Zakat calculator in US dollars
Calculate zakat on cash, bank balances, gold, silver, stocks and business stock, with the nisab by gold or silver. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is sent.
How the calculator works
The calculator adds your zakatable wealth, subtracts debts due now, and compares the result with the nisab — the value of 85 g of gold or 595 g of silver. If your wealth reaches the nisab and a full lunar year has passed, zakat is due at 2.5%.
Common US questions
- Retirement accounts (401k, IRA): scholars differ; one view is to pay on what you could actually withdraw after tax and penalty. Ask a trusted scholar.
- Jewelry worn by women: there is a known difference of opinion, so enter only investment gold here and follow your school.
- Zakat and taxes: gifts to a registered US charity (501(c)(3)) may be deductible if you itemize. Check a charity with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
For details read our zakat guide for US residents.
This calculator is an aid, not a fatwa. For specific cases consult a trusted scholar.
Extra questions about zakat on money in the US
After calculating your zakat with the tool, some practical details remain specific to living and earning in dollars — how to treat retirement accounts, mortgage debt, and money owed between your home country and the US. This section answers what the calculator itself doesn't cover.
Do I pay zakat on my 401k or IRA balance?
This is a matter of scholarly disagreement among contemporary jurists, partly because part of these accounts may not be withdrawable immediately without a penalty before a certain age. The more common view is to pay zakat on the vested balance you genuinely have the right to access, even with an early-withdrawal penalty, after deducting the expected penalty and tax from the calculation. The safest approach is to ask a trusted, qualified scholar or fiqh council about your specific situation, since details (account type, employer, your age) change the ruling.
Do I subtract my monthly mortgage payment before calculating zakat?
The value of the home itself isn't subject to zakat at all, since it's not "growing" wealth but housing you use — only cash, gold, silver, trade goods, and sellable investments enter the zakat base. As for the remaining mortgage debt, the more widely held view among contemporary fiqh councils is to deduct only the installment due over the coming year (not the full remaining balance over 15 or 30 years) from your total cash when calculating zakat.
I owe money to family in Egypt or Jordan — does that count?
Debts you owe to others may be deducted from your zakat base if they're due immediately or soon. Money you've already sent to family as a gift or support is no longer yours and isn't subject to zakat. If others owe you money you expect to recover, the common view is to include it in your zakat calculation once received, or to pay zakat on it annually if recovery is nearly certain.
Do I calculate zakat in dollars or convert to my home currency?
Calculate the nisab using the current market price of gold or silver directly in dollars — no need to convert to another currency. What matters is using the gold/silver price on the day zakat is due (the day your hawl completes), not an outdated price.
Tip: Fix one annual date for your zakat calculation (like the first day of Ramadan or January 1st) instead of tracking a separate hawl for every amount you hold — this greatly simplifies the math when you have multiple dollar income sources.
Do I subtract income tax withheld from my paycheck before calculating zakat?
No; zakat is calculated on the money you actually possess on the day your hawl completes (after tax has already been withheld from your paycheck and what remains is in your possession), not on gross pre-tax salary. Tax isn't a "debt" you deduct from the zakat base, because it was never counted as part of your wealth to begin with.
Where do you pay zakat in the US?
You can pay it to a licensed Islamic relief organization operating in the US, or transfer it directly to eligible recipients in your home country, as long as you confirm it reaches one of the eight legitimate categories. Check the organization's tax status (501(c)(3)) if you want to claim it as a charitable deduction on your tax return — that's a completely separate matter from its validity as zakat under Islamic law.
These are general guidance answers, not a religious ruling (fatwa); for precise matters (retirement accounts, complex debt) consult a qualified scholar you trust.
See also our full guide zakat in the USA and the 401k retirement account.
