This article from coindesk pretty much sums it all up from soup to nuts
I merely scanned this and found it extremely helpful if you are looking for a place to start when you are ready to buy bitcoin. I will be perusing this in greater detail and adding my own research to it later.
Intelligent questions and comments are welcome below.
START HERE:
https://www.coindesk.com/information/how-can-i-buy-bitcoins/