Escrow accounts: the standard for safety
Reputable agencies use a third-party escrow account to hold and manage your compensation funds — meaning the money isn’t sitting with the intended parents or the agency itself, but with a neutral financial institution that releases funds only according to your signed contract.
How releases are triggered
Signing bonus
Released once the legal contract is fully executed.
Monthly allowance
Automatically disbursed each month once pregnancy is confirmed.
Milestone payments
Triggered by specific events — confirmed heartbeat, start of third trimester, etc.
Reimbursements
Submitted with receipts (travel, maternity clothing) and processed on a regular cycle.
What happens if a payment is missed
Because funds typically sit in escrow upfront — funded by the intended parents at the start of the journey — the risk of a missed payment is much lower than it would be with direct payments. Your contract specifies remedies if a payment issue does arise, and your independent attorney is your advocate if it does.
“Escrow exists for exactly one reason: so you’re never in a position of trusting someone’s word for a six-figure financial commitment.”
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is compensation held in a licensed, third-party escrow account?
- What happens to remaining funds if the pregnancy doesn’t go to term?
- How quickly are reimbursements processed after submission?
- What’s the contingency plan if the intended parents experience a financial hardship?