Downton and Ali Associates
info@downtonandali.co.uk
020 3021 0075 or 020 3135 0246
Most of us would like to reduce our outgoings and put a bit more money away each month, so here are our tips to help cut out unnecessary spending. Write a budget Creating a monthly budget plan can seem like a hassle at first, but it is the most effective tool to track...
Have you upgraded your mobile phone in the past two years? If the answer’s yes, your choice may have been driven by a change in your needs or wants. Perhaps you opted for a better deal, a different contract, or a handset with new features that weren’t available with...
Investment jargon explained. In this post, we explain everything from ‘asset classes’ to ‘default risk’. Assets: anything an individual, company or fund owns which has economic (tradable) value. Asset classes: Groups of securities or investments with similar...
Millions of pet owners have purchased insurance in case of an expensive trip to the vet, but who will pick up the bill if something happens to you? Many pet owners will know the stress and financial burden caused by an expensive vet’s bill and have taken out pet...
If something happened to you, your co-owners or employees, could your business survive? A study by Legal and General shows 40% of businesses would fold in less than a year following the death or critical illness of a key person. The loss of a key person within a small...
In the wake of the 2015 General Election, the Conservative Party confirmed it would deliver on its Manifesto promise that parents could pass their property up to the value of £1m to their children free of Inheritance Tax, thanks to a new ‘family home allowance’. The...
Could you survive on £8,000 a year or less, in retirement? If you’ve given up work to look after your family, you’ll be among those least likely to save for retirement simply because you have no income. And when it comes to the State Pension, you’ll usually need at...
The news is always full of stats about first-time buyers In 2016 there were an estimated 335,750 first-time buyers - the highest figure since 359,900 in 2007 The average first-time deposit has more than doubled since 2007 to more than £32,000 • the average price of a...
The decision to sell up and move to a smaller property could come as a result of children flying the nest, the need to free up cash, or both. Whatever the reason, there are costs to downsizing that are important to know about before you make the move. The ‘hidden’...
The way landlords can claim tax relief on their mortgage finance costs has changed. Up until 5 April 2017, landlords could deduct mortgage interest from their rental income before calculating how much tax they should pay. Now, however, tax relief on Buy to Let...