• 
• 
• 

Several military retirees have come to the Fort Meade Tax Center seeking assistance after receiving a letter from the Comptroller of Maryland.

The letter states that the taxpayers have improperly taken a retirement exclusion on their 2008 taxes. The letter also reports a balance due, which is usually several thousand dollars.

If you receive such a letter, call the Comptroller of Maryland before you submit payment to verify whether or not you improperly reported your retirement income in 2008.

The letter reads:

"According to our records, you either overstated the allowable pension exclusion amount, or claimed a pension exclusion that you were not entitled to, pursuant to Maryland law. As a result, your total subtraction modifications have been adjusted to eliminate or reduce the pension exclusion. The adjustment to your account resulted in a balance due as follows ... "

According to one representative at the Comptroller's Office, many of these letters were sent to retirees who had, in fact, properly reported their retirement income on their 2008 Maryland Income Tax Return.

The representative encourages everyone who has received such a letter to call the Comptroller's Office to have their case reviewed before submitting payment.

If you have received such a letter, call the Comptroller of Maryland at 1-800-648-9638 to contest your liability.

For further assistance, call the Fort Meade Legal Assistance Office and Fort Meade Tax Center at 301-677-9536/9762.

Do not submit payment until someone has reviewed your case.