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ALLIANT ENERGY RABBI TRUST AGREEMENT

Trust Agreement

ALLIANT ENERGY RABBI TRUST AGREEMENT | Document Parties: INTERSTATE POWER &| LIGHT CO | Alliant Energy Corporate Services, Inc |  Wells Fargo Bank, N.A You are currently viewing:
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INTERSTATE POWER &| LIGHT CO | Alliant Energy Corporate Services, Inc | Wells Fargo Bank, N.A

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Title: ALLIANT ENERGY RABBI TRUST AGREEMENT
Governing Law: Wisconsin     Date: 3/3/2006

ALLIANT ENERGY RABBI TRUST AGREEMENT, Parties: interstate power &, light co , alliant energy corporate services  inc ,  wells fargo bank  n.a
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EXHIBIT 10.19

 

ALLIANT ENERGY RABBI TRUST AGREEMENT

This Agreement is made and entered into as of December __, 2005, by and between Alliant Energy Corporate Services, Inc., an Iowa corporation (the “Sponsor”), and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a national banking association, as trustee (the “Trustee”);

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS , the Sponsor, Alliant Energy Corporation (“AEC”), Interstate Power and Light Company (“IES”) and Wisconsin Power and Light Company (“WPL”) have adopted or entered into various nonqualified deferred compensation plans and agreements and have incurred or expect to incur liability under the terms of such plans with respect to the individuals participating in such plans; and

WHEREAS , on December 1, 2000, the Sponsor, IES and WPL authorized the Sponsor to, and it did, merge various trusts into a trust agreement with Marshall & Ilsley Trust Company (the “Existing Trust”); and

WHEREAS , on December 1, 2000, AEC established a trust pursuant to a trust agreement with Marshall & Ilsley Trust Company (the “AEC Trust”) to fund the Alliant Energy Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors (the “Directors’ Plan”); and

WHEREAS , the Sponsor wishes to continue a trust arrangement and to contribute to such trust assets that shall be held therein, subject to the claims of creditors in the event of Insolvency, as herein defined, until paid to plan participants and their beneficiaries in such manner and at such times as specified in the plans; and

WHEREAS , the Sponsor and AEC wish to merge the AEC Trust into the Existing Trust; and

WHEREAS , the Sponsor enters into this Agreement for the purpose of restating the Existing Trust and the AEC Trust, merging the AEC Trust into the Existing Trust, and designating the Trustee as the successor trustee thereunder (the ongoing trust hereinafter the “Trust”); and

WHEREAS , the Trust shall be for the benefit of the participants and beneficiaries of the nonqualified deferred compensation plans and agreements listed in Appendix A of this Agreement (referred to herein as the “Plans,” or, in reference to each, as a “Plan”); and

WHEREAS, the plan sponsor of each Plan as indicated in Appendix A shall have responsibilities with respect to such Plan hereunder (the sponsor of each Plan being the “Company” with respect to such Plan); and

 

 


 

WHEREAS , it is the intention of the parties that this Trust shall constitute an unfunded arrangement and shall not affect the status of the Plans as unfunded plans maintained for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated employees for purposes of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) with respect to those Plans subject to ERISA; and

WHEREAS , it is the intention of each Company to make contributions to the Trust to provide itself with a source of funds to assist it in the meeting of its liabilities under the Plans; and

WHEREAS , while the assets of the Trust Fund are not “Plan assets” under ERISA, the intention of the parties is to manage the Trust Fund in certain respects in a manner consistent with the operation of certain other trust arrangements between the parties which are subject to ERISA;

NOW, THEREFORE , the Sponsor and the Trustee do hereby establish the Trust and the parties agree that the Trust Fund shall be comprised, held and disposed of as follows:

SECTION 1

 

ESTABLISHMENT OF TRUST

1.1            Effective January 1, 2006, the Trust is continued, and the assets of the Existing Trust shall be transferred to the Trustee on January 3, 2006, except for those assets related to the Alliant Energy Key Employee Deferred Compensation Plan and the Directors’ Plan which shall be transferred on March 1, 2006. The Trustee shall maintain separate accounts within the Trust to record the assets thereof attributable to the Plans of each of the corporate sponsors as indicated in Appendix A (the “Plan Accounts”).

1.2            The Trust shall be irrevocable.

1.3          The Trust is intended to be a grantor trust, of which each Company is the grantor with respect to its Plan Account, within the meaning of subpart E, part I, subchapter J, chapter 1, subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and shall be construed accordingly.

