Section 409A of the Code This Agreement is intended to either avoid the application of, or comply with, Section 409A of the Code. To that end this Agreement shall at all times be interpreted in a manner that is consistent with Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to adopt such amendments to this Agreement or take such other actions (including amendments and actions with retroactive effect) as it determines is necessary or appropriate for this Agreement to comply with Section 409A of the Code. Further:
(a) Any reimbursement of any costs and expenses by the Company to the Executive under this Agreement shall be made by the Company in no event later than the close of the Executive’s taxable year following the taxable year in which the cost or expense is incurred by the Executive. The expenses incurred by the Executive in any calendar year that are eligible for reimbursement under this Agreement shall not affect the expenses incurred by the Executive in any other calendar year that are eligible for reimbursement hereunder and the Executive’s right to receive any reimbursement hereunder shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for any other benefit.
(b) Any payment following a separation from service that would be subject to Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Code as a distribution following a separation from service of a “specified employee” (as defined under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code) shall be made on the first to occur of (i) ten (10) days after the expiration of the six-month (6) period following such separation from service, (ii) death, or (iii) such earlier date that complies with Section 409A of the Code.
(c) Each payment that the Executive may receive under this Agreement shall be treated as a “separate payment” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code.
(d) A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment,” or like terms shall mean “separation from service.”
Section 409A (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, all provisions of this Agreement are intended to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the applicable Treasury regulations and administrative guidance issued thereunder (collectively, “Section 409A”) or an exemption therefrom and shall be construed and administered in accordance with such intent. Any payments under this Agreement that may be excluded from Section 409A either as separation pay due to an involuntary separation from service or as a short-term deferral shall be excluded from Section 409A to the maximum extent possible. For purposes of Section 409A, each installment payment provided under this Agreement shall be treated as a separate payment. Any payments to be made under this Agreement upon a termination of Employee’s employment shall only be made if such termination of employment constitutes a “separation from service” under Section 409A.
(b) To the extent that any right to reimbursement of expenses or payment of any benefit in-kind under this Agreement constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A), (i) any such expense reimbursement shall be made by the Company no later than the last day of the taxable year following the taxable year in which such expense was incurred by Employee, (ii) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit, and (iii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided during any taxable year shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits to be provided in any other taxable year; provided, that the foregoing clause shall not be violated with regard to expenses reimbursed under any arrangement covered by Section 105(b) of the Code solely because such expenses are subject to a limit related to the period in which the arrangement is in effect.
(c) Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, if any payment or benefit provided for herein would be subject to additional taxes and interest under Section 409A if Employee’s receipt of such payment or benefit is not delayed until the earlier of (i) the date of Employee’s death or (ii) the date that is six (6) months after the Termination Date (such date, the “Section 409A Payment Date”), then such payment or benefit shall not be provided to Employee (or Employee’s estate, if applicable) until the Section 409A Payment Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company makes no representations that the payments and benefits provided under this Agreement are exempt from, or compliant with, Section 409A and in no event shall any member of the Company Group be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other expenses that may be incurred by Employee on account of non-compliance with Section 409A.
Section 409A Limit “Section 409A Limit” will mean two (2) times the lesser of: (i) Executive’s annualized compensation based upon the annual rate of pay paid to Executive during the Executive’s taxable year preceding the Executive’s taxable year of Executive’s termination of employment as determined under, and with such adjustments as are set forth in, Treasury Regulation 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii)(A)(1) and any Internal Revenue Service guidance issued with respect thereto; or (ii) the maximum amount that may be taken into account under a qualified plan pursuant to Section 401(a)(17) of the Code for the year in which Executive’s employment is terminated.
Code Section 409A (a) It is intended that any amounts payable under this Agreement and the Company’s and Executive’s exercise of authority or discretion hereunder shall comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and the treasury regulations relating thereto so as not to subject Executive to the payment of interest and tax penalty which may be imposed under Section 409A. In furtherance of this interest, anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, no amounts shall be payable to Executive before such time as such payment fully complies with the provisions of Section 409A and, to the extent that any regulations or other guidance issued under Section 409A after the date of this Agreement would result in Executive being subject to payment of interest and tax penalty under Section 409A, the parties agree to amend this Agreement in order to bring this Agreement into compliance with Section 409A.
