IVF and fertility costs, with the total laid out before you commit.
- Indicative answer within 2 business days
- Loans from $5K to $100K, with the cost of one cycle and of more set out side by side
- Employees on a wage, self-employed ABN holders, and couples on a single income
- Medicare rebates and any clinic payment plan are worth checking first
- Full-doc (tax returns), low-doc or alt-doc (BAS, bank statements or an accountant's letter instead) options across our 90+ lender panel
Fertility treatment is one of the few costs where the total is genuinely unknown at the start. Some people need one cycle and some need more, and your clinic is the best source on what your course is likely to involve. Joseph Farhat and his team will look at your situation and set out what is available, with the cost of borrowing for one cycle and for more laid out side by side.
Before you borrow: options worth checking first
Several things can reduce what you need to borrow. Medicare rebates a meaningful portion of most IVF cycles once you have a referral, and your clinic can tell you the item numbers, the expected rebate, and your out-of-pocket gap. Once your family has reached the Medicare Safety Net threshold in a calendar year, the rebate on subsequent out-of-hospital services increases, which can make the timing of cycles across a year matter financially, and Services Australia can confirm where you sit. If you hold private hospital cover, the fund can confirm what it covers for the hospital component and whether a waiting period applies. Many clinics offer their own payment plans, and some have lower-cost or bulk-billed programs, so it is worth asking what options exist before assuming a loan. We will still be here if a loan is the right answer.
Who we can help access finance
- People funding a first IVF cycle who want to see what more than one cycle would cost.
- People who have already had unsuccessful cycles and are funding another attempt.
- Those funding egg or embryo freezing, including for medical reasons before treatment.
- Single people and same-sex couples funding donor sperm, donor eggs, or reciprocal IVF.
- People pursuing surrogacy, where the costs include legal and counselling components alongside the medical ones.
- Patients funding preimplantation genetic testing or other add-ons not covered by the rebate.
- Self-employed borrowers and ABN holders whose income is real but takes longer to evidence.
- Anyone who has been offered a clinic payment plan and wants to know whether it is genuinely competitive.
How Fertility Finance Works
This is funded with a standard unsecured personal loan rather than a specialist product, which gives you flexibility a clinic plan usually cannot. The key decision is structure. Borrowing for one cycle and returning for another loan later means a second application, a second enquiry on your credit file, and a second approval that is not guaranteed. Borrowing a larger amount up front costs more in interest if you do not use it. A middle path some borrowers consider is a loan for the first cycle that can be paid out early without penalty, with a plan for the cost of a further cycle if it is needed. Joseph Farhat and his team will lay out each option and its cost, so the decision is yours, with the numbers in front of you.
What Lenders Assess
Income and capacity
assessed on you and, where you are applying jointly, on both of you. Lenders do not assess the treatment.
Credit profile
personal lending is risk-priced, so your file drives the rate you are offered.
Existing commitments
other loans, card limits, and buy-now-pay-later accounts all count.
Amount and term
the amount is matched to the cost your clinic has quoted, and the term to repayments you can manage.
Purpose
stated as medical is sufficient. Lenders do not require clinical detail, treatment history, or an explanation of why you are having treatment.
Whether you are applying jointly or individually
joint applications generally support a larger amount, and both parties are equally liable.
Employment type
salaried is simplest. Self-employed, casual, and contract income narrow the lender list rather than closing it.
The Process: What to Expect
- Talk to Joseph Farhat and his team about the cost per cycle, what your clinic expects the course to involve, and your income. We will ask whether you have confirmed your rebate and your gap with the clinic first.
- Provide the basics: identification, recent bank statements or payslips, and the clinic's quote if you have one.
- We discuss structure honestly: borrowing for one cycle versus a larger amount, with the interest cost of each set out so the choice is yours.
- We match your profile to the lenders most likely to approve it at a sensible cost, and lodge one application rather than several.
- Funds are released to you, usually within two business days, so you can pay the clinic directly and manage the timing of cycles yourself.
Indicative Finance Options
| Route | Pricing | Typical Amount | Loan Term | Suits | Speed to Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank personal loan | Sharpest available pricing | $5K to $75K | 1 to 7 years | A planned course of treatment | 3 to 10 business days |
| Non-bank personal loan | Priced for flexibility | $5K to $100K | 1 to 7 years | Faster access, or a more complex file | Within 2 business days |
| Clinic payment plan | Set by the clinic, sometimes interest free for a period | Usually one cycle | Usually under 24 months | A single cycle paid to that clinic | Immediate |
Indicative figures only. Actual terms depend on your circumstances and lender assessment at the time of application. We quote your rate and comparison rate for your specific loan amount and term before you apply. Terms are subject to change.
Why borrowers choose Settled With Joe for fertility finance
We represent you, not the lender
Joseph Farhat and his team act in your interest, and on consumer lending that is a legal duty, not a slogan.
We talk through more than one cycle
some people need further cycles, so we set out the cost of borrowing for one cycle and for more, and the choice is yours.
We will tell you to confirm your rebate first
Medicare and the Safety Net can change the gap significantly, and those checks cost nothing.
Funds go to you, not the clinic
that means you can change clinics, pause treatment, or use a different provider without renegotiating your finance.
One conversation, not five applications
a second loan application after an unsuccessful cycle is harder if your file already carries several enquiries.
No clinical detail required
lenders fund the amount, not the treatment. We do not ask about your history and neither do they.
The clinic plan is one offer among several
it may well be the cheapest, and we will show you how it compares.
