Business Structures
Marlana Sisson
August 10, 2014
University of Phoenix
James Ciaramella
FIN/571
When beginning a business, it is extremely important that the owners of the business decide the organizational form that will be beneficial to maximize the value of the firm. The owners must consider the size of the business, the taxation of the business, the liability of the owners and the ability to raise capital to finance the business (Parrino, Kidwell & Bates, 2012). The owners will then choose one of the 3 different forms: sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation.
Sole Proprietorship
Sole proprietorships are businesses that are owned by a single person. A sole proprietorship is the easiest to form and the most
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Secondly, all partners share the profits in a partnership (Parrino et al., 2012).
Corporations
A corporations is very different from sole proprietorships and partnerships. Corporations are owned by shareholders and are considered to be an independent legal entity. Corporations have very expensive administration fees and very complex tax and legal requirements. The main advantage of corporations is that the shareholders are not responsible for the debts of the company. They are only liable for their investment into the company. Corporations can also sell stock to raise any capital that is needed for the business. Corporations file a separate taxes from that of the owners. Owners of a corporation are taxes on the profits that the receive through salaries, dividends and bonuses. One major disadvantage of a corporation is that they are very costly and time consuming to start and maintain. Sometimes corporations can be subjected to double taxes through taxes on profits and then taxes on dividends. Corporations require an increased amount of paperwork and record keeping. A final disadvantage of this kind of business structure is that the business operations are handled by the managers and the board of directors who can cheat the owners of the business (Parrino et al., 2012).
Choosing the correct business structure is an extremely essential part of the business formation process. Selecting the wrong structure can become a very costly
| A sole proprietorship is easy to create; there is minimal creation cost and time.The single owner has autonomy in decision making; sole owner makes all decisions related to the business and has complete ownership of business’s finances.
• LIABILITY – Stockholders personal assets are not subject to claims of creditors. The corporation itself is responsible for its actions and liabilities. • INCOME TAXES – Shareholders in a corporation are subject to “double taxation” as in first the corporation is subject to corporate taxation, then money is paid out in dividends. Which then is taxed again as personal income tax. • LONGEVITY - The life of a corporation is limitless as
Sole proprietorships are the most common type of business in the U.S. They are most commonly chosen because they are the easiest type of business to set up and give the sole owner of the company complete control of the company. There are many benefits to a sole proprietorship in regards to control, profit retention, and convenience.
A1a: The Sole Proprietorship is the most common business form in the U.S. It offers the advantages of no-cost, easy startup, and full owner/operator autonomy with regard to business decisions.
Sole Proprietorship: This is a type of business is where the business and the owner are one in
Sole Proprietorship: A type of business that is owned by and run by one person with no legal difference between the business and the owner. It is easy to form with no cost or time to initiate. It gives the owner the ability to self-govern the business. There are drawbacks; only one owner can be established not allowing a partner. Also, unlimited liability puts the owner’s personal assets in jeopardy with the creditors.
Also be obliged to pay taxes and dealt with civil and little acts of criminal penalties perform through agents. “The corporation is governed primarily by the statutory guidelines of the state statute that provides for its creation. The requirements for the creation and management of a corporation vary somewhat between the states, but as is usually the case, there are common threads that can be found in the corporate statutes of all states.” (Rogers,
The last business option that will be discussed is the Corporation. A Corporation is “a fictitious legal entity that is created according to statutory requirements” (Cheeseman 478). The biggest advantage of a corporation is the protection of personal assets. Shareholders, directors and officers are typically not liable for the company’s debts and obligations. This is limited to the amount of money they have invested into the corporation. Since the corporation is separate from the owners, transfer of ownership is an easy task. Also corporations are generally taxed at a lower rate than individuals in the United States. A corporation is not as simple to form or maintain as other business formations. Articles of incorporation must be filed with the secretary of state and an organizational meeting must be held to elect a board of directors. A corporation also requires, at the least, an annual report so that creditors that do business with the corporation can determine the creditworthiness of the corporation. Also the corporation is taxed on its profits
Sole proprietorship is a business organization operated by one owner. For example, you start a landscaping business by yourself.
The corporation structure has multiple owners and operators and is complex and expensive. A corporation is an independent legal entity owned by shareholders. The corporation itself is legally liable for the actions and debts of the business. The advantages of a corporation structure are limited liability, ability to generate capital, corporate tax treatment, and attractiveness to potential employees. The disadvantages are time and money, double taxing, time, and paperwork. Corporations pay income tax on their profits. In some cases, corporations are taxed twice – first, when the company makes a profit, and again when the dividends are paid to shareholders on their personal tax returns (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2013).
The below table compares and contrasts business structures on the basis of the most common issues, naming: taxation, liability, risk and control, continuity of existence, transferability and expense and formality (Quickmba, n.d.). Also, you will notice that in the table the similarities are extended from one structure to the other, while differences are kept in separate cells.
1. In the eyes of the federal government, an LLC is not a separate tax entity,
Is the most common business type, where the business is operated and owned by a single individual. In this type of business, the sole proprietor provides capital, does not share profit or loss and runs the business alone. As such, the business and the owner are indistinguishable for tax and legal purposes (Dlabay, 2011). To differentiate this business from other business types, a sole proprietorship is discussed under the following characteristics.
Corporations are a different type of business. They are more complex to start because more paperwork is involved and the corporation generally has to be registered at the state level. An ordinary corporation is formed through the articles of incorporation. These corporations are legal entities, and therefore bear legal responsibility. The shareholders of the corporation do not bear legal liability. In addition, corporate income is taxed differently it does not flow through to the owner's personal income tax statements. The
A sole proprietorship is a type of business structure that is owned and operated by only one or two persons. Sole proprietorships are attractive to small entrepreneurs because they are relatively easy to start up than corporations. And also compared to corporations the owner of a sole proprietorship is eligible to all the profit that his/her small business makes. On the other hand, sole proprietorships can be risky as well because nothing is divided between the owner and the business. In other words, the owner remains personally liable for any losses or debts that the sole proprietorship may face. As well as they are responsible for violations committed by their employees. Sole proprietorship difficulties for an entrepreneur can best be described