Former Ascentric chairman Hugo Thorman has been appointed chairman of Altus, the financial services consultancy and software business.

Parents and grandparents who gift money to their grown-up children and grandchildren risk compromising their own standard of living by being too generous, according to a new study by Investec Wealth & Investment. Read more ...

The Association of British Insurers has revealed that around 80% of cash lump sum withdrawals were made by people who had not reached 65 years of age. Read more ...

Jason Butler, the founder of Accredited Financial Planning Firm Bloomsbury has left the business, it was revealed this morning. Read more ...

Rathbone Brothers is expanding its wealth management operations with the acquisition of the remaining shares in Vision Financial it did not already own.

Financial advisers say the government’s recent pension reforms and the rise in life expectancy are fuelling demand for financial advice during retirement, according to a new study. Read more ...

Chapters Financial – with the help of its new online arm SaidSo.co.uk – has reduced its carbon emissions by almost a quarter in the last 12 months following certification to The Planet Mark. Read more ...

French Duncan, the Scottish progressive accountancy practice, has rebranded its wealth management arm from French Duncan Financial Services Ltd to French Duncan Wealth Management. Read more ...

The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) and the Institute of Financial Planning have signed and exchanged contracts confirming that the merger of the two institutes will go ahead as planned. Read more ...

Hargreaves Lansdown, the Bristol-based investment provider, is to change to a restricted advice model and promote its telephone-based advice services by dropping minimum portfolio requirements. Read more ...