Zizzi Investments, LLC

Zizzi Investments, LLC Fee-only Investment Management, Financial Planning, and Retirement Plan Consulting.
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Prior to this they had only caught little sunnies and perches at the lake.The bait they were using was almost the same s...
08/24/2026

Prior to this they had only caught little sunnies and perches at the lake.

The bait they were using was almost the same size.

I didn't warn them ahead of time this was a whole different ball game haha.

Seeing their excitement as they reeled these in was priceless.

The fishing charter only lasted two hours.

But I think the story of the giant fish they caught is going to be told for next 30 years.

There is a lot of chatter right now about "off balance sheet" financing risks in AI.

The whole point is it's hard to measure.

But it got me thinking that we don't spend enough time talking about the positive impact of "off balance sheet" wealth in personal finance.

The kind of wealth that's hard to measure. The kind that doesn't show up on your net worth statement.

A great marriage, close friendships, taking time to serve others, or creating a story your family will still be telling decades from now.

We have great tools to track and measure how much money we've accumulated.

But we should spend more time asking:

What kind of wealth are we actually creating with it?

I wasn’t carrying my wallet but I told them they could run the cart down to ask if we could pay with my phone.They got u...
08/17/2026

I wasn’t carrying my wallet but I told them they could run the cart down to ask if we could pay with my phone.

They got up to the cart.

“Someone already paid for the next 14 ices, so it’s free.”

Their faces lit up.

Little acts of anonymous generosity are a great way to spend money.

Whoever paid for these guys water ices.

Thank you!

Timing the market is hard.Michael Burry famously called the housing crisis that led to the Great Financial Crisis, so wh...
08/06/2026

Timing the market is hard.

Michael Burry famously called the housing crisis that led to the Great Financial Crisis, so whenever he issues another warning, people pay attention.

Lately, he has been back in the news for his bearish views on AI related stocks.

But one of his previous market calls offers an important reminder.

On January 31, 2023, shortly after I started Zizzi Investments, Burry posted a one-word tweet:

“Sell.”

A couple of months later, he acknowledged that he had been wrong to make the call.

Since that call, the S&P 500 has produced a total return of nearly 100%, assuming dividends reinvested.

At this point, the market would need to fall close to 50% just to return to where it was when he tweeted “Sell.”

Even brilliant investors can be dead wrong about timing.

The goal for most people is not to predict every market move like Michael Burry.

It is to build a financial plan that does not depend on being able to, so you can focus on what actually matters in life.

I think our industry has done an above-average job helping people understand the value of a 401(k).Company matches, auto...
08/04/2026

I think our industry has done an above-average job helping people understand the value of a 401(k).

Company matches, automatic enrollment and consistent contributions have moved the needle for millions of people.

But we still have miles to go in helping high earners understand the power of a taxable brokerage account.

Most high-income clients who come to us are already contributing to a 401(k).

But beyond that, the picture often looks something like this:

A large amount of cash sitting in the bank, underutilized.

Sometimes a few stocks purchased in a Robinhood account during COVID.

Maybe an expensive permanent life insurance policy pitched by a "friend" as an alternative investment strategy.

Maybe a highly concentrated single stock position in their company's stock.

What is usually missing is an organized, consistent investment plan for building a brokerage account alongside the 401(k).

A brokerage account can provide flexibility that retirement accounts cannot.

It can help fund an early retirement, a career change, a home purchase, a business opportunity or simply create more options before age 59½.

A 401(k) helps fund retirement.

A brokerage account helps fund flexibility.

So you can start pursuing the things that won't wait until retirement.

As mortgage rates stay higher, here is something many homebuyers overlook.The stated rate on the loan is not always the ...
08/03/2026

As mortgage rates stay higher, here is something many homebuyers overlook.

The stated rate on the loan is not always the true cost of carrying the mortgage.

A client recently purchased a home, and I was helping them evaluate future plans to pay down the mortgage early or invest extra cash.

They fall into a favorable window for the increased SALT deduction. Their income is high enough that state and local taxes are meaningful, but not so high that the larger deduction begins to phase out.

They are also charitably inclined and were already itemizing deductions in 2025. That means the additional mortgage interest should increase their itemized deductions when they file their 2026 taxes.

At a 32% marginal federal tax rate, a fully deductible 6.75% mortgage has a potential after-tax cost of approximately 4.59%.

A 4.59% carrying cost is a lot easier to stomach than 6.75%.

They may still decide to put additional money toward the mortgage. But understanding the potential tax benefit gave them more confidence in weighing the tradeoff between investing and paying down the loan.

Higher mortgage rates are not fun. But when deciding whether to buy a home or accelerate payments, it is important to understand the potential after-tax cost of the mortgage, not just the rate printed on the statement.

Of course, the benefit depends on your income, deductions, mortgage balance and individual tax situation.

I walked outside recently to find my two older boys riding their bikes with no helmets or shoes while their little broth...
07/31/2026

I walked outside recently to find my two older boys riding their bikes with no helmets or shoes while their little brother was attempting to throw a beach ball in front of their tires.

They were all laughing.

I was watching in sheer terror.

That is basically what investing with massive leverage looks like. It is all fun until something gets caught under the wheel and you go crashing down on your face.

