Fees at
The Past Matters

Initial consultations are always free.  Please Contact us to schedule your free consultation.

When you retain a professional with The Past Matters , you are paying for our time and our research expertise. Our training and experience in research methods and techniques allows us to efficiently search, locate and analyze information relevant to your research objective and then to produce a report that describes our approach and our findings . However, results cannot be guaranteed.

Karen’s Own Family Research

Check the list of Family Surnames on the About page of this website and contact Karen if you are also researching one of those surnames. Copies of Karen’s research are provided free to people with whom she shares a common ancestor.

Fee Categories

The Past Matters rates vary, based on the type of services being provided.  The Fee categories are:

• Research Services
• Photographic Services
• Consultation Services
• Speaker Services

Research Services

Rates for Research Services range from $25 to $45 per hour.  The rate you pay for a specific project will be determined based on the number of hours you initially purchase.  This rate may actually decrease later if you purchase additional hours and it is guaranteed not to increase for the duration of your project.

The Basic Hourly Rate for Research Services is $45 for hours that are purchased individually, rather than as part of a package.  A retainer of $150 is required for us to begin work, and this full amount is applied to your hourly charges.  Any remainder is refunded to you.

Three discount packages are offered for research services, Standard, Deluxe and Premium. The discount package prices for 2005 are:

Standard Discount Package: $35 per hour for a package of 10 hours. Total Package Cost:  $350.

Deluxe Discount Package: $30 per hour for a package of 20 hours.  Total Package Cost:  $600.

Premium Discount Package: $25 per hour for a package of 30 hours.  Total Package Cost:  $750.

Once you have purchased any of our Discount packages, any additional hours you authorize for your project will be charged at the same discounted rate.

All Discount packages require an initial payment of 50% of the cost of the package.  The remaining 50% is due when your final research report has been completed.

Along with your retainer, please provide all of the information and documents you currently have related to your research objective.  This is critical to ensure that we do not spend time performing research that has already been done.  The information you provide can include a GEDCOM file with names, dates and biographical data as well as copies of all original and compiled sources that you already have.

When your project is completed (or at regular intervals for long projects) we will provide you with a research report that lists all of the sources we consulted and describes our analysis and conclusions, as well as providing suggestions on next steps for future research.  Along with the Research Report, you will also be provided with copies of all relevant source documents we found.  For additional information about The Past Matters Research Reports please click here .

Photographic Services

We can provide you with print and/or digital photos of a tombstone, family home, or other place of significance to you.

Fees for these services are shown in the table below.  The fees for any cemetery or building research you request are the same as for any other Research Services .

Consultation Services

The Past Matters charges $35 per hour for Consultation Services.  A retainer of $150 is required for us to begin work, and this full amount is applied to your hourly charges.  Any remainder is refunded to you.

Information on Discounts for packages of Consultation Services is available on request.

Speaker Services

Karen’s Honorarium is negotiable, and is based on the topics and the location.

The sponsoring group pays lodging, travel, per diem, publicity, reprint of syllabus, and complimentary conference fees.

Other Discounts:

Research Expenses

In addition to fees charged for services, you will be charged for actual costs for incidental expenses such as photocopies, vital record fees, postage, and microfilm rental.  You will be provided with a list of any such expenses incurred as part of your project.

Travel Expenses

If travel is required to a destination that is more than 50 miles from downtown Portland, Oregon, you will be charged mileage at the current rate authorized by the Internal Revenue Service.

If travel is required to a destination that is more than 100 miles from downtown Portland, Oregon, you will be charged for any airline tickets, lodging and meals required for overnight travel.

Reasonable efforts are made to combine trips for multiple clients so that the travel costs can be split.  No travel expenses will be incurred without your written permission, and you will receive an itemized list of any travel expenses charged to you.

General Terms

Research Agreement

You may open a printable, downloadable, copy of The Past Matters Research Agreement here .

Note:  The Research Agreement is an Adobe Acrobat file that requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print a copy of the document.  If you do not already have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer, you can click on the icon below to download a free copy of this software.

Research Report

If the services you are receiving include providing you with a Research Report, the time frame for receiving your report will be included in your Research Agreement. Most reports are provided within 4-6 weeks of receiving your retainer and all of your existing information related to the research objective.  If for some reason your Research Report cannot be completed in this timeframe, you will be notified as soon as possible and provided with a revised timeline for completion of your Research Report. Most delays are the result of waiting for the arrival of requested records necessary to complete your research project.

Arbitration Services

At The Past Matters, we are committed to client satisfaction.  Should you ever have concerns or a complaint, please contact us first so that we can address it with you.  However, you do have the option of contacting the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) , who can provide arbitration services.

Payment Terms

The Past Matters accepts checks drawn on U.S. or Canadian funds, USPS Money Orders or credit cards via

All invoices issued by The Past Matters are due upon receipt.