FAQ

As a new Intended Parent, there are many intricacies to the world of third-party reproduction, most of which you may not understand or be aware of. Without experience, the respective surrogacy laws, medical processes and normal occurrences of surrogacy can be quite overwhelming to manage. Creating a family should be the happiest moment in ones life. However, attempting to coordinate the entire process can detract from your joy and happiness while adding many unwanted stress factors.

Golden Surrogacy recruits only the best selection of the most thoroughly screened Surrogates while also providing a smooth path through all of the financial and legal agreements. This helps keep you relaxed and focused on your new life as a parent.

Sit back, enjoy, and let our dedicated team here at Golden Surrogacy take care of you every step of the way!

Golden Surrogacy is devoted to providing you with a warm and friendly personalized journey. To achieve our elevated level of service, we go above and beyond to take care of you every step of the way!

Founder & Program Director, Frank Golden is your main point of contact. Unlike other agencies with a large staff and numerous departments to speak with, he has created a warm and inviting experience free of bureaucracy. Frank works directly with the Intended Parents, Surrogate, and attorneys to create a fair and suitable arrangement between all parties involved, while protecting everyone’s rights. He acts as your personal concierge throughout the entire journey. Everyone going through the program has Frank’s personal cell phone number and will always have 100% access to him and his staff 24/7.

Frank Golden sets the bar very high to create world-class service in the surrogacy community. We invite you to call him today and schedule a consultation. You won’t be disappointed!

First and foremost, your escrow funds are safe and insured!

We partner with an attorney that specializes in Trust Account Management Services. Funds are maintained and distributed in accordance with the highest level of fiduciary and ethical standards. Monies are held in an Interest Only Lawyer’s Trust Account and managed by a Certified Public Accountant. Utilizing an independent firm eliminates the potential conflict of interest that arises when a surrogacy agency is holding escrow funds while also representing all parties to the reproductive arrangement.

After a successful match has been made between the Intended Parent(s) and Surrogate, and upon the execution of your legal contract, they then collect the entire deposit for your escrow account. All compensation payments relating to your surrogate will then be distributed as per the guidelines outlined in your contract. The same process would also apply to your Egg Donor when applicable.

Our Director of Operations, Adam Golden works closely with the Escrow Management firm and monitors all transactions for accuracy. He acts as the main point of contact for our Intended Parents regarding all escrow and financial related matters.

Our Surrogates are recruited primarily through word-of-mouth referrals, and also at times, by utilizing the many facets of social media and the world wide web. During the onboarding process, all qualified candidates who meet our list of requirements are then rigorously screened to ensure the accuracy of the information as depicted in their profile.

We only recruit Surrogates from “Surrogate Friendly” states. It doesn’t matter where the Intended Parent(s) live, as long their Surrogate is from a “Surrogate Friendly” state, all of the parentage rights will transfer over with minimal legal proceedings. We ensure that you are paired with top-notch attorneys who specialize in reproductive law to guide you through the entire process.

Founders Adam and Frank Golden have gone through the Surrogacy process twice and know firsthand what the “real numbers” are. Many other agencies provide false estimates which are often times only referencing their agency fees plus the Surrogate’s compensation. (this is only the total monies they are managing in escrow on your behalf) They do this to give the appearance of having a low cost program. However, to have the most complete and honest cost totals, you must also factor in the fees paid to third parties such as the IVF clinic and attorneys, as well as your own travel expenses.

Realistically, for a singleton birth, utilizing an Egg Donor, you can expect to spend $100,000-$135,000 assuming there are no major complications. 

Please Contact Frank Golden to receive a custom quote, tailored for your own unique journey. He is more than happy to lend his expertise with honest and accurate information derived from his own experience as a former Intended Parent.

The 1st half of our agency fee is due to Golden Surrogacy when you sign our retainer agreement for services. The 2nd half is due upon the signing of a Match Sheet between you and your Surrogate. We offer different payment options which are detailed in the agreement.

Nope! You do not have to live in Illinois to be a Surrogate with our Agency. You can live in any of the Surrogate Friendly states from which we recruit. If you are unsure about whether your state is good for Surrogacy, please email info@goldensurrogacy.com to check.

