Tax Proceedings The Company Securityholder Representative shall have the right, at the expense of the Company Equity Holders (or, in the case of any Tax Proceeding or other claim related to Taxes which are indemnified pursuant to Section 6.2(h), out of the Additional Escrow Account), to control any Tax Proceeding, initiate any claim for refund, contest, resolve and defend against any assessment, notice of deficiency, or other adjustment or proposed adjustment relating to any and all Taxes of the Company and its Subsidiaries for any taxable period ending on or before the Closing Date or relating to Taxes which are indemnified pursuant to Section 6.2(h); provided, however, the Company Securityholder Representative shall inform the Surviving Pubco of the status of any such proceedings, shall provide the Surviving Pubco (at the Surviving Pubco’s cost and expense) with copies of any pleadings, correspondence and other documents as the Surviving Pubco may reasonably request and shall reasonably consult with the Surviving Pubco prior to the settlement of any such proceedings and shall obtain the prior written consent of the Surviving Pubco prior to the settlement of any such proceedings that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Surviving Pubco or an Acquired Company in any taxable period ending after the Closing Date, which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed; provided, further, that the Surviving Pubco, at its own expense, shall have the right to participate in, but not direct, the prosecution or defense of any such Tax Proceedings controlled by the Company Securityholder Representative. the Surviving Pubco shall have the right, at its own expense, to control any other Tax Proceeding, initiate any other claim for refund, and contest, resolve and defend against any other assessment, notice of deficiency, or other adjustment or proposed adjustment relating to Taxes with respect to an Acquired Company; provided, that in the case of any such Tax Proceeding, claim for refund, contest, assessment, deficiency or other adjustment or proposed adjustment relating to Taxes of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for a taxable period that includes but does not end on the Closing Date and which is not otherwise controlled by the Company Securityholder Representative in accordance with this Section 6.2(e), (A) the Surviving Pubco shall provide the Company Securityholder Representative written notice of such proceeding, and (B) the Surviving Pubco shall inform the Company Securityholder Representative of the status of any such proceedings, shall provide the Company Securityholder Representative (at the Company Securityholder Representative’s cost and expense) with copies of any pleadings, correspondence and other documents as the Company Securityholder Representative may reasonably request, and shall consult with the Company Securityholder Representative prior to the settlement of any such proceedings and shall obtain the prior written consent of the Company Securityholder Representative prior to the settlement of any such proceedings that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Company Securityholder Representative or the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date, which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed; provided, further, that the Company Securityholder Representative, at its own expense, shall have the right to participate in, but not direct, the prosecution or defense of any such Tax Proceeding controlled by the Surviving Pubco that relates to a taxable period that includes but does not end on the Closing Date.
Tax Contests (a) Purchaser shall notify Seller within twenty Business Days after receipt by Purchaser or any of its Affiliates of written notice of any pending federal, state, local or foreign Tax audit or examination or notice of deficiency or other adjustment, assessment or redetermination relating to Taxes for which Seller or its Affiliates may be responsible under Section 6.1 (“Tax Matters”) provided that Purchaser’s failure to so notify Seller shall not limit Purchaser’s rights under this Article VI except to the extent Seller is materially prejudiced by such failure. Parent and Seller shall promptly notify Purchaser in writing upon receipt by Parent, Seller or any of their respective Affiliates of notice of any Tax audits, examinations or assessments that could give rise to Taxes of or with respect to MONY.
(b) Seller shall have the right to represent MONY’s interest in any Tax Matter for any taxable period that ends on or prior to the Closing Date and to employ counsel of its choice at its expense; provided, however, that if such Tax Matter could reasonably be expected to increase the Tax liability of Purchaser, MONY or any of Purchaser’s Affiliates in any Post-Closing Tax Period, Seller shall (w) notify Purchaser of significant developments with respect to any such Tax Matter and keep Purchaser reasonably informed and consult with Purchaser as to the resolution of any issue that would materially affect Purchaser or any such Affiliate, (x) give to Purchaser a copy of any Tax adjustment proposed in writing with respect to such Tax Matter and copies of any other written correspondence with the relevant taxing authority relating to such Tax Matter, (y) not settle or compromise any issue in a manner that would reasonably be expected to increase Taxes payable by MONY or by Purchaser or any of its Affiliates with respect to the MLOA Business in any Post-Closing Tax Period without the consent of Purchaser, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed and (z) otherwise permit Purchaser to participate in all aspects of such Tax Matter, at Purchaser’s own expense.
