2. Death records can provide us with a plethora
of useful information for genealogy purposes,
and they may prove to be useful when dealing
with estates, wills and inheritances. There are
many websites that claim to offer free death
records and other vital records, but these
websites are often riddled with related fees and
expenses – many of which aren’t initially
disclosed by the company.
3. Look for Hidden Fees
For example, a website that offers free death
records may perform a small, initial search that
locates the individual in question (this simplified
search is easy to complete). Then, once the
deceased individual is located, the website then
takes you to a new website that asks you to pay
for the service of finding a death record. Often
times, these misleading websites charge more
than other death records websites.
4. The bottom line is that all state and local vital
records offices around the country charge a fee
for a death record request. This fee generally
covers the administrative costs of searching for
and printing death records. Therefore, a website
cannot offer a free search for a death record
when the vital records office from where they
are obtaining the information is charging a fee
for the service.
5. Beware of Inaccurate Information
If a website claims to offer free death
records, it may very well provide you with
misleading or inaccurate information on the
person on which you are requesting the death
record. For most individuals that rely on an
accurate death record for genealogy or simply
personal reasons, an inaccurate death record is
completely useless.
6. How to Facilitate your Search
Of course, there are reputable resources
online that can help you locate the death records
you seek. Archives.com, for example, is a
powerful, comprehensive resource that can
connect you with the right records. While this is
a paid service, you can utilize their free 7-day
trial to evaluate the service and begin your
search for death records.
7. Your genealogy search has never been easier
using the power of the Internet. Websites such
as Archives.com are there to make the searching
process easier, saving you time and effort. The
excitement of the Internet and the many
conveniences that come along with it have
empowered many individuals to find loved ones
and ancestors – all with the click of a button.