Cedulie Renee Laumann

Attorney Cedulie Laumann is the managing attorney and founding member of small law firm in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The firm handles real estate, small business, and estate/trust matters.

She enjoys helping clients reach positive solutions to their legal needs. Her firm employs innovative "flat fee" billing arrangements and fee options outside the traditional hourly based approach.

"Legal Answers & Representation Relevant to YOUR needs!"

• General Civil

• Free Consultation
  10 minute no-cost free phone consult. Call 410-216-7000. We can answer many quick questions for free, or browse our website for common answers to deed, trust and other questions. Or schedule a private, in-depth consultation (1hr - 1.5 hrs) with Managing Attorney (10-20 years experience) for a flat $300 consult fee for most matters. 100% of the paid consult fee is applied towards estate planning
• Credit Cards Accepted
  Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express Credit cards are only accepted for attorney fees, not for any government fees, third party fees or taxes.
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  10 min no cost initial consult by phone or email. Flat fee consultations for up to 1.5 hour attorney meeting. Flat fee billing option for most matters we handle, including Estate Planning (Trusts, Wills, etc.), Business Formation (LLCs, etc.) and Real Estate (Deeds, contracts, etc.) See our pricing guide on our website for representative fees or call us. While all the firm's clients are given clear understanding of fees up-front, this list is not a promise to represent, some situations may require additional work and no attorney/client relationship is formed unless we meet and both agree.

Maryland

Since 2003

managing attorney

Arden Law Firm, LLC

Current

Adjunct Faculty

St. Joseph's University

Current

University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

Honors: Order of the Coif Top 10% of Graduating Class

Maryland State Bar

Member

2003 - Current

Q. Can I move inherited MD property to my trust with step-up basis?

March 7, 2025

A: Although an attorney cannot answer specific questions about a specific Trust without seeing the Trust terms, generally speaking there is a stepped-up basis for inherited property. There are different kinds of Trusts and the post doesn't say what kind is involved here but for a typical Revocable Trust there should be a full stepped up basis, (the answer is more complicated for any type of Irrevocable Trust).

So if property goes from Parent to Child after the Parent's death, the child receives a stepped-up basis.

What happens next depends on what the Trust says. Property must be distributed the way the Trust says. In some Trusts, there is room for keeping things going in the same trust for the benefit of the next generation. However, if the Trust says distribute to parent's 2 children free and clear of further Trust, then the 2 children would get this out of the trust in their names and it would need to pass through children's hands (even if immediately going somewhere else). If after receiving the property from a parent, a Child then sets up their own Revocable Trust that benefits themselves during their lifetime, then Child's own children after Child's death, the Child's descendants would themselves get a new stepped up basis (assuming that is still a part of tax law at the time of distribution).

Since your questions are tax-related it would be well advised to seek the advice of a qualified tax professional who can look at the specifics and assist with your tax return(s).

While not legal advice I hope the above information helps. ... Read More

Q. I am having trouble with my landlord in pg county regarding being unlicensed for years without my knowledge since 2021

February 3, 2025

A: Because an online post can only offer general information you may want to talk to a local landlord/tenant attorney regarding your specific situation.

Generally speaking, a landlord in Maryland can increase rents at any lease renewal UNLESS there is a specific local rule that applies. The law in Prince George's County capping rent increases is new (2024) and does not apply to all landlords. It actually is mostly limited to corporate landlords (rentals operated by a corporation or LLC) or private individuals who operate many rentals. For example, Landlords who personally own 5 or less rental properties are exempt. It isn't clear from your post how many rental units your Landlord owns or whether they are rented personally or through an entity.

Many cities/towns in Prince George's County do not fall under DPIE, for example properties in Bowie, College Park, Greenbelt, Laurel, etc. and you'd need to check the rules that apply to the specific property. In some situations a property owner in the general area to register with DPIE may not need to register their rental at all, for example if the owner is in the military and rent out their home while deployed. An attorney would need more facts to analyze and you might want to contact a real estate attorney located in Prince George's County who may have a better handle on the nuances of the different town licensures in your county.

Sometimes conditions in a home are so poor that they render the home unlivable. For example, if a unit has no working heat or running water, the law may allow the tenant to avoid paying rent until the conditions are fixed. Maryland law has a type of case called "rent escrow" to address these types of extreme issues -- You can find out more through the Maryland Judiciary at https://www.courts.state.md.us/legalhelp/webinars/rentescrow

While not legal advice and not a substitute for talking with a local landlord/tenant attorney I hope this general information helps. ... Read More

Q. I am the sole beneficiary, executor, and holder of healthcare and durable powers of attorney for my 98-year-old mother.

February 3, 2025

A: As another attorney noted, planning documents valid when created remain valid when the planner moves.

That said, if the planner is still competent, it can be a good idea to re-do financial Powers of Attorney in the new state, among other reasons because institutions in that state will be more familiar with their own state's statutory requirements and the POA will not get bogged down in legal review at some bank or other institution. Of course, it isn't always possible to redo planning documents after a move.

While not legal advice I hope this general information helps.