1.4          The principal of the Trust Fund, and any earnings thereon, shall be held separate and apart from other funds of the Company and shall be used exclusively for the uses and purposes of Plan participants and general creditors as herein set forth. Plan participants and their beneficiaries shall have no preferred claim on, or any beneficial ownership interest in, any assets of the Trust Fund. Any rights created under the Plans and this Agreement shall be mere unsecured contractual rights of Plan participants and their beneficiaries against the Company. Any assets held by the Trust will be subject to the claims of general creditors under federal and state law in the event of Insolvency, as defined in Section 3.1 herein.

1.5          Within 60 days following a Change in Control, each Company shall make an irrevocable contribution to the applicable Plan Account within the Trust so that the Trust assets for that Plan Account are at least the sum of the participants’ and beneficiaries’ accrued benefits

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pursuant to the terms of the Plans. For Plans with benefit formulas which are defined contribution formulas, the amount of the accrued benefits shall be the account balances as of the date of the Change in Control. For Plans with cash balance formulas, the amount of the accrued benefits for participants who are not in pay status shall be 120% of the lump sum amount that would have been distributable as of the last day of the plan year coincidental with or immediately preceding the date of the Change in Control. For Plans with defined benefit formulas other than cash balance and for those participants in pay status under a cash balance plan with a grandfathered annuity benefit, the amount of the accrued benefits shall be 120% of the Accumulated Benefit Obligation as of the measurement date for the corporate fiscal year ending coincidental with or immediately preceding the date of the Change in Control, based on actuarial assumptions most recently applied in calculating the Company’s liability under Financial Accounting Standard 87. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to the Directors’ Plan, such contribution shall be made within ten business days following a Change in Control.

1.6          As of each December 31 following a Change in Control, (“Valuation Date”), each Company shall determine the amount of the contribution which would have been required pursuant to Section 1.5 if the Change in Control had occurred on such Valuation Date and make an irrevocable contribution of such amount, if any, within 60 days following such December 31. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to the Directors’ Plan, such contribution shall be made within ten business days following such December 31.

1.7          Within 60 days following a Potential Change in Control, each Company shall make a contribution to the applicable Plan Account within the Trust in the amount that would have been required to be contributed pursuant to Section 1.5 if the Potential Change in Control had been a Change in Control. In the event that a Change in Control shall not have occurred within the time specified in the following sentence, at the written direction of the Sponsor, the contribution to the Trust as a result of the preceding sentence, plus investment gains thereon or minus investment losses thereon, shall be released and delivered to the Company. The specified time for the preceding sentence is twelve (12) months after the occurrence of a Potential Change in Control unless proceedings are then pending to obtain necessary regulatory approvals to permit a Change in Control, in which case the specified time is three (3) months after such proceedings have concluded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to the Directors’ Plan, such contribution shall be made within ten business days following such Potential Change in Control.

1.8          Each Company, in its sole discretion, may at any time, or from time to time, make additional deposits of cash or other property in trust with the Trustee for its Plan Account to augment the principal to be held, administered and disposed of by the Trustee as provided in this Agreement. The Plan participants and their beneficiaries shall have no right to compel any such discretionary deposits. Any such decision concerning a Plan or accounts for non-employee directors of a Company shall be separate and distinct from any such decision concerning a Plan or account for employees.

1.9          The Trustee shall have no obligation to compel any deposits that are required pursuant to this Agreement.

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SECTION 2

 

PAYMENTS TO PLAN PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR BENEFICIARIES

2.1          On behalf of the Company, the Sponsor shall deliver to the Trustee a schedule (the “Payment Schedule”) that indicates the amounts payable in respect of each Plan participant (and his or her beneficiaries), or that provides a formula or other instructions acceptable to the Trustee for determining the amounts so payable, the form in which such amounts are to be paid (as provided for or available under the Plans), and the time of commencement for payment of such amounts. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Trustee shall make payments to the Plan participants and their beneficiaries in accordance with the most recent Payment Schedule received by the Trustee. Based exclusively upon direction from the Sponsor as to time and amounts, the Trustee shall make provision for the reporting and withholding of any federal and state taxes (other than FICA and FUTA taxes) that may be required to be withheld with respect to the payment of benefits pursuant to the terms of the Plans and, based exclusively upon direction from the Sponsor, shall pay amounts withheld to taxing authorities. If applicable, the Sponsor shall direct the Trustee to remit to the Sponsor or the Company any FICA, FUTA and local taxes with respect to benefit payments and the Sponsor or the Company, as applicable, shall have the responsibility for determining, reporting and paying the FICA, FUTA and local taxes to the appropriate taxing authorities. The Trustee acts solely as the Company’s agent for purposes of reporting and withholding on payments from the Trust, and the Company shall be solely responsible for determining that such amounts have been reported, withheld and paid to appropriate taxing authorities in a timely manner.

