Refund Policy, Terms of Service and Conditions for Genealogy Products at DNA Consultants:
1. PAYMENTS, CHANGE ORDERS AND REFUNDS
1.1 We will not provide research results until payment is made in full and we cannot guarantee specific results due to the nature of genealogical research.
1.2 Sometimes it will be necessary to curtail research that has exceeded the original estimate of its scope with an interim report. The report will include a new estimate and recommendation for continuing or you may cease research with us at that point.
1.3 If you change the scope or goal of a project, this is a change order. Your project must be restructured according to your new instructions. We will provide you with an estimate for the additional or new work. You must pay this additional amount before we proceed.
1.4 If you request a refund no later than three months (90 days) after your initial payment, your full deposit will be refunded minus time spent on the project and a 5% payment processing fee. Refunds are given based on time remaining and are not based on research results, as no certain results can be guaranteed.
1.5 Credit card information is stored on a secure server to facilitate payment plans and future orders. DNA Consultants does not retain credit card information except in the case of recurring repetitive (scheduled) charges.
2. RESEARCH AND COMPLETION TIME
In general you do not need to submit more information about yourself and your genealogy than is necessary to fulfill your order or design a plan of action. We especially do not need information that you deem sensitive or possibly compromising to others. Please use discretion if there are legal matters involved. By the same token, no one but you is privy to our communications during the progress of your project. You may separately share any and all information fulfilled by us, but please do not involve other family members or friends in phone calls and emails with us. Do not courtesy copy (cc) anyone.
2.1 Before research begins, you are requested to provide all pertinent known information concerning the family or individual to be researched as well as any previous research that has been conducted. We are not responsible for duplication or misdirection of effort due to the failure on your part to provide all necessary information prior to the beginning of the research process. If you send us additional information and/or documents after research starts, you will likely need to purchase additional hours so that we have time to review and/or incorporate the new information into the project. To avoid duplication of effort, we ask that you pause your research on the line(s) you’ve asked us to work on until the project is complete.
2.2 Do not send original records—only copy of documents or links to books via email.
2.3 If you send unnecessary information or make suggestions about the direction of our research that distract us from our work and goals (pet theories, rabbit holes, unproved tangents), it only takes up our time and wastes your money. We may be forced to curtail your project before the total time needed for its completion.
2.4 We handle research projects in the order in which the deposit, research goals and genealogical information are received from you. We strive to return completed in-depth projects to you within1-6 months or sooner. However, we cannot control how soon we receive records from repositories
worldwide and a project may take longer to complete than anticipated.
2.5 We reserve the right to delete a client’s information one year after a project is finished without reorder. Unclaimed paper files and records will be held for up to three years and then destroyed.
2.6 Generally, we offer gratuitous consultative services before your eventual order, but if you demand too much of our time before committing to an order, we will impose a consultation fee of $100.00 an hour. See above for CHANGE ORDERS.
3. SHARING OF INFORMATION
By ordering our genealogy services, you consent to not violating the terms set forth in Research and Completion Time as well as hereunder.
3.1 We allow clients to share reports, documents, and data that we’ve provided to them, including the use of these things in family history books and on the Internet, if excerpts from our reports are not altered and accurately portray our written conclusions. When information that we found is used, please include us as a source or as the author of the information and indicated “used with permission” wherever this needs to be made clear. Any use of reports, documents, and data which we’ve provided you other than as specifically permitted herein or without our prior written consent is expressly prohibited.
3.1a. Your results and all interaction with DNA Consultants are personalized, private and confidential. Our website and reports are copyright and all our methodology and procedures are proprietary. Do not submit to AI engines! Once you have submitted something to an AI engine, you cannot retract or correct it. AI makes mistakes, and genealogy queries are no exception.
3.2 We allow others (e.g., family history societies, journalists) to reproduce content published in our blog posts and private reports as long as they also have the permission of the customer who ordered the report and comply with the following policies:
(a) Printed materials and presentations: Others may reproduce content from our blog posts in
printed materials and presentations as long as they provide credit to the original researcher and our website in their publication or presentation.
(b) Internet and electronic communications: Others may reproduce content from our blog posts on the Internet or in electronic communications as long as they include a link to our original blog post. Reproductions should constitute (1) select quotations and/or readers’ original summaries with (2) a link to the post rather than extensive reproductions of the post’s contents (i.e., more than two paragraphs).
3.3 We reserve the right to talk about our research triumphs and challenges in our blog and in other online, print, and audio communications. This can include talking about locations, records
(including images or partial images of records), and other information involving a genealogy research problem, but we change names and avoid using identifying details unless we have prior permission. You waive any right to royalties or other compensation which may arise, or which may be related to the use of information as described above. You also hereby hold harmless and release and forever discharge from all claims, demands, and causes of action which you or any other person acting on your behalf or on behalf of your estate have or may have. For clients who prefer
that their research never be discussed publicly in any way, an opt-out form can be provided via email request.
3.4 Clients acknowledge and agree that we may choose to disclose or withhold disclosure of their information if we believe we are required to do so by law or if such action is reasonably necessary to
(a) comply with a legal process or government request; (b) enforce this or any other agreement with a client; (c) respond to claims that our content violates the rights of third parties; or (d) protect the rights, property, or safety of ourselves, our clients, our potential clients, or the public.
4. WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
4.1 The amount payable to us is based upon the value of the services we provide and is not related to the various uses to which you may put our research nor are results guaranteed. For example, if you are using our research for the purpose of establishing genealogy for purposes of qualifying for grants, scholarships or other benefits, or are seeking to locate potential beneficiaries of a decedent or gain dual citizenship status, the cost of our services has not been determined with reference to such uses but has been determined solely by reference to the amount of time we spend performing our research services. We are not an insurer of any risk relating to the uses to which you may put our research.
4.2 To the fullest extent permitted by law, you acknowledge and agree that we have not made and do not make any representations or warranties (whether by statute, common law, custom, usage or otherwise) regarding the accuracy or completeness of our search results, and specifically disclaim any and all implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall we be liable to you or any other person for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages or claims for loss of business or profits, damage to reputation or otherwise under contract, tort (including negligence) or other legal or equitable theory, regardless of the cause of action and even if we have been advised of the possibility of such potential loss or damage.
4.3 To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree that it is impractical if not impossible to fix the actual damages, if any, which may proximately result from failure on our part to perform any of our obligations, and that if we should be found liable for loss, damage, or injury due to our services in any respect, our liability shall be limited to the amount you pay for our services, regardless of whether such loss, damage or injury results directly or indirectly from our negligence or active, passive, intentional or other act. If you desire us to assume a greater liability, please notify us and we will attach a rider to these Terms and Conditions of Use setting forth the amount of additional liability and additional amount payable by you to bond for an assumption by us of such greater liability.
Revised May 1, 2026
