Best IVF Loans

According to FertilityIQ, the fertility research and education website, a single cycle of IVF treatment is usually around  $23,474. If your health insurance plan doesn’t pay for IVF or you don’t have health insurance at all, you’ll have to pay tens of thousands of dollars to take advantage of this life changing treatment. Unless you have a lot of cash at your disposal, IVF loans will come in handy. Our team of financial experts reviewed and ranked more than 30 online lenders to help you get funded.

Best IVF Loans for 2023 - Full Overview

How to Choose the Best IVF Loan

There is no shortage of IVF loans available. Each one has its own unique features, making it important to compare all your options. While ranking the best IVF loans of 2022, our experts focused on the following factors.

• Loan Features: Loan amounts, terms, and repayment plans vary from lender to lender. If you’d like to cover all or most of the cost of IVF, large amounts, lengthy terms, and flexible repayments are essential.
• Application process: Since it takes a lot of time and energy to go through the IVF process, an easy application you can complete in minutes is preferred. A prequalification option that allows you to check your offers without any impact to your credit score can also come in handy.
• Interest rates and fees: Ideally, you’d choose loans that offer low interest rates and minimum to no fees. By doing so, you can lower the overall cost of your already expensive IVF treatment.
• Qualification process: Some IVF loans cater to borrowers with good credit while others are more lenient and willing to lend to those with fair or bad credit. Since we believe everyone should be able to pursue IVF if they wish to, regardless of their credit standing, we looked at both options.
• Customer support: Since IVF loans usually come with long terms, we prioritized those with easy access to customer support should you ever need it. It may be available via phone, email, live chat, or resources on the lender’s website.
• Online user reviews: Third-party reviews and ratings on sites like Trustpilot and Better Business Bureau (BBB) provide an unbiased look at the lender’s reputation and track record. 
• Perks and Bonuses: In addition to funding, some IVF loans offer perks like hardship assistance, mentoring, and credit score monitoring.

Who should get an IVF loan?

If a doctor has diagnosed you or your partner with any of the following conditions and recommended IVF, you may be a good candidate for an IVF loan:

• Serious endometriosis
• Blocked fallopian tubes
• Low sperm count
• Unexplained infertility

An IVF loan might also be worth exploring if you’re using donor sperm or eggs or will be using the help of a gestational carrier or surrogate.

Types of IVF Financing

There are a number of ways you can finance IVF treatment, including:

Online Personal Loans for IVF

Online personal loans are a common way to pay for IVF. Upon approval, you can receive a lump sum of money upfront. You’ll repay it over time via fixed monthly payments over an agreed upon term, which can range from two to seven years.

When it comes to interest rates, they vary based on your credit score and borrowing amount. The lowest rates are reserved for those with the best credit. While you can typically borrow anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000, some lenders offer online personal loans up to $100,000.

Credit Union Loan

Credit union loans make sense if you’re already a member of a credit union or don’t have the best credit history. Most credit unions offer loans with low interest rates and flexible terms to their members. They’ll look beyond your credit and consider your reputation as a member when they review your application. Credit union loans are also known for personalized, in-person service.

Home Equity Loan and HELOC

With a home equity loan, you can borrow against the equity in your home, which is the difference between what you owe on your mortgage and what your home is currently worth. If you have anywhere between 10% and 20% equity, you may get approved for a home equity loan.

Since home equity loans are tied to your home and a lender will have the right to put it into foreclosure if you default on your payments, you can expect low rates and attractive terms. While a home equity loan will give you a lump sum of money upfront, a HELOC is a revolving line of credit you can pull funds from, up to a set credit limit.

Fertility Specialist Loan

Some lenders that offer IVF loans partner with fertility clinics and healthcare providers. To apply for a fertility specialist loan, you’ll need to pay an application fee. Upon approval, the funds will go directly to the fertility clinic you’re working with for IVF rather than into your personal bank account. CapexMD and ARC Fertility are two examples of lenders that offer IVF loans and organize IVF financing between fertility clinics and patients.

Credit Card

While there are many credit cards you can use to cover the cost of IVF, 0% interest cards are a good option if you know you can repay your balance before the intro period of anywhere between 12 to 21 months comes to an end. With a 0% interest card, you can slowly but surely repay your IVF costs without interest.

If you don’t believe you’ll be able to pay off your balance in time, you may want to pursue a different option as you’ll likely be charged a sky-high interest rate once the intro period is up. You can also consider medical credit cards, which often have low or no interest charges for a specific time period and are specifically designed to help pay for medical expenses like IVF.

