Maryland

Trickle-Down Taxation: Maryland Residents Facing 'Rain Tax'

Faced with EPA orders to reduce stormwater runoff into the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland has required its 10 largest counties to institute a so-called rain tax on property owners.

How to Do Your Taxes if You're a Same Sex Married Couple

2012 was a banner year for the gay marriage movement, but there's still a shadow hanging over the celebrations of those victories: In the eyes of the federal government, couples in legal same-sex marriages are still single. Here's how that affects their taxes.

Super Bowl Kickoff Return for TD Scores Fans Free TVs, Furniture

When the Baltimore Ravens' Jacoby Jones opened the second half of the Super Bowl with a 108-yard kickoff return, he didn't just put the game out of reach: He also won some lucky shoppers a lot of free stuff.

Estate Tax Is Alive and Well, and States Are Dying for the Revenue

The fiscal-cliff compromise kept the federal estate tax exemption at its former level of $5 million, but many state governments are imposing estate or inheritance taxes on more modest amounts.

Gay Marriage, Good Business: A Financial Argument for Equality

Arguments in favor of gay marriage are typically centered on ideas of justice. But there's also a strong financial case to be made for giving gay and lesbian couples marriage equality, and that case is winning support from major business leaders.

These Are Most and Least Charitable States - but Why?

Earlier this month, Mint.com published a map of the most and least generous states when it comes to charity. Since then, personal finance writers have struggled to find a pattern to explain why some states give so much more to the less fortunate than others don't.

Fighting Off Foreclosure: One Woman's Three-Year Ordeal

When even a single home goes into foreclosure, the effects can be far reaching. In the case of Dee, when she faced foreclosure on her home in Prince George's County, Maryland, the potential hardship extended well beyond her immediate family.

The 5 Richest and 5 Poorest States in America

Median household income in the United States declined for the second straight year in 2011, the Census Bureau reports -- falling more than 8% below its 2007 pre-recession peak. But some states are faring far better than the average -- and, of course, some are faring far worse.

Save a Bundle on Back-to-School with Sales Tax Holidays

When times are tough, every penny counts. That's why shoppers look forward to what has become an annual summer ritual in many states: the chance to avoid sales tax on certain purchases.

Same-Sex Spouses Still Tripped Up By Financial, Legal Tangles

Due to the Defense of Marriage Act, there are fundamental conflicts about same-sex marriage between state and federal laws -- and between states -- that create double worlds for gay marrieds in nearly every area of their financial lives.

Maryland May Ban Employers from Demanding Facebook Passwords

Maryland is poised to become the first state to ban employers from demanding applicants or workers hand over their log-in information for social media sites like Facebook. The measure handily passed the legislature earlier this month, and now awaits the governor's signature.

America's 10 Worst States for Fraud

When times are hard, fraud often gets worse. Americans are under great financial pressure, and there is no shortage of criminals waiting to take advantage of it. 24/7 Wall St. examined the 10 states that had the most per-capita fraud complaints.

Doing Good to Do Well Gets a Legal Boost in California

You might not yet have heard of "B corporations" -- these companies with the dual missions of boosting social good and generating profits are a relatively new idea. But thanks to a recent California decision to make that social mission legally binding, the idea is poised to really take off.

A Veterans Benefit That Far Too Many Vets Overlook

Only a third of elderly veterans are receiving the full health care benefits they're entitled to, according to the government, and Aid and Attendance is among the most overlooked. For those who qualify, the nearly $2,000 a month it provides could be godsend -- if they know to apply.

False Deeds in Md.: More Foreclosure Fraud Emerges

As if we needed more proof of the outlaw actions of banks and their agents, The Baltimore Sun reports that 1,000 or more Maryland deeds are likely forgeries created by a foreclosure mill. If the accusation is true, the false deeds will create a nightmare for the innocent people who bought the homes.

High Heating Oil Prices Continue to Drain Wallets

Winter in the Northeast was particularly brutal this year, but not enough to account for the likely record prices. Blame crude oil's recent price jump for that. But the chills could become even worse if Obama's proposed cut in low-income energy subsidies passes.