Exhibit 10.1
TAX ALLOCATION
AGREEMENT
Dated as of September 29,
2006
by and between
FIRST DATA
CORPORATION
and
THE WESTERN UNION
COMPANY
TAX ALLOCATION
AGREEMENT
TAX ALLOCATION
AGREEMENT, dated as of
September 29, 2006, by and between First Data Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (“ FDC ”), and The Western
Union Company, a Delaware corporation (“ Western Union
”) and, as of the date hereof, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
FDC.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, FDC is the common parent of an affiliated group
of corporations within the meaning of Section 1504(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code
”), which currently files consolidated federal income Tax
Returns;
WHEREAS, FDC, through its subsidiaries, currently
provides electronic commerce and payment services throughout the
world;
WHEREAS, as described in that certain Separation and
Distribution Agreement dated as of the date hereof between FDC and
Western Union (the “ Separation Agreement ”),
FDC is effecting the separation of certain of its assets and
businesses (as defined more fully below, the “ Western
Union Businesses ”) on September 29, 2006 (the
“ Distribution Date ”) through a series of
related transactions (as defined more fully below, the “
Western Union Spin-Off Transactions ”);
WHEREAS, FDC has obtained a private letter ruling from
the Internal Revenue Service (the “ IRS ”) dated
September 1, 2006 (the “ Tax Ruling ”) and
an opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, dated the date hereof (the “
Tax Opinion ”), in each case generally to the effect
that, among other things, the Western Union Spin-Off Transactions
generally will qualify as tax-free to FDC, FDC stockholders and
Western Union under Sections 355, 368 and related provisions of the
Code;
WHEREAS, after the Distribution Date, none of the Western
Union Parties (as hereinafter defined) will be a member of any
federal affiliated group, as defined in Section 1504(a) of the
Code, of which FDC or any of its Affiliates is the common parent,
or any successor group thereto;
WHEREAS, FDC and Western Union desire, on behalf of
themselves, and the FDC Parties (as hereinafter defined) and the
Western Union Parties, respectively, and their successors to set
forth their rights and obligations with respect to Taxes due for
periods before, on and after the Distribution Date; and
WHEREAS, capitalized terms used but not defined herein
have the meanings set forth in the Separation Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE,
for good and valuable consideration,
the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this
Agreement:
“ Affiliate
” means, with
respect to any Person, any person that directly or indirectly
Controls, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with such
Person.
“ Agreement
” means this Tax
Allocation Agreement as the same may be amended from time to
time.
“ Anticipated Tax
Consequences ” means the federal income tax consequences
described in (1) the enumerated rulings of the IRS set forth
in the Tax Ruling and (2) the opinions of counsel set forth in
the Tax Opinion.
“ Applicable Federal
Rate ” means
the federal short-term rate set forth in Section 1274(d) of
the Code, compounded quarterly.
“ CESI Holdings
” means CESI Holdings, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
“ Claim
” has the meaning
set forth in Section 5.03(a) of this
Agreement.
“ Code
” has the meaning
set forth in the first recital to this Agreement.
“ Control
” (and with correlative meaning, “ Controlled
”) means the power to direct the management of an entity,
directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract, or otherwise. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Western Union and FDC shall not be deemed to be under
common Control for purposes hereof solely due to the fact that
Western Union and FDC indirectly or directly have stockholders in
common.
“ Controlling Party
” has the meaning
set forth in Section 5.01 of this Agreement.
“ Distributed
Companies ”
means FDCS Holdings, CESI Holdings, TeleCheck, EBP Re, Ltd., IPS
Holdings, Inc., Virtual Financial Services, LLC, First Data Canada
Limited and their respective Subsidiaries (including those formed
or acquired after the date hereof).
“ Distribution Date
” has the meaning
set forth in the third recital to this Agreement.
“ ECG
” means E Commerce
Group, Inc., a New York corporation.
“ Effective Time
” has the meaning
set forth in the Separation Agreement.
“ FDC
” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
“ FDC Businesses
” means
(a) all businesses and operations of the FDC Parties, and
(b) the FDC Former Businesses.
