Sole Proprietorships

Sole Proprietorships

• A sole proprietorship is the simplest and easiest business type to start.
• It is estimated that 70% of businesses in the United States are sole proprietorships.
• A sole proprietorship is not a separate legal entity, but an unincorporated business owned and controlled by one person.
• It can be a single-person business or have several employees, but with only one owner who accepts all risk and liability.
• A sole proprietorship cannot be passed on to a new owner as the same business entity, due to its definition as a single, specific individual-owned business.
• If a sole proprietorship is sold, it must be operated by the new owner as a different sole proprietorship or as a different type of business entity through a sale of assets.

Self-Employment

• A taxpayer does not have to conduct full-time business activities to be considered self-employed.
• Operating a part-time business in addition to having a regular job or business may also be self-employment and constitute a sole proprietorship.
• An activity qualifies as a business if its primary purpose is for profit, and if the taxpayer is involved in the activity with continuity and regularity.

Learn about the simplest and easiest business type to start, its characteristics, and how it differs from other business entities. Discover the benefits and drawbacks of being a sole proprietor.