2.2          The entitlement of a Plan participant or his or her beneficiaries to benefits under the Plans shall be determined by the Company or such party as it shall designate under the Plans, and any claim for such benefits shall be considered and reviewed under the procedures set out in the Plans.

2.3          The Company may make payment of benefits directly to Plan participants or their beneficiaries as they become due under the terms of the Plans. Through the Sponsor, the Company shall notify the Trustee of its decision to make payment of benefits directly prior to the time amounts are payable to participants or their beneficiaries. In addition, if the principal of the Trust Fund, and any earnings thereon, are not sufficient to make payments of benefits in accordance with the terms of the Plans, the Company shall make the balance of each such payment as it falls due. The Trustee shall notify the Company through the Sponsor where principal and earnings are not sufficient.

SECTION 3

 

TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING PAYMENTS

TO TRUST BENEFICIARY WHEN COMPANY IS INSOLVENT

3.1          The Trustee shall cease payment of benefits to Plan participants and their beneficiaries if the Company is Insolvent. The Company shall be considered “Insolvent” for purposes of this Agreement if it is unable to pay its debts as they become due, or if it is subject to a pending proceeding as a debtor under the United States Bankruptcy Code.

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3.2          At all times during the continuance of this Trust, as provided in Section 1.4 hereof, the principal and income of the Trust Fund shall be subject to claims of general creditors of the Company under federal and state law as set forth below.

3.3          The Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer of the Sponsor shall have the duty to inform the Trustee in writing of the Company’s Insolvency. If a person claiming to be a creditor of the Company alleges in writing to the Trustee that the Company has become Insolvent, the Trustee shall determine whether the Company is Insolvent and, pending such determination, the Trustee shall discontinue payment of benefits to the participants or their beneficiaries of the Plan or Plans of which such Company is the sponsor.

3.4          Unless the Trustee has actual knowledge of the Company’s Insolvency, or has received notice from the Sponsor or a person claiming to be a creditor alleging that the Company is Insolvent, the Trustee shall have no duty to inquire whether the Company is Insolvent. The Trustee may in all events rely on such evidence concerning the Company’s solvency as may be furnished to the Trustee and that provides the Trustee with a reasonable basis for making a determination concerning the Company’s solvency.

(a)          If at any time the Trustee has determined that the Company is Insolvent, the Trustee shall discontinue payments to participants or their beneficiaries of the Plan or Plans of which such Company is the sponsor and shall hold the assets of such Plan Accounts within the Trust Fund for the benefit of the Company’s general creditors. Nothing in this Agreement shall in any way diminish any rights of Plan participants or their beneficiaries to pursue their rights as general creditors of the Company with respect to benefits due under the Plans or otherwise.

(b)          The Trustee shall resume the payment of benefits to Plan participants or their beneficiaries in accordance with Section 2 of this Agreement only after the Trustee has determined that the Company is not Insolvent (or is no longer Insolvent).

3.5          Provided that there are sufficient assets, if the Trustee discontinues the payment of benefits from the Trust pursuant to Section 3.2 hereof and subsequently resumes such payments, the first payment following such discontinuance shall include the aggregate amount of all payments due to Plan participants or their beneficiaries under the terms of the Plans for the period of such discontinuance, less the aggregate amount of any payments made to Plan participants or their beneficiaries by the Company in lieu of the payments provided for hereunder during any such period of discontinuance.

3.6          Notwithstanding any provisions herein to the contrary, any Company Stock (as defined in Section 5.7) or other assets contributed by a Company to a Plan Account for the benefit of the employees of affiliates shall be subject to the Insolvency provisions of Section 3 with respect to the Company which is the sponsor of the applicable Plan and, upon the termination of the Trust after payment of all benefits to participants and beneficiaries, shall revert to the contributing Company.

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SECTION 4

 

PAYMENTS TO COMPANY

Except as provided in Sections 1.7, 2.1 and 3 hereof, the Sponsor shall have no right or power to direct the Trustee to return to the Company or to divert to others any of the Trust assets before all payment of benefits have been made to Plan participants and their beneficiaries pursuant to the terms of the Plans.

