Registered Investment Advisor

Markets Evolve.
Management
Should Too.

Independent active portfolio management designed to adapt beyond static allocation models focused on disciplined risk management, capital preservation, and long-term compounding through changing market conditions.

Apply for Partnership → Our Investment Framework →
YTD Average
Portfolio Return
8.74%
Updated quarterly
Past performance is not indicative of future results.

All investments involve risk of loss. Returns shown are representative of discretionary managed accounts and are net of advisory fees. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Our Differentiated Approach

Markets Change.
Your Portfolio
Should Too..

Most portfolios are built for conditions that no longer exist. Today’s markets are shaped by shifting interest rates, elevated volatility, and rapid macroeconomic change.

Our framework adapts to those conditions — prioritizing risk management, capital preservation, and disciplined long-term compounding.

I. Regime Analysis

We evaluate market conditions — volatility, interest rates, and liquidity — to understand the current environment and respond accordingly, rather than remain anchored to static allocation assumptions.

II. Risk Management

Protecting capital from large losses is what makes long-term compounding work. We continuously evaluate risk exposure — with a disciplined emphasis on protecting capital during periods of elevated uncertainty.

III. Active Oversight

Positions are monitored continuously through an active framework — adjusted as conditions change, not held passively or benchmarked to an index.

The Mathematics

Of Loss.

Losses compound faster than gains.

Preserve capital. Protect tomorrow.

Recovering from large drawdowns requires disproportionately higher returns making capital preservation the foundation of long-term compounding.

Portfolio Value After Loss

Starting at $100

100 75 50 25 0 −10% loss

Interactive Drawdown Calculator

1% loss 75% loss

A 10% loss requires a +11.1% gain to recover.

Portfolio value: $90.00

Recovery Required

Loss Gain to Break Even
−10% +11.1%
−20% +25.0%
−30% +42.9%
−40% +66.7%
−50% +100.0%

A 50% loss requires a full 100% gain to recover a mathematical reality most portfolios never overcome.

For illustrative purposes only. Does not represent investment performance.

14.2%

Average intra-year S&P 500 decline since 1980.

A market can end the year positive and still drop 20% along the way. How you manage that middle part determines long-term outcomes.

Source

J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Investment Framework

Evidence Over
Assumption.

Our framework evaluates market regimes through observable data including volatility, interest-rate trends, liquidity conditions, economic momentum, and market structure. The objective is not to predict every move, but to recognize when the environment calls for greater offense, greater defense, or disciplined patience.

Framework Inputs
Volatility / Interest Rates / Liquidity / Market Momentum
01

Expansion

  • Growth strengthens.
  • Volatility remains contained.
  • Risk exposure may be selectively increased.
02

Elevated Volatility

  • Uncertainty rises.
  • Risk premiums widen.
  • Portfolio risk is reviewed and adjusted.
03

Defensive Regime

  • Capital preservation prioritized.
  • Drawdown control becomes central.
  • Risk exposure may be reduced.
04

Recovery

  • Conditions stabilize.
  • Opportunity begins to re-emerge.
  • Risk is selectively reintroduced.

How We Manage Portfolios

An adaptive process.
Built for changing
markets.

We manage portfolios through a documented, repeatable process. Each decision is based on current market evidence — not fixed assumptions or passive benchmarks.

01 Assessment

We evaluate macroeconomic conditions, volatility environments, liquidity trends, and portfolio risk exposure.

02 Positioning

Portfolio allocations are adjusted according to the current market regime and evolving opportunity set.

03 Monitoring

Market conditions, portfolio behavior, and downside risk are continuously reviewed.

04 Risk Management

Drawdown control and capital preservation remain central throughout changing market cycles.

05 Reallocation

As conditions evolve, risk exposure and portfolio positioning are selectively refined.

We combine analytical discipline with structured oversight to support long-term capital growth.

Structure

A repeatable process designed for consistency and discipline.

Adaptability

Portfolio positioning evolves with changing conditions.

Long-Term Focus

Preservation and compounding remain central to decision-making.

Fee Structure

Transparent. Tiered. Fully aligned.

Our fee is straightforward: an annual percentage of assets managed. No commissions. No hidden charges. No product sales. Just direct, fee-only compensation aligned with your outcomes.

01 Foundation
1.15% Annual AUM

Portfolios under $1M

Minimum $50,000

Full access to the regime-based tactical framework, quarterly performance and attribution reporting, and the direct advisory relationship. Covers all standard portfolio management across retirement, business, legacy, and taxable account types.

02 Established
1.00% Annual AUM

$1M $3M household

Minimum $1,000,000

Reduced management rate for established portfolios. Full strategy access and priority direct advisory communication during significant market events or regime transitions.

03 Premier
0.75% Annual AUM

Above $3M household

Minimum $3,000,000

Lowest management rate applied to larger consolidated portfolios. Includes all capabilities and strategy access with support for complex household and trust structures.

Additional Fee Components

These components apply to all advisory relationships and are disclosed in writing before engagement begins.

