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Choosing Business Structure Essay example

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Starting a business can seem like a daunting task, when really there is a systematic approach that an entrepreneur can take to setting up a business. There are many factors to consider when setting up a business structure; these factors include start up cost, operating costs, liability, and taxation. A business owner will also want to look at whether or not they may want to expand in the future, which will also play a factor in what type of business they should set up. This paper will look at the advantages and disadvantages of sole-proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations. As well as look at what courts can do if a business operates outside the scope of accepted business practice. There is no “one size …show more content…

A sole-proprietor also has unlimited liability, which means the business and the owner are not separate entities. (Ref. 1, pg. 1) Therefore they are responsible for any damages incurred by the company and any personal property may be taken to pay for damages. Because a sole-proprietorship is not separate from the owner the income from a sole-proprietorship is taxed as personal income, or “pass through” income. The business owner has to pay FICA taxes of 7.65% on all income up to $94,200; they also have to pay an additional employer FICA tax of 7.65% on that same first $94, 200 which brings the total to 15.3%. The owner also pays a FICA tax of 1.45% on all income of $94,201 and above because all income is treated as personal income for the business owner. These taxes are in addition to state and federal income taxes, which also tend to cater more to other types of business structure, particularly corporations.
Partnerships are the least used type of business making up about 11% of US business and account for only 8% of the profits. (Ref. 3, pg.76) Partnerships are very similar to sole-proprietorships in the form of structure. Each partner takes their assets and pools them together to form a company. The advantage of a partnership is a greater pool of assets or capital, and shared risk among the partners. In a partnership the owners can all provide operating capital, as well as apply for loans which give them more

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