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Simple English definitions for legal terms
sole proprietorship
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A quick definition of sole proprietorship:
Sole proprietorship is a type of business where one person owns everything and is responsible for everything. This person is called the sole proprietor. It's the easiest way to start a business because you don't need to do anything special to create it. The owner has complete control over the business and gets to keep all the money it makes. But if the business loses money or owes money, the owner is responsible for paying it all back. The owner also has to pay taxes on the money the business makes, but it's all done on their personal tax return.
A more thorough explanation:
Sole proprietorship is a type of business where one person owns and runs the entire business. This person is called the sole proprietor. The sole proprietorship is the simplest form of business and does not require any formalities to be taken to form it.
For example, if John starts a small business selling handmade crafts, and he is the only owner and employee, then he is running a sole proprietorship. He is responsible for all the debts and liabilities of the business, but he also gets to keep all the profits.
Another example is if Jane starts a freelance writing business and works for herself. She is the sole proprietor of the business and is responsible for all the debts and liabilities. She also gets to keep all the profits.
The main advantage of a sole proprietorship is that it is easy to set up and run. However, the main disadvantage is that the sole proprietor is personally liable for all the debts and liabilities of the business. This means that if the business fails, the sole proprietor's personal assets may be at risk.