HR 9753: Fertility Cost Relief Act

HR 9753 in plain English: This bill would create a tax credit to help offset the costs of fertility treatments. The credit is capped at $20,000 per taxpayer and would be adjusted for inflation for tax years beginning after 2026.

Stated purpose

The bill aims to help people afford fertility treatments by allowing them to withdraw money from their retirement accounts early — up to $20,000 lifetime — without paying the usual 10% early withdrawal tax penalty, as long as the money is used for qualified fertility expenses.

Key points

• Creates a tax credit for qualified fertility treatment expenses
• Caps the credit at $20,000 per taxable year
• Adjusts the $20,000 cap for inflation starting in tax years after 2026

Arguments supporters make

• Fertility treatments like IVF can cost tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket, and this bill gives people a practical way to access their own savings without an extra financial penalty during an already stressful time.
• The bill covers a broad range of treatments — from egg freezing to artificial insemination to fertility medications — making it useful for many different family-building situations, including for same-sex couples and domestic partners.
• The $20,000 limit adjusts for inflation over time, so its value won't erode as treatment costs rise.

Arguments opponents make

• Withdrawing retirement savings early — even without a penalty — reduces long-term financial security, since that money loses years of tax-advantaged growth, potentially leaving people worse off in retirement.
• The bill does nothing to lower the actual cost of fertility treatments; it only changes how people pay for them, so it may not help those who have little or no retirement savings to begin with.
• Critics may argue the government should address fertility coverage through insurance mandates or direct assistance rather than encouraging people to drain retirement accounts, which creates a different long-term financial burden.

Tradeoffs

The bill trades future retirement security for present access to funds — people get relief from fertility costs now but at the expense of savings that would have grown tax-advantaged over decades. It also benefits those who already have retirement savings more than lower-income individuals who may have little saved to withdraw.

Current status in Congress: In committee.

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