By Adam Chubbuck, Team Leader, Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty. Retired U.S. Navy Chief. Licensed in Maryland and Virginia.
A handful of real deadlines hit on December 31 in Maryland, and most homeowners sail right past them.
None of this takes long. Some of it is worth real money. Here is the list.
One note: I am a licensed Real Estate agent, not a CPA or an attorney. The tax items below are worth a conversation with a professional before you act on them.
1. File for the Homestead Tax Credit, If You Have Not
This is the big one and it has a hard December 31 deadline.
The Homestead Credit limits how much your taxable assessment can rise each year on your primary residence. Maryland requires every jurisdiction to cap it at 10 percent or less, and Anne Arundel County sets its limit at 2 percent, which is among the most protective in the state.
It requires a one time application, and it does nothing for you until you file.
If you bought in the last year or two and never filed, you are not getting the protection. Over a decade in a rising market, that difference is substantial.
How to check: go to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation Real Property Database, search your address, and your Homestead application status appears at the bottom of your property record.
Applications are due December 31 to be eligible beginning July 1 of the following year. The SDAT Homestead program is at 410-767-2165 or 1-866-650-8783.
This is the highest value ten minutes on this page.
2. Pay Your Second Half Property Tax by December 31
If you pay your Anne Arundel County property taxes semiannually, the balance is due December 31.
Two things worth knowing.
The second payment includes a service charge of 0.87 percent on the balance. If you have the cash flow to pay annually instead, you avoid it.
If your lender escrows your taxes and you would rather pay annually going forward, you must notify them by May 1 of your intent. Put that on the calendar now so you do not miss it in the spring.
3. Watch for Your Reassessment Notice
Maryland reassesses one third of all property each year on a three year cycle.
Anne Arundel County’s Area 3 is reassessed for January 1, 2027, which means those notices go out around the end of this year. Area 1 follows for January 1, 2028, and Area 2 for January 1, 2029.
If a notice arrives, do not file it unread.
Check the facts first. Square footage, bathroom count, basement finish status, lot size. Errors are more common than people expect, and a factual mistake is far easier to correct than a valuation argument.
Then decide whether the value is defensible. If your assessment is materially above what comparable homes near you are actually selling for, you may have grounds to appeal.
Appeal deadlines are tied to the notice, so act when it arrives rather than when you get around to it. I am happy to pull comps for you if you want a read on whether you have a case.
4. Apply for the Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit If You Qualify
Separate from Homestead, and income based rather than assessment based.
The Maryland Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit Program, with an Anne Arundel County supplement, grants credits based on household income. The county advises that anyone with combined gross household income below $60,000 should consider applying.
This one is significantly underclaimed, particularly among retirees and fixed income households who have owned their homes for decades.
Applications through SDAT at 410-767-4433 or 1-800-944-7403.
If this describes you or a family member, make the call.
5. Check Whether You Can Drop PMI
If you are on a conventional loan and put down less than 20 percent, you are probably still paying private mortgage insurance.
You may be able to stop.
Between principal paydown and the appreciation this county has seen, plenty of homeowners who bought two or three years ago now have enough equity to request removal. Redfin reported an Anne Arundel County median sale price of $553,377 over the three months ending July 2026, up 9.6 percent year over year.
Call your servicer and ask what they require. It typically involves reaching a certain equity threshold and may require an appraisal. The monthly savings can be meaningful and it costs you nothing to ask.
Note: FHA loans work differently, and VA loans have no monthly mortgage insurance at all.
6. Review Your Homeowners Insurance
Premiums have risen substantially in recent years and a lot of people are still on a policy they set up at closing and never looked at again.
Two things to do.
Shop it. Get quotes from two or three carriers and ask about bundling with auto.
Check your coverage amount. If your home has appreciated significantly, make sure your dwelling coverage actually reflects what it would cost to rebuild. Underinsurance is a quiet problem that only shows up at the worst moment.
7. Gather Your Documents If You Are Selling Next Year
If a 2027 sale is on your mind, use the slow weeks to get organized.
Find the paperwork: permits for any work you have done, receipts for major repairs and replacements, warranties, your HOA or condo documents, and your septic and well records if you are on private systems.
That file is worth real money at the negotiating table, and it is far easier to assemble now than in the week you go live.
8. Think About Timing If You Are Selling
If you are planning a sale, December is the month to make the decision rather than February.
Contractors who book out by March answer the phone in December. Prep work takes longer than people plan for, and the sellers who outperform in spring are consistently the ones who started in the off season.
And ask your CPA about timing, particularly if you expect a significant gain. The capital gains exclusion on a primary residence has ownership and occupancy rules, and which tax year a sale lands in can matter.
The Short Version
Do these before December 31:
- File for Homestead if you have not
- Pay your second half property tax
- Open your reassessment notice if one arrives
Do these soon:
- Call SDAT about the Homeowners’ Tax Credit if your household income is under $60,000
- Ask your servicer about dropping PMI
- Shop your homeowners insurance
- Gather your property paperwork if you may sell
Questions About Any of This?
If a reassessment notice shows up and you want to know whether the number is defensible, send it to me. I will pull the comps and tell you honestly whether you have a case.
Same if you are thinking about a 2027 sale and want to know where you stand. Start with a free Maryland home valuation or reach out to Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty.
Quick Answers
What is the deadline to file for the Homestead Tax Credit in Maryland?
December 31, to be eligible beginning July 1 of the following year. It is a one time application and it does nothing until you file. Check your status on the SDAT Real Property Database or call 410-767-2165.
When is my second half property tax due in Anne Arundel County?
December 31 if you pay semiannually. That second payment includes a service charge of 0.87 percent on the balance, which you avoid by paying annually.
What should I do if I get a property reassessment notice?
Read it. Check the factual details first, including square footage, bathroom count, and basement finish, since errors are common and easier to correct than valuation disputes. Then compare the assessed value against recent comparable sales. Appeal deadlines are tied to the notice date.
Can I stop paying PMI?
Possibly, on a conventional loan. Between principal paydown and appreciation, many homeowners who bought a few years ago now have enough equity to request removal. Call your servicer and ask what they require. FHA works differently and VA loans have no monthly mortgage insurance.
What is the Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit?
A Maryland program, with an Anne Arundel County supplement, that grants property tax credits based on household income. The county advises that anyone with combined gross household income below $60,000 should consider applying. Contact SDAT at 410-767-4433.
Tax credit deadlines, property tax payment schedules, service charges, and assessment cycle information reflect Anne Arundel County Government and Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation published guidance. Market figures reflect Redfin Anne Arundel County data for the three months ending July 2026. Programs, deadlines, and rates change. Verify current information directly with SDAT and Anne Arundel County, and consult a licensed tax professional. This is general information, not tax or legal advice.
I am Adam Chubbuck, Team Leader of Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty. Retired U.S. Navy Chief, licensed in Maryland and Virginia, and my team has sold in excess of 400 homes across the Baltimore to Annapolis corridor. Team Alpha Charlie is Zillow Preferred and serves buyers and sellers throughout Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and the surrounding markets, with deep experience supporting military, veteran, and Department of Defense families.
443-347-6692 | [email protected] | TACMD.com
Smile more,
Adam Chubbuck