(c) In the case of a Straddle Period or Post-Closing Tax Period, Purchaser shall have the sole right to control all Tax audits of MONY; provided, however, that if such tax audit could give rise to a liability for which Parent or Seller is responsible under Section 6.1, Purchaser shall (w) notify Seller of significant developments with respect to any Tax audits, examinations or proceedings that could give rise to a Liability for which Parent or Seller is responsible under Section 6.1 and keep Seller reasonably informed and consult with Seller as to the resolution of any issue that would materially affect Seller, (x) give to Seller a copy of any Tax adjustment proposed in writing with respect to such Tax audit, examination or proceeding and copies of any other written correspondence with the relevant taxing authority relating to such Tax audit, examination or proceeding, (y) not settle or compromise any issue in a manner that would reasonably be expected to increase Taxes indemnifiable by Parent or Seller under Section 6.1 without the consent of Seller, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed and (z) otherwise permit Seller to participate in all aspects of such Tax audit, examination or proceeding, at Seller’s own expense.
(d) Purchaser shall have the sole right to control all Tax audits of MONY not described in subsection (b) or (c) of this Section 6.5.
Cooperation on Tax Matters (i) Buyer, the Company, and the Interest Owners shall cooperate fully, as and to the extent reasonably requested by the other Party, in connection with the filing of Tax Returns pursuant to this section and any audit, litigation or other proceeding with respect to Taxes. Such cooperation shall include the retention and (upon the other Party’s request) the provision of records and information that are reasonably relevant to any such audit, litigation or other proceeding and making employees available on a mutually convenient basis to provide additional information and explanation of any material provided hereunder. The Interest Owners agree (A) to retain all books and records with respect to Tax matters pertinent to the Company relating to any taxable period beginning before the Closing Date until the expiration of the statute of limitations (and, to the extent notified by Buyer or the Company or Interest Owners, any extensions thereof) of the respective taxable periods, and to abide by all record retention agreements entered into with any taxing authority, and (B) to give Buyer reasonable written notice prior to transferring, destroying or discarding any such books and records and, if Buyer so requests, the Interest Owners shall allow Buyer to take possession of such books and records.
(ii) Buyer, the Company, and the Interest Owners further agree, upon request, to use their best efforts to obtain any certificate or other document from any governmental authority or any other Person as may be necessary to mitigate, reduce or eliminate any Tax that could be imposed (including, but not limited to, with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby).
(iii) Buyer, the Company, and the Interest Owners further agree, upon request, to provide the other Party with all information that either Party may be required to report pursuant to Code §6043 and all Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
Indemnification in Third Party Proceedings Subject to Section 10 below, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by the Code, as the same may be amended from time to time (but, only to the extent that such amendment permits Indemnitee to broader indemnification rights than the Code permitted prior to adoption of such amendment), if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to or otherwise involved in any proceeding, for any and all expenses, actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such proceeding.
Control of Tax Contests (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (b) and (c), Parent shall control, and have sole discretion in handling, settling or contesting, any Tax Contest relating to any Joint Returns, as well as any Separate Returns that relate to a Pre-Distribution Tax Period or to a Straddle Period or other Tax Return if any such Tax Return is related to Taxes for which Parent is responsible pursuant to Article II, or the Tax treatment of the Separation Transactions, provided that (x) Parent shall act in good faith in connection with its control of any such Tax Contests and (y) SpinCo shall have the right at its sole cost and expense to participate in and advise on (including the opportunity to review and comment upon Parent’s communications with the Tax Authority, which comments shall be incorporated upon the consent of Parent, not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned) such items for which SpinCo would reasonably be expected to be liable under Article II or Section 6.06 as a result of such Tax Contest.
(b) Parent shall have exclusive control over any Separation Related Tax Contest, including exclusive authority with respect to any settlement of such Tax Contest, subject to the following provisions of this Section 9.02(b). In the event of any Separation Related Tax Contest as a result of which SpinCo could reasonably be expected (as determined in the sole discretion of Parent acting in good faith) to become liable for any Separation Tax Losses, (A) Parent shall keep SpinCo reasonably informed in a timely manner of all significant developments in respect of such Tax Contest and all significant actions taken or proposed to be taken by Parent with respect to such Tax Contest, (B) Parent shall timely provide SpinCo with copies of any written materials prepared, furnished or received in connection with such Tax Contest, (C) Parent shall consult with SpinCo reasonably in advance of taking any significant action in connection with such Tax Contest and (D) Parent shall offer SpinCo a reasonable opportunity to comment before submitting any written materials prepared or furnished in connection with such Tax Contest. Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentence to the contrary, the final determination of the positions taken, including with respect to settlement or other disposition, in any Separation Related Tax Contest shall be made in the sole discretion of Parent and shall be final and not subject to the dispute resolution provisions of Article XIII of this Agreement or Section 11.02 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (a) or (b), SpinCo shall have sole control over any Tax Contest that relates to Separate Returns of the SpinCo Group for any Post-Distribution Tax Period.
