Forms of Business Structure

Navigate the business world confidently by understanding various forms of business structure and their implications on borrowing

Get StartedGet Started

Corporate Finance Institute

Overview

Forms of Business Structure Overview

It is important to differentiate the types of business structures and make appropriate credit decisions based on the business’s risk and owners’ liability. This Forms of Business Structure course introduces three of the most common business forms: sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. We also cover other business forms, including C and S Corporations, limited liability companies (LLC), franchises, nonprofit organizations, and cooperatives. By the end of this course, you should have a thorough understanding of the similarities and differences between forms of business structures, as well as each structure’s liabilities, rights, and limitations. We will also look at scenarios where business structures can affect how an analyst makes decisions in the lending process.

Forms of Business Structure Learning Objectives

Upon completing this course, you will be able to:

Understand why business structures exist
Identify common business structures
Compare the different business structures and consider their advantages and disadvantages
Highlight each structure’s liabilities, rights, and limitations
Consider how a business structure can affect the lending process
Determine suitable business structures for different scenarios

Who should take this course?

This Forms of Business Structure course is perfect for aspiring or early-stage credit professionals, including business and commercial bankers, credit analysts, real estate lenders, equipment finance, loan & mortgage brokers, and other private (non-bank) lenders.

What you'll learn

Lesson

Multimedia

Exams

Files

Qualified Assessment

This Course is Part of the Following Programs

Why stop here? Expand your skills and show your expertise with the professional certifications, specializations, and CPE credits you’re already on your way to earning.

Commercial Banking & Credit Analyst (CBCA®) Certification

Skills Learned Financial Analysis, Credit Structuring, Risk Management
Career Prep Commercial Banking, Credit Analyst, Private Lending

Learn More Learn More

What Our Members Say

Content Review

Good content as well as explanation

Akash Goley

Forms of Business Structure

It's a great course for learning about business types for the students of business and finance. After completing the test they get a free certificate from a great international institution. Thank you so much #CFI Team :) 👏

Mohammed Muqtader Ali

Review 2021

As though this course helped me to understand more than just the basic Forms of Business Structure, it taught me about different Franchises and much more! I love this course and wish that alot of folks take it.

Micha Coakley

Enjoyed every part of this course

The trainer is clear, simple, and engages learners effectively.

Abraham Eninla

Informative course

Very engaging course which helps to understand different business structures

Ismayil Huseynov

Clear understanding of the different types of business structure.

The notes in this presentation gave a very good foundational understanding of the types of incorporation & why its legal structure is important from a lender's perspective to be able to assess the repaying capacity of the borrower at the time of lending capital to the business.

Akhil Khanna

Very Good

knowing the forms of companies is very necessary to all credit people

Mohamed Awawdeh

Comprehensive for an Introductory Course

The forms of Business Structure Course is comprehensive.

Oluwaseun AJAMAH

CFI IS BEST

THE CFI COURSE IS EXCELLENT THEY HAVE TEACHED VERY WELL IN FORMS OF BUSINESS STRUCTURE

K Harsha Vardhan

Forms of Business Structure

Business organization is the single-most important choice you’ll make regarding your company. What form your business adopts will affect a multitude of factors, many of which will decide your company’s future. Aligning your goals to your business organization type is an important step, so understanding the pros and cons of each type is crucial.

Ahmed Ibrahim Abdelhamid Elshafei

Awesome course

Very well explained, learned so much

elton oliver

Relevancy

The course content is very relevant and practical in the real life situations.

DICKENS OTIENO ODIRA

Very insightful.

The course was very insightful and resourceful in my journey of Financial career.

Dismus Cheruiyot

Corporations

The applied step by step training is amazing and great; very impactful.

Mayode Segun KAYODE

Title is Okay

Content is concise and self-explanatory

Olivia Odinaka Nwosu-Arikibe

Accurate

Complete and Insightful

Khawar Ikhlas

Business Structure

The course was so beneficial and interesting to know the form of business. After this course, I prefer this course for everyone.

Samiullah Rabani

Very Interesting course

I think that the content of this course is very interesting and useful for any professional involving in the credit area.

Feguens Marcelin

Comprehensive and informative course

Comprehensive and informative

Akram Saad

Good

lecture is easy understandable.

Mohammod Jahidul Islam Jahid

FORMS OF BUSINESS STRUCTURE

the course was adequate and gave a better understanding of the various business structures available today. Also helpful for startups considering which structure to venture into...

