<PAGE> 1
As filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
under the Securities Act of 1933
Registration No. 333-95233-01
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
TO PROSPECTUS DATED NOVEMBER 6, 2000
$1,000,000,000
AUTO RECEIVABLE BACKED NOTES
WFS FINANCIAL 2000-D OWNER TRUST
$174,000,000 6.698% CLASS A-1 NOTES
$236,000,000 6.760% CLASS A-2 NOTES
$340,000,000 6.830% CLASS A-3 NOTES
$250,000,000 6.980% CLASS A-4 NOTES
WFS RECEIVABLES CORPORATION
SELLER
WFS FINANCIAL INC
MASTER SERVICER
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PRINCIPAL INTEREST FINAL SCHEDULED UNDERWRITING PROCEEDS TO THE
CLASS AMOUNT RATE DISTRIBUTION DATE PRICE TO PUBLIC DISCOUNTS SELLER
--------------------- -------------- -------- ----------------- --------------- ------------ ---------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
A-1 Notes............ $ 174,000,000 6.698% October 20, 2001 100.00000% 0.13% 99.87000%
A-2 Notes............ $ 236,000,000 6.760% October 20, 2003 99.99615% 0.17% 99.82615%
A-3 Notes............ $ 340,000,000 6.830% July 20, 2005 99.99487% 0.21% 99.78487%
A-4 Notes............ $ 250,000,000 6.980% July 20, 2008 99.99367% 0.25% 99.74367%
-------------- ------------ ---------- ------------
Total................ $1,000,000,000 $999,957,635 $1,966,400 $997,991,235
</TABLE>
The Price to Public and Proceeds to the Seller do not include accrued
interest due from November 1, 2000. The Proceeds to the Seller has not been
reduced by the Seller's expenses which are estimated to be $575,000.
------------------
The issuer will issue four classes of notes, payments on which will be made
quarterly on the 20th of January, April, July and October. The first payment
will be made on January 22, 2001.
Full and timely payment of the amounts due as interest and principal on the
notes on each distribution date is unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed
under a financial guaranty insurance policy issued by Financial Security
Assurance Inc.
THE FINANCIAL GUARANTY INSURANCE POLICY IS NOT COVERED BY THE
PROPERTY/CASUALTY INSURANCE SECURITY FUND SPECIFIED IN ARTICLE 76 OF THE NEW
YORK INSURANCE LAW. Noteholders will not have recourse against that fund.
YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY REVIEW THE RISK FACTORS BEGINNING ON PAGE S-11 OF THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND PAGE 10 OF THE PROSPECTUS.
The notes are auto receivable backed notes issued by a trust. The notes are
not obligations of WFS Receivables Corporation, WFS Financial Inc or any of
their affiliates, nor are the notes insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation.
NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE
CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
Delivery of the Notes, in book-entry form only, will be made through The
Depository Trust Company against payment in immediately available funds, on or
about November 14, 2000.
SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON
DEUTSCHE BANC ALEX. BROWN
The date of this Prospectus Supplement is November 6, 2000.
<PAGE> 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PAGE
----
<S> <C>
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION
PRESENTED IN THIS PROSPECTUS
SUPPLEMENT.......................... S-3
WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION IN THESE
DOCUMENTS........................... S-3
SUMMARY OF TERMS...................... S-4
The Parties......................... S-4
Important Dates..................... S-4
The Securities...................... S-4
The Trust Property.................. S-6
Repurchase of Contracts and
Redemption of Securities......... S-8
Tax Status.......................... S-9
Eligibility for Purchase by Money
Market Funds..................... S-10
ERISA Considerations................ S-10
RISK FACTORS.......................... S-11
The Ratings of the Notes May be
Withdrawn or Revised Which May
Have an Adverse Effect on the
Market Price of the Notes........ S-11
Losses on Contracts May be Affected
Disproportionately Because of
Geographic Concentration of
Contracts in California.......... S-11
GLOSSARY OF DEFINED TERMS............. S-12
FORMATION OF THE TRUST................ S-12
General............................. S-12
Capitalization...................... S-13
The Owner Trustee................... S-13
THE CONTRACTS POOL.................... S-13
Distribution of Contracts by APR.... S-15
Geographic Concentration of the
Contracts........................ S-16
WEIGHTED AVERAGE LIVES OF THE NOTES... S-17
Percentage of Initial Note Balance
at Various ABS Percentages....... S-19
DELINQUENCY AND CONTRACT LOSS
INFORMATION......................... S-20
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PAGE
----
<S> <C>
USE OF PROCEEDS....................... S-21
THE NOTES............................. S-21
General............................. S-21
Payments of Interest................ S-21
Payments of Principal............... S-22
Optional Repurchase................. S-22
Optional Purchase................... S-23
The Indenture Trustee............... S-23
Events of Default................... S-23
CERTAIN INFORMATION REGARDING THE
SECURITIES.......................... S-24
Payments on the Contracts........... S-24
Distributions on the Notes.......... S-25
Payment Priorities of the Notes; The
Spread Account................... S-26
Withdrawals from the Spread Account
and Payments Under the Note
Policy........................... S-27
Termination......................... S-27
Prepayment Considerations........... S-28
CAPITALIZATION OF FINANCIAL SECURITY
ASSURANCE INC....................... S-28
THE SELLER............................ S-29
Breach of Representations and
Warranties; Defective Contract
Documentation.................... S-29
WFS................................... S-29
General............................. S-29
Business Activities................. S-30
Litigation.......................... S-30
WESTERN FINANCIAL BANK................ S-30
General............................. S-30
Business Activities................. S-30
UNDERWRITING.......................... S-31
LEGAL MATTERS......................... S-32
EXPERTS............................... S-32
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE............ S-32
GLOSSARY.............................. S-34
</TABLE>
S-2
<PAGE> 3
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION
PRESENTED IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
We provide information to you about the securities in two separate
documents that progressively provide more detail: (1) the accompanying
prospectus dated November 6, 2000 which provides general information, some of
which may not apply to the Notes, and (2) this prospectus supplement, which
describes the specific terms of the Notes. This prospectus supplement does not
contain complete information about the offering of the Notes. Additional
information is contained in the prospectus. You are urged to read both this
prospectus supplement and the prospectus in full. We cannot sell the Notes to
you unless you have received both this prospectus supplement and the prospectus.
You should rely on the information contained in or incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. You
should rely on the information contained in this prospectus supplement for the
specific terms of the Notes. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with
different information.
If you purchase notes, you will also be provided with unaudited quarterly
and annual reports concerning the automobile loan contracts which back the
Notes. These reports will also be available after they are released on WFS'
website at www.wfsfinancial.com.
WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION IN THESE DOCUMENTS
We have included cross-references to captions in this prospectus supplement
and the prospectus where you can find further related discussions. We have
started with an introductory section describing the trust and terms of this
offering in abbreviated form, followed by a more complete description of the
terms of this offering.
Cross-references may be contained in the introductory section which will
direct you elsewhere in this prospectus supplement. You can also find references
to key topics in the Table of Contents.
To the extent not defined in this prospectus supplement, capitalized terms
have the meanings given in the prospectus.
WFS, as master servicer, will provide without charge to each person to
which a copy of this prospectus supplement is delivered, including any
beneficial owner of Notes, on the written or oral request of any such person, a
copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference into this
prospectus supplement, except the exhibits to those documents, unless those
exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in any of those documents.
Requests for those copies should be directed to Secretary, WFS Financial Inc, 23
Pasteur, Irvine, California 92618 or by calling (949) 727-1002.
S-3
<PAGE> 4
SUMMARY OF TERMS
This summary highlights selected information from this document and does
not contain all of the information that you need to consider in making your
investment decision. You will find a detailed description of the offering of
securities following this summary.
THE PARTIES:
The Issuer................. WFS Financial 2000-D Owner Trust, or the trust
Seller..................... WFS Receivables Corporation, or WFSRC
Master Servicer............ WFS Financial Inc, or WFS
The Insurer................ Financial Security Assurance, Inc., or Financial
Security
Indenture Trustee.......... Bankers Trust Company
Owner Trustee.............. Chase Manhattan Bank USA, N.A.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Cut-Off Date............... November 1, 2000
Closing Date............... Expected to be November 14, 2000
Distribution Dates......... Payments of interest and principal will be made on
the notes on each January 20, April 20, July 20 and
October 20, commencing in January, 2001. If any of
those days is not a business day, payment will be
made on the next succeeding business day. Principal
will be paid in order to the earliest maturing
class of notes until that class is paid in full.
The initial date upon which payments will be made
will be January 22, 2001.
Final Scheduled
Distribution Dates...... If not paid earlier, the outstanding principal
balance of the Class A-1 Notes will be paid on
October 20, 2001, of the Class A-2 Notes will be
paid on October 20, 2003, of the Class A-3 Notes
will be paid on July 20, 2005, and of the Class A-4
Notes will be paid on July 20, 2008. If any of
those days is not a business day, payment will be
made on the next succeeding business day.
THE SECURITIES:
The Notes.................. The WFS Financial 2000-D Owner Trust Auto
Receivable Backed Notes will represent obligations
of the trust secured by the assets of the trust.
The notes will be issued in four classes and will
bear fixed interest at the rates and calculated in
the manner described below under "The Terms of the
Notes" and "Interest Calculation".
S-4
<PAGE> 5
The Certificates........... The trust will issue to the seller WFS Financial
2000-D Owner Trust Auto Receivable Backed
Certificates, which are not being offered by this
prospectus supplement. All payments in respect of
the certificates will be subordinated to payments
on the notes.
The Terms of the Notes.....
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
INTEREST
NOTE PRINCIPAL RATE PER FINAL SCHEDULED
CLASS AMOUNT ANNUM DISTRIBUTION DATE
----- ------------ -------- -----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
A-1.. $174,000,000 6.698% October 20, 2001
A-2.. $236,000,000 6.760% October 20, 2003
A-3.. $340,000,000 6.830% July 20, 2005
A-4.. $250,000,000 6.980% July 20, 2008
</TABLE>
It is a condition to the offering of the notes that
the Class A-1 Notes be rated P-1/A-1+ and that the
Class A-2, A-3 and A-4 Notes be rated Aaa/AAA.
These ratings will be obtained from Moody's
Investors Services, Inc. and Standard & Poor's
Rating Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
Interest Calculation....... Interest on the Class A-1 Notes will accrue at the
interest rate applicable to that class from, and
including, each distribution date (or from, and
including, the cut-off date with respect to the
first distribution date) to, but excluding, the
next distribution date. Interest on the Class A-1
Notes will be calculated based upon the actual
number of days elapsed and a 360-day year.
Interest on the Class A-2, Class A-3 and Class A-4
Notes will accrue at the interest rate applicable
to those classes from, and including, the 20th day
of the month of the prior distribution date (or
from, and including, the cut-off date with respect
to the first distribution date) to, but excluding,
the 20th day of the month of the current
distribution date. Interest on the Class A-2, Class
A-3 and Class A-4 Notes will be calculated on the
basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day
months.
Priority of Principal
Payments................ Principal of the notes will be paid on each
distribution date in the following order:
- to the Class A-1 Notes until the Class A-1 Notes
are paid in full;
- to the Class A-2 Notes until the Class A-2 Notes
are paid in full;
- to the Class A-3 Notes until the Class A-3 Notes
are paid in full; and
S-5
<PAGE> 6
- to the Class A-4 Notes until the Class A-4 Notes
are paid in full.
THE TRUST PROPERTY:
General.................... The trust property will include:
- a pool of retail installment sales contracts and
a limited number of installment loans originated
by WFS, all of which are secured by new or used
automobiles or light duty trucks;
- the funds in the spread account; and
- an insurance policy issued by Financial Security
guaranteeing to the indenture trustee all
payments of principal and interest to be made to
holders of the notes.
The Contracts..............
[GRAPHIC]
- The trust receives the right to payments due under
the contracts on and after November 1, 2000. The
aggregate principal amount of the contracts on
November 1, 2000 is $1,000,000,000.
- The contracts are secured by first liens on the
vehicles purchased under each contract.
S-6
<PAGE> 7
- The contracts have an expected weighted average
annual percentage rate of approximately 15.20% and
an expected weighted average remaining maturity of
approximately 61.94 months.
- Approximately 5.53% of the aggregate principal
amount of the contracts are Rule of 78's contracts
and approximately 94.45% will be simple interest
contracts.
The Spread Account......... The spread account is a segregated trust account in
the name of the indenture trustee that will afford
you some limited protection against losses on the
contracts. It will be created with an initial cash
deposit by WFSRC in the amount of $30,000,000. On
any distribution date, funds will be distributed to
you to cover any shortfalls in interest and
principal required to be paid on the notes from the
spread account.
The funds in the spread account will be
supplemented on each distribution date by any funds
in the collection account for such distribution
date remaining after making all of the payments
necessary on that distribution date. The funds in
the spread account will be supplemented until they
are at least equal to 5% or 9% of the sum of the
remaining principal balance of the simple interest
contracts and the present value of the remaining
scheduled payments of the monthly principal and
interest due on the Rule of 78's contracts. The
amount of funds required to be in the spread
account will depend upon loss and delinquency
triggers.
If on the last day of any month or on any
distribution date the amount on deposit in the
spread account is greater than the amount required
to be in that account on that date, the excess cash
will be distributed in the following order:
- to Financial Security, to the extent of any
unreimbursed amounts due to it,
- to WFSRC, until it has received an amount equal
to the spread account initial deposit,
- to WFSRC or any other holder of the certificates.
You will have no further rights to any excess cash
paid to any of these entities.
The Note Policy............ On the closing date, Financial Security will issue
a financial guaranty insurance policy, known as the
note
S-7
<PAGE> 8
policy, for the indirect benefit of the holders of
the notes. Under the note policy, Financial
Security will unconditionally and irrevocably
guarantee to the indenture trustee the payments of
interest and principal due on the notes during the
term of the note policy.
If, based upon a report due to the indenture
trustee five days prior to a distribution date, it
appears that insufficient funds will be available
to pay to the holders of the notes on that
distribution date the full amount of the payment
which will then be due to them, that shortfall will
be paid first by drawing upon funds in the spread
account and second, a claim upon the note policy.
To the extent any claim is made upon the note
policy, it is anticipated that the amount of that
claim will be distributed on that distribution
date. Only the indenture trustee may make a claim
under the note policy. Financial Security's
obligations under the note policy upon a claim will
be complete upon its payment of the amounts due
under the claim to the indenture trustee.
Noteholders will have no rights directly under the
note policy against Financial Security.
REPURCHASE OF CONTRACTS AND REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES:
Optional Repurchase........ WFSRC will have the option to repurchase from the
trust all of the outstanding contracts on any
distribution date as of which the aggregate
principal balance of the simple interest contracts
plus the aggregate of the present values of the
remaining monthly principal and interest due on the
Rule of 78's contracts is equal to or less than
$200,000,000. If WFSRC exercises its option to
repurchase the contracts, WFSRC will pay the trust
a price equal to the unpaid principal amount of all
classes of notes outstanding plus the accrued
interest on each of those classes of notes. WFSRC
will also pay a repurchase premium in an amount
equal to a fraction of the scheduled balances of
the contracts being repurchased. See "The
Notes -- Optional Repurchase -- Calculation of
Repurchase Premium".
Optional Purchase.......... On any distribution date as of which the aggregate
principal balance of the simple interest contracts
plus the aggregate of the present values of the
remaining monthly principal and interest payments
due on the Rule of 78's contracts is equal to or
less than $100,000,000, WFSRC
S-8
<PAGE> 9
may purchase from the trust all of the contracts
then outstanding without payment of a repurchase
premium.
Prepayment and Redemption
following Optional
Repurchase or Optional
Purchase................ If WFSRC exercises its option to repurchase or
purchase the contracts,
- the amount received upon repurchase equal to the
unpaid principal amount of all classes of notes
outstanding plus the accrued interest on each of
those classes of notes will be treated as
collections and distributed to the holders of the
notes in addition to the distributions to which
the holders would then otherwise be entitled to
receive,
- the amount received by the trust as the
repurchase premium will be distributed on the
related distribution date, pro rata, to the
holders of the notes after giving effect to all
other payments made on the distribution date on
which the distribution occurs but excluding the
amount paid equal to the scheduled balances of
the repurchased contracts, and
- the contracts will be transferred back to WFSRC
on that distribution date and the trust will be
terminated.
Mandatory Redemption....... The notes may be accelerated if an event of default
has occurred and is continuing under the indenture.
If an insurer default has occurred and is
continuing and an event of default has occurred and
is continuing, the indenture trustee may be
permitted to accelerate the notes. If an event of
default has occurred and is continuing but no
insurer default has occurred and is continuing,
Financial Security will have the right, in addition
to its obligation to make scheduled payments on the
notes in accordance with the terms of the note
policy, but not the obligation, to elect to
accelerate the notes. If the notes are accelerated,
the master servicer or the indenture trustee will
sell or otherwise liquidate the property of the
trust and deliver the proceeds to the indenture
trustee for distribution in accordance with the
terms of the indenture.
TAX STATUS:
In the opinion of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp LLP,
special counsel for federal income and California
income
S-9
<PAGE> 10
tax purposes, as discussed under "Federal and
California Income Tax Consequences" in the
prospectus:
- the notes will be characterized as debt, and
- the trust will not be characterized as an
association or a publicly traded partnership
taxable as a corporation.
If you purchase a note, you agree to treat it as
debt for tax purposes.
ELIGIBILITY FOR PURCHASE BY MONEY MARKET FUNDS:
The Class A-1 Notes will be structured to be
eligible securities for purchase by money market
funds under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended. A money market fund should
consult its legal advisers regarding the
eligibility of the Class A-1 Notes under Rule 2a-7
and whether an investment in such notes satisfies
the fund's investment policies and objectives.
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS:
The notes are generally eligible for purchase by
employee benefit plans that are subject to the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended, or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended. However, administrators
of employee benefit plans should review the matters
discussed under "ERISA Considerations" in the
prospectus and also should consult with their legal
advisors before purchasing notes.
S-10
<PAGE> 11
RISK FACTORS
In addition to the risk factors beginning on page 10 of the prospectus, you
should also consider the following risk factors in deciding whether to purchase
any of the notes.
THE RATINGS OF THE NOTES MAY BE WITHDRAWN OR REVISED WHICH MAY HAVE AN ADVERSE
EFFECT ON THE MARKET PRICE OF THE NOTES
It is a condition of issuance that the notes be rated as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
MOODY'S STANDARD & POOR'S
------- -----------------
<S> <C> <C>
Class A-1 Notes................................ P-1 A-1+
Class A-2, Class A-3 and Class A-4 Notes....... Aaa AAA
</TABLE>
The rating by Standard & Poor's of the Class A-1 Notes will be issued
without regard to the benefit afforded by the note policy. The ratings by
Standard & Poor's of all classes of notes other than the Class A-1 Notes, as
well as the ratings by Moody's of the notes will be based on the issuance of the
note policy by Financial Security. In addition, the ratings by Moody's and
Standard & Poor's do not address whether WFSRC will exercise its option to
repurchase the Contracts and, upon exercise of that option, whether the
Repurchase Premium will be paid.
Moody's and Standard & Poor's can revise or withdraw their ratings at any
time if they feel the circumstances which lead to the existing ratings have
changed (including, except with respect to Standard & Poor's rating of the Class
A-1 Notes, as a result of any change in the claims-paying ability of Financial
Security). A revision or withdrawal of an existing rating may have an adverse
effect on the market price of the related notes.
A security rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold the notes.
The ratings are an assessment by Moody's and Standard & Poor's of the likelihood
that a class of notes will be paid in full by its final scheduled distribution
date. The ratings do not consider to what extent the notes will be subject to
prepayment.
LOSSES ON CONTRACTS MAY BE AFFECTED DISPROPORTIONATELY BECAUSE OF GEOGRAPHIC
CONCENTRATION OF CONTRACTS IN CALIFORNIA
As of the close of business on October 31, 2000, WFS' records indicate that
38.22% of the aggregate principal balance of the Contracts will be from
contracts originating in California. No other state accounted for more than
7.03% of the aggregate principal balance of the Contracts. Therefore, economic
conditions or other factors affecting California in particular could adversely
affect the losses on the Contracts.
S-11
<PAGE> 12
GLOSSARY OF DEFINED TERMS
A glossary containing the meaning of defined terms used in this prospectus
supplement begins on page S-34 of this prospectus supplement.
FORMATION OF THE TRUST
GENERAL
The following information regarding the trust supplements the information
in the prospectus under "Formation of the Trust".
The trust will be a business trust formed for the transaction described in
this prospectus supplement and the prospectus under the laws of the State of
Delaware in accordance with a Trust Agreement which will be amended and restated
as of the date of initial issuance of the notes, which date is also known as the
closing date. All references in this prospectus supplement to the Trust
Agreement is to the amended and restated Trust Agreement.
On or before the closing date, WFS will sell and assign the Contracts, each
of which is an installment sales contract or installment loan secured by a
financed vehicle which is a new or used automobile or light duty truck, to
WFSRC. WFSRC will transfer and assign the Contracts directly to the trust on the
closing date. The trust will be established by the transfer and assignment of
Contracts by WFSRC to the trust on the closing date. Certificates representing
WFSRC's beneficial interest in the trust will be issued by the trust to WFSRC as
additional consideration for the Contracts. Although the transfer of contracts
by WFSRC to the trust will be treated as a financing rather than as a sale for
accounting purposes, WFSRC is referred to as the seller. The indenture trustee,
acting on behalf of the noteholders, will have a first priority perfected
security interest in the Contracts. WFS will act as master servicer of the
Contracts and will receive compensation and fees for those services. See "The
Master Servicer -- Servicing Compensation" in the prospectus. WFS, as master
servicer, may retain physical possession of the original executed Contracts, and
certain other documents or instruments relating to the Contracts, as custodian
for the owner trustee in accordance with the sale and servicing agreement, or
may employ one or more subservicers as custodians.
In order to protect the trust's ownership and security interests in the
Contracts, the trust's interests in the Contracts will be perfected by WFSRC
filing UCC-1 financing statements in the States of California and Nevada to give
notice of the trust's ownership of and security interests in the Contracts.
Under the sale and servicing agreement and the Indenture, WFS will be obligated
to take all necessary steps to preserve and protect the interests of the
trustees in the Contracts. Neither the indenture trustee nor the owner trustee
will be responsible for the legality, validity or enforceability of any security
interest in respect of any Contract. WFS will not physically segregate the
Contracts from other retail installment sales contracts and installment loans
owned or serviced by it and will not stamp the Contracts with notice of the sale
to WFSRC or by the seller to the trust. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Contracts" in the prospectus.
Simultaneously with the issuance of the notes, Financial Security will
issue the note policy to the indenture trustee for the benefit of the holders of
the notes. Under the note policy, Financial Security will unconditionally and
irrevocably guarantee to the holders of the notes full and complete payment of
the scheduled payments for each distribution date, but not payment upon a
default of WFSRC or upon exercise of its option to repurchase or purchase the
Contracts. Financial Security will have a lien on the Contracts and other
documents relating to the Contracts subordinate to the interest of the holders
of the notes, which lien cannot be executed upon until all required payments
under the note policy have been made. See "The Note Policy" in the prospectus.
The trust's principal offices will be in Wilmington, Delaware, in care of
Chase Manhattan Bank USA, N.A, as owner trustee, at 1201 Market Street,
Wilmington, Delaware 19801.
