Make-Whole Payments Subject to the last three sentences of this paragraph 7, if any payment or benefit to which the Executive is entitled, whether under this Agreement or otherwise, in connection with a Change in Control or the Executive's termination of employment (a "Payment") is subject to any tax under section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), or any similar federal or state law (an "Excise Tax"), the Company shall pay to the Executive an additional amount (the "Make Whole-Amount") which is equal to (i) the amount of the Excise Tax, plus (ii) the aggregate amount of any interest, penalties, fines or additions to any tax which are imposed in connection with the imposition of such Excise Tax, plus (iii) all income, excise and other applicable taxes imposed on the Executive under the laws of any Federal, state or local government or taxing authority by reason of the payments required under clause (i) and clause (ii) and this clause (iii). Such Make Whole-Amount will not be paid to the Executive if the Payment is less than 10 percent above the maximum amount that may be paid without incurring Excise Tax. In the event that the Payment is greater than the maximum amount that may be paid without incurring Excise Tax, but less than 10 percent greater than the maximum amount, then the Payments shall be capped at the maximum amount that may be paid without incurring Excise Tax. In such event, the cash severance payments provided in paragraph 6 above and/or the outplacement services provided in paragraph 8 below, at the Executive's election, shall be reduced to a level that results in the total Payment being equal to the maximum amount that may be paid without incurring Excise Tax.
a. For purposes of determining the Make-Whole Amount, the Executive shall be deemed to be taxed at the highest marginal rate under all applicable local, state, federal and foreign income tax laws for the year in which the Make-Whole Amount is paid. The Make-Whole Amount payable with respect to an Excise Tax shall be paid by the Company coincident with the Payment with respect to which such Excise Tax relates.
b. All calculations under this paragraph 7 shall be made initially by the Company and the Company shall provide prompt written notice thereof to the Executive to enable the Executive to timely file all applicable tax returns. Upon request of the Executive, the Company shall provide the Executive with sufficient tax and compensation data to enable the Executive or his tax advisor to independently make the calculations described in subparagraph (a) above and the Company shall reimburse the Executive for reasonable fees and expenses incurred for any such verification.
c. If the Executive gives written notice to the Company of any objection to the results of the Company's calculations within 60 days of the Executive's receipt of written notice thereof, the dispute shall be referred for determination to tax counsel selected by the independent auditors of the Company ("Tax Counsel"). The Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses of such Tax Counsel. Pending such determination by Tax Counsel, the Company shall pay the Executive the Make-Whole Amount as determined by it in good faith. The Company shall pay the Executive any additional amount determined by Tax Counsel to be due under this paragraph 7 (together with interest thereon at a rate equal to 120% of the Federal short-term rate determined under section 1274(d) of the Code) promptly after such determination.
d. The determination by Tax Counsel shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties unless the Internal Revenue Service, a court of competent jurisdiction, or such other duly empowered governmental body or agency (a "Tax Authority") determines that the Executive owes a greater or lesser amount of Excise Tax with respect to any Payment than the amount determined by Tax Counsel.
e. If a Taxing Authority makes a claim against the Executive which, if successful, would require the Company to make a payment under this paragraph 7, the Executive agrees to contest the claim, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Company, on request of the Company subject to the following conditions:
(i) The Executive shall notify the Company of any such claim within 10 days of becoming aware thereof. In the event that the Company desires the claim to be contested, it shall promptly (but in no event more than 30 days after the notice from the Executive or such shorter time as the Taxing Authority may specify for responding to such claim) request the Executive to contest the claim. The Executive shall not make any payment of any tax which is the subject of the claim before the Executive has given the notice or during the 30-day period thereafter unless the Executive receives written instructions from the Company to make such payment together with an advance of funds sufficient to make the requested payment plus any amounts payable under this paragraph 7 determined as if such advance were an Excise Tax, in which case the Executive will act promptly in accordance with such instructions.
