A charge labeled “Comp of Maryland Dir Db RAD” on your bank statement is a direct debit payment to the Comptroller of Maryland, pulled by the agency’s Revenue Administration Division. In almost every case, it’s a state tax payment you authorized when you e-filed a Maryland return and owed a balance.
What the Descriptor Actually Says
The abbreviation packs four pieces of information into one line. “Comp of Maryland” is the Comptroller of Maryland, the state’s chief fiscal officer and the agency that collects state taxes. “Dir Db” is direct debit, meaning the funds were pulled electronically from your account rather than charged to a card or sent by check. “RAD” is the Revenue Administration Division, the arm of the Comptroller’s office that processes returns, receives payments, and maintains taxpayer records.1Maryland State Archives. Maryland Manual Online – Comptroller of Maryland2Office of Legislative Audits. Comptroller of Maryland – Revenue Administration Division Audit Report Put together, it’s a tax payment pulled by the division inside the Comptroller’s office that handles revenue.
Why the Charge Showed Up
If you e-filed a Maryland state return and owed money, you were offered the option to pay by direct debit. Choosing it means you gave your bank routing number, account number, and a withdrawal date during filing. The Comptroller then pulls the amount on or around that date.3Comptroller of Maryland. Direct Debit FAQ That’s the charge.
This trips people up most often when they got a federal refund the same filing season. You see the IRS deposit, feel done with tax season, and then a few days or weeks later a withdrawal labeled “Comp of Maryland Dir Db RAD” shows up for a different amount. The two are unrelated transactions. The IRS sent you a federal refund; Maryland is collecting what you owed on your state return.4Intuit TurboTax Community. Comp of Maryland Dir Db Rad Community Discussion A federal refund doesn’t offset a state balance; each government collects separately.
Less commonly, the same descriptor can represent an estimated tax payment, an installment under a payment plan, or a business tax payment made through the Comptroller’s bFile system or the Maryland Tax Connect portal.5Comptroller of Maryland. Tax Payment Options Direct debit is also the method used for employer withholding and sales and use tax filings submitted through bFile.6Code of Maryland Regulations. COMAR 03.01.02.04 – Electronic Payment Methods If you run a business or filed quarterly, check whether one of those is the source before assuming it’s your annual return.
You Cannot Cancel the Payment Through the Comptroller
Once you authorize a direct debit through the Comptroller’s system, the Comptroller cannot cancel it or change the account information.3Comptroller of Maryland. Direct Debit FAQ If you entered the wrong account number, authorized the wrong amount, or want to stop the pull, your recourse runs through your bank, not the state. Any resulting bank fees, penalties, or interest from a misdirected payment are your responsibility.
A few other mechanics worth knowing. The account you use must be at a U.S. financial institution; foreign accounts are not accepted.3Comptroller of Maryland. Direct Debit FAQ If a payment is returned or dishonored, the Comptroller charges a $30 fee on top of whatever your bank charges you.7Comptroller of Maryland. Business Tax Tip – Collection Actions
What If You Didn’t Authorize It?
If you didn’t file a Maryland return, don’t owe Maryland taxes, and never gave anyone your bank information for a state payment, the charge needs attention. Start with the obvious checks. Did a spouse, tax preparer, or accountant file on your behalf and schedule the payment? Did you authorize an installment under an older payment plan that’s still running? Did a business you own or co-own make a filing? Those account for most “I didn’t authorize this” calls that turn out to be authorized after all.
By definition, a direct debit is initiated by the account holder providing authorization, so a true “Dir Db” entry isn’t the format a state-initiated collection action would normally take. The Comptroller does have separate statutory authority to levy a bank account to satisfy an outstanding tax lien under Maryland Tax-General § 13-812, in which case the bank is required to seize the lesser of the account balance or the lien amount and the Comptroller must notify you by regular mail within ten business days with the lien details and instructions for challenging it. You can contest a levy by filing a motion in circuit court within ten days on grounds such as mistaken identity or an incorrect lien amount.8FindLaw. Maryland Code, Tax-General Section 13-812 A levy would typically show on your statement under a different descriptor, though, so if the charge is genuinely unexplained, call both your bank and the Comptroller to trace it.
How To Reach the Comptroller
If you want to confirm what the charge paid, dispute it, or ask about your account:
- Phone: 1-800-MDTAXES (1-800-638-2937) or 410-260-7980, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.9Comptroller of Maryland. Individual Tax Extension Information
- Branch offices: open the same weekday hours, with most services requiring an appointment booked through the Comptroller’s online portal.10Comptroller of Maryland. Office Locations
- Office of the Taxpayer Advocate: for issues you can’t get resolved through normal channels, reach the office at 410-260-6222 or TaxpayerAdvocate@marylandtaxes.gov.11Comptroller of Maryland. Office of the Taxpayer Advocate
Have your Social Security number, filing year, and the charge amount and date ready when you call. If the payment matches a return you filed, the representative can confirm it in seconds and you can move on.