--- title: The Fiduciary Focus Blog | Benjamin Smith, CFA (3) description: "Ben serves as a Principal for Guidance Point Retirement Services, LLC, focusing on bringing retirement plan and investment consulting services to clients in the region. He also serves as the firm’s Chief Investment Officer, directing the investment philosophy and retirement plan investment menu design for all the firm’s clients.\n\nPrior to working for Guidance Point Retirement Services, LLC, Ben worked for Acadia Trust, N.A., a subsidiary of Camden National Corporation, as Vice President, Portfolio Manager, based in Bangor, Maine. Ben assumed responsibility for and oversight of over $300mm in client portfolios, including individuals, families, retirement plans, endowments, foundations, businesses, and trusts. In addition, he served on the Company’s Investment Committee. He also chaired the Mutual Fund Committee and managed Retirement Plan Services for the company. 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Guidance Point values your privacy. For more information, view our Privacy Policy. REQUIRED FIELDS ARE INDICATED BY AN ASTERISK (\*). # The Fiduciary Focus Blog ## Benjamin Smith, CFA ![](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/e4ee20595964af6876d412f56c885624) Ben serves as a Principal for Guidance Point Retirement Services, LLC, focusing on bringing retirement plan and investment consulting services to clients in the region. He also serves as the firm’s Chief Investment Officer, directing the investment philosophy and retirement plan investment menu design for all the firm’s clients. Prior to working for Guidance Point Retirement Services, LLC, Ben worked for Acadia Trust, N.A., a subsidiary of Camden National Corporation, as Vice President, Portfolio Manager, based in Bangor, Maine. Ben assumed responsibility for and oversight of over $300mm in client portfolios, including individuals, families, retirement plans, endowments, foundations, businesses, and trusts. In addition, he served on the Company’s Investment Committee. He also chaired the Mutual Fund Committee and managed Retirement Plan Services for the company. Find me on: ### Recent Posts [![](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/hubfs/Capital_Markets_Review/GPRS%204Q%202016%20Capital%20Markets%20Review.png)](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/capital-markets-review-fourth-quarter-2016-0) ## [Capital Markets Review - Fourth Quarter 2016](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/capital-markets-review-fourth-quarter-2016-0) [Benjamin Smith, CFA](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/author/benjamin-smith-cfa) 10 January, 2017 A Tale of Two Halves 2016 can be described as a Tale of Two Halves. Many investors took a “risk-off” approach to the markets in the first half of the year due to a decline in oil prices and slow ... [Read More](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/capital-markets-review-fourth-quarter-2016-0) [![](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/hubfs/Blog_Posts_Images/3%20savvy%20ways%20to%20improve%20401k%20invt%20menu%20design.png)](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/3-savvy-ways-to-improve-your-401k-investment-menu-design) ## [3 Savvy Ways to Improve your 401(k) Investment Menu Design](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/3-savvy-ways-to-improve-your-401k-investment-menu-design) [Benjamin Smith, CFA](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/author/benjamin-smith-cfa) 21 December, 2016 Today, the average 401(k) retirement plan relies heavily on the non-expert decisions of plan participants, who typically have no formal financial training. Because they lack financial expertise, ... [Read More](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/3-savvy-ways-to-improve-your-401k-investment-menu-design) [![](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/hubfs/Blog_Posts_Images/3%20Rookie%20Mistakes%20Target%20Date%20Funds.png)](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/how-to-evaluate-your-401k-403b-target-date-funds) ## [Top Rookie Mistakes When Evaluating your 401(k) & 403(b) Target Date Funds](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/how-to-evaluate-your-401k-403b-target-date-funds) [Benjamin Smith, CFA](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/author/benjamin-smith-cfa) 14 December, 2016 $823 billion dollars of assets currently reside in Target Date Funds as of June 30, 2016, according to Morningstar Research. ¹ Also, forty cents of every new dollar going into DC plans is invested in ... [Read More](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/how-to-evaluate-your-401k-403b-target-date-funds) [![](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/hubfs/Blog_Posts_Images/the%20question%20no%20one%20asks%20about%20stable%20value%20funds.png)](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/the-one-question-no-one-asks-about-stable-value-funds) ## [The Question No One Asks About Stable Value Funds](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/the-one-question-no-one-asks-about-stable-value-funds) [Benjamin Smith, CFA](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/author/benjamin-smith-cfa) 30 November, 2016 57% of 401(k) and 403(b) retirement plans offered a stable value or investment contract fund to participants in 2015, and 19% of participants offered this investment actually utilized the fund in ... [Read More](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/the-one-question-no-one-asks-about-stable-value-funds) [![](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/hubfs/Capital_Markets_Review/GPRS%203Q%20Capital%20Markets%20Review.png)](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/capital-markets-review-third-quarter-2016) ## [Capital Markets Review - Third Quarter 2016](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/capital-markets-review-third-quarter-2016) [Benjamin Smith, CFA](https://blog.guidancepointrs.com/author/benjamin-smith-cfa) 03 November, 2016 The Presidential Election Heats Up.... Global economies are turning their eyes to the US presidential election. Although world markets and economies absorb this leadership change every four years, ... 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