With the high cost of IVF, Surrogacy, & Third Party Reproduction, many try to cut costs in ways that may actually do more harm than good in the long run, such as foregoing legal advice. 

I see this time and time again when I receive a call from an Intended Parent whose surrogate is set to deliver in a state where their agreement was never validated, which in fact they obtained off the internet.  Or, on the flip side, the call from a Surrogate who wanted to save her Intended Parents money by foregoing an attorney herself and not using a trust account.  What happens when they leave with the baby and do not pay her medical bills or other costs? 

I truly hate these calls because there is often nothing that I can do to help.  I can try, and believe me I do, but often the damage is already done. 

So, before jumping into this unknown called surrogacy, don’t call your local family law attorney or forego an attorney altogether because it will save money.  Also, don’t just single handedly jump into this by using a contract found on the internet or given to you by your agency (yes, this does happen).  Actually, the legal fees are likely going to be the least expensive part of this entire process. 

As a surrogate or an intended parent, you must make certain that you are protected, as well as the other party.  Remember, education, protection and common sense advice is what you are going to get from an experienced surrogacy attorney.  With the knowledge and the expertise of an attorney, you can move forward with the assurance that you have done everything you can to make certain your journey into surrogacy is a positive one.

Click Here for Link to Erickson Law Website.

Click Here for Link to Radio Interview with Theresa M. Erickson, Esq.

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