-2-
“ FDC Former
Businesses ”
has the meaning set forth in the Separation Agreement.
“ FDC Parties
” means FDC and its
Subsidiaries (including those formed or acquired after the date
hereof), other than the Western Union Parties.
“ FDC Tainting Act
” means, without
duplication:
(a) any inaccuracy or breach of any
representation, warranty, or covenant that is made by FDC pursuant
to Article II of this Agreement; or
(b) any action (or failure to take
any reasonably available action) by any of the FDC Parties, their
officers, employees or agents, after the Distribution Date (other
than an action contemplated by the Separation
Agreement).
“ FDC Tax
Certificate ” means the “First Data Tax
Certificate”, dated as of the date hereof, delivered by FDC
to Sidley Austin LLP in connection with the Tax Opinion.
“ FDC Taxes
” has the meaning
set forth in Section 3.03(b) of this
Agreement.
“ FDCS Holdings
” means First Data
Commercial Services Holdings, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
“ FFMC
” means First
Financial Management Corporation, a Georgia corporation.
“ Filing Party
” has the meaning
set forth in Section 4.01 of this Agreement.
“ Final
Determination ” means with respect to any issue (i) a
decision, judgment, decree or other order by any court of competent
jurisdiction, which decision, judgment, decree or other order has
become final and not subject to further appeal, (ii) a closing
agreement (whether or not entered into under Section 7121 of
the Code) or any other binding settlement agreement (whether or not
with the IRS) entered into in connection with or in contemplation
of an administrative or judicial proceeding, or (iii) the
completion of the highest level of administrative proceedings if a
judicial contest is not or is no longer available.
“ Former Business
” means any
corporation, partnership, entity, division, business unit or
business within the definition of Rule 11-01(d) of Regulation S-X
(in each case, including any assets and liabilities comprising the
same) that has been sold, conveyed, assigned, transferred or
otherwise disposed of or divested (in whole or in part) or the
operations, activities or production of which has been
discontinued, abandoned, completed or otherwise terminated (in
whole or in part).
“ GMT
” means GMT Group,
Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“ Governmental
Authority ” means any foreign, federal, state, local or
other government, governmental, statutory or administrative
authority, regulatory body or commission or any court, tribunal or
judicial or arbitral body.
-3-
“ Inconsistent
Action ” means
any action (or failure to take any action contemplated by the
Ruling Request) that is inconsistent with (i) the facts and
representations described in, or the representations or other
statements made in connection with, the Ruling Request, the Tax
Ruling, the FDC Tax Certificate (in the case of FDC) or Western
Union Tax Certificate (in the case of Western Union) or the Tax
Opinion or (ii) the representations, warranties or covenants
in the Transaction Agreements.
“ Indemnitor
” has the meaning
set forth in Section 5.02 of this Agreement.
“ Independent Firm
” has the meaning
set forth in Section 7.01 of this Agreement.
“ IRS
” has the meaning
set forth in the fourth recital to this Agreement.
“ Liable Party
” has the meaning
set forth in Section 4.01 of this Agreement.
“ Participation
” (and, with
correlative meaning, “ Participate ” )
means, with respect to a Tax Contest and without limitation,
(i) receiving timely notice of and attending all material
meetings, depositions, hearings and trials (either in person or
telephonically) relating to such Tax Contest; (ii) receiving
copies of all material correspondence from the relevant
Governmental Authority relating to such Tax Contest and
(iii) being offered the opportunity to review and comment on
all material correspondence to the relevant Governmental Authority
relating to such Tax Contest.
“ Paymap
” means Paymap
Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“ Person
” means any
individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited
liability company, entity, association, joint-stock company, trust,
unincorporated organization or Governmental Authority.
“ Post-Distribution
Period ” means
any taxable year or other taxable period beginning after the
Distribution Date and, in the case of any taxable year or other
taxable period that begins on or before and ends after the
Distribution Date, that part of the taxable year or other taxable
period that begins at the beginning of the day after the
Distribution Date.
