Tax Returns; Taxes (i) Each of Tidelands and Tidelands Bank has (i) duly and timely filed with the appropriate governmental entity all Tax Returns required to be filed by it (taking into account any applicable extensions), and all such Tax Returns are true, correct and complete in all material respects and prepared in compliance with all applicable laws and (ii) timely paid all Taxes due and owing (whether or not shown due on any Tax Returns). Neither Tidelands nor Tidelands Bank currently is the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any Tax Return. To the knowledge of Tidelands, no claim has ever been made by a governmental entity in a jurisdiction where Tidelands and Tidelands Bank do not file Tax Returns that Tidelands or Tidelands Bank is or may be subject to taxation by that jurisdiction. Neither Tidelands nor Tidelands Bank has commenced activities in any jurisdiction which will result in an initial filing of a Tax Return with respect to Taxes imposed by a governmental entity that it had not previously been required to file in the immediately preceding taxable period.
(ii) The unpaid Taxes of Tidelands and Tidelands Bank (A) did not, as of December 31, 2015, exceed the reserve for Tax liabilities (excluding any reserve for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth on the face of the balance sheets (rather than in any notes thereto) contained in the Tidelands Financial Statements, which were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Since December 31, 2015, neither Tidelands nor Tidelands Bank has incurred any liability for Taxes outside the ordinary course of business or otherwise inconsistent with past custom and practice.
(iii) There are no liens, charges, restrictions, encumbrances or claims of any kind (collectively, “Liens”) for Taxes upon any property or asset of Tidelands or Tidelands Bank, except for Liens for current Taxes the payment of which is not yet delinquent, or for Taxes contested in good faith through appropriate proceedings and reserved against in accordance with GAAP.
(iv) There are no deficiencies for Taxes with respect to Tidelands and Tidelands Bank that have been set forth or claimed in writing, or, to the knowledge of Tidelands, proposed or assessed by a governmental entity. There are no pending, or, to the knowledge of Tidelands, proposed or threatened audits, investigations, disputes or claims or other actions for or relating to any Tax Return or material liability for Taxes with respect to Tidelands and Tidelands Bank. No material issues relating to Taxes of Tidelands or Tidelands Bank were raised by the relevant governmental entity in any completed audit or examination that would reasonably be expected to recur in a later taxable period. None of Tidelands, Tidelands Bank or any predecessor has waived any statute of limitations in respect of Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment, deficiency, or collection, or has made any request in writing for any such extension or waiver, that remains in effect. There is not currently in effect any power of attorney authorizing any Person to act on behalf of Tidelands or Tidelands Bank, or receive information relating to Tidelands or Tidelands Bank, with respect to any Tax matter.
(v) Neither Tidelands nor Tidelands Bank has requested or received any ruling from any governmental entity, or signed any binding agreement with any governmental entity (including, without limitation, any advance pricing agreement) that would affect any amount of Tax payable after the Closing Date and has not made any request for issuance of a ruling from a governmental entity on behalf of the Tidelands or Tidelands Bank (regardless of whether the requested ruling is still pending or withdrawn).
(vi) Each of Tidelands and Tidelands Bank has withheld and paid all Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any employee, independent contractor, creditor, shareholder or other third party, and all Tax Returns (including without limitation all Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Forms W-2 and 1099) required with respect thereto have been properly completed and timely filed with, and supplied to, the appropriate parties.
(vii) Except for any customary agreements with customers, vendors, lenders, lessors or the like entered into in the ordinary course of business, neither Tidelands nor Tidelands Bank is a party to or bound by or has any obligation under any Tax sharing, allocation or indemnification agreement or similar contract or arrangement or any agreement that obligates it to make any payment computed by reference to the Taxes, taxable income or taxable losses of any other Person.
(viii) Except for the affiliated group of which Tidelands is the common parent, each of Tidelands and Tidelands Bank is not and has never been a member of an affiliated group of corporations within the meaning of Section 1504 of the Code or any group that has filed a combined, consolidated or unitary Tax Return. Neither Tidelands nor Tidelands Bank is liable for the Taxes of any Person (including an individual, corporation, general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, estate, trust, association, organization, labor union or other entity or governmental entity) other than Tidelands and Tidelands Bank (i) under Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign law), (ii) as a transferee or successor, (iii) by contract, or (iv) otherwise.
(ix) Neither Tidelands nor Tidelands Bank has constituted either a “distributing corporation” or a “controlled corporation” in a distribution of stock intended to qualify for tax-free treatment under Section 355 or Section 361 of the Code.
(x) Neither Tidelands nor Tidelands Bank has been a party to a “reportable transaction,” as such term is defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.6011-4(b)(1) (other than such transactions that have been properly reported) or any other substantially similar transaction requiring disclosure under analogous provisions of state, local or foreign Tax law.
(xi) Tidelands has not taken any action not in accordance with past practice that would have the effect of deferring a measure of Tax from a period (or portion thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date to a period (or portion thereof) beginning after the Closing Date. Tidelands has no deferred income or other Tax Liability arising out of any transaction, including, without limitation, any (i) intercompany transaction (as defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-13), (ii) the disposal of any property in a transaction accounted for under the installment method pursuant to Section 453 of the Code, (iii) excess loss account (as defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.1502-19) with respect to the stock of any subsidiary of Tidelands, (iv) use of the long-term contract method of accounting, or (v) receipt of any prepaid amount on or before the Closing Date. Neither Tidelands nor Tidelands Bank has made an election under Section 108(i) of the Code (or any corresponding provision of state, local or foreign law).
(xii) Tidelands has delivered or made available to United for inspection complete and correct copies of (i) its federal and state income and franchise Tax Returns and reports for the past three (3) taxable periods ended on or after December 31, 2014, and has indicated those Tax Returns that have been audited and those Tax Returns that are currently the subject of an audit, and (ii) all private letter rulings, revenue agent reports, settlement agreements, a description of all deficiency notices and any similar documents submitted by, received by or agreed to by or on behalf of Tidelands, Tidelands Bank, and any predecessor thereof and relating to Taxes for such taxable periods. Tidelands has delivered or made available to United the amount of any net operating loss, net capital loss, unused investment or other credit, unused foreign tax or excess charitable deduction available for use by Tidelands or Tidelands Bank. There is currently no limitation on the use of the Tax attributes of Tidelands and Tidelands Bank under Sections 269, 382, 383, 384 or 1502 of the Code (and similar provisions of state, local or foreign Tax law).
(xiii) No closing agreement pursuant to Section 7121 of the Code (or any similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. law) has been entered into by or with respect to the Tidelands or Tidelands Bank.