Code Section 280G The benefits that the Executive may be entitled to receive under this Agreement and other benefits that the Executive is entitled to receive under other plans, agreements and arrangements (which, together with the benefits provided under this Agreement, are referred to as “Payments”), may constitute Parachute Payments that are subject to Code Sections 280G and 4999. As provided in this Section 13, the Parachute Payments will be reduced if, and only to the extent that, a reduction will allow the Executive to receive a greater Net After Tax Amount than the Executive would receive absent a reduction. The Accounting Firm will first determine the amount of any Parachute Payments that are payable to the Executive. The Accounting Firm also will determine the Net After Tax Amount attributable to the Executive’s total Parachute Payments. The Accounting Firm will next determine the largest amount of Payments that may be made to the Executive without subjecting the Executive to tax under Code Section 4999 (the “Capped Payments”). Thereafter, the Accounting Firm will determine the Net After Tax Amount attributable to the Capped Payments. The Executive will receive the total Parachute Payments or the Capped Payments, whichever provides the Executive with the higher Net After Tax Amount. If the Executive will receive the Capped Payments, the total Parachute Payments will be adjusted by first reducing the amount of any benefits under this Agreement or any other plan, agreement or arrangement that are not subject to Section 409A of the Code (with the source of the reduction to be directed by the Participant) and then by reducing the amount of any benefits under this Agreement or any other plan, agreement or arrangement that are subject to Section 409A of the Code (with the source of the reduction to be directed by the Participant). The Accounting Firm will notify the Executive and the Company if it determines that the Parachute Payments must be reduced to the Capped Payments and will send the Executive and the Company a copy of its detailed calculations supporting that determination. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Code Sections 280G and 4999 at the time that the Accounting Firm makes its determinations under this Section 13, it is possible that amounts will have been paid or distributed to the Executive that should not have been paid or distributed under this Section 13 (“Overpayments”), or that additional amounts should be paid or distributed to the Executive under this Section 13 (“Underpayments”). If the Accounting Firm determines, based on either the assertion of a deficiency by the Internal Revenue Service against the Company or the Executive, which assertion the Accounting Firm believes has a high probability of success or controlling precedent or substantial authority, that an Overpayment has been made, the Executive must repay to the Company, without interest; provided, however, that no loan will be deemed to have been made and no amount will be payable by the Executive to the Company unless, and then only to the extent that, the deemed loan and payment would either reduce the amount on which the Executive is subject to tax under Code Section 4999 or generate a refund of tax imposed under Code Section 4999. If the Accounting Firm determines, based upon controlling precedent or substantial authority, that an Underpayment has occurred, the Accounting Firm will notify the Executive and the Company of that determination and the amount of that Underpayment will be paid to the Executive promptly by the Company.
Excise Tax In the event you become entitled to any amounts payable hereunder or any other amounts in connection with a change in control (whether or not such amounts are payable pursuant to this Agreement) (the "Severance Payments"), if any of such Severance Payments are subject to the tax (the "Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any similar federal, state or local tax that may hereafter be imposed), the Company shall pay to you at the time specified in Section 7 hereof an additional amount (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by you, after deduction of any Excise Tax on the Total Payments (as hereinafter defined) and any federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the payment provided for by this Section 6, shall be equal to the Total Payments. For purposes of determining whether any of the Severance Payments will be subject to the Excise Tax and the amount of such Excise Tax: (i) any other payments or benefits received or to be received by you in connection with a Change in Control or your termination of employment (whether pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other plan, arrangement or agreement with the Company, any Person whose actions result in a Change in Control or any Person affiliated with the Company or such Person) (which, together with the Severance Payments, constitute the "Total Payments") shall be treated as "parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code, and all "excess parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) of the Code shall be treated as subject to the Excise Tax, unless in the opinion of nationally-recognized tax counsel selected by you such other payments or benefits (in whole or in part) do not constitute parachute payments, or such excess parachute payments (in whole or in part) represent reasonable compensation for services actually rendered within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(4) of the Code in excess of the base amount within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code, or are otherwise not subject to the Excise