Maryland Inheritance Tax Repealed

4/11/2000--Maryland's Legislative Assembly for the year 2000 passed the only significant tax bill for this session, a bill to abolish the inheritance tax for lineal heirs and siblings.

House Speaker Casper R. Taylor Jr. favored abolishing the tax completely while Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller supported a bill that would have repealed the tax only for certain heirs--children, grandchildren, spouses, etc.

In the end, Senator Miller won the battle and the final version of the bill eliminated the tax paid by direct lineal heirs as well as siblings.  Collateral heirs such as nieces and nephews still must pay the inheritance tax.

Governor Parris Glendening must now sign the bill that he helped pass during the late hour negotiations for it to become law.  The Governor supported a cut in the inheritance tax, but not full repeal.

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60 Plus State Inheritance Tax Efforts

Source: The Baltimore Sun (http://www.sunspot.net/)