After a successful match with Intended Parent(s) you will be flown to the location of their clinic for your screening. All expenses are paid by the Intended Parent(s). You do not have to live in the same state as the Intended Parents or their clinic. As your Agency, we will coordinate all travel and appointments to make your journey as stress free as possible.

Yes! In Gestational Surrogacy your fallopian tubes are not needed. You will be impregnated by having an embryo transferred directly into your uterus.

Nope! We are not in the business of providing tax advice. We do not issue 1099 forms or require that you pay taxes on your compensation. What you do with your compensation is solely your responsibility.

For tax advice you should contact a licensed Certified Public Accountant who specializes in tax filings.

In a gestational surrogacy arrangement, Intended Parents create embryos through in vitro fertilization, using their own genetic material or eggs from a donor. One or more of the embryos is then implanted into the Gestational Surrogate, (or also referred to as the gestational carrier) who then carries the child or children to full term, but has no genetic relationship to them.

By contrast, a Traditional Surrogate is impregnated through artificial insemination, utilizing her own eggs, thus giving the surrogate a genetic connection to the child(ren) they are carrying for the Intended Parents.

Here at Golden Surrogacy we only recruit Gestational Surrogates and manage Gestational Surrogacy arrangements.

Here at Golden Surrogacy we treat the matching process with the high level of importance that it deserves. Your desired communication goals will be at the forefront of our conversation prior to the matching phase.

However, the outcome can vary greatly depending on the chemistry between everyone involved. It is imperative that Intended Parents and Surrogates discuss this topic and mutually decide upon an acceptable level of interaction that is agreeably suitable prior to the signing of legal contracts.

The prospect of becoming a Surrogate and helping others to create a family is a rewarding experience that takes a generous heart. We advocate to ensure you are fairly compensated for the energy and investment you are committing to throughout the entire journey.

Here is a general guideline to keep in mind:

New – Base Compensation Average:   $28,000-$30,000

Experienced – Base Compensation Average:   $30,000-$35,000

Golden Surrogacy will aid in determining what compensation may be best for you based on experience and other factors.

Compensation payments are dispensed via direct deposit in accordance to your legal contract. Golden Surrogacy prides itself on making sure everyone is taken care of and has an amazing experience. Timely payments are essential for you, your family, and for the healthy development of the growing baby. The Director of Operations, Adam Golden works with our partnering escrow management company to ensure a smooth payment process.

Our Program Director, Frank Golden will be in constant contact on a regular basis via whatever methods are best for you! We like to schedule a weekly or bi-weekly conference call with all parties involved throughout the journey to maintain strong communication and camaraderie.

Also, you have an assigned Support Coordinator who will be available 24/7 to discuss any emotional concerns or questions you may have as well as to share the excitement of seeing that very first heartbeat. Your Intended Parents will also be in regular contact to share in the process as well.

If needed, our staff psychologist Dr. James Guidi will be available to offer professional support and guidance.

Yes! Our Surrogates are allowed to work with their regular OB after they have been released from the IVF clinic’s care. However, in rare instances some Intended Parents may request an alternate OB based on location, hospital facilities & quality of care, or for legal purposes having to do with establishing parental rights. Again, in most cases this is not an issue and you will be allowed to maintain your own OB.

The actual process of being matched can take place in a few hours, a few weeks or sometimes longer. This depends on how fast and timely you are with signing and returning the agency forms back to us. After you complete our online profile we will ask that you sign our agency agreement, background check form, insurance verification form, and medical release waivers. Only then can we begin to request your medical records for review. It usually takes 2 weeks for your clinic and delivery hospital to get your records to us after we’ve submitted a request. After your records have been reviewed and we determine that you are eligible, we can begin the matching phase.

The average match is generally completed in 30-60 days, as we like to take our time and thoroughly find the best placement that will result in the highest chance for success and happiness. The Surrogate and Intended Parent relationship can vary widely. Our best efforts are made to create a seamless and cohesive match which results in chemistry and positivity throughout the journey.

