Last Updated March 12, 2024
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What is a Partnership Agreement?
A Partnership Agreement is a contract between you and your partner(s) that sets out the partners' obligations to each other and the partnership.
New Zealand law defines a partnership as the relationship between persons carrying on a business in common with a view to profit.
The Partnership Law Act 2019 provides a default set of rules for the operation of partnerships in New Zealand. However, we recommend that partners enter into a Partnership Agreement to customise the partnership's rules to their needs and expectations.
Without such a written agreement in place, the New Zealand Partnership Law Act 2019 will apply unamended to the operation of the partnership, which may lead to some unintended consequences.
For example, under the Act, any partner can dissolve the partnership by giving notice to the other partners. If that is not what the partners want, they need an agreement that deals with what happens when a partner wants to leave.
A Partnership Agreement is a private contract between partners and doesn’t need to be registered.
A Partnership Agreement is also known as a Business Partnership Agreement.
What is a general partnership?
A general partnership is one of several types of partnership. It occurs when two or more people agree to start a business together. All partners are liable for the decisions made by each partner on behalf of the partnership and equally share all assets, profits, and financial and legal liabilities. However, this rule can be amended in your Partnership Agreement if it doesn't suit your situation.
A general partnership is also known as a Business Partnership or firm.
How do I write a Partnership Agreement in New Zealand?
You’ll want to have a clear understanding of your partnership's purpose before you get started on your Partnership Agreement.
Meet with your partner(s) and outline the:
- Business name: Reserve or register your partnership’s name by applying for a New Zealand Business Number. You can also gain exclusive rights to the name by applying for a trademark with IPONZ.
- Purpose of the business: Describe the expected activities and goals of your business. For example, if your partnership is a plumbing company, your purpose is to provide plumbing services to your community.
- Partnership's duration: Most partnerships end because of the partners' eventual decision or some other intervening event. However, there are also situations in which having the partnership end on a specific date is more appropriate. LawDepot’s Partnership Agreement template allows you to choose between a fixed-term or an indefinite end date.
2. Describe each partner’s capital contributions
Contributions to the partnership can be in the form of money, resources, or services. Each partner's contributions don't necessarily need to be equal cash contributions.
A Partnership Agreement can include non-monetary contributions as long as the partners can calculate and agree on the contributions' value.
Provide a detailed description of each partner's contributions, as well as a total value of the contributions.
3. Outline the distribution of profits and losses
Decide how the partners will distribute the profit. An equal share is the most common arrangement, but you can also choose between a fixed percentage or in proportion to capital contributions if that better suits your business.
A fixed percentage means each partner will receive a specified percentage of the profits. The percentage doesn't change regardless of the business's amount of profit.
4. State the rules for adding a new partner
Your partnership may eventually want to add new partners. Adding partners can be for many reasons. Perhaps your partnership intends to expand the business and needs a new partner's contributions, or it may need to replace an existing partner.
The partners can pick a voting process for deciding if they will accept a potential partner into their general partnership. LawDepot’s Partnership Agreement template gives you the option of a majority vote or unanimous vote.
A new partner is only liable for any decisions the partnership makes after they become a partner.
5. Outline how a partner can leave
All partners bring value to a partnership, and there should be a strategy in place for handling a partner’s exit. A Partnership Agreement can lay out terms and conditions that protect your partnership from the unexpected withdrawal of a member.
The other partners involved should receive appropriate notice if a partner decides they want to exit the partnership. Choose between a period of three months, six months, one year, or two years in our template.
You can also decide if dissolving the partnership after a partner's exit is the appropriate course of action for your business.
6. Determine terms for the partnership’s dissolution
Ending a partnership is a major decision that can have different consequences for each partner. Generally, we recommend that you require a unanimous vote to dissolve your general partnership.
How the assets of your business get distributed among the general partners may be a factor in how each member votes in the decision to dissolve the partnership.
