Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where do I begin?
2. Where can I find documents?
3. Should I hire a professional?
4. What should I pay for?

1.Where do I begin? It is important to begin with yourself and what you know. Where were you born? Where did your parents marry? When were they born? Start building a tree around the relatives you know and then back up those facts with documentation.

2.Where can I find documents? It really depends on the document. Who made it? If you're looking for a baptismal record, the church will be your best bet. A military record is probably located in the National Archives. Many records are digitized and found on genealogy websites like the ones found on our DIY page, but the majority are not. You'll have to go to the archive or hire someone to look for you.

3.Should I hire a professional? Do you have the motivation to research yourself? Are you willing to put in the time to learn about what records are available and how to access them? If no, do you have the money to hire a professional? The average professional bills in 10 hour increments at a minimum of $20 an hour. That's $200 of research time, but the time put in doesn't guarantee a result. In fact, you should be wary of any professional that guarantees they can find the documents you need. Sometimes they don't exist, or were destroyed. Don't trust anyone that says they 100% always find what they are looking for. But if you can't swallow paying out without getting real results then don't bother with a professional. You won't be happy without results and they won't be happy when you complain or sue.

4.What should I pay for? To be honest, there are lots of places looking to take your money. It's hard to say there's a one-stop- shop of genealogy, because there isn't. Should you pay for a website? If it has a free trial, give it a try before committing. Just read the terms of service to ensure you understand how to cancel without being charged. If there is no free trial, at least check a list of available records. Are the areas your family lived in covered? What about time period? It does no good to subscribe to Kansas newspapers if your family lived there in 1836 and they site covers 1820-1825 and 1970-1990. We recommend subscribing to only one site at a time, or complementary sites, as you'll have a lot to cover and it's best to not overwhelm yourself and pay for what you don't have time to use. If you choose to pay for membership to a historical society, make sure it's to one that has records relevant to your relations or houses researchers that can help you learn the local archives.