Maryland has enacted an amnesty period for delinquent taxpayers that will take place from September 1, 2015 to October 30, 2015. For qualified participants of the amnesty program, civil penalties and 50% of the interest due will be waived. The amnesty program is open to taxpayers that on or before December 31, 2014 failed to file a required personal income, corporate income, withholding, sales and use, or admission and amusement tax return. Under the program, qualified taxpayers can file returns and pay the delinquent tax, including 50% of the interest due; pay the tax and 50% of the interest due on a previously filed return; or enter into an agreement with the Comptroller to pay the tax and 50% of the interest due. Participants must pay the delinquent tax and 50% interest in full on or before December 31, 2016. The amnesty program does not apply to taxpayers that were granted amnesty under a Maryland program held between calendar year 1999 and calendar year 2014 or any taxpayers eligible for the July 1, 2004, through November 1, 2004, Settlement Period, as provided in Chapter 557 of the Acts of 2004 for tax periods prior to tax year 2003. In most circumstances a taxpayer filing under amnesty will not be charged with a criminal tax offense.
For more information, you can visit the state’s amnesty program web page.
(Ch. 50 (S.B. 763), Laws 2015, effective June 1, 2015, and applicable as noted above)