Maryland to Launch Online Tax Portal on Sept. 1

MARYLAND – The Office of the Comptroller of Maryland has announced the creation of Maryland Tax Connect, the agency’s secure, self-service tax portal.

Maryland Tax Connect will expand to serve individual taxpayers beginning Sept. 1, marking the first system-wide modernization of Maryland’s tax infrastructure in more than 30 years. The new portal will offer users real-time account balances, complete filing history, and expanded self-service tools. The portal is reportedly already in use by Maryland businesses to file returns, manage accounts, and communicate directly with the Comptroller’s office. Beginning September 1, the portal will extend those same capabilities to individual filers. 

“Thirty years ago, Comptroller Louis Goldstein brought our revenue administration system off of paper and pencil and into the computer age. That legacy tax system has served this state for more than 30 years, but as we saw when it abruptly shut down three years ago, it is now past its useful life,” said Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman. “I am proud of the team that has been working for years to bring this new integrated tax system, Maryland Tax Connect, to all individual taxpayers. It will provide our agency, Marylanders, and policy makers greater flexibility, transparency, and security over the long term.”

In order to migrate the four billion records now held by the Comptroller’s legacy systems to the new portal, the agency must take all processes offline for two weeks in late August. The Office of the Comptroller is urging taxpayers with payments due or returns to file to review the transition schedule and act before the applicable deadlines. Officials say the transition is purposely scheduled for the lowest-activity period in Maryland’s tax calendar, to minimize disruption for taxpayers. 

Taxpayers should note the following key dates related to the transition:

• Jul. 24: Last day for in-person paper check payments at branch offices (close at 4:30 p.m.) for personal income, pass-through entity, and fiduciary taxes
• Jul. 29: Last day to electronically file a return or make a payment through current online systems, by 11:59 p.m.
• Aug. 20: Last day to electronically file and pay Business Taxes, by 11:59 p.m.
• Aug 21-31: All tax systems are down for migration of records and data validation; e-check and credit card payments will continue to be accepted and processed during this period, but will not post to taxpayer accounts
• Sept. 1: Maryland Tax Connect for Individual Taxpayers is live; all services resume

Officials say no penalties will be assessed for any payment or filing deadline that falls within the system’s outage window. E-check payments will remain available throughout the entire transition period. To learn more about Maryland Tax Connect, visit the Comptroller’s website here.