I am currently reading Poor Charlie’s Almanack, and this remains one of my favorite Munger quotes:

“Smart men go broke three ways: liquor, ladies and leverage.”

A month ago, 24-year-old Leopold Aschenbrenner was being called the “Nostradamus of AI” after building a hedge fund worth more than $20 billion.

Now the fund has reportedly fallen 67% in July and is being forced to unwind most of its public-stock positions.

Aschenbrenner told investors he intends to learn from the fund’s “very expensive scars.”

The recent semiconductor selloff occurred despite strong earnings and demand.

Leverage, margin calls and forced liquidations appear to have been major accelerants.

You can be right about the long-term thesis and still get crushed if you borrow too much money to express it.

Intelligence is not enough. Wisdom is recognizing how much remains outside your control when it comes to investing.

To win the game, you have to stay in the game.

This statistic consistently shocks me.Research from the EBRI shows retirees who entered retirement with at least $500,00...
07/30/2026

This statistic consistently shocks me.

Research from the EBRI shows retirees who entered retirement with at least $500,000 in non-housing assets had spent down a median of only 11.8% of those assets after 20 years.

About one-third of the retirees studied had actually increased their assets during retirement.

One of the hardest financial transitions is moving from accumulating money to actually using it.

Some of that may be intentional to leave an inheritance.

But I also think it shows how deeply the habit of saving can become ingrained.

After spending decades watching your accounts grow, it can be difficult to suddenly feel comfortable watching them decline, even when that was the purpose of saving in the first place.

I see a version of this with many of our younger clients too.

Some are already well above that $500,000 figure, yet they still feel behind. They are saving consistently, investing for the future and doing nearly everything they are supposed to do, but spending money today can still feel irresponsible.

A large part of financial planning is helping people maintain the discipline that created their financial security.

But it is also helping them build the confidence to use some of what they have created.

The goal is not to abandon saving or use every purchase as an excuse to live in the moment.

It is to recognize that a good financial plan can make room for both.

You can prepare responsibly for the future while also giving yourself permission to enjoy the season of life you are in today.

I walk down to my office every morning, passing a picture of each of my kids from the Spain trips we’ve taken over the p...
07/29/2026

I walk down to my office every morning, passing a picture of each of my kids from the Spain trips we’ve taken over the past few years.

It keeps me focused on what’s important.

I set business goals at the beginning of each year so I have something meaningful to work toward.

But I know it’s the daily habits that ultimately get me there.

This year, we reached our year-end business goal before the halfway point.

I’m not doubling down. I’m not moving the goalposts or changing what we’re doing.

I’m continuing to focus on the daily things that have made our business successful and our life enjoyable:

Starting the day with prayer and reading.
Focused work to serve our clients well.
Exercising and taking care of my health.
Spending meaningful time with my wife and kids.
Getting enough sleep.

When you’ve been in this business long enough, you see too many people die young without ever getting the opportunity to fully enjoy the life they worked so hard to build.

You see people retire or sell their businesses, only to experience a health event that prevents them from traveling or doing the things they had been putting off.

Last week, while sitting around the fire with my wife’s family on vacation, we each shared one goal we wanted to accomplish during the final six months of the year.

Mine was simple:

Remember to inhabit time, to receive each day with gratitude and appreciate the small things.

Business success is great.

But none of it matters if we don't take the time to enjoy life along the way.

Last summer, we gathered around the table. This summer, we gathered at the starting line. 🏃🏻‍♂️🏅At Zizzi Investments, LL...
07/18/2026

Last summer, we gathered around the table. This summer, we gathered at the starting line. 🏃🏻‍♂️🏅

At Zizzi Investments, LLC we believe investing in what matters goes beyond finances. That’s why we invited our clients to join us for the Harrisburg YMCA Mile, encouraging one another to prioritize our health, build community, and simply enjoy moving together.

Thank you to everyone who participated, whether locally or virtually. We loved seeing so many families and kids join us and are grateful to share experiences like these with our clients.

I spoke with a client this morning who is preparing to retire.Our conversation reminded me that one of the most valuable...
07/17/2026

I spoke with a client this morning who is preparing to retire.

Our conversation reminded me that one of the most valuable roles an advisor can play is serving as a buffer between emotion and action.

A few weeks ago, this client called wondering whether they were missing a “generational opportunity” by not buying SpaceX in their retirement account after its IPO.

It happened to be the exact day the stock peaked above $225.

We walked back through the purpose of the money, the risks they could afford to take, and whether the investment fit the retirement plan we had already built.

It didn’t, and our role was to help them zoom out to regain perspective.

Today, the stock is down more than 40% from that peak.

The decline doesn’t prove the decision was right simply because the price fell.

The decision was right because it followed the plan instead of being driven by urgency and fear of missing out.

That matters even more when you are approaching or entering retirement.

You have less time, and often less earned income, to recover from a major mistake.

Sticking to a process is hard, especially in a world where everything moves quickly and every headline makes it feel as though you need to act immediately.

Not everyone needs an advisor.

But many people benefit from having a trusted partner who can slow the decision down, test it against the plan, and help keep one emotional decision from disrupting decades of good work.

Sometimes the greatest value isn’t finding the next big opportunity.

It’s helping you avoid the decision that never fit your plan in the first place.

Address

Mechanicsburg, PA
17050

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 12pm

Telephone

+17179619456

Website

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