Legal Structure of a Business Orgnanisation
Business organisations are the different legal forms a business can adopt. The key distinction is that some businesses provide limited liability for any debts the business incurs. Others have unlimited liability - which obviously doesn't
[IMAGE]Unincorporated Incorporated
Up Arrow Callout: Sole-trader
Up Arrow Callout: Partnership
Up Arrow Callout: Private Limited Company (ltd)
Up Arrow Callout: Public Limited Company (plc)
What is a Sole-trader? (Builder/local shops/hairdresser)
Sole-traders are individuals who own and operate their own businesses. Although there may well be other employees (usually no more than 5) the
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The most common examples of a partnership are doctor's surgeries, veterinarians, accountants, solicitors and dentists.
As stated earlier, most partners in a partnership face unlimited liability for their debts. The only exception is in a Limited Partnership. This is where a partnership may wish to raise additional finance, but does not wish to take on any new active partners.
To overcome this problem, the partnership may take on as many Sleeping (or Silent) Partners as they wish - these people will provide finance for the business to use, but will not have any input into how the business is run. In other words, they have purely put the money into the business as an investment. These Sleeping Partners face limited liability for the debts of the partnership. A partnership, just like a sole trader, is an unincorporated business.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a Partnership?
Advantages Disadvantages
(1) Additional Skills to strengthen the business (1) Share profits
(2) More capital to help business (2) Loss of control
(3) Debts are shared equally (3) Unlimited liability
There are two types of companies,
The benefits of Partnership Company are that business is anything but difficult to build up and start-up expenses are low. There is more capital accessible for the business. Workers that are of high-bore are made accomplices. The burdens are that the obligation of the accomplices for the obligations of the business is boundless . There is additionally danger of differences and contact among accomplices and administration. Every accomplice is an agent of the partnership and is at risk for activities by different accomplices. This means that it brothers choose this type, they will be responsible for each other’s action irrespective of the fact whether they like it or
Some of the benefits of a Limited Liability Company are that as a Limited Liability Company it limits the owner of personal liability for business actions. The members are liable, but normally just to the amount of their share in the business. Their individual assets are not considered for resolving business debts. The fact that your personal assets are protected is a great benefit. Whereas, operating under a partnership all members are individually accountable for the company’s debt. In comparing the differences between a
The organizational forms a company might have as it evolves from a start-up to a major corporation are: sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations. The advantages of a sole proprietorship are that is is easily and inexpensively formed; is subject to few government regulations and it’s income is not
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.
When it comes to partnerships Alex, Bill, Carl, and Devon will have two options- a general partnership or a limited partnership. Partnerships are beginning to be a business form of the past. Once upon a time, partnerships were “the default form of business and provided the benefit of pass-through taxation, but lacked the important feature of limited liability” (Chrisman, 2010, p. 465). In a general partnership, each partner associated with the entity will be held liable for their own business decisions as well as
Liability All liabilities are the responsibility of each partner. In the event of litigation, any creditors can go after the personal assets of each partner to recover any debt owed. But since liability is spread out between the owners, one may feel less risk is being taken. 2. Income Taxes General partnership may also benefit from pass-through taxation, meaning the partners are taxed like sole proprietors. Business income is reported on the personal tax filing while business losses can be deducted to reduce personal tax liability. The partnership itself is not subject to federal income tax. However the partnership needs to file an information return utilizing the IRS Form 1065. 3. Longevity or continuity of the organization Once the partnership agreement is fulfilled, the general partnership may dissolve. A buy/sell agreement may be included in the articles of the partnership to allow the
3 • Control – A major disadvantage of the limited partnership becomes obvious when discussing the actual management of the general partnership. Limited partners have no control of the day-to-day operations of the general partnership. Profit Retention – The limited partner receives an agreed portion of the profits that typically reflects the percentage of the amount that has been invested into the general partnership. Location – If the general partners expand or move into another state, the burden of regulatory requirements is solely on the general partners and not the limited partners. If the partners plan to move or expand into another state, they simply need to file a new DBA in that state. Convenience / Burden – A
Proprietorships have three advantages: they are easy and inexpensive to form, subject to few regulations, and no corporate income taxes. The disadvantages are difficult to raise capital, unlimited liability and limited life. Partnership are similar to proprietorships in that they can be stablished relatively easily and inexpensively. The partners are generally subject to unlimited personal liability, this makes it difficult for partnerships to raise large amount of capital. Corporation also have unlimited lives, and easy transfer of ownership, limited liability and ease of raising capital to operate larger businesses. The disadvantages are double taxation, the corporation’s earnings are taxed; and then when its after-tax earnings are paid out as dividends, those earnings are taxed again as personal income to the stockholders. Limited liability reduces the risks endure by investors; and other things held constant, the lower the firm’s risk, the higher its
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...
A partnership is a business that has 2 or more people working in it like Starbucks is a business that is in a partnership. The advantages are you have more capita available to you and the company you have combined skills with other workers simple to set up you have tax advantages the disadvantages are unlimited liability you have to share your profit with the other owners you can have conflicts with owners or workers that do not agree partnership ends to death and possible
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.
Because there are no shareholders, the partners receive all the profits. This comes as a major advantage. Also an advantage, general partnerships have simplified taxes. This is the biggest disadvantage this type of business has. The business itself does not pay taxes. Any profits or losses recorded by the business are passed through each partner. Taxes are still filed, but taxes are not charged to the business. The partners must also file tax returns that show their individual shares of the company's profits and losses although partners are not treated as employees. Every business type has a legal liability. For general partnerships, this comes as a disadvantage. Since general partnerships are in part owned by
Choosing a Corporation/Company Structure - the business structure of a company/ corporation is highly recommended, it has the flexibility to gain more capital, or credit capability and assets used as security. Based on the Corporation Act 2001 (Cth) AC 22, a corporation is another legal entity with their own legal rights, duties and responsibilities separate to the individual or owner of the company (Harris, Hargovan & Adams, 2013, pp 229). The risk and consequences are one of the principal considerations of choosing a company structure (Harris, Hargovan & Adams, pp 50). Based on the “Corporate Veil” Liability is owned by a separate legal entity and not to the extent of the owner, for instance, the debt of the company is not a personal liability, but the company. This is further explained in the case below.
One major disadvantage of the partnership is taxation, partners will pay the tax same way as a sole trader. Therefore they will pay the corporation tax in addition to this they will have to pay income tax. Another disadvantage is liability partners are still subject to unlimited liability same with a sole trader if the business can’t pay its
Those legal structures are: sole trader,partnership,partnership with limited liability(LLP),private limited company (LtD) and public limited company (PLC).