Personal and Business seperate or together

Most everyone will tell you to keep them separate. I would say it's not a bad idea but if you are careful with your records, you can keep them together. You shouldn't use QB, though, use Quicken, if your "personal business" includes managing investments. Even if it is only CDs or bonds, QB isn't as good of a tool for you. I made it work, but I have over ten years of experience with QB.

The final decision on combining might be made based on this consideration: "I hardly have any transactions, I have no employees, and I have not got significant fixed assets or other true business tax reporting considerations; it's just me and some billing and some expenses. I will perform the work myself and I operate as a Sched C (sole proprietor) or a small business form (LLC, LLP, single shareholder S-corp) of tax payer business operation where this decision to combine everything will impact no one but me." If this all isn't true, I'd keep separate files.

You should get good advice from an accountant or CPA so you understand what is and isn't a business transaction, especially if you are setting up the books yourself and still intend to keep the personal and the business in the same QB file.

I keep mine together and assign 'personal' or 'business' jobs to my entries.

You can find a number of posts about this subject in the Sole Proprietors forum, Freelancers and Independent Contractors forum and Starting and Growing Your Business by searching on terms such as "commingling".  You can get opinions both sides of the question .
Dennis

If you are ever audited you will wish they were seperate, so do yourself a favor and keep them seperate now.