S-12
<PAGE> 13
CAPITALIZATION
The following table illustrates the capitalization of the trust as of the
Cut-Off Date, as if the issuance and sale of the notes had taken place on that
date:
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Class A-1 Notes............................................. $ 174,000,000
Class A-2 Notes............................................. 236,000,000
Class A-3 Notes............................................. 340,000,000
Class A-4 Notes............................................. 250,000,000
--------------
Total..................................................... $1,000,000,000
</TABLE>
THE OWNER TRUSTEE
Chase Manhattan Bank USA, N.A. will be the owner trustee under the Trust
Agreement. Chase Manhattan Bank USA, N.A. is a Delaware corporation and its
corporate trust office is located at 1201 Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware
19801.
The owner trustee will have the rights and duties set forth in the
prospectus under "Certain Information Regarding the Securities -- The Trustees"
and "-- Duties of the Trustees".
THE CONTRACTS POOL
Each Contract is a retail installment sales contract secured by a financed
vehicle originated by a new or used car dealer located in California or one of
the other states listed in the table on S-16 or an installment loan secured by a
financed vehicle. Most of the Contracts were purchased by WFS from dealers;
however, Contracts representing no more than 5.0% of the Cut-Off Date Aggregate
Scheduled Balance are installment loans originated by WFS directly to consumers
or by other independent auto finance companies which loans were then sold to
WFS. Except as otherwise noted, all references in this prospectus supplement to
Contracts include installment loans.
WFS selected the contracts from its portfolio of fixed-interest rate
contracts. The contracts transferred to the trust were underwritten and
purchased or originated by WFS in the ordinary course of its business
operations.
S-13
<PAGE> 14
The information concerning the Contracts presented in this prospectus supplement
is as of the close of business on October 31, 2000.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CONTRACTS
IN THE TRUST
-----------------
<S> <C>
Outstanding Principal Balance............................... $1,000,000,000.00
Minimum................................................... $ 508.30
Maximum................................................... $ 63,916.76
Average................................................... $ 14,415.04
Number of Contracts......................................... 69,372
Financed Vehicles
Percentage of New Vehicles................................ 26.28%
Percentage of Used Vehicles............................... 73.72%
Percentage of Automobiles................................. 48.11%
Percentage of Light Duty Trucks........................... 51.89%
Percentage of Rule of 78's
Contracts................................................. 5.53%
Percentage of Simple Interest Contracts..................... 94.45%
Annual Percentage Rate
Minimum................................................... 5.9%
Maximum................................................... 34%
Weighted Average.......................................... 15.20%
Remaining Maturities
Minimum (Months).......................................... 3
Maximum (Months).......................................... 84
Weighted Average (Months)................................. 61.94
Original Maturities
Minimum (Months).......................................... 10
Maximum (Months).......................................... 84
Weighted Average (Months)................................. 63.66
Percent over 60 Months.................................... 48.42%
</TABLE>
Each of the Contracts is fully amortizing and provides for level payments
over its term, with the portions of principal and interest of each such level
payment being determined on the basis of the Rule of 78's or the simple interest
method. The amortization of the Rule of 78's Contracts will result in the
outstanding principal balance on each of those Contracts being in excess of the
scheduled balance of that Contract. For purposes of the trust, all Rule of 78's
Contracts are amortized on an actuarial basis to prevent shortfalls of principal
payments on the notes. As amortization on an actuarial basis produces a faster
amortization than does application of the Rule of 78's, there will not be a
shortfall of principal in any event, including as a result of prepayments or
timely payment to maturity of a Rule of 78's Contract.
S-14
<PAGE> 15
The following table provides information about the Contracts relating to
their annual percentage rate.
DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACTS BY APR
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PERCENTAGE OF
AGGREGATE AGGREGATE
NUMBER OF PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL
CONTRACT APR CONTRACTS BALANCE BALANCE
------------ --------- ----------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
5.000% - 5.999%....................................... 3 $ 46,513.60 0.00%
6.000% - 6.999%....................................... 3 55,718.50 0.01
7.000% - 7.999%....................................... 53 809,064.58 0.08
8.000% - 8.999%....................................... 1,103 17,294,160.65 1.73
9.000% - 9.999%....................................... 2,981 46,899,818.21 4.69
10.000% - 10.999%..................................... 4,095 64,412,902.32 6.44
11.000% - 11.999%..................................... 4,717 76,353,972.05 7.64
12.000% - 12.999%..................................... 6,458 105,906,542.28 10.59
13.000% - 13.999%..................................... 6,091 100,138,877.72 10.01
14.000% - 14.999%..................................... 6,558 103,067,920.77 10.31
15.000% - 15.999%..................................... 6,424 97,502,365.35 9.75
16.000% - 16.999%..................................... 5,936 88,392,010.85 8.84
17.000% - 17.999%..................................... 5,307 74,123,449.84 7.41
18.000% - 18.999%..................................... 5,298 69,576,332.62 6.96
19.000% - 19.999%..................................... 3,770 47,954,857.93 4.80
20.000% - 20.999%..................................... 4,736 51,703,266.90 5.17
21.000% - 21.999%..................................... 3,173 31,266,875.32 3.13
22.000% - 22.999%..................................... 763 8,442,051.72 0.84
23.000% - 23.999%..................................... 572 5,753,858.37 0.58
24.000% - 24.999%..................................... 679 5,669,202.29 0.57
25.000% - 25.999%..................................... 307 2,453,861.01 0.25
26.000% - 26.999%..................................... 86 711,815.82 0.07
27.000% - 27.999%..................................... 35 270,164.55 0.03
28.000% - 28.999%..................................... 27 152,085.98 0.02
29.000% - 29.999%..................................... 181 981,872.01 0.10
30.000% and higher.................................... 16 60,438.76 0.01
--------- ----------------- ------
Total............................................... 69,372 $1,000,000,000.00 100.00%
========= ================= ======
</TABLE>
S-15
<PAGE> 16
The following table provides information based upon the state in which the
new or used car dealer which originated a Contract is located, or in the case of
an installment loan, the state in which the office of the lender which
originated the loan is located.
GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION OF THE CONTRACTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AGGREGATE PERCENTAGE OF
NUMBER OF PRINCIPAL AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL
STATE CONTRACTS BALANCE BALANCES
----- --------- ----------------- -------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
California............... 28,068 $ 382,234,267.43 38.22%
Arizona.................. 4,794 70,278,661.30 7.03
Florida.................. 2,686 44,605,124.97 4.46
Ohio..................... 2,845 40,527,674.87 4.05
Texas.................... 2,785 39,841,671.21 3.98
Washington............... 2,885 38,705,051.05 3.87
Oregon................... 2,761 34,959,727.03 3.50
Colorado................. 2,180 31,982,366.65 3.20
North Carolina........... 1,599 26,626,742.37 2.66
Virginia................. 1,385 24,335,959.15 2.43
Nevada................... 1,597 22,903,428.53 2.29
South Carolina........... 1,386 21,675,376.56 2.17
Georgia.................. 1,129 20,139,015.71 2.01
Illinois................. 1,191 18,358,693.11 1.84
Tennessee................ 932 15,856,709.36 1.59
Missouri................. 983 15,511,368.63 1.55
Michigan................. 908 13,647,309.09 1.36
Idaho.................... 1,020 13,318,294.59 1.33
Utah..................... 849 12,380,404.03 1.24
Alabama.................. 718 12,080,508.60 1.21
Pennsylvania............. 729 10,257,737.18 1.03
Kentucky................. 623 9,179,499.25 0.92
Wisconsin................ 624 9,059,851.42 0.91
Maryland................. 491 8,829,274.70 0.88
Delaware................. 396 6,277,208.55 0.63
Massachusetts............ 409 5,823,269.74 0.58
Indiana.................. 364 5,788,453.50 0.58
New Jersey............... 422 5,788,039.09 0.58
Oklahoma................. 344 4,780,033.04 0.48
Minnesota................ 303 4,749,825.38 0.47
Kansas................... 285 4,684,966.53 0.47
West Virginia............ 260 4,174,663.98 0.42
Mississippi.............. 251 4,170,370.09 0.42
Connecticut.............. 208 3,042,796.74 0.30
Iowa..................... 172 2,814,229.58 0.28
New York................. 158 2,303,644.91 0.23
New Hampshire............ 142 1,996,710.62 0.20
New Mexico............... 183 1,937,805.00 0.19
Nebraska................. 113 1,611,546.92 0.16
Wyoming.................. 70 1,092,626.41 0.11
Maine.................... 69 943,597.08 0.09
Rhode Island............. 49 686,447.92 0.07
Hawaii................... 6 39,048.11 0.00
------ ----------------- ------
69,372 $1,000,000,000.00 100.00%
====== ================= ======
</TABLE>
S-16
<PAGE> 17
WEIGHTED AVERAGE LIVES OF THE NOTES
Prepayments on contracts can be measured relative to a payment standard or
model. The model used in this prospectus supplement, the Absolute Prepayment
Model, or ABS, represents an assumed rate of prepayment each month relative to
the original number of contracts in a pool of contracts. ABS further assumes
that all the contracts in question are the same size and amortize at the same
rate and that each contract in each month of its life will either be paid as
scheduled or be paid in full. For example, in a pool of contracts originally
containing 10,000 contracts, a 1% ABS rate means that 100 contracts prepay each
month. ABS does not purport to be an historical description of prepayment
experience or a prediction of the anticipated rate of prepayment of any pool of
contracts, including the Contracts transferred to the trust.
As the rate of payment of principal of each class of notes will depend on
the rate of payment (including prepayments) of the principal balance of the
Contracts, final payment of any class of notes could occur significantly earlier
than its final scheduled distribution date. Reinvestment risk associated with
early payment of the notes of any class will be borne exclusively by the holders
of those notes.
The table captioned "Percentage of Initial Note Balance at Various ABS
Percentages" is referred to as the ABS Table and has been prepared on the basis
of the characteristics of the Contracts described under "The Contracts Pool".
The ABS Table assumes that:
- the Contracts prepay in full at the specified constant percentage of ABS
monthly, with no defaults, losses or repurchases,
- the monthly principal and interest payment on each Contract is scheduled
to be made and is made on the last day of each month and each month has
30 days,
- payments are made on the notes on each distribution date (and each such
date is assumed to be the twentieth day of each applicable month),
- WFSRC does not exercise its option to repurchase the Contracts, and
- WFSRC exercises its Optional Purchase right on the earliest distribution
date on which that option may be exercised.
The ABS Table indicates the projected weighted average life of each class
of notes and sets forth the percentage of the initial principal amount of each
class of notes that is projected to be outstanding after each of the
distribution dates shown at various constant ABS percentages.
S-17
<PAGE> 18
The ABS Table also assumes that the Contracts have been aggregated into
hypothetical pools with all of the Contracts within each such pool having the
following characteristics and that the level scheduled payment for each of the
pools, which is based on the Aggregate Scheduled Balance, annual percentage
rate, original term to maturity and remaining term to maturity as of the Cut-Off
Date will be such that each pool will be fully amortized by the end of its
remaining term to maturity.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
REMAINING TERM ORIGINAL TERM
AGGREGATE TO MATURITY TO MATURITY
SUBPOOLS PRINCIPAL BALANCE APR % (IN MONTHS) (IN MONTHS)
-------- ----------------- ------ -------------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
1.................................. $ 7,623,526.11 18.025 34 34
2.................................. 22,483,807.49 17.286 47 47
3.................................. 110,783,620.18 15.897 59 59
4.................................. 20,157,803.99 14.778 65 65
5.................................. 115,620,224.00 13.760 72 72
6.................................. 9,276,057.33 17.955 33 34
7.................................. 27,927,079.72 17.209 46 47
8.................................. 126,590,354.62 15.904 58 59
9.................................. 25,091,437.50 14.890 65 66
10.................................. 126,795,122.68 13.862 72 73
11.................................. 12,266,754.51 18.233 32 34
12.................................. 35,135,210.70 17.613 45 47
13.................................. 154,438,717.46 15.954 57 59
14.................................. 30,552,254.65 14.993 64 66
15.................................. 153,300,756.59 13.857 71 73
16.................................. 9,238,457.31 17.324 40 61
17.................................. 1,693,843.37 14.754 40 68
18.................................. 11,024,971.79 14.080 43 74
-----------------
Total............................. $1,000,000,000.00
=================
</TABLE>
The actual characteristics and performance of the Contracts will differ
from the assumptions used in preparing the ABS Table. The assumptions used are
hypothetical and have been provided only to give a general sense of how the
principal cash flows might behave under varying prepayment scenarios. For
example, it is very unlikely that the Contracts will prepay at a constant ABS
rate until maturity or that all of the Contracts will prepay at the same ABS
rate. Moreover, the diverse terms of Contracts within each of the hypothetical
pools could produce slower or faster principal distributions than indicated in
the ABS Table at the various constant percentages of ABS specified, even if the
original and remaining terms to maturity of the Contracts are as assumed. Any
difference between those assumptions and the actual characteristics and
performance of the Contracts, or actual prepayment experience, will affect the
percentages of initial amounts outstanding over time and the weighted average
life of each class of notes.
S-18
<PAGE> 19
PERCENTAGE OF INITIAL NOTE BALANCE AT VARIOUS ABS PERCENTAGES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A-1 NOTES CLASS A-2 NOTES CLASS A-3 NOTES
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
0.0% 1.0% 1.8% 2.5% 0.0% 1.0% 1.8% 2.5% 0.0% 1.0% 1.8% 2.5%
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Closing Date......... 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
1/20/01.............. 87 75 66 57 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
4/20/01.............. 67 39 16 0 100 100 100 95 100 100 100 100
7/20/01.............. 46 3 0 0 100 100 76 51 100 100 100 100
10/20/01............. 24 0 0 0 100 76 42 10 100 100 100 100
1/20/02.............. 1 0 0 0 100 51 9 0 100 100 100 80
4/20/02.............. 0 0 0 0 83 26 0 0 100 100 84 54
7/20/02.............. 0 0 0 0 65 1 0 0 100 100 64 31
10/20/02............. 0 0 0 0 46 0 0 0 100 84 44 9
1/20/03.............. 0 0 0 0 27 0 0 0 100 68 26 0
4/20/03.............. 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 100 52 9 0
7/20/03.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 90 37 0 0
10/20/03............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 75 22 0 0
1/20/04.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 60 9 0 0
4/20/04.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 45 0 0 0
7/20/04.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 0 0 0
10/20/04............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 0 0 0
1/20/05.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4/20/05.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7/20/05.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10/20/05............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1/20/06.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
WEIGHTED AVERAGE LIFE
(YEARS)............ 0.74 0.48 0.39 0.32 2.00 1.32 1.00 0.82 3.47 2.61 2.00 1.62
<CAPTION>
CLASS A-4 NOTES
-------------------------
0.5% 1.0% 1.8% 2.5%
---- ---- ---- ----
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Closing Date......... 100% 100% 100% 100%
1/20/01.............. 100 100 100 100
4/20/01.............. 100 100 100 100
7/20/01.............. 100 100 100 100
10/20/01............. 100 100 100 100
1/20/02.............. 100 100 100 100
4/20/02.............. 100 100 100 100
7/20/02.............. 100 100 100 100
10/20/02............. 100 100 100 100
1/20/03.............. 100 100 100 85
4/20/03.............. 100 100 100 61
7/20/03.............. 100 100 91 0
10/20/03............. 100 100 72 0
1/20/04.............. 100 100 55 0
4/20/04.............. 100 94 0 0
7/20/04.............. 100 78 0 0
10/20/04............. 100 63 0 0
1/20/05.............. 100 49 0 0
4/20/05.............. 80 0 0 0
7/20/05.............. 59 0 0 0
10/20/05............. 42 0 0 0
1/20/06.............. 0 0 0 0
WEIGHTED AVERAGE LIFE
(YEARS)............ 4.89 4.14 3.23 2.55
</TABLE>
The weighted average life of a note is determined for the above table by
(x) multiplying the amount of each principal payment on a note by the number of
periods (months) from the date of issuance of the note to the related
distribution date, (y) adding the results and (z) dividing the sum by the
original principal amount of the note. This calculation assumes that WFSRC does
not exercise its option to repurchase the Contracts but that it will exercise
its Optional Purchase right.
The foregoing table has been prepared based on the assumptions described
under "Weighted Average Life of the Notes, including the assumptions regarding
the characteristics and performance of the Contracts, which will differ from
their actual characteristics and performance, and should be read in conjunction
with those assumptions.
S-19
<PAGE> 20
DELINQUENCY AND CONTRACT LOSS INFORMATION
The following tables set forth (i) the delinquency experience in regard to
contracts originated and serviced by WFS and its affiliates, including contracts
subsequently securitized, at December 31, 1995 through 1999 and at September 30,
2000 and (ii) the loss experience for contracts originated and serviced by WFS
and its affiliates, including contracts subsequently securitized, for the years
ended December 31, 1995 through 1999 and for the nine months ended September 30,
2000. There is no assurance that the future delinquency and loss experience of
the Contracts will be similar to that set forth below. WFS defines delinquency
as being past due based on the contractual due date of the underlying contract.
The dollar amounts shown in these tables are net of interest not yet earned on
Rule of 78's contracts. With respect to the Contract Loss Experience table, it
is the policy of WFS to charge-off all contracts when they become 120 days
delinquent, whether that contract is owned by WFS or serviced by WFS for others.
WFS believes that its charge-off policy is consistent with that customarily used
in the automobile finance industry.
CONTRACT DELINQUENCY EXPERIENCE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DECEMBER 31,
SEPTEMBER 30, ------------------------------------------------------------------------
2000 1999 1998 1997
---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------
NUMBER NUMBER NUMBER NUMBER
OF OF OF OF
CONTRACTS AMOUNT CONTRACTS AMOUNT CONTRACTS AMOUNT CONTRACTS AMOUNT
--------- ---------- --------- ---------- --------- ---------- --------- ----------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Contracts serviced............ 597,906 $6,535,696 524,709 $5,354,385 464,257 $4,367,099 408,958 $3,680,817
======= ========== ======= ========== ======= ========== ======= ==========
Period of delinquency
31 - 59 days................. 12,265 $ 111,841 12,868 $ 107,416 13,885 $ 112,208 6,605 $ 54,450
60 - 89 days................. 3,414 31,239 3,511 29,738 3,966 32,100 2,161 18,652
90 days or more.............. 1,536 13,651 1,711 14,872 1,768 14,441 918 7,762
------- ---------- ------- ---------- ------- ---------- ------- ----------
Total contracts and amount
delinquent................ 17,215 $ 156,731 18,090 $ 152,026 19,619 $ 158,749 9,684 $ 80,864
======= ========== ======= ========== ======= ========== ======= ==========
Delinquencies as a percentage
of number and amount of
contracts outstanding........ 2.88% 2.40% 3.45% 2.84% 4.23% 3.64% 2.37% 2.20%
<CAPTION>
DECEMBER 31,
-----------------------------------------------
1996 1995
---------------------- ----------------------
NUMBER NUMBER
OF OF
CONTRACTS AMOUNT CONTRACTS AMOUNT
--------- ---------- --------- ----------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Contracts serviced............ 341,486 $3,046,585 258,665 $2,209,594
======= ========== ======= ==========
Period of delinquency
31 - 59 days................. 4,511 $ 38,173 2,180 $ 18,557
60 - 89 days................. 1,305 11,470 690 6,143
90 days or more.............. 567 5,144 308 2,701
------- ---------- ------- ----------
Total contracts and amount
delinquent................ 6,383 $ 54,787 3,178 $ 27,401
======= ========== ======= ==========
Delinquencies as a percentage
of number and amount of
contracts outstanding........ 1.87% 1.80% 1.23% 1.24%
</TABLE>
CONTRACT LOSS EXPERIENCE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FOR THE NINE
MONTHS
ENDED FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
SEPTEMBER 30, --------------------------------------------------------------
2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Contracts serviced
At end of period................................ $6,535,690 $5,354,385 $4,367,099 $3,680,817 $3,046,585 $2,209,594
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Average during period........................... $5,869,816 $4,839,514 $4,006,185 $3,383,570 $2,627,622 $1,886,359
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Gross charge offs of contracts during period.... $ 115,407 $ 150,518 $ 173,422 $ 136,773 $ 86,464 $ 48,999
Recoveries of contracts charged off in current
and prior periods............................. 37,881 47,581 36,230 34,634 25,946 18,715
---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
Net charge offs................................. $ 77,606 $ 102,937 $ 137,192 $ 102,139 $ 60,518 $ 30,284
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
Net charge offs as a percentage of contracts
outstanding during period (annualized)........ 1.76% 2.13% 3.42% 3.02% 2.30% 1.61%
</TABLE>
Net charge-offs as a percentage of contracts outstanding for contracts
originated and serviced by WFS increased from 3.02% in 1997 to 3.42% in 1998 and
decreased to 2.13% in 1999, an increase and decrease of 13.25% and 37.7%,
respectively. Net charge-offs as a percentage of contracts outstanding for
contracts originated or purchased and serviced by WFS further decreased to 1.76%
in the first nine months of 2000, a 17% decrease from 1999. Delinquencies, as a
percentage of amount of contracts outstanding, increased from 2.20% at year end
1997 to 3.64% at year end 1998 and decreased to 2.84% in 1999, an increase of
65.5% and decrease of 22.0%, respectively. Delinquencies, as a percentage of
amount of contracts outstanding decreased further during the first nine months
of 2000 to 2.40%, a decrease of 15% from year end 1999. The decrease in loss and
delinquency experience in the first nine months of 2000 and in 1999 resulted
from WFS increasing the percentage of contracts originally underwritten at the
higher end of the
S-20
<PAGE> 21
prime credit quality spectrum and completion of WFS' restructuring efforts. Loss
and delinquency experience during 1998 and 1997 for contracts originated and
serviced by WFS was impacted by a variety of factors, including an increase in
the percentage of the outstanding contracts which were originally underwritten
in 1997 and 1998 at the lower end of the prime credit quality spectrum, an
increase in the number of personal bankruptcy filings and general economic
conditions. Loss and delinquency experience in 1998 was also impacted by a
disruption of collection efforts arising from WFS' restructuring of its offices
throughout the United States and the continued transitory effect of moving
post-repossession collection efforts to recently created centralized asset
recovery and vehicle recovery centers. As the characteristics of the Contracts
transferred to the trust may be different than that of the entire portfolio of
contracts originated and serviced by WFS, no assurances can be given that the
performance of these contracts will be similar.
USE OF PROCEEDS
WFSRC will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the notes -- the
proceeds of the public offering of the notes minus expenses relating to the
offering -- to the purchase of the Contracts from WFS.
THE NOTES
GENERAL
The notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture between the trust and the
indenture trustee to be dated as of November 1, 2000, a form of which has been
filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. You can obtain a copy of the
Indenture, without exhibits, by writing to the indenture trustee at its
corporate trust office. The following summary and the information contained
under "Certain Information Regarding the Securities" describes the material
terms of the Indenture and the notes. You should, however, review the provisions
of the notes and the Indenture along with the following summary in order to have
more complete information. Where particular provisions or terms used in the
notes or the Indenture are referred to, the actual provisions of those
documents, including definitions of terms, are incorporated by reference as part
of the summaries.
Distributions of interest and principal on the notes will be made on
quarterly distribution dates of January 20, April 20, July 20 and October 20 of
each year or, if any of these days is not a business day, on the next succeeding
business day, commencing in January 2001. Payments on the notes on each
distribution date will be paid to the holders of record of the related notes on
the business day immediately preceding that distribution date or, in the event
that definitive notes are issued, as of the 15th day of the month immediately
preceding the month in which that distribution date occurs.