(b) With regard to any provision herein that provides for reimbursement of expenses or in-kind benefits, except as permitted by Section 409A, (i) all such reimbursements shall be made within a commercially reasonable time after presentation of appropriate documentation but in no event later than the end of the year immediately following the year in which Executive incurs such reimbursement expenses, (ii) no such reimbursements or in-kind benefits will affect any other costs or expenses eligible for reimbursement, or any other in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other year and (iii) no such reimbursements or in-kind benefits are subject to liquidation or exchange for another payment or benefit.
(c) Without limiting the discretion of either the Company or the Executive to terminate the Executive’s employment hereunder for any reason (or no reason), solely for purposes of compliance with 409A a termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a separation from service (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h) (applying the 20% default post-separation limit thereunder)) as an employee and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination” or “termination of employment” shall mean separation from service as an employee and such payments shall thereupon be made at or following such separation from service as an employee as provided hereunder.
Code Section 409A Compliance Each payment under this Agreement shall be considered a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amount or benefit upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A (“Section 409A”) and, for purposes of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean “separation from service.” Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if the Executive is a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A) on the date of the Executive’s separation from service, then any payments or benefits that otherwise would be payable under this Agreement within the first six months following the Executive’s separation from service (the “409A Suspension Period”), shall instead be paid in a lump sum within fourteen (14) days after the end of the sixth month period following the Executive’s separation from service, or Executive’s death, if sooner, but only to the extent that such payments or benefits provide for the “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A, after application of the exemptions provided in Sections 1.409A-1(b)(4) and 1.409A-1(b)(9)(ii)-(v) thereof. After the 409A Suspension Period, the Executive will receive any remaining payments and benefits due pursuant to this Agreement in accordance with its terms (as if there had not been any suspension beforehand). To the extent that severance payments or benefits under this Agreement are conditioned on the execution of a release by Executive, Executive shall forfeit all rights to such payments and benefits unless such release is signed and delivered to the Company within the time required by this Agreement. Whenever a payment under this Agreement specified a payment period with respect to a number of days, the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company. The Company will cooperate with the Executive in making any amendments to this Agreement that the Executive reasonably requests to avoid the imposition of taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code provided that such changes do not provide the Executive with additional benefits (other than de minimus benefits) under this Agreement.
Application of Code Section 409A 8.1 Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the receipt of any benefits under this Agreement as a result of a termination of employment will be subject to satisfaction of the condition precedent that you undergo a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(h) or any successor thereto. In addition, if you are deemed to be a “specified employee” within the meaning of that term under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B), then with regard to any payment or the provisions of any benefit that is required to be delayed pursuant to Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B), such payment or benefit will not be made or provided prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six (6) month period measured from the date of your “separation from service” (as such term is defined in Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(h)), or (ii) the date of your death (the “Delay Period”). Within 10 days following the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments and benefits delayed pursuant to this Section (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) will be paid or reimbursed to you in a lump sum, and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement will be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein. To the extent that the foregoing applies to the provision of any ongoing welfare benefits to you that would not be required to be delayed if the premiums therefore were paid by you, you will pay the full costs of premiums for such welfare benefits during the Delay Period and the Corporation or the Bank will pay you an amount equal to the amount of such premiums paid by you during the Delay Period within 10 days after the conclusion of such Delay Period.
8.2 Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to the extent any expense reimbursement or other in-kind benefit is determined to be subject to Code Section 409A, the amount of any such expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits in one calendar year will not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits in any other taxable year (except under any lifetime limit applicable to expenses for medical care), in no event will any expenses be reimbursed or in-kind benefits be provided after the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which you incurred such expenses or received such benefits, and in no event will any right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
8.3 Any payments made pursuant to Section 2.1, to the extent of payments made from the date of termination through March 15th of the calendar year following such date, are intended to constitute separate payments for purposes of Treas. Reg. §1.409A-2(b)(2) and thus payable pursuant to the “short-term deferral” rule set forth in Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(b)(4); to the extent such payments are made following said March 15th, they are intended to constitute separate payments for purposes of Treas. Reg. §1.409A-2(b)(2) made upon an involuntary termination from service and payable pursuant to Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii), to the maximum extent permitted by said provision.
8.4 To the extent it is determined that any benefits described in Section 2.1(b) are taxable to you, they are intended to be payable pursuant to Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(b)(9)(v), to the maximum extent permitted by said provision.