Lungowe Chimuka C Chaluya

very good

very worthy experience

Nourhan saeed Abdelaziz

Forms of business structure

All three common forms of business where viewed in addition to LLC and Franchise business , how they are dealt legally, pros and cons of each and how credit analyst can used their structure to approve or refuse credit

fotaw chambeng vivian

Great

It is a helpful course, covered all areas of business structure and helping to understand clearly types of business structures and their features

Mai Hashim

业务结构的形式

了解到了业务结构的形式

ahman Li

Frequently Asked Questions

If you haven’t found your answer from our FAQ, please send us a message.

Contact UsContact Us

What are the requirements to take the courses?

All of our certification programs are open to students and professionals in various industries and levels of experience. Our curriculum is designed to teach what you need to know from basic fundamentals to advanced practical case studies. To take the courses and complete the exercises, students will only need access to a PC and/or Mac, Microsoft Suite (2016 or newer), and a stable internet connection. Click here to view the Technical Requirements

Can I download the Excel files and financial modeling templates for the course?

Absolutely! All the files and templates needed in a course are available for download. Just look for a module that shows Downloadable Files within the course dashboard. See here for a visual guide on how to do this.

How long do I have to complete the courses?

You will have yearly access to the courses as long as you maintain an active subscription. All the courses are self-paced as well so you can take your time in learning without worrying about any deadlines. Click here to compare our available enrollment options.

Are CFI courses officially accredited?

Yes, CFI is accredited by the Better Business Bureau® (BBB) to maintain training standards, the CPA Institutions in Canada, and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) in the USA. Most of our courses qualify for verified CPE credits for CPA charter holders. Please refer to this page to view all available CPE credits.

Are there any additional fees or costs?

None! The bundle price includes everything and there are no additional fees or charges to earn your digital certification. You can see our enrollment fees listed here.

What currency are your courses priced in?

All our online courses are priced in USD. As this is a recurring payment, we accept all major credit and debit cards including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

How do I earn my certificates?

Students must complete all the video lessons, quizzes, and final assessments in each course. You can retake the assessments as many times as necessary until you reach an 80% passing grade. For more information on how to earn a course certificate, click HERE.

How are the exams conducted?

Students are required to complete an online assessment (Multiple choice questions, Fill-in-the-Blanks, and Excel Questions) at the end of each course. You can take the exams on your own schedule and will need to earn at least 80% to pass the course and earn your certificate of course completion. Please note that course exams can be repeated as many times as you need. Students are also required to complete the FMVA® final exam to earn their certification. How to Take a Qualified Assessment

Can I email the instructor if I have questions?

While the courses are designed mainly for self-study, we are happy to provide email assistance for general or technical support inquiries. The Full Immersion bundles include a premium email support function that allows you to communicate directly with in-house experts regarding course content. This is one of the key features that sets the Full Immersion bundle apart and makes it a worthwhile upgrade over the more affordable self-study bundle. You can compare more features in our bundles here.

Will these courses help me advance my career?

Based on hundreds of reviews from thousands of students we know how CFI courses have helped so many people advance their finance careers. Our courses are designed to be extremely practical and simulate the experience of being trained as a professional financial analyst…the ultimate way to advance your career. For real-world examples and to help delve even deeper into the course concepts, please look into our free career resources library.

Forms of Business Structure

Forms of Business Structure Overview

Forms of Business Structure Learning Objectives

Who should take this course?

Forms of Business Structure

What you'll learn

Introduction

Why Have Business Structures?

Sole Proprietorship

Partnerships

Corporations and Cooperatives

Course Summary

Qualified Assessment

This Course is Part of the Following Programs

Commercial Banking & Credit Analyst (CBCA®) Certification

What Our Members Say

Akash Goley

Mohammed Muqtader Ali

Micha Coakley

Abraham Eninla

Ismayil Huseynov

Akhil Khanna

Mohamed Awawdeh

Oluwaseun AJAMAH

K Harsha Vardhan

Ahmed Ibrahim Abdelhamid Elshafei

elton oliver

DICKENS OTIENO ODIRA

Dismus Cheruiyot

Mayode Segun KAYODE

Olivia Odinaka Nwosu-Arikibe

Khawar Ikhlas

Samiullah Rabani

Feguens Marcelin

Akram Saad

Mohammod Jahidul Islam Jahid

Lungowe Chimuka C Chaluya

Nourhan saeed Abdelaziz

fotaw chambeng vivian

Mai Hashim

ahman Li

Frequently Asked Questions