Hi Michael,

I went through the process myself a few years back. Incorporating seems to be the most common route for a structure, though LLCs are starting to come in to play more, too. Either one, though, is recommended, simply for the limited liabiilty protection. I used a company called Business Filings - www.bizfilings.com - to handle my incorporation. They were prompt and cheap. It was a little scary because I had never heard anything about them other than a mention in a magazine article, but they came through.

As for your finances, I agree highly with Craig's suggestion. Good accountants will more than pay for themselves. The key is finding a good accountant. Nothing beats references from people in your geographic area.

As for insurance - do you mean health or liability? You should refer to a lawyer about this. There are many things you can do to protect yourself without purchasing insurance. Incorporating is one. In the end, you may need some kind of insurance - again, this is for a lawyer.

In summary, though, it's really pretty easy. Incorporate, get a good accountant, and start sending out bills.

Good luck!

>Does anyone have some links to a to-do list for starting a small business? Incorporation? Insurance?
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>Of course, the business is Consulting - Database Applications and Web Development.....
>
>TIA