“ Pre-Distribution
Period ” means
any taxable year or other taxable period that ends on or before the
Distribution Date and, in the case of any taxable year or other
taxable period that begins on or before and ends after the
Distribution Date, that part of the taxable year or other taxable
period through the close of the Distribution Date.
“ Restructuring
Taxes ” means
any Taxes (and other liabilities, including, without limitation,
liability for Taxes of stockholders for which Western Union or FDC
is determined to be liable and the costs of defending against the
imposition of such Taxes and other liabilities) imposed as a result
a Final Determination inconsistent with the Anticipated Tax
Consequences.
-4-
“ Ruling Request
” means that
certain ruling request of FDC submitted to the IRS on May 12,
2006 (including the exhibits thereto) and any supplements thereto
(including exhibits).
“ Separation
Agreement ” has
the meaning set forth in the third recital to this
Agreement.
“ Subsidiary
” means, when used
with reference to any Person, any corporation or other
organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, of which at
least a majority of the securities or interests having by the terms
thereof ordinary voting power to elect at least a majority of the
board of directors or others performing similar functions with
respect to such corporation or other organization is directly or
indirectly owned or Controlled by such Person or by any one or more
of its Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or more of its
Subsidiaries; provided , however , that no Person
that is not directly or indirectly wholly-owned by any other Person
shall be a Subsidiary of such other Person unless such other Person
Controls, or has the right, power or ability to Control, that
Person. After the Distribution, FDC and Western Union shall not be
deemed to be under common Control for purposes hereof due solely to
the fact that FDC and Western Union have common
stockholders.
“ Tax
” (and, with
correlative meaning, “ Taxes ” and
“ Taxable ”) means any federal, state,
local or foreign net income, gross income, gross receipts, windfall
profit, severance, property, production, sales, use, license,
excise, franchise, employment, payroll, withholding, alternative or
add-on minimum, ad valorem, value-added, transfer, stamp, or
environmental tax, or any other tax, custom, duty, governmental fee
or other like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever, together
with any interest or penalty, addition to tax or additional amount
imposed by any Governmental Authority.
“ Tax Contest
” has the meaning
set forth in Section 5.01 of this Agreement.
“ Tax Opinion
” has the meaning
set forth in the fourth recital to this Agreement.
“ Tax Return
” means any return,
report or similar statement required to be filed with respect to
any Tax (including any attached schedules), including, without
limitation, any information return, claim for refund, amended
return or declaration of estimated Tax.
“ Tax Ruling
” has the meaning
set forth in the fourth recital to this Agreement.
“ TeleCheck
” means TeleCheck
International, Inc., a Georgia corporation.
“ Transaction
Agreements ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation
Agreement.
“ Transaction Taxes
” has the meaning
set forth in Section 3.04(b) of this
Agreement.
“ Western Union
” has the meaning
set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.
-5-
“ Western Union
Businesses ” means (a) all businesses and operations of
the Western Union Parties and (b) the Western Union Former
Businesses.
“ Western Union Former
Businesses ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation
Agreement.
“ Western Union
Parties ” means
Western Union, the Western Union Subsidiaries and any other
Subsidiary of Western Union (including those formed or acquired
after the date hereof), in each case, other than the Distributed
Companies.
“ Western Union Spin-Off
Transactions ” means the transactions described in the initial
Ruling Request under the heading “General
Information—Overview of Proposed Transactions—Detailed
Description of Transaction—Transaction Steps” (as may
have been modified in supplemental submissions to the
IRS).
“ Western Union
Subsidiaries ” means, collectively, ECG, FFMC, GMT, Paymap,
WUSI and each Subsidiary of any of the foregoing, in each case,
other than the Distributed Companies.
“ Western Union Tainting
Act ” means,
without duplication:
(a) any inaccuracy or breach of any
representation, warranty, or covenant that is made by Western Union
pursuant to Article II of this Agreement; or
(b) any action (or failure to take
any reasonably available action) by any of the Western Union
Parties, their officers, employees or agents, after the
Distribution Date (other than an action contemplated by the
Separation Agreement).
