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Business Types: Sole Proprietorship Essay

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Sole Proprietorship 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. i. Liability: Incase of business debts, the owner is liable personally-unlimited liability. The assets of the business owner can be taken to pay off business debts since the two are not distinct (Dlabay, 2011). This is the major limitation of a sole proprietorship. ii. …show more content…

Thus, the assets of the partners can be taken to settle the business’s obligations (Dlabay, 2011). ii. Income Taxes: Like a sole proprietorship, the partners are taxed on personal income as the business is considered as a pass-through entity. The partnership can maintain and file records showing how they share profit and loses (Dlabay, 2011). iii. Longevity: Similar to a sole proprietorship, in case of death or incapacity of a partner the business can cease to exist. However, if there existed a buy-sell agreement, the remaining client can buy the heirs of incapacitated or deceased partners. Vitally, the ownership of general partnership does not pass to personal representatives (Dlabay, 2011). iv. Control: Control is exercised by all partners. As such, each partner is an agent of other partners. In addition, decisions are through consultations and as such decision making takes time. v. Profit retention: Partner’s share profit according to predetermined rates that may be based on workload or capital contribution (Dlabay, 2011). vi. Location: Relocation is complicated compared to a sole proprietorship in that, for instance, when moving from one state to another general partners are considered as foreign agents and must have a registered agent, who receives tax and legal documents on behalf of the business (Dlabay,

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