Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman is excited about tax season, telling WTOP during the first week of tax season that taxpayers can explore her office’s website and find resources to help them file on time.

As comptroller, Lierman is “the tax collector of Maryland — and also the tax refunder of Maryland,” a role she takes pride in.

She encouraged Marylanders to file their taxes online: “On average, we get out refunds within around three days for online filers, but it’s 17 days-plus if you file on paper.”

Taxpayers should explore the many tax credits they may qualify for, Lierman said.

“We have numerous state tax credits, including the earned income tax credit that is available to folks regardless of their status,” she said.

Unclaimed property day

In 2025, $4.2 billion in unclaimed property was returned to people nationwide.

“Unclaimed property is generally money that folks have not claimed for a certain number of years, and the institution that has it then remits it to us, and we hold it and try to reunite it with lost owners,” Lierman said.

In Maryland, the state’s unclaimed property system was updated in October to reduce wait times and make it easier for residents to reclaim their lost assets.

“That system will streamline the process of claiming your unclaimed property, and on the back end, for us to get it to you,” she said. “It will really streamline everything so we can get people their money more easily and more quickly.”

Tax free weekend

For anyone who’s been considering buying an energy-efficient appliance, Feb. 14-16 is the time to buy, at least in Maryland.

Lierman said that’s when anyone — you don’t have to be a Maryland resident — can buy a qualifying energy-efficient appliance and save money in the state.

“Because that is the weekend when you can save on that sales tax. We do not charge sales tax for Energy Star appliances,” she said. “So we always encourage people to consider, if they can, upgrading to those more energy efficient appliances that save you money every month.”

Normally, the taxes on washers, dryers, furnaces, boilers, full-size refrigerators and other qualifying appliances would come to 6% of the price of purchase.

Residents from out of state can purchase the appliances tax-free as well.

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Loyola University Maryland announced its first-ever eight-figure gift last month. Less than a week later, it announced another. Then two weeks ago, a third.

The trio of alumni gifts netted $32 million for the private Jesuit university in North Baltimore.

“These gifts mark an inflection point for Loyola University Maryland,” said Brian Oakes, the university’s vice president for advancement. “They are truly a signal that our alumni and our friends have confidence in the direction the university is going.”

The first gift, $10 million delivered by 1973 graduate John Cochran III and his wife, Patricia, at the start of December, was then the largest in university history. It will advance a scholarship fund for Baltimore-based students and establish a fund and center for faculty professional development.

Less than a week later, the university announced another $10 million gift, this time from 1974 graduate H. Edward Hanway and his wife, Ellen, to support the renovation and expansion of the university’s science center. The money will also create a leadership program for nursing students and establish an endowed professorship.

And last week, 1994 business school graduate Susan Bloomfield and her husband, Bill, gave the university $12 million to support the expansion of the science center and establish a scholarship fund for first-generation students.

“I am quite confident in the direction that the University is headed and the strategic decisions that have been made to ensure a robust future,” Susan Bloomfield said in a statement. “I am extraordinarily impressed with the results that Loyola is able to achieve with the success of its students.”

Oakes said these benefactors have long histories of generosity to the university and that “these gifts certainly didn’t happen overnight.”

Founded in 1852, Loyola University Maryland educates about 5,100 students. Just under 4,000 of them are undergraduates. About a third are Maryland residents, 56% are women and 34% are students of color. The university’s endowment is $345 million.

The cost of attendance at the private university for the 2026-27 academic year is estimated to be $61,810 — that includes tuition, housing and food. But according to the university’s website, 99% of students receive financial aid, and the average price for first-time students who receive need-based financial aid is $34,711.

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.

HARFORD COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Authorities have released bodycam video showing the moment officers and a Maryland State Police K9 found a missing teenager in the woods during a dangerous winter storm.

The Bel Air Police Department said the 15-year-old was reported missing on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 25, after leaving his home sometime between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. without his family’s knowledge.

At the time, severe winter weather was impacting the area, with heavy snowfall, snow-covered terrain, and sub-freezing temperatures raising urgent safety concerns, according to police.

SEE ALSO | ‘Essential water use only’ alert issued for 3rd day in Maryland

Bel Air officers said they immediately started searching the area, following footprints in the snow, spoke with residents in the neighborhood, and called other law enforcement agencies for assistance.

Given the worsening weather conditions and the proximity of nearby waterways, police asked for more resources and launched a multi-agency search.

Maryland State Police Senior Trooper Taylor Bracken and his bloodhound partner, K9 Margo, responded to the area to assist.

Officials said using scent tracking, the K9 team helped guide officers to the teen, who was ultimately found in a wooded area after being exposed to the elements for an extended period.

SEE ALSO | University of Maryland closes campus after heating system fails, again

Body-worn camera footage released by Bel Air Police shows officers and K9 Margo finding the teen in the woods and safely bringing him to help.

As a precaution, the teen was taken to a hospital for medical evaluation due to cold exposure. Police said he was later reunited with his family.

Authorities credited the successful outcome to quick action, teamwork, and the use of specialized K9 resources during severe weather conditions.