Buying a Business in Pennsylvania

Buying a business can yield great profits in the future. However, individuals and companies looking to buy businesses should be aware of the complications of the transaction.

Specific regulations concerning mergers, acquisitions, negotiations or securities exchanges may be implicated when you buy a business. These areas are all governed by Federal and Pennsylvania law.

What Parts of the Business Am I Buying?

If a party wants to direct business operations, the best way is to acquire a right called "control". With control of a business, the party acquires all assets and the customer base of the business, plus it also assumed the company's debts. To balance the positives and negatives, the party buying a business must get a complete picture of the financial position of the business. Through a process called "due diligence", a buyer gains this understanding. In the process of due diligence, Federal and Pennsylvania guidelines are used to inform both parties. If there is a deviation from these guidelines, one party may be held legally accountable. Following the process of due diligence dutifully is the best way to inform oneself for whether to buy a business. Also if the business is eventually bought, transfers of ownership happen much more easily once the process is followed.

How Much Will the Business Cost?

The price of a business mostly depends on how much ownership stake is required for control. The value of the business property and the type of business are also important factors. There are specific laws in Pennsylvania that dictate procedure for how the right of control of a company can be transferred and modified, and these procedures may make buying the business cheaper or more expensive, depending on a variety of factors.

How Can a Baldwin Attorney Help?

In Pennsylvania, the law poses requirements for a party purchasing a business to fulfill. An attorney knowledgeable in Pennsylvania law practicing in Baldwin can help you comply with these laws and acquire control of the business you want to buy as cheaply as possible.