Skandia

Skandia has reduced the number of declined critical illness claims by 3% compared to July last year, according to new figures.

Advisers have been given more clarity on the issue of Discounted Gift Trusts, following the publication of a technical note from HM Revenue & Customs.

Time is a strange construct; sometimes it seems to go ever so slowly and other times far too fast. In the world of pensions, this is further confused by the fact that a year does not always last 365 days.

Bill Vasilieff is leaving Selestia and SkandiaMultiFunds when the group's new fund supermarket is launched this summer, as part of a series of changes pulling the two Old Mutual divisions into one team.

A-Day changes may have increased pensions business, but almost half of advisers believe the complexity and compliance burden they face has also grown over the last year.

A couple of weeks ago it was the turn of Miss Liz Hurley to get a decent slice of the limelight with the occasion of a sumptuous and lavish wedding. But we can't all be in the papers all the time.

HM Revenue & Customs has provided written confirmation that gifts put into absolute or bare trusts for minors will avoid tax charges by being classified as Potentially Exempt Transfers rather than Chargeable Lifetime Transfers.

Skandia has appointed Ian Brown to head up its protection marketing team, following the departure of Alison Turner-Holmes at the end of last year.

Almost 80% of advisers still plan to recommend Alternatively Secured Pensions to their clients despite the proposed charges put forward in the pre-Budget Report in December.

Just a couple of weeks ago was half-term and I had a splendid time with the kids. Of particular delight to the children was a visit to the local theme park, with an abundance of nausea-inducing rides followed by an over-sweetened candy floss chaser.