90+ lenders on one panel
bank, non-bank, and specialist, so a clean file gets a sharp rate and a complex one still has options.
Usually no direct cost to you
as a broker we are typically paid by the lender on settlement.
An honest answer early
tell us the timeline and we will tell you what is realistically achievable.
Frequently asked questions
What is IVF and fertility finance?
It is funding used to cover the out-of-pocket cost of fertility treatment, including IVF cycles, medication, egg or embryo freezing, donor services, and genetic testing. In practice it is a standard unsecured personal loan taken for that purpose rather than a specialist product. That matters, because the funds come to you rather than being tied to one clinic, and you keep control over timing and provider.
Should I borrow for one cycle or for several?
Some people need more than one cycle, and there is no single right answer. Borrowing for one cycle may mean a second application later, and borrowing more up front costs interest on money you may not use. We will price both so the decision is yours.
Does an unsuccessful cycle affect my ability to get finance for another?
Not directly. Lenders assess your income, your commitments, and your credit file. They do not know the outcome of your treatment, do not ask, and have no way of taking it into account. What can change between applications is your own financial position, since the first cycle has already been paid for and may now sit as a commitment on your file. We can set out how a second application would look before you take the first loan, so you can plan with that in mind.
Does the lender know I am having fertility treatment?
Only to the extent that you state a purpose category such as medical. Lenders do not require clinical detail, a diagnosis, a treatment plan, or any explanation of why you are having treatment. If you provide a quote it may show the clinic name and the amount, and that is the extent of it. This is a common concern and the answer is that your medical information stays yours.
How much does IVF actually cost out of pocket?
It varies widely by clinic, by state, by whether you use a full-service or lower-cost provider, and by what your treatment involves. Medicare rebates a meaningful portion of most cycles once you have a referral, and the Medicare Safety Net can increase the rebate on later services in the same calendar year. Medication, genetic testing, freezing, and storage are commonly additional. Your clinic is the authoritative source for your gap, and it is worth asking them for the total across a likely course rather than a single cycle.
Is a clinic payment plan cheaper than a personal loan?
Sometimes, particularly where it is genuinely interest free over a defined period and you can clear it within that period. Where the interest-free window ends, or where monthly fees apply, the total can exceed a personal loan comfortably. Clinic plans also usually cover a single cycle at that clinic, which is the limitation that matters most here. Bring us the plan you have been offered and we will price the alternative against it honestly, including telling you when the clinic plan wins.
Will applying affect my credit score?
Every credit application is recorded on your file, and several in a short window read poorly to the next lender. That matters more than usual here, because if a further cycle is needed, a second application may come six or twelve months later, and you want your file in good shape for it. We work out which lender fits before anything is lodged, so your file carries one enquiry rather than several.
What is a comparison rate, and why are no rates shown on this page?
A comparison rate combines the interest rate with the standard fees into a single figure so two loans can be compared honestly. It matters here because clinic plans often quote a monthly fee rather than a rate, which is hard to compare against a loan without doing the arithmetic. A comparison rate is also only meaningful for a specific amount and term. We quote your rate and comparison rate for your real numbers alongside the total dollar cost.
Can we apply jointly as a couple?
Yes, and it is common. A joint application usually supports a larger amount because both incomes are assessed. Both parties are equally liable for the whole debt, which is worth understanding clearly rather than assuming it splits. Applying individually is also perfectly workable if that suits your circumstances better. Single applicants and couples of any kind are assessed the same way.
Do you work with borrowers with bad credit?
Yes, we do. A default, an old arrears listing, or a thin credit file does not rule you out, and it is not something we will make you feel awkward about. Several lenders on our panel assess your current capacity rather than the credit file alone, and price for it rather than decline it. Telling us early lets us approach the right lender first instead of adding enquiries to your file.
Do you act in my best interests?
Yes. When we provide credit assistance on consumer lending we owe you a best interests duty. We make reasonable enquiries into your financial situation, requirements, and objectives, and we must not suggest or help you apply for a loan that is unsuitable for you. On this page that duty is why we point you to your Medicare rebate and the Safety Net first, and why we set out the cost of one cycle and of more rather than simply writing the loan you asked for. Before we provide credit assistance you will receive our Credit Guide.
Why work with Settled With Joe for fertility finance?
Because the structure matters more than the rate on this one. Most of the people we help are couples and individuals who have budgeted carefully for a cycle and have not been asked what happens if they need a second. There is no judgement in the conversation and we do not ask about your treatment. What matters is your capacity, your credit file, and how the course of treatment is likely to run, because that determines the structure. We will point you to your rebate and the Safety Net first, since those reduce the cost rather than finance it, and if a loan is still the answer the funds come to you rather than being tied to one clinic. Our panel covers 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders. We are based in Sydney and work with borrowers Australia-wide. Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you honestly and early what is achievable.
Do you give financial advice?
No. We do not guide you on your finances, nor give financial advice. We focus on outcomes and solutions of presenting your unique scenario to the right lender so you can access funding in a timely and compliant manner.
Do you help with fertility finance outside Sydney?
Yes. Settled With Joe is based in Sydney and arranges fertility finance Australia-wide, covering both metro and regional areas. We work with clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, as well as regional areas including Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Toowoomba. Lender appetite does not vary by location on this product, though clinic pricing and the availability of lower-cost providers do vary by state. Joseph Farhat and his team will identify which lenders on the panel are the best fit for your situation.
