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Choosing a Business Structure

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Choosing a Business Structure
Effie Dodge
BUS311: Business Law I
Instructor: Brandy Kreisler
July 28th 2014

BUS311: Business Law I

Choosing a Business Structure When deciding to open a business it is important to define the businesses structure. A business structure is the outline of a company’s operation plans and goals. Without a structure a company would fall apart. Therefore the first step in opening a business is to choose a business structure. In this paper we will discuss the different business structures and which structure fits my business the best. Business structures vary and there are six structures. However in this paper we will only discuss four: sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, and a corporation. A sole proprietorship is the most common business structure. This type of structure has one owner who is entitled to all profit and accrues all the losses. In forming a sole proprietorship there is no formal action. As long as there is only one owner it is easy to form a sole proprietorship. With the proper permits and license one can have a sole proprietorship structured business. Within this structure taxes are not separate. Profit and losses are reported on one’s personal taxes. This business is fairly inexpensive to form and the owner has complete control. However there is a downfall to sole proprietorship. Because there is not separation between the owner and the company the owner can be held personally responsible for any liabilities accrued. Furthermore having complete control could be very stressful. A partnership consists of more than one owner and each partner contributes to each aspect of the company and shares the profit and losses accrued. To form a partnership the business must first be registered through the state. Identifying a partnership agreement is essential to the forming process. Once a name is established and

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