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Benefits and Drawbacks of Different Types of Business Entities
This article is designed to give you an easy-to-read version of some of the main benefits and drawbacks of different types
of business entities.
Sole Proprietorships
•
Main Advantages
•
•
Easy to create and maintain.
•
Business and owner are legally the same entity
•
No fees associated with the creation of the business entity
•
Owner may deduct a net business loss from personal income taxes
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Main Disadvantages
•
•
Owner is personally liable for any debts, judgments or other liabilities of the business
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Owner must pay personal income taxes for all net business profits
General Partnerships
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Main Advantages
•
•
Easy to create and maintain
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No fees associated with creation of the business entity
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Owners may repor t their share of net business losses on personal income taxes
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Main Disadvantages
•
•
All owners are jointly and personally liable for any debts, judgments or other liabilities of the business
•
Owners must pay personal income taxes for all net business profits
Limited Partnerships
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Main Advantages
•
•
Easy to attract investors as they are only liable for their total amount of their investment into the business
•
The limited partners enjoy limited liability for any debts, judgments or other liabilities of the business
•
The general partners are more free to focus their attention on the business
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General partners are able to raise cash without diminishing their control of the business
•
Limited partners can leave the business without dissolving the limited partnership
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Main Disadvantages
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•
General partners are jointly and personally liable for any debts, judgments or other liabilities of the business
•
Can be more expensive to create than a general partnership
•
Mainly suited to businesses such as real estate investment groups or in the film industry
Regular Corporation
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Main Advantages
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Owners of the business enjoy limited liability for the business’ debts, judgments and other liabilities
•
Some benefits may be deducted as business expenses
•
With good accounting, owners and business may be able to pay lower taxes by splitting the business profits among
owners
•
Main Disadvantages
•
•
More expensive to establish than a sole proprietorship or partnership
•
Complicated paperwork that must be filed with the secretary of state
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Corporation must pay its own taxes as a separate tax entity
S Corporation
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Main Advantages
•
•
Owners of the business enjoy limited liability for the business’ debts, judgments and other liabilities
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Owners share the net profits of the business and report their share on personal income taxes
•
Owners share the net business loss and can offset other income by repor ting this loss on personal income taxes
•
Main Disadvantages
•
•
More expensive to establish than a sole proprietorship or partnership
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Paperwork is more complicated than the paperwork required for a LLC, but similar advantages
•
The ownership interest of the various owners determines their respective incomes from the profits of the business
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Some benefits are only given to owners that have more than 2% of the business’ shares
Professional Corporation
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Main Advantages
•
•
Owners are not personally liable for the malpractice of other owners
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Main Disadvantages
•
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More expensive to establish than a sole proprietorship or partnership
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The paperwork and filings may be onerous to owners
•
Every owner must be in the same profession as all other owners
Nonprofit Corporation
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Main Advantages
•
•
Corporation does not pay income taxes on money it receives for a charitable purpose
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Donors that give for a charitable purpose may deduct their donations from income taxes
•
Some benefits may be deducted as business expenses
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Main Disadvantages
•
•
The full tax benefits and advantages can only be utilized by businesses that have been incorporated for a charitable,
educational, scientific, religious or literar y pur pose.
•
If proper ty is transferred to the nonprofit corporation, the property must stay with the corporation. Even if the corporation ends, the property must go to another nonprofit
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
•
Main Advantages
•
•
Owners of the business enjoy limited liability for the business’ debts, judgments and other liabilities, even if the owners engage in significant control of the business
•
The business profits and losses can be allocated to the owners along different lines than ownership interest (for
example, a 10% owner may be allocated 30% of the business’ profits)
•
Owners can choose how the LLC will be taxed, either as a partnership or a corporation
•
Main Disadvantages
•
•
More expensive to establish than a sole proprietorship or partnership
Professional Limited Liability Company
•
Main Advantages
•
•
Allows state licensed professionals to enjoy the same advantages as a LLC
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Main Disadvantages
•
•
Same disadvantages as a LLC
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All members must belong to the same profession
Limited Liability Partnership
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Main Advantages
•
•
Business entities associated with things like law, medicine and accounting normally use this
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Par tners are not liable for the malpractice of other partners
•
Par tners take their share of loss or gain on their personal income taxes
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Main Disadvantages
•
•
Par tners remain personally liable for obligations to business creditors, landlords and lenders
•
Not every state allows limited liability partnerships
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Often limited to only a select few professions
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