ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT This Administrative Services Agreement (this "Agreement") is made on this 22nd day of April, 1998, by and between ARM Financial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Parent") and 312 Certificate Company, a Delaware corporation ("Company"). WHEREAS, Parent's management has extensive experience in the investment advisory company business operations; and WHEREAS, Company desires Parent to perform certain administrative and special services (collectively, "services") for Company in its business operations and desires further to make use in its day-to-day operations of certain property, equipment and facilities (collectively, "facilities") of Parent and its subsidiaries; and WHEREAS, Parent and Company contemplate that the availability of services and facilities will achieve certain operating efficiencies and improve certain services provided by Company; and WHEREAS, Parent and Company wish to assure that all charges for services and the use of facilities incurred hereunder are reasonable and in accordance with the requirements of any applicable laws and regulations applicable to the Company; and WHEREAS, Parent and Company wish to identify the services to be rendered to Company by Parent and the facilities to be used by Company and to provide for the fees to be paid by Company; NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual promises set forth herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, Parent and Company agree as follows: 1. PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES AND USE OF FACILITIES. Subject to the terms, conditions and limitations of this Agreement, Parent agrees to perform such services for Company as may be reasonably necessary in the conduct of Company's business operations and as set forth in Section 2 of this Agreement. Subject to the terms, conditions and limitations of this Agreement, Parent agrees to make available to Company such of its facilities or the facilities of its subsidiaries as may be reasonably necessary in the conduct of Company's business operations, including, without limitation, data processing equipment, office facilities (whether owned or leased) and communications equipment. 1 (a) CAPACITY OF PERSONNEL AND STATUS OF FACILITIES. Whenever Parent utilizes its personnel to perform services for Company pursuant to this Agreement, such personnel shall at all times remain employees of Parent, and Parent shall alone retain full liability for their compensation, employee benefits, payroll deductions and legally required employer contributions and withholding tax obligations. No facility of Parent or its subsidiaries used in performing services for or subject to use by Company pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be transferred, assigned, conveyed or leased by performance or use. (b) EXERCISE OF JUDGMENT IN RENDERING SERVICES. In providing any services hereunder which require the exercise of judgment by Parent, Parent shall perform such services in accordance with standards and guidelines established by the Board of Directors of Company and communicated to Parent. (c) CONTROL. The performance of services by Parent for Company pursuant to this Agreement shall in no way impair the absolute control of the business and operations of Company by its Board of Directors. Parent shall act hereunder so as to assure the separate operating and corporate identity of Company. 2. SERVICES. Subject to the terms, conditions and limitations of this Agreement, Parent shall provide on behalf of Company the services set forth below. (a) INVESTMENT ACCOUNTING. Investment accounting support for the Company's investment portfolios. (b) ACCOUNTING, TAX AND AUDITING. Parent shall provide all accounting services, including the following: the processing and maintenance of the financial records of Company, the preparation of financial statements and reports including annual statements on both statutory and GAAP bases, the preparation of tax returns, and the preparation of additional financial reports used by Company in the operations of its business. Parent shall also provide services in connection with tax and auditing matters. 2 (e) MARKETING AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. Parent shall provide marketing and product development services to Company. (f) FUNCTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES. Parent shall provide: (i) actuarial services, and (ii) telecommunications services and electronic data processing services, including, without limitation, software programming and documentation and hardware utilization. (g) PAYROLL FUNCTIONS. Parent shall perform all payroll functions including, but not limited to, the preparation of all payroll checks and withholding tax reports. (h) PERSONNEL FUNCTIONS. Parent will provide to Company all personnel functions. (i) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES. Parent will provide other administrative support services to Company including, without limitation, legal services and assistance with regulatory compliance matters. 3. CHARGES. Company agrees to pay to Parent for services and facilities provided by Parent to Company pursuant to this Agreement the fees set forth on Appendix A attached hereto, as such Appendix may be revised by the parties from time to time. 4. PAYMENT. Parent shall submit to Company at the beginning of each calendar month a written statement of the amount estimated to be owed by Company for services and the use of facilities pursuant to this Agreement for that calendar month, and Company shall pay to Parent within five (5) days following receipt of such written statement the amount set forth in the statement. Within thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar quarter, Parent will submit to Company a detailed written statement of the charges due from Company to Parent in the preceding calendar quarter, including charges not included in any previous statements, based on the computation of fees set forth on Appendix A, and any balance payable or to be refunded as shown in such statement shall be paid or refunded within fifteen (15) days following receipt of such written statement by Company. 5. ACCOUNTING RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS. Parent shall be responsible for maintaining full and accurate accounts and records of all services rendered and facilities used pursuant to this Agreement and such additional information as Company may reasonably request for purposes of its internal bookkeeping and accounting operations. Parent shall also maintain such 3 accounts and records insofar as they pertain to the computation of charges hereunder available at its principal offices for audit, inspection and copying by Company and persons authorized by it or any governmental agency having jurisdiction over Company during all reasonable business hours. 6. OTHER RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS. All other books, records, and files established and maintained by Parent by reason of its performance of its obligations under this Agreement which, absent this Agreement, would have been held by Company, shall be deemed the property of Company, and shall be subject to examination at all times by Company and persons authorized by it or any governmental agency having jurisdiction over Company, and the originals or copies thereof shall be delivered to Company not less frequently than quarterly. 7. RIGHT TO CONTRACT WITH THIRD PARTIES. Nothing herein shall be deemed to grant Parent an exclusive right to provide services to Company, and Company retains the right to contract with any third party, affiliated or unaffiliated, for the performance of services or for the use of facilities as are available to or have been requested by Company pursuant to this Agreement. