Whether you’re Muslim or not, annuities are a bad idea
We talk with a lot of people who come to us seeking advice about using annuities. We get why annuities can be attractive: they’re usually presented as being low-risk, reliable sources of retirement income. In the not-too-distant past, people had pensions through their employers — monthly income they knew they could count on when they […]
Everything you’ve always wanted to know about Roth IRA conversions, but were afraid to ask
With the lure of tax-free distributions, Roth IRAs have become popular retirement savings vehicles. According to the 2017 Investment Company Fact Book, about 17.4% of U.S. households owned Roth IRAs in 2016. One way to fund a Roth IRA is to convert some or all of your traditional IRA or other retirement plan money to […]
Turkish markets in turmoil: Anything but a delight for investors
Joshua Brockwell is Investment Communications Director at Azzad Asset Management. He can be reached at joshua@azzadfunds.com A selloff in Turkish markets over the last few days has reverberated around the globe, prompting investor flight to safe havens like U.S. Treasuries, the Swiss franc, and the Japanese yen. Turkey’s inability to prop up its tumbling lira, […]
Understand your net worth
Do you know how much you’re worth financially? Knowing your net worth can help you to better plan for your future and set savings goals. To calculate your net worth, add up the value of everything you own and subtract from that amount everything you owe. In other words, your assets minus your debt equals your […]
Azzad staff boost retirement plan expertise
On June 28, our qualified retirement plan consultant, Maha Ahmed, attended a special retirement plan symposium sponsored by Federated Investors. Led by an attorney team from Morgan Lewis, the panel discussed ways in which plan sponsors (employers who offer retirement plans) can defend themselves against allegations of fiduciary breach. The panel stressed that retirement plan […]
Portfolio Manager Spotlight: Federated Investment Management
In the past three months, we’ve seen bond markets struggle against a backdrop of rising rates and geopolitical tensions. Here’s how Azzad’s fixed-income portfolio manager, Federated Investment Management Company, handles the challenge. In the second quarter of 2018, many bond funds struggled as rates increased. The Federal Reserve raised rates two times in the first […]
Don’t be a DIY investor
Are you a DIY investor? Do-it-yourself (DIY) investors are always on the lookout for stock tips and asking their financial advisor to make lots of moves into and out of the stock market. And even though they have a professional financial advisor, they likely have another account on the side that they use to make […]
How to take advantage of long-term capital gains rates
Did you know that you or your heirs might be eligible for a 0% rate on long-term capital gains and dividends? The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) signed into law late last year kept the three federal income tax rates on long-term gains (0%, 15%, and 20%). But unlike the old rules, these rates […]
Financial Advisor Magazine names Azzad in 2018 RIA Survey and Ranking
FALLS CHURCH, Virginia (July 25, 2018) – Azzad Asset Management has been named in Financial Advisor magazine’s 2018 RIA Ranking. The report is an annual survey that ranks registered investment advisors (RIAs) based on percentage growth in assets from the previous calendar year and is the premier industry ranking of independent RIA growth. FA’s RIA […]
Time to max out your 401(k)
Only 13% of retirement savers maxed out their 401(k) contributions last year. Were you one of them? One great thing about saving for retirement in a 401(k) compared to an IRA is that you can contribute much more to the 401(k) account, regardless of your age. This year, you can contribute up to $18,500 if […]