“ Western Union Tax
Certificate ” means the “Western Union Tax
Certificate”, dated as of the date hereof, delivered by
Western Union to Sidley Austin LLP in connection with the Tax
Opinion.
“ Western Union
Taxes ” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.03(a) of this
Agreement.
“ WUFSI
” means Western
Union Financial Services, Inc., a Colorado corporation.
“ WUSI
” means Western
Union Services Inc., a Maryland corporation.
-6-
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES; COVENANTS
2.01 Representations
.
(a) Western Union hereby represents
and warrants that (i) as of the Effective Time, none of the
Western Union Parties or their officers, employees or agents,
(A) knows of any fact (other than a fact set forth in the
Ruling Request or the Transaction Agreements) that would jeopardize
the Anticipated Tax Consequences; (B) has taken, or has any
plan or intention to take, any Inconsistent Action; or (C) has
entered into any agreement, understanding, arrangement or
substantial negotiation with respect to any direct or indirect
acquisition of stock (including, without limitation, stock
issuances, option grants, capital contributions, acquisitions, and
changes in voting power of any of its stock), or has had any
discussions with an investment banker with respect to any public
offering of stock, in any case that could reasonably be expected to
be part of a “plan (or series of related transactions)”
(within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code and the
Treasury regulations thereunder) that includes the Western Union
Spin-Off Transactions, (ii) it has examined (A) the Tax
Ruling; (B) the Tax Opinion; (C) all materials relating
to the Tax Ruling that were submitted to the IRS; and (D) the
Western Union Tax Certificate and any other materials delivered or
deliverable by any of the Western Union Parties or their officers,
employees or agents in connection with the issuance of the Tax
Opinion and the Tax Ruling, and (iii) all facts stated and
representations made in the documents referred to in clause (ii),
to the extent delivered by, or descriptive of or otherwise relating
to, any Western Union Party, were and will be from the time
delivered, presented or made through and including the Distribution
Date true, correct and complete in all material
respects.
(b) FDC hereby represents and
warrants that (i) as of the Effective Time, none of the FDC
Parties or their officers, employees or agents, (A) knows of
any fact (other than a fact set forth in the Ruling Request or the
Transaction Agreements) that would jeopardize the Anticipated Tax
Consequences; (B) has taken, or has any plan or intention to
take, any Inconsistent Action; or (C) has entered into any
agreement, understanding, arrangement or substantial negotiation
with respect to, or has effected, any direct or indirect
acquisition of stock (including, without limitation, stock
issuances, option grants, capital contributions, acquisitions, and
changes in voting power of any of its stock), or has had any
discussions with an investment banker with respect to any public
offering of stock, in any case that could reasonably be expected to
be part of a “plan (or series of related transactions)”
(within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code and the
Treasury regulations thereunder) that includes the Western Union
Spin-Off Transactions, (ii) it has examined (A) the Tax
Ruling; (B) the Tax Opinion; (C) all materials relating
to the Tax Ruling that were submitted to the IRS; and (D) the
FDC Tax Certificate and any other materials delivered or
deliverable by any of the FDC Parties or their officers, employees
or agents in connection with issuance of the Tax Opinion and the
Tax Ruling, and (iii) all facts stated and representations
made in the documents referred to in clause (ii), to the extent
delivered by, or descriptive of or otherwise relating
-7-
to, any FDC Party, were and will be
from the time delivered, presented or made through and including
the Distribution Date true, correct and complete in all material
respects.
