As a CPA I get the opportunity to learn of a client's business ventures very early on.  And because of this, I get to influence the setup and structure of the business.  One of my first points is to have the client incorporate.  I explain to them that this is NOT just for tax purposes, but rather for legal liability purposes.

Most new businesses have to worry about cash so an extra expense isn't what they want to hear about.  But I explain to them that this is a way to shield all of their personal assets from a potential lawsuit.  In most cases, I will not take the client on unless they properly incorporate.

To that end, I always recomend Brandon Welch, our team's business attorney.  Brandon is very easy to work with and for certain tasks has flat fee billing.  This often helps me convince the client to follow through since they do not have to worry about any hidden costs or having a phone call incur even more fees.