409A This Agreement and the amounts payable and other benefits hereunder are intended to comply with, or otherwise be exempt from, Section 409A of the Tax Code. This Agreement shall be administered, interpreted and construed in a manner consistent with Section 409A. If any provision of this Agreement is found not to comply with, or otherwise not to be exempt from, the provisions of Section 409A, it shall be modified and given effect, in the sole discretion of the Board or Compensation Committee thereof and without requiring the Executive’s consent, in such manner as the Board or Compensation Committee determines to be necessary or appropriate to comply with, or to effectuate an exemption from, Section 409A. Each payment under this Agreement shall be treated as a separate identified payment for purposes of Section 409A. The preceding provisions shall not be construed as a guarantee by the Company of any particular tax effect to the Executive of the payments and other benefits under this Agreement. With respect to any reimbursement of expenses of, or any provision of in-kind benefits to, the Executive, as specified under this Agreement, such reimbursement of expenses or provision of in-kind benefits shall be subject to the following conditions: (a) the expenses eligible for reimbursement or the amount of in-kind benefits provided in one taxable year shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement or the amount of in-kind benefits provided in any other taxable year, except for any medical reimbursement arrangement providing for the reimbursement of expenses referred to in Section 105(b) of the Tax Code; (b) the reimbursement of an eligible expense shall be made no later than the end of the year after the year in which such expense was incurred; and (c) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit. If a payment obligation under this Agreement arises on account of the Executive’s “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h)) while the Executive is a “specified employee” (as defined under Section 409A of the Tax Code and determined in good faith by the Compensation Committee), any payment of “deferred compensation” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(1), after giving effect to the exemptions in Treasury Regulation Sections 1.409A-1(b)(3) through (b)(12)) that is scheduled to be paid within six months after such separation from service shall accrue without interest and shall be paid on the first day of the seventh month beginning after the date of the Executive’s separation from service or, if earlier, within 15 days after the appointment of the personal representative or executor of the Executive’s estate following his death.
Application of Section 409A of the Code (a) This Agreement shall be interpreted to avoid any penalty sanctions under section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Code”). If any payment or benefit cannot be provided or made at the time specified herein without incurring sanctions under section 409A of the Code, then such benefit or payment shall be provided in full (to extent not paid in part at earlier date) at the earliest time thereafter when such sanctions shall not be imposed. For purposes of section 409A of the Code, all payments to be made upon a termination of employment under this Agreement may only be made upon the Executive’s “separation from service” (within the meaning of such term under section 409A of the Code), each payment made under this Agreement shall be treated as a separate payment, and the right to a series of installment payments under this Agreement shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments. In no event shall the Executive, directly or indirectly, designate the fiscal year of payment, except as permitted under section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, with respect to amounts under this Agreement are nonqualified deferred compensation subject to Section 409A, in no event shall the timing of the Executive’s execution of the Release, directly or indirectly, result in the Executive designating the calendar year of payment, and if a payment that is subject to execution of the Release could be made in more than one taxable year, payment shall be made in the later taxable year.
(b) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if, at the time of the Executive’s termination of employment with the Company, the Company has securities which are publicly traded on an established securities market and the Executive is a “specified employee” (as such term is defined in section 409A of the Code) and it is necessary to postpone the commencement of any payments or benefits otherwise payable under this Agreement as a result of such termination of employment to prevent any accelerated or additional tax under section 409A of the Code, then the Company shall postpone the commencement of the payment of any such payments or benefits hereunder (without any reduction in such payments or benefits ultimately paid or provided to the Executive) that are not otherwise paid first within the ‘short-term deferral exception’ under Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(b)(4), and then under the ‘separation pay exception’ under Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii), until the first payroll date that occurs after the date that is 6 months following the Executive’s “separation of service” (as such term is defined under code section 409A of the Code) with the Company. If any payments are postponed due to such requirements, such postponed amounts shall be paid in a lump sum to the Executive on the first payroll date that occurs after the date that is 6 months following Executive’s separation of service with the Company. If the Executive dies during the postponement period prior to the payment of postponed amount, the amounts withheld on account of section 409A of the Code shall be paid to the personal representative of the Executive’s estate within 60 days after the date of the Executive’s death.
