General Partnerships Flashcards
General Partnerships
Taxation
Income and Losses are allocated and passed through to partners either equally (Default Rules) or according to the partnership agreement
General Partnerships
Allocation of Profits & Losses
Profits and Losses are allocated either:
1. Equally (under Default Rules), or
2. In accordance with the Partnership Agreement
General Partnerships
Governing Law
Both internal affairs of a partnership and liability of a partner for debt, obligation, or other liability of the partnership are governed:
- According to the jurisdiction in which the partnership has its principal officer or
- As specified in the partnership agreement
General Partnerships
Partnership Agreement:
When Default Rules Apply
State partnership statutes contain default rules that apply when:
- The partnership agreement is silent
- The partners fail to agree on departures from default rules, or
- The matter at issue involves a limited list of non-waivable or non-modifiable rules
General Partnerships
Partnership Agreement:
Prohibited Modifications
-
Vary:
a. Rights and duties for filing with the state
b. The power to dissociate (except to require notice)
c. The right of the court to expel a partner
d. The wind up requirement
e. The law applicable to LLPs -
Eliminate:
a. The Duty of Loyalty, except
…..i. Identifying specific allowed categories of activities
…..ii. Where sufficient partners authorize a specific act
b. The obligation of Good Faith and Fair Dealing - Unreasonably Reduce: The Duty of Care
-
Restrict:
a. The rights of Third Parties
b. Unreasonably, partners’ right of access to books and records
General Partnerships
Duty of Loyalty:
Acceptable Modifications
- Identifying specific exempted categories of activities in the partnership agreement
- Where sufficient partners have authorized a specific act as exempt
General Partnerships
Formation
General Partnerships may be formed expressly or inadvertently where:
-
Two or more persons associate and carry on as co-owners of a for-profit business
AND
-
Two or more persons associate and carry on as co-owners of a for-profit business
- The founders do not file paperwork necessary to form a different type of business entity
General Partnerships
Formation:
Inadvertent General Partnerships
Factors to Consider
- Equal Rights to Manage and Control
- Profit Sharing
- Loss Sharing
- Joint Liability to Creditors
- Capital Contributions to the Enterprise
- Extensions of Loans
Early People Like Jogging Crazy Lengths
General Partnerships
Types of Partnerships
- Partnership at Will
- Partnership for a Definite Term
- Partnership for a Particular Undertaking
General Partnerships
Adding a New Partner
Either:
1. Unanimous Consent of existing partners
2. Alternative Methods, per the partnership agreement
General Partnerships
“Pick Your Partner” Principle
Default Rule: The consent or all partners is required to become a partner, or to exercise information or management rights, in an existing partnershipa partner
Management rights are nontransferable.
General Partnerships
Partners’ Interest Rights
- Partnership Status Rights (Management & Voting)
- Financial Rights
- Other Rights
General Partnerships
Partners’ Rights:
Management Rights
Partners have equal rights to participate in management of the partnership, usually exercised through voting
General Partnerships
Partners’ Rights:
Voting
Default Rule: Voting is equal/per capital, regardless of unequal contributions
Voting rules may be modified in the partnership agreement
General Partnerships
Voting Rules:
Decisions Requiring Majority Vote
Default Rule: Differences concerning matters within the Ordinary Course of Business
General Partnerships
Voting Rules:
Decisions Requiring Unanimous Approval
Default Rule:
1. Differences concerning matters outside the Ordinary Course of Business
2. Partnership Agreement Amendments