Surrogates and their spouse/partner (if applicable) normally take a range of tests, based on the requirements of the clinic and some FDA requirements. Initially, the Surrogate and her spouse/partner (if applicable) will undergo a battery of infectious disease testing as well as testing for Nicotine and illegal drug use. The Intended Parents can also request that the Surrogate is tested for Nicotine or illegal drug use at anytime throughout the pregnancy.

Most Egg Donors engage in an anonymous egg donation agreement. This is usually the most preferred arrangement which can be less challenging from a legal perspective, while offering the most protection for everyone involved. The Intended Parent(s) or Egg Donor can always work through the agency to request future contact at a later date after the birth of any resulting child(ren) as long as the request is mutual.

However, should you initially choose an open or semi-open donation then the Egg Donor agency or IVF clinic will work closely with your attorney to outline the terms for an appropriate level of communication that is agreeable to all parties.

Upon being selected by the Intended Parent(s) there are a few steps to complete prior to beginning the egg donation cycle: 1.) Medical Screening 2.) Psych Assessment 3.) Legal Consultation **Please see the Process Overview on our Egg Donor page.

Any and all fees for the above screening will be incurred by the agency and the Intended Parents. You will not have any out of pocket expenses to pay.

Ideal Egg Donors are normally women who are in their mid 20’s. Most agencies or clinics only accept candidates between the ages of 21-30 who meet all of  their stringent requirements.

In short, the answer is No! All of our Egg Donors who have wanted to have children have successfully done so, free of complications. AND You will not run out of eggs! Each month a number of eggs are dissolved, absorbed, or discarded naturally by the female body during a menstrual cycle. The fertility medications reserve all of the extra eggs, which would have otherwise been discarded. The remainder of your ovarian egg reserve is left completely unchanged.

Egg Donation Limit:

The industry’s ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) guidelines should be followed, which state that an Egg Donor should only donate a maximum of 6 times. Most IVF clinics require that an Egg Donor complete one, or in some instances two normal menstrual cycles in-between each donation.

As an Egg Donor, you will usually need to attend around eight appointments. During these visits, there will most likely be blood testing, and the use of transvaginal ultrasounds to monitor your body’s response to the medications. All of the appointments are a mandatory part of the process and can’t be missed. We do our best to schedule your monitoring at a location near you.

After you have been selected as an Egg Donor and begin your screening, the entire process is normally completed within a 2-3 month period of time.

The Egg retrieval process is a simple, 20-30 minute procedure. A sedative and vaginal anesthetic is given to ensure a painless process free of discomfort. An ultrasound-guided needle will vaginally retrieve your eggs during this short procedure.

Choosing an egg donor is an important decision and may feel overwhelming. Some Intended Parents choose donors primarily based on physical attributes, or one who shares in their own ethnic, religious, or cultural background. Still, others hope to find an Egg Donor who is healthy and athletic or has musical and artistic talent.

This is obviously a very personal choice, and one that you must take time to consider.

Golden Surrogacy has a very stringent screening and approval process for all Surrogate candidates. To be considered, they complete a detailed application which includes their medical history, personality questionnaire, educational background, and pregnancy history.

After we receive a prospective Surrogate’s application our staff will review all of the information and examines their medical records which include all previous pregnancy and delivery history. All candidates are also submitted to a scrutinous and thorough background check and criminal history review which includes a 7yr address verification to assess their lifestyle and reliability.

Upon matching, all Surrogate Mother candidates must also be medically screened, per FDA guidelines, by your selected IVF clinic.

Frank Golden was an Intended Parent and would never approve a Surrogate into the program that he would not want for his own surrogacy journey. Every candidate is hand selected by him, based on your own personal preferences.

The compensation for Egg Donors is based on a mix of experience, education, demand, prior success, or genetic background.

Inexperienced Donor:   $5000
Experienced Donor:       $7000-$10,000

Any expenses and/or legal fees related to you participating as an Egg Donor will be covered so you can focus entirely on a peaceful process. You will not have to pay anything to donate your eggs!

Our Egg Donors are compensated for:

• Mileage to and from doctors/lab appointments
• Childcare for doctor/lab appointments
• Lost wages
• Airfare
• Hotel accommodations
• Meal allowance for out of town travel for you and one companion