May 29th, 2020 by WCBC Radio
Comptroller Peter Franchot today announced 9 of 12 branch offices located throughout the state will reopen Monday, June 1, for appointment-only visits. Offices in Baltimore, Frederick and Upper Marlboro will remain closed. All branch locations were closed March 19 to protect public health in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In accordance with Governor Hogan’s Stage 1 of his Roadmap to Recovery, some agency employees returned to the Annapolis office on May 18 to open and process a backlog of 100,000 paper personal income tax returns. Paper income tax return processing was suspended April 15 due to concerns of essential employee safety during the pandemic.
On June 1, limited staff at the 9 branch offices will return and will follow state and Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Employees will work on rotated schedules and practice spatial and social distancing.
Any taxpayer who needs to visit a branch office must make an appointment in advance by accessing www.marylandtaxes.gov and clicking on locations. Visitors to branch offices must follow all mask and social distancing requirements. No walk-in service will be provided. Offices will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“Our employees are ready to provide outstanding personal customer service to taxpayers who cannot find their answers online or cannot email or call to address their needs,” Comptroller Franchot said. “We are still encouraging taxpayers to file electronically and ask their questions by email. To help families during these financially challenging times, we have extended the deadline for filing and for payment of state income taxes until July 15.”
Taxpayers are urged to file and to pay 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.
Earlier this tax season, Comptroller Franchot extended the filing and payment deadlines for individual and corporate income taxes from April 15 to July 15, 2020. This extension applies for both state and federal taxes. No interest or penalty will be imposed if 2019 tax payments are made by July 15, 2020.
Business tax filing deadlines also have been extended to July 15. The extension applies to certain business returns with due dates during the months of February, March, April, and May 2020 for 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.
The deadline for June payments of the alcohol tax and admissions & amusement tax, which are due on the 10th day of the month, also has been extended to July 15. Business taxpayers who file and pay by the extended due date will receive a waiver of interest and penalties.
The agency has set up a dedicated email address — taxpayerrelief@marylandtaxes.gov — to assist businesses with extension-related questions. Business owners can also contact the Comptroller's Ombudsman at ombudsman@marylandtaxes.gov.
The updated Tax Alert can be found on the Comptroller's COVID-19 web page.
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