By Parker There are many benefits to joining a partnership. This allows all participants to be part of the business’ success. A business can be a general liability or limited liability partnership depending on their risk appetite. The business’s limited partners are there to help with funding. They do not have any say in the business’ operations and they are not responsible for any debts or other obligations. General Partners are responsible for the management of the business and sharing in its liabilities. Limited liability partnerships can be complicated so people often form general partnerships for businesses.
Before you start a business partnership, here are some things to consider
Partnering with business people is a great way for you to share your profits and losses with someone you trust. A poorly executed partnership can be disastrous for the company. These are some helpful ways to protect your rights when forming a new partnership.
1. Knowing Why You Need a Partner
Before you enter into a partnership with someone else, it is important to consider why you are looking for a partner. A limited liability partnership is sufficient if you are just looking for an investor. If you want to provide tax protection for your business, however, a general partnership is a better option.
Partner businesses should have complementary skills and experience. A professional with extensive marketing experience and a tech enthusiast can make a great team.
2. Understanding your partner’s current financial situation
You need to know the financial situation of your potential partners before you ask them to commit to your company. There may be some initial capital needed to start a business. Business partners who have sufficient financial resources will be able to raise the capital themselves. This will reduce a company’s debt and increase its equity.
3. Background Check
It is not a bad idea to do background checks on potential business partners, even if they are trustworthy. You can get a fair idea of their work ethic by calling a few professional and personal references. Background checks can help avoid future surprises once you begin working with your business partner. You can split the responsibilities if your business partner is accustomed to working late and you aren’t.
It’s a smart idea to find out if your partner has experience with starting a business. This will give you an idea of their past performance.
4. Consult an attorney to review the partnership documents
Before you sign any partnership agreements, make sure to get legal advice. This is one of the best ways to protect your rights in a partnership. You should be able to understand each clause as poorly written agreements can lead to liability.
Before entering into a partnership, you should ensure that any pertinent clauses are added or deleted. It is difficult to amend an agreement once it has been signed.