Buying a Business in Pennsylvania

Buying a business can yield great profits in the future. However, individuals and companies seeking 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 make his decision, a buyer will want a complete picture of the financial position of the business. Through a process called "due diligence", a company's financials become clear. Through due diligence, federal and Pennsylvania guidelines are used to inform both parties, and there may be legal consequences for not following these guidelines properly. 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?

How much the right of control will cost depends on how much ownership stake is required. The value of the property of the business may add to the price as well. The process for how the right of control can be transferred or modified is defined by specific laws in Pennsylvania. Procedures may make buying a business more or less expensive than simply the market value of its assets.

How Can a Delaware County Attorney Help?

The laws in Pennsylvania place many unique demands on parties seeking to purchase businesses. An attorney in Delaware County, Pennsylvania can inform you of the particularities of your investment as it relates to local law, as well as advise you of the least costly route to acquiring control.