HSA or FSA

Health savings accounts, or HSAs, and flexible spending accounts, or FSAs can help you save tax-exempt money to pay for qualified medical expenses, which may include IVF treatment. The caveat, however, is these accounts have annual contribution limits. For 2022, the maximum HSA contribution limits are $3,650 for an individual and $7,300 for family coverage. The maximum FSA contribution limit for 2022 is $2,850. Since these limits are lower than the cost of IVF, you will need to find other ways to fund the rest of your treatment.

IVF Grants

Fortunately, there are many IVF grants offered by a variety of organizations and foundations. Since they don’t need to be repaid, they’re worth exploring and applying for. Some of the most common IVF grant resources include:

• Find a Grant - CoFertility: You can use this database to find grants, donated services, and discounted medications for your IVF journey. There are plenty of state-level and national opportunities listed on this free resource. Just select your state to find out which ones you may be eligible for.
• BabyQuest Foundation | In Vitro Fertilization Financial Aid: Baby Quest Foundation provides a variety of fertility grants to those who cannot afford the high costs of procedures like IVF, gestational surrogacy, egg and sperm donation, egg freezing and embryo donation.
• Footsteps for Fertility Foundation: Footsteps for Fertility works with several fertility clinics to provide funding gifts. It provides grants of $10,000 per grant and $5,000 in cash grants.
• Coalition for Family Building: The Coalition for Family Building offers IVF grants from its partner practices. It’s a great option if you don’t have insurance coverage and plan to pursue IVF with your own eggs.
• Tinina Q. Cade Foundation: The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation’s Family Building Grant is an annual award that provides up to $10,000 to those with infertility who demonstrate financial need. These grants are cash awards that are sent directly to each recipient’s fertility clinic.  The organization offers medication awards as well.

Crowdfunding

If you feel comfortable publicly sharing your infertility story, crowdfunding can be a great option. You can use a website like GoFundMe to collect donations from people who support your IVF treatment. You’ll be able to set a goal and won’t have to pay any fees to collect the funds. Even if you raise a little bit of money through crowdfunding, you can lower the costs of transportation, copays, pricey medications, and more.

How to Apply for an IVF Loan

While the process can vary slightly from lender to lender, there are basic steps you’ll need to follow to apply for an IVF loan.

• Check Your Credit: Before you begin the application process, you should know where you stand credit wise as most lenders will consider your credit when they decide whether to approve you for an IVF loan. You can visit FreeCreditReport.com to pull copies of your reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion for free. If you notice any errors or inaccuracies, dispute them with the appropriate bureau. Also, if your credit isn’t where you’d like it to be, focus on improving it. If you don’t have time because you want to start IVF as soon as possible, don’t worry. There are many lenders with lenient credit criteria.
• Prequalify: Once you know what your credit looks like and what types of IVF loans you may be eligible for, prequalify. By doing so, you can explore various financing offers without any impact to your credit score. When you prequalify, you’ll need to provide basic information, like how much you want to borrow, how you’ll use the funds, your annual income, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. It’s a good idea to prequalify with at least three lenders.
• Compare Loan Offers: Next, it’s time to compare the various IVF loan offers you received. When doing so, consider borrowing amounts, terms, interest rates, fees, and perks. You may also want to read lender rankings and reviews, especially if you’re stuck between two options.
• Apply: Then, choose the best loan offer for your unique situation and go through the formal application process. Fortunately, most lenders will allow you to apply online within minutes. To apply, you’ll need to share a number of personal and financial details. You may also be required to submit documents like a government-issued ID, pay stubs, tax forms, and bank statements.

Tips for IVF Financing

While exploring IVF financing options, keep these tips in mind.

Understand How Much IVF Costs

A single cycle of IVF costs is usually around $23,474. Be sure to ask your fertility clinic for a clear list of what you can expect to pay so you know exactly how much funding you may need.

Be Realistic About Your Budget

You want to make sure that you can comfortably afford the IVF loan you take out. Do the math and calculate what type of payments you’ll be able to make without stretching your budget too far.

Take Changing Expenses Into Consideration

Remember that when your baby is born, you’ll have additional expenses. Keep this mind when you consider your budget and how much you can afford to spend on IVF financing.

Turn Your Dream of Parenthood Into a Reality with an IVF Loan

IVF is a revolutionary medical treatment that can help you become a parent. Whether you’re already a parent or dreaming of the day you have a little one, IVF loans may be just what you need to alleviate the financial burden of the treatment and set yourself up for a happy, fulfilling future.