Dr. Monzer Kahf, a prominent economist and counselor states:

“In calculating zakah, salary earners simply do not look at what they earn and what they spend, they have to only look at their savings and add to them other Zakatable items that they may have such as stocks and other investments, gold and silver jewelry, investment properties, etc. If the total of such items, including savings, becomes equal to Nisab (approximately USD 1000) record that day, then they come back a lunar year later from that day and add all the Zakatable items if the total is equal to USD 1000 or more, they pay Zakah at the rate of 2.5%. Otherwise, they do not owe any Zakah.”