An escrow account, in general, is an account held by a third party on behalf of parties who are completing a transaction. In a surrogacy context, this is when a third party (escrow agent) is selected to hold the funds that will be provided to the gestational carrier and to disburse those funds according to the contract terms. Who is the escrow agent? Some surrogacy agencies offer internal escrow account services, Read More
What is a Gestational Surrogacy Agreement (GSA) and Why Do I Need One?
You’ve finally reached that exciting part of your journey where you’ve found a surrogate, cleared all the medical and psychological expectations, and are ready to start the transfer process! The last thing your clinic tells you that you need to do is work with an attorney to draft a gestational surrogacy agreement (GSA) (also called a gestational carrier agreement, or GCA). What is this document and why do you need Read More
Three Benefits of Hiring an ART Attorney for Your Family Building Needs
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) law is still an evolving area of law and can be scary or overwhelming for intended parents trying to start a surrogacy journey. By this point you have already gone through and done so much that having to figure out yet another step can seem like the final straw. You may want to dive right in and figure things out on your own. However, hiring an ART attorney can save you time and Read More
Here is Where to Start
ROADMAPPING YOUR FERTILITY JOURNEY I’ve had a lot of coaching calls with clients recently and a common theme has emerged. So I thought I’d blog about it! The word of the month (other than “baby boom” – as we’ve had 7 new Villagers born this month) here at Village Law Group is “PRIORITIES.” As I work with clients who are struggling with the overwhelming number of variables, twists, and turns in their family Read More
Selecting Your Medical Clinic
One of the very first (and most important) steps in a surrogacy journey is selecting your medical clinic. Your reproductive endocrinologist (RE) is like the quarterback of your family building team. So it’s important that he/she be up to the job. Here are some tips on choosing a fertility clinic and reproductive endocrinologist. When researching clinics, you can find information: On their websites On the Center for Read More
Working with Sperm Banks
For intended parents seeking donor sperm from either an anonymous or an identity options donor, most find themselves working with a sperm bank. There are many sperm banks in the United States, and like any business, they vary in size and service. Below are 20 important questions that you should ask each sperm bank. What qualifications are your donors required to meet? What do you do if a donor reports a medical or Read More
Surrogacy Journey Checklist
Your surrogacy journey will be a marathon. Not a sprint. Take good care of yourselves during this time. Rely on your village. We are here for you! Stage One -- Day One to Surrogate Match Select a medical clinic. Decide on medical procedures and timeline with your doctor. Research and select donors, if needed. Begin your search for a surrogate match. Select and engage a surrogacy agency (if planning to use Read More
Jen Shares Some Popular Thoughts and Feelings Shared by Intended Parents
Dear Intended Parents, Most intended parents are lucky if they know even one other couple in their lives who have experienced surrogacy. So other than the many professionals involved in your journey, you have very little opportunity to talk with folks who have shared a similar experience. But for someone like me, I’ve talked with hundreds, maybe even thousands, of intended parents and surrogates. So trust me when I Read More
The Finances of Surrogacy
There are so many “balls in the air” when coordinating a surrogacy journey, and one of the hardest to understand, unfortunately, is cost. Often, clients are borrowing money from a family member, taking a second mortgage or loan, or withdrawing funds from a retirement or investment account to pay for their journey. The uncertainty and inability to generate even a ballpark number for what this whole thing might cost Read More
Things NOT to Ask Same Sex Parents
Just like a pregnant woman is NOT, just by virtue of being pregnant, inviting strangers to touch her belly, same sex couples and their children are NOT, just by virtue of their existence, inviting intrusive and insensitive questions into their family’s personal story or details. When you encounter a same sex couple and their children (and you will do so more and more), just ask yourself if the question you want to Read More