Brooke Lierman

Brooke Lierman Comptroller of Maryland

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

Comptroller Initiatives

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 2024 is Sunday, August 11 - Saturday, August 17.

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.

For more information:
Call (800) MD-TAXES or (410) 260-7980 from Central Maryland

Tax-Free Week FAQ

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 15 - Monday February 17, 2025. 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 15 - Monday February 17, 2025, 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

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: