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February 8, 2023

The Chestertown Spy

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All Md. Comptroller Branch Offices Closed; Taxpayer Assistance Still Available Via Email, Phone

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Comptroller Peter Franchot has announced that all of the agency’s branch offices throughout the state would close at 4:30 p.m. Thursday and will remain closed until further notice.

With increasing cases of COVID-19 reported throughout Maryland, Franchot made the decision to close the remaining branch offices to protect the health of employees and members of the public. Most of the branch offices remained open earlier this week to assist walk-in taxpayers during the busy tax season.

“We want to take every precaution to keep our employees, their families and citizens as safe as possible from the spread of this disease,” Comptroller Franchot said. “Taxpayers have many options to complete their tax returns. They can still file electronically and have their questions answered via phone or email. We have extended nearly every deadline for payment of state taxes to help families facing employment challenges and to keep cash flowing in our economy, as well as to reduce the volume of assistance provided by our taxpayer services agents.”

Taxpayers are urged to file their Maryland state income tax returns electronically, including the use of direct deposit for refunds. Taxpayers also can email their questions to taxhelp@marylandtaxes.gov or call 1-800-MD-TAXES for help weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (extended hours during tax season remain in effect).

In recent days, as citizens and small business owners cope with the state of emergency, Comptroller Franchot announced several deadline extensions for income, corporate and business tax payments. They are as follows:

April 15 – Filing deadline for federal income tax or to file a federal extension. No separate Maryland extension is necessary if you file a federal extension.

June 1 – Returns and payments are due for Maryland business-related taxes not collected in March, April and May including sales and use tax, withholding tax, and admissions & amusement tax, alcohol tax, tobacco tax, and motor fuel tax, as well as tire recycling fee and bay restoration fee returns.

July 15 – Deadline for Maryland individual, corporate, pass through entity, and fiduciary income tax payments, as well as March quarterly estimated payments.

October 15 – Deadline for filing Maryland income tax returns if a federal extension was filed.

Md. Comptroller Branch Offices Reopen for Taxpayer Services

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Comptroller Peter Franchot announced that nine agency branch offices reopened Monday, March 16, and will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Taxpayers are still urged to call 1-800-MDTAXES for assistance or contact the comptroller’s office by email.

If necessary, residents of Talbot, Caroline, Queen Anne’s, Dorchester and the Lower Shore counties may visit the Salisbury branch office in Sea Gull Square at 1306 South Salisbury Blvd., Suite 182, Salisbury, or call 410-546-8100 for assistance.

Residents of Kent County may visit the Elkton Branch Office in the Upper Chesapeake Corporate Center at 103 Chesapeake Blvd, Suite D, Elkton, or call 410-996-0465.

Two branch offices — Upper Marlboro and Frederick — are located within county courthouses and are subject to local courthouse policies. The Upper Marlboro office will remain closed and there will be limited public access to the Frederick office. For a complete list of branch offices, visit www.marylandtaxes.gov.

Taxpayers who would typically use the Upper Marlboro branch should visit the offices in Greenbelt or Waldorf. Taxpayers who use the Frederick branch can visit the Hagerstown or Wheaton offices.

Md. Comptroller Peter Franchot

“Critical taxpayer services provided by our branch offices will be met by our staff, who will be exercising an abundance of public health caution,” said Franchot. “Our staff is committed to doing everything possible to ensure continuity of critical functions, including processing tax returns, distributing tax refunds, processing state payroll and making vendor payments.”

More than ever, taxpayers are urged to file their Maryland state income tax returns electronically, including the use of direct deposit for refunds. Taxpayers can email their questions to taxhelp@marylandtaxes.gov or call 1-800-MD-TAXES for help weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (extended hours during tax season remain in effect.)

Last week, Comptroller Franchot announced certain business tax payments currently due in March, April and May will now be due June 1. The extension applies to businesses filing sales and use tax, withholding tax, and admissions & amusement tax, as well as alcohol, tobacco and motor fuel excise taxes, tire recycling fee and bay restoration fee returns.