Did you know that 74% of people say they would like to be reunited with a family member they lost touch with? And that 25% of Americans have a family member that they have not seen in more than 10 years?

Unfortunately, it's easy to fall out of touch with people, especially as adults. There's a lot on our plate; work, family, after-school activities for the kids … It gets difficult to balance our day to day without throwing staying connected to relatives into the mix.

Take a moment to think about your extended family. Is there an aunt who moved away who you haven't heard from in a while? Perhaps a cousin you grew up with that you haven't talked to in years? Or maybe there's a member of your family that you've never met but would like to?

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If you're ready to get in touch with loved ones, these four tips will help you prepare for and start your reconnecting journey.

Set Realistic Expectations

The fact of the matter is that not everyone wants to be found or to have a relationship with their family members. This can be especially true if you're looking for someone you have never met. They may not be as open to meeting as you are.

It's best to go into this search process with realistic expectations. You may find that the person you're searching for has passed away or that they ignore your attempts to get in touch. You can hope for the best but should be prepared for the worst.

Gather As Much Info As You Can

The best place to start your search is with the family members you are still in contact with. They may be able to fill in some of the missing pieces, like last known address, date of birth, occupation, or even the name of their spouse.

All of this information will be extremely helpful when it comes to going through search results, especially if the person you're looking for has a common name. Any material that helps find another lead to follow, or even helps you eliminate leads, is beneficial.

Use a People Finder Service

It's impossible to explore every public record on your own, and a Google or Bing search will only take you so far. Leave the in-depth digging to the experts, like PeopleWhiz, which has access to over 67 billion searchable records.

Find address history, phone numbers, social media accounts, marriage and divorce records, property findings, and more!

The information that would take you months, even years, to find on your own is delivered to you in mere minutes. This not only saves you valuable time but takes some of the stress out of the whole finding process. By using a people finder service, you can focus on the things that matter, like preparing to reach out to your loved one once found.

Be Patient

In this day and age, it's very difficult to live off the grid, so the odds are good that you will eventually find whomever you are looking for. We all leave a paper trail.

This may be the hardest piece of advice to stick to: be patient. Once you've located your family member and have reached out, the next step is to go about your life. Your relative may not respond right away, if at all. People need time to process information, especially unexpected information. At the very least, you can rest easy knowing that you accomplished what you set out to do: you found your loved one. Now the ball is in their court.

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Even if you don't get the desired outcome, it's always better to reach out and have peace of mind than wonder what happened to a loved one you lost touch with.

Are you ready to trace a relative or even an old friend? Set realistic expectations, compile all the information you already know, make use of a professional people finder service, and be patient. Hopefully, you get the reconnection that you're looking for!

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4 Tips for Finding Long-Lost Family

When you're ready to reunite with a loved one, use these proven tips.