SECTION 5

 

INVESTMENT AUTHORITY

5.1          Subject to Section 5.6, except to the extent that an Investment Manager or Named Fiduciary is otherwise appointed in accordance with Sections 5.3, 5.4 or 5.5, the Sponsor shall act as a Named Fiduciary in accordance with Section 5.5 with respect to the entire Trust Fund, and the Trustee shall be subject to the directions of the Sponsor as provided in such Section 5.5. Subject to Section 5.6, except to the extent that the Trustee is itself appointed as an Investment Manager pursuant to Section 5.4, it shall always be a directed trustee and follow in good faith the investment directions of the Sponsor, an Investment Manager, or a Named Fiduciary, as applicable. In such regard, the Trustee shall invest and reinvest the principal and income of the Trust Fund with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent man acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the investments and reinvestments of the Trust Fund shall be subject to the following:

(a)          Investments shall be as consistent as reasonably possible with any funding policy communicated to the Trustee in writing by the Sponsor pursuant to the Plans. The Trustee may rely on the latest such communication received by it without further inquiry or verification.

(b)          The Trustee may invest and reinvest principal and income of the Trust Fund in common, preferred, and other stocks of any corporation; voting trust certificates; interests in investment trusts, including, without limiting the generality thereof, participations issued by an investment company as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as from time to time amended; bonds, notes, and debentures, secured or unsecured; mortgages on real or personal property; conditional sales contracts; real estate and leases; and limited partnerships.

(c)          To the extent permitted by the Code and other applicable laws, the Trustee may commingle for investment all or any part of the funds of the Trust Fund with funds of other grantor trusts established by the Sponsor or any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Sponsor; provided that records are at all times maintained of the portion of the commingled funds properly allocable to each trust.

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(d)          The Trustee may invest and reinvest the principal and income of the Trust Fund by investing in an annuity contract or contracts (including any agreement or agreements supplemental thereto) issued by an insurance company.

(e)          The Trustee may engage in the writing, sale, and buying in, of covered call option contracts; and the Trustee may acquire and may exercise options to purchase or sell securities or other assets.

(f)           The Trustee may invest and reinvest the principal and income of the Trust Fund in stock, securities, or real property of the Sponsor or any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Sponsor.

(g)          The Trustee may invest and reinvest principal and income of the Trust Fund in deposits (including savings accounts, savings certificates, and similar interest-bearing instruments or accounts) in itself or its affiliates, provided such deposits bear a reasonable rate of interest.

(h)          The Trustee may purchase or sell financial futures contracts in transactions executed through a generally recognized commodities or securities exchange.

(i)           The Trustee may lend any securities or security from time to time constituting a part of the Trust Fund in exchange for such consideration and upon such terms and conditions as the Trustee deems appropriate. In any such transaction the Trustee may transfer legal title to the securities being loaned to the obligor, and may permit the obligor to return to the Trust Fund securities that are identical (but not necessarily evidenced by the same certificates) to those transferred to it by the Trustee hereunder.

5.2          If a Plan provides for the purchase of a life insurance policy or annuity contract on the life of a participant, the Trustee shall make such purchases on written direction of the Sponsor. Each such direction shall be complete with respect to the terms of the purchase. The Sponsor shall give written direction as to any subsequent action to be taken with respect to each such policy or contract, it being intended that the Trustee shall have no discretion with respect thereto.

5.3          Subject to Section 5.6 hereof, the Sponsor may appoint one or more insurance companies that meet the requirements of Section 3(38) of ERISA to serve as an Investment Manager. The appointment of any such Investment Manager and investment of the Trust Fund pursuant to such appointment shall be subject to the following, notwithstanding any provisions of this Agreement to the contrary:

(a)          Written notice of each such appointment shall be given to the Trustee a reasonable time in advance of the effective date of the appointment.

(b)          The Sponsor shall determine the terms of each contract to be entered into between such insurance company and the Trustee (including any agreement or agreements supplemental thereto) pursuant to which investment management services shall be performed by the insurance company. On written direction of the Sponsor the

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Trustee shall make application for each such contract and shall hold the contract as an asset of the Trust Fund.

(c)          The Trustee shall pay such premiums to the insurance company pursuant to such contract as may be directed in writing by the Sponsor; provided, however, that no such payment shall be made until the Trustee has been furnished with an acknowledgement in writing by the insurance company that it is a fiduciary with respect to one or more Plans and this Trust.

(d)          Except as otherwise agreed in writing by the Trustee and the Sponsor, the Trustee shall take only such actions as contractholder of such contract as may be directed in writing by the Sponsor.

(e)          Any direction by the Sponsor with respect to such contract shall be complete as to the terms with respect thereto, it being intended that the Trustee shall have no discretion whatsoever with respect to the provisions of such contract or actions taken pursuant thereto.

