Hiring A Genealogist
AG – Accredited Genealogist – Awarded by The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealigsts (ICAPGen)
CG – Certified Genealogist – Awarded by the Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG)
FGC – Forensic Genealgist Credentialed – Awarded by the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy (CAFG)
When to Hire a Genealogist
To translate an unfamiliar language
To transcribe abstracts
When dealing with old handwriting or script
To organize existing materials
When you are stuck and need a fresh set of eyes
To help understand DNA results
To discover the biological family for an adoptee, orphan, or foundling
To research a specialty topic
Misc.
Genealogical Researchers often specialize is certain geographical regions. This is particularly helpful when you do not speak the language of your ancestors country of origin.
There is not a standard rate for genealogy research.
To keep costs down:
Be as specific as you can in your request,
Include a detailed list of what you’ve already looked at, and
Provide copies of relevant documents.
Before hiring a Genealogist, ask to review their credentials.
Sign a contract with the Genealogist, that way you both know exactly what you are looking for and what is expected.
Useful Websites
Association of Professional Genealogists
Useful for finding Genealogists in areas throughout the world
Board of Certification of Genealogists
Certifies genealogists by evaluating portfolios of research work samples
Allows you to post a project, receive bids and leave feedback about the researcher you use
International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAP)
ICAPGen requires genealogists to pass an examination showing that they have sufficient theoretical and pracical research background before they are accredited