Cooperation in Litigation Each party hereto will reasonably cooperate with the other in the defense or prosecution of any litigation or proceeding already instituted or which may be instituted hereafter against or by such party relating to or arising out of the use of the Purchased Assets prior to the Effective Date (other than litigation arising out of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement). The party requesting such cooperation shall pay the out-of-pocket expenses (including legal fees and disbursements) of the party providing such cooperation and of its officers, directors, employees, other personnel and agents reasonably incurred in connection with providing such cooperation, but shall not be responsible to reimburse the party providing such cooperation for such party's time spent in such cooperation or the salaries or costs of fringe benefits or similar expenses paid by the party providing such cooperation to its officers, directors, employees, other personnel and agents while assisting in the defense or prosecution of any such litigation or proceeding.
Tax Audits (a) The Managing Member is hereby designated as the “tax matters partner,” as that term is defined in Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code (the “Tax Matters Partner”), of the Company, with all of the rights, duties and powers provided for in Sections 6221 through 6234 of the Code, inclusive, provided however that in the case of a removal of the Managing Member after the occurrence of any Removal Event, the Investor shall have the right to assume the rights and duties of the Tax Matters Partner and to be designated as such. The Managing Member is hereby directed and authorized to take whatever steps it, in its reasonable discretion, deems necessary or desirable to perfect such designation, including filing any forms or documents with the IRS and taking such other action as may from time to time be required under the Treasury Regulations. The Managing Member shall remain as the Tax Matters Partner so long as it retains any ownership interests in the Company unless the Investor assumes the rights and duties of the Tax Matters Partner under the proviso to the first sentence of this paragraph.
(b) The Tax Matters Partner, in Consultation with the other Members, shall use reasonable commercial efforts to direct the defense of any claims made by any tax authority to the extent that such claims relate to the adjustment of Company items at the Company level and, in connection therewith, shall cause the Company to retain and to pay the fees and expenses of counsel and other advisors chosen by the Tax Matters Partner in Consultation with the other Members. The Tax Matters Partner shall promptly deliver to each Member a copy of all notices, communications, reports and writings received from the IRS by the Company or the Tax Matters Partner relating to or potentially resulting in an adjustment of Company items, shall promptly advise each Member of the substance of any conversations with the tax authorities in connection therewith and shall keep the Members advised of all developments with respect to any proposed adjustments that come to its attention. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner shall (i) provide each Member with a draft copy of any correspondence or filing to be submitted by the Company in connection with any administrative or judicial proceedings relating to the determination of Company items at the Company level reasonably in advance of such submission, (ii) consider in good faith incorporating all changes or comments to such correspondence or filing requested by any Member and (iii) provide each Member with a final copy of such correspondence or filing. The Tax Matters Partner will provide each Member with notice reasonably in advance of any meetings or conferences with respect to any administrative or judicial proceedings relating to the determination of Company items at the Company level (including any meetings or conferences with counsel or advisors to the Company with respect to such proceedings) and each Member shall have the right to participate, at its sole cost and expense, in any such meetings or conferences.
(c) The Tax Matters Partner shall not, without a Required Majority Vote, (i) except in the case of any claim by the IRS that could give rise to an indemnity claim under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document in respect of federal income taxes or the loss of federal income tax benefits (a “Tax Loss Contest”), commence a judicial action (including filing a petition as contemplated in Section 6226(a) or Section 6228 of the Code) with respect to a federal income tax matter or appeal any adverse determination of a judicial tribunal; (ii) enter into a settlement agreement with the IRS which purports to bind the Members; (iii) intervene in any action as contemplated by Section 6226(b) of the Code; (iv) file any request contemplated in Section 6227(c) of the Code; or (v) except in the case of a Tax Loss Contest, enter into an agreement extending the period of limitations as contemplated in Section 6229(b)(1)(B) of the Code. Any cost or expense incurred by the Tax Matters Partner in connection with its duties as Tax Matters Partner shall be paid by the Company.
(d) If for any reason the IRS disregards the election made by the Company pursuant to Section 7.5(c) and commences any audit or proceeding in which it makes a claim, or proposes to make a claim, against any Member that could reasonably be expected to result in the disallowance or adjustment of any items of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit (including Tax Credits) allocated to such Member by the Company, then such Member shall promptly advise the other Members of the same, and such Member, in Consultation with the other Members, shall at the expense of the Company use best efforts to convert the portion of such audit or proceeding that relates to such items into a proceeding at the level of the Company consistent with the election of the Company pursuant to Section 7.5(c). In the case of any such audit or proceeding involving the Investor for a tax period prior to or including the Flip Date, if the Investor is not successful in converting the portion of such audit or proceeding that relates to such items into a proceeding at the level of the Company, the Company shall reimburse the Investor for all reasonable costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, in contesting such claim.
