If a person only possesses cash in hand and in their bank and does not have any Jewels, Gold, Silver, a debt they are waiting on or any kind of secondary income (rental, etc.); Zakat is calculated upon the left overs of that possession after the deduction of their yearly expenses and 1/40 or 2.5% is given as Zakat. For the Muslims that reside in the United States, it is befitting that they calculate their Zakat in USD because it is the local currency. 

All business/trade goods/items are held accountable for zakat. Fabric, Food, Supermarket/Mall items, Car dealership inventories, Gas stations and etc. can be help accountable for Zakat. If the owner has at least 80 grams of gold or an equivalent to $4400.00 (minimum value of 80 grams of gold) then they are obliged to give Zakat at the end of every year after all income/expenses are accounted for and for whatever is leftover in their inventories.

Example: Inventory value is $100,000 plus other liquid assets which is valued at $10,000 plus another $10,000 for rental income = 
$100,000+$10,000+$10,000=$120,000

Expenses of $50,000 plus an estimated amount of $20,000 for miscellaneous payments = 
$50,000+$20,000=$70,000

$120,000-$70,000=$50,000 is the net amount that is accountable for Zakat.

After the Zakat is calculated for the items in the inventory, in this example it is $1,250. It is permissible to pay this Zakat from the available inventory; for example $1,250 worth of fabric or food or anything else that has the same value. It is also permissible to pay half of the Zakat from the items/good and half in cash.

If a debt given to a poor person or debt given to a charity organization is donated by deducting zakat at the end of the year, zakat will be given only for the amount they will receive. All donated debt will not have replaced zakat.

Agricultural products such as wheat, barley, chickpea, walnut, and hazelnut that are obtained only by being watered with rainwater, with the name ushr or one-tenth as in one per ten scales.

Ushr = the duty of giving zakat with the alliance of the whole ulema.

Crops that are carried with animals or watered by hand are subject to one-twentieth ushr=zakat

There are different opinions about whether or not to give ushr in non-durable agricultural products such as vegetables, fruits.

What’s best is the giving of ushr after deducting the cost of raising such products.

If a product is kept for a year by its owners without the intention of trading, and then sold, even if the money obtained meets the quorum, it is not subject to zakat. However, if a year passes by on the amount obtained from the sale, then it is subject to zakat.

If a crop that’s ushr has been given is kept for trading purposes, it becomes subject to zakat after a year.

If by illegitimate earnings purposes such as thievery, extortion and gambling is meant, then zakat is not required and these earnings should be returned to their owners.

However, if haram earnings or belongings are mixed in with halal earnings or belongings, and it is not possible to differentiate between them, then it is required to calculate all of the earnings or belongings and give zakat accordingly.

Zakat is a personal duty like prayer or fasting. The man’s debt binds the man. If the gold in the hands of the wife is 80 grams, which is the quorum amount, she must give zakat. However, if the debt is in both the husband and wife’s name such as a mortgage, loan or similar common debt, and if the value of the amount of gold the wife owns does not meet the quorum amount after deducting what the wife is subjected to pay for in the common debt, then she is not required to give zakat.

If the stepparents and stepchildren are poor, then zakat can be given to them. They are not considered as the persons family member.

The parents of the Bride can give Zakat to the Groom. The parents of the Groom can also give Zakat to the Bride. However if the Bride and the Groom live together with their parents, it is recommended to not give Zakat to them as the Zakat can be used for means of living for themselves (the parents).

 In-laws are not considered of the immediate family, they can be given Zakat if they are poor.

Foster Parents are not considered of the immediate family, they can be given Zakat if they are poor.

It can not be accounted for Zakat due to; 

• Uncertainty of if the employee is poor
• The aid was not given in the intention of Zakat
• Uncertainty of if the Company Partners have agreed or not (if applicable)
• If these aids are being given due to a contract clause/requirement