Imagine you are interested in becoming a Surrogate and are looking for the right agency with the right compensation package for you. You are scrolling Instagram and see an ad that says, “Make $80,000 as a Surrogate!” Drawn in by the amazing offer, you decide to move forward on your journey with that agency. You qualify to become a Surrogate, get matched with a set of Intended Parents, have a successful embryo transfer that results with you becoming pregnant, go through the entire pregnancy, deliver the Intended Parents’ healthy baby, and when you complete the journey, you walk away from it all with only $50,000. But what happened to the $80,000? That amazing $80,000 compensation package you were offered did not turn out to be what you thought you signed up for. The $80,000 compensation package was actually only a guaranteed $50,000 base compensation and the rest of the package is not available to you based on the unique circumstances of your journey.

Believe it or not, this is a realistic scenario in the surrogacy industry. As someone who has completed two successful surrogacy journeys as an Intended Parent and is now an agency director, I have seen many different Surrogate recruitment strategies used by many different surrogacy agencies. You would be surprised at how many agencies use dishonest marketing strategies to deceive innocent women into receiving less than they deserve. Let me break this topic down for you because it is something that can be very deceiving. At the end of this blog, you will walk away with the knowledge of how to differentiate between agencies that use dishonest Surrogate recruitment strategies and agencies that have your best interest in mind. My goal is to ensure that anyone embarking on a surrogacy journey does so in an informed manner. Let’s dive in!

We live in an age where compensation numbers are all over our social media platforms. The industry is booming! The abundance of Intended Parents wanting to start families has the demand for Surrogates through the roof. To get your attention, surrogacy agencies might advertise “$80,000 to become a Surrogate.” What they do not tell you is that you will actually earn $50,000, and any additional compensation you may receive are what those in the industry call “catastrophic incidental fees.” This means that the only way you will receive the full $80,000 is if you permanently damage your uterus, have a c-section, are on bedrest for 12 weeks, or have some other devastating circumstance. This is a dishonest marketing strategy. It is not right and should not be allowed. However, you will find that there are agencies out there who prioritize numbers over experience. That being said, just because an agency promotes a higher-than-average compensation package does not mean they are trying to trick you. The agencies you need to look out for are those that are not transparent about the breakdown of their compensation package. They will promote a big number without ever explaining timelines, exceptions, and contingencies.

Here at Golden, we are very transparent about our compensation package. It is available to the public on our website. You do not need to talk to anyone here, enter your email address, or sign your name to know what you would receive as a Golden Surrogate. All the numbers listed on our website are the real numbers you can expect to take home. In addition to our robust Surrogate compensation package, any incidentals or rare circumstances that do occur are covered by the Intended Parents. These incidental and rare circumstance fees are not included in the minimum total we advertise because unlike the minimum total, these incidentals are never a guarantee and, quite honestly, are a worst-case scenario. We do everything in a very transparent way here at Golden and would never recruit Surrogates under false pretenses. We do this because we care about the experiences of our Surrogates. Surrogacy is a beautiful experience and we care about exceeding expectations. Being an agency founded by former Intended Parents, we understand more than other agencies how crucial it is to have the best possible team advocating on your behalf, looking out for your best interests, and providing world-class journey support and case management. For us, it is quality over quantity, people over numbers, transparency over deception. All Surrogate compensation information is available to you on our website. If you want to learn more about becoming a Golden Surrogate after visiting our website, give us a call or send us an email. Our Surrogate intake department will be happy to walk through the entire package with you, review the numbers, and explain the different payment scenarios.

My goal in telling you this is not to scare you about looking for an agency or pressure you into working with Golden. My goal is to ensure that all parties who embark on a surrogacy journey do so in an informed manner. Even if you decide Golden is not the agency for you, it is important that no woman falls victim to dishonest marketing strategies. I want all women to have this knowledge and be informed when choosing a surrogacy agency so they do not sign with an agency just because they offer big numbers that will never be received. It is very important that you are well informed, educated, and ready to embark on your surrogacy journey knowing everything you possibly can. At the end of the day, it is important that you know your worth as a Surrogate and take the necessary time searching for an agency. Any agency can post a number on Instagram, but are they able to deliver on their promises? If an agency does not meet, let alone exceed, your expectations, they are not the agency for you. It is as simple as that. You deserve transparency, honesty, and quality support. If an agency cannot deliver these at the beginning stages of your journey, what makes you think they will at any stage?

If you want to check out an agency that can deliver on everything they promote, visit goldensurrogacy.com! You can view our entire Surrogate compensation breakdown and what other premium services you will receive as a Golden Surrogate. Our package is constantly changing to keep up with the ever-growing demand for Surrogates. We do also recognize that compensation is a personal choice. Therefore, Golden Surrogates may negotiate and set their own amounts upon request.