Athena Wealth NZ is an independent, fee-only financial planning and investment management practice with a specific focus on financial empowerment — particularly for women — and closing the gender wealth gap in Aotearoa.

We were founded on the belief that women deserve objective, high-quality financial advice free from product conflicts. Our adviser, Sumita Paul (CFPCM), brings deep expertise and a genuine commitment to your long-term financial wellbeing.

As a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP1000025), we're accountable to the FMA — not to product providers.

Yes. Athena Wealth Planning Limited holds a Class 2 FAP licence issued by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Your adviser is Sumita Paul (CFPCM), FSP118344.

You can independently verify both on the Financial Service Providers Register at companiesoffice.govt.nz/fsp — search FSP1000025 (the practice) or FSP118344 (Sumita Paul). We encourage you to check.

Our practice is women-centred but open to everyone. We have a particular passion for helping women — including those navigating career transitions, relationship changes, or approaching retirement — because women face distinct financial challenges that general advice often overlooks.

That said, we welcome clients of all genders who share our values around thoughtful, long-term financial planning.

We provide comprehensive financial planning covering cashflow management, debt management, personal risk management, life scenario planning, investment planning nad management and estate planning. We specialise in investment portfolio construction, and ongoing investment management. Within those services we advise on:

• Shares and listed property
• Managed funds (including KiwiSaver)
• ETFs and bonds
• Retirement planning and income drawdown strategy

We do not advise on products for insurance, mortgages, or provide tax, legal, or accounting advice.

It means we are paid only by you — never by product providers. We don't accept commissions, volume bonuses, or soft-dollar incentives of any kind. If a product we recommend happens to pay a commission, we rebate it to you.

We believe in full fee transparency. There are typically three layers of cost:

• Our advice fee: Financial plans are priced at NZ$600–$4,500 + GST depending on complexity, agreed in writing before we begin. Ongoing portfolio management is a percentage of funds under management (FUM) — specific rates are provided in your engagement letter.
• Platform / custodian fee: NZX Wealth Technologies charges a separate administration fee for holding and reporting on your investments.
• Underlying fund costs: Managed funds and ETFs have their own ongoing expense ratios, which we always disclose and minimise where possible.

We will give you a written estimate of all-in annual costs before you commit to anything.

We don't publish a rigid minimum, but our ongoing management service is best suited to clients with investable assets of NZ$100,000 or more, or those actively building toward that level.

If you're earlier in your financial journey, a one-off financial plan may be a better starting point. Book a free Initial chat and we can assess your situation together.

You are free to end the engagement at any time. Your investments are held in your name with NZX Wealth Technologies, so you can transfer to another adviser or self-manage without penalty.

We can help facilitate a smooth handover. There are no lock-in contracts or exit fees charged by Athena Wealth (though platform transfer fees may apply — these are disclosed upfront).

Athena Wealth does not hold client money at any point. We use NZX Wealth Technologies as our independent custodian and platform. Your investments are held in your name, separately from Athena Wealth's own funds.

This means that even in the unlikely event something were to happen to Athena Wealth as a business, your assets are protected.

We build well-diversified, long-term portfolios across asset classes (shares, bonds, listed property, cash), sectors, and geographies. We take a buy-and-hold orientation and avoid market-timing or speculative trading.

Portfolio construction is personalised to your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance. We pay close attention to total costs — lower ongoing fees compound into materially better outcomes over time.

For clients who care about responsible investing, we can incorporate ESG-aligned fund options where appropriate.

Yes — retirement planning is central to what we do, especially given our focus on women, who on average live longer than men and face a higher risk of outliving their savings.

We help clients model retirement income needs, structure drawdown strategies, and integrate NZ Super into a broader plan. KiwiSaver optimisation is part of this work.

Yes. KiwiSaver sits within the managed funds and superannuation scope of advice we provide. We help clients choose the right fund type, provider, and contribution level as part of holistic financial planning — not as a standalone product sale.

We start with a free, no-obligation Initial Chat (30 minutes) to understand your goals and confirm we're a good fit. If you proceed, we issue a Letter of Engagement confirming scope, fees, and timeline.

From there we gather your financial information, prepare your plan, and set up your custody and portfolio — typically 4–8 weeks depending on complexity. You'll review and approve everything before any investments are made.

Ongoing clients receive regular portfolio reviews (typically quarterly or six-monthly depending on your engagement), written updates on any changes we recommend, and direct access to Sumita for questions between reviews.

You'll never be left wondering how your investments are tracking.

Yes — we work with clients across New Zealand. Most meetings are held virtually via video call, with in-person meetings available in Auckland by arrangement.

We comply with the Privacy Act 2020 and the Customer and Product Data Act 2025. Our Privacy and Cyber Security Policies govern how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information.

We use secure, encrypted systems for all client communications and document storage. We do not share your data with third parties without your consent.

We may use secure, privacy-aligned tools to improve operational efficiency — for example, scheduling, note-taking, or document drafting.

However, all personalised financial advice is prepared and signed off by Sumita Paul, a human CFPCM. We use Co-Pilot as part of our Microsoft Licence and programs.

We take complaints seriously. We acknowledge all complaints within 24 hours, investigate promptly, and aim to resolve them fairly and in writing.

If you're not satisfied with our response, you can escalate at no cost to the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO) — an independent, free dispute resolution service available to all clients. Details are provided in your engagement documents.

You can verify our licence and Sumita's registration on the public Financial Service Providers Register at companiesoffice.govt.nz/fsp.

• Practice licence: search FSP1000025
• Adviser registration: search FSP118344

You can also verify our FAP licence at fma.govt.nz. We actively encourage prospective clients to check.