Our Services
This is not an exhaustive list of all of the services I offer, so if what you are looking for is not included, please reach out. There are other skills I’d be happy to utilize for my clients, such as digitizing family photos or helping you plan a trip to a key family location. I am happy to work with you to customize our deliverables to fit your specific needs beyond this list.
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Work with me to research as little or as much as you need, from a simple record retrieval (within 100 miles of Madison, Wisconsin) to hours spent on a complex research problem. You tell me what you want during our initial free 30-minute consultation, and I will work with you to define the project scope and budget so that you are always getting what you need for what you can afford. For any full-service research (beyond record retrieval), clients will receive a report with images of all records and analysis of what was uncovered.
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I can create a customized presentation or paper for the needs of a society, library, or other organization. This can include an entry level introduction to genealogical concepts or can be focused on one of my areas of expertise. I am also happy to provide pitches upon request.
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If you enjoy researching your family tree on your own, but don’t know where to go next or have questions, I can look at what you’ve done so far and develop a research plan to set you on the right path. I can even suggest specific archives, record types, websites, and record sets.
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Take advantage of my passion for history, as I create a report that details the historical factors influencing a particular location, person, family, and/or culture. For instance, if you want to know what was happening to impact the residents of a particular county in Indiana from 1850-1880, I’ll discuss what you are hoping to learn about and create a targeted report that answers your questions and provides context related to local, national, and international factors.
Our Fees
Please note that clients will also be responsible for the costs of any travel, purchasing items like vital records, and other charges associated with undertaking your research, however we will set a budget for these incidentals and only the necessary, expected charges will be billed.
Hourly
My base hourly fees run between $35 and $55 depending on the specific type of work. Clients will be given an estimate before we begin, and we will check in regularly to avoid unexpected overages.
Flat Rate
If you have a larger or finite project, we both win with a flat rate fee structure. This is typically how I charge for things like presentations, but can also be applied for records retrieval, authoring a family history book, and more.
How do we get started?
If any or all of these services are of interest to you, fill out our Contact form. I will reach out to you within a few days to schedule a free 30-minute consultation. We will focus on what you are hoping to achieve, what your budget is, and what the ideal timeline is. I will also give you an idea of how soon I can get started.
After our call, I will email you a summary of what we discussed along with my proposal for the work including delivery dates. Once we have both confirmed we agree on the plan, we’ll sign a contract, and I’ll get to work.
For larger projects, there will be planned check-ins at regular intervals. For smaller projects, the next time we connect will likely be when I am finished and have your results. If preferred, we can meet over Zoom or the phone to discuss the results when my work is completed. I will also answer any questions you may have.