Montana § 35-10-202 - Creation Of Partnership

§ 35-10-202. Creation Of Partnership

Creation of partnership. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), the association of two or more persons to carry on as co-owners a business for profit creates a partnership, whether or not the persons intend to create a partnership. (2) An association created under a statute other than this chapter, a predecessor law, or a comparable law of another jurisdiction is not a partnership. (3) In determining whether a partnership is created, the following rules apply: (a) Joint tenancy, tenancy in common, tenancy by the entireties, joint property, common property, or part ownership does not by itself establish a partnership even if the co-owners share profits made by the use of the property. (b) The sharing of gross returns does not by itself establish a partnership even if the persons sharing them have a joint or common right or interest in property from which the returns are derived. (c) A person who receives a share of the profits of a business is presumed to be a partner in the business, unless the profits were received in payment: (i) of a debt by installments or otherwise; (ii) for services as an independent contractor or of wages or other compensation to an employee; (iii) of rent; (iv) of an annuity or other retirement or health benefit to a beneficiary, representative, or designee of a deceased or retired partner; (v) of interest or of another charge on a loan, even if the amount of payment varies with the profits of the business, including a direct or indirect present or future ownership of the collateral or rights to income, proceeds, or increase in value derived from the collateral; or (vi) for the sale of the goodwill of a business or other property by installments or otherwise. (4) Except as provided by 35-10-308 , persons who are not partners as to each other are not partners as to other persons. (5) A partnership created under this chapter is a general partnership, and the partners are general partners of the partnership.