One of the huge issues in a surrogacy arrangement is money. Intended parents don’t want to feel nickeled and dimed to death and surrogates don’t want to appear nit picky or greedy. Although a base fee has been set there are the extra fees that are involved in every surrogacy arrangement: Co-payments for doctors appointments, transfer fees, new prescriptions or over the counter medications, maternity clothing, lost wages, and even gas and parking. Discussing money can be distasteful at best to downright uncomfortable. Resentment can set in on both sides of the table when reimbursements are due and payments are late.
The best way to solve the compensation problems is by having someone holding the surrogates fees in an escrow account. If Intended Parents are working with a first time surrogate with insurance this amount could be between $18,000 and $22,000. Yes, that is a lot of hard earned money to have in an non-interest baring account but it’s best to have everyone involved know that if there is a pregnancy the money is there and ready. If, and I mean IF, there is no pregnancy, then any money not used will be returned back to the IP’s.
There are several attorney’s that specialize in reproductive law that can hold escrow for Intended Parents. Ask your agency or your attorney to suggest a reliable firm and look forward to concentrating on your relationship rather then the money issues with your surrogate.
