Research (page 2 of 3)

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Should you hire a professional genealogist or not? It's obviously up to you, but ask yourself two important questions before you do:

Do I really need one (at least at this stage in my research)?

Can I afford one?

DO you really need one? Have you exhausted all other and cheaper alternatives? Perhaps a subscription to a genealogy service would be cheaper. Maybe not. Maybe you unsuccessfully tried to obtain a birth record for a certain individual, but never thought to seek a death certificate or a baptismal record that may give you some of the information you need. Have you written requests for documents? Have you sought help on a mailing list? Have you posted queries? If you take genealogy seriously, you will exhaust all other resources and avenues before resorting to hiring a professional.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with hiring a professional genealogist. Do be careful in choosing one for your research. Like any professional field, there are good ones, OK ones, and not so good ones. Shop around. Compare prices. Ask for references. Keep in mind that even one with decent references might not be the best one for you. It's also a good idea to hire one you have sought out, not one that sought you out; Beware of this practice on some mailing lists out there.

CAN you afford one? This can get expensive. It must be pointed out, however, that most professional genealogists aren't making money hand-over-fist. Many don't charge for extra time they spend on certain aspects of research and correspondence. Professional genealogists are very much needed and particularly so for research in a different or far away country. Should you hire a professional, find out what their rates are, any additional charges and how and when they expect to be paid. Be prepared to pay a little extra for anything unexpected...within reason. And deserved tips are not unheard of.

If you have plenty of money to spend on genealogy, that's great. It really is. It makes research easier, but may be less rewarding. Much of the joy of genealogy is derived from the feeling of accomplishment; the solving of a puzzle. Taking the time and making the effort is a huge part of what genealogy is all about. You will need to spend money, but hopefully only occasionally and only when necessary. To do otherwise really isn't genealogy.

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