Zakat is calculated on wealth held for a full lunar year above a minimum threshold, the nisab — closer in shape to an annual wealth assessment than an income tax.
How it works
If total zakatable wealth (cash, gold, silver, investments, business assets, minus debts owed) meets or exceeds the nisab, 2.5% of the full amount is due — not just 2.5% of the amount above nisab. Below nisab, no zakat is due at all.
What this does not include
Nisab is conventionally set against the value of 85 grams of gold (or a silver-based equivalent, which is typically lower), and that value changes daily with the gold price — this calculator takes the current nisab value as a direct input rather than fetching a live gold price, so it should be updated with a current figure before relying on it.
How to use this calculator
- Total your zakatable wealth — cash, gold, silver, investments, and business assets, minus debts owed.
- Enter the current nisab value in your currency.
Frequently asked questions
Is zakat due on my whole wealth, or just what’s above nisab?
Once wealth meets or exceeds nisab, 2.5% is due on the entire zakatable amount, not only the portion above the threshold.
What counts as zakatable wealth?
Generally cash, gold, silver, investments, rental income, and business assets — not wealth tied up in essential living expenses like a primary home or daily transportation.
Does zakat apply to income or to wealth?
Wealth held for a full lunar year, not income directly — a high earner with no savings left at year’s end may owe little or no zakat, while modest savings held steadily can cross the nisab threshold.
