Many small business owners at one time or another have wondered whether they should incorporate their business or not. True, the tax advantages and risk protection that incorporating brings is very tempting. Unfortunately, the benefits are often outweighed by the costs of incorporating when an attorney is involved.

But it's a new day and the tables have turned. Small business owners now have many different options to choose from when it comes to incorporation. Gone are the days when the only choice was to hire an attorney and pay the exorbitant fee, only to have the attorney's assistant draw up the necessary papers using a standard template. Now small business owners can -

• Hire a paralegal - As with every other career, so goes the paralegal career...on to the Internet. Traditionally, paralegals and legal assistants were tied to law firms and attorneys. But the Internet has changed all that. Now paralegals can enjoy the flexibility of working for themselves and offer their services as contract workers or freelancers. You can search sites such as Elance.com, ContractedWork.com, or HomeJobStop.com for a paralegal or legal assistant who specializes in incorporations. Make sure that their service includes everything necessary to incorporate in the state you pick, including filing fees, franchise fees, etc.
  
  
• Download a template - Many online sites offer sample articles of incorporation forms or templates for a nominal fee. Simply go to your favorite search engine and search for "incorporation template," "incorporation form," or "sample articles of incorporation." If you decided in what state to incorporate, just visit the Secretary of State section of that state's government website. They'll have the forms you need and instructions on what's needed to incorporate in their state. This will take a little more effort on your end, but if you're looking for the least amount of money out-of-pocket, your Secretary of State government website option is the one you want.
  
  
• Buy the Software - You'll be looking for state specific document assembly software. The software will conform to local state filing requirements and is usually designed to be compatible with all word processing programs. In most cases, you simply answer questions on screen to complete the necessary forms. The software typically has additional forms such as a general "Proceedings of the Incorporators," "By-Laws" and "Code of Regulation." These forms contain the majority of the required information for establishing the rules that will govern the corporation once the articles of incorporation have been submitted, approved by and filed with the State. These forms can (and should) be modified to meet the specific needs of your incorporation.
  
  
• Enlist a Legal Document Service - Some of these organizations have been around for awhile...that means they have a lot of experience doing what they do. One of the oldest (if not THE oldest) is The Company Corporation (corporate.com). Founded in 1899 by the architects of Delaware's corporate laws, The Company Corporation claims that one out of every seven new corporations in the United States turns to them for help in forming their new business. Other companies providing similar services include BizFilings.com, Intuit's MyCorporation.com, but our favorite is LegalZoom.com, founded by "Dream Team" attorney Robert Shapiro's. It's a simple straightforward process and you can INCORPORATE NOW for only $139 . But what's so great with the majority of these companies who boast a "one stop shop" experience is that their fees include all the necessary costs required to incorporate in the state you desire.
  

So, if incorporating your business will deliver you peace of mind, over-priced attorney fees are no longer an obstacle. Several affordable incorporation options exist so you can choose the one that suits you and your business best. Go ahead...incorporate your business(then go on a vacation with the money you save)!