Maryland Bookkeeping Services
We have kept Maryland books since 2005 — from Montgomery County’s biotech corridor to Baltimore’s harbor — and we know the state’s particular rhythm: no local gross-receipts license like Virginia’s BPOL, but an April 15 SDAT filing everyone forgets, county personal-property rates that swing from zero to the state’s highest, and a paid-family-leave program arriving on payroll in 2027. Dedicated bookkeepers from $75/month keep all of it filing-ready.
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Maryland organizations like the Center for Community Inclusion in Cockeysville and CPA partners like Jonathan Morris of Consonance Group in Kensington work with our dedicated bookkeepers — daily transaction logging, monthly reconciliations, tax-ready financials at $15/hour ($10/hour for CPA firms), and a 100% money-back guarantee on the first deposit.
On This Page
- Maryland’s small-business tax landscape
- The April 15 filing that isn’t your tax return
- Personal property: zero to $5.62, depending on your address
- FAMLI is coming to your payroll
- Maryland cities we serve
- Maryland FAQs
Maryland’s Small-Business Tax Landscape
| Tax / Filing | Rate / Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sales & use tax | 6% | Professional services like bookkeeping are NOT taxable; a 3% rate applies to data/IT/software services (since July 2025) — it can hit what you BUY |
| Corporate income tax | 8.25% | Flat rate on Maryland taxable income |
| Individual income tax | 2%–5.75% base; 6.25% / 6.5% top brackets (TY2025+) | Plus a 2% capital-gains surtax above $350K federal AGI |
| County “piggyback” income tax | 2.25%–3.30% | Based on where the individual LIVES, collected on the state return |
| SDAT Annual Report (Form 1) | $300 flat, every entity | Due April 15; online-only 2-month extension |
| Business personal property | $0 to $5.62 per $100 — county/city dependent | Reported with the SDAT Form 1; county bills separately |
| Unemployment insurance (2026) | Table A; wage base $8,500 | New-employer rate published on your BEACON notice |
Figures from Maryland Comptroller, SDAT, and MD Labor official sources (July 2026); confirm current-year specifics before filing.
The April 15 Filing That Isn’t Your Tax Return
Maryland skips Virginia-style gross-receipts licenses for most service businesses — but replaces the trap with SDAT’s Annual Report: $300 flat, due April 15, for every LLC and corporation, with the business personal property return riding along if you own equipment. Miss it and penalties stack toward forfeiture of your entity’s good standing — the failure mode we see most in Maryland, usually discovered when a bank or buyer runs a status check. (Selling goods? You may also need a trader’s license from your county’s Clerk of Court — retail inventory determines the fee.)
Personal Property: Zero to $5.62, Depending on Your Address
| Where your equipment sits | Combined personal property rate (per $100) |
|---|---|
| Frederick County (outside city limits) | $0 — the county levies none |
| Montgomery County (Bethesda, Silver Spring, Germantown) | $1.6855 |
| Rockville (city + county) | $2.4905 |
| Gaithersburg (city + county) | $2.2155 |
| Laurel (county rate within city; no municipal levy) | $2.1550 |
| Howard County (Columbia) | $2.61 |
| College Park (city + county) | $3.2480 |
| Greenbelt (city + county) | $3.8995 |
| Baltimore City | $5.62 — Maryland’s highest |
Same state, a 100% swing in equipment tax — which is why a maintained, correctly depreciated asset schedule matters more in Maryland than owners expect, and why WHERE you locate equipment is a real decision. Rates are the 2025–2026 SDAT levy-year figures.
FAMLI Is Coming to Your Payroll
Maryland’s paid family and medical leave program starts payroll deductions in January 2027 (0.9% of wages, split evenly employer/employee — though employers under 15 people pay only the employee half) with benefits beginning in 2028. Registration opens in fall 2026. It is a bookkeeping event as much as an HR one: payroll systems, liability accounts, and quarterly remittances all need a place in the books before the first deduction runs. Our payroll support clients will be ready without thinking about it.
Maryland Cities We Serve
Dedicated local guides: Bethesda · Rockville · Silver Spring · Gaithersburg · Germantown · Frederick · Columbia · Laurel · College Park · Greenbelt · Baltimore — plus Kensington, Chevy Chase, and every corner of the state.
Maryland Bookkeeping FAQs
Do I need a business license in Maryland?
For most service businesses — including consultants, agencies, and professional practices — no general license exists at the state or county level (a welcome contrast to Virginia’s BPOL). Businesses that sell goods need a trader’s license from the Clerk of the Circuit Court, priced by inventory value. What EVERY entity owes is the $300 SDAT Annual Report each April 15.
Which county income tax applies to my business?
The piggyback tax (2.25%–3.30%) follows where each person LIVES, not where the business sits — it flows through withholding for employees and through owners’ personal returns. All our target counties currently sit at or near 3.20%; Frederick County uses graduated brackets.
Is bookkeeping taxable in Maryland?
No — bookkeeping, accounting, and payroll services are not enumerated taxable services. But note the 3% sales tax on data and IT services in effect since July 2025: software and cloud services your business purchases may now carry it, and it belongs in your expense records correctly.
What changed in Maryland income taxes recently?
Tax year 2025 added top individual brackets of 6.25% and 6.5%, a 2% capital-gains surtax for high earners, and the local-tax cap rose to 3.30%. High-earning owners in Montgomery County and Baltimore feel these first — one more reason clean books and quarterly planning with your CPA matter.
Do you have offices in Maryland?
We are fully virtual — founded across the river in Vienna, Virginia in 2005 and headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico today. Maryland clients get a dedicated bookkeeper from $75/month with daily logging and a 100% money-back guarantee on the first deposit.
Related Resources
From the Beltway to the Harbor — Books Done Right
Dedicated Maryland bookkeeping from $75/month with a money-back guarantee on your first deposit.