The Pros and Cons of

Business Partnerships
There can be many advantages to starting your small business with a partner; sharing
your responsibilities with another individual who’s equally invested in your mission
and goals can be highly beneficial. However, without careful planning and strategic
thinking, a partnership could quickly become a burden for your business and even
lead to its dissolution.

If you’re considering starting a business partnership, think through this list of

potential pros and cons before making your decision. You should also consider
consulting with an attorney to help get this important step in the growth of your
business correct and address any issues at the outset.
What is a Partnership?
A partnership can consist of two or more parties, and it involves making an
agreement about how a business will be operated. There are three types of
partnerships in business:

1. General Partnership

Each party who’s involved in a general partnership shares responsibility for the
small business. This includes liabilities and management as well as assets and
profits. A key advantage of this type of partnership is that forming a general
partnership is typically less expensive and less complicated than forming other
types of partnerships. A general partnership also allows each partner to file their
business tax income, deductions, and credits on his or her individual taxes. As a
result, there is usually no taxation on the small business itself.

2. Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

Like a limited liability company (LLC), an LLP allows each partner to assume
limited liability, meaning that the individual partners typically aren’t responsible
for negligence of another partner. All profits and losses are passed through to the
partners, and the partnership can opt between a centralized or decentralized
management system.
3. Limited Partnership

In this type of partnership, there’s at least one general partner and one limited partner.
The general partner participates in the management of the business and assumes full
liability of the partnership obligations. The limited partner does not participate in the
management of the business and assumes limited liability. Often, the limited partners
in these types of partnerships are investors.

Pros and Cons of a Partnership Business

Sharing the responsibilities of running and growing a business can come with a variety
of advantages. You’ve most likely heard the saying, “Two heads are better than one.”
However, a partnership can be a good or bad thing for your small business based on
your specific circumstances and who the partnership involves. Here are a few pros and
pitfalls to consider.

Possible advantages of a business partnership:

•The ability to raise capital and borrow money may increase

•Responsibilities and work may be shared
•Risks and expenses can generally be shared
•Creative brainstorming may be influenced in a positive way
Possible disadvantages of a business partnership:
There may be limitations that prevent your small business from growing beyond
the partnership
Profits have to be shared with all partners
The potential for disagreements can arise
Decisions may take longer with multiple decision makers

Safeguarding Your Partnership

If you opt to develop a partnership, you can help safeguard your small business with a
written agreement or “business prenup” that will protect you if one of your partners
decides to leave. This agreement should address the course of action you’ll take if a
partner wants to retire, passes away, suffers a long-term illness, has to file for
bankruptcy, goes through a divorce, or experiences another problem that limits their
ability to further participate in the partnership.

Small Business Insurance Solutions from AmTrust Financial

Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of forming a partnership can be a

challenging task. By considering each of your unique needs as a small business owner,
you’ll be better equipped to make the decision that’s right for you.
When you’re ready to insure your new partnership, an AmTrust-appointed
agent can help you find the small business insurance policies that will help limit
your liability even more, while also keeping you and all of your partners protected.
For more information about our small business insurance solutions, please contact
us today.

Article Source:- https://amtrustfinancial.com/blog/small-business/pros-cons-

business-partnerships