PAYMENTS OF INTEREST
Interest on the Class A-1 Notes will accrue at the interest rate applicable
to that class from, and including, each distribution date (or from, and
including, the Cut-Off Date with respect to the first distribution date) to, but
excluding, the next distribution date. Interest on the Class A-1 Notes will be
calculated on a daily basis, based upon the actual days elapsed in an Interest
Period and a 360-day year. Interest on the Class A-2, Class A-3 and Class A-4
Notes will accrue at the interest rate applicable to those classes from, and
including, the 20th day of the month of the prior distribution date (or from,
and including, the Cut-Off Date with respect to the first distribution date) to,
but excluding, the 20th day of the month of the current distribution date.
Interest on the Class A-2, Class A-3 and Class A-4 Notes will be calculated on
the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Interest accrued
but not paid on any distribution date will be due on the immediately succeeding
distribution date, together with, to the extent permitted by applicable law,
interest on that unpaid interest at the related interest rate set forth under
"Summary of Terms -- The Securities -- The Terms of the Notes". Interest
payments on the notes will be made from Net Collections after all accrued and
unpaid trustees' fees and other administrative fees of the trust and after the
Servicing Fee has been paid to the master servicer. See "Certain Information
S-21
<PAGE> 22
Regarding the Securities -- Distributions on the Notes -- Deposits to the
Distribution Accounts; Priority of Payments".
PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL
Principal payments will be made to the Holders of the Notes, to the extent
described below, on each distribution date in an amount equal to the related
Note Principal Distributable Amount, in each case calculated as described under
"Certain Information Regarding the Securities -- Distributions on the
Notes -- Deposits to the Distribution Accounts; Priority of Payments." Principal
payments on the notes will be made from Net Collections after all accrued and
unpaid trustees' fees and other administrative fees of the trust have been paid,
after the Servicing Fee has been paid to the master servicer and after the Note
Interest Distributable Amount has been distributed. See "Certain Information
Regarding the Securities -- Distributions on the Securities -- Deposits to the
Distribution Accounts; Priority of Payments".
Principal payments on the notes on each distribution date from the note
distribution account will be made in the following order:
(1) to the Class A-1 Notes until the principal amount of the Class A-1
Notes has been reduced to zero;
(2) to the Class A-2 Notes until the principal amount of the Class A-2
Notes has been reduced to zero;
(3) to the Class A-3 Notes until the principal amount of the Class A-3
Notes has been reduced to zero; and
(4) to the Class A-4 Notes until the principal amount of the Class A-4
Notes has been reduced to zero.
To the extent not previously paid prior to such dates, the outstanding
principal amount of each class of notes will be paid on the related final
scheduled distribution date set forth under "Summary of Terms -- The
Securities -- The Terms of the Notes". The final scheduled distribution date for
a class of notes represents the last day on which the outstanding principal
amount of the related notes will be paid. In no event may the principal paid in
respect of a class of notes exceed the unpaid principal balance of that class of
notes. See "Certain Information Regarding the Securities -- Distributions on the
Notes -- Deposits to the Distribution Accounts; Priority of Payments".
The actual date on which the outstanding principal amount of any class of
notes is paid may be earlier than its final scheduled distribution date based on
a variety of factors, including the factors described under "Certain Information
Regarding the Securities -- Prepayment Considerations", "Certain Legal Aspects
of the Contracts -- Repurchase Obligation" in the prospectus and "The
Sellers -- Breach of Representations and Warranties; Defective Contract
Documentation".
All payments in respect of the certificates issued to WFSRC will be
subordinated to payments on the notes. Payments on the certificates will only be
made from funds released from the spread account. See "Certain Information
Regarding the Securities -- Withdrawals from the Spread Account and Under the
Note Policy".
OPTIONAL REPURCHASE
If WFSRC exercises its option to repurchase from the Trust all outstanding
contracts, it will give not less than 15 days' notice to the indenture trustee
and will affect the repurchase at the next following distribution date. The
repurchase price payable by WFSRC will be equal to the sum (i) of the Base
Price, which is the unpaid principal amount of all classes of notes outstanding
plus the accrued interest on each of those classes of notes, and (ii) the
Repurchase Premium described in the next paragraph.
S-22
<PAGE> 23
Calculation of Repurchase Premium. The Repurchase Premium payable by WFSRC
in connection with an exercise of its option to repurchase will be a fraction of
the Base Price:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
IF THE BASE PRICE IS: THE REPURCHASE PREMIUM IS:
----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------
<S> <C>
more than $150,000,000, 2% of the Base Price
equal to or less than $150,000,000, but more than 1% of the Base Price
$100,000,000,
equal to or less than $100,000,000 zero
</TABLE>
The Base Price will be treated as collections and distributed to the
holders of the notes in the order of priority specified above under "-- Payments
of Interest" and "-- Payments of Principal" in addition to the distributions to
which the noteholders would then otherwise be entitled to receive.
In addition to any distribution which those holders are otherwise then
entitled to receive, the Repurchase Premium will be distributed on a pro rata
basis after giving effect to distributions on that distribution date, other than
distributions of the Base Price, to the holders of record as of the related
record date for the distribution date on which WFSRC is repurchasing the
contracts. The repurchased Contracts will be transferred back to WFSRC. Upon
payment to noteholders of the Base Price and Repurchase Premium, all outstanding
notes will be paid in full and the trust will be terminated.
OPTIONAL PURCHASE
Each class of outstanding notes will be subject to redemption in whole, but
not in part, on any distribution date as of which an Optional Purchase occurs.
An Optional Purchase may occur on any distribution date as of which the
aggregate principal balance of the Simple Interest Contracts plus the aggregate
of the present value of the remaining monthly principal and interest payments
due on the Rule of 78's Contracts is equal to or less than $100,000,000. The
redemption price for each class of notes will equal the unpaid principal amount
of that class plus accrued interest on that amount at the applicable interest
rate for the related interest period. Upon payment of the redemption price, the
trust will be terminated.
THE INDENTURE TRUSTEE
Bankers Trust Company will be the indenture trustee. The indenture trustee
is a New York corporation and its Corporate Trust Office is located at Four
Albany Street, New York, New York 10006.
The indenture trustee will have the rights and duties set forth in the
prospectus under "Certain Information Regarding the Securities -- The Trustees"
and "-- Duties of the Trustees".
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default under the Indenture as described
under "The Notes -- Events of Default" in the prospectus:
(1) If an Insurer Default has not occurred or is not continuing,
Financial Security, in addition to its obligation to make Scheduled
Payments on the notes in accordance with the terms of the note policy, may
elect to:
- subject to the limitations listed below, first accelerate the
principal of the notes and then cause the master servicer or the
indenture trustee to sell or otherwise liquidate all or part of the
property of the trust, in whole or in part on any date or dates
following such acceleration as Financial Security, in its sole
discretion, shall elect, and then to deliver the proceeds to the
indenture trustee to distribute in accordance with the terms of the
note policy.
S-23
<PAGE> 24
(2) If an insurer default has occurred and is continuing, the
indenture trustee may, or if requested in writing by holders of at least
66 2/3% of the voting interests of all the notes, shall:
- subject to the limitations listed below, declare the notes due and
payable at par, together with accrued interest on the notes.
(3) Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, upon the occurrence of a
trust insolvency, if an insurer default has occurred and is continuing:
- subject to the limitations listed below, the notes will become
immediately due and payable at par, together with accrued interest on
the notes.
(4) No sale or liquidation of the property of the trust pursuant to
the above provisions may occur if the proceeds from the sale or liquidation
are not sufficient to pay all of the outstanding principal and accrued
interest on the notes, unless:
- an Insurer Default has not occurred or is not continuing and the
related Event of Default relates to failure of the trust to pay
interest or principal on any class of notes or a trust insolvency; or
- an Insurer Default has occurred and is continuing and:
(i) holders of 100% of the voting interests of all the notes
consent to such sale or liquidation; or
(ii) the indenture trustee determines that the property of the
trust will not continue to provide sufficient funds for the payment of
the principal of and interest on the notes, the indenture trustee
provides prior written notice of that sale or liquidation to each Rating
Agency, and holder of at least 66 2/3% of the voting interests of all
the notes consent to that sale or liquidation.
Further, in the event that an Insurer Default has not occurred or is not
continuing, following the occurrence of an Event of Default, if Financial
Security has not elected to accelerate the principal of the notes and such Event
of Default is subsequently cured, Financial Security shall not have the right to
elect to accelerate the principal of the notes or to cause the property of the
trust to be sold or liquidated by reason of that Event of Default and the rights
of all parties shall be restored as though that Event of Default had not
occurred.
Following the occurrence of an Event of Default and provided that (i) an
Insurer Default has not occurred or is not continuing and (ii) Financial
Security has not elected to accelerate the principal of the notes, the indenture
trustee and the owner trustee will continue to submit claims under the note
policy for any shortfalls in Scheduled Payments on the notes. See "The Note
Policy" in the prospectus.
CERTAIN INFORMATION REGARDING THE SECURITIES
PAYMENTS ON THE CONTRACTS
As more fully described in the prospectus under "Certain Information
Regarding the Securities -- Payments on the Contracts", all Net Collections of
the Contracts will be deposited in or credited to the collection account or, in
limited instances, the holding account.
Subject to the remainder of this paragraph, distributions on the notes will
be made on each distribution date out of Net Collections for the related due
period plus certain reinvestment earnings on eligible investments and any
advance made by the master servicer as described under "The Master
Servicer -- Advances" in the prospectus. The amount of those Net Collections,
reinvestment earnings and advances on each distribution date will be applied as
described under "-- Distributions on the Notes". Amounts, to the extent
available, will be withdrawn from the spread account to cover any shortfalls in
distributions to noteholders. Under the note policy, Financial Security will be
obligated to provide for
S-24
<PAGE> 25
distribution on the notes on each distribution date the amount, if any, by which
the amount of Net Collections and funds available in the spread account is less
than the sum of the interest and principal due on the notes for that
distribution date and will be obligated to provide for the payment of Scheduled
Payments on the notes on the respective final scheduled distribution dates.
If WFSRC exercises its option to repurchase the Contracts transferred to
the trust, the amount payable by it equal to the Base Price will be treated as
Net Collections and will be deposited into the collection account and
distributed as any other net collections at the time of their receipt. The
amount payable by WFSRC equal to the Repurchase Premium will not be treated as
Net Collections and will not be, directly or indirectly, distributed as any
other Net Collections. Instead, the Repurchase Premium will be distributed to
the holders of the notes separately by the indenture trustee, on the
distribution date as of which the Contracts are to be repurchased by WFSRC on a
pro rata basis after giving effect to payments otherwise made on that
distribution date other than the Base Price. The indenture trustee will deliver
a report concurrently with the distribution of the Repurchase Premium reflecting
the total amounts of Repurchase Premium received by the indenture trustee
expressed as a dollar amount per $1,000 of each class of notes then outstanding.
DISTRIBUTIONS ON THE NOTES
General. On or before the fifth business day prior to each distribution
date, the master servicer will deliver to the indenture trustee, the owner
trustee, Financial Security and the rating agencies a distribution date
statement setting forth, among other things, the following amounts with respect
to the related Due Period and that distribution date:
- the amount of funds in the collection account allocable to collections on
the Contracts in the related Due Period, excluding any advances and
repurchase amounts;
- the amount required to repurchase all Contracts repurchased by the seller
or the master servicer during the related Due Period;
- the advances made by the master servicer and the amounts for which the
master servicer is entitled to be reimbursed for unreimbursed advances;
- the amount of Net Collections;
- the Note Interest Distributable Amount;
- the Note Principal Distributable Amount;
- the Repurchase Premium, if any; and
- the Servicing Fee.
Deposits to the Distribution Accounts; Priority of Payments. On each
distribution date, the master servicer will allocate amounts on deposit in the
collection account with respect to the related Due Period and that distribution
date as described below and will instruct the indenture trustee to make the
following deposits and distributions in the following amounts and order of
priority in each case after giving effect to all deposits and distributions of
higher priority:
(1) to the master servicer, the Servicing Fee, including any unpaid
Servicing Fees with respect to one or more prior Due Periods;
(2) to the indenture trustee and the owner trustee, any accrued and
unpaid trustees' fees and administrative fees of the trust;
(3) to the note distribution account, from Net Collections, after
giving effect to the reduction in net collections described in clauses (1)
and (2) above, the Note Interest Distributable Amount to be distributed to
the holders of the notes at their respective interest rates;
(4) to the note distribution account, from any remaining Net
Collections, the Note Principal Distributable Amount, which amount
includes, if that distribution date is a final scheduled distribution date,
the remaining principal amount of the related class of notes to be
distributed first to the holders of the Class A-1 Notes until the principal
amount of the Class A-1 Notes has been
S-25
<PAGE> 26
reduced to zero, second to the holders of the Class A-2 Notes until the
principal amount of the Class A-2 Notes has been reduced to zero, third to
the holders of the Class A-3 Notes until the principal amount of the Class
A-3 Notes has been reduced to zero and fourth to the holders of Class A-4
Notes until the principal amount of the Class A-4 Notes has been reduced to
zero;
(5) from any remaining Net Collections, to Financial Security, any
Unreimbursed Insurer Amounts; and
(6) in the event that the distributions described in clauses (1)
through (5) above have been funded exclusively from Net Collections, any
remaining Net Collections, which amounts are known as the excess amounts,
will be deposited into the spread account, until the amount on deposit
equals the Specified Spread Account Balance, with any remaining excess
amounts being distributed as described under "-- Withdrawals from the
Spread Account and Payments Under the Note Policy".
In addition, upon the exercise by WFSRC of its Repurchase Option, the
indenture trustee will distribute the Repurchase Premium to holders of notes on
a pro rata basis after giving effect to payments otherwise made on the
distribution date, other than distributions of the Base Price.
If the notes are accelerated following an Event of Default, amounts
collected following the sale or liquidation of the property of the trust will be
distributed in the priority described above. See "The Notes -- Events of
Default".
PAYMENT PRIORITIES OF THE NOTES; THE SPREAD ACCOUNT
General. The rights of the holders of the notes to receive distributions
with respect to the Contracts will be subordinated to the rights of the master
servicer, to the extent that the master servicer has not been reimbursed for any
outstanding advances and has not been paid the Servicing Fee, the trustees, to
the extent the trustees and such other entities have not received all accrued
and unpaid trustees' fees and other administrative fees of the trust payable to
them, and Financial Security, to the extent of any Unreimbursed Insurer Amounts.
In addition, the rights of the holders of notes to receive distributions with
respect to the Contracts will be subject to the priorities set forth under
"-- Distributions on the Notes -- Deposits to the Distribution Accounts;
Priority of Payments." Such priorities and subordination are intended to enhance
the likelihood of timely receipt by holders of notes of the full amount of
interest and principal required to be paid to them, and to afford such holders
of notes limited protection against losses in respect of the Contracts.
The Spread Account. In the event of delinquencies or losses on the
Contracts, the foregoing protection will be affected both by the preferential
right of the holders of the notes to receive current distributions with respect
to the Contracts and by the establishment of the spread account, which is a
segregated trust account in the name of the indenture trustee. The spread
account will be part of the trust. The indenture trustee will have a perfected
security interest in the spread account and in all amounts deposited in or
credited to the spread account as well as all investments made with such
deposits and earnings. The spread account will be created with an initial cash
deposit in the amount of $30,000,000, which amount is the spread account initial
deposit. The spread account will thereafter be funded by the deposit therein of
any excess amounts in respect of each distribution date, until the amount on
deposit in the spread account is at least equal to the specified spread account
balance.
Amounts held from time to time in the spread account will continue to be
held for the benefit of holders of the notes and Financial Security and those
amounts will be invested in eligible investments acceptable to the rating
agencies. Investment income on monies on deposit in the spread account will be
credited to the spread account. Any investment losses will be charged to the
spread account.
Calculation of Specified Spread Account Balance. The Specified Spread
Account Balance will be calculated as of each Calculation Day, and will equal
5.0% of the Aggregate Scheduled Balance on such Calculation Day. However, if on
any Calculation Day (i) the Charge-Off Percentage for the three calendar month
period ending on that Calculation Day exceeds 4.0% or (ii) the Delinquency
Percentage for the three calendar month period ending on that calculation day
exceeds 2.0%, then the Specified
S-26
<PAGE> 27
Spread Account Balance shall equal 9.0% of the Aggregate Scheduled Balance on
that calculation day, but only for so long as such Charge-Off Percentage or
Delinquency Percentage thresholds continue to be exceeded on any subsequent
calculation day). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event can the specified
spread account balance be greater than $90,000,000, or 9.0% of the Aggregate
Scheduled Balance as of the Cut- Off Date, or less than $18,000,000, the amount
required by the rating agencies and Financial Security; provided, however, it
shall not be greater than the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the
notes if that amount is less than $18,000,000. At no time after the closing date
will the seller, the master servicer, Financial Security or any other entity be
required to deposit their own funds into the spread account.
The master servicer may, from time to time after the date of this
prospectus supplement, and with the approval of Financial Security, request the
rating agencies to approve a formula for determining the Specified Spread
Account Balance that is different from that described above and would result in
a decrease in the amount of the Specified Spread Account Balance or the manner
by which the spread account is funded. If each Rating Agency delivers a letter
to the indenture trustee, the owner trustee and Financial Security to the effect
that the use of any new formulation will not in and of itself result in a
qualification, reduction or withdrawal of its then-current rating of any class
of notes, without giving effect to the guaranty under the note policy of
payments owing to the holders of the notes, then the Specified Spread Account
Balance will be determined in accordance with such new formula. The sale and
servicing agreement will accordingly be amended to reflect that new calculation
without the consent of any noteholder.
WITHDRAWALS FROM THE SPREAD ACCOUNT AND PAYMENTS UNDER THE NOTE POLICY
Simultaneously with the issuance of the notes, Financial Security will
deliver the note policy to the indenture trustee for the benefit of each holder
of the notes. Under the note policy, Financial Security will unconditionally and
irrevocably guarantee to the indenture trustee for the benefit of each holder of
notes the full and complete payment of (i) Scheduled Payments on the notes and
(ii) the amount of any Scheduled Payment which subsequently is avoided in whole
or in part as a preference payment under applicable law.
On each distribution date on which the Note Distributable Amount exceeds
the amount then on deposit in the note distribution account in respect of the
related Due Period, the holders of the notes will be entitled to receive that
deficiency, including amounts necessary to reduce the outstanding principal
balance of a given class of notes to zero on the related final scheduled
distribution date, first, from amounts on deposit in the spread account, and
second, if those amounts are insufficient, from the payment of a claim under the
note policy.
If the amount on deposit in the spread account on any Calculation Day or
any distribution date, after giving effect to all deposits thereto or
withdrawals therefrom on that distribution date, is greater than the Specified
Spread Account Balance, the indenture trustee will distribute any excess first,
to Financial Security, to the extent of any Unreimbursed Insurer Amounts, and
then to the seller, or such other holders of the certificates.
Upon any distributions to Financial Security, the seller or the master
servicer, the holders of the notes will have no further rights in, or claims to,
such amounts. None of the holders of the notes, the indenture trustee, the owner
trustee, the seller, the master servicer or Financial Security will be required
to refund any amounts properly distributed or paid to them, whether or not there
are sufficient funds on any subsequent distribution date to make full
distributions to the holders of the notes. The obligations of Financial Security
under the note policy will not be diminished or otherwise affected by any
amounts distributed to Financial Security.
TERMINATION
The obligations of the master servicer, the seller, the owner trustee and
indenture trustee pursuant to the Trust Agreement, sale and servicing agreement
and the Indenture will terminate upon the earliest to
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<PAGE> 28
occur of (i) the maturity or other liquidation of the last Contract and the
disposition of any amounts received upon liquidation of any property remaining
in the trust, or (ii) the payment to you of all amounts required to be paid to
you pursuant to such agreements as to all classes of notes, whether as the
result of an Optional Repurchase of Contracts, Optional Purchase of Contracts or
otherwise.
The indenture trustee will give you written notice of termination at least
20 days prior to termination. The final distribution to you will be made only
upon surrender and cancellation of your notes at the office or agency of the
indenture trustee specified in the notice of termination. Any funds remaining in
the trust at least 18 months after the date of termination and after the
indenture trustee has attempted to locate a holder of the notes and such
measures have failed, will be distributed to a charity designated by the master
servicer.
PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
The following information supplements the discussion of prepayment
considerations associated with the purchase of notes under "Certain Information
Regarding the Securities -- Prepayment Considerations" in the prospectus. No
assurance can be given that the Contracts will experience any specific rate of
prepayment. WFS does not maintain specific records which would suggest any
difference in prepayment rate for Rule of 78's Contracts as compared with simple
interest contracts.
CAPITALIZATION OF FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC.
The following table sets forth the capitalization of Financial Security and
its subsidiaries as of June 30, 2000 on the basis of accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JUNE 30, 2000
--------------
(IN THOUSANDS)
<S> <C>
Deferred Premium Revenue (net of prepaid reinsurance
premiums)................................................. $ 574,825
----------
Surplus Notes............................................... 120,000
----------
Minority Interest........................................... 34,054
----------
Shareholder's Equity:
Common Stock.............................................. 15,000
Additional Paid-In Capital................................ 841,036
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (net of deferred
income taxes).......................................... 662
Accumulated Earnings...................................... 520,869
----------
Total Shareholder's Equity................................ 1,377,567
----------
Total Deferred Premium Revenue, Surplus Notes, Minority
Interest and Shareholder's Equity......................... $2,106,446
==========
</TABLE>
For further information regarding Financial Security, see the prospectus
and the documents incorporated therein by reference. Financial Security's
financial statements are included as exhibits to the annual reports on Form 10-K
and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission by Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd., or Holdings, and may
be reviewed at the EDGAR web site maintained by the Securities and Exchange
Commission and at Holding's website, http://www.FSA.com. Copies of the statutory
quarterly and annual statements filed with the State of New York Insurance
Department by Financial Security are available upon request to the State of New
York Insurance Department.
Financial Security is a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Security
Assurance Holdings Ltd., which is referred to in the prospectus as Holdings.
Holdings is an indirect subsidiary of Dexia S.A., a publicly held Belgian
corporation. Dexia S.A., through its bank subsidiaries, is primarily engaged in
the business of public finance in France, Belgium and other European countries.
No shareholder of Holdings is obligated
S-28
<PAGE> 29
to pay any debt of Financial Security or any claim under any insurance policy
issued by Financial Security or to make any additional contribution to the
capital of Financial Security.
THE SELLER
WFSRC is a wholly owned, limited-purpose service corporation of WFS, and
was incorporated under the laws of the State of California on December 22, 1999.
The principal office of WFSRC is 6655 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada
89146. WFSRC's telephone number is (702) 227-8100.
WFSRC was organized principally for the purpose of purchasing retail
installment sales contracts and installment loans from WFS in connection with
its activities as a finance subsidiary of WFS. WFSRC has not and will not engage
in any activity other than (1) acquiring, owning, holding, selling,
transferring, assigning, pledging or otherwise dealing in installment sales
contracts and installment loans secured by vehicles or (ii) originating one or
more grantor or owner trusts owning installment sales contracts and installment
loans secured by vehicles.
WFSRC's Articles of Incorporation limit the activities of WFSRC to the
above purposes and to any activities incidental to and necessary for such
purposes.
