There are many advantages to using a surrogacy agency when you choose surrogacy to have a child. They will work to match you up with a surrogate that is perfect for you and they can offer a great support system for both you and your Surrogate. But how do you choose the surrogacy agency that is right for you? There are many questions that you can consider when trying to choose a surrogacy agency to work with:

How long have they been in business? There is nothing wrong with using an agency that has only been open for a few months if you have done your research and you feel like they are the right agency for you. However, you may want to work with an agency that has been established in the field. They will have more experience and a longer record for you to examine.
How many clients have they assisted? Again, you may want to work with an agency that has a proven track record. While it is true that every agency has to start somewhere, are you ready to be the one that they start with? You will want to look at their history and see how many people they have helped to become parents so you can decide if you want to be one of those people.
What is their screening process? Do they screen their surrogates both physically and psychologically? You certainly want to work with an agency that does both physical and psychological screenings of their potential surrogates. You want to work with a surrogate who is both physically fit and psychologically prepared to go through the process of carrying another woman’s child. Counseling is a part of the entire process, but you want to make sure that an initial screening does take place before you are matched up with a surrogate.
Have they ever been sued by clients or surrogates? This is something that you want to consider as it gets to the heart of their reputation. If they have been sued, what were the circumstances? What was the result? This is a part of looking into the history of the agency and whatever you find out in answering this question may play a major role in your decision of whether or not to work with that agency.
How much does it cost? Obviously, if you have chosen surrogacy you already know that you are going to be making a significant financial investment. If you are choosing an agency, part of that investment will go to pay the agency’s fees. The agency will give you an estimate (you may end up paying more or less than that estimate), and then you will want to find out what services are provided for the fees that you are paying. If you feel like you are getting the services you want for the amount of money that they are asking, then you may consider the agency a good choice for you.
How long does it usually take to match a family up with a surrogate? There will not be any guarantees here. They may be able to match you up with someone fairly quickly or it may take some time. The agency will be able to look at your family and tell you how long it typically takes to match up a family such as yours, but patience is important as you will want to find the best match for you and your family.
How is their staff and customer service? As you are researching different agencies, what is your experience with the staff? Are they generally friendly? Do they seem supportive? You want to work with an agency that is supportive and where the people are pleasant to be around. The process of surrogacy can be long and sometimes stressful and you will want to work with an agency where the people can help to ease some of that stress.

Choosing a surrogacy agency to work with takes time and research. Ultimately, you want to choose an agency that you are comfortable with. You want to work with an agency that will do what is best for you and your family. Do your homework and ask the right questions and you will be working with the surrogacy agency that is best for you.

If you have questions about choosing a surrogacy agency in California, please call 310-598-6428 or email Rose@PondelLaw.com Rose works with many surrogacy agencies in California and abroad and is available to help you choose the best agency for your family.

Estate Planning Checklist

Care for your family by making a will, setting up a trust, creating a power of attorney, a health care directive, funeral arrangements and more.

Make a will. In a will, you state who you want to inherit your property, and name a guardian to care for your young children should something happen to you.
Consider a trust. If you hold your property in trust, your survivors won't have to go through probate court, a time-consuming and expensive process.
Make an advance health care directive. Also called a "living will" this document lets your physician, family and friends know your health care preferences, including the types of special treatment you want or don't want at the end of your life, your desire for diagnostic testing, surgical procedures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and organ donation. By considering your options early, you can ensure the quality of life that is important to you and avoid having your family guess your wishes or having to make critical medical care decisions for you under stress or turmoil.
Make a financial power of attorney. With a durable power of attorney for finances, you can give a trusted person authority to handle your finances and property if you become incapacitated and unable to handle your own affairs. The person you name to handle your finances is called your agent or attorney-in-fact (but it doesn't have to be an attorney).
Protect your children's property. You should name an adult to manage any money and property your childdren may inherit from you. This can be the same person as the personal guardian you name in your will.
File beneficiary forms. Naming a beneficiary for bank accounts and retirement plans makes the account automatically "payable on death" to your beneficiary and allows the funds to skip the probate process.
Consider life insurance. If you have young children or own a house, or you may owe significant debts or estate taxes when you die, life insurance is a good idea.

The Family Formation Law Center assists families of every age and size in creating an estate plan that protects their property and cares for their loved ones. Please call 310.598.6428 for a consultation or email Info@FamilyFormationLawCenter.com