How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in Illinois?

Managing the costs of surrogacy in Illinois is a process intended families should plan for and carefully consider. With this brief guide, we go over several different fees and their purpose, and then we’ll discuss possible methods of fundraising.

If you’re a family or individual in Illinois looking for help planning for your surrogacy experience, contact us today. We’re here to help, and can connect you with knowledgeable experts capable of guiding you through this process.

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in Illinois?

The cost of surrogacy in Illinois ranges from $150,000 to $179,000+ on average. Depending on the professionals you choose to work with, this cost may go up past $200,000.

We understand these figures can be somewhat shocking for those newly considering surrogacy. While surrogacy is undeniably expensive, costs shouldn’t prevent you from building the family you’ve always dreamed of having. Intended parents who pursue surrogacy use all kinds of strategies to fund the process, and you can too.

Before we move on, here’s a quick breakdown of what you’re paying for with surrogacy, and why it’s important. 

 

An Example Surrogacy Cost Breakdown in Illinois

As we mentioned, your decisions on surrogacy professionals can have a huge impact on your overall cost. These decisions also impact how the funds are spent.

Different surrogacy agencies adjust their use of the funds based on your specific needs, your local area and their past experience, so every agency’s cost breakdown will look different.

Here’s an example of a break down from a hypothetical agency, to give you an idea of how your money might be used:

When you start the process of building your family, you will want professionals by your side that share your priorities and personalize their services to your unique situation. We can help you connect to a range of professionals, so you can pick the best option for your family. Contact us now for free information.

What’s a Realistic Income for Surrogacy?

There are no income requirements set for surrogacy. Anyone with enough funds can initiate the surrogacy process.

It may go without saying that intended parents with higher income will have easier access to the required funds. This has the tendency to make surrogacy look unattainable on paper, but in the real world this is not the case.

Intended parents come from all different kinds of financial backgrounds. The process may not be easy, but with enough dedication and careful planning, almost anyone can put together the funds for surrogacy.

What Value Do You Get for the Costs of Surrogacy?

Surrogacy is a complicated process, and for intended parents how their funds are being spent can be hard to keep track of. When you work with a surrogacy agency, your funding comes back to you in the form of beneficial services you may otherwise not have access to:

• Matching Quickly: When working with an agency, matching with potential surrogates could only take weeks – a marked improvement over the years of waiting experienced with other surrogacy professionals.
• Thorough Screening: Agencies screen prospective surrogates before matching them with families. This helps ensure intended parents are only matched with committed, capable surrogates who have a high probability of enabling a successful gestation. With other professionals, screening may only take place after families are matched.
• Financial Security: Agencies can help intended parents who experience high degrees of disruption retain their funds throughout the process, whether this means absorbing unexpected costs, filling gaps in insurance coverage on the intended parent’s behalf, or putting together a risk limitation plan to protect your financial assets in case of a surrogacy disruption.  

When considering the cost of surrogacy, make sure to ask any agency you are working with about their wait times, screening standards and financial protection.

Understanding the Cost of Surrogacy in Illinois

Surrogacy costs in Illinois are made up of several smaller fees. Understanding what these funds are and how they’re used can help intended parents gain a more complete picture of the surrogacy process.

How Much Does Surrogacy Cost with Insurance in Illinois?

 Insurance policies typically take one of three approaches.

1. Most policies don’t mention surrogacy at all. Most professionals agree this means no coverage is offered for surrogacy.
2. Some policies specifically state they do not cover surrogacy.
3. Rarely, insurance policies do cover some surrogate related costs. Most of the time this only covers direct medical expenses, however in some cases insurance might help with IVF or surrogacy compensation.

How Much Does a Surrogate Cost in Illinois?

In Illinois, surrogate compensation begins from $50,000 to $70,000+, but can go higher depending on surrogate experience, medical needs, cost of living in her local area and her relationship to the agency.

These fees aren’t just to compensate the surrogate for her dedication and the physical toll of pregnancy. Surrogate compensation is also used to pay for services essential to providing your child the best possible start in life, like medical expenses, medications and maternity clothes and lost wage compensation for the carrier.

How Much Does IVF and Surrogacy Cost?

The average cost of IVF in Illinois is around $14,000. The cost varies depending on the services you want included. Some quotes can go as low as $11,000, though that doesn’t include monitoring, which is a highly recommended service. Other quotes climb as high as $30,000.

Be aware that most surrogacy professionals don’t include the costs of IVF in their fee estimates. When considering your surrogacy budget, be sure to find out if IVF is included in your agency’s estimates and budget accordingly.

Affording Surrogacy in Illinois

Prospective parents in Illinois have many different options available to help fund their surrogacy. The most common and most accessible of these options is financing through loans.

Plenty of families have used loans to begin their life together; however, you should always be careful with financial decisions of this size. Carefully examine the terms, and consider the long term impact this may have on your family.

Apart from loans, there are several debt-free ways to help fund surrogacy. You can combine these methods to help supplement your loan, meaning you may not have to borrow as much as you would otherwise.

How to Pay for Surrogacy

Here are some of the things resourceful parents use to gather the funds required for surrogacy:

Surrogacy Agencies in Illinois

Surrogacy agencies are professional organizations that aim to take some of the burden of surrogacy off of you, so you can focus on building your family. This might mean taking care of legal concerns, setting up medical appointments or purchasing additional insurance.  If you’re looking for an agency in Illinois, here’s a few we recommend:

• American Surrogacy (Chicago, Naperville)
• ConciveAbilities (Chicago)
• The Illinois Center for Surrogacy (Skokie)
• Golden Surrogacy (Rockford, Springfield, and more)

Fertility Clinics in Illinois

Fertility clinics are central in surrogacy journeys. Working with attentive and caring professionals can make all the difference for your growing family. If you’re looking for fertility clinics in Illinois, here are a few we recommend:

• Fertility Center of Illinois
• Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago (Gurney, River North, and more)
• Chicago IVF (Orland Park, St. Charles, and Warrenville)
• Reproductive Medicine Institute (Naperville, Oakbrook, and more)

When Can I Get Started?

You don’t have to wait to begin creating the family you’ve always wanted. When you’re ready for that first step, contact us for more information. We can help connect you to like-minded experts who share your values and your priorities.