BREACH OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; DEFECTIVE CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION
In the sale and servicing agreement, the seller will make certain
representations and warranties with respect to each Contract transferred by it
to the trust as of the closing date, including but not limited to, perfection,
validity, enforceability of and the absence of liens prior to the security
interest granted pursuant to each Contract, title of the trust in and to the
Contracts, validity and enforceability of the Contracts as against the related
obligors, and collision and comprehensive insurance coverage related to each
financed vehicle. If any of those representations and warranties is found to
have been incorrect as of the time it was made or any document evidencing or
securing a Contract is found to be defective or not to be contained in the
Contract files, the seller must cure the defect or eliminate or otherwise cure
the circumstances or condition in respect of which such representation or
warranty is incorrect within 90 days of the discovery thereof. If the defect is
not cured within that 90-day period, the seller must repurchase the Contract
affected by the defect at a price equal to the outstanding principal amount of
that Contract plus accrued interest thereon to the last due date in the Due
Period in which the repurchase occurs.
WFS
GENERAL
WFS Financial Inc., referred to in this prospectus supplement as "WFS" or,
in its capacity as Master Servicer, the "master servicer", is an auto finance
company incorporated in California in 1988. WFS purchases contracts in both the
prime and non-prime credit quality segments of the auto finance market. During
the year ended December 31, 1999 and for the nine months ended September 30,
2000, WFS purchased approximately 70% and 68% of its contracts from the prime
credit quality segment and 30% and 32% from the non-prime segment. WFS purchases
the majority of its contracts from franchised dealers and to a lesser extent
from independent dealers. During the year ended December 31, 1999 and for the
nine months ended September 30, 2000, contracts for new and used vehicles
represented 24% and 76%, and 24%, and 76%, respectively, of WFS' volume of
contracts purchased.
WFS is an operating subsidiary of Western Financial Bank. As an operating
subsidiary, WFS is subject to regulation and supervision by the Office of Thrift
Supervision and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. At December 31, 1999
and September 30, 2000, WFS had total assets of $2.1 billion and $2.8 billion,
respectively, total liabilities of $1.9 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively,
and stockholders' equity of $212 million and $299 million, respectively. At
December 31, 1999 and September 30, 2000, WFS' portfolio of contracts serviced,
net of dealers participation, totaled approximately $5.4 billion and $6.5
billion, respectively.
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<PAGE> 30
WFS' revenues are derived principally from contractual servicing fees, the
retained interest on contracts sold for which servicing is retained, interest on
contracts not sold and fee income including late fees, deferment fees,
documentation fees and other fees, and, to a lesser extent, gain on other
investments. Interest on borrowings and general and administrative costs are
WFS' major expense items.
The principal executive offices of WFS are located at 23 Pasteur, Irvine,
California 92618 and its telephone number is (949) 727-1002.
BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
WFS is engaged principally in the business of originating contracts secured
by automobiles and light duty trucks from new and used car dealers and the
public. WFS currently conducts its operations through its principal office and
44 production offices nationwide.
LITIGATION
WFS is a party to legal actions arising from its activities as an
automobile finance company. Some of those actions purport to be brought as
consumer class actions and seek money damages and rescission of contracts. None
of those actions name any securitization trust which has acquired contracts
originated by WFS. WFS is vigorously defending those actions and does not
anticipate that any of those actions will have an affect upon its ability to
perform its obligations as master servicer or will have an affect upon the trust
to be created in connection with the notes offered by this prospectus
supplement. See in the prospectus "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Contracts -- Repurchase Obligation".
WESTERN FINANCIAL BANK
GENERAL
Western Financial Bank is a federally chartered savings association. At
December 31, 1999 and September 30, 2000, Western Financial Bank had total
assets of $4.5 billion and $5.6 billion, total deposits of $2.2 billion and $2.6
billion and stockholder's equity of $351 million and $445 million on a generally
accepted accounting principles basis. Western Financial Bank is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Westcorp. Westcorp is a financial services holding company which
operates principally through Western Financial Bank, its wholly owned
subsidiary, and through WFS.
As a federally chartered savings association, Western Financial Bank is
subject to regulation and supervision by the Office of Thrift Supervision and
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Western Financial Bank is a member of
the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.
The principal executive office of Western Financial Bank is located at
15750 Alton Parkway, Irvine, California 92618 and its telephone number is (949)
727-1100.
BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
Western Financial Bank provides a wide range of financial services through
its community banking group which includes retail and commercial operations.
Retail banking services are available through a network of 25 retail banking
offices located throughout California. Commercial banking operations target
selected southern California markets. Western Financial Bank maintains an
ownership interest in WFS which exceeds 82 percent.
S-30
<PAGE> 31
UNDERWRITING
Subject to certain conditions contained in an underwriting agreement, among
Salomon Smith Barney Inc., Banc of America Securities LLC, Credit Suisse First
Boston Corporation and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., for whom Salomon Smith
Barney Inc. is acting as representative, the underwriters have agreed to
severally purchase from the seller, and the seller has agreed to sell to the
underwriters, the respective principal amounts of each class of notes as set
forth opposite their names below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL
AMOUNT AMOUNT AMOUNT AMOUNT
OF CLASS A-1 OF CLASS A-2 OF CLASS A-3 OF CLASS A-4
UNDERWRITER NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES TOTAL
----------- ------------ ------------ ------------ -------------- --------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Salomon Smith Barney Inc. .............. $ 43,500,000 $ 59,000,000 $ 85,000,000 $ 62,500,000 $ 250,000,000
Banc of America Securities LLC.......... 43,500,000 59,000,000 85,000,000 62,500,000 250,000,000
Credit Suisse First Boston
Corporation........................... 43,500,000 59,000,000 85,000,000 62,500,000 250,000,000
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. .......... 43,500,000 59,000,000 85,000,000 62,500,000 250,000,000
------------ ------------ ------------ -------------- --------------
Total................................. $174,000,000 $236,000,000 $340,000,000 $ 250,000,000 $1,000,000,000
============ ============ ============ ============== ==============
</TABLE>
The seller has been advised by the representative that the underwriters
propose initially to offer the notes to the public at the public offering prices
set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and to certain dealers
at those prices less a concession not in excess of the respective amounts in the
following table. The underwriters may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a
discount not in excess of the respective amounts set forth in the following
table.
After the initial public offering, the public offering prices of the notes
and these concessions and discounts may be changed.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SELLING REALLOWANCE
CLASS CONCESSION DISCOUNT
----- ---------- -----------
<S> <C> <C>
Class A-1 Notes............................................. 0.080% 0.065%
Class A-2 Notes............................................. 0.110% 0.085%
Class A-3 Notes............................................. 0.130% 0.100%
Class A-4 Notes............................................. 0.150% 0.125%
</TABLE>
The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the
underwriters are subject to approval of certain legal matters by counsel and to
various other conditions. In the underwriting agreement, the several
underwriters have agreed, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the
underwriting agreement, to severally purchase all the notes offered hereby if
any of the notes are purchased. In the event of a default under the underwriting
agreement by any underwriter, the underwriting agreement provides that, in some
circumstances, purchase commitments of the non-defaulting underwriters may be
increased or the underwriting agreement may be terminated.
The seller and WFS have agreed to jointly and severally indemnify the
underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under applicable
securities laws, or contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to
make in respect thereof.
The representative of the underwriters has informed the seller that it does
not expect discretionary sales by the underwriters to exceed 5% of the principal
amount of notes being offered hereby.
Affiliates of Banc of America Securities LLC and Deutsche Bank Securities
Inc. have provided commercial banking services from time to time to WFS and its
affiliates.
The underwriters may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions,
syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Over-allotment involves
syndicate sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a syndicate short
position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying
security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.
Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open
market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate
short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling
concession from a syndicate
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<PAGE> 32
member when the securities originally sold by such syndicate member are
purchased in a syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short
positions. Such stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and
penalty bids may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would be
in the absence of such transactions.
The closing of the sale of the notes is conditioned on the issuance of the
certificates.
Upon receipt of a request by an investor who has received an electronic
prospectus from an underwriter or a request by the investor's representative
within the period during which there is an obligation to deliver a prospectus,
the seller or the underwriters will promptly deliver, or cause to be delivered,
without charge, a paper copy of the prospectus.
We are not offering the notes in any state where the offer of such
securities is not permitted.
Until February 5, 2001, all dealers that buy, sell or trade the notes may
be required to deliver a prospectus and this prospectus supplement, regardless
of whether they are participating in the offer. This is in addition to the
obligation of dealers to deliver a prospectus and this prospectus supplement
when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or
subscriptions.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters with respect to the notes, including certain federal
and California income tax matters, will be passed upon for the seller by
Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp LLP, Los Angeles, California. Brown & Wood LLP, San
Francisco, California will act as counsel for the underwriters. Certain legal
matters relating to the note policy will be passed upon for Financial Security
by Bruce E. Stern, Esq., General Counsel, Financial Security or an Associate
General Counsel of Financial Security and by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, New
York, New York.
EXPERTS
The consolidated balance sheets of Financial Security Assurance Inc. and
Subsidiaries as of December 31, 1999 and 1998 and the related consolidated
statements of income, changes in shareholder's equity and cash flows for each of
the three years in the period ended December 31, 1999, incorporated by reference
in this prospectus supplement, have been incorporated herein in reliance on the
report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants, given on the
authority of that firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
All reports and other documents filed by WFS, as master servicer, on behalf
of the seller, or on behalf of the trust, or by WFSRC, as registrant, and the
financial statements of Financial Security Assurance, Inc. and Subsidiaries
included in, or as exhibits to, documents filed by Financial Security Assurance
Holdings Ltd. (including specifically the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 1999 and the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the
quarterly periods ended March 31, 2000 and June 30, 2000, as filed in each case
pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Act of 1934, as
amended, and those filed subsequent to the date of this prospectus supplement
and prior to the termination of the offering of the notes offered hereby, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and
the prospectus and to be a part hereof from the respective dates of filing such
documents. Any statement contained herein or in a document all or a portion of
which is incorporated herein by this reference shall be deemed to be modified or
superseded for purposes of this prospectus supplement and the prospectus to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document
which is or is also deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall
not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
prospectus supplement.
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by
reference in this prospectus supplement and the prospectus. We have not
authorized anyone to provide you with different information.
The seller on behalf of the trust hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
trust's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
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<PAGE> 33
Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and each filing of the
financial statements of Financial Security Assurance Inc. included in or as an
exhibit to the annual report of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd. filed
pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 that is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.
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<PAGE> 34
GLOSSARY
"Aggregate Scheduled Balance" means the sum of the Scheduled Balances of
the outstanding Contracts.
"Aggregate Scheduled Balance Decline" means, with respect to any
distribution date, the amount by which the Aggregate Scheduled Balance as of the
beginning of the related Due Period -- or in the case of the first distribution
date, as of the cut-off date -- exceeds the Aggregate Scheduled Balance as of
the end of such Due Period.
"Base Price" means the base amount payable in respect of the Notes upon the
exercise by WFSRC of an Optional Repurchase, as described under "The
Notes -- Optional Repurchase."
"Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on
which banking institutions in New York, New York, Wilmington, Delaware or Los
Angeles, California are authorized or obligated by law, executive order or
government decree to be closed.
"Calculation Day" means the last day of each month.
"Charge-Off Percentage" means, with respect to any three calendar month
period, the annualized percentage equivalent of the average of the percentages
of charged-off Contracts for each month in such period. The percentage of
charged-off Contracts for each month shall be the percentage equivalent of a
fraction. The numerator of that fraction will be the Aggregate Scheduled Balance
for that month of all Contracts that have become Liquidated Contracts, as
specified in clause (ii) or (iv) of the definition of Liquidated Contracts,
during that month, less any net liquidation proceeds received during that month,
and not reflected in prior periods, with respect to those Contracts or from any
Contracts charged-off in prior periods. The denominator of that fraction will
consist of the Aggregate Scheduled Balance of all outstanding Contracts as of
the end of the immediately preceding month.
"Contracts" means the retail installment sales contracts and installment
loans originated or purchased by WFS that have been subsequently purchased by
WFSRC and transferred to the trust.
"Cut-Off Date" means the opening of business on November 1, 2000.
"Cut-Off Date Aggregate Scheduled Balance" means $1,000,000,000.
"Defaulted Contract" means, with respect to any Due Period, a Contract
either which is, at the end of such Due Period, delinquent in the amount of at
least two monthly payments, or with respect to which the related financed
vehicle has been repossessed or repossession efforts have been commenced.
"Delinquency Percentage" means, with respect to any three calendar month
period, the average of the percentages of delinquent Contracts for each month in
that period. The percentage of delinquent contracts for each month shall be the
percentage equivalent of a fraction. The numerator of that fraction will consist
of the sum of (i) the Aggregate Scheduled Balance of all outstanding Contracts
61 days or more delinquent, after taking into account permitted extensions, plus
(ii) the Aggregate Scheduled Balance of all Contracts in respect of which the
related financed vehicles have been repossessed but have not been liquidated, to
the extent the related Contract is not otherwise reflected in clause (i) above.
The denominator of that fraction will consist of the Aggregate Scheduled Balance
of all outstanding Contracts.
"Due Period" means, with respect to any distribution date, the three-month
period commencing on the first day of the third month preceding the month in
which that distribution date occurs -- or in the case of the first distribution
date, commencing on the cut-off date -- to the last day of the month immediately
preceding the month in which that distribution date occurs.
"Event of Default" means an event of default under the Indenture described
under "The Notes -- Events of Default."
"Indenture" means the Indenture, dated as of November 1, 2000, among the
trust, Financial Security and the indenture trustee.
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<PAGE> 35
"Insolvency Event" means certain events of insolvency, readjustment of
debt, marshaling of assets and liabilities or similar proceedings and certain
action by the seller or the master servicer indicating its insolvency,
reorganization pursuant to bankruptcy or similar proceedings or inability to pay
its obligations.
"Insurer Default" means, with respect to Financial Security, either failure
to perform any of its obligations under the note policy, or certain events of
bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or liquidations.
"Interest Period" means, with respect to any distribution date and (i) the
Class A-1 Notes, the period from and including the most recent distribution date
(or from and including the Cut-Off Date with respect to the first distribution
date) to but excluding the current distribution date and (ii) the Class A-2,
Class A-3 and Class A-4 Notes, the period from and including the 20th day of the
month of the prior distribution data (or from and including the Cut-Off Date
with respect to the first distribution date) to but excluding the 20th day of
the month of the current distribution date.
"Liquidated Contract" means, a Contract that (i) has been repurchased by
the seller or the master servicer or as to which all of the principal has been
paid prior to its scheduled maturity; (ii) is a Defaulted Contract with respect
to which the related financed vehicle was repossessed and, after any cure period
required by law has expired, the master servicer has charged-off any losses
prior to the four-month period referenced in clause (iv) below; (iii) has been
paid in full on or after its scheduled maturity; or (iv) is delinquent as to all
or part of four or more monthly principal and interest payments. Contracts that
become Liquidated Contracts pursuant to clause (ii) or (iv) above and any
collections thereon will thereupon no longer be part of the trust, although
collections thereon will be deposited in the collection account.
"Net Collections" means all payments received by the master servicer on or
in respect of the Contracts due on or after the cut-off date, including: (i)
prepayments, net liquidation proceeds and net insurance proceeds, (ii) amounts
paid upon purchase or repurchase of Contracts, and (iii) any advances that may
be made by the master servicer in respect of delinquent Contracts, which amounts
are in each instance net of late payments in respect of which the master
servicer has previously made an advance or reimbursement to the master servicer
for nonrecoverable advances.
"Note Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any distribution date,
the sum of the Note Principal Distributable Amount and the Note Interest
Distributable Amount.
"Note Interest Carryover Shortfall" means, with respect to any distribution
date and a class of notes, the excess, if any, of the sum of the Note Quarterly
Interest Distributable Amount for that class for the immediately preceding
distribution date plus any outstanding Note Interest Carryover Shortfall for
that class on such preceding distribution date, over the amount in respect of
interest that is actually deposited in the note distribution account with
respect to that class on that preceding distribution date, plus, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, interest on the amount of interest due but not paid
to holders of such class of notes on that preceding distribution date at the
related interest rate for the related Interest Period.
"Note Interest Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any
distribution date and a class of notes, the sum of the Note Quarterly Interest
Distributable Amount and the Note Interest Carryover Shortfall for such class of
notes for that distribution date.
"Note Principal Carryover Shortfall" means, as of the close of any
distribution date, the excess of the sum of the Note Quarterly Principal
Distributable Amount and any outstanding Note Principal Carryover Shortfall for
the immediately preceding distribution date over the amount in respect of
principal that is actually deposited in the note distribution account on that
distribution date.
"Note Principal Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any
distribution date, the sum of the Note Quarterly Principal Distributable Amount
for that distribution date and any outstanding Note Principal Carryover
Shortfall for the immediately preceding distribution date; provided, however,
that the Note Principal Distributable Amount with respect to a class of notes
shall not exceed the outstanding principal amount of such class of notes.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Note Principal Distributable Amount on each
final scheduled distribution date shall not be less than the amount that is
necessary (after
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<PAGE> 36
giving effect to other amounts to be deposited in the note distribution account
on each distribution date and allocable to principal) to reduce the outstanding
principal amount of the related class of notes to zero.
"Note Quarterly Interest Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any
distribution date, the sum of all interest due on the outstanding notes for the
interest period related to that distribution date. Interest will be calculated
based on the outstanding principal amount of each class of notes on the
immediately preceding distribution date, after giving effect to all payments of
principal to holders of that class of notes on or prior to that distribution
date, or, in the case of the first distribution date, on the original principal
amount of that class of notes.
"Note Quarterly Principal Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any
distribution date, the Principal Distributable Amount for that distribution
date.
"Note Pool Factor" for each class of notes means a six-digit decimal which
the master servicer will compute prior to each distribution date indicating the
unpaid principal amount of each class of notes, after giving effect to payments
to be made on that distribution date, as a fraction of the initial outstanding
principal amount of that class of notes.
"Optional Purchase" means the exercise by WFSRC to purchase all outstanding
Contracts from the Trust on any distribution date as of which the aggregate
principal balance of the Simple Interest Contracts plus the aggregate of the
present value of the remaining monthly principal and initial payments on the
Rule of 78's contracts is equal to or less than $100,000,000.
"Optional Repurchase" means the exercise by WFSRC to repurchase all
outstanding Contracts from the Trust on any distribution date as of which the
aggregate principal balance of the Simple Interest Contracts plus the aggregate
of the present value of the remaining monthly principal and initial payments on
the Rule of 78's Contracts is equal to or less than $200,000,000.
"Principal Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any distribution
date, the sum of (i) the Aggregate Scheduled Balance Decline for such
distribution date, plus (ii) the Aggregate Scheduled Balance as of such
distribution date of all Contracts that became Liquidated Contracts pursuant to
clause (i), (ii) or (iv) of the definition of the term "Liquidated Contract"
during the related Due Period.
"Rating Agency" means Moody's Investors Service Inc. and Standard & Poor's,
a Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
"Repurchase Premium" means the repurchase premium payable in respect of the
Notes upon the exercise by WFSRC of an Optional Repurchase, as described under
"The Notes -- Optional Repurchase."
"Rule of 78's Contract" means, a Contract that provides for the payment by
the obligor of a specified total number of payments, payable in equal monthly
installments, which total represents the interest in an amount calculated by
using the Rule of 78's. Under the Rule of 78's, the amount of a monthly payment
allocable to interest on a Contract is determined by multiplying the total
amount of interest payable over the term of the Contract by a fraction. The
denominator of that fraction consists of a number equal to the sum of a series
of numbers representing the number of each monthly payment due under the
Contract. For example, with a Contract providing for 12 payments, the
denominator of each month's fraction will be 78, the sum of a series of numbers
from 1 to 12. Accordingly, in the example of a twelve payment Contract, the
fraction for the first payment is 12/78, for the second payment 11/78, for the
third payment 10/78, and so on through the final payment, for which the fraction
is 1/78. The numerator of that fraction, for a given month, consists of the
number of payments remaining before the maturity of the Contract. The applicable
fraction is then multiplied by the total add-on interest payment over the entire
term of the Contract, and the resulting amount is the amount of add-on interest
earned that month. The difference between the amount of the monthly payment by
the obligor and the amount of earned add-on interest calculated for the month is
applied to the principal reduction. Under the law of Texas, a similar procedure
is permitted for calculating the amount of add-on interest earned, except the
fraction is derived by using the sum of monthly payments rather than the sum of
the number of months (the "sum of the balances"). As a Contract using either the
Rule of 78's or the sum of the balances method to compute interest earned
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<PAGE> 37
is payable in equal monthly payments, the mathematical result is substantially
identical under either system. Accordingly, for purposes of convenience, the
term "Rule of 78's" is used in this prospectus supplement in referring to
Contracts with add-on interest regardless of which system is used to calculate
interest earned.
"Sale and Servicing Agreement" means the Sale and Servicing Agreement,
dated as of November 1, 2000, among the seller, the master servicer and the
trust.
"Scheduled Balance" means, with respect to (i) a Rule of 78's Contract, the
present value of the remaining scheduled payments of monthly principal and
interest due on that Contract discounted on a monthly basis as described below.
The Scheduled Balance of a simple interest contract will be its actual principal
balance. The monthly principal and interest for a Contract will be the
installment of principal and interest due each month, each such date being a due
date, and will be substantially equal for the term of the Contract. The
Scheduled Balance of a Rule of 78's contract for the cut-off date and each due
date will be set forth in a schedule to the sale and servicing agreement and
will be equal to the present value, determined as discussed below, at each of
those dates of all payments of monthly principal and interest on the Contract
that are due after that due date. That present value will be determined by
discounting, on a monthly basis, each payment of monthly principal and interest
from the last day of the month in which that payment of monthly principal and
interest is due to the first day of the month in which that due date occurs,
using a discount rate that will produce a present value at the cut-off date
equal to the outstanding principal balance of the Contract as of the cut-off
date.
"Scheduled Payments" means, with respect to any distribution date, payments
which are scheduled to be made on the notes during the term of the note policy
in accordance with the original terms of the notes when issued and without
regard to any subsequent amendment or modification of the notes or of the
indenture except amendments or modifications to which Financial Security has
given its prior written consent in an amount equal to (i) the Note Interest
Distributable Amount and (ii) the Note Principal Distributable Amount. Scheduled
Payments will not include (i) payments which become due on an accelerated basis
as a result of (a) a default by the trust, (b) any election to pay principal on
an accelerated basis, (c) the occurrence of an event of default under the
indenture or (d) any other cause, unless Financial Security elects, in its sole
discretion, to pay in whole or in part such principal due upon acceleration,
together with any accrued interest to the date of acceleration or (ii) any
premium payable in connection with the exercise by the seller of its optional
repurchase option. If Financial Security does not so elect, the note policy will
continue to guarantee Scheduled Payments on the notes in accordance with their
original terms. Scheduled Payments shall not include any portion of a Note
Interest Distributable Amount due to holders of the notes because a notice and
certificate in proper form was not timely received by Financial Security unless,
in each case, Financial Security elects, in its sole discretion, to pay such
amount in whole or in part. Scheduled Payments shall not include any amounts due
in respect of the notes attributable to any increase in interest rate, penalty
or other sum payable by the trust by reason of any default or any event of
default in respect of the notes, or by reason of any deterioration of the
creditworthiness of the trust. Scheduled Payments shall also not include, nor
shall coverage be provided under the note policy in respect of, any tax,
withholding or other charge with respect to any holder of the notes imposed by
any governmental authority due in connection with the payment of any Scheduled
Payment to a holder of the notes.
