Home Office of the Comptroller Brooke Lierman Brooke Lierman It is an honor to serve as Maryland's 34th Comptroller - and I am proud to be the state's first female Chief Fiscal Officer! I am excited to transform the Office of the Comptroller into an innovative, accessible, and more transparent state agency. As your Comptroller, I work with nearly 1,100 employees responsible for collecting taxes and issuing refunds, preventing fraud through our state-of-the-art fraud detection system, approving or denying major state contracts at the Board of Public Works, regulating motor fuels, returning unclaimed property to rightful owners, and helping oversee our state's pension system. In addition, the agency ensures all of Maryland's dedicated state employees are paid accurately and on time. My experience as a Civil Rights & Disability Rights attorney, a mother, and a two-term member of the General Assembly and leader on our state's fiscal, transportation, and environmental committees help inform my work and decision-making. My goal is to be your advocate - the People's Advocate - in all that I do. I look forward to working to reimagine how this agency can build more equitable, resilient, and prosperous communities throughout all of Maryland. Please keep in touch! My best, Brooke brooke@marylandtaxes.gov Biography of Brooke Lierman Office of Comptroller Office of Communications Comptroller Transition Comptroller Initiatives Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week The second Sunday of August to the following Saturday is designated as Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week each year. That means qualifying apparel and footwear $100 or less, per item, are exempt from the state sales tax. The first $40 of a backpack or bookbag purchase is also tax-free. Accessory items, except for backpacks, are not included. The Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week for 2023 is Sunday, August 13 – Saturday, August 19. Additionally, there is a tax-free three-day weekend every February during which the state sales tax will not apply to the sale of any Energy Star Products listed. Please click on the Shop Maryland Energy Box on this page for more details. Shop Maryland Resources Exempt vs. Taxable Purchase Tax-Free-Week FAQ Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Fact Sheet Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Poster 1 11x7 PDF Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Poster 2 11x7 PDF Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 1 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 2 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 3 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 4 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 5 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 6 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 7 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 8 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 9 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 10 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 11 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Social Media Graphic 12 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Poster 1 11x7 Spanish PDF Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Poster 2 11x7 Spanish PDF Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 1 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 3 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 4 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 5 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 6 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 7 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 9 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 10 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 11 Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week Graphic Spanish 12 For more information: Call (800) MD-TAXES or (410) 260-7980 from Central Maryland Shop Maryland Energy Maryland's Tax Free Weekend for Certain Energy Star Products Consumers will receive a break from the state's 6 percent sales tax on qualifying Energy Star products from Saturday February 18 – Monday February 20, 2023. During this Tax-Free Weekend, qualifying Energy Star products are tax free: Air conditioners Washers and dryers Furnaces Heat pumps Boilers Solar water heaters (tax-exempt at all times now) Standard size refrigerators Dehumidifiers Programmable thermostats Compact fluorescent light bulbs Shop Maryland Energy weekend will occur in perpetuity (or until legislative amendment) from the Saturday immediately preceding the third Monday in February until the third Monday of February. Additionally, a tax free week on clothing and footwear priced $100 or less will occur every year during the second week of August. From 12:01 a.m. on Saturday February 18 – Monday February 20, 2023, qualifying ENERGY STAR products are exempt from Maryland's 6 percent sales tax. For additional information, please see our Frequently Asked Questions. More information on Shop Maryland Energy ENERGY STAR Maryland Energy Administration Energy.gov Maryland Department of the Environment Maryland Department of Natural Resources Chesapeake Bay Foundation Chesapeake Bay Trust BGE Smart Energy Saver Programs PEPCO Energy Saver Programs Delmarva Power Energy Saver Programs Washington Gas Maryland Energy Efficiency Programs SMECO Energy Saver Programs Potomac Edison Energy Saver Programs Shop Maryland and Save For the Holidays Every year the Comptroller of Maryland engages in Shop Maryland and Save for the Holidays campaign encouraging residents to buy from local businesses. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. COVID, Inflationary pressures and supply chain issues have made it even more challenging for both businesses and consumers alike to maintain a stable financial footing. Taking advantage of these great opportunities, there has never been a better time to shop locally and save. Each year our agency is thrilled to renew our partnership with the Maryland Retailers Association and the Maryland/DC Credit Union Association and many of their credit union members. Each year our agency is thrilled to renew our partnership with the Maryland Retailers Association and the Maryland/DC Credit Union Association and many of their credit union members. They will offer a variety of rewards programs for shopping Maryland this holiday season. Select a credit union below for more details. Together we strive to keep the lights on by shopping local, shopping Maryland. Press events: Check out the list of participating Credit Unions, and see how they are ready to help you shop local: Double Points: Destinations Credit Union Educational Systems Federal Credit Union Freedom Federal Credit Union Johns Hopkins Federal Credit Union Labor Credit Union MECU SECU Gift Cards: Destinations Credit Union Rebates: First Financial FCU Cash Prizes: NYMEO Visa Rewards: APG Federal Credit Union Baltimore County Employees Federal Credit Union Freedom Federal Credit Union Point Breeze Credit Union United State Senate Federal Credit Union Low Interest Rate Loans APG Federal Credit Union Market USA Federal Credit Union Post office Credit Union of Maryland Discover More Special Offers from Participating Credit Unions: GPO Federal Credit Union Tower Federal Credit Union *Please check with participating credit unions for the run dates of the listed promotions. Downloadable Graphics for Social Media and Print: Shop Maryland Poster JPG - Shop Maryland Challenge Shop Maryland Poster 8.5x11 PDF Shop Maryland Poster with Crop Mark 8.5x11 PDF Shop Maryland Poster with White Border 8.5x11 PDF Shop Maryland Poster 11x17 PDF Shop Maryland Poster with Crop Mark 11x17 PDF Shop Maryland Poster with White Border 11x17 PDF Shop Maryland 4x9 Rack Card Shop Maryland Rack Card with Crop Mark Shop Maryland Rack Card Front and Back JPG Shop Maryland Rack Card Front and Back 2 JPG Financial Literacy The Comptroller of Maryland is a strong proponent of financial literacy education. The Agency has worked diligently with public and private partners to foment the adoption of financial literacy graduation requirements, new programs and course work introduced in every school district across Maryland, along with the creation of finance parks allowing students to test their knowledge in real world situations. April is recognized as financial literacy month. Children as young as three can grasp basic fiscal concepts and by seven years old they have developed financial habits that will carry through their entire lives. It is never too early to start teaching good fiscal behavior to set up a lifetime of success for your children. Teach your children the value of a dollar. It is also never to late to learn about financial literacy and begin building a stable economic future for you and your family. Below are more helpful links on financial education and how to get help to make positive changes for your fiscal future: Maryland Coalition for Financial Literacy Maryland Council on Economic Education U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission Junior Achievement of Central Maryland Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore Junior Achievement of Greater Washington Cash Campaign of Maryland U.S. News & World Report's 2021 Credit Card Guide