Sole Proprietorship
Liability- Owner is liable for 100% of debts, taxes and liabilities.
Income Taxes- Taxed like regular income tax; owner claims it at year end and pays income tax on all earnings.
Longevity/Continuity- Company will likely die off if owner does. The company, being one and the same as the owner, cannot continue without measures being taken to pass on
Control- Owner has complete control over all decisions made; complete autonomy
Profit Retention- All profit belongs to owner
Location- The only reason location is an issue is filing for local and state permits based on the business type; may pick up and move when and wherever owner desires. Would need to file a DBA form if owner is operating under a
…show more content…
Because there are more people that are able to enter into a contract, being help accountable for someone else's actions may prove to be frustrating.
Limited Partnership
Liability- The general partner would be liable for all unlimited responsibility on all tasks and debt, while the limited partner will not loss more than their investment.
Income Taxes- Taxes are paid as income tax, unless the limited partnership is classified as a corporation by the IRS for tax purposes. In order to keep from being taxed this way, you would have to stick solely to the contract as written, and keep away from operating outside of the agreement.
Longevity/Continuity- The partnership would keep operating outside of the limited partner's death, as per usual, however, if a general partner dies, and the agreement hasn't covered the possibility of their death and also agreed that the business will keep running past the death of a general partner, the partnership will immediately dissolve.
Control- A limited partner has no say in the running and management in the business. The general partners will have the ability to run the business as they see fit.
Profit Retention- Profit is split between partners, usually between a set on agreed percentage.
Location- Similar to the General Partnership, the Limited Partnership may be moved to another state easily. A new DBA filing must be made in the
| A general partnership is comprised of a group of two or more individuals who enter into an agreement to start a business. The partners and the business are legally the same. The partners enter into an agreement called the articles of partnership and are typically equally active in the business and the business’s management, unless otherwise stated in the partnership agreement. All profits and losses are shared by the partners in a joint business venture.
• CONTROL – Limited partners are not allowed to make any decisions concerning the operation of the business in which they have invested in.
Many believe that liability is a biggest issue in a general partnership than in a sole proprietorship. The owners of the company are still fully liable for any debts the company may accrue as well as the liability for any lawsuits that may be brought against the company. However, the bigger issue in a partnership is that now each partner can be liable for the other partner’s actions. If one partner is sued for malpractice, the other partner may suffer because of it.
Suppose a limited partnership has just one general partner, who suddenly dies. Will the partnership dissolve? Could a limited partnership continue if one of three general partners suddenly dies? If yes, under what circumstances?
Location- A limited partnership is subject to the laws of each state. There are no federal guidelines for location.
A limited liability company protects each partner from personal liability for certain obligations of the company. An important difference from other partnerships is that each partner is liable for the debts and obligations of the partners. With limited liability Company, each state has its own laws governing partners for these vessels. Some states allow only certain professions, such as lawyers and accountants to form LLP. Some states only provide protection from liability for negligence claims, leaving personally responsible for other types of requests partner. For tax purposes, profits are divided equally between the partners and the partnership is not taxed separately.
LONGEVITY- A C-corporation life is potentially unlimited. The C-corp company could exist if it can continue to make a profit and cover all of the debt. If a shareholder dies or leaves the company it will not automatically lead to the dissolving of the business. The shareholders stakes are transferred to another party.
A limited liability company consists of a single owner, or sometimes more than one owner, and are not taxed as separate business entities. All profits and losses pass through the business to those who own the company. Owners must report profits and losses on their personal tax return filing as a corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. If the LLC is ran by a single owner, they file a 1040 Schedule C form as a sole proprietor. Partners file a 1065 form consisting of a partnership, and a form 1120 is filed if the LLC is filing as a corporation. The LLC must be registered such as the State Corporation Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, or the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code. The great thing about an LLC is that the owner has freedom in management. The owner is able to run the organization as they see fit not answering to anyone,
* Limited partnerships have the convenience of allowing multiple investors as limited partners to assist with cash available to run the business and support improvements or other investments into the company. The burden of running the business falls on the general partner.
Convenience/Burden: Limited Partnerships have extra requirements placed upon them to comply with state regulatory requirements. They must maintain a registered agent to represent them in the state in which they were formed. They are also required to file an informational report with the IRS of the profits passed to the general partners.
LIABILITY – The general partner has unlimited liability, while the limited partner is typically liable for the investment that he contributes.
* Limited Liability - Unlike partnerships and sole proprietorships, corporate shareholders are not liable for any of the corporation's debts.
In contrast, if a partner decides to leave the business, the owners will no longer be classified as partnerships and the business will end. When you are set as partnership, the decisions of every shareholder will have to be honoured and if they do not have enough experience, the business could be having troubles. An example of a partnership can be H&M, M&S...
Another business structure to establish is Limited Partnership, which is similar to the partnership with a slight difference where it formed with at least one general partner and one limited partner. The general partners have the same obligation as partners in a general partnership; however, limited partners have limited liability to the extent of their contribution. The advantage of this business formation is the limited personal liability for individual partners for the acts of another partner within the organization. It has the same tax consequences as a general partnership. One important positive aspect is management and control aspects of the organization could be divided or separated among partners. It’s shortcoming, a general partner is still personally fully liable for the debts of the business. If the limited partner wants to become active in the business, he/she may assume the personal liability obligation.
Control: Control is exercised by all partners. As such, each partner is an agent of other