Your Adviser Should Be Working
For You. Not For Their Commission.

A fee-only adviser is paid exclusively by you — the client. They receive no commissions, trail fees, or referral payments from mutual fund houses, insurance companies, or any product provider. This means every recommendation is made purely in your interest. Most advisers in India earn commissions from the products they sell, which creates a conflict between what earns them the most and what is best for you. Zen Wealth operates in the fee-only model, charging a flat annual fee — disclosed transparently before any engagement begins.

Bank relationship managers and AMFI-registered mutual fund distributors earn commissions on products they recommend — often 0.5–1.5% annually of your invested amount, paid by the fund house. This incentivises product-pushing over planning. Zen Wealth holds a SEBI Investment Adviser registration (not a distributor registration), which legally requires us to act as a fiduciary — putting your interest first. We are also prohibited from earning commissions under SEBI's IA regulations. The difference is contractual and regulatory, not just philosophical.

SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) is the regulator for securities markets in India. Investment Advisers must be registered with SEBI under the Investment Advisers Regulations, 2013, and Research Analysts under the Research Analysts Regulations, 2014. You can verify our registrations directly on the SEBI website. Our numbers are INA000021100 (IA) and INH000022710 (RA). Always verify registration before engaging any adviser — unregistered persons offering investment advice are operating illegally.

The flat annual fee covers: one detailed data-gathering session, one investment advisory session where your written financial plan and portfolio strategy are delivered, and three quarterly review and rebalancing sessions — five dedicated sessions in total across the year. It also includes ongoing email communication between sessions, documentation of all advice in writing, risk profiling, suitability assessment, and preparation of the formal advisory agreement. There are no additional charges for reviews, calls, or plan updates within the year. The fee is disclosed transparently during your free introductory consultation — before any engagement begins. Securities research (RA service) is priced separately and disclosed in the research agreement.

No. As a SEBI Registered Investment Adviser, we provide advice — we tell you what to buy, hold, or sell, and why. You execute the transactions yourself through your own broker, demat account, or direct mutual fund platform. We never take custody of your funds, never seek power of attorney over your accounts, and never access your trading or demat accounts. This is an important protection for investors: your money stays entirely in your control at all times.

Investment Advisory (IA) is a personalised service — we build a comprehensive financial plan for you based on your goals, income, family situation, and risk profile. It covers retirement planning, portfolio construction, insurance review, and ongoing monitoring. Securities Research (RA) is a more targeted service — formal equity research reports on specific companies, sectors, or markets, with SEBI-compliant buy/hold/sell recommendations backed by rigorous fundamental analysis. Some clients use both; others use only one. The services are governed by separate SEBI registrations and separate agreements.

The free consultation lasts approximately 30 minutes. In that time, you can share your current financial situation and goals at a high level, ask any questions about how Zen Wealth works, understand what the advisory process involves, and decide whether you want to proceed. There is absolutely no pressure, no sales pitch, and no obligation to engage after the call. If you decide to move forward, the next step is completing the risk profiling questionnaire and signing the formal advisory agreement.

Yes, risk profiling is mandatory under SEBI regulations before any investment advice can be given. It involves a structured questionnaire that assesses your financial situation, investment objectives, time horizon, and willingness and ability to bear risk. The profile determines what types of investments are suitable for you. No advice will be given without a completed and documented risk profile — this protects you from being placed in investments that don't match your actual risk capacity. Risk profiling is conducted as part of the onboarding process after your free introductory consultation.