ABSTRACT
Businesses are legal entities and there are various structures they can take, depending on such factors as the type of business, the number of shareholders, etc. These structures have different properties, much like physical substances. But instead of color, shape, or hardness, the properties of businesses include tax status, governance issues, liability, and ownership, among others. In the United States companies are created under state laws as opposed to federal, and these structures and properties can vary to some degree depending on where the company is incorporated. Outside the United States, available structures vary with the country but are much the same, in essence, as those in the United States. This chapter will outline the various structures available and look at the advantages and disadvantages of each as well as any special considerations associated with them.
