Ask HN: How do your enterprise customers pay you? 11 years ago
In the USA, banks will only accept one or two checks for deposit to your personal account if you're using a fictional company name before demanding you create a business account.
You don't need to incorporate to create a business account, but you have to register your fictitious name locally. Costs about $40 at various places around town and they handle all the paperwork and announcement in a newspaper.
For taxes, you just keep all receipts and file a Schedule C. When depreciating equipment, you need to know the day it was bought.
Also, check if your city requires city taxes. Some do, some don't.