One-Time Onboarding Fee $400

Charged at relationship onboarding

Covers application review, investment policy statement drafting, initial portfolio construction, and Altruist account setup and verification.

Monthly Advisory Subscription $150/mo

Charged monthly, ongoing

Covers planning check-ins, reporting infrastructure, direct advisory communication, and ongoing account oversight independent of account size.

Estimate Advisory Cost

Drag to estimate your annual cost based on portfolio size.

Portfolio Value $250,000
Foundation  ·  1.15% AUM
$50K $5M
Estimated Effective Annual Rate Includes AUM fee + $150/month subscription
1.87%

Illustrative only. Excludes one-time $400 onboarding fee. Governed by the Investment Advisory Agreement.

Fee-Only No Commissions Direct Alignment Active Oversight Long-Term Relationships

Zmierski Capital is a fee-only registered investment advisor. All fees are disclosed in writing before engagement and governed by the Investment Advisory Agreement.

Accounts We Manage

Structured For
Every Stage Of Wealth.

Zmierski Capital manages taxable, retirement, trust, family, and business accounts through an active oversight framework designed to evolve alongside changing market conditions and long-term financial priorities.

Active Oversight Structured Management Preservation Adaptability Long-Term Focus

Who We Work With

Built for Investors
Who Take Wealth
Seriously.

We work with individuals, families, and business owners who want more than a passive index fund. Our clients want active oversight, transparent fees, and a clear process for protecting and growing their wealth.

Our approach is built around disciplined oversight, adaptability, and long-term financial alignment.

Our relationships are typically long-term and built around active ongoing portfolio oversight.

01

Accumulation-Focused Investors

Focused on preserving and compounding capital across full market cycles rather than pursuing short-term speculation.

02

Professionals & Executives

Investors seeking structured portfolio oversight while balancing demanding careers and evolving financial priorities.

03

Retirees & Pre-Retirees

Portfolio management centered around preservation, disciplined risk management, and long-term financial sustainability.

04

Business Owners

Active oversight for personal and business capital requiring adaptability, liquidity awareness, and disciplined allocation.

05

Families Seeking Continuity

Portfolio oversight structured around generational planning, shared financial objectives, and long-term continuity.

How It Works

01 Apply Complete a short application. We review it within five business days.
→
02 Portfolio Review We document your investment objectives and set up your custodial accounts.
→
03 Active Management Active, ongoing portfolio management with quarterly reviews and full transparency.
Begin the Process →

Your Life. Our Focus.

You focus on life.
We focus on the
markets.

Portfolio management demands continuous attention monitoring conditions, evaluating risk, and making disciplined decisions through every market environment. That responsibility belongs to us, so you can remain focused on what matters most in your life.

Your goals. Our management. Your time, reclaimed.

Apply for Partnership
Evan Zmierski

The Advisor

A framework built by
someone who manages it.

Evan Zmierski signature

Founder & Chief Investment Officer

Zmierski Capital was built on a single conviction: investors deserve a manager who acts in their interest alone — free from product sales, institutional conflicts, and passive assumptions that ignore market conditions.

Every client relationship is governed by a written Investment Policy Statement. Every decision is made under fiduciary obligation. There are no product commissions, no revenue-sharing arrangements, and no passive index strategies dressed up as active management.

What you receive is direct, founder-led portfolio management — with full transparency, a documented process, and a manager whose interests are fully aligned with yours.

“My obligation is to act in the client’s interest. Not to sell products, hit quotas, or chase themes.”

Evan Zmierski  ·  Founder & CIO

Experience 4+ Years in Capital Markets
License Series 65
Standard Fiduciary

Operational Infrastructure

Built On
Institutional
Infrastructure.

Client portfolios are managed through secure custodial infrastructure designed around transparency, operational separation, streamlined reporting, and long-term oversight.

Structured to provide clarity, visibility, and operational confidence across every advisory relationship.

01

Client Relationship

The advisory relationship begins with direct engagement, investment policy drafting, and ongoing portfolio oversight.

02

Zmierski Capital

Portfolio Oversight & Active Management

Active portfolio management, regime-based positioning, and continuous oversight are applied directly to each client relationship.

03

Altruist Custody

Secure Account Infrastructure

Client assets are held in custody at Altruist an independent, institutionally structured custodial platform maintaining full operational separation from the advisor.

04

Reporting & Visibility

Performance Reporting  ·  Account Access  ·  Secure Documentation

Clients maintain direct visibility into portfolio performance, account holdings, and advisory documentation through secure reporting infrastructure.

$500,000

SIPC Protection

Securities held through Altruist Financial LLC are protected by SIPC up to applicable limits, including up to $250,000 for cash claims.

$250,000

FDIC Cash Coverage

Eligible cash balances swept to participating program banks may receive FDIC insurance coverage subject to applicable limits and conditions.

Separate Account
Capacity

Account Structure

Coverage may apply separately across different account ownership structures, including individual, joint, and retirement accounts.

Client assets are custodied through institutional infrastructure designed around transparency, operational separation, and long-term oversight.

SIPC and FDIC protection do not protect against investment losses. Coverage is subject to applicable limits and conditions.

