NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued) 1. DESCRIPTION OF PLAN (continued) The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit which can be provided by the participant’s vested account balance. Participants are immediately and fully vested in their participant contribution accounts. Vesting in Company matching contribution accounts is dependent upon specific criteria as described in the Plan document. Forfeitures of Company contributions by participants who withdrew from the Plan before vesting amounted to $13,647 and $20,825 during the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively. The Plan uses forfeitures to pay certain administrative expenses and to reduce future Company contributions. All reasonable and necessary Plan administrative expenses are paid out of the Master Trust or paid by the Company. Generally, fees and expenses related to investment management of each investment option are paid out of the respective funds. As a result, the returns on those investments are net of the fees and expenses of the managers of those investment options and certain other brokerage commissions, fees and expenses incurred in connection with those investment options. 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Method of Accounting. The financial statements of the Plan are prepared under the accrual method of accounting in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires estimates and assumptions that affect certain reported amounts. Actual results may differ in some cases from the estimates. Investment Valuation. All investments of the Master Trust, except as noted below, are stated at fair value generally as determined by quoted closing market prices, if available. Investments in guaranteed investment contracts and synthetic guaranteed investment contracts, which are fully benefit responsive, are valued at contract value which approximates fair value. Money market investments are valued at cost which approximates fair value. Other investments for which no quoted market prices are available are valued at fair value as determined by the trustee based on the advice of its investment consultants. 3. INCOME TAX STATUS The Plan has received a determination letter from the IRS dated October 8, 2003, with respect to its qualified status under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) and, therefore, the related trust is exempt from taxation. The Plan is required to operate in conformity with the IRC in order to maintain its qualification. Although the Plan has been amended since receiving the determination letter, the Plan administrator and the Company’s tax counsel believe the Plan continues to meet the applicable tax qualification requirements of the IRC. The Plan sponsor reserves the right to make any amendments necessary to maintain the qualification of the Plan and trust. |