Q: I've determined the information on my own birth certificate is incorrect. Should I submit the correct information to the state so my descendants aren't as confused as I was?

A: That would be a thoughtful service to future genealogists -- but it might not be easy. Every state has its own rules regarding corrections to birth certificates, so you should consult with the vital records office in the state where you were born. We checked with Arizona, for example, which is notable for making PDFs of historical birth and death certificates available online. There, making a simple correction to your own information -- fixing a misspelling, such as "Micheal" for "Michael" -- requires an affidavit from you and documentation from the first 10 years of your life establishing the corrected fact. If there's a name change (i.e., your birth certificate reads "Michael John" but you go by "John" and want your record to match), you'll have to go to court.