#Max-Provencher

opinion
Making sense of markets in everchanging times
Sat, 06/03/2023 - 11:30am

The economy is in a confusing place right now. There are conflicting narratives about whether we are headed for a recession and mixed signals from different economic indicators. As inflation is broadly falling in developed countries around the world we are also seeing a strong labor market in the U.S. The overall unemployment rate is at historic lows and this is complicating the direction of the federal reserve. Its dual mandate of low inflation and maximum employment means hiking rates further...
opinion
The basics of starting a business
Sat, 02/12/2022 - 1:00pm

Making the decision to start a business is often the hardest part about starting one. After you make the decision to go for it, don’t wait to get started. Many businesses often fail if they don’t gain enough early momentum to go from concept to profitable enterprise. Throughout school I’ve always had an eye for business ideas. Some of my earliest experience came from running lemonade stands. Since then I have tried my hand at turning hobbies and side projects into businesses. For anyone...
12 tips to start 2022 on sound financial footing
Start 2022 right with a New Year's resolution for your finances
Fri, 12/31/2021 - 10:00am

As 2021 comes to a close, 2022 beckons right around the corner. For many, the beginning of each year is marked with an ambitious New Year’s Resolution that fails to materialize. Start the year off right by making a simple goal to improve your finances. Here is a starting list of some of the best New Year’s Resolutions you can make that will be worth the time and energy: 1. Open a Roth or Traditional IRA and max out the annual contribution of $6,000 2. Find out if your employer offers a...
How to financially prepare for the winter
Fri, 11/26/2021 - 8:00pm

As the temperatures dip below freezing and the last leaves fall off the trees, winter creeps up again on Mainers each November. Winter in Maine covers nearly five months of the year and with that comes additional financial costs. Winter is by many measures an expensive season filled with additional heating costs, fuel costs, and other expenses like gift giving for the holiday season. A report released last month from the U.S. Energy Information Administration warned, “We...
opinion
Where is the best place to park cash right now?
Sat, 10/23/2021 - 11:15am

Whether you sold something recently, have money lying in a bank account, received unexpected income, or have extra cash burning a hole in your pocket this article will try to inform you of a few of the best places to park cash right now. Personal savings in the United States exploded during 2020 amid lockdowns and increased stimulus. Nonetheless, an increase in available cash has been met with historically low interest rates. The opinions...
opinion
A field guide to retirement accounts
Sun, 10/17/2021 - 9:30am

Since the 1980s, American retirees have needed to rely more on their own investments for retirement, rather than employer pensions or social security income. While pension plans still exist they are rare outside of the public sector. Another aspect of retirement planning for most is Social Security income, which isn’t enough for most retired Americans’ to live on. This creates an increasing emphasis on individuals to invest for retirement using other methods. For a majority of people this means...
opinion
Why does investing matter?
Mon, 08/02/2021 - 8:15pm

So why should you bother with investing? For centuries, investing in businesses has been the primary driver of wealth for individuals and families. Investing is a tool to help individuals and families plan, save, and grow their money to meet their needs and goals. Investing allows individuals to put away money today to save for the future, while allowing the power of compound interest, dividends, and appreciation to grow their money over time. Investing inherently involves risk, however over...
‘I just enjoy the relentless drive to be better and to beat the market or to beat competitors’
Meet the Searsport student sharpening investment skills and sharing his knowledge
Thu, 07/15/2021 - 10:00am

SEARSPORT — Max Provencher, a rising senior at Searsport District High School, has had a passion for investing for several years, and has used it to gain election to a handful of positions that allow him to share his enthusiasm for investing and financial literacy with students locally, statewide, and nationally. Most recently, Provencher was elected to serve as the national treasurer for the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) for the 2021-2022 school year. An avid investor of stocks and...