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Limited liability Partnerships
A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) is a modern hybrid structure that blends the flexibility of a traditional partnership with the "corporate veil" protection of a private limited company. It is a separate legal entity, meaning the business exists independently of its partners.
Registration Process
Unlike a general partnership, registration for an LLP is mandatory.
- Digital Signature (DSC): Partners must obtain digital signatures for electronic filing.
- Name Approval: You must reserve a unique business name through the central registry.
- Incorporation: Filing the incorporation documents (like the FiLLiP form in India or similar registration forms globally).
- LLP Agreement: Within 30 days of incorporation, a formal agreement governing the rights and duties of partners must be filed.
- Designated Partners: An LLP must have at least two "Designated Partners" (one of whom must be a resident of the country).
Advantages
- Limited Liability: The biggest selling point. A partner's personal assets are protected. If the business fails or gets sued, you generally only lose what you invested in the firm.
- No "Joint Liability" for Misconduct: You are not responsible for the "wrongful acts" or negligence of other partners. In a regular partnership, one person's mistake can bankrupt everyone; in an LLP, the liability stays with the person who messed up.
- Perpetual Succession: The LLP continues to exist even if partners leave, retire, or pass away. It only closes through a formal legal process.
- Lower Compliance than Companies: While more regulated than a simple firm, LLPs have fewer "red tape" requirements (like mandatory audits unless turnover/contribution hits a certain threshold) than a Private Limited Company.
- No Minimum Capital: There is usually no requirement for a large upfront capital investment to start.
Disadvantages
- ublic Disclosure: Since it's a registered entity, your annual accounts and filings are a matter of public record. Privacy is lower than a general partnership.
- xit Difficulty: Dissolving an LLP is a long, formal legal process compared to the relatively easy breakup of a standard partnership.
- nability to Raise Equity Capital: LLPs cannot issue shares to the public. If you plan on seeking Venture Capital (VC) or an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the future, a Private Limited structure is usually preferred.
- enalty for Non-Compliance: Missing filing deadlines can lead to heavy daily penalties, which can become quite expensive for small businesses.
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