For tips on choosing a unique and legally compliant business name, check out Choosing a Business Name FAQ. As a business owner, the last thing you want to do is mix business and personal funds together and cause confusion for your co-owner. To keep your partnership’s finances in tip-top shape, create a separate bank account for business. However, if you decide not to make one, you must still follow your state’s partnership laws.
One of the most significant benefits of general partnerships is how easy they are to set up. Discuss with your business partner how and on what schedule you plan to distribute profits, and put the details of your plan in writing so that all parties are clear on the terms. When you’re feeling the stress of building a new business, it’s easy to assume that your partner isn’t pulling his or her weight. To avoid mounting resentment, define clear and objective performance indicators from the beginning to measure each of your contributions.
The general partnership definition is an unincorporated Business with more than one owner. The owners of the company share responsibilities and obligations, most noticeably business debts. Additionally each owner in a business partnership must report their share of profits and losses on their personal income tax return. Limited partnerships are a variation, in which a business partnership is comprised of at least one general partner and one limited partner. “”The limited partner gets this name because he or she enjoyed limited personal liability,”” Weltman says.
Make sure both parties are satisfied with the agreement before continuing. Once signed, both parties must abide by its terms until they sign an addendum. Do you prefer to resolve disputes right away, or do you need a few days to mull over your position? Are you open to working with a business coach or partnership counselor to navigate your small business relationship?
In a general partnership, each partner shares equally in the workload, liability, and profits generated and paid out to the partners. All partners are actively involved in the business’s operations. Written agreements should outline the amount of capital contributions provided by each partner. Additionally, you will need more information about the account the money will be kept in, how and when partners are paid, and profit and loss terms for each partner. Not sure which terms to cover first when working on a written partnership agreement?
Check with your state’s Secretary of Stateoffice website for more information about how to structure your small business partnership. Determine who is going to manage the partnership, who can sign contracts, and whether partners are going to be receiving salaries for labor or services. “”Unlike distributions of profit, salaries do not have to be made proportionately to the partners,”” says Ennico.
