after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of benefits, notwithstanding that all or some portion of such benefits may be taxable under Section 4999 of the Code. In the event of a reduction of benefits hereunder, the Accountants (as defined below) shall determine which benefits shall be reduced, in accordance with Section 6.02 hereof, so as to achieve the principle set forth in the preceding sentence. In no event shall the foregoing be interpreted or administered so as to result in an acceleration of payment or further deferral of payment of any amounts (whether under this Plan or any other arrangement) in violation of Section 409A.
Section 6.02 Any reduction in the Participant’s benefits under this Plan and/or otherwise payable or provided to such Participant shall be made as follows:
(a) first, payments that are payable in cash that are valued at full value under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24(a) will be reduced (if necessary, to zero), with amounts that are payable last reduced first;
(b) second, payments due in respect of any equity valued at full value under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24(a) will be reduced (if necessary, to zero), with amounts that are payable or deliverable last reduced first;
(c) third, payments that are payable in cash that are valued at less than full value under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24 will be reduced (if necessary, to zero), with the highest values reduced first (as such values are determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24);
(d) fourth, payments due in respect of any equity valued at less than full value under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24 will be reduced (if necessary, to zero), with the highest values reduced first (as such values are determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24); and
(e) fifth, all other non-cash benefits will be reduced pro-rata.
Section 6.03 In each case, the amounts of the payments and benefits shall be reduced in the inverse order of their originally scheduled dates of payment or vesting, as applicable, and shall be so reduced only to the extent necessary to achieve the reductions contemplated under Section 6.01.
Section 6.04 Unless the Company and the Participant otherwise agree in writing, all determinations required to be made under this Article VI, including the manner and amount of any reduction in the Participant’s benefits under this Plan, and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determinations, shall be promptly determined and reported in writing to the Company and the Participant by the independent public accountants or other independent advisors selected by the Company that are not serving as the accountants or auditors for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control (the “Accountants”), and all such computation and determinations shall be conclusive and binding upon the Participant and the Company. All fees and expenses of the Accountants shall be borne solely by the Company, and the Company shall enter into any agreement requested by the Accountants in connection with the performance of the services hereunder. For purposes of making the calculations required by this Article VI, the Accountants may make reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and the Participant shall furnish to the Accountants such information and documents as the Accountants may reasonably request to make a determination under this Article VI.
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