Financial Matters and Your Genealogy Business

Your Genealogy Business Tracking money is not just mindless busywork. It has a purpose. Keeping track of money as it flows in and out of your business is a process that is key to providing you with the necessary information on how your business is doing which leads to better decision making. Managing your financial resources will involve the following aspects of money management: accounting/bookkeeping/budgeting profit/loss cash flow tax reporting break-even analysis credit and collections For a small sole proprietorship, weekly bookkeeping and periodic budgeting can be a simple process, and many small business owners do very well using just a spreadsheet to keep their financial records. Accounting reports are useful for reporting and planning purposes. The basic financial reports useful to an owner of a small genealogy business include: Balance Sheets– This is a very basic look at your business ownership at a particular point in time, usually at the end of each month. Profit/Loss Statement– This covers a specific period of time, such as one month, one quarter, or one year. Budget– This serves as a guide for your activities. If you have ever had a month – in business or even in your personal life – when you did not know where you would get the money to pay the bills, you have an understanding of what cash flow is. In a service business such as genealogy research, cash does not always flow smoothly. Genealogy research projects can take extended periods of time, sometimes six months or more. Project Management  A significant portion of your income may come from projects that you complete for your clients. In order to be adequately paid for your work,…

Continue reading

Your Ancestor’s Locations

Your Ancestor’s Locations  It is extremely important to learn about the location(s) our ancestors lived. We need to be aware of when certain jurisdictions were formed, what records were kept and when, which jurisdictions were responsible for keeping specific records, and what records are currently accessible. Keep in mind that jurisdictional boundaries may have changed over time, so it is important to keep track of what jurisdictions a location was a part of during the time the family resided there. Therefore, the use of historical and modern-day maps is essential. For example, the area now known as the City of Auburn in New York was a part of Onondaga County until 1799 when Cayuga County was formed. Another problem we run into is location name changes. Consider the city of Auburn, New York as an example. It was originally known as Hardenberg’s Corners situated in the town of Aurelius. In 1805, it became the Cayuga County seat and was renamed. We also need to learn about the history of the location. In the United States, local histories can provide a wealth of information. We can often learn about what types of groups settled in a location, where they came from, and if they later dispersed, giving us wonderful clues for further research. There are a variety of recourses available to help us learn about different locations. Finally, we need to understand the laws that were in place for the time period and location we are studying. This includes such things as the minimum age for marriage and if parental…

Continue reading

Time is Ticking Away

Seasonal Surprise EndsCountdown           Our Seasonal Surprise isn’t forever. It will be over soon. Make sure you don’t miss out.  25% off 1 course package (maximum savings $862.50) with  code: p2018xx at checkout. Or 50% off 1 course (maximum savings $80.00) with code: c2018xx at checkout. Problems registering for a course or a course package? We’re here to help!  Give us a call at   1-800-580-0165 ext 1 or ext 3. You may even email us at admin@genealogicalstudies.com (Any voicemail or email received from midnight to midnight will qualify for the discount.) Please note: Once you register and pay for the course, it will show up in the future course area of your student briefcase immediately after the payment is processed. The same is true for the course package. If they do not show up, please call or email us right away. If finances are a little tight, call at the number above and ask about The National Institute payment plan. The Institute does not charge interest, nor service fees, and you can spread the payments over several months. Remember! This offer is for 24 hours only and expires at midnight!

Your Surprise Has Arrived!

  A surprise gift just for you. For one day only (24 hours) you can save:  25% off 1 course package (maximum savings $862.50) with code: p2018xx at checkout. Or 50% off 1 course (maximum savings $80.00) with code: c2018xx at checkout. Problems registering for a course or a course package? We’re here to help!  Give us a call at   1-800-580-0165 ext 1 or ext 3. You may also email us at admin@genealogicalstudies.com and media@genealogicalstudies.com (Any voicemail or email received from midnight to midnight will qualify for the discount.) Please note: Once you register and pay for the course, it will show up in the future course area of your student briefcase immediately after the payment is processed. The same is true for the course package. If they do not show up, please call or email us right away. If finances are a little tight, call the number above and ask about The National Institute payment plan. The Institute does not charge interest, nor service fees, and you can spread the payments over several months. Remember! This offer is for 24 hours only. Happy Holidays!

Mapping Your Ancestors

 Mapping Your Ancestors  Geography is an important element in your family history research. Did your ancestor contend with mountains, valleys, or waterways? The best way to answer these questions and potentially uncover new research avenues is to take a look at maps, particularly those contemporary to the time periods with which you are researching. Physical maps are most helpful in determining a person’s location relative to their surroundings, including boundaries, roadways, railways, waterways, and sometimes places of interest, such as churches and schools. Political maps can help determine neighboring jurisdictions and that may contain records about your ancestors. Plat maps, in most cases, are sketches that depict property boundaries of a particular area. Many of these maps also include a variety of physical features, such as roadways, railways, waterways, schools, churches, cemeteries and landscape elements. Plat maps may also indicate the landowner for each parcel. Topographic maps are helpful for learning the details of a location’s landscape. These maps are helpful for determining if land features such as waterways, mountains, or valleys may have influenced your ancestor’s decision to attend a church or register a birth in a different place than you would have expected. As with many resources, there are various ways to find and access maps. With our Skill Building: Breaking Brick Walls Course you will learn more ways to use these maps.