(c) All reimbursements and in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement shall be made or provided in accordance with the requirements of section 409A of the Code, including, where applicable, the requirement that (i) any reimbursement shall be for expenses incurred during the Executive’s lifetime (or during a shorter period of time specified in this Agreement), (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in kind benefits provided, during a calendar year may not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in kind benefits to be provided, in any other calendar year, (iii) the reimbursement of an eligible expense shall be made on or before the last day of the calendar year following the year in which the expense is incurred and (iv) the right to reimbursement or in kind benefits is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
Section 409A Compliance To the extent applicable, it is intended that this Agreement comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and the guidance promulgated thereunder (“Section 409A”). This Agreement shall be administered in a manner consistent with this intent, and any provision that would cause the Agreement to fail to satisfy Section 409A shall have no force and effect until amended by the parties to comply with Section 409A (which amendment may be retroactive to the extent permitted by Section 409A). Unless otherwise expressly provided, any payment of compensation by Company to Employee, whether pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise, shall be made no later than the 15th day of the third month (i.e., 2½ months) after the later of the end of the calendar year or the Company’s fiscal year in which Employee’s right to such payment vests (i.e., is not subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” for purposes of Code Section 409A). For purposes of this Agreement, “Separation from Service” shall have the meaning given to such term under Section 409A. Each payment and each installment of any severance payments provided for under this Agreement shall be treated as a separate payment for purposes of application of Section 409A. To the extent that any severance payments come within the definition of “short term deferrals” or “involuntary severance” under Section 409A, such amounts shall be excluded from “deferred compensation” as allowed under Section 409A, and shall not be subject to the following Section 409A compliance requirements. All payments of “nonqualified deferred compensation” (within the meaning of Section 409A) are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A, and shall be interpreted in accordance therewith. Neither party individually or in combination may accelerate, offset or assign any such deferred payment, except in compliance with Section 409A. No amount shall be paid prior to the earliest date on which it is permitted to be paid under Section 409A and Employee shall have no discretion with respect to the timing of payments except as permitted under Section 409A. Any payments to which Section 409A applies which are subject to execution of a waiver and release which may be executed and/or revoked in a calendar year following the calendar year in which the payment event (such as Separation from Service) occurs shall commence payment only in the calendar year in which the release revocation period ends as necessary to comply with Section 409A. In the event that Employee is determined to be a “key employee” (as defined and determined under Section 409A) of the Company at a time when its stock is deemed to be publicly traded on an established securities market, payments determined to be “nonqualified deferred compensation” payable upon separation from service shall be made no earlier than (i) the first day of the seventh (7th) complete calendar month following such termination of employment, or (ii) Employee’s death, consistent with the provisions of Section 409A. Any payment delayed by reason of the prior sentence shall be paid out in a single lump sum at the end of such required delay period in order to catch up to the original payment schedule. All expense reimbursement or in-kind benefits subject to Section 409A provided under this Agreement or, unless otherwise specified in writing, under any Company program or policy, shall be subject to the following rules: (i) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided during one calendar year may not affect the benefits provided during any other year; (ii) reimbursements shall be paid no later than the end of the calendar year following the year in which the Employee incurs such expenses, and the Employee shall take all actions necessary to claim all such reimbursements on a timely basis to permit the Company to make all such reimbursement payments prior to the end of said period, and (iii) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no amendment may be made to this Agreement if it would cause the Agreement or any payment hereunder not to be in compliance with Section 409A.
Section 409A Provisions The payment of Shares under this Agreement is intended to be exempt from the application of Section 409A of the Code by reason of the short-term deferral exemption set forth in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(b)(4). Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that any amount or benefit hereunder that constitutes “deferred compensation” to the Participant under Section 409A is otherwise payable or distributable to the Participant under the Plan or this Agreement solely by reason of the occurrence of a Change in Control or due to the Participant’s Disability or separation from service, such amount or benefit will not be payable or distributable to the Participant by reason of such circumstance unless the Committee determines in good faith that (i) the circumstances giving rise to such Change in Control, Disability or separation from service meet the definition of a change in ownership or control, disability, or separation from service, as the case may be, in Section 409A(a)(2)(A) of the Code and applicable final regulations, or (ii) the payment or distribution of such amount or benefit would be exempt from the application of Section 409A by reason of the short-term deferral exemption or otherwise (including, but not limited to, a payment made pursuant to an involuntary separation arrangement that is exempt from Section 409A under the “short-term deferral” exception). Any payment or distribution that constitutes deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A and that otherwise would be made to a Participant who is a specified employee as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B) of the Code on account of separation from service instead shall be made on the earlier of the date that is six months and one day after the date of the specified employee’s separation from service and the specified employee’s death.