Insights

Timely perspectives.
Thoughtful insights.

Explore market commentary, portfolio strategy, and risk-focused perspectives designed to help investors think clearly through changing conditions.

Retirement Planning

Rate Cycles and Retirement Portfolios

How shifting interest-rate environments affect retirement portfolio construction and long-term sustainability.

Zmierski Capital  ·  Insights

Investment Strategy

Tactical Allocation Is Not Market Timing

Understanding the difference between disciplined tactical positioning and speculative market timing.

Zmierski Capital  ·  Insights

Risk Management

The Mathematics of Drawdown

Why large portfolio losses require disproportionately larger gains to recover and what that means for long-term compounding.

Zmierski Capital  ·  Insights

Portfolio Construction

Building Portfolios That Survive Uncertainty

How structural discipline in portfolio construction creates resilience across unpredictable market conditions.

Zmierski Capital  ·  Insights

Behavioral Finance

Why Investors Underperform Their Own Portfolios

The behavioral gap between fund returns and investor returns — and what a structured process does to close it.

Zmierski Capital  ·  Insights

Fee Transparency

The True Cost of Advice You Cannot See

Embedded costs, undisclosed compensation, and why fee-only fiduciary advice is structurally different.

Zmierski Capital  ·  Insights

Market Structure

Understanding Volatility as Information

Volatility is not just risk. It is signal. How disciplined investors use market volatility as a positioning input rather than a reason to panic.

Zmierski Capital  ·  Insights

Wealth Preservation

Compounding Requires Staying in the Game

The first rule of long-term compounding is survival. How capital preservation in adverse conditions enables participation in the recovery.

Zmierski Capital  ·  Insights

Fiduciary Standard

What Fiduciary Actually Means in Practice

The legal and practical difference between fiduciary and suitability standards — and why it matters to every investment decision made on your behalf.

Zmierski Capital  ·  Insights

FAQ

Answers to
Common
Questions.

We believe informed investors make better long-term partners. These answers reflect how we think, how we operate, and how we approach every client relationship.

Zmierski Capital is a fee-only, fiduciary Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) offering independent active portfolio management. We provide disciplined, process-driven investment oversight for individuals, families, and business owners seeking long-term capital management grounded in evidence, structure, and adaptability.

We work with accumulation-focused investors, professionals and executives, retirees and pre-retirees, business owners, and families seeking long-term portfolio continuity. Our relationships are typically long-term and built around active ongoing oversight. A minimum account size of $50,000 applies.

We operate as a flat-fee, AI-enabled independent RIA not as a product-driven brokerage or commission-based advisor. Our framework is regime-based and adaptive by design, meaning portfolio positioning responds to observable market conditions rather than static allocation assumptions. We do not sell products, manage proprietary funds, or earn referral fees.

We provide discretionary active portfolio management across taxable investment accounts, retirement accounts (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Rollover IRA, Solo 401(k), Beneficiary IRA), trust and estate accounts, joint and family accounts, and business and entity accounts. All accounts are custodied through Altruist, an institutional-grade independent custodial platform.

Risk management is central to every portfolio decision we make. Our regime-based framework continuously evaluates volatility environments, interest-rate trends, liquidity conditions, and macroeconomic evidence. Drawdown control and capital preservation are prioritized throughout changing market cycles with portfolio positioning adjusted dynamically rather than anchored to static allocation assumptions.

Our fee structure has three components. Annual AUM fees are tiered: 1.15% for portfolios under $1M (Foundation), 1.00% for $1M $3M households (Established), and 0.75% above $3M (Premier). A monthly advisory subscription of $150/month covers planning check-ins, reporting, and ongoing oversight. A one-time onboarding fee of $400 applies at engagement. All fees are disclosed in writing before engagement and governed by the Investment Advisory Agreement.

New relationships begin with an application. We review each inquiry to ensure long-term alignment before moving forward. If there is a fit, we will schedule an introductory conversation to discuss your financial objectives, portfolio situation, and how the Zmierski Capital framework may apply. The onboarding process is thorough, structured, and designed to establish a clear foundation for the advisory relationship.

Begin the Conversation

Apply for Portfolio
Management.

Zmierski Capital accepts new clients by application. Before we begin, we take time to understand your financial situation, goals, and what you expect from an advisory relationship.

Partnership Application

Currently Accepting Applications  •  Capacity is limited by structural choice.

All inquiries are reviewed within five business days.

After You Submit

What Happens Next

A straightforward four-step process. Every application is reviewed for fit before we move forward.

1

Application Review

We review your application within five business days.

2

Consultation Invitation

If there is a strong fit, we invite you to schedule a consultation call.

3

Discovery Conversation

A focused 45-minute call to discuss your situation and how we work. No sales pitch.

4

Onboarding Decision

If both sides are aligned, we begin account setup and formal documentation.

Fee-Only Fiduciary Series 65 Altruist Custodied

Zmierski Capital is a fee-only registered investment advisor. All fees are disclosed in writing before engagement. Client assets are custodied through Altruist.

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