Unless specified otherwise, the options for distributing assets among the general partners are:
- Equal shares for each partner
- In proportion to capital contributions
- Fixed percent
The partners should also discuss remuneration. This is when the partners are paid back money for their work and service and is separate from the profits.
7. Outline requirements for an annual report
You must include the partnership’s income tax report in the annual report to partners. You must tell the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) about the formation of a partnership. It will then give your business an IRD number for income tax and GST purposes.
A business must pay GST if its income on goods and services for the year is over $60,000.
Each partner also needs a copy of the income tax report to pay taxes on their individual income and profit from the partnership.
In addition to an income tax report, LawDepot’s Partnership Agreement template allows you to choose other reports to include in your annual reports, such as:
- Supporting income statement
- Balance sheet
- Cash flow statement
- Profit and loss summary
8. Determine voting terms
Partners are liable for decisions made on behalf of the partnership regardless of whether they have all been involved or consulted. Creating rules may stop an overzealous partner from binding the partnership in a contract before discussing it with the other partners.
Some decisions can completely change the nature of your business, which can bring unanticipated risk to partners that aren’t as financially secure as the others. Requiring a unanimous vote for significant decisions can minimise this risk.
On the other hand, a unanimous vote also gives each partner the authority to veto any decision.
You and your partners may find it more appropriate to have various voting procedures depending on the situation. For example, business decisions can require a majority vote, while financial decisions need a unanimous vote.
In some instances, it may be appropriate to restrict the authority to bind the partnership to a contract to a select few partners.
It's necessary to inform third parties, vendors, and business associates about any changes to the partners’ presumed authority.
9. Sign the Partnership Agreement
A Partnership Agreement doesn’t need a witness for it to be legally binding. However, it’s a good idea to have one if the execution of your agreement is ever challenged.
A witness should be a neutral third party who has no personal or business ties to you or the other partners.
What’s the difference between a general partnership and a limited partnership?
General partnerships and limited partnerships are legal entities that are separate from each other.
Only general partners are involved in a general partnership. General partners are often the owners of a business and are involved in day-to-day management. They make decisions on behalf of the business and are liable for all of the partnership’s losses.
In contrast, there needs to be at least one general partner and a limited partner for a limited partnership to exist.
The limited partner, also known as a silent partner or LP, is typically an investor in the business but not involved in the decision-making or day-to-day operations. They can only lose the capital they have invested in the business and nothing more.
Limited partnerships in New Zealand are governed by the Limited Partnership Act 2008.
How does a partnership end?
A partnership can end in multiple ways. You and your partner(s) may end the partnership on your own accord, or you may not have a choice. If the end of your partnership is partner-driven, LawDepot’s Partnership Agreement template gives you the option of choosing between a majority or unanimous vote.
You must decide if the partnership will dissolve on withdrawal of any partner. Additionally, a partnership agreement should have terms and conditions to protect the business from a partner’s unexpected withdrawal. For example, if a partner does decide to exit the partnership, they should provide the remaining partners with a Notice of Withdrawal from Partnership document.
Your partnership must dissolve if there is only one partner left after a withdrawal.
The partnership dissolves if any partner dies or files for bankruptcy unless otherwise specified in the Partnership Agreement.
The court may dissolve a partnership if it decides:
- A partner is mentally impaired and lacks the competence to manage their own affairs.
- A partner is permanently incapable of fulfiling their obligations to the partnership.
- An event occurs that makes it unlawful for the partnership business to continue or for the partners to continue the company as a partnership.
- A partner is guilty of conduct that, in the opinion of the court after considering the nature of the business, is calculated to negatively affect the carrying on of the business.
- A partner intentionally breaches the Partnership Agreement or acts in a manner that makes it not reasonably practical for the other partners to continue the business in a partnership.
- The partnership business can only continue while operating at a loss, or circumstances have made it just and fair to dissolve the partnership.
When a partnership comes to an end, it must liquidate its assets, pay its debts, and divide the surplus among the partners according to the distribution of assets provisions of the partnership agreement.