Section 10.4 Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of the Plan shall in all respects be governed by the laws of North Carolina, without reference to principles of conflict of law.
Section 10.5 Named Fiduciary; Administration. The Company is the named fiduciary of the Plan, with full authority to control and manage the operation and administration of the Plan, acting through the Committee and the Board.
Section 10.6 Unfunded Plan Status. This Plan is intended to be an unfunded plan. All payments pursuant to the Plan shall be made from the general funds of the Company and no special or separate fund shall be established or other segregation of assets made to assure payment. No Participant or other person shall have under any circumstances any interest in any particular property or assets of the Company as a result of participating in the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may (but shall not be obligated to) create one or more grantor trusts, the assets of which are subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, to assist it in accumulating funds to pay its obligations under the Plan.
Section 10.7 Tax Withholding. Any payment provided for hereunder shall be paid net of any applicable tax withholding required under federal, state, local or foreign law.
Section 10.8 Nonalienation of Benefits. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, amounts payable under the Plan shall not be subject to any manner of anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, charge, garnishment, execution or levy of any kind, either voluntary or involuntary, including any liability which is for alimony of other payments for the support of a spouse or former spouse, or for any other relative of a Participant, prior to actually being received by the person entitled to payment under the terms of the Plan. Any attempt to anticipate, alienate, sell, transfer, assign, pledge, encumber, charge, garnish, execute or levy upon, otherwise dispose of any right to amounts payable hereunder, shall be null and void.
Section 10.9 Facility of Payment.
(a) If a Participant is declared an incompetent, and a conservator, guardian, or other person legally charged with his or her care has been appointed, any benefits under the Plan to which such individual is entitled may be paid or provided to such conservator, guardian, or other person legally charged with his or her care;
(b) If a Participant is incompetent, the Company may (i) require the appointment of a conservator or guardian, (ii) distribute amounts to his or her spouse, with respect to a Participant who is married, or to such other relative of an unmarried Participant for the benefit of such Participant, or (iii) distribute such amounts directly to or for the benefit of such Participant; provided however, that a conservator, guardian, or other person charged with his or her care has not been appointed.
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