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What is an Assignment of Partnership Interest?
When a business partner wishes to retire or leave the company, the parties can use an Assignment of Partnership Interest to transfer their stake to someone else and continue doing business.
This document details the terms and conditions of the transfer. For instance, it should specify whether the new partner is an individual or a business entity. It can also state if they’ll receive full partnership rights or economic rights only.
An Assignment of Partnership Interest is also known as:
- Transfer of Partnership Interest Form
- Sale of Interest in Partnership
- Partnership Assignment
How do I value a partnership interest?
The original Partnership Agreement should outline the value of a partnership interest. For example, this could comprise of cash investments, time and effort, vehicles, office space, furniture, and more.
Often in these agreements, a partner’s interest is equal to their capital contributions. It may be expressed as a percentage of the total capitalised value of the partnership. If the parties cannot agree on the value of the interest, they can conduct an independent appraisal of the contributions at fair market value.
Do other partners have a say in who buys the interest in a partnership?
Yes, most Partnership Agreements outline terms for selling or transferring an interest in a business. They often place some restrictions on the nature of the interest which may be acquired. As such, it’s essential to consult the original contract.
For instance, partners might limit assignments to economic interests and rights until the remaining partners approve their admission to the partnership. This prevents new partners from gaining voting rights and managerial input without the approval of the remaining partners. In this case, the Partnership Agreement would outline a process for the remaining partners to follow when granting full admission into the partnership.
How do I assign a partnership interest?
Customise LawDepot’s document template to assign partnership rights as needed. Simply answer our questionnaire to generate your document, then download it as a PDF or print out a copy. The information you’ll need to create your Assignment of Partnership Interest is as follows.
1. Partnership details
First, specify whether you’re giving full or economic rights (this often depends on whether remaining partners agree to admit the new partner).
State the partnership’s name, purpose, and date it was established.
You’ll also need to provide the names and contact information of the parties involved (e.g., old, new, and remaining partners).
2. Terms of the assignment
Describe the consideration that the new partner will pay in exchange for the partnership interest. Consideration can include money, services, or some other benefit.
State when the agreement goes into effect.
If there are any terms you need to add, our template provides guidelines for writing them. However, most assignments don’t need any extra terms.
3. Final details
If needed, you can specify when you’ll sign the agreement and if there will be witnesses present. Although the law doesn’t require witnesses for a partnership assignment, it’s still a good idea if the contract ever gets challenged. In this case, having a witness helps confirm the signatures on the document.
What are the tax consequences of assigning a partnership interest?
Partners are responsible for reporting their earnings individually.
Typically, the assignor should report any capital gains or losses from the assignment on their personal income tax report.
Any further tax consequences depend on your situation. Talk to an accountant to learn more.