(e) If any Member intends to file, pursuant to Section 6227 of the Code, a request for an administrative adjustment of any such partnership item of the Company, or to file a petition under Sections 6226, 6228 or other Sections of the Code with respect to any such partnership item or any other tax matter involving the Company, such Member shall, at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to any such filing, notify the other Members of such intent, which notification must include a reasonable description of the contemplated action and the reasons for such action; provided, however, that this Section 7.7(e) shall not relieve such Member’s obligation to use all commercially reasonable efforts to convert a Member level proceeding into a Company level proceeding as provided in Section 7.7(d).
U.S. Tax Matters (a) The Parties intend that (a) upon completion of the Continuance, the Resulting Issuer is treated as a U.S. domestic corporation under Section 7874 of the Code and (b) the Section 351 Transactions are interdependent steps in a single transaction, to which the Parties are legally committed as provided herein, and to which the Parties intend to treat as a single integrated transaction qualifying as a tax-deferred transaction within the meaning of Section 351 of the Code. Each Party hereto agrees to not take any position on any Tax Return or otherwise take any Tax reporting position inconsistent with the treatment set forth in this Section 2.15, unless otherwise required by applicable Law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parties do not make any representation, warranty or covenant to any other Party or to their shareholders or members (and including, without limitation, holders of stock options, warrants, debt instruments or other similar rights or instruments) regarding the U.S. tax treatment of the Business Combination, including, but not limited to, whether the Section 351 Transactions will qualify as a tax-deferred transaction within the meaning of Section 351 of the Code or as tax-deferred transactions for purposes of any United States state or local income tax law.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Contemporaneous Agreements, and any other agreements or documents required or contemplated to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith, to the contrary:
(i) no Transacting Party is permitted to hire employees based in Canada unless immediately after the transactions consummated in connection with the Business Combination, the Resulting Issuer, together with all of its Subsidiaries (including each of the Transacting Parties), would have less than 25% of their employees (by number) based in Canada as determined for purposes of Section 7874 of the Code;
(ii) no Party shall knowingly take any action, cause any action to be taken, fail to take any commercially reasonable action or cause any commercially reasonable action to fail to be taken, which action or failure to act would reasonably be expected to prevent the Section 351 Transactions from qualifying as tax-deferred transactions within the meaning of Section 351 of the Code;
(iii) the number of Resulting Issuer Common Shares to be issued to the SVT Shareholders shall not exceed 15.00% of the stock of the Resulting Issuer as determined under Section 7874 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder; and
(iv) if, as a result of the adoption, implementation, promulgation, repeal, modification, amendment or change in applicable Law (including with respect to U.S. Treasury Regulations under Section 7874 of the Code) after the date hereof, upon completion of the Continuance, the Resulting Issuer would not be treated as a U.S. domestic corporation under Section 7874 of the Code, the Parties, upon unanimous agreement, shall take actions as to ensure that the Resulting Issuer is so treated.
Third Party Proceedings The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Company) by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an officer or director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
Certain Tax Matters (a) The parties hereto shall (and shall cause their respective affiliates to) reasonably cooperate with one another in providing information with respect to the Transactions that is reasonably requested by one another and reasonably necessary to enable the parties hereto to (i) determine the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Transactions to holders of Class A Common Stock, Founder Shares or SPAC Warrants, (ii) prepare disclosure in the Registration Statement regarding such U.S. federal income tax treatment, (iii) prepare U.S. federal income Tax Returns reporting relevant portions of the Transactions consistent with the U.S. federal income tax treatment as mutually agreed by the parties hereto and (iv) respond to requests in connection with any audits, examinations or other proceedings before the IRS relating to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of relevant portions of the Transactions. While the parties hereto do not anticipate that any opinion of counsel with respect to Tax matters will be required to be rendered in connection with the Transactions, the parties hereto agree that in no event will counsel to a party hereto be required to render an opinion regarding the Tax consequences or considerations of any person other than its client or such client’s shareholders or warrantholders immediately prior to the Transactions in their capacity as such.
(b) Any transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration, excise, recording, registration value added and other similar Taxes (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Taxes imposed under Section 4501 of the Code (as amended by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, H.R. 5376) (“Stock Buyback Tax”)) (collectively, “Transfer Taxes”) that become payable by any of the parties hereto in connection with or by reason of the execution of this Agreement and the Transactions shall be borne by the Company. The party hereto responsible for filing any necessary Tax Returns with respect to Transfer Taxes under applicable Law shall cause such Tax Returns to be filed, and if required by applicable Law, the other parties hereto shall join in the execution of any such Tax Returns.