"Servicing Fee" means the dollar value of the Servicing Fee Percent plus
all late payment charges, extension fees and similar items paid in respect of
the Contracts in addition to the amount, if any, by which the outstanding
principal balance of a Contract that is prepaid in full prior to its maturity
exceeds its Scheduled Balance of that Contract. The master servicer will
determine when an extension is to be granted, subject to the limitations
described under "The Master Servicer -- Collection of Payments".
"Servicing Fee Percent" means compensation the master servicer shall be
entitled to receive for each Contract from the monthly principal and interest
paid in or in respect of that Contract in an amount equal to one-twelfth of
1.25% per annum of the Scheduled Balance of that Contract for the related month
in respect of which the monthly principal and interest for that month has been
collected or advanced.
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"Simple Interest Contract" means a Contract as to which interest is
calculated each day on the basis of the actual principal balance of that
Contract on that day.
"Specified Spread Account Balance" means the amount required to be on
deposit in the Spread Account, calculated as described under "Certain
Information Regarding the Securities -- Payment Priorities of the Notes; The
Spread Account -- Calculation of Specified Spread Account Balance".
"Unreimbursed Insurer Amounts" means any unreimbursed fees expenses or
other amounts owing to Financial Security under the insurance agreement pursuant
to which the note policy is issued.
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<PAGE> 39
PROSPECTUS
AUTO RECEIVABLE BACKED SECURITIES, ISSUABLE IN SERIES
WFS FINANCIAL AUTO LOANS, INC.
AND
WFS RECEIVABLES CORPORATION,
SELLERS
WFS FINANCIAL INC
MASTER SERVICER
------------------
THE SECURITIES TO BE SOLD:
- will be asset-backed securities issued from time to time in one or more
series;
- will be backed by one or more pools of automobile loans held by the issuer;
- will be rated in one of the four highest rating categories by at least one
nationally recognized statistical rating organization; and
- will have the benefit of one or more forms of credit enhancement, such as an
insurance policy, overcollateralization, subordination or spread account
funds.
THE ASSETS:
The securities are automobile loan asset-backed securities issued by a
trust. The assets of each trust will consist of a pool of retail installment
sales contracts secured by new or used automobiles or light duty trucks, and
other assets specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.
YOU SHOULD CAREFULLY REVIEW THE RISK FACTORS BEGINNING ON PAGE 10 OF THIS
PROSPECTUS AS WELL AS THOSE IN THE RELATED PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.
The securities are not obligations of WFS Financial Auto Loans, Inc., WFS
Receivables Corporation, WFS Financial Inc or any of their affiliates, nor are
the securities insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other
governmental agency on instrumentality.
This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of securities unless
accompanied by the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of these
securities.
NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR DETERMINED IF THIS
PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A
CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
The date of this prospectus is November 6, 2000.
<PAGE> 40
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION
PRESENTED IN THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission utilizing a "shelf" registration process.
Under this shelf process, we may sell any combination of the securities
described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides
you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell
securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific
information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also
add, update or enhance information contained in this prospectus. You should read
both this prospectus and the related prospectus supplement.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement in connection with the
securities being offered in this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of the
registration statement but does not contain all of the information included in
the registration statement. Some information in this prospectus is not complete
and refers you to exhibits and schedules contained in the registration statement
and to documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You can review
and copy the registration statement at the following locations:
- Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Room 1024, Washington, D.C.
20549
- Citicorp Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois
60661
- 7 World Trade Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048
- http://www.sec.gov.
If you purchase securities you will also be provided with unaudited
quarterly and annual reports concerning the automobile loan contracts which back
the securities.
You should rely on the information contained in or incorporated by
reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with
different information.
WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION IN THESE DOCUMENTS
We have included cross-references to captions in this prospectus and the
related prospectus supplement where you can find further related discussions. We
have started with an introductory section describing each trust, and an
abbreviated discussion of terms, of which some will apply to every offering
while others will vary depending on the nature of the particular offering. A
more complete description of terms follows the abbreviated discussion.
Cross-references may be contained in the introductory section which will
direct you elsewhere in this prospectus. You can also find references to key
topics in the Table of Contents.
WFS, as master servicer, will provide without charge to each person to whom
a copy of this prospectus is delivered, including any beneficial owner of notes,
on the written or oral request of any such person, a copy of any or all of the
documents incorporated herein by reference, except the exhibits to such
documents (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in
such documents). Requests for such copies should be directed to Secretary, WFS
Financial Inc, 23 Pasteur, Irvine, California 92618 or by calling (949)
727-1002.
2
<PAGE> 41
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PAGE
----
<S> <C>
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION
PRESENTED IN THIS PROSPECTUS....... 2
WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION IN THESE
DOCUMENTS.......................... 2
SUMMARY OF TERMS..................... 5
The Parties........................ 5
The Offered Securities............. 5
The Trust Property................. 6
The Contracts...................... 6
Redemption of Securities and
Repurchase of Contracts......... 8
Tax Status......................... 9
ERISA Considerations............... 9
RISK FACTORS......................... 10
Absence of Secondary Market for the
Notes Could Limit Your Ability
to Resell the Notes............. 10
Prepayments on the Contracts Could
Cause You to Be Paid Earlier
Than You Expected, Which May
Adversely Affect Your Yield to
Maturity........................ 10
Possession of the Contracts by WFS
Combined with the Insolvency of
WFS May Cause Your Payments to
Be Reduced or Delayed........... 10
Losses and Delinquencies on the
Contracts May Differ from WFS'
Historical Loss and Delinquency
Levels.......................... 11
Noteholders Have No Recourse
Against WFS or WFSRC for
Losses.......................... 11
GLOSSARY OF DEFINED TERMS............ 12
FORMATION OF THE TRUST............... 12
General............................ 12
Capitalization..................... 13
Interest Rate and Currency Swaps... 13
Prefunding Account................. 14
The Owner Trustee.................. 14
THE CONTRACTS POOL................... 14
Underwriting Procedures Relating to
the Contracts................... 14
Servicing of Contracts............. 16
POOL FACTORS AND TRADING
INFORMATION........................ 17
THE NOTES............................ 17
General............................ 17
Payments of Interest and
Principal....................... 17
Optional Repurchase................ 17
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PAGE
----
<S> <C>
Prepayment Following Optional
Repurchase...................... 18
Optional Purchase.................. 18
The Indenture Trustee.............. 18
Events of Default.................. 18
CERTAIN INFORMATION REGARDING THE
SECURITIES......................... 19
Book-Entry Registration............ 19
Definitive Notes................... 20
Payments on the Contracts.......... 21
The Accounts and Eligible
Investments..................... 22
Distributions on the Notes......... 22
Payment Priorities of the Notes;
The Spread Account.............. 23
Withdrawals from the Spread
Account......................... 23
Payments from the Spread Account
and Under the Note Policy....... 24
Statements to Noteholders.......... 24
Evidence as to Compliance.......... 25
Certain Matters Regarding the
Master Servicer................. 25
Servicer Default................... 26
Rights Upon Servicer Default....... 27
Waiver of Past Defaults............ 27
Voting Interests................... 28
Amendment.......................... 28
List of Noteholders................ 30
No Bankruptcy Proceedings.......... 30
Termination........................ 30
The Trustees....................... 31
Duties of the Trustees............. 31
Administration Agreement........... 32
Prepayment Considerations.......... 32
THE NOTE POLICY...................... 33
Other Terms of the Note Policy..... 33
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC..... 35
General............................ 35
Reinsurance........................ 35
Ratings............................ 35
Capitalization..................... 36
Insurance Regulation............... 36
Sources of Additional
Information..................... 36
THE MASTER SERVICER.................. 36
Collection of Payments............. 37
Advances........................... 37
Insurance on Financed Vehicles..... 37
Servicer Determination and Reports
to Trustees..................... 38
Servicing Compensation............. 38
Realization Upon Defaulted
Contracts....................... 39
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<TABLE>
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CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE
CONTRACTS.......................... 39
General............................ 39
Security Interests in the Financed
Vehicles........................ 40
Enforcement of Security Interests
in Financed Vehicles............ 41
Other Matters...................... 42
Repurchase Obligation.............. 42
THE BANK............................. 42
General............................ 42
Business Activities................ 43
WFS.................................. 43
General............................ 43
Business Activities................ 43
WFAL................................. 43
</TABLE>
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WFSRC................................ 44
FEDERAL AND CALIFORNIA INCOME TAX
CONSEQUENCES....................... 44
Federal Income Tax Consequences.... 44
Tax Characterization of Trusts..... 45
Tax Consequences to Holders of the
Notes........................... 45
California Income Tax
Consequences.................... 47
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS................. 47
Overview........................... 47
Prohibited Transactions............ 47
The Notes.......................... 48
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION................. 48
LEGAL MATTERS........................ 49
EXPERTS.............................. 49
GLOSSARY............................. 50
</TABLE>
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SUMMARY OF TERMS
This summary highlights selected information from this document and does
not contain all of the information that you need to consider in making your
investment decision. To understand all of the terms of an offering, carefully
read this entire document and the accompanying prospectus supplement.
THE PARTIES:
The Issuer.................... Each series of notes will be issued by a
separate owner trust, each of which is referred
to in this prospectus as a trust
Sellers/Seller................ WFS Financial Auto Loans, Inc., or WFAL and WFS
Receivables Corporation, or WFSRC, or each of
them individually as described in the related
prospectus supplement
Sellers' Addresses............ WFAL and WFSRC: 6655 West Sahara Avenue, Las
Vegas, Nevada 89146
Sellers' Telephone
Numbers.................... WFAL and WFSRC: (702) 227-8100
Master Servicer............... WFS Financial Inc. or WFS
The Insurer................... Financial Security Assurance, Inc. or Financial
Security
Indenture Trustee............. See the related prospectus supplement
Owner Trustee................. See the related prospectus supplement
THE OFFERED SECURITIES:
We will describe in each prospectus supplement
the securities we are offering at that time.
The offered securities will include one or more
classes of asset-backed notes. The offered
securities may be senior notes or senior and
subordinated notes. If senior and subordinated
notes are offered, the payment of interest and
principal on each subordinated class of notes
will be subordinated to payments on the senior
notes as described in the related prospectus
supplement. Subordinated notes may be offered
by a prospectus supplement in addition to
senior notes, but only if the subordinated
notes are rated investment grade by one or more
nationally recognized statistical rating
agency. Any subordinated notes not so rated
will not be offered securities. All references
in this prospectus to the notes are to a series
of senior notes,
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unless otherwise expressly noted or as
otherwise described in the related prospectus
supplement.
The Notes..................... Each note will represent the right to receive
payments of principal and interest as described
in the related prospectus supplement. Payments
will be made on distribution dates set forth in
the related prospectus supplement.
THE TRUST PROPERTY:
General....................... The property of each trust will be described in
the applicable prospectus supplement. In
general, trust property will include:
- a pool of retail installment sales contracts
and a limited number of installment loans
originated by WFS, all of which are secured
by new or used automobiles or light duty
trucks;
- an insurance policy issued by Financial
Security guaranteeing all payments to be made
to holders of the senior notes;
- the funds in a spread account; and
- any other credit enhancement features
designed to provide protection against losses
on trust assets.
THE CONTRACTS:
The contracts will consist
of............................ - retail installment sales contracts secured by
new and used automobiles and light duty
trucks purchased by WFS from new and used car
dealers,
- retail installment loans secured by new and
used automobiles and light duty trucks made
by WFS to the obligors under those loans, and
- retail installment loans secured by new and
used automobiles and light duty trucks made
by independent auto finance companies to the
obligors under those loans, which loans have
been purchased by WFS,
each a contract and together the contracts,
including in each case, the right to receive
the payments due thereon on or after the
cut-off date specified in the related
prospectus supplement.
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The Note Policy............... Financial Security will issue an insurance
policy to the indenture trustee, known as the
note policy, that will guarantee payment to the
indenture trustee of all payments due to the
noteholders of insured classes of notes.
The Spread Account............ A spread account will be a segregated trust
account in the name of the indenture trustee
that will afford you some limited protection
against losses on the contracts. It will be
created with either an initial cash deposit in
the amount specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, or the delivery of a letter of
credit in favor of the trust acceptable to
Financial Security. On any distribution date
upon which payments are to be made with respect
to the notes issued by a trust, funds will be
distributed to you to cover any shortfalls in
interest and principal required to be paid on
the senior notes, first from the spread
account, and then from the letter of credit for
the spread account, if any. Except as otherwise
set forth in the related prospectus supplement,
amounts on deposit in a spread account will not
be available to holders of subordinated notes
except to the extent distributed as excess
funds from a fully funded spread account. The
funds in the spread account will be
supplemented on each distribution date by any
available funds in the collection account
remaining after making all of the payments
necessary on that distribution date. The funds
in the spread account will be supplemented
until they are at least equal to a certain
percentage, described in the related prospectus
supplement, which percentage will depend upon
the loss and delinquency rate triggers in the
related sale and servicing agreement.
If on the last day of any month or on any
distribution date the amount on deposit in the
spread account is greater than the amount
required to be in that account on that date,
the excess cash will be distributed in the
following order:
- to Financial Security, to the extent of any
unreimbursed amounts due to it,
- to the party making any initial deposit to
the spread account, until it has received an
amount equal to the spread account initial
deposit; and
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- to the seller or the sellers, or any other
holder of the certificates.
You will have no further rights to any excess
cash paid to any of these entities.
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES AND REPURCHASE OF CONTRACTS:
Optional Repurchase........... If WFSRC is a seller, as described in the
related prospectus supplement, it may
repurchase all of the contracts it has
transferred to a trust on any distribution
date, subject to the limitations to be
specified in the related prospectus supplement.
If WFSRC exercises its option to repurchase,
known as an optional repurchase, WFSRC will pay
the trust a price equal to the unpaid principal
amount of all classes of notes outstanding plus
the accrued interest on each of those classes
of notes, and a repurchase premium in an amount
to be specified in the related prospectus
supplement.
Optional Purchase............. The Seller or Sellers, as the case may be, may
purchase all of the contracts transferred to a
trust on any distribution date as of which the
aggregate principal balance of the simple
interest contracts plus the aggregate of the
present value of the remaining monthly
principal and interest due on the Rule of 78's
contracts transferred to the trust is equal to
or less than an amount to be specified in the
related prospectus supplement. This purchase
right is known as an optional purchase.
Optional Redemption........... If WFSRC purchases all of the contracts it
transferred to the trust pursuant to an
optional repurchase which results in all
outstanding contracts being repurchased or the
Sellers purchase all of the contracts they have
each transferred to the trust pursuant to an
optional purchase, the outstanding notes will
be redeemed in whole at a price equal to the
unpaid principal amount of all classes of notes
outstanding plus the accrued interest on each
class of notes, and in the case of an optional
repurchase, the payment of a repurchase premium
in an amount to be specified in the related
prospectus supplement.
Mandatory Redemption.......... The senior notes may be accelerated if an event
of default has occurred and is continuing under
the indenture. Except as otherwise provided in
the related
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prospectus supplement, if an insurer default
has occurred and is continuing and an event of
default has occurred and is continuing, the
indenture trustee may be permitted to
accelerate the senior notes. Except as
otherwise provided in the related prospectus
supplement, if an event of default has occurred
and is continuing but no insurer default has
occurred and is continuing, Financial Security
may have the right, in addition to its
obligation to make payments on the senior notes
in accordance with the terms of the note
policy, but not the obligation, to elect to
accelerate the senior notes. If the senior
notes are accelerated, the master servicer or
the indenture trustee will sell or otherwise
liquidate the property of the trust and deliver
the proceeds to the indenture trustee for
distribution in accordance with the terms of
the indenture. The subordinated notes, if any,
will not be accelerated but will receive any
liquidation proceeds remaining after all
obligations senior to the subordinated notes
are paid in full.
TAX STATUS:
In the opinion of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp
LLP, special counsel for federal income and
California income tax purposes:
- the notes will be characterized as debt; and
- the trust will not be characterized as an
association or a publicly traded partnership
taxable as a corporation.
If you purchase a note, you agree to treat it
as debt for tax purposes.
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS:
The notes are generally eligible for purchase
by employee and other benefit plans that are
subject to the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended, or to Section
4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended. However, administrators of employee
benefit plans should review the matters
discussed under "ERISA Considerations" in this
prospectus and also should consult with their
legal advisors before purchasing notes.
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RISK FACTORS
You should consider the following risk factors in deciding whether to
purchase any of the notes. You should also consider the risk factors set forth
under the heading "Risk Factors" in the prospectus supplement.
ABSENCE OF A SECONDARY MARKET FOR THE NOTES COULD LIMIT YOUR ABILITY TO RESELL
THE NOTES
The absence of a secondary market for the notes could limit your ability to
resell them. This means that if in the future you want to sell any notes before
they mature, you may be unable to find a buyer or, if you find a buyer, the
selling price may be less than it would have been if a market existed for the
notes. There currently is no secondary market for the notes. The underwriters
named in the related prospectus supplement expect to make a market in the notes
but will not be obligated to do so. There is no assurance that a secondary
market for the notes will develop. If a secondary market for the notes does
develop, it might end at any time or it might not be sufficiently liquid to
enable you to resell any of your notes.
PREPAYMENTS ON THE CONTRACTS COULD CAUSE YOU TO BE PAID EARLIER THAN YOU
EXPECTED, WHICH MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT YOUR YIELD TO MATURITY
The yield to maturity of the notes may be adversely affected by a higher or
lower than anticipated rate of prepayments on the contracts. If you purchase a
note at a premium, and the note pays principal more quickly than you expected,
your yield will be reduced and you may not recover the premium you paid.
Similarly, if you purchase a note at a discount and the note pays principal more
slowly than you expected, your yield will be lower than you anticipated. The
contracts may be prepaid in full or in part at any time. We cannot predict the
rate of prepayments of the contracts, which is influenced by a wide variety of
economic, social and other factors, including among others, obsolescence of the
related vehicles, prevailing interest rates, availability of alternative
financing, local and regional economic conditions and natural disasters.
Therefore, we can give no assurance as to the level of prepayments that a trust
will experience. Your notes could be subject to optional or mandatory redemption
features, exposing you to investment risk. One or more classes of notes may be
subject to optional or mandatory redemption in whole or in part, on or after a
specified date, or on or after the time when the aggregate outstanding principal
amount of the contracts or the notes is less than a specified amount or
percentage. Since prevailing interest rates may fluctuate, we cannot assure you
that you will be able to reinvest these amounts at a yield equaling or exceeding
the yield on your notes. You will bear the risk of reinvesting unscheduled
distributions resulting from a redemption.
POSSESSION OF THE CONTRACTS BY WFS COMBINED WITH THE INSOLVENCY OF WFS MAY CAUSE
YOUR PAYMENTS TO BE REDUCED OR DELAYED
Any insolvency by WFS while in possession of the contracts may result in
competing claims to ownership or security interests in the contracts which could
result in delays in payments on the notes or losses to securityholders. In
addition, if the seller, the servicer,
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or a third party while in possession of the contracts, sells or pledges and
delivers them to another party, that party could acquire an interest in the
contracts with priority over the trustee's interest. This could result in delays
in payments on the notes or losses to you.
LOSSES AND DELINQUENCIES ON THE CONTRACTS MAY DIFFER FROM WFS' HISTORICAL LOSS
AND DELINQUENCY LEVELS
We cannot guarantee that the delinquency and loss levels of the contracts
in the trust will correspond to the historical levels that WFS experienced on
its loan and vehicle portfolio, including loans that have been sold but are
still being serviced by WFS. There is a risk that delinquencies and losses could
increase or decline significantly for various reasons including:
- changes in underwriting standards; or
- changes in the local, regional or national economies.
NOTEHOLDERS HAVE NO RECOURSE AGAINST WFS OR ANY SELLER FOR LOSSES
There is no recourse against WFS or any seller for losses on the contracts.
The notes represent obligations solely of the trust or debt secured by the trust
property. No notes will be guaranteed by WFS, any seller or the applicable
trustee. Consequently, if payments on the contracts, and to the extent
available, any credit enhancement, are insufficient to pay the securities in
full, you have no rights to obtain payment from WFS, any seller or the
applicable trustee.
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GLOSSARY OF DEFINED TERMS
A glossary containing the meaning of defined terms used in this prospectus
begins on page 50 of this prospectus.
FORMATION OF THE TRUST
GENERAL
Each trust will be a business trust formed for the transaction described in
this prospectus under the laws of the State of Delaware pursuant to a trust
agreement which will be amended and restated on a date to be specified in the
related prospectus supplement. All references in this prospectus to the trust
agreement are to the amended and restated trust agreement. After its formation,
each trust may only engage in the following activities:
- acquiring, holding and managing the contracts and the other assets of the
trust and proceeds therefrom;
- issuing the notes to investors (which may include affiliates of WFS, WFAL
and WFSRC);
- issuing certificates to the seller or its affiliates;
- making payments on the notes and certificates; and
- engaging in other activities that are necessary, suitable or convenient
to accomplish the foregoing purposes or are incidental thereto or
connected therewith.
On or before the date the notes are initially issued, which date is the
closing date, the seller or the sellers establish the trust, as described in
greater detail in the related prospectus supplement, to which the contracts will
be sold. On the closing date, WFS will sell the contracts to the seller or the
sellers and the seller or the sellers will transfer and assign the contracts to
the trust. The trust will, also on the closing date, issue the senior notes and
the subordinated notes, if any, to the seller or the sellers. The seller or the
sellers will sell the notes to the underwriters and the underwriters will
distribute the notes as described under the caption "Plan of Distribution" and
in the related prospectus supplement under the caption "Underwriting". The
seller or the sellers will receive certificates representing its beneficial
interest in the assets of the trust. All classes of subordinated notes, if any,
will be subordinated to all classes of senior notes and the certificates will be
subordinated to the notes.
WFS will act as master servicer of the contracts and will receive
compensation and fees for those services. WFS, as master servicer, may retain
physical possession of the original executed contracts, and certain other
documents or instruments relating to the contracts, as custodian for the owner
trustee pursuant to the sale and servicing agreement, or may employ one or more
subservicers as custodians. In order to protect the trust's ownership interest
in the contracts, the trust's interest in the contracts will be perfected by
filing UCC-1 financing statements in the States of California and Nevada to give
notice of the trust's ownership of the contracts. Under the sale and servicing
agreement and the indenture, WFS will be obligated to take all necessary steps
to preserve and protect the interests of the trustees in the contracts. Neither
the indenture trustee nor the owner trustee will be responsible for the
legality, validity or enforceability of any security interest in respect of any
contract. WFS will not physically segregate the contracts from other retail
installment sales contracts and installment loans owned or serviced by it and
will not stamp the contracts with notice of the sale to the seller or the
sellers, or the trust. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the Contracts".
Simultaneously with the issuance of the notes, the insurer will issue the
note policy to the indenture trustee for the benefit of the holders of the
senior notes, except as otherwise set forth in the related prospectus
supplement. Under the note policy, the insurer will unconditionally and
irrevocably guarantee to the indenture trustee for the benefit of the related
holders of each class of insured notes full and complete payment of the
scheduled payments for each distribution date. The insurer will have a lien on
the
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contracts and other documents relating to the contracts subordinate to the
interest of the holders of the notes, which lien cannot be executed upon until
all required payments under the note policy have been made. Detailed information
about the note policy and the insurer are set forth under the headings "The Note
Policy" and "Financial Security Assurance Inc."
