Maryland Taxpayer Advocate Elena Fowlkes led a conversation during the MACPA's monthly town hall meeting on May 15 that focused on the responsibilities of the state's Office of the Taxpayer Advocate and examined Maryland's Taxpayer Bill of Rights in detail. If you missed the meeting, here are three key takeaways:

1. What does the OTA do?

Maryland’s Office of the Taxpayer Advocate is responsible for serving as the voice of Maryland taxpayers agency-wide to resolve complex tax issues while regularly compiling data to identify and make strategic recommendations on solutions to address systemic challenges. 

2. How can they help?

Among the areas in which the Taxpayer Advocate can help are:

• Guidance and support: The OTA can offer taxpayers guidance and support regarding policies, processes, and procedures and information on how to efficiently resolve problems with the Comptroller’s office.
  
  
• Systemic advocacy: The OTA works to proactively identify and recommend solutions for systemic challenges to improve Maryland’s tax system and to ensure that it works for all Marylanders.
  
  
• Individualized assistance: The OTA will work one-on-one with taxpayers who have been unable to resolve their issues after trying to work through the ordinary channels.
  
  
• Taxpayer rights advocacy: The OTA will promote the Comptroller’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights to ensure that taxpayers know their rights as taxpayers.

3. What's the Taxpayer Bill of Rights?

The Maryland Taxpayer Bill of Rights reflects the commitment of the comptroller to uphold the highest standards of fairness, transparency, and service in administering the state’s tax system. The following principles guide every interaction, reflecting the comptroller's commitment to treating all taxpayers with dignity, respect, and equity while fulfilling their tax obligations.

• The right to accurate and accessible information.
• The right to transparency and simplification.
• The right to service and assistance.
• The right to privacy and security.
• The right to pay no more than the correct amount of tax.
• The right to challenge a comptroller decision.
• The right to representation and advocacy.
• The right to finality.
• The right to feedback and accountability.
• The right to a fair and just tax system.

CONTACT THE TAXPAYER ADVOCATE

CPAs can send questions and feedback to Fowlkes at Efowlkes@MarylandTax.gov or TaxpayerAdvocate@MarylandTaxes.gov, or by calling (410) 260-6222.

LEARN MORE HERE

If you'd like to watch the May town hall meeting in its entirety, it will be replayed at 9 a.m. ET on June 13. Get details and register here.

RESOURCES

• Visit the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate.
• Download slides from the May meeting.
• View the results of our polling questions.
• Watch past town halls (without CPE) at MACPA.org/new-townhalls.
• Special thanks to the folks at Avantax for sponsoring the meeting. Find out how Avantax can help you by calling Samantha Dunn at (330) 690-0604, or by visiting Avantax.com.