First and foremost benefit of doing business via company is the limited liability conferred upon the company's directors and shareholders. As a sole trader or partnership business, personal assets of the proprietor or partners can be at risk in the event of a failure of the business, but this is not the case for a Company. The unfortunate events like business failures are not always under an entrepreneur’s control; hence it is pivotal to secure the personal assets of the businessman in the event of crises.
Private Limited Companies are those types of companies where minimum number of members is two and maximum number is two hundred. A private limited company has the limited liability of members but at the same time it has many characteristics as those of a partnership firm. A private limited company has all the advantages of partnership namely flexibility, greater capital combination of different and diversified abilities, etc., and at the same time it has advantages of limited liability, greater stability and legal entity. In this sense, a private limited company stands between partnership and widely owned public company. Identifying marks of a private limited company are name, number of members, shares, formation, management, directors and meetings, etc., The maximum number of directors shall have to be mentioned in the Articles of Association. In the grand of privileges and exemptions, the Companies Act has drawn a distinction between an independent private company and other private company which is a subsidiary to the other public company.
Partnership is an agreement between two or more people to share the profits of a business. The business can be carried on together by all the partners or any one partner representing the others. A partnership can be for a fixed period of time or it may be limited to a specific project or it may be dissolved at will. Change in firm name and principal place of business (Section 60) shall require sending of a new application form along with the prescribed fee, duly signed and verified by all the partners. Change relating to opening and closing of branches. (Section 61) When a registered firm discontinues business at any place or begins to carry on business at any place, such place not being its principal place of business, any partner or agent of the firm may send intimation thereof to the Registrar. Change in the name and permanent address of any partner (Section 62) When any partner in a registered firm alters his name or permanent address, an intimation of the alteration may be sent by any partner or agent of the firm to the Registrar
A One Person Company (OPC) Private Limited has many advantages as compared to Proprietorship firm. All unfortunate events in business are not always under an entrepreneur’s control; hence it is important to secure the personal assets of the owner, if the business lands up in crises. While doing business as a proprietorship firm, the personal assets of the proprietor can be at risk in the event of failure, but this is not the case for a One Person Private Limited Company, as the shareholder liability is limited to his shareholding. This means any loss or debts which is purely of business nature will not impact, personal savings or wealth of an entrepreneur.