chapter 38 Flashcards
Limited liability company (LLC)
A hybrid form of business enterprise that offers the limited liability of the corporation but the tax advantages of a partnership
- governed by state statutes
Members
The term used to designate a person who has an ownership interest in a limited liability company
- the owners of an LLC
- shielded from personal liability
Liability under alter ego theory
When a corporation is deemed to be merely an alter ego of the shareholder-owner, a court will piece the corporate veil and hold the shareholder/owner personally liable
articles of organization
The document filed with a designated state official by which a limited liability company is formed
- name of business
- principal address
- members names, name and address of agent
- some states permit one member LLCs, most require two members
Advantages of the LLC
Limited liability
Flexibility in taxation
Management and foreign investors
Disadvantage of the LLC
state LLC statutes are not uniform
Management of an LLC
Membermanaged
or
Manager managed
Operating agreement
In a LLC, an agreement in which the members set forth the details of how the business will be managed and operated
Operating agreements contain
- How management will be chosen or removed
2 how profits will be divided - How membership interest may be transferred
- Whether the dissociation of a member, will trigger the dissolution of the LLC
- Whether formal members meetings will be held
- How voting rights will be apportioned
If agreement does not cover a topic
State statutes fill in the gaps
- if state statute doesn’t say courts will apply partnership law
events that trigger a dissociation
voluntary withdrawal
Expulsion by other members or court order
Incompetence
Death (but usually other members can carry on)
Wrong dissociation
If dissociation violates the operating agreement they can be held liable for damages
winding up
Collecting, liquidating and distributing the LLC’s assets
- any members who did not dissociate may participate
Joint venture
A joint undertaking of a specific commercial enterprise by an association of persons. A joint venture is normally not a legal entity and is treated like a partnership for federal income tax purposes
- can be held personally liable
- have less authority than a partnership
syndicate
An investment group of persons or firms brought together for the purpose of financing a project that they would not or could not undertake independently