Know exactly what you will pay
before you commit to anything.
Our consultation is free. Our pricing is flat and upfront. We never bill a single dollar beyond your approved budget without talking to you first. Here is every number, explained.
$0
Initial Consultation
$75
Standard Retainer
$125
Complex Case Retainer
$225
Express Retainer
ZERO
Docs We Ever Possess
Agency document fees (what the government charges to issue certified copies) are separate and passed through at exact cost - zero markup. All certified records are sent directly from the issuing agency to you.
Three tiers. Determined together during your consult.
We will tell you honestly which tier fits your situation - and why - before you spend a dollar.
Standard Case
Most clients start here.
retainer
covers first 2 hours
This tier is right for you if:
You were born in the United States
You have one or two name changes (e.g. married once, or once divorced)
Your records are held by standard U.S. state or county offices
You do not have unusual complications like sealed records or agency disputes
What your retainer covers:
Initial case review and jurisdiction mapping - identifying exactly which agencies hold your documents
Agency contact, request filings, and follow-ups submitted on your behalf
Unofficial record copies, agency receipts, and a complete case file delivered to you
Ready-to-submit packets with instructions for any agencies that require direct submission by you
2 full hours of dedicated researcher time. Many standard cases are completed within this window.
No payment until after your free consultation.
Complex Case
For more involved situations.
retainer
covers first 2 hours
This tier applies when your case involves:
Birth or death records from outside the United States
Military service records (DD-214, NPRC requests)
Agency errors - paperwork lost, records mis-filed, or disputed
Multiple or complex name changes spanning several decades or states
Sealed, amended, or delayed birth registrations
Everything in Standard, plus:
In-depth historical and jurisdictional research specific to complex case types
Coordination with international agencies, embassies, or consulates where applicable
NPRC navigation and VA coordination for military-related records
Escalation and dispute handling with agencies that have lost or mis-filed records
Complex tier is always disclosed upfront. We determine this during your free consultation - never after you have already paid. You will know before you commit.
We will tell you which tier applies before you pay anything.
Express Service
Cut the LineFront of the queue.
retainer
covers first 2 hours
Choose Express if:
You have a deadline - a flight, a job start date, a DMV appointment already booked
You cannot afford to wait behind other cases in the queue
You want us focused on your case the moment your intake is complete
How Express works:
Everything included in Standard or Complex (whichever applies to your case)
We finish whatever case we are currently working on, then yours starts - even if 50 cases are ahead of you
Multiple Express clients are served in the order their intake is received
Additional overage time billed at $150/hr - only with your prior approval
Important: Express prioritizes our research and ordering time. Government agency processing times are outside our control and cannot be expedited by us. Most agencies offer their own expedited services - we will note where that option exists.
No payment until after your free consultation.
We will always ask before we bill a single extra dollar.
Every retainer covers your first two hours of research and ordering work. Most standard cases are completed within this time. When a case runs longer - a stubborn county clerk, a complex name-change chain, or an agency that goes quiet - we stop, reach out, explain exactly where things stand, and ask for your approval before continuing.
For each document we file on your behalf, we allocate a minimum of 15 minutes to complete and submit the request. Most filings fall within that window. Overage time already owed is invoiced before orders are placed and documents go out.
No automatic billing. No pressure. You approve every dollar beyond what was originally agreed.
Additional research & ordering time
Billed per tier - $50/hr Standard · $75/hr Complex · $150/hr Express - only after you give explicit approval. Tracked and reported to you.
Government document fees
The fee each agency charges to issue a certified copy - typically $10–$35 per document. Collected from you and paid directly to the agency at exact cost, zero markup.
Document delivery - direct from the agency to you
Certified records are mailed by the issuing agency directly to your address. We never receive, hold, or forward your documents at any point. Any agency-side shipping costs are communicated to you beforehand.
Before you pay a cent, you will know:
Exactly which documents you need and which agencies hold them
Whether you are Standard, Complex, or Express - and what that means for your cost and timeline
A realistic estimate of how long the process will take
Any agency document fees to expect, based on your state and county
Honest answers to every question you have - no pressure to proceed
Zero Risk
The consultation is completely free.
No credit card, no commitment, no catch. Just a conversation to see if we are the right fit. If we are not, we will tell you - and point you in the right direction anyway.
Schedule My Free Consult Read the FAQ FirstWhat the retainer is really buying you.
This is not just about getting documents ordered. It is about your time, your privacy, and making sure it actually works the first time.
Hours you will not spend on hold
County clerk offices, vital records departments, court filing rooms - all notoriously difficult to reach and navigate. We absorb that time so you do not have to block off your entire Tuesday morning.
Documents that never pass through a middleman
We place the orders. The agencies mail the documents straight to you. At no point do we see, hold, or possess your certified records. That is not a limitation - it is deliberate, and it protects you.
A DMV rejection you will not experience
Getting turned away at the DMV after waiting weeks - because one document was wrong or your name chain had a gap - is costly in every way. We cross-reference everything before orders are placed.
The mental load off your plate
There is real value in not having to think about this anymore. No tracking multiple requests, no wondering if the letter is in the right format, no anxiety about showing up unprepared. It is handled.
A name trail that actually connects
For women who have changed their name - once, twice, or more - the documentation chain has to be unbroken. We map it completely and get every link ordered, so the DMV can follow it from your birth name to today.
Someone who has done this before
We know which states are slow, which counties require notarized requests, which agencies will not respond to email. Experience is worth something - especially when you are navigating a system designed to be confusing.
Results may vary based on your state's requirements and DMV decisions. See our Disclaimer for full details.
Still not sure? That is exactly
what the consult is for.
We will look at your specific situation, tell you what tier applies, give you a cost estimate, and answer every question you have. If it does not feel like the right fit, no hard feelings - and no charge.