JPMorgan stopped bankrolling private prisons. Individual investors should, too.
On March 8, JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced that the firm will no longer finance private, for-profit prison operators, including those who run detention facilities along the border between the United States and Mexico. Although this is welcome news, the move could be simply symbolic if banks and other groups do not continue to call […]
Personal deduction planning
Paying taxes is part of the responsibility of living in the United States. But most people understandably don’t want to pay more than they have to. An important part of minimizing your federal income tax liability is to understand the rules and make the most of your tax planning opportunities. Personal deduction planning is one […]
Choosing an income tax filing status
Selecting a filing status is one of the first decisions you’ll make when you fill out your federal income tax return, so it’s important to know the rules. And because you may have more than one option, you need to know the advantages and disadvantages of each. Making the right decision about your filing status […]
Tax planning for the self-employed
Self-employment is the opportunity to be your own boss, to come and go as you please, and oh yes, to establish a lifelong bond with your accountant. If you’re self-employed, you’ll need to pay your own FICA taxes and take charge of your own retirement plan, among other things. Here are some planning tips. Understand […]
Shareholders tell Google to rethink China search product
Shareholders tell Google to rethink China search product and prioritize human rights (Falls Church, Va., Feb. 27, 2019) — A coalition of Google shareholders has filed a resolution asking the company to publish a human rights impact assessment for a controversial censored search product — called “Dragonfly” — that Google is reportedly developing for use […]
Azzad Portfolios Achieve ‘Top Guns’ Status from Informa Investment Solutions
Small cap growth, small cap value strategies excel across multiple categories Falls Church, Va., 2/21/19 – Azzad Asset Management today announced that two of its investment portfolios have been recognized as “Top Guns” for time periods ending December 31, 2018. The firm’s small cap growth and small cap value strategies received the distinction from Informa […]
Are you a risk taker? If you invest, the answer is yes.
For each individual, the word “risk” evokes a different image or experience. A person’s perception of risk can be shaped by past experiences, recent stories in the media, the latest investment-related study, and incidents recounted by friends and associates. Too often, it’s these factors and not actual probabilities that shape an individual’s expectations for the […]
What to do if you miss taking an RMD
People don’t often think of the IRS as their friend. But there is at least one taxpayer-friendly thing the IRS is known for: its process for people who miss taking their required minimum distributions, or RMDs, from a retirement account. If you don’t go about it the right way, though, it can cost you 50% […]
Halal investing 101: A refresher to remind yourself of the basics
We all need a reminder every now and then about how halal investing works. In a nutshell, halal investing touches on the following four issue areas: Refraining from the giving and taking of riba Avoiding speculation (gharar) and uncertainty (maysir) Not transacting in the buying and selling of debt Abstaining from investing in companies with […]
Five things that make Azzad unique
At Azzad, we believe that an investment has moral as well as financial implications. “Do no mischief on the earth after it has been set in order; but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts) for the Mercy of Allah is (always) near to those who good.” (Surah Al-A’raf, Ayah 56) To […]
