Is it necessary or wise to reserve a corporate name in advance? 

It is unnecessary to reserve a corporate name in advance if you have checked the name, found it available, and are ready to file your corporation. 

Reserving a name in advance means you pay an extra fee. However, it would be wise to reserve a corporate name if you are not ready to file the corporation for a while but want to make sure no one else takes the name. This can be done by filing a form with the Corporate Filing Office.