Tax; (ii) the amount of the Total Payments which shall be treated as subject to the Excise Tax shall be equal to the lesser of (A) the total amount of the Total Payments and (B) the amount of excess parachute payments within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) of the Code (after applying Section 6(i) hereof); and (iii) the value of any non-cash benefits or any deferred payments or benefit shall be determined by a nationally-recognized accounting firm selected by you in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code. For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, you shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rate of taxation in the state and locality of your residence, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes which could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. In the event that the Excise Tax is subsequently determined to be less than the amount taken into account hereunder, you shall repay to the Company within ten days after the time that the amount of such reduction in Excise Tax is finally determined the portion of the Gross-Up Payment attributable to such reduction (plus the portion of the Gross-Up Payment attributable to the Excise Tax and federal and state and local income tax imposed on the Gross-Up Payment being repaid by you if such repayment results in a 5 5 reduction in Excise Tax and/or federal and state and local income tax deduction) plus interest on the amount of such repayment at the rate provided in Section 1274(b)(2)(B) of the Code. In the event that the Excise Tax is determined to exceed the amount taken into account hereunder (including by reason of any payment the existence or amount of which cannot be determined at the time of the Gross-Up Payment), the Company shall make an additional gross-up payment in respect of such excess) within ten days after the time that the amount of such excess is finally determined.
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.
Excise Tax Limitation (a) It is the intention of the Parties that no portion of any payment under this Agreement, or payments to or for the benefit of Executive under any other agreement or plan, be deemed to be an Excess Parachute Payment. The present value of payments to or for the benefit of Executive in the nature of compensation, receipt of which is contingent on a Change in Control, and to which Code Section 280G applies (in the aggregate “Total Payments”) shall not exceed an amount equal to one dollar ($1.00) less than the maximum amount that the Company may pay without loss of deduction under Code Section 280G(a). Present value for purposes of this Agreement shall be calculated in accordance with Code Section 280G(d)(4). Within one hundred twenty (120) days following the earlier of (i) the giving of the notice of termination or (ii) the giving of notice by the Company to Executive of its belief that there is a payment or benefit due Executive that will result in an Excess Parachute Payment, the Parties, at the Company’s expense, shall obtain the opinion of an Independent Advisor, which opinion need not be unqualified, which sets forth (A) Executive’s applicable “base amount” (as defined under Code Section 280G), (B) the present value of Total Payments and (C) the amount and present value of any Excess Parachute Payments. In the event that such opinion determines that there would be an Excess Parachute Payment, the payment hereunder or any other payment determined by such Independent Advisor to be includable in Total Payments shall be modified, reduced or eliminated, in accordance with Code Section 409A, as specified by Executive in writing delivered to the Company within ninety (90) days of Executive’s receipt of such opinions or, if Executive fails to so notify the Company, then as the Company shall reasonably determine, so that under the bases of calculation set forth in such opinions there will be no Excess Parachute Payment. The provisions of this Section 6, including the calculations, notices and opinion provided for herein, shall be based upon the conclusive presumption that (A) the compensation and benefits provided for in Section 3 and (B) any other compensation earned by Executive pursuant to the Company’s compensation programs that would have been paid in any event, are reasonable compensation for services rendered, even though the timing of such payment may be triggered by a Change in Control.
(b) The Parties hereby recognize that the restrictive covenants under Section 7 have value that is equivalent in amount to some or all of the Severance Amount (and potentially other termination benefits) and that such value shall be recognized in the Code Section 280G calculations contemplated hereunder. The Independent Advisor shall make the determination of the actual fair market value of the restrictive covenants under Section 7 at the time of the Change in Control.
Internal Revenue Code Section 409A The Company intends for this Agreement to comply with the Indemnification exception under Section 1.409A-1(b)(10) of the regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which provides that indemnification of, or the purchase of an insurance policy providing for payments of, all or part of the expenses incurred or damages paid or payable by Indemnitee with respect to a bona fide claim against Indemnitee or the Company do not provide for a deferral of compensation, subject to Section 409A of the Code, where such claim is based on actions or failures to act by Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a service provider of the Company. The parties intend that this Agreement be interpreted and construed with such intent.