Which business structure matches your needs?

Are you considering establishing your own business? It’s a good thing you came across this post since choosing the appropriate business structure is one of the most significant aspects influencing a company’s success and longevity.
The sort of legal structure you choose for your company is perhaps the most critical tax choice you make when starting a business. This selection will affect not just how much you pay in taxes, but also the quantity of paperwork your firm is needed to undertake, your liability, and your capacity to raise money.

Sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and joint are the most frequent types of company. The limited liability corporation (LLC) and the limited liability partnership are relatively recent developments in these types of business (LLP). Since each business form has distinct tax implications, you’ll want to choose intelligently and select the format that best suits your company’s needs.

If you establish your firm as a sole proprietorship but later decide to add partners, you can reorganise as a collaboration or other entity. If you do this, make sure to tell both the IRS and your state tax department.

Sole Proprietorship:

The sole proprietorship is the most basic structure, as it generally contains only one person who owns and manages the business. This arrangement may be appropriate if you want to work alone.

The tax benefits of a sole proprietorship are enticing since your business costs and revenue are recorded on your income tax return, Form 1040. Schedule C, which is submitted with your 1040, is where you report your gains and losses. Schedule C’s “bottom-line amount” is subsequently moved to your personal tax return. This is especially appealing since any company losses you incur may counterbalance the revenue you generate from other sources.

The federal government allows you to pay anticipated taxes in four equal instalments throughout the year on April 15th, June 15th, September 15th, and January 15th. Unlike other business models, your earnings from a single proprietorship are only taxed once. Another significant advantage is that you will have total control over your business—you will make all of the choices.

However, there are a few drawbacks to consider. If you choose the sole proprietorship business form, you will be individually liable for your company’s responsibilities. As a result, you are putting your assets in danger of seizure to settle a company obligation or a legal claim made against you.

Partnership:

If your company will be owned and run by numerous people, you should consider organising it as a partnership. Partnerships are classified into two types: general partnerships and restricted partnerships. A general partnership’s partners operate the business and are personally liable for the partnership’s debts and other responsibilities. There are both general and limited partners in a limited partnership. The general partners own and manage the firm and are personally liable for the partnership, whereas the limited partners are just investors with no influence over the company and are not subject to the same obligations as the general partners.

Because of all the needed paperwork and administrative difficulties, limited partnerships are often not the ideal solution for a new firm unless you anticipate a large number of passive investors. A general partnership is significantly easier to create if you have two or more partners who wish to be actively involved.

One of the primary benefits of forming a partnership is the favourable tax status it receives. A partnership does not pay taxes on its income, but any gains or losses are “passed through” to the individual members. At tax time, the partnership must submit a tax return (Form 1065) with the IRS, reporting its income and loss. In addition, on Schedule K-1 of Form 1065, each partner provides his or her portion of revenue and loss.

Personal responsibility is a key risk if you form your organisation as a general partnership. General partners, like sole owners, are individually accountable for the partnership’s duties and debts. Each general partner has the authority to act on account of the partnership, issue loans, and make decisions that impact and bind all of the partners. Remember that partnerships are more expensive to install than sole proprietorships since they necessitate additional legal and accounting services.

Corporation:

The corporate structure is more complicated and costly than most other types of company arrangements. A company is a distinct legal entity from its owners, and as such, it is subject to numerous rules and tax obligations.

The most significant advantage for a business owner who chooses to consolidate is the liability protection it provides. Because a company’s debt is not considered the debt of its owners, organising your firm as a corporation does not put your personal assets in danger. A corporation can also keep some of its earnings without the owner having to pay taxes on them.

Another advantage is a corporation’s capacity to raise funds. To raise cash, a business can sell the stock, either ordinary or preferred. Corporations can also exist eternally even if a shareholder dies, sells their shares, or becomes handicapped. The corporate structure, on the other hand, has several drawbacks. One significant one is increased expenses. Corporations are founded following the laws of each state, each with its unique set of requirements. You will almost certainly want the services of an attorney to advise you. Furthermore, because a corporation is subject to more complicated legislation and rules than a proprietorship or a partnership, it needs additional accounting and tax preparation services.

Limited partnership:

Limited partnerships differ from other types of partnerships in that participants can restrict their liabilities. To form a limited partnership, two or more people must agree to launch a firm in which one or more of the partners is solely accountable for the amount they invested.
In this sort of corporate organisation, limited partners, sometimes known as silent partners, have a stake in the firm but cannot influence management decisions. The remaining partners, still referred to as general partners, are in charge of day-to-day operations as well as any financial responsibilities beyond their initial investment.

Dividends are paid to limited partners based on the amount they have invested in the company. Another distinction between both types of business ownership is that limited partners are not self-employed. Limited partners are exempt from self-employment tax as long as they remain outside of the business’s operations.

Joint venture:

A joint venture is a sort of commercial agreement in which two or more parties (usually existing enterprises) agree to pool their resources to complete a specified project. This differs from a pure partnership in that the original firms continue to exist as independent entities.
When organising a joint venture, the participants should, ideally, create a new entity. This provides participants with a clear understanding of how taxes will be paid. This company organisation arrangement is valid until a project is completed — or until a particular length of time has passed.

For example, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced a joint venture in 2016 to work on self-driving car development. While these firms might have operated individually, they determined that teaming together would give them a better chance of success.

In a joint venture, each participant is accountable for the project’s expenditures and will share in any profits or losses. However, while each member is liable for the joint venture’s expenses, these costs are kept distinct from their (and their partner’s) other commercial interests.
A joint venture agreement will define the partnership’s and its members’ rights, duties, and goals. It will also state how much each partner contributed, who is in charge of the day-to-day operations, and how profits and losses would be handled.