What Is A General Partnership

A partnership in which each partner is liable for all partnership debts and obligations regardless of the amount of the individual partner's capital contribution. 

General partners are those who are responsible for the day-to-day management of activities, whose individual acts are binding on all the partners, and who are personally responsible for the partnership's total liabilities.

Crucial to the functioning of a Partnership is a Partnership Agreement.  It is strongly advised to draw up a Partnership Agreement up front with your partners that addresses all how the organization will be run and the roles and responsibilities of all partners.  This will eliminate sticky problems down the road.

Partnership Advantages

1.  Ease of formation.  Some states don’t require registration.

 

2.  Low Cost start up.  Each Partner contribute startup cost thus reducing individual contributions.

 

3.  Tax advantage.  The owners of the entity pay tax on their "distributive share" of the entity's taxable income

Partnership Disadvantages

1.  Each partner have unlimited liability.

 

2.  Lack of continuity.  The organization could suffer if a partner pulls out.
 

3.  No single owner.

Resources

IRS Partnership requirements

You must file with the respective State to register the business.

Partnership Agreements

See a comparison matrix between the different organizations