(f)           The insurance company serving as an Investment Manager shall determine in good faith the fair market value of assets held in such contracts no less often than annually, assuming an orderly liquidation at the time of such determination if the market value is not readily available.

5.4          Subject to Section 5.6 hereof, the Sponsor may appoint one or more parties that are registered as investment advisers under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to serve as an Investment Manager as defined in Section 3(38) of ERISA. The appointment of any such Investment Manager and investment of the Trust Fund pursuant to such appointment shall be subject to the following, notwithstanding any provisions hereof to the contrary:

(a)          Written notice of each such appointment shall be given to the Trustee a reasonable time in advance of the effective date of the appointment. The notice shall state what portion of the Trust Fund is to be invested by the Investment Manager and shall direct the Trustee to segregate such portion of the Trust Fund into a separate account for the Investment Manager. Each such separate account is referred to in this section as an Investment Account. The Trustee shall be provided a copy of the Sponsor’s written agreement with the Investment Manager.

(b)          The Trustee shall not act on any direction or instruction of the Investment Manager until the Trustee has been furnished with an acknowledgement in writing by the Investment Manager that it is a fiduciary with respect to one or more Plans and this Trust.

(c)          Payment of the cost of the acquisition, sale, or exchange of any security or other property for an Investment Account shall be charged to that Investment Account unless the agreement between the Sponsor and Investment Manager provides otherwise.

(d)          So long as the appointment of an Investment Manager is in effect, the Investment Manager shall have full power and authority to direct the Trustee as to, and full responsibility for, investment of its Investment Account and for the retention and

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disposition of any assets in its Investment Account. Subject to any limitations in the agreement between the Company and the Investment Manager, the Investment Manager shall have exclusive authority and discretion to invest and reinvest the principal and interest of the Trust Fund, subject to the provisions of Section 5.1.

(e)          Unless the written agreement between the Sponsor and Investment Manager expressly provides that the Sponsor shall have the voting power with respect to all stocks and other securities in the Investment Account, the Investment Manager shall have voting power with respect to all such stocks and other securities.

(f)           The Trustee shall make available to an Investment Manager copies of or extracts from such portions of its accounts, books, or records relating to the Investment Account of such Investment Manager as the Trustee may deem necessary or appropriate in connection with the exercise of the Investment Manager’s function, or as the Sponsor may direct.

(g)          All charges (other than those covered in subsection (d) above) against each Investment Account shall be made in such proportions as the Sponsor may direct from time to time.

(h)          If the authority of an Investment Manager is terminated, unless and until a successor Investment Manager is appointed with respect to such Investment Account or the Investment Account is merged into a different Investment Account, a Named Fiduciary Account, or an insurance company contract, the Sponsor shall be responsible to direct the Trustee as to the investment, management and disposition of the assets held in such Investment Account. Until receipt of written notice of the termination of the authority of an investment manager, the Trustee shall be fully protected in assuming the continuing authority of such Investment Manager.

(i)           Any direction by an Investment Manager shall be complete as to the terms with respect thereto, it being intended that the Trustee shall have no obligation whatsoever to invest or otherwise manage any asset of an Investment Account.

(j)           The Investment Manager shall determine in good faith the fair market value of assets held in an Investment Account no less often than annually, assuming an orderly liquidation at the time of such determination if the market value is not readily available.

5.5          Subject to Section 5.6 hereof, the Sponsor may designate one or more Named Fiduciaries that shall have authority to direct the Trustee as to the investment and reinvestment of all or a part of the Trust Fund. The designation of any such Named Fiduciary and investment of the Trust Fund pursuant to such designation shall be subject to the following, notwithstanding any provisions hereof to the contrary:

(a)          Written notice of each such appointment shall be given to the Trustee a reasonable time in advance of the effective date of the appointment. Such notice shall state what portion of the Trust Fund is to be invested by the Named Fiduciary and shall direct the Trustee to segregate such portion of the Trust Fund into a separate account for

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such Named Fiduciary. Each such separate account is referred to in this section as a Named Fiduciary Account.

(b)          The Named Fiduciary shall be responsible for determining whether any investment direction it gives to the Trustee is in accordance with the terms of the documents and instruments governing the investment of the Named Fiduciary Account.

(c)          All directions given by a Named Fiduciary to the Trustee shall be in writing, signed by the duly authorized person or persons; provided that the Trustee shall accept oral directions for the purchase or sale of securities which shall be confirmed by such authorized personnel in writing.

(d)          In all events the Trustee is to retain physical custody of or title to all assets comprising a Named Fiduciary Account.

(e)     &n


 
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