• Sign Up
  • Log In

Bernie Stephan

(415) 488-4567
Bernie@MarinSonoma.com
  • SELLING YOUR HOME
    • The Real Deal
    • Seller Resources
  • MARKET TRENDS
    • By County
    • Southern Marin
    • Ross Valley
    • San Rafael
    • Novato
    • West Marin
    • Petaluma
    • Cotati | Rohnert Park
    • Santa Rosa
    • Sebastopol
    • Sonoma Valley
    • Russian River
    • Sonoma Coast
  • RECENTLY SOLD
    • Southern Marin
    • Ross Valley
    • San Rafael
    • Novato
    • West Marin
    • Petaluma
    • Cotati | Rohnert Park
    • Santa Rosa
    • Sebastopol
    • Sonoma Valley
    • Russian River
    • Sonoma Coast
  • LIFE TRANSITIONS
    • Retirement Downsizing
    • Probate & Trusts
    • Divorce & Separations
Eco Realty
 
  • ECO-LOGIC
    • Eco-Logic Radio
    • Watersheds
  • BUYING A HOME
  • HOMES FOR SALE
    • Southern Marin
    • Ross Valley
    • San Rafael
    • Novato
    • West Marin
    • Petaluma
    • Cotati | Rohnert Park
    • Santa Rosa
    • Sebastopol
    • Sonoma Valley
    • Russian River
    • Sonoma Coast
  • ABOUT
    • Meet Bernie
    • Testimonials
    • Contact
  • Bernie Stephan(415) 488-4567
    Bernie@MarinSonoma.com
    Copy Email

SELLING YOUR HOME

    LIFE TRANSITIONS

      BUYING A HOME

        TESTIMONIALS

          MARKET TRENDS

            ECO-LOGIC RADIO

              HOMES FOR SALE

                CONTACT

                  RECENTLY SOLD

                    WATERSHEDS

                      MEET BERNIE

                        Eco Realty - Footer Logo
                        • Privacy
                        • Terms
                        • DMCA
                        • Accessibility
                        • Fair Housing
                        ©2026 Eco Realty. All rights reserved.
                        Website built by CloseHack.
                        BAREIS MLS

                        Listing information is being provided by the BAREIS Inc., MLS. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.

                        All data, photos, visualizations, and information regarding a property, including the property's compliance with state and local legal requirements and all measurements and calculations of area, have been obtained from various sources, and may include such material that has been generated by use of artificial intelligence. Such information and material have not been and will not be verified for accuracy by the listing broker or the multiple listing service, and are not guaranteed as complete, accurate or reliable. Such information and material should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. This information and material are intended for the personal use of consumers and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Copyright 2026, Bay Area Real Estate Information Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

                        Finance Legal & Estate Expenses

                        Finance Legal & Estate Expenses

                        Published 12/08/2025 | Posted by Bernie Stephan

                        Scrivnr is a lending service removes the stress and obstacles associated with hiring an attorney. You hire them to find you an attorney, pay for all the startup costs, and help you with all the non-legal tasks you need to accomplish. They act like your own private "virtual trust department." Scrivnr will also work with an attorney of your choosing if they are amenable.

                        Attorney Procurement

                        Finding the right attorney and having them call you back in a reasonable time is a full-time job in itself. That is why they have built a nationwide vetted attorney network that is eager and ready to help you. Scrivnr hand-pick an attorney in the jurisdiction (state/county) required and schedule an appointment at your convenience.

                        Payment For Start Up Costs

                        Hiring an attorney typically requires around $10,000 to pay for the start-up costs of a proceeding: attorney retainer ($5,000), Court fee ($1,200), Public Notice ($1,000), Fiduciary Bond ($500), and other costs. Most people do not have these funds or cannot wait 12-18 months to be reimbursed if they do. Scrivnr will front all the start-up costs for you.

                        Automated Scheduling

                        One of the slowest steps in any legal matter is having the attorney gather all the necessary client information and book the first productive meeting. Often taking more than 3 months to do. With Scrivnr's automated information gathering and scheduling system, we instantly provide the attorneys with the information they need for a productive first meeting. Their attorney partner must review and approve, saving you months of back and forth with a traditional attorney.

                        Complete Non-Legal Tasks

                        Numerous tasks can often be completed (with the right know-how) that can save you thousands of dollars. We can educate you and assist you in completing non-legal tasks.

                        Maintain Professional Accounting

                        If needed, they will set you up with a professional accounting service (QuickBooks, Xero, Freshbooks) so you can fulfill your fiduciary duty of maintaining the case's books and records. We will categorize every expense and produce financial reports.

                        Reporting

                        Scrivnr will produce quarterly reports for you that you can share with the case's interested parties. Providing a consistent and transparent report of all the case activity to family and interested parties reduces conflict and any undue mistrust. Additionally, in the event of any formal inquiries, you can instantly show all the activity and provide copies of communication to interested parties.

                        Legal Savings

                        Through their system, you can minimize the non-legal questions and tasks an attorney would charge you $500/hr (or more) to complete and save thousands of dollars. Scrivnr helps you isolate the actual legal needs of the process and provide the most efficient and cost-effective way to deliver the legal service you need.

                        • Trust and Probate
                        • Estate Administration
                        • Life Transitions

                        Related Articles

                        Keep reading other bits of knowledge from our team.

                          Request Info

                          Have a question about this article or want to learn more?