(ii) If the Company so requests, the Executive will contest the claim by either paying the tax claimed and suing for a refund in the appropriate court or contesting the claim in the United States Tax Court or other appropriate court, as directed by the Company; provided, however, that any request by the Company for the Executive to pay the tax shall be accompanied by an advance from the Company to the Executive of funds sufficient to make the requested payment plus any amounts payable under this paragraph 7 determined as if such advance were an Excise Tax. If directed by the Company in writing the Executive will take all action necessary to compromise or settle the claim, but in no event will the Executive compromise or settle the claim or cease to contest the claim without the written consent of the Company; provided, however, that the Executive may take any such action if the Executive waives in writing his right to a payment under this paragraph 7 for any amounts payable in connection with such claim. The Executive agrees to cooperate in good faith with the Company in contesting the claim and to comply with any reasonable request from the Company concerning the contest of the claim, including the pursuit of administrative remedies, the appropriate forum for any judicial proceedings, and the legal basis for contesting the claim. Upon request of the Company, the Executive shall take appropriate appeals of any judgment or decision that would require the Company to make a payment under this paragraph 7. Provided that the Executive is in compliance with the provisions of this section, the Company shall be liable for and indemnify the Executive against any loss in connection with, and all costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees, which may be incurred as a result of, contesting the claim, and shall provide to the Executive within 30 days after each written request therefore by the Executive cash advances or reimbursement for all such costs and expenses actually incurred or reasonably expected to be incurred by the Executive as a result of contesting the claim.
f. Should a Tax Authority finally determine that an additional Excise Tax is owed, then the Company shall pay an additional Make-Up Amount to the Executive in a manner consistent with this paragraph 7 with respect to any additional Excise Tax and any assessed interest, fines, or penalties. If any Excise Tax as calculated by the Company or Tax Counsel, as the case may be, is finally determined by a Tax Authority to exceed the amount required to be paid under applicable law, then the Executive shall repay such excess to the Company within 30 days of such determination; provided that such repayment shall be reduced by the amount of any taxes paid by the Executive on such excess which is not offset by the tax benefit attributable to the repayment.
Earnout Payments (a) The Constituents shall be eligible to receive earnout consideration up to a maximum of three million dollars ($3,000,000) for all such earnout payments, based on the performance of the Surviving Corporation following the Closing as set forth in this Section 1.7.
(i) For the period beginning immediately after the Closing and ending on the first anniversary of the Closing (the “First Earnout Period”), the Constituents shall receive $3 for every $1 of Post-Closing Net Income in excess of one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Adjusted Forecast for such First Earnout Period (the “First Earnout Period Payment”).
(ii) For the period beginning on the day after the first anniversary of the Closing and ending on the second anniversary of the Closing (the “Second Earnout Period”), the Constituents shall receive $3 for every $1 of Post-Closing Net Income in excess of one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Adjusted Forecast for such Second Earnout Period until the Post-Closing Net Income results in an aggregate of $1.5 million of earnout consideration being earned during the Second Earnout Period (such amount of Post-Closing Net Income, the “Second Earnout Threshold”), at which point the amount earned thereafter shall change to $1.50 for every $1 of Post-Closing Net Income in excess of the Second Earnout Threshold for such Second Earnout Period (collectively, the “Second Earnout Period Payment”).
(b) Earnout amounts shall be calculated promtly after the preparation of the Parent’s financial statements following the accounting period in which the end of such earnout period occurs. The First Earnout Period Payment, if any, shall be deposited with Escrow Agent and made part of the Escrow Amount. The calculation of the amount earned in the First Earnout Period Payment or Second Earnout Period Payment, as the case may be, may be referred to as the “Earnout Payment” for such period. Such Earnout Payments shall be delivered to the Escrow Agent or paid to the Constituents in accordance with Section 1.5(a), as the case may be, within the later of (i) ninety (90) days after the Parent’s delivery to the Stockholder Representatives of the applicable Earnout Certificate, or (ii) if disputed pursuant to Section 1.7(f) below, ten (10) Business Days after final determination of the applicable Earnout Payment pursuant to the provisions of Section 1.7(f).
(c) [intentionally omitted]
(d) In no case shall the aggregate amounts paid pursuant to this Section 1.7 exceed $3 million.
(e) As soon as reasonably practicable following Parent’s determination of the Earnout Payment for each of the First Earnout Period and Second Earnout Period (but in no event prior to the date the Parent’s financial statements for the periods to which such Earnout Payments relate have been publicly disclosed by Parent), Parent will deliver to the Stockholder Representatives (i) a statement that includes each element of the calculation of the Earnout Payment; and (ii) a certificate of the Parent’s Chief Financial Officer certifying on behalf of the Parent that the calculation of the Earnout Payment was made in accordance with the terms of this Section 1.7 (such statement and certificate being referred to as the “Earnout Certificate”). The Stockholder Representatives and their professional advisors will be given reasonable access to only those books and records of the Surviving Corporation that are necessary to confirm the calculation of the Earnout Payment. All information obtained by the Stockholder Representatives shall be deemed to be confidential information of the Parent subject to the restrictions of the Confidentiality Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit I.
