How to Pay Zakat in America
A step-by-step guide: who has to pay, what counts, nisab in USD, how to work out 2.5%, and where to send it.
Last updated: 14 November 2026. Nisab figures from 14 Nov 2026. Check Nisab Today for the live figure.
Zakat in America in one paragraph
Zakat is 2.5% of your zakatable wealth, paid once a lunar year to people who are eligible to receive it. Living in America does not change the ruling, but it changes the practical questions: how to work out nisab in dollars, what to do about stocks and retirement accounts, and where to send the money. This guide walks through it in six steps, in US dollars.
Step 1: Check if zakat is due on you
Zakat is due on you if all four of these are true:
- You are Muslim.
- You are an adult.
- You are sane.
- You own zakatable wealth above nisab, and you have held it for a full lunar year (hawl).
If your wealth is below nisab, or you have held it for less than a lunar year, no zakat is due. Children and people who are not sane do not pay zakat themselves; a guardian pays it from their wealth if it is above nisab.
Step 2: Work out your nisab in USD
Nisab is the minimum amount of wealth that makes zakat due. It is set by weight: 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The dollar value changes every day with the metal prices.
| Metal | Weight | Price per ounce | Nisab in USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 87.48 g | $3,881 | $10,915 |
| Silver | 612.36 g | $48.87 | $962 |
Prices from 14 November 2026. The silver nisab is the cautious recommended choice, because it is much lower than the gold nisab, so more people qualify. That is also the default on our zakat calculator. If your zakatable wealth is above $962, zakat is due on the silver nisab.
Step 3: Add up what counts
Add up everything below, at its current market value. Then subtract the debts you owe.
| Counts toward zakat | Notes |
|---|---|
| Cash and bank balances | Checking, savings, and cash at home. |
| Gold and silver | Jewellery and coins, at market value. |
| Stocks and shares | Trading stocks at full market value; long-term holdings by their zakatable portion. See our zakat on stocks calculator. |
| Business inventory | Goods held for sale, at market value. |
| Crypto | At market value on your zakat date. See our zakat on crypto calculator. |
| Rental income saved | Rent you have saved, not rent you have spent. |
| Retirement accounts (401(k), IRA) | Zakat is due on the zakatable portion. The common approach is to pay on the vested balance you can access, but scholars differ on the details, so confirm with a scholar. |
What does not count: your home, your car, your furniture, and your personal items. Debts you owe are subtracted from the total before you work out 2.5%.
Step 4: Work out 2.5%
The formula is simple: zakat is 2.5% of your zakatable wealth above nisab.
Worked example. Suppose your zakatable wealth is $50,000 and your debts are $0. Your wealth is above the silver nisab of $962, so zakat is due. 2.5% of $50,000 is $1,250.
A smaller example: zakatable wealth of $12,000 gives 2.5% of $12,000, which is $300.
Step 5: Decide where to send it
Zakat must go to eligible recipients, the eight categories in Quran 9:60. In practice, most zakat in America goes to the poor and needy, and to debtors who cannot repay. Start close to home, then look wider:
- Your local mosque or zakat fund first. Most American mosques collect zakat and distribute it to poor families in the community. This is usually the best first choice.
- National organisations. Islamic Relief USA, Zakat Foundation of America, and ICNA Relief all accept zakat online and distribute it in America and abroad.
- Family members who are eligible. You can give zakat to a poor relative, such as a sibling or an aunt. You cannot give it to your parents, your children, or your spouse, because supporting them is your own duty.
Do not give zakat to a general charity fund or a building project. Zakat must reach people, not projects.
Step 6: Pay and keep records
Pay online, by check, or by direct deposit, whichever your mosque or organisation offers. Keep the receipt. Donations to registered US 501(c)(3) charities are generally tax-deductible, so the receipt also matters for your taxes. Confirm the tax status with the charity itself, because not every mosque or fund is a registered 501(c)(3).
When is zakat due?
Zakat is due once a full lunar year (hawl) has passed on wealth above nisab. Many people in the US pick one date each year, often in Ramadan, and pay on that date. It can also be paid in advance. Do not wait until Ramadan if your zakat date falls months earlier: it is due on your date, not on Ramadan.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting stocks and crypto. Shares and crypto are zakatable wealth, just like cash in the bank.
- Using the gold nisab only. The gold nisab is about $10,915, so many people think they owe nothing. The silver nisab is $962, and it is the cautious recommended choice.
- Paying zakat to parents, children or a spouse. Zakat cannot go to them. Give them from your own money, not from zakat.
- Treating zakat as ordinary charity. Zakat has fixed rules about who can receive it. Sadaqah has no such limits.
- Not subtracting debts. Debts you owe come off the total before you work out 2.5%.
- Paying late. Zakat is due on your lunar date. Pick a date, write it down, and pay on it every year.
Work out your exact zakat
Your wealth, your currency, live metal prices, nisab and hawl checks included.
Open the zakat calculator