Intended Parents

Surrogacy Cost Planning: How to Prepare

Surrogacy is a life-changing journey, and understanding the financial aspects is crucial in helping you decide if it’s the right choice for you.

Whether just starting to explore surrogacy or you have been seriously considering it, having a clear understanding of your surrogacy cost breakdown can help you plan your finances.

Contact our team today to learn how to find the right surrogate and manage your expenses effectively.

This article explains what goes into your overall cost of surrogacy, how to prepare to pay for it and what choices you make that will impact cost.

Financial Preparation for Surrogacy Expenses

Knowing what your surrogacy cost breakdown is made up can go a long way in helping determine if it’s right for your situation.

When it comes to how to save money for surrogacy, here are a few things to think about:

Ask for a Surrogacy Cost Breakdown

The professional you work with directly impacts your journey to parenthood.

Their services, and costs of those services, are an integral piece to the puzzle and you should ask any professional you are considering working with how their costs impact your timeline and ability to become a parent.

Here’s an example of where your investment goes when it comes to working with a professional for surrogacy.

Service	Cost
Agency Fees	21%
Surrogate Compensation	35%
Screening and Matching	21%
Legal Costs	11%
Medical Costs	12%

Evaluate Current Expenses

Cost is a common concern for those looking to grow their family. If assisted reproductive technology (ART) can help make your dreams of parenthood a reality, one of the ways to prepare for the cost is to look at where your money currently goes.

Having wiggle room on things like bills, your mortgage, car payments and more can help alleviate some of the costs that come with surrogacy.

Discuss Savings Strategies

In addition to looking at your current expenses, you could consider additional savings strategies to help you afford surrogacy on a budget.

This could come in the form of downsizing, like moving to a smaller living space, or completely cutting non-essential costs, like not going on vacations during this time period or reducing how much you go out to eat or shop.

Research Financing Options

There are a number of resources when it comes to financial help for surrogacy, family-building organizations offer grants and loans to help you afford the cost of surrogacy.

If cost is a concern for you, you could pre-apply to grants and loans to see if you are eligible.

Use a Surrogacy Cost/Loan Calculator

A surrogacy cost or loan calculator can help you during the planning stages of your journey. Sunfish is an excellent example of a professional that can help with affording surrogacy, offering loans with surrogacy payment schedules.

Use their loan repayment calculator to see what your payments could look like

Plan for Unexpected Costs

When it comes to affording surrogacy, a good rule of thumb is to plan for more than you are expecting to pay for.

In addition to the variable costs that were discussed above, unplanned circumstances can result in additional cost which could be an issue if you haven’t budgeted for it.

Family Equality recommends creating a dedicated savings account for surrogacy, the same way you would for other large investments like your child’s college education, a vacation or a new home.

Use a Financial Advisor

Another professional you can utilize when it comes to your preparation for surrogacy costs is a finical advisor.

With their experience and expertise, you can get a better understanding of what your costs are and how you can prepare for them based on your specific budget or income.

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What Are My Surrogacy Expenses?

If you know surrogacy is an option for your circumstances, then it’s important to know how you’re going to pay for it. Surrogacy averages $150,000-$179,000+ in cost based on the choices you make for your journey.

In terms of your surrogacy expenses, think of them as two categories, fixed fees and variable costs:

Fixed Fees

These fees are made up of the resources and services provided by your surrogacy professional to make your journey as smooth and straightforward as possible. Examples include marketing and advertising, surrogate and intended parent screening and more.

From your surrogate’s insurance coverage to their medical screening, you’ll be responsible for any of their medical fees as well as your own.

On the legal side of things, both sides will need legal representation to protect the rights of everyone involved. Legal fees could include any of your surrogate’s legal fees or the administrative legal duties your agency helps you complete.

Surrogates are compensated for helping to make your dreams of becoming a parent a reality. In addition to base pay, these fees can also include reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, any lost wages and more.

Variables Costs

IVF: IVF is a variable cost because different clinics have different costs. From the medications they use to the procedures and what they charge, this can look different depending on who you work with.
Varied Surrogate Experience and Location: Depending on your surrogate’s experience with surrogacy and where she lives, you may end up paying more.
Intended Parent Travel: Your surrogate may travel to you or your clinic before the delivery. If that’s the case, you’ll need to prepare for the different aspects of travel, from the price of gas if it’s local to the price of a bus or plane ticket if your surrogate lives further away.
Newborn Expenses: Although this is typically a cost that can be covered by your health insurance, newborn expenses can vary depending on the child’s needs.

Learn more about how much money you need for surrogacy

What Is the Most Expensive Part of Surrogacy?

The most expensive part of surrogacy is the base compensation your surrogate will earn. Surrogacy is a life-changing journey for everyone involved and the emotional and physical commitment they’re making to help you become a parent requires meaningful compensation.

How Your Circumstances May Impact Surrogacy Expenses

We covered the fixed fees and variable costs that make up your surrogacy expenses.

On top of those expenses, the specifics of your situation will also impact your preparation for surrogacy. Examples of things that could impact your cost include:

IVF Cycles: IVF averages $14,000-$20,000 per cycle and it’s not uncommon for multiple IVF cycles needed to achieve a pregnancy.
Donor Gametes: If you need donor eggs, the cost of donor eggs will vary depending on where you obtain them and how many they sell as some have a cost per donor egg and others charge for a cohort.
Insurance: Knowing whether surrogacy is or is not covered by insurance can significantly affect your surrogacy cost. RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, has an updated map of states with fertility insurance coverage laws. Reputable surrogacy agencies can help you look over your policy to determine whether or not you’re covered. If needed, they can help you find gap insurance.
Surrogate Compensation: Your surrogate earns compensation that can change based on her experience with surrogacy and cost of living where she resides.

Surrogacy Cost Timeline Breakdown

In terms of preparation for your surrogacy expenses, knowing when these costs are required allows you to budget accordingly for up-front costs that may be more significant than others as well as costs that may come up later on in the process.

It is heavily dependent on the professional you work with; here are some examples of how professionals may structure their payment timeline for surrogacy expenses:

Payment due at activation à Payment due at match
Payment due at activation à Payment due at match à Payment due after legal clearance
Payment due at initial meeting à Payment due to hire agency à Payment due after medical clearance

Financial Help for Surrogacy

Raising money for surrogacy is more possible than ever through options such as

Traditional businesses like banks have begun to offer loans for fertility treatments and surrogacy.

Talk to your employer. Some employers provide fertility benefits that help with the cost of surrogacy.

There are family-building professionals that offer grants for those looking to grow their family but are dealing with infertility issues.

A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is a common way intended parents have helped pay for their surrogacy. It’s only paid back when you start using it. The limits for a HELOC are typically much higher than credit cards.

There are several ways to fundraise to help grow your family. There are traditional avenues like benefits or community events and newer avenues online like GoFundMe or Kickstarter.

Some families save for years before growing their family. You can use some of your savings for this life-changing opportunity or unexpected costs that arise along the way.

Grants

Loans

No matter how long you have been waiting to experience what parenthood is like is too long. Contact us online to learn more about surrogacy as a way to help grow your family and a personalized breakdown of your surrogacy expenses based on your circumstances paired with guidance on how to start your journey.