On and after the closing date, the property of the trust will consist of:
- contracts secured by financed vehicles consisting of new or used
automobiles and light duty trucks;
- principal and interest due under the contracts on and after the cut-off
date to be specified in the prospectus supplement;
- security interests in the financed vehicles;
- the note policy;
- amounts on deposit in the collection account, the note distribution
account, the spread account and the holding account, including all
eligible investments made with those amounts and all income upon those
eligible investments and all proceeds therefrom;
- proceeds from claims under certain insurance policies in respect of
individual financed vehicles or obligors under the contracts; and
- rights as a third party beneficiary under a sale and servicing agreement,
among the trust, the seller or the sellers, and the master servicer.
Pursuant to the indenture, the property of the trust, other than the note
distribution account and the note policy, will be held by the master servicer
for the benefit of the indenture trustee on behalf of the holders of the notes
and the insurer.
After the sale and assignment of the contracts to the trust, WFS as master
servicer must repurchase contracts only if:
(a) one of the following occur:
- any representation or warranty made by WFS is incorrect;
- WFS breaches its obligations under the sale and servicing agreement
regarding collection of payments on the contracts; or
- WFS fails to maintain the trust's first priority perfected security
interest in each contract;
(b) such incorrectness or breach listed in (a) above is not cured
within 30 days; and
(c) that incorrectness or breach materially and adversely affects a
contract.
See "The Master Servicer."
CAPITALIZATION
Each prospectus supplement sets forth further details regarding the
capitalization of the trust.
INTEREST RATE AND CURRENCY SWAPS
The trust may include a derivative arrangement for any series or class of
notes. A derivative arrangement may include a guaranteed rate agreement, a
maturity liquidity facility, a tax protection agreement, an interest rate cap or
floor agreement, an interest rate or currency swap agreement or any other
similar arrangement. The related prospectus supplement will contain further
details regarding any such arrangement.
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PREFUNDING ACCOUNT
The amount of notes issued by a particular trust may exceed the Aggregate
Scheduled Balance of the contracts sold to that trust. If so, the difference
will be placed in the prefunding account. The prefunding account will be used to
purchase additional contracts by the trust. The prefunding account will not
exceed 25% of the principal amount of the notes sold by a trust. The related
prospectus supplement will contain further details regarding the prefunding
account, if any.
THE OWNER TRUSTEE
The owner trustee will have the rights and duties set forth in this
prospectus under "Certain Information Regarding the Securities -- The Trustees"
and "-- Duties of the Trustees". Each prospectus supplement will contain further
information regarding the owner trustee.
THE CONTRACTS POOL
Each contract to be transferred to a trust is a retail installment sales
contract or installment loan originated by a new or used car dealer or an auto
finance company. Most of the contracts will be purchased by WFS from new and
used car dealers; however, a limited number of contracts may be installment
loans originated by branch offices or affiliates of WFS directly to consumers or
by other independent auto finance companies which loans are then sold to WFS.
Each contract is secured by a financed vehicle. Except as otherwise noted, all
references herein to contracts include installment loans.
WFS will select the contracts to be transferred to a trust from its
portfolio of fixed-interest rate contracts which are secured by new and used
automobiles or light duty trucks. The contracts are underwritten and purchased
by WFS in the ordinary course of its business operations. Each of the contracts
is fully amortizing and provides for level payments over its term, with the
portions of principal and interest of each such level payment being determined
on the basis of the Rule of 78's, or the simple interest or actual number of
days method. The amortization of the Rule of 78's contracts will result in the
outstanding principal balance on each of those contracts being in excess of the
Scheduled Balance of that contract. For purposes of the trust, all Rule of 78's
contracts are amortized on an actuarial basis to prevent shortfalls of principal
payments on the notes. As amortization on an actuarial basis produces a faster
amortization than does application of the Rule of 78's, there will not be a
shortfall of principal in any event, including as a result of prepayments or
timely payment to maturity of a Rule of 78's contract.
The prospectus supplement sets forth details regarding the percentage of
contracts which are Rule of 78's contracts and the percentage of contracts which
are simple interest contracts. Each prospectus supplement also will contain
details regarding the distribution of contracts by annual percentage rate, the
geographic concentration of the contracts, and the percentage of contracts
relating to new and used vehicles.
UNDERWRITING PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE CONTRACTS
WFS and its predecessors and affiliates have underwritten and purchased
contracts since 1973. The discussion in this prospectus regarding contracts is
applicable to those contracts to be transferred to a trust and none of those
contracts will have been underwritten under special financing programs. WFS
purchases contracts across the full spectrum of the prime credit quality market.
It offers competitive rates commensurate with the risks inherent in its
obligors' ability to make payments under their contracts.
Substantially all contracts are nonrecourse to the originating dealer or
lender. In the case of new vehicle contracts, the original amount financed does
not exceed the sum of the dealer's cost, taxes, license fees, service warranty
cost and, if applicable, premiums for credit life or credit disability
insurance, and in some cases, miscellaneous costs. Over-advances (i.e., advances
in excess of the amount specified in the previous sentence) may be made under
certain circumstances to assist a dealer in selling an automobile or light duty
truck by permitting a lower down payment, and in some cases no down payment,
based on the creditworthiness of the applicant. For used vehicles, the amount
financed does not exceed the wholesale
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"blue book" value for the vehicle plus the related expenses and the
over-advances just described. WFS does not have a fixed maximum amount financed
as a percentage of the wholesale or retail value of the financed vehicle. Any
amount financed in excess of the wholesale value of the financed vehicle is
dependent upon the creditworthiness of the applicant. WFS believes that, with
respect to substantially all contracts, the total amount financed, including any
over-advance, does not exceed the retail value of the financed vehicle.
Each contract is fully amortizing and provides for level payments over its
term with the portion of principal and interest of each level payment determined
generally on a simple interest basis, or otherwise on the basis of the sum of
the digits, also known as the Rule of 78's. WFS does not have minimum maturity
requirements; however, contracts with maturities of less than three years are
seldom purchased or made due to low customer demand.
The underwriting process begins when an application is faxed to WFS'
centralized data entry center. WFS' data entry group enters the applicant
information into its front-end underwriting computer system. Once the
application has been entered, the computer system automatically obtains credit
bureau information on the applicant which is then routed through one of WFS'
multiple proprietary credit scorecards.
WFS uses credit scoring to differentiate credit applicants and to rank
order credit risk in terms of expected default probabilities, which enables WFS
to tailor contract pricing and structure according to this statistical
assessment of credit risk. For example, a consumer with a lower score would
indicate a higher probability of default; therefore, WFS would structure and
price the transaction to compensate for this higher default risk. Multiple
scorecards are used to accommodate the full spectrum of contracts WFS purchases.
In addition to a credit score, the system highlights certain aspects of the
credit application which have historically impacted the creditworthiness of the
borrowers.
Given the different risk characteristics of the contracts WFS acquires, WFS
has separate credit analysts who specialize in reviewing either prime or
non-prime contracts. Credit analysts are responsible for properly structuring
and pricing deals to meet WFS' risked-based criteria. Credit analysts review the
information, structure and price of an application and make a determination
whether to approve or decline it, or make a counteroffer to the dealer. Each
credit analyst's lending levels and approval authorities are established based
on the individual's credit experience and portfolio performance, credit manager
audit results and quality control review results. Higher levels of approvals are
required for higher credit risk and are controlled by system driven parameters
and limits. System driven controls include limits on interest rates, contract
term, contract advances, payment to income ratios, debt to income ratios,
collateral values and low side overrides.
Once adequate approval has been received, the computer system automatically
sends a fax back to the dealer with WFS' credit decision, specifying approval,
denial or conditional approval based upon modification to the transaction such
as increase in down payment, reduction of term, or the addition of a co-signer.
As part of the approval process, the system or the credit analyst may require
that some of the information be verified, such as income, employment, residence
or credit history of the applicant. The system increases efficiency by
automatically denying approval in certain circumstances without additional
underwriting being performed. These automated notices are controlled by
parameters set by WFS to be consistent with WFS' credit policy.
If the dealer and obligor accept the terms of the approval, the dealer is
required to deliver the necessary documentation for each contract to the
appropriate office. The operations group audits such documents for completeness
and consistency with the application, providing final approval and funding of
the contract. A direct deposit is made or a check is prepared and is promptly
sent to the dealer for payment. The dealer's proceeds include an up-front dealer
participation paid to the dealer for consideration of the acquisition of the
contract. The completed contract file is then forwarded to the records center
for imaging.
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Under the direction of WFS' credit pricing committee, the chief credit
officer of WFS oversees credit risk management, sets underwriting policy,
monitors contract pricing and tracks compliance to underwriting policies and
re-underwrites select contracts. If re-underwriting statistics are unacceptable,
all monthly and quarterly incentives are forfeited by the office that originated
the contracts. WFS' internal quality control group reviews contracts, on a
statistical sampling basis, to ensure adherence to established lending
guidelines and proper documentation requirements. Credit managers within each
regional business center provide direct management oversight to each credit
analyst. In addition, the chief credit officer provides oversight management to
ensure that all credit managers and analysts are following overall corporate
guidelines.
Contracts purchased from independent auto finance companies are fully
underwritten by WFS in the same manner and using the same criteria as contracts
originated by WFS. WFS purchases contracts from independent auto finance
companies only after WFS has completed a thorough review of the business
practices and lending criteria applied by that independent auto finance company
and WFS has entered into a written agreement with that company. The written
agreement contains representations and warranties as to the contracts no less
broad than those made by WFS, or the seller or the sellers in the sale and
servicing agreement as to a related trust.
SERVICING OF CONTRACTS
WFS services all of the contracts WFS purchases or originates, both those
held by WFS and those sold in securitization transactions. The servicing process
includes the routine collection and processing of payments, responding to
obligor inquiries, maintaining the security interest in the vehicle, maintaining
physical damage insurance coverage and repossessing and selling collateral when
necessary.
WFS uses monthly billing statements to serve as a reminder to borrowers as
well as an early warning mechanism in the event an obligor has failed to notify
WFS of an address change. Approximately 15 days before a borrower's payment is
due, WFS mails a billing statement directing the borrower to mail payments to
WFS' lockbox address. Payments received in the mail or through WFS' offices are
processed by WFS' remittance processing center using state of the art lockbox
equipment. To expedite the collection process, WFS accepts payments from
obligors through automated payment programs, direct debits and third party
payment processing services. WFS' customer service center uses interactive voice
response technology to answer routine account questions and route calls to the
appropriate service counselor.
WFS' fully integrated servicing and collections system automatically
forwards accounts based on estimated likelihood of default and delinquency
status to WFS' automated dialers or to WFS' collection centers throughout the
country. Obligors who are past due initially receive a call from a collector
queued by WFS' automated telephone dialing system. If the system is unable to
reach an obligor within a specified number of days or if the account is more
than 30 days delinquent, the account is forwarded to a collection specialist
within the office that originated the contract. This process balances the
efficiency of centralized collection efforts with the effectiveness of
decentralized personal collection efforts. WFS' systems also track delinquencies
and chargeoffs, monitor the performance of WFS' collection associates and
forecast potential future delinquency. To assist in the collections process, WFS
can access original documents through WFS' imaging system which stores all the
documents related to each contract. WFS limits deferments to a maximum of three
deferments over the life of the contract and rarely rewrites contracts.
If satisfactory payment arrangements are not made by delinquent obligors,
the vehicle is generally repossessed within 60 to 90 days of the date of
delinquency, subject to compliance with applicable law. WFS uses independent
contractors to perform repossessions. The vehicle remains in WFS' custody
generally for 15 days, or longer if required by local law, to provide the
obligor the opportunity to redeem the contract. If after the redemption period
the delinquency is not cured, WFS writes down the vehicle to fair value and
reclassifies the contract as a repossessed asset. After the redemption period
expires, WFS prepares the vehicle for sale. WFS sells substantially all
repossessed vehicles through wholesale auto auctions. WFS does not provide the
financing on repossessions sold. WFS uses regional remarketing
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departments to sell WFS' repossessed vehicles. Once the vehicles are sold, any
remaining deficiency balances are then charged off.
POOL FACTORS AND TRADING INFORMATION
The note pool factor for each class of notes will be a six-digit decimal
which the master servicer will compute prior to each distribution date
indicating the unpaid principal amount of each class of notes, after giving
effect to payments to be made on that distribution date, as a fraction of the
initial outstanding principal amount of that class of notes. Each note pool
factor will be initially 1.000000 and will decline to reflect reductions in the
outstanding principal amount of the applicable class of notes. A noteholder's
portion of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the related class of
notes will be the product of (i) the original denomination of such noteholder's
note and (ii) the applicable note pool factor at the time of determination.
The noteholders will receive reports on or about each distribution date
concerning payments received on the contracts, the Aggregate Scheduled Balance,
each note pool factor and various other items of information. In addition,
noteholders of record during any calendar year will be furnished information for
tax reporting purposes not later than the latest date permitted by law. See
"Certain Information Regarding the Securities -- Statements to Noteholders."
THE NOTES
GENERAL
Each trust will issue one or more classes of notes pursuant to the terms of
an indenture between the trust and the indenture trustee. You can obtain a copy
of the indenture, without exhibits, by writing to the indenture trustee at its
corporate trust office set forth in the related prospectus supplement. The
following summary and the information contained under "Certain Information
Regarding the Securities" describes certain terms of the indenture and the
notes, but does not purport to be complete. You should review the applicable
prospectus supplement, the provisions of the notes and the indenture, along with
the following summary, in order to have more complete information. Where
particular provisions or terms used in the notes or the indenture are referred
to, the actual provisions of such documents (including definitions of terms) are
incorporated by reference as part of such summaries.
PAYMENTS OF INTEREST AND PRINCIPAL
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the timing and priority
of payment, seniority, allocations of losses, interest rates and amount of or
method of determining payments of principal and interest on each class of notes
of a given series, including the final distribution date for each class of
notes. In particular, interest and/or principal may be paid at different
intervals, for example, monthly, quarterly, or semiannually. Interest may be
payable on either a fixed or floating rate basis. The rights of holders of any
class of notes to receive payments of principal and interest may be senior or
subordinate to the rights of holders of any other class or classes of notes of
that series. The rights of holders of subordinated notes, will be subordinated
to the rights of each class of senior notes.
OPTIONAL REPURCHASE
If WFSRC is a seller, as described in the related prospectus supplement, it
may repurchase all of the contracts it has transferred to a trust on any
distribution date subject to the limitations to be specified in the related
prospectus supplement. If WFSRC exercises its optional repurchase right, WFSRC
will pay the trust a price equal to the unpaid principal amount of all classes
of notes outstanding plus the accrued interest on each of those classes of
notes, and a repurchase premium in an amount to be specified in the related
prospectus supplement.
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PREPAYMENT FOLLOWING OPTIONAL REPURCHASE
If WFSRC exercises its optional repurchase right as described above, except
as otherwise set forth in the related prospectus supplement:
- the amount received upon repurchase equal to the unpaid principal amount
of all classes of notes outstanding plus the accrued interest on each of
those classes of notes, collectively known as the base price, will be
treated as other collections on the contracts and distributed to the
noteholders in the order of priority specified in the related prospectus
supplement in addition to the distributions which the noteholders would
then otherwise be entitled to receive,
- the amount received equal to the prepayment premium, known as the
repurchase premium, will be distributed by the trust on a pro rata basis
to all classes of notes then outstanding based upon the principal amount
of each such class outstanding following all other payments made on the
distribution date on which the distribution occurs other than the amount
paid equal to the base price, and
- the repurchased contracts will be transferred back to WFSRC and if the
contracts repurchased are all of the contracts then outstanding, the
trust will be terminated.
The effect of the exercise by WFSRC of its optional repurchase right will be a
reduction of the average life of each class of notes outstanding at the time the
optional repurchase occurs. The extent of that reduction will be a function of
when, following the closing date, the repurchase occurs. The reduction will be
greater the sooner after the closing date the repurchase occurs.
OPTIONAL PURCHASE
Each class of outstanding notes may be subject to redemption on terms set
forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. An optional purchase may occur on
any distribution date as of which the aggregate principal balance of the simple
interest contracts plus the aggregate of the present value of the remaining
monthly principal and interest due on the Rule of 78's contracts owned by the
trust is equal to or less than an amount to be specified in the applicable
prospectus supplement. A repurchase premium will not be paid in connection with
an optional purchase of the contracts.
THE INDENTURE TRUSTEE
The indenture trustee will have the rights and duties set forth under
"Certain Information Regarding the Securities -- The Trustees" and "-- Duties of
the Trustees". Each prospectus supplement will contain further information
regarding the indenture trustee.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
With respect to the notes of a given series, unless otherwise specified in
the related prospectus supplement, events of default under each indenture will
occur if:
(1) the trust fails to pay any interest on the notes of any class
within 5 days after the interest payment becomes due and payable;
(2) the trust fails to pay any principal of the notes of any class
when it becomes due and payable;
(3) the indenture trustee notifies the trust, or if the holders of
notes evidencing at least 25% of the voting interests of all the notes,
notifies the trust or the indenture trustee, or if Financial Security
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notifies WFS as master servicer that one of the following events has
occurred, and continues for a period of 30 days after the notice is given:
- the trust fails to observe or perform any covenant or agreement it
made in the indenture; or
- the representations or warranties made by the trust in the indenture
or in any certificate delivered pursuant to or in connection with the
indenture was incorrect in a material respect at the time it was made;
or
(4) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or
liquidation relating to the trust occur, each of which is a trust
insolvency.
CERTAIN INFORMATION REGARDING THE SECURITIES
BOOK-ENTRY REGISTRATION
Except as otherwise described in the related prospectus supplement, The
Depository Trust Company, or "DTC", New York, New York, will act as securities
depository for each class of senior notes. Each class of senior notes will be
issued as fully registered securities registered in the name of Cede & Co., or
Cede, the nominee of DTC. No person acquiring a beneficial interest in the
senior notes will be entitled to receive definitive notes representing such
person's beneficial ownership interest in the related senior notes except in the
event that definitive notes are issued under the limited circumstances described
herein. It is anticipated that the only holders of the senior notes will be
Cede, as nominee of DTC. Beneficial owners will not be recognized by the
indenture trustee as "holders," as such term will be used in the indenture.
Beneficial owners will only be permitted to exercise the rights of holders
indirectly through DTC and its participants, as further described below. It is
anticipated that subordinate notes will be issued as definitive notes, unless
otherwise set forth in the related prospectus supplement.
DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the laws of the
State of New York, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New York
Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation"
within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New
York and a "clearing agency" registered pursuant to the provisions of Section
17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. DTC was created to hold
securities for its participating members, or participants, and to facilitate the
clearance and settlement of securities transactions between participants through
electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its participants, thereby
eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates.
Participants include securities brokers and dealers -- including, except as
otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the underwriters named
therein -- banks, trust companies and clearing corporations. Indirect access to
the DTC system also is available to banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies,
which collectively are the indirect participants that clear through or maintain
a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly. The
rules applicable to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.
Beneficial owners that are not participants or indirect participants but
desire to purchase, sell or otherwise transfer ownership of, or an interest in,
senior notes may do so only through participants and indirect participants.
Participants will receive a credit for the related senior notes on DTC's
records. The ownership interest of each owner will in turn be recorded on the
respective records of participants and indirect participants. Beneficial owners
will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase, but owners are
expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction,
as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the participant or
indirect participant through which the owner entered into the transaction.
Transfers of ownership interests in the senior notes will be accomplished by
entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of the related
beneficial owners.
To facilitate subsequent transfers, all senior notes deposited by
participants with DTC will be registered in the name of Cede, as nominee of DTC.
The deposit of senior notes with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede
will not change beneficial ownership. DTC will have no knowledge of the actual
beneficial owners and its records will reflect only the identity of the
participants to whose accounts
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such senior notes are credited, which may or may not be the ultimate owners.
Participants and indirect participants will remain responsible for keeping
account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.
Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to participants, by
participants to indirect participants and by participants and indirect
participants to owners, will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to
any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.
DTC's practice is to credit participants' accounts on each distribution
date in accordance with their respective holdings of senior notes as shown on
DTC's records unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payment
on such distribution date. Payments by participants and indirect participants to
owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is
the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or
registered in "street name," and will be the responsibility of such participant
or indirect participant and not of DTC, the indenture trustee, the owner
trustee, Financial Security or the seller, subject to any statutory or
regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of
principal of and interest and any premium on the senior notes to DTC will be the
responsibility of the related trustee, disbursement of such payments to
participants will be the responsibility of DTC and disbursement of such payments
to owners will be the responsibility of participants and indirect participants.
As a result, under the book-entry format, owners may experience some delay in
their receipt of payments. DTC will forward such payments to its participants
which thereafter will forward them to indirect participants or owners.
Because DTC can only act on behalf of participants, who in turn act on
behalf of indirect participants and certain banks, the ability of an owner to
pledge senior notes to persons or entities that do not participate in the DTC
system, or otherwise take actions with respect to such senior notes, may be
limited due to the lack of a physical certificate for such senior notes.
Neither DTC nor Cede will consent or vote with respect to the senior notes.
Under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an omnibus proxy to the indenture
trustee or the owner trustee, as the case may be, as soon as possible after each
applicable record date for such a consent or vote. The omnibus proxy will assign
Cede's consenting or voting rights to those participants to whose accounts the
related notes will be credited on that record date, identified in a listing
attached to the omnibus proxy.
None of the master servicer, the seller, Financial Security, the indenture
trustee or the owner trustee will have any liability for any aspect of the
records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests of the senior notes held by Cede, as nominee for DTC, or for
maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial
ownership interests.
DEFINITIVE NOTES
Physical certificates known as definitive notes representing the
subordinated notes or any class of senior notes not held in book-entry form will
be issued to the related beneficial owners rather than to DTC, only if:
- DTC is no longer willing or able to discharge its responsibilities as
depository with respect to the notes, and neither the indenture trustee
nor the administrator is able to locate a qualified successor;
- the administrator, at its option, elects to terminate the book-entry
system with respect to the related senior notes through DTC;
- after an event of default or servicer default, holders of the senior
notes evidencing 51% or more of the voting interests of all senior notes
advise the related trustee through DTC and its participants in writing
that the continuation of a book-entry system through DTC or its successor
is no longer in the best interests of the related owners; or
- the class of notes is subordinated and the issuer elects not to utilize
DTC.
Upon the occurrence of any of the first three events described in the
immediately preceding paragraph, the indenture trustee will be required to
notify the related beneficial owners, through
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participants, of the availability through DTC of definitive securities. Upon
surrender by DTC of the certificates representing all senior notes of any
affected class and the receipt of instructions for re-registration, such trustee
will issue definitive notes to the related owners, who thereupon will become
noteholders for all purposes of the indenture or the trust agreement,
respectively.
Distributions on the definitive notes will be made by the related trustee
directly to holders of such definitive notes in accordance with the procedures
described herein and to be set forth in the indenture. Interest payments and any
principal payments on the notes on each distribution date will be made to
holders in whose names the definitive notes were registered at the close of
business on the record date with respect to such distribution date.
Distributions will be made by check mailed to the address of such holders as
they appear on the register specified in the indenture. The final payment on any
notes, whether definitive notes or notes registered in the name of Cede,
however, will be made only upon presentation and surrender of such notes at the
office or agency specified in the notice of final distribution to noteholders.
