Direct Participation Program (DPP)

  

See: Limited Partnership.

When you directly participate in an investment as a collective or group, it's likely that the corporate structure of your investment vehicle is that of a DPP, or Direct Participation Program.

More commonly known as limited partnerships, these entities raise money from investors called limited partners and then invest those funds in ventures involving real estate, oil and gas exploration, or equipment leasing. Or sometimes all of the above, although that's not very common.

These tend to be high-risk, high-reward ventures with a long time horizon. They're usually available only to very wealthy individuals and institutional investors.

Related or Semi-related Video

Finance: What is an LLC?4 Views

00:00

finance a la shmoop. what is an LLC? LLC no that's not a rapper, that's a limited

00:10

liability company or look as professionals in the business pronounce

00:15

it. well why do you want one? because limiting your liability is a [man explains]

00:19

good thing if you're the one potentially liable for that stooge who slips on a

00:24

banana peel in your lobby waiting area and then Sue's you and wins. if you start

00:29

building your own company as an individual and not as an LLC and you get

00:34

sued for whatever, and you lose well you could lose everything you own.

00:38

that is the lawyers will come after your house your car your poodle your signed

00:43

Mila Kunis photograph collection, and legally well they'll be entitled to take

00:48

all of it. if you have existed under the legal structure of an LLC however, well [legal structures pictured]

00:53

the most you can be liable for is the assets of the business itself. yes

00:58

they'll take the company computer the remaining 17 months of lease on the

01:02

company building, and all your staplers and posted thingies but legally they

01:06

won't be able to go after your home your car your poodle or your autograph

01:10

collection. Mila is safe whew. so LLC's are a good thing they cost only a few

01:16

hundred bucks to set up these days, hi LegalZoom. so before you start up a lava

01:20

lamp company of your own think about setting up an LLC first. Mila and your [lava lamps in a row]

01:25

poodle gregory will thank you for it.

Up Next

Finance: What is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP)?
3 Views

What is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP)? A Master Limited Partnership is a Limited Partnership that is publicly tradable, usually on the NYSE. W...

Find other enlightening terms in Shmoop Finance Genius Bar(f)