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit Parent from providing any or all of the services to be provided to Company hereunder to other persons, whether or not affiliated with Parent. In addition, Company shall have the right to solicit bids and contract with any third party for the services to be provided hereunder, in which event this Agreement may be terminated in accordance with Section 9 hereof. Further, Parent has right to subcontract with any third party, affiliated or unaffiliated, for services Parent is obligated to provide to Company pursuant to this Agreement. 8. CONTACT PERSON(S). Company and Parent each shall appoint one or more individuals who shall serve as contact person(s) for the purpose of carrying out this Agreement. Such contact person(s) shall be authorized to act on behalf of their respective parties as to the matters pertaining to this Agreement. Effective upon execution of this Agreement, the initial contact person(s) shall be those set forth in Section 16 of this Agreement. Each party shall notify the other, in writing, as to the name, address and telephone number of any replacement for any such designated contact person or additional contact persons. 9. TERMINATION AND MODIFICATION. This Agreement shall remain in effect until terminated by either Parent or Company upon giving thirty (30) days or more advance written notice; PROVIDED HOWEVER, that Company may terminate this Agreement upon giving ten (10) days or more 4 advance written notice in the event that it reasonably determines that it may contract with an unaffiliated party for comparable services at lower fees. Upon termination, Parent shall promptly deliver to Company all books and records that are, or are deemed by this Agreement to be, the property of Company. 10. SETTLEMENT ON TERMINATION. No later than ninety (90) days after the effective date of the termination of this Agreement, Parent shall deliver to Company a detailed written statement for all charges incurred and not included in any previous statement to the effective date of termination. The amount owed or to be refunded hereunder shall be due and payable within thirty (30) days of receipt of such statement. 11. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. In rendering its services hereunder, Parent shall act as an independent contractor, and any duties of Parent arising hereunder shall be owed exclusively to Company. 12. FORCE MAJEURE. If any cause or condition shall occur beyond the control of Parent which wholly or partially prevents the performance by Parent of its obligations hereunder, including, without limitation, any act of God or the public enemy, fire, explosion, flood, earthquake, war, riot, adverse weather conditions, breakdowns in equipment or facilities, strike, slowdown, work stoppage or other labor trouble or delays in receiving or failures to receive any permits, licenses or approvals from any governmental authority, then Parent shall be excused to the extent made necessary by such cause or condition and during the continuance thereof, and Parent shall incur no liability by reason of its failure to perform the obligations so excused. Such cause or condition shall not, however, relieve Company of the obligation to pay to Parent fees and charges due to Parent for services rendered and expenses incurred hereunder prior to such stoppage. 13. ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement and any rights pursuant hereto shall not be assignable by either party hereto, except by operation of law. Except as and to the extent specifically provided in this Agreement, nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer on any person other than the parties hereto, or their respective legal successors, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities, or to relieve any person other than the parties hereto, or their respective legal successors, from any obligations or liabilities that would otherwise be applicable. The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be binding 5 upon, extend to and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, their, and each of their, successors and assigns respectively. 14. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within that State. 15. INTENTIONALLY OMITTED. 16. NOTICE. All notices, statements or requests provided for hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered by hand to an officer of the other party, or when deposited with the U.S. Postal Service, as first class certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, overnight courier services, telex or telecopier, addressed (a) If to Parent to: ARM Financial Group, Inc. 515 West Market Street Louisville, KY 40202-3271 Telecopier: (502) 582-7995 Attention: Robert H. Scott (b) If to Company to: 312 Certificate Company 515 West Market Street Louisville, KY 40202-3271 Telecopier: (502) 582-7903 Attention: Robert L Maddox Esq. or to such other persons or places as each party may from time to time designate by written notice sent as aforesaid. 17. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement, together with such amendments as may from time to time be executed in writing by the parties, constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties in respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and supersedes all prior agreements, arrangements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof. 6 18. INVALID PROVISIONS. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable under any present or future law, and if the rights or obligations of Parent or Company under this Agreement will not be materially and adversely affected thereby, (a) such provision will be fully severable; (b) this Agreement will be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part hereof; (c) the remaining provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force and effect and will not be affected by the illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision or by its severance herefrom; and (d) in lieu of such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision, there will be added automatically as a part of this Agreement a legal, valid, and enforceable provision as similar in terms to such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision as may be possible. 19. SECTION HEADINGS. Section headings contained herein are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. 20. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. 7 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed in duplicate by their respective officers duly authorized so to do, as of the date and year first above written. ARM FINANCIAL GROUP, INC By: /s/ Robert Scott --------------------------- Title: General Counsel ------------------------ 312 CERTIFICATE COMPANY By: /s/ William D. Morris --------------------------- Title: Chief Executive Officer ------------------------ 8 APPENDIX A SCHEDULE OF FEES 1. COMPUTATION OF FEES. The annual charge to Company (the "Annual Charge") for such services and facilities shall be equal to the product of four basis points (.0004) multiplied by the Invested Amount outstanding (as such term is defined in that certain Face Amount Certificate Agreement, dated as of April 22, 1998, by and among the Company, International Securitization Corporation and The First National Bank of Chicago. 2. ANNUAL ACCOUNTING. At the election of Parent, a cost analysis may be performed by Parent to determine, as closely as possible, the actual cost of services rendered to Company hereunder. The amount of the Annual Charge to Company shall then be adjusted (the "Adjustment to Actual Cost") to equal the actual cost of the services rendered to Company. The Adjustment to Actual Cost shall be taken into account at the end of the next calendar quarter on the detailed written statement of the charges due from Company described in the second paragraph of Section 4 of the Administrative Services Agreement.