Third Party Reproduction Escrow FAQs

Choosing the right escrow provider for your surrogacy journey can simplify the process and reduce stress, but finding one can be challenging if you aren’t sure what to look for. When choosing an escrow provider, consider their:

• Experience: Look for providers with expertise in reproductive law and surrogacy agreements.

• Reputation: Research reviews and testimonials to assess their credibility and reliability.

• Fee structure: Ensure that the fee structure is transparent and fair, with no hidden costs.

• Financial safeguards: Confirm that they have the measures in place to protect the funds and interests of all parties.

• Legal compliance: Make sure they are knowledgeable about the legal requirements in your jurisdiction.

• Communication style: Assess their responsiveness and ability to address your questions or concerns effectively.

Using an escrow account offers a structured approach for managing the financial aspects of surrogacy. It ensures that payments to the surrogate and service providers are made on time, reduces the risk of payment disputes, promotes accountability, and allows everyone to focus on the emotional and logistical aspects of surrogacy without the stress of managing funds directly.

Beyond managing funds, escrow providers offer continuous support to keep the financial aspects of surrogacy clear and consistent. They coordinate payment schedules, process reimbursements, and provide access to account information and updates.

At Clarity Trust, our goal is to ensure all parties feel heard and understood while providing peace of mind that everything is in line with the agreed-upon terms.

Our secure Trust Portal simplifies escrow management, offering complete transparency by allowing you to:

• View account balances and payment activity

• Track upcoming and completed payments

• Access documents and updates 24/7

By putting everything in one place, our Trust Portal makes it easy to stay organized and manage your payments efficiently.

A surrogacy escrow account is typically established around the time of the match, as the terms of the journey are being finalized. Setting it up early ensures the funds are properly organized and available before payments begin, helping the process move forward smoothly.

Donor journeys are shorter compared to surrogacy, but they still involve multiple coordinated payments and times. Escrow helps manage payments in one place, ensuring funds are used as intended and aligned with the donor agreement.

Payments, including donor compensation, medical-related expenses, and travel or coordination costs, are scheduled in advance based on the donor agreement. All payments are tracked and documented for full transparency.

Clarity Trust's secure Trust Portal provides real-time access to your account. You can view your balances and transactions, track completed and upcoming payments, and access relevant documents whenever needed, so you can stay informed.

We manage our funds safely and responsibly with multiple layers of protection, including:

• Safeguards against loss, fraud, and employee dishonesty

• Comprehensive insurance coverage, including Errors & Omissions and General Liability

• Secure and regulated financial accounts

• Structured oversight and clear management processes

Getting started is easy. You can reach out to us directly at info@claritytrustservices.com or contact our team by phone at 619-310-9391 Alternatively, once your match is confirmed and you decide to proceed with Clarity Trust, your agency can work with us to begin the setup process.

We'll establish your escrow account and guide you through the next steps. Once your account is active, you'll receive access to your secure Trust Portal, where you can easily track payments, view account activity, and access important information at any time.

We’ll provide clear payment instructions for wire, ACH, electronic transfer, or check. Wire and ACH are typically the fastest, while checks may take longer to clear. You’ll receive notifications if additional funding is needed, and your account will update as soon as your funds are received.

In many cases, intended parents can fund escrow in stages. This approach provides more flexibility in managing financial commitments, allowing intended parents to contribute funds at various milestones throughout the process. However, intended parents must communicate with their escrow agent and ensure that all parties are aware of and agree to the staged funding plan before moving forward.

Payments are scheduled in advance based on the legal agreement and released at specific stages throughout the journey. At Clarity Trust, our paralegal team carefully reviews all payment requests to ensure they comply with the agreed-upon terms before processing. Once approved, payments are issued directly from the escrow account to the appropriate party. You’ll receive updates through your Trust Portal so you always know when payments are scheduled and completed.

Expenses paid through escrow typically include:

• Surrogate compensation and monthly allowances

• Medical and insurance-related expenses

• Legal and agency fees

• Travel and other approved costs

• Reimbursements submitted throughout the journey

Reimbursement requests must be submitted for review along with any required documentation. Our paralegal team carefully examines each request to ensure it aligns with the agreement before approving. Once a request is approved, funds are disbursed from the escrow account and recorded in your Trust Portal, which helps maintain accuracy, consistency, and transparency throughout the process.

Once your journey is over, we'll conduct a thorough final review to confirm that all payments align with the agreement. Any remaining balance will be returned to you as outlined in the agreed terms. Your Trust Portal will continue to provide access to your records and transaction history for your ongoing reference.

In a surrogacy arrangement, funds are managed by a neutral third-party escrow provider, which holds the money in a dedicated escrow or trust account. This setup ensures that no single party controls the funds. Instead, an independent entity oversees the payments and releases them in accordance with the terms outlined in the legal agreement. This approach fosters a clear and balanced process, ensuring fairness for everyone involved.

At Clarity Trust, we manage escrow funds with multiple layers of protection for peace of mind throughout the journey, including:

• Bonded funds to safeguard against loss, fraud, or employee dishonesty.

• Comprehensive insurance coverage, which includes Errors & Omissions and General Liability.

• Funds held in secure and regulated financial accounts.

• Well-structured internal controls and approval processes.

An escrow provider manages the financial side of the journey, ensuring that payments are handled accurately and consistently from start to finish. This includes:

• Holding and safeguarding funds.

• Scheduling and releasing payments based on the agreement.

• Reviewing reimbursements and payment requests.

• Maintaining clear records and account visibility.

A third-party escrow service offers fairness, organization, and security. Instead of managing payments themselves, intended parents can rely on an independent system that ensures compliance with legal agreements and transparency at every stage, providing peace of mind as they navigate their journey.