Business checking vs separate regular checking account for side gig?

[CFEonline]

Is a separate, regular checking account at my current bank adequate to use for side gig income (1099 sole proprietor), keeping the deposits and expenses separate from my personal checking?

Can you open one with an EIN? If not, is that somehow important or relevant if I put my EIN on W9, and plan to have a solo401k opened with EIN?

In the absence of a business structure involving a partnership or corporation, what benefits would a "business checking" account really provide?

TYIA

[Larry Ragman]

A separate regular checking account should be fine. Keeping a separate account from personal checking helps demonstrate the business intent for tax purposes, but you get no particular benefit for the extra fees typically associated with business checking per se.

[spiritrider]

The only time you should/must have separate business financial accounts are with an LLC and/or S-Corp.

[CFEonline]

Great, thank you both.

So it is not an issue that it is a "personal checking" opened with my SSN, when my W9 and Solo 401k will be using my EIN?