client’s decision may have cost approximately $12,000 • Why taking no RRSP income in early retirement can backfire • How RRIF withdrawals, pensions, CPP, and OAS can stack together • Why automatically maximizing your RRSP is not always the best strategy Chapters: 00:00 Are RRSPs a scam? 01:12 What an RRSP actually does 02:18 The problem with spending the tax refund 04:40 The RRSP decision that may have cost $12,000 06:35 Why the withdrawal strategy matters 08:28 How a large RRSP can become a retirement tax trap 13:12 Using lower-income years for withdrawals 25:02 When maximizing your RRSP may be the wrong move RRSP planning is not a way to get a tax refund. Deciding when you want to recognize the income and pay the tax is what they're designed for. Subscribe for more practical conversations about Canadian retirement, tax, and financial planning. Website | Youtube | Linkedin

  8. May 29

    Are You Paying Too Much to Invest? | Ep. 53

    Send us Fan Mail Paying more for investing does not automatically mean you are getting better advice, better products, or better returns. In this episode, Tre breaks down what Canadians should understand about investment fees, advice fees, product costs, commissions, and the difference between active and passive investing. He explains why new fee disclosures matter, how fees can quietly drag down returns, and why investors need to know exactly what they are paying for. This episode is especially useful for professionals, business owners, and DIY investors who want to make informed decisions instead of assuming higher cost means higher quality. The goal is simple: know your fees, understand the value, and stop overpaying for complexity that may not help you.  You’ll learn:  Why higher investment fees do not always mean better performance  How active and passive investing costs compare  What management expense ratios mean in plain English  Why commission-based products can create conflicts  How advice fees, product fees, and robo-advisor fees differ  Why good financial planning should be clear about cost and value Follow, review, and share the Plain English Finance Podcast with someone who needs to check what they are really paying for financial advice. 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
    61
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Plain English Finance
  • Show Website
    Plain English Finance