Types of Business Entities

The definition of a sole proprietorship is essentially a business that is run by one person and owned by that person as well. Specifically, a sole proprietorship is separated from the other business entities because of the specific the legal dynamics between the business and the owner of the business. Moreover, because of this factor, sole proprietorships are usually easy to both form, maintain as well as dissolve if need be. In a New York Times article, the authors expressed that small businesses are typically sole proprietorships and as such, this is why it was selected as the business entity (1). Furthermore, the aforementioned reasons allowed for a rather rapid decision on the basis that with this entity, there is an ability of the owner to run it how they see fit.

Sole proprietors because they are the owners, do not have to pay business taxes, however, the owner must pay taxes on the income that is collected from the business as a part of his or her own personal income taxes. Despite the fact that the business is owned and run by the sole proprietor, there is a definitive need to comply with any licensing requirements in the particular state where the owner is doing business. This includes zoning ordinances, local regulations as well as the necessary paperwork attributed to the business running smoothly. There is a nominal amount of paperwork associated with the sole proprietorship in comparison to the other types of business entities, which makes it an even more attractive business to operate ("Advantages and Disadvantages of Sole Proprietorships").

There are several advantages and disadvantages with the sole proprietorship. The advantages of a sole proprietorship based on the article in the New York Times include:

A sole...

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...s of a partnership are the shared profit factor, which can cause a lot of animosity among the partners if things do not go as well or if there is an unequal amount of contribution among the partners. Additionally, there is both individual and joint liability with partnerships. This can often cause dissention between the partners (“SBA”). Essentially, the sole proprietorship is the best choice because the risks are minimal because it is solely one individual, who can make the best choices and decisions and deal with the consequences that arise accordingly.

Works Cited

"Advantages and Disadvantages of Sole Proprietorships ." New York Times 5 June 2007: Web. 6 Dec. 2013. .

Blunt, Lanee'. "What Are the Key Documents Needed for a Sole Proprietorship?." The Houston Chronicle, 2013. Web. 7 Dec. 2013.