Financial Stability Before you quit your day job, take a close look at your finances.

If you are a part-time entrepreneur who is still employed bysomeone else, and if you expect to receive a year-end bonus orother additional compensation, you may want to defer receipt untilthe forthcoming year, especially if you will be in a lower taxbracket in the following year. This is often the case withfirst-time entrepreneurs who quit their jobs without securing thesteady sources of income they need until their new businesses breakeven. You may also want to negotiate an agreement with youremployer whereby part of your earnings will be deferred and paid ineither one or several future years.

Excerpted from Starting a Home-based Business