How Much Does Surrogacy Cost in California?

For people who want to have children through surrogacy, California, one of the best states for surrogacy in the US, is the ideal place to make your dream come true. Apart from having clear, favorable laws regulating surrogacy, the Golden state is also home to some of the country’s leading fertility clinics and surrogacy agencies, making it a prime destination for both intended parents and surrogates.

But how much does surrogacy cost in California? What does the surrogacy cost typically cover? And what financing options are available to those who want to take this route to become a parent? Continue reading to get the answers to all these questions and many more.

The Cost of Surrogacy in California

The surrogacy cost in California varies on a case-to-case basis. Generally, intended parents can expect to spend between $100,000 and $210,000 to have a baby through surrogacy in California. Surrogacy Cost will depend on a number of factors, including the type of surrogacy, medical procedures required, the Surrogacy agency the parents partner with, etc.

To help you understand the surrogacy cost, we would like to explain the different expenses that you may incur during the surrogacy process.

Surrogacy Cost: The Break Down

The cost of surrogacy can be divided into several categories, such as agency fees, surrogate costs, medical expenses, legal fees, and miscellaneous expenses.

1.   Agency Fees

While intended parents also can choose to navigate the surrogacy process on their own (independent surrogacy), most people prefer to work with a reputable agency for their journeys. Surrogacy agencies offer a wide range of services to ensure the process goes smoothly and hassle-freely while making sure that all necessary legal requirements are met. These may include advertising, screening, matching, support, counseling, and overall coordination of the surrogacy professionals involved. Agencies charge a fee for their services, ranging between $20,000 and $ 32,000.

2.   Medical Costs

Surrogacy involves a lot of medical procedures, from surrogate screening to IVF and delivery. IVF is a fertility process where the eggs and sperm from the intended parents or paid egg donors / sperm donors  are “combined” to create embryos, which are then placed in the surrogate’s womb. One cycle of IVF costs around $12,000 to $15000. Bear in mind, though, that two or more cycles may be required to achieve a pregnancy. When you include the costs of medications, prenatal care, and delivery, the medical expenses can add up to $50,000 or even more.

3.   Legal Fees

Even if you are pursuing independent surrogacy, you will still need to hire an attorney to help you handle the “often complicated” legal aspects of the surrogacy process. The lawyers assist with the drafting and negotiation of the surrogacy contract and help establish the parentage of the surrogate baby. They also ensure that the rights of both the intended parents and surrogates are well-protected during the journey. Although legal fees vary by agency, the average cost ranges from $6,900 to $13,000.

4.   Surrogate Costs

The surrogate pay accounts for a significant portion of the surrogacy cost. Gestational carriers receive generous compensation for the effort, time, and sacrifice throughout the surrogacy process. The amount a surrogate gets depends on her level of experience, insurance coverage, course of the pregnancy, etc. The base payment for a surrogate in California is estimated at around $36,000 to $50,000.

5.   Miscellaneous expenses

In addition to the costs above, prospective parents also need to budget for extra expenses that may arise during the surrogacy journey. These include travel expenses (if the surrogate or intended parents have to travel for medical appointments), surrogate insurance, and other unexpected costs. It’s hard to put a figure on the possible miscellaneous expenses, as they vary based on individual circumstances.

Now that you know how much your surrogacy is likely to cost, you might wonder whether your insurance can help pay for some of the costs.

Does Insurance Cover Surrogacy in California?

Insurance companies don’t usually cover surrogacy pregnancy. However, California is one of the few states where they are mandated to pay for infertility treatments, but this does not include in vitro fertilization (IVF). So, it’s important to check with your would-be surrogate to know if she has insurance and what parts of her fertility treatment can be covered by her insurance.

Even when an insurance company covers a surrogacy pregnancy, they don’t usually pay for all the medical procedures required. Therefore, your gestational carrier needs to reach out to her insurer to know what’s covered and what’s not.

If the surrogate is uninsured, you may want to contact your insurance provider to find out what they do and do not cover regarding the surrogacy process.

How Can You Afford a Surrogacy in California?

Surrogacy can be costly, but that does not have to stop you from pursuing your dream of starting or growing a family. Below are the options intended parents can explore to be able to pay for a surrogacy journey in California:

●    Fundraising:

 As an intended parent, you may decide to start an online fundraiser or seek donations to finance your surrogacy journey. You can host an event to raise funds or sell something of value to get the money to cover the costs of having a baby via a surrogate.

●    Grants:

Several organizations award grants to people looking to become parents through surrogacy. Some of these include RESOLVE, Baby Quest Foundation, Journey to Parenthood, Pay It Forward Fertility Grants, and so on. You will have to submit an application, and if you fulfill the organization’s criteria, you may get a grant.

While some organizations may require a certain religious affiliation, others only provide grants to people from a particular state. In some cases, only those who are pursuing surrogacy due to infertility are able to get a grant. So, you may want to do your research on them and apply to those for which you qualify.

●    Home Equity Line of Credit:

 If you are a house owner, you can consider getting a home equity line of credit to fund your surrogacy in California. To qualify, you will need to have a strong credit score, sufficient income, a low debt-to-income ratio, and a good payment history.

●    Credit cards:

Another common financing option is using credit credits to pay your surrogacy costs. But credit credits often come with high-interest rates. So, if you are considering covering some of your surrogacy expenses, you should try to pay more than the minimum amount due every month, so you can offset the accrued balance more quickly.

●    Agency Financing Programs:

 Many surrogacy agencies will be able to offer you a payment plan for your surrogacy process, so you will have to pay the whole surrogacy cost in advance. Your agencies can also recommend financing programs, including fertility loans and grants, for you to consider. Speak with your surrogate representative to find out if they have any financing options for you.

●    Borrow from a 401 k:

 As a last resort, you may also dip into your retirement account to pay for surrogacy. However, borrowing from your 401K can have undesirable consequences, so you should understand the terms and conditions of the loan and ensure that you have a plan in place to repay the loan as quickly as possible.

The Takeaway

On average, the cost of a surrogacy journey in California can range from $100,000 to $210,000. However, the actual amount will depend on your agency, the services required, and many more. So, it’s important to conduct your research and get quotes from several clinics and agencies if you are considering building your family via surrogacy.