The indenture trustee will mail such notice to registered holders of the notes
within five business days of receipt from the master servicer of notice of
termination of the trust.
Definitive notes will be transferable and exchangeable at the offices of
the indenture trustee, or any security registrar appointed by the indenture
trustee, as will be set forth in the indenture, as the case may be. No service
charge will be imposed for any registration of transfer or exchange, but such
trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge imposed in connection therewith.
PAYMENTS ON THE CONTRACTS
All Net Collections on or in respect of the contracts will be deposited in
or credited to the collection account or, in limited instances, the holding
account. Net collections will include all payments received by the master
servicer on or in respect of the contracts due on or after the cut-off date, net
of late payments in respect of which the master servicer has previously made an
advance or reimbursement to the master servicer for nonrecoverable advances. Net
collections will include:
(a) prepayments, net liquidation proceeds and net insurance proceeds;
(b) any amounts deposited in the collection account by:
- the seller or the sellers to purchase contracts, including the
Scheduled Balances of contracts repurchased in connection with an
optional repurchase or an optional purchase, or
- the master servicer to purchase contracts; and
(c) any advances that may be made by the master servicer in respect of
delinquent contracts.
Subject to the remainder of this paragraph, distributions on the senior
notes will be made on each distribution date out of net collections for the
related Due Period plus certain reinvestment earnings on eligible investments
and any advance made by the master servicer as described under "The Master
Servicer -- Advances". The amount of those Net Collections, reinvestment
earnings and advances on each distribution date will be applied as described
under "Certain Information Regarding the Securities -- Distributions on the
Notes". Amounts, to the extent available, will be withdrawn from the spread
account to cover any shortfalls in distributions to holders of the senior notes.
Except as otherwise described in the related prospectus supplement, under the
note policy, Financial Security will be obligated to provide for distribution on
the senior notes on each distribution date the amount, if any, by which the
amount of net collections and funds available in the spread account is less than
the sum of the interest and principal due on the senior notes for that
distribution date and will be obligated to provide for the payment of scheduled
payments on each class of senior notes on its respective final scheduled
distribution date. Distributions to holders of subordinated notes will be made
in the manner described in the related prospectus supplement.
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THE ACCOUNTS AND ELIGIBLE INVESTMENTS
General. All Net Collections received by the master servicer on or in
respect of the contracts and any advances made by the master servicer will be
deposited in or credited to the collection account or, in certain limited
instances, the holding account. All amounts paid under the note policy will be
deposited in or credited to the collection account. On each distribution date,
the indenture trustee will distribute the amounts on deposit in the collection
account with respect to such distribution date to the note distribution account.
All payments to holders of the senior notes will be made from the note
distribution account.
The Collection Account. The master servicer will cause all collections made
on or in respect of the contracts during a Due Period, other than amounts to be
deposited in the holding account as described below, to be deposited in or
credited to the collection account to be established by the master servicer
under the sale and servicing agreement. The collections deposited will be net of
late payments in respect of which the master servicer has previously made an
advance and reimbursements to it for nonrecoverable advances. The collection
account may, upon prior written approval of Financial Security, be an uninsured
general ledger account or a deposit account at Western Financial Bank, which
owns the majority of the outstanding stock of WFS. Funds in the collection
account will be invested in a reinvestment contract under which Western
Financial Bank and WFS Financial Auto Loans 2, Inc., a subsidiary of WFS, will
be the obligors, so long as the reinvestment contract is an eligible investment
as described below. The reinvestment earnings on the reinvestment contract for
each distribution date will be equal to the amount, if any, by which the related
payment of interest for that distribution date exceeds the aggregate amount of
interest accrued on the contracts during the related Due Period. If the
reinvestment contract does not qualify as an eligible investment, the indenture
trustee shall invest the funds on deposit in the collection account in one or
more other eligible investments. Payments under the reinvestment contract will
be deposited in the collection account no later than the business day
immediately preceding each distribution date.
If an event of default under the sale and servicing agreement has occurred
and is continuing, funds in the collection account eligible to be invested in
eligible investments will be invested at the direction of the indenture trustee.
Eligible investments will be specified in the sale and servicing agreement and
will be limited to investments which meet the criteria of the rating agencies as
being consistent with their then-current ratings of the senior notes. All income
or other gain from such investments will be promptly deposited in, and any loss
resulting from such investments shall be charged to, the collection account.
Note Distribution Account. The master servicer will establish and maintain
an account known as the "note distribution account" with the indenture trustee
in the name of the indenture trustee on behalf of the holders of the senior
notes in which amounts released from the collection account for distribution to
holders of the senior notes will be deposited and from which all distributions
to holders of the senior notes will be made.
The Holding Account. The master servicer will establish an account known as
"holding account" into which it will deposit during each Due Period payments on
Rule of 78's Contracts that are due in one or more subsequent Due Periods. Funds
in the holding account due in the next Due Period will be transferred to the
collection account immediately after the next succeeding distribution date.
DISTRIBUTIONS ON THE NOTES
Beginning on the distribution date specified in the applicable prospectus
supplement, payments of principal and interest, or, where applicable, of
principal or interest only, on each class of senior notes entitled thereto will
be made by the applicable indenture trustee to the holders of the senior notes.
The timing, calculation, allocation, order, source, priorities of and
requirements for all payments to each class of notes and the effect of
subordination of any subordinated notes will be set forth in the applicable
prospectus supplement.
With respect to each trust, on each distribution date, collections on the
contracts will be withdrawn from the collection account and will be paid to the
holders of the senior notes to the extent provided in
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the applicable prospectus supplement. Credit enhancement, including the note
policy and amounts on deposit in the spread account, will be available to cover
any shortfalls in the amount available for payment to the holders of the senior
notes on that date to the extent specified in the applicable prospectus
supplement. As more fully described in the related prospectus supplement:
1. payments of principal of a class of notes of a given series will be
subordinate to payments of interest on that class;
2. payments in respect of one or more classes of notes may be
subordinated to payments in respect of one or more other classes of notes
of the same series; and
3. payments in respect of one or more classes of subordinated notes
will be subordinated to payments on the senior notes.
PAYMENT PRIORITIES OF THE NOTES; THE SPREAD ACCOUNT
General. The rights of the noteholders to receive distributions with
respect to the contracts will be subordinated to the rights of the master
servicer, to the extent that the master servicer has not been reimbursed for any
outstanding advances and has not been paid all servicing fees; the trustees, to
the extent the trustees and such other entities have not received all trust fees
and expenses payable to them, and Financial Security, to the extent of any
amounts due but unreimbursed to it. In addition, the rights of the noteholders
to receive distributions with respect to the contracts will be subject to the
priorities set forth under "-- Distributions on the Notes -- Deposits to the
Distribution Account; Priority of Payments," to the extent described above. Such
priorities and subordination are intended to enhance the likelihood of timely
receipt by holders of classes of senior notes with a higher priority of the full
amount of interest and principal required to be paid to them, and to afford such
noteholders limited protection against losses in respect of the contracts.
The Spread Account. In the event of delinquencies or losses on the
contracts, the foregoing protection will be effected both by the right of the
holders of the senior notes to receive current distributions with respect to the
contracts and by the establishment of a segregated trust account in the name of
the indenture trustee, or the spread account. A spread account will be part of
each trust. The indenture trustee will have a perfected security interest in the
spread account and in all amounts deposited in or credited to the spread account
as well as all eligible investments made with such deposits and earnings. The
spread account will be created with either an initial cash deposit which amount
is the spread account initial deposit, or the delivery of a letter of credit in
favor of the trust acceptable to Financial Security and the rating agencies. The
spread account will thereafter be funded by the deposit therein of any amounts
in respect of each distribution date not required to be paid to any other party,
until the amount on deposit in the spread account is at least equal to the
specified spread account balance. Except as otherwise described in the related
prospectus supplement, amounts on deposit in a spread account will not be
available to holders of subordinated notes except to the extent distributed as
excess funds from a fully funded spread account.
Amounts held from time to time in the spread account will be invested in
eligible investments. Investment income on monies on deposit in the spread
account will be credited to the spread account. Any loss on that investment will
be charged to the spread account.
Calculation of Specified Spread Account Balance. The specified spread
account balance is the amount which must be on deposit in the spread account at
any time for the spread account to be fully funded and will be calculated as
described in the related prospectus supplement. As funds are deposited into the
spread account, the amount available under the letter of credit in respect of
the spread account will be reduced to the extent that the sum of the amount on
deposit in the spread account and the amount of the letter of credit exceeds the
specified spread account balance.
WITHDRAWALS FROM THE SPREAD ACCOUNT
Amounts held from time to time in the spread account will be held for the
benefit of the noteholders and Financial Security. On each distribution date,
funds will be withdrawn from the spread account to the
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extent that the amount on deposit in the note distribution account is less than
the Note Distributable Amount and will be deposited in the note distribution
account. See "Certain Information Regarding the Securities -- Withdrawals from
the Spread Account" in the related prospectus supplement.
If on the last day of any month or on any distribution date the amount on
deposit in the spread account is greater than the amount required to be in that
account on that date, the excess cash will be distributed in the following
order:
- to Financial Security, to the extent of any unreimbursed amounts due to
it,
- to the party making any initial deposit, until it has received an amount
equal to the spread account initial deposit; and
- to the seller or the sellers, or any other holder of the certificates.
You will have no further rights to any excess cash paid to any of these
entities.
Upon any distributions to Financial Security, the seller or the sellers, or
to the holders of subordinated notes, the holders of the notes will have no
further rights in, or claims to, such amounts. None of the noteholders, the
indenture trustee, the owner trustee, the master servicer, the seller or the
sellers, or Financial Security will be required to refund any amounts properly
distributed or paid to them, whether or not there are sufficient funds on any
subsequent distribution date to make full distributions to the noteholders. The
obligations of Financial Security under the note policy will not be diminished
or otherwise affected by any amounts distributed to Financial Security.
PAYMENTS FROM THE SPREAD ACCOUNT AND UNDER THE NOTE POLICY
On each distribution date on which the Note Distributable Amount exceeds
the amount then on deposit in the note distribution account, the holders of
senior notes will be entitled to receive that deficiency, including amounts
necessary to reduce the outstanding principal balance of a given class of senior
notes to zero on the related final scheduled distribution date, first, from
amounts on deposit in the spread account, and if those amounts are insufficient,
then from the payment of a claim under the note policy.
STATEMENTS TO NOTEHOLDERS
On or prior to each distribution date, you will be provided with a
statement to noteholders prepared by the master servicer setting forth with
respect to that distribution date or related due period, as applicable, among
other things, the following information:
(i) the amount of the noteholder's distribution allocable to
principal, stated separately for each class of notes;
(ii) the amount of the noteholder's distribution allocable to
interest, stated separately for each class of notes;
(iii) the Aggregate Scheduled Balance as of the close of business on
the last day of the related due period;
(iv) the amount of the Servicing Fee paid to the master servicer with
respect to the related due period;
(v) the amount of any Note Interest Carryover Shortfall, Note
Principal Carryover Shortfall, on that distribution date and the change in
such amounts from those with respect to the immediately preceding
distribution date;
(vi) the note pool factor for each class of notes as of that
distribution date;
(vii) the balance on deposit in the spread account on that
distribution date, after giving effect to distributions made on that
distribution date, and the change in that balance from the immediately
preceding distribution date; and
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(viii) if applicable, following an optional repurchase, the amount of
base price and repurchase premium payable.
Each amount set forth pursuant to subclauses (i), (ii), (iv), (v) and
(viii) above with respect to a note will be expressed in the aggregate and as a
dollar amount per $1,000 of original principal amount of a note. Copies of the
statements may be obtained by owners of notes by a request in writing addressed
to the indenture trustee at its corporate trust office. In addition, within the
prescribed period of time for tax reporting purposes after the end of each
calendar year during the term of the sale and servicing agreement, the indenture
trustee will mail to each person who at any time during such calendar year shall
have been a noteholder, a statement containing the sum of the amounts described
in clauses (i), (ii), (iv), (v) and (viii) above for the purposes of such
holder's preparation of federal income tax returns. See "Federal and California
Income Tax Consequences."
EVIDENCE AS TO COMPLIANCE
The Sale and Servicing Agreement. The sale and servicing agreement will
provide that a firm of independent public accountants will furnish to the
indenture trustee and the owner trustee and Financial Security, on or before 90
days after the end of each fiscal year of the master servicer, a statement as to
compliance by the master servicer during the preceding fiscal year, or since the
closing date in the case of the first such statement, with certain standards
relating to the servicing of the contracts.
The sale and servicing agreement will also provide for delivery to the
indenture trustee, the owner trustee and Financial Security, on or before 90
days after the end of each fiscal year of the master servicer, of a certificate
signed by two officers of the master servicer stating that the master servicer
has fulfilled its obligations under the sale and servicing agreement throughout
the preceding fiscal year, or since the closing date in the case of the first
such certificate, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such
obligation, describing each such default.
Copies of those statements and certificates may be obtained by noteholders
by a request in writing addressed to the indenture trustee at its corporate
trust office.
The Indenture. The trust will be required to file annually with the
indenture trustee and Financial Security a written statement as to the
fulfillment of its obligations under the indenture.
The indenture trustee will be required to mail each year to all related
noteholders a brief report relating to, among other things:
- its eligibility and qualification to continue as indenture trustee under
the indenture;
- any amounts advanced by it under the indenture;
- the amount, interest rate and maturity date of certain indebtedness owing
by the trust to the indenture trustee in its individual capacity;
- the property and funds physically held by the indenture trustee as
indenture trustee; and
- any action taken by it that materially affects the notes and that has not
been previously reported.
CERTAIN MATTERS REGARDING THE MASTER SERVICER
Each sale and servicing agreement will provide that the master servicer may
not resign from its obligations and duties as master servicer except upon
determination that the master servicer's performance of such duties is no longer
permissible under applicable law. No resignation will become effective until (i)
the indenture trustee or a successor master servicer has assumed the master
servicer's servicing obligations and duties under the sale and servicing
agreement and (ii) the rating agencies confirm that the selection of such
successor master servicer will not result in the qualification, reduction or
withdrawal of its then-current rating of any class of Notes.
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Each sale and servicing agreement will further provide that neither the
master servicer nor any of its directors, officers, employees and agents shall
be under any liability to the trust or the noteholders for taking any action or
for refraining from taking any action pursuant to the sale and servicing
agreement, or for errors in judgment; provided, however, that neither the master
servicer nor any such person will be protected against any liability that would
otherwise be imposed by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence
in the performance of duties or by reason of reckless disregard of obligations
and duties thereunder. In addition, each sale and servicing agreement will
provide that the master servicer will be under no obligation to appear in,
prosecute or defend any legal action that is not incidental to its servicing
responsibilities under the sale and servicing agreement and that, in its
opinion, may cause it to incur any expense or liability. The master servicer
may, however, undertake any reasonable action that it may deem necessary or
desirable in respect of the sale and servicing agreement and the rights and
duties of the parties thereto and the interests of the noteholders thereunder.
In any event, the legal expenses and costs of that action and any liability
resulting therefrom will be expenses, costs and liabilities of the trust, and
the master servicer will be entitled to be reimbursed therefor out of funds on
deposit in the collection account. Any indemnification or reimbursement could
reduce the amount otherwise available for distribution to noteholders.
Any corporation into which the master servicer may be merged or
consolidated, any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or
consolidation to which the master servicer is a party or any corporation
succeeding to the business of the master servicer or the master servicer's
obligations as the master servicer, will be the successor of the master servicer
under the sale and servicing agreement.
SERVICER DEFAULT
Except as otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement,
"Servicer Defaults" under each sale and servicing agreement will consist of:
(a) a claim being made under the note policy;
(b) any failure by the master servicer to deposit in, credit to, or
make the required distribution from the following, and such failure is not
remedied within three business days after the master servicer receives
written notice from the indenture trustee, the owner trustee or Financial
Security or after the master servicer discovers such failure:
- the collection account,
- the note distribution account or the account established to distribute
monies to the certificateholders,
- the spread account, or
- the holding account;
(c) any failure by the master servicer to deliver to the indenture
trustee, the owner trustee or Financial Security certain reports required
by the sale and servicing agreement by, except as otherwise provided in the
related prospectus supplement, the fourth business day prior to the related
distribution date or to perform certain other covenants under the sale and
servicing agreement;
(d) any failure by the master servicer, or the seller or the sellers
to observe or perform in any material respect any other covenant or
agreement in the sale and servicing agreement, which failure materially and
adversely affects the rights of holders of the senior notes, Financial
Security, the indenture trustee or the owner trustee and which continues
unremedied for 30 days after the giving of written notice of such failure
to:
- the master servicer, or the seller or the sellers, as the case may be,
by the owner trustee, the indenture trustee or Financial Security, or
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- to the master servicer, or the seller or the sellers, as the case may
be, and to the indenture trustee or the owner trustee by:
- holders of senior notes evidencing at least 25% of the voting
interests of all senior notes, voting together as a single class, or
- so long as a default under the note policy has not occurred or is not
continuing and no insolvency of Financial Security has occurred, by
Financial Security;
(e) certain events of insolvency, readjustment of debt, marshaling of
assets and liabilities or similar proceedings and certain action by the
seller or the sellers, or the master servicer indicating its insolvency,
reorganization pursuant to bankruptcy or similar proceedings or inability
to pay its obligations, each of which is an Insolvency Event; and
(f) any material breach of any of the representations and warranties
of the master servicer, or the seller or the sellers, except for any
breaches relating to contracts repurchased by the seller or the sellers, or
the master servicer, that has a material adverse effect on the holders of
senior notes and, within 30 days after written notice thereof shall have
been given to the master servicer, or the seller or the sellers, by:
- the indenture trustee or the owner trustee,
- by holders of senior notes, voting together as a single class,
evidencing at least 25% of the respective voting interests thereof, or
- so long as no default under the note policy has occurred and is
continuing and no insolvency of Financial Security has occurred, by
Financial Security.
RIGHTS UPON SERVICER DEFAULT
Except as otherwise provided in the related prospectus supplement, as long
as a servicer default remains unremedied, the indenture trustee, Financial
Security or holders of senior notes representing not less than 25% of the voting
interests thereof, voting together as a single class, may terminate all the
rights and obligations of the master servicer under the sale and servicing
agreement. After such termination, the indenture trustee will automatically
succeed to all the responsibilities, duties and liabilities of the master
servicer in its capacity as such under such agreement and will be entitled to
similar compensation arrangements. If, however, a bankruptcy trustee or similar
official has been appointed for the master servicer, and no servicer default
other than such appointment has occurred, such trustee or official may have the
power to prevent the indenture trustee, Financial Security, or the holders of
the senior notes from effecting a transfer of servicing. In the event that the
indenture trustee is unwilling or unable so to act, it may appoint or petition a
court of competent jurisdiction to appoint a successor with a net worth of at
least $50,000,000 and whose regular business includes the servicing of motor
vehicle receivables. The indenture trustee may make such arrangements for
compensation to be paid, which in no event may be greater than the servicing
compensation paid to the master servicer under the sale and servicing agreement.
Notwithstanding such termination, the master servicer shall be entitled to
payment of certain amounts payable to it prior to such termination, for services
rendered prior to such termination.
So long as Financial Security is not in default under the note policy it
may direct the actions of the indenture trustee upon an event of default.
WAIVER OF PAST DEFAULTS
The holders of senior notes evidencing at least 51% of the voting interests
thereof, voting together as a single class, may, on behalf of all holders of the
senior notes, with the consent of Financial Security, waive any default by the
master servicer in the performance of its obligations under the sale and
servicing agreement and its consequences. A default, however, in making any
required deposits to or payments from the collection account, the holding
account, the spread account or the note distribution account in accordance with
that agreement or in respect of a covenant or provision of that agreement that
cannot be
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modified or amended without the consent of each noteholder affected thereby, may
only be waived by the approval of holders of all of the notes. No such waiver
will impair the noteholders' rights with respect to subsequent servicer
defaults.
VOTING INTERESTS
The "voting interests" of the notes of a class or classes will be allocated
among the noteholders or related owners, as the case may be, in accordance with
the unpaid principal amount of the notes of each class or classes represented
thereby; except that in certain circumstances notes held by a seller, WFS or any
of their respective affiliates will be excluded from such determination. Except
as otherwise described in this prospectus or in the related prospectus
supplement, subordinated notes shall not have voting rights so long as any class
of senior notes is outstanding, the note policy has not expired by its terms or
any amounts are due and owing to Financial Security.
AMENDMENT
Amendment of the Sale and Servicing Agreement. The sale and servicing
agreement may be amended, with the consent of the insurer but without the
consent of the noteholders to:
- cure any ambiguity,
- correct or supplement any provision therein which may be inconsistent
with any other provision therein,
- add any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising
under the agreement which are not inconsistent with the provisions
thereof,
- add or provide for any credit enhancement for any class of notes, or
- permit certain changes with respect to the specified spread account
balance.
The requirements that must be met to make the above listed amendments are:
(a) that any amendment will not, in the opinion of counsel
satisfactory to the related trustee, materially and adversely affect the
interests of any noteholder, and
(b) that in the case of a change with respect to the specified spread
account balance:
- the trustee receives a letter from Standard & Poor's, a division of
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., if it has rated the notes, which
basically states that its then-current rating on each class of notes
will not be qualified, reduced or withdrawn due to that amendment, and
- the master servicer provides Moody's Investors Services, Inc., if it
has rated the notes, notice of such amendment.
The sale and servicing agreement may also be amended with the consent of
the holders of senior notes evidencing at least 51% of the respective voting
interests thereof, for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in
any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of such agreement or of
modifying in any manner the rights of the related noteholders of each class;
provided, that no such amendment may (i) except as described above, increase or
reduce in any manner the amount of or accelerate or delay the timing of
collections of payments on or in respect of the contracts, required
distributions on the senior notes, or the specified spread account balance or
the manner in which the spread account is funded, or (ii) reduce the percentage
of the voting interests of which the holders of any class of senior notes are
required to consent to any such amendment, without the consent of Financial
Security and the holders of all of the relevant classes of senior notes and the
subordinated notes, if any, to the extent that holders of such subordinated
notes would be adversely affected by that amendment.
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Amendment of the Trust Agreement. The trust agreement may be amended, with
the consent of the insurer but without the consent of the noteholders, to:
- cure any ambiguity,
- correct or supplement any provision which may be inconsistent with any
other provision, or
- add any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising
thereunder which are not inconsistent with the provisions thereof.
The trust agreement may also be amended with the consent of holders of
senior notes evidencing at least 51% of the respective voting interests thereof,
for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or
eliminating any of the provisions of such agreement or of modifying in any
manner the rights of the noteholders; provided, that no such amendment may
increase or reduce in any manner the amount of or accelerate or delay the timing
of (i) collections of payments on or in respect of the contracts or required
distributions on the senior notes, or any interest rate, or (ii) reduce the
aforesaid percentage of the voting interests of which the holders of any class
of senior notes are required to consent to any such amendment, without the
consent of Financial Security and the holders of all of the relevant class of
senior notes and of the subordinated notes, if any, to the extent that holders
of such subordinated notes would be adversely affected by that amendment.
