Financial Checklist for Adoption and Surrogacy

Welcoming a new child into your family is exciting — but with the excitement come additional expenses. If you’re growing your family through surrogacy or adoption, you’ll need to factor unique costs into your budget.

Here are four costs to keep in mind when planning to adopt or use a surrogate:

• Pregnancy Costs: In-vitro fertilization can cost $30,000 or more. In the case of surrogacy, an egg or sperm donation can cost at least an additional $30,000 or $3,000, respectively. Depending on your health insurance, these expenses may or may not be covered.
• Agency Fees: Using an agency to locate a donor or surrogate mother could cost $20,000 or more in fees, says adoption and reproductive law attorney Michelle Hausmann. If you’re adopting, see if you qualify for the federal adoption tax credit. It may help you recoup some of the costs.
• Carrier Fees: A surrogate is typically paid $25,000 to $35,000, in addition to reimbursements for expenses such as doctor’s visits, health insurance, lost wages, home study evaluations, psychological counseling, and maternity clothes.
• Legal Fees: Depending on whether you’re adopting or using a surrogate, legal services such as contract creation and court representation can cost $10,000 or more.

Learn more about budget planning for adoption and surrogacy in this article.