2.02 Covenants .
(a) Each of FDC and Western Union
covenants and agrees that, following the Distribution Date, none of
the Western Union Parties or the FDC Parties, as the case may be,
or their officers, employees or agents, will (i) take any
Inconsistent Action (including, without limitation, repurchasing
any shares of common stock of FDC or Western Union, respectively,
except to the extent consistent with the requirements of Revenue
Procedure 96-30, failing to continue any active business on which
the Anticipated Tax Consequences were based, and voluntarily
dissolving, liquidating, merging or consolidating with any other
person); (ii) enter into any agreement, understanding,
arrangement or substantial negotiations with respect to any direct
or indirect acquisition of stock (including, without limitation,
stock issuances, option grants, capital contributions,
acquisitions, and changes in voting power of any of its stock), or
any discussions with an investment bank with respect to any public
offering of its stock, in any case that could reasonably be
expected to be part of a “plan (or series of related
transactions)” (within the meaning of Section 355(e) of
the Code and the Treasury regulations thereunder) that includes the
Western Union Spin-Off Transactions; (iii) file any request
for amendment or supplement to the Tax Ruling without the consent
of the other, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; or
(iv) take any position on a Tax Return that is inconsistent
with the Anticipated Tax Consequences.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing,
either party shall be permitted to take an action inconsistent with
Section 2.02(a) if, prior to taking such action, such
party (i) provides written notification to the other party of
its plans with respect to such action, (ii) promptly responds
to any inquiries by the other party following such notification and
(iii) unless the other party agrees otherwise in writing,
(A) obtains a ruling from the IRS that is reasonably
satisfactory to the other party to the effect that, on the basis of
facts and representations consistent with the facts at the time of
such action, such action will not affect the Anticipated Tax
Consequences and (B) obtains an opinion, reasonably
satisfactory to the other party, from an independent nationally
recognized tax counsel reasonably acceptable to the other party to
the effect that, on the basis of facts and representations
consistent with the facts at the time of such action, such action
will not affect the Anticipated Tax Consequences; provided ,
that in the case of an action specified in clause (ii) of
Section 2.02(a) , if the IRS will not issue a ruling on
the grounds that such a ruling is not available under a “no
rule”, “comfort ruling” or similar policy, and if
such opinion of tax counsel is to the effect that such action will
satisfy one or more of the “safe harbors” set forth in
Treas. Reg. § 1.355-7(d), as in effect and applicable with
respect to such action, the party that delivers such opinion shall
be permitted to take such action without obtaining a ruling from
the IRS regarding such action, notwithstanding the preceding clause
(A) of this Section 2.02(b) .
-8-
ARTICLE III
TAX RETURNS, TAX PAYMENTS AND
TAX SHARING OBLIGATIONS
3.01 Obligations to File Tax
Returns .
(a) FDC shall timely file or cause
to be timely filed all Tax Returns with respect to (i) any of
the FDC Parties or in respect of any FDC Business and (ii) any
of the Western Union Parties or in respect of any Western Union
Business that (A) are due on or prior to the Distribution Date
or (B) are due after the Distribution Date and (x) relate
to any period beginning on or prior to the Distribution Date and
(y) are filed on a consolidated, combined or unitary basis
with any FDC Party. Western Union shall timely file or cause to be
timely filed any other Tax Returns with respect to any Western
Union Party or in respect of any Western Union Business.
Notwithstanding the foregoing and for the avoidance of doubt,
Western Union shall be required to file any IRS Forms 1099 not yet
due as of the Distribution Date that report payments made to
persons providing services to any Western Union Party, regardless
of when such services were provided.
(b) Unless otherwise required by
law, any Tax Return that is filed on a consolidated, combined or
unitary basis and includes any Western Union Party that is filed by
FDC on or after the Distribution Date with respect to a
Pre-Distribution Period shall be prepared in a manner consistent
with the elections, methods of accounting, positions, conventions
and principles of taxation and the manner in which any Tax item or
other information is reported as reflected in comparable Tax
Returns filed before the date of this Agreement.
(c) Promptly after either FDC or
Western Union files a Tax Return after the Distribution Date
pursuant to Section 3.01(a) that, in whole or in part,
relates to Taxes for which a Western Union Party or a FDC Party,
respectively, is liable under this Agreement, FDC or Western Union,
as the case may be, shall provide the other with a copy of such Tax
Return (including, in the case of a consolidated Tax Return, a copy
of the complete Tax Return).
3.02 Obligation To Remit
Taxes . Each of FDC and Western Union shall remit or cause to
be remitted any Taxes due in respect of any Tax Return that it is
required