There are several different types of business structures available for company formation, and the best one for your business will depend on a number of factors, including the size and type of business, the number of owners, and the tax and liability considerations.
The most common types of business structures are:
Sole proprietorship: This is the simplest and most common type of business structure, where a single individual owns and operates the business. There is no legal separation between the business and the owner, and the owner is personally liable for any debts or obligations of the business.
Partnership: This is a business structure where two or more individuals own and operate the business together. There are several types of partnerships, including general partnerships, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships. In a general partnership, all partners share equal responsibility for the debts and obligations of the business. In a limited partnership, there are both general partners and limited partners, with the limited partners having limited liability for the debts and obligations of the business. In a limited liability partnership, all partners have limited liability for the debts and obligations of the business.
Corporation: This is a business structure where the business is treated as a separate legal entity from its owners. There are several types of corporations, including C corporations and S corporations. In a C corporation, the business is taxed separately from its owners, and the owners are not personally liable for the debts or obligations of the business. In an S corporation, the business is not taxed separately from its owners, and the owners are still not personally liable for the debts or obligations of the business.
Limited liability company (LLC): This is a business structure that combines the liability protection of a corporation with the tax benefits of a partnership. The owners of an LLC, called members, are not personally liable for the debts or obligations of the business, and the business is taxed as a partnership.