Death records can provide us with a plethoraof useful information for genealogy purposes,and they may prove to be useful when dealingwith estates, wills and inheritances. There aremany websites that claim to offer free deathrecords and other vital records, but thesewebsites are often riddled with related fees andexpenses – many of which aren’t initiallydisclosed by the company.

Look for Hidden Fees

For example, a website that offers free deathrecords may perform a small, initial search thatlocates the individual in question (this simplifiedsearch is easy to complete). Then, once thedeceased individual is located, the website thentakes you to a new website that asks you to payfor the service of finding a death record. Oftentimes, these misleading websites charge morethan other death records websites.

The bottom line is that all state and local vitalrecords offices around the country charge a feefor a death record request. This fee generallycovers the administrative costs of searching forand printing death records. Therefore, a websitecannot offer a free search for a death recordwhen the vital records office from where theyare obtaining the information is charging a feefor the service.

Beware of Inaccurate Information

If a website claims to offer free deathrecords, it may very well provide you withmisleading or inaccurate information on theperson on which you are requesting the deathrecord. For most individuals that rely on anaccurate death record for genealogy or simplypersonal reasons, an inaccurate death record iscompletely useless.

How to Facilitate your Search

Of course, there are reputable resourcesonline that can help you locate the death recordsyou seek. Archives.com, for example, is apowerful, comprehensive resource that canconnect you with the right records. While this isa paid service, you can utilize their free 7-daytrial to evaluate the service and begin yoursearch for death records.

Your genealogy search has never been easierusing the power of the Internet. Websites suchas Archives.com are there to make the searchingprocess easier, saving you time and effort. Theexcitement of the Internet and the manyconveniences that come along with it haveempowered many individuals to find loved onesand ancestors – all with the click of a button.

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