Business partnerships

A partnership is a formal arrangement by two or more parties to manage and operate a business and share its profits.
There are several types of partnership arrangements. In particular, in a partnership business, all partners share liabilities and profits equally, while in others, partners may have limited liability. There also is the so-called "silent partner," in which one party is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the business.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A partnership is an arrangement between two or more people to oversee business operations and share its profits and liabilities.
- In a general partnership company, all members share both profits and liabilities.
- Professionals like doctors and lawyers often form a limited liability partnership.
- There may be tax benefits to a partnership compared to a corporation.

Types of Partnerships
In a broad sense, a partnership can be any endeavor undertaken jointly by multiple parties. The parties may be governments, nonprofits enterprises, businesses, or private individuals. The goals of a partnership also vary widely.

Within the narrow sense of a for-profit venture undertaken by two or more individuals, there are three main categories of partnership: general partnership, limited partnership, and limited liability partnership.

General Partnership
In a general partnership, all parties share legal and financial liability equally. The individuals are personally responsible for the debts the partnership takes on. Profits are also shared equally. The specifics of profit sharing will almost certainly be laid out in writing in a partnership agreement.

Limited Partnership
Limited partnerships are a hybrid of general partnerships and limited liability partnerships. At least one partner must be a general partner, with full personal liability for the partnership's debts. At least one other is a silent partner whose liability is limited to the amount invested. This silent partner generally does not participate in the management or day-to-day operation of the partnership.