Charles Schwab goes halal

Azzad has been working with Charles Schwab to make the portfolios in the Azzad Ethical Wrap Program available in its retirement plans. If your employer retirement plan is on the Schwab platform and it allows for a Schwab Personal Choice Retirement Account® (PCRA), you can now access Azzad’s full complement of halal investment portfolios through your existing retirement plan. The portfolios: Azzad’s investment portfolios and mutual funds now available through a Charles Schwab PCRA include large-cap growth and value, mid-cap growth and value, small-cap growth and value, international, dividends, real estate investment trusts, and halal fixed income. The money managers: This program gives you access to an array of experienced portfolio management teams at institutional management companies that specialize in their asset classes. Essentially, Azzad maintains the halal screening process and the portfolio managers do the stock-picking within those parameters. How it’s halal: All potential investments are screened using Azzad’s proprietary software, which follows halal investing guidelines established by AAOIFI (the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions). Zakah and purification: Azzad will calculate your zakah and purification totals on that account and inform you of the amount each year for you to pay to charities of your choice.