By Melanie Marsh, AG^®

You’re considering hiring a professional genealogist, but you have questions: What should that engagement look like? What would I be paying for? What would I receive?

If you’ve never worked with a professional before, these questions don’t have obvious answers.

The Engagement Starts Before the Research Does

The research doesn’t begin the moment you reach out. First, you’ll meet with the genealogist to review what you already know, including any documentation you have, and together you’ll form a focused research question.

A good genealogist builds on proven facts. Hazy memories or even established family tradition can send research in the wrong direction from the beginning. Starting on solid ground saves significant time and money later.

Clearly defined goals make it manageable. The difference between “find out where my family came from” and “find the parents of Bruce MacDonald from the 1861 Glasgow, Scotland census” is a project that may continue indefinitely and one a genealogist can plan and price.

What You’re Paying For … and What You’re Not

Most professional genealogists charge an hourly rate, which varies depending on expertise and credentials. Most structure their contracts in blocks of hours, with a written report at the end of each block. This keeps costs predictable and gives you a chance to decide whether to continue.

You are paying for expert time and effort, not a specific result. No legitimate professional can guarantee specific results. The fee should buy skilled, standards-based research applied to your question. Be cautious of anyone who promises dramatic results or offers unusually low rates for complex work.

“Reasonably Exhaustive Research”

This phrase comes from the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS), the field’s accepted standard for reaching reliable conclusions. It requires that a researcher examine all sources a competent professional would consider relevant: available original records, secondhand sources if originals are not available, and a documented accounting of what was searched, found, and not found. This means a researcher will not pursue every conceivable avenue regardless of time or cost.

Your authorized hours define the boundary. If the question genuinely requires more time than agreed, a professional working to standards will tell you, and explain what was left unexamined. This transparency is not a disclaimer; it’s part of what you are paying for.

In Your Inbox: The Research Report

The written report is the primary deliverable, a documented account of all research performed, from question through evidence to conclusion.

A professional report includes a stated research goal, a summary of findings, analysis, a conclusion, and recommendations for future research. Negative search results appear too; they rule out one resource and point toward others.

The recommendations section matters. When research hits a wall, a professional researcher identifies what records may exist but haven’t been located, which archives hold collections worth checking, and what approaches—DNA evidence, cluster research, collateral lines—might reopen the question. The wall isn’t the end of the report; it’s the beginning of the next one.

The Report’s Lasting Value

Keep the report. Share it with relatives or others who care about the same lines. If you engage a different genealogist later, sharing that document with them prevents duplication and they can then build on solid conclusions.The question you start with may or may not be fully answerable. But research conducted by a qualified professional and shared in a standards-based report, produces something durable anyway: a documented, honest account of what is known, what is not, and why.

---

See other posts in this series:

“Ten Effective Steps to Hiring an Accredited Genealogist (AG^®) Professional” by Trish Melander, AG^®

“Finding the Right Genealogist: How to Use ICAPGen’s Find an AG^® Professional Directory” by Michelle Tucker Chubenko, AG^®, AGL^TM

“Not All Genealogists are the Same: Understanding Genealogical Credentials Before You Hire,” by Melanie Marsh, AG^®