Partnership Registration
Form a General Partnership, Limited Partnership, or Limited Liability Partnership. Three structures, each with different liability and tax implications.
What is a Partnership?
A partnership is a business owned and operated by two or more people who share profits, losses, and liability. Unlike an LLC, a general partnership does not require a formal state filing in most states · it can form by operation of law as soon as two people start running a business together. State registration formalizes the partnership and protects the business name.
Three types of partnerships
- General Partnership (GP) · Default partnership form. Each partner has unlimited personal liability. Registration is optional in most states but recommended.
- Limited Partnership (LP) · Has general partners (manage + bear unlimited liability) and limited partners (passive + liability capped at their investment). Common in real estate and investment vehicles.
- Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) · Common for professional firms (law, accounting, architecture). Each partner is shielded from the malpractice of other partners.
For most small business founders, an LLC provides better liability protection with similar tax treatment. Partnerships make sense in specific situations: professional firms with LLP requirements, real estate investment structures with passive investors (LPs), or when partners want partnership tax treatment without the LLC layer.
What's included
- State registration filing (Statement of Partnership Authority, Certificate of Limited Partnership, or LLP registration depending on type)
- Partnership Agreement template · the operating document specifying capital contributions, profit splits, decision-making, and exit terms
- EIN application with the IRS (Form SS-4)
- Federal Form 1065 preparation guidance for partnership tax filing
- Initial K-1 schedule reference for each partner
Pricing
On the $129/yr Compliance Annual Filings plan, we cover state late fees.
When you autofile your annual report through the $129/yr plan and we miss the deadline, we pay the state's late fee. The guarantee applies to that specific plan and the filings it includes. Other File.Business services are billed at the prices on this page.