Amendment of the Indenture. The trust and the indenture trustee, on behalf
of the trust, may, without the consent of the noteholders but with the consent
of Financial Security, enter into one or more supplemental indentures for any of
the following purposes:
(i) to correct or amplify the description of the property subject to
the lien of the indenture or to subject additional property to the lien of
the indenture;
(ii) to provide for the assumption of the notes and the indenture
obligations by a permitted successor to the trust;
(iii) to add additional covenants for the benefit of the related
noteholders or to surrender any rights or powers conferred upon the trust;
(iv) to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any property to
the indenture trustee;
(v) to cure any ambiguity or correct or supplement any provision in
the indenture or in any supplemental indenture which may be inconsistent
with any other provision in the indenture, any supplemental indenture, the
sale and servicing agreement or certain other agreements; provided, that
any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any noteholder;
(vi) to provide for the acceptance of the appointment of a successor
indenture trustee or to add to or change any of the provisions of the
indenture as shall be necessary and permitted to facilitate the
administration by more than one trustee;
(vii) to modify, eliminate or add to the provisions of the indenture
in order to comply with the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended; and
(viii) to add any provisions to, change in any manner, or eliminate
any of the provisions of, the indenture or modify in any manner the rights
of noteholders under the indenture; provided, that any of those actions
will not, in the opinion of counsel satisfactory to the indenture trustee,
materially and adversely affect the interests of any noteholder or result
in the creation of a new security; and further provided that any of those
actions shall not, as evidenced by an opinion of counsel, adversely affect
in any material respect the interests of any noteholder unless such
noteholder's consent is otherwise obtained as described below.
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Without the consent of the holder of each outstanding note, including
subordinated notes, if any, affected thereby, no supplemental indenture may:
- change the due date of any installment of principal of or interest on any
note or reduce the principal amount thereof, the interest rate thereon,
or the method by which such interest or principal is calculated, or the
redemption price with respect thereto or change any place of payment
where or the coin or currency in which any such note or any interest
thereon is payable;
- impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of provisions of
the indenture regarding payment;
- reduce the percentage of the voting interests of any such notes, the
consent of the holders of which is required for any such supplemental
indenture or the consent of the holders of which is required for any
waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or of
certain defaults thereunder and their consequences as provided for in the
indenture;
- modify or alter the provisions of the indenture regarding the voting of
notes held by the trust, any other obligor on the notes, the seller, the
master servicer or any of their respective affiliates;
- reduce the percentage of the voting interests of the notes, the consent
of the holders of which is required to direct the indenture trustee to
sell or liquidate the property of the trust if the proceeds of that sale
or liquidation would be insufficient to pay the principal amount of and
accrued but unpaid interest on the outstanding notes;
- decrease the percentage of the voting interests of such notes required to
amend the provisions of the indenture which specify the applicable
percentage of voting interests of the notes necessary to amend such
indenture or certain other related agreements; or
- permit the creation of any lien ranking prior to or on a parity with the
lien of the indenture with respect to any of the collateral for the notes
or, except as otherwise permitted or contemplated in the indenture,
terminate the lien of such indenture on any of the collateral for the
notes or deprive the holder of any note of the security afforded by the
lien of the indenture;
provided, that any of those actions will not, in the opinion of counsel
satisfactory to the related indenture trustee, result in the creation of a new
security.
LIST OF NOTEHOLDERS
Three or more holders of notes may, by written request to the indenture
trustee, obtain access to the list of all noteholders maintained by such
indenture trustee for the purpose of communicating with the other noteholders
with respect to their rights under the indenture or under the notes. The
indenture trustee may elect not to afford the requesting noteholders access to
the list of noteholders if it agrees to mail the desired communication or proxy,
on behalf of and at the expense of the requesting noteholders, to all
noteholders.
Neither the trust agreement nor the indenture will provide for the holding
of any annual or other meetings of noteholders.
NO BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS
The trust agreement will provide that the owner trustee, and the indenture
will provide that the indenture trustee and each noteholder, agree that they
will not at any time institute, or join in any institution against, the trust,
or the seller, any bankruptcy proceedings relating to the notes, the trust
agreement, the indenture or certain other agreements.
TERMINATION
The obligations of the master servicer, the seller or the sellers, the
owner trustee and the indenture trustee pursuant to the trust agreement, sale
and servicing agreement and indenture will terminate upon
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the earliest to occur of (i) the maturity or other liquidation of the last
contract and the disposition of any amounts received upon liquidation of any
property remaining in the trust, (ii) the payment to you of all amounts required
to be paid to you pursuant to such agreement whether upon an optional repurchase
or optional purchase or otherwise and (iii) the occurrence of the event
described below.
The indenture trustee will give you written notice of termination at least
20 days prior to such termination. The final distribution to you will be made
only upon surrender and cancellation of your notes at the office or agency of
the indenture trustee specified in the notice of termination. Any funds
remaining in the trust at least 18 months after the date of termination and
after the indenture trustee has attempted to locate a noteholder and such
measures have failed, will be distributed to a charity designated by the master
servicer.
THE TRUSTEES
Each of the owner trustee and the indenture trustee may resign at any time,
in which event the administrator, or its successor, will be obligated to appoint
a successor trustee. The administrator may also remove the owner trustee or the
indenture trustee, in each case if such trustee becomes insolvent or ceases to
be eligible to continue as a trustee under each trust agreement or indenture, as
the case may be. In such event, the administrator will be obligated to appoint a
successor trustee. Any resignation or removal of a trustee and appointment of a
successor trustee will not become effective until acceptance of the appointment
by the successor trustee.
Each trustee and any of its affiliates may hold notes in their own names or
as pledgees. For the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of certain
jurisdictions, the administrator and the owner trustee or indenture trustee
acting jointly, or in some instances, the owner trustee and indenture trustee
acting without the administrator, will have the power to appoint co-trustees or
separate trustees of all or any part of the trust. In the event of such an
appointment, all rights, powers, duties and obligations conferred or imposed
upon the affected trustee by each indenture, sale and servicing agreement or
trust agreement will be conferred or imposed upon that trustee and the separate
trustee or co-trustee jointly, or, in any jurisdiction in which that trustee
will be incompetent or unqualified to perform certain acts, singly upon the
separate trustee or co-trustee who will exercise and perform such rights,
powers, duties and obligations solely at the direction of that trustee.
Each trust agreement will further provide that each trust will, or will
cause the administrator to, pay the fees of the indenture trustee. Each trust
agreement will further provide that the owner trustee will be entitled to
indemnification by the master servicer for, and will be held harmless against,
any loss, liability or expense incurred by it not resulting from its own willful
misconduct, bad faith or negligence, other than by reason of a breach of any of
its representations or warranties set forth in such agreement. The indenture
will further provide that the indenture trustee will be entitled to
indemnification by the trust or the administrator for any loss, liability or
expense incurred by it not resulting from its own willful misconduct, negligence
or bad faith.
DUTIES OF THE TRUSTEES
Neither trustee will make any representations as to the validity or
sufficiency of each trust agreement or indenture, the notes, other than the
execution and authentication thereof by the indenture trustee, or of any
contracts or related documents. Neither trustee will be accountable for the use
or application by the seller or the master servicer of any funds paid to the
seller or the master servicer in respect of the notes or the related contracts,
or the investment of any monies by the master servicer before such monies are
deposited into the collection account. The trustees will not independently
verify the existence or characteristics of the contracts. If an event of default
or servicer default has not occurred or is not continuing, each trustee will be
required to perform only those duties specifically required of it under the
indenture, trust agreement or sale and servicing agreement, as the case may be.
Generally those duties will be limited to the receipt of the various
certificates and reports or other instruments required to be furnished to such
trustee under such agreements, in which case it will only be required to examine
them to
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determine whether they conform to the requirements of such agreements. No
trustee will be charged with knowledge of a failure by the master servicer to
perform its duties under the relevant agreements which failure constitutes an
event of default or a servicer default unless such trustee obtains actual
knowledge of such failure as specified in such agreements.
No trustee will be under any obligation to exercise any of the rights or
powers vested in it by the indenture, trust agreement or sale and servicing
agreement, as the case may be, or to make any investigation of matters arising
thereunder or to institute, conduct or defend any litigation thereunder or in
relation thereto at the request order or direction of any of the noteholders,
unless those noteholders have offered to the trustee reasonable security or
indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that may be incurred
therein or thereby. No noteholder will have any right to institute any
proceeding with respect to the indenture, trust agreement or sale and servicing
agreement, unless that holder previously has given to the appropriate trustee
written notice of default and (i) the default arises from the master servicer's
failure to remit payments when due or (ii) the holders of notes evidencing not
less than 25% of the voting interests of the related notes, voting together as a
single class, have made written request upon the indenture trustee to institute
that proceeding in its own name as indenture trustee thereunder and have offered
to the indenture trustee reasonable indemnity and that trustee for 60 days has
neglected or refused to institute that proceeding.
ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
WFS, in its capacity as administrator, will enter into an agreement, or the
"administration agreement," with the trust, the seller and the indenture trustee
pursuant to which the administrator will agree, to the extent provided in the
administration agreement, to provide the notices and to perform other
administrative obligations required to be provided or performed by the trust or
the owner trustee under the indenture. As compensation for the performance of
the administrator's obligations under the administration agreement and as
reimbursement for its expenses related thereto, the administrator will be
entitled to a monthly administration fee, which fee will be paid by the seller
or sellers and not from the proceeds of the contracts or other assets of the
trust.
PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Because the rate of distribution of principal on the notes will depend on
the rate of payment on the contracts, including prepayments, liquidations, the
exercise of the optional repurchase or optional purchase and repurchases of
contracts by the seller or the sellers or the master servicer following breach
of certain representations or warranties or servicing obligations and the sale
or liquidation of the property of the trust under certain conditions following
the occurrence of an event of default, the final distribution on each class of
notes is likely to occur earlier than the related final scheduled distribution
date. The right of the seller to repurchase all of the contracts upon certain
events is described under "-- Termination" and "The Master Servicer," and the
right of WFSRC to repurchase Contracts is described under "The Notes -- Optional
Repurchase of Contracts".
The law of California and most other states generally requires that retail
installment sales contracts such as the contracts permit full and partial
prepayment without penalty, although a minimum finance charge may be applicable
in some circumstances. Any prepayments, including certain partial prepayments
not designated as advance payments by the obligor on the related contract, can
reduce the average life of the contracts. The master servicer will permit the
sale or other transfer of a financed vehicle without accelerating the maturity
of the related contract if such contract is assumed by a person satisfying WFS'
then-current underwriting standards. Partial prepayments not designated as
advance payments by the obligor on a contract and all partial prepayments as to
simple interest contracts will affect the average life of the contracts because
those partial prepayments will be passed through to holders of the senior notes
on the distribution date following the Due Period in which they are received.
Those partial prepayments designated as advance payments for Rule of 78's
contracts only will be held until passed through in accordance with the original
schedule of payments for the related contract or until the amount of such
partial prepayment equals the remaining principal amount plus accrued interest
due on the related
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contract. Any reinvestment risk resulting from the rate of prepayments of the
contracts and the distribution of such prepayments to holders of the senior
notes will be borne entirely by the holders of the senior notes, which will be
partially offset to the extent WFSRC is a seller and it pays the premium set
forth in the related prospectus supplement in connection with the exercise of an
optional repurchase.
Purchases by the seller or the sellers of contracts because of certain
defects in contract documentation or due to breaches of its respective
representations and warranties in respect thereof, in either case that
materially and adversely affect the interests of holders of the senior notes,
the indenture trustee, the owner trustee or Financial Security, and purchases by
the master servicer of contracts due to certain breaches in representations and
warranties made by the master servicer or due to certain breaches by the master
servicer in servicing procedures, in either case that materially and adversely
affect such contracts, can reduce the average lives of the contracts and the
notes. Any reduction in the average life of the related notes will reduce the
aggregate amount of interest received by the holders of the such notes over the
life of such notes.
THE NOTE POLICY
The following summary of the terms of the note policy does not purport to
be complete. You should review the summary along with the note policy, which is
included as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus
supplement is a part, for complete information. The following summary does,
however, describe the material terms of the note policy as it relates to insured
classes of notes.
On each closing date, Financial Security will issue the note policy to the
indenture trustee pursuant to the insurance, indemnity and pledge agreement, or
the insurance agreement, among Financial Security, the trust, the seller or the
sellers, Bankers Trust Company, as collateral agent for Financial Security, and
WFS. Under the note policy, Financial Security will unconditionally and
irrevocably guarantee to the indenture trustee for the benefit of each holder of
the insured classes of notes the full and complete payment of (i) Scheduled
Payments on insured classes of notes and (ii) the amount of any Scheduled
Payment which subsequently is avoided in whole or in part as a preference
payment under applicable law, but will not guarantee payment of any premium paid
in connection with the exercise by WFSRC of its optional repurchase option.
Except as otherwise described in the related prospectus supplement holders of
subordinated notes will not have the benefit of the note policy.
Payment of claims on the note policy made in respect of Scheduled Payments
will be made by Financial Security following receipt by Financial Security of
the appropriate notice for payment on the later to occur of (a) 12:00 noon, New
York City time, on the fourth business day following receipt of such notice for
payment, and (b) 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date on which such
payment was due on the insured classes of notes.
OTHER TERMS OF THE NOTE POLICY
If payment of any amount avoided as a preference under applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law is required to be made under
the note policy, Financial Security shall cause such payment to be made on the
later of:
(a) the date when due to be paid pursuant to the order referred to
below or
(b) the first to occur of:
(i) the fourth business day following receipt by Financial Security
from the indenture trustee of:
(A) a certified copy of the order of the court or other
governmental body which exercised jurisdiction to the effect that the
holder of the senior notes is required to return principal or
interest paid on the notes during the term of the note policy, in
either case because such distributions were avoidable as preference
payments under applicable bankruptcy law,
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(B) a certificate of the holder of the senior notes that the
order has been entered and is not subject to any stay and
(C) an assignment duly executed and delivered by such holder of
the senior notes, in such form as is reasonably required by Financial
Security and provided to such holder of the senior notes by Financial
Security, irrevocably assigning to Financial Security all rights and
claims of such holder of the senior notes relating to or arising
under the related class of senior notes, against the debtor which
made such preference payments or otherwise with respect to such
preference payment, or
(ii) the date of receipt by Financial Security from the indenture
trustee of the items referred to in clauses (A), (B) and (C) above if,
at least four business days prior to such date of receipt, Financial
Security shall have received written notice from the related trustee
that such items were to be delivered on such date and such date was
specified in such notice.
Such payment shall be disbursed to the receiver, conservator,
debtor-in-possession or trustee in bankruptcy named in the order and not to the
indenture trustee or any noteholder directly, unless a holder of the senior
notes has previously paid such amount to the receiver, conservator,
debtor-in-possession or trustee in bankruptcy named in the order in which case
such payment shall be disbursed to the related trustee for distribution to such
noteholder upon proof of such payment reasonably satisfactory to Financial
Security. In connection with the foregoing, and as will be provided in the
indenture and sale and servicing agreement, Financial Security will have certain
rights to direct proceedings regarding the seeking to avoid payments made on or
in respect of the contracts or the senior notes as preferential.
The terms receipt and received, with respect to the note policy, shall mean
actual delivery to Financial Security and to its fiscal agent, if any, prior to
12:00 noon, New York City time, on a business day and delivery either on a day
that is not a business day or after 12:00 noon, New York City time, shall be
deemed to be receipt on the next succeeding business day. If any notice or
certificate given under the note policy by the indenture trustee is not in
proper form or is not properly completed, executed or delivered, it shall be
deemed not to have been received, and Financial Security or its fiscal agent
shall promptly so advise the indenture trustee, and the indenture trustee may
submit an amended notice.
For purposes of the note policy, business day will mean any day other than
(i) a Saturday or Sunday or (ii) a day on which banking institutions in The City
of New York, New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to
be closed.
Financial Security's obligations under the note policy in respect of
Scheduled Payments shall in each case be discharged to the extent funds are
transferred to the indenture trustee, as provided in the note policy whether or
not such funds are properly applied by the indenture trustee. Noteholders will
have no rights directly under the note policy against Financial Security.
Financial Security shall be subrogated to the rights of each holder of the
senior notes to receive payments of principal and interest to the extent of any
payment by Financial Security under the note policy.
Claims under the note policy will constitute direct, unsecured and
unsubordinated obligations of Financial Security ranking not less than pari
passu with other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of Financial Security
for borrowed money. Claims against Financial Security under each other financial
guaranty insurance policy issued thereby constitute pari passu claims against
the general assets of Financial Security. The terms of the note policy cannot be
modified or altered by any other agreement or instrument, or by the merger,
consolidation or dissolution of the trust. The note policy may not be cancelled
or revoked prior to distribution in full of all Scheduled Payments. The note
policy is not covered by the Property/Casualty Insurance Security Fund specified
in Article 76 of the New York Insurance Law. The note policy is governed by the
laws of the State of New York. As a result, if a claim is made on the note
policy for the benefit of the holders of the senior notes and Financial Security
is insolvent and unable to pay the amount then due under that policy, the
holders of the senior notes would not be permitted to file a claim against the
Property/Casualty Insurance Fund specified in Article 76 of the New
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York Insurance Law. In that circumstance, the holders of the senior notes would
have recourse against the estate of Financial Security only, as any other
general creditor of Financial Security.
FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE INC.
GENERAL
Financial Security Assurance Inc., which is referred to in this prospectus
as "Financial Security" or "the Insurer," is a monoline insurance company
incorporated in 1984 under the laws of the State of New York. Financial Security
is licensed to engage in financial guaranty insurance business in all 50 states,
the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Financial Security and its subsidiaries are engaged in the business of
writing financial guaranty insurance, principally in respect of securities
offered in domestic and foreign markets. Financial guaranty insurance provides a
guaranty of scheduled payments on an issuer's securities -- thereby enhancing
the credit rating of those securities -- in consideration for the payment of a
premium to the insurer. Financial Security and its subsidiaries principally
insure asset-backed, collateralized and municipal securities. Asset-backed
securities are generally supported by residential mortgage loans, consumer or
trade receivables, securities or other assets having an ascertainable cash flow
or market value. Collateralized securities include public utility first mortgage
bonds and sale/leaseback obligation bonds. Municipal securities include general
obligation bonds, special revenue bonds and other special obligations of state
and local governments. Financial Security insures both newly issued securities
sold in the primary market and outstanding securities sold in the secondary
market that satisfy Financial Security's underwriting criteria.
Financial Security is a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Security
Assurance Holdings Ltd., which is referred to in this Prospectus as Holdings.
Holdings is an indirect subsidiary of Dexia S.A., a publicly held Belgian
corporation. Dexia S.A., through its bank subsidiaries, is primarily engaged in
the business of public finance in France, Belgium and other European countries.
No shareholder of Holdings is obligated to pay any debt of Financial Security of
any claim under any insurance policy issued by Financial Security or to make any
additional contribution to the capital of Financial Security.
The principal executive offices of Financial Security are located at 350
Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, and its telephone number at that location
is (212) 826-0100.
REINSURANCE
Under an intercompany agreement, liabilities on financial guaranty
insurance written or reinsured from third parties by Financial Security or any
of its domestic or Bermuda operating insurance company subsidiaries are
generally reinsured among such companies on an agreed-upon percentage
substantially proportional to their respective capital, surplus and reserves,
subject to applicable statutory risk limitations. In addition, Financial
Security reinsures a portion of its liabilities under certain of its financial
guaranty insurance policies with other reinsurers under various treaties and on
a transaction-by-transaction basis. This reinsurance is used by Financial
Security as a risk management device and to comply with statutory and rating
agency requirements; it does not alter or limit Financial Security's obligations
under any financial guaranty insurance policy.
RATINGS
Financial Security's insurance financial strength is rated "Aaa" by Moody's
and "AAA" by Fitch IBCA, Inc. Financial Security's insurer financial strength is
rated "AAA" by Standard & Poor's and Standard & Poor's (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Financial Security's claims-paying ability is rated "AAA" by Japan Rating and
Investment Information, Inc. These ratings reflect only the views of the
respective rating agencies, are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold
securities and are subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by those rating
agencies.
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CAPITALIZATION
Information regarding the capitalization of Financial Security is presented
in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
INSURANCE REGULATION
Financial Security is licensed and subject to regulation as a financial
guaranty insurance corporation under the laws of the State of New York, its
state of domicile. In addition, Financial Security and its insurance
subsidiaries are subject to regulation by insurance laws of the various other
jurisdictions in which they are licensed to do business. As a financial guaranty
insurance corporation licensed to do business in the State of New York,
Financial Security is subject to Article 69 of the New York Insurance Law which,
among other things, limits the business of a financial guaranty insurer to
writing financial guaranty insurance and related business lines, requires each
financial guaranty insurer to maintain a minimum surplus to policyholders,
establishes contingency, loss and unearned premium reserve requirements for each
such insurer, and limits the size of individual transactions and the volume of
transactions that may be underwritten by each insurer. Other provisions of the
New York Insurance Law, applicable to non-life insurance companies such as
Financial Security, regulate, among other things, permitted investments, payment
of dividends, transactions with affiliates, mergers, consolidations,
acquisitions or sales of assets and incurrence of liability for borrowings.
SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For further information concerning Financial Security, see the accompanying
prospectus supplement and the consolidated financial statements of Financial
Security and Subsidiaries, and the notes thereto, incorporated by reference into
this prospectus and the related prospectus supplement. Copies of the statutory
quarterly and annual statements filed with the State of New York Insurance
Department by Financial Security are available upon request to the State of New
York Insurance Department.
THE MASTER SERVICER
The contracts will be serviced by WFS in its capacity as master servicer.
While WFS may or may not use a subservicer in servicing the contracts, WFS is
referred to as the master servicer in this prospectus.
The master servicer will be obligated pursuant to the sale and servicing
agreement, subject to the limitations set forth therein, to service the
contracts and to repurchase contracts under certain circumstances if certain
representations and warranties made by the master servicer are incorrect or if
the master servicer breaches certain of its servicing obligations under the sale
and servicing agreement, in either case in a manner that materially and
adversely affects the holders of the notes. The master service may perform its
servicing duties through one or more subservicers, provided that the employment
of a subservicer shall not relieve the master servicer from any liability of the
master servicer under the sale and servicing agreement.
If the master servicer uses a subservicer, the master servicer will enter
into a subservicing agreement with that subservicer. The subservicing agreement
must not be inconsistent with the terms of the sale and servicing agreement. The
master servicer may terminate a subservicing agreement and either service the
related contracts directly or enter into a new subservicing agreement for those
contracts with a subservicer that need not be an affiliate of the master
servicer. Notwithstanding any subservicing agreement, the master servicer will
remain obligated and liable to the indenture trustee, the owner trustee and the
noteholders for servicing and administering the contracts in accordance with the
sale and servicing agreement as if the master servicer alone were servicing the
contracts. References herein to actions required or permitted to be taken by the
master servicer include the actions by a subservicer.
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COLLECTION OF PAYMENTS
The master servicer will service the contracts and will provide certain
accounting and reporting services with respect to the contracts and the notes.
The master servicer must take all actions necessary to maintain continuous
perfection of the security interests granted by the obligors in the financed
vehicles. The master servicer will be obligated to service the contracts in
accordance with the customary and usual servicing procedures employed by
financial institutions that service retail installment sales contracts and/or
installment loan agreements secured by motor vehicles and, to the extent more
exacting, the procedures used for such contracts owned by the master servicer.
In its judgment, the master servicer may reduce the annual percentage rate of a
delinquent contract, but not below the sum of the weighted average interest rate
of the notes as of the closing date and the servicing fee percent, may reduce
the principal balance and may extend the scheduled maturity of a delinquent
contract for up to 90 days in the aggregate past the originally scheduled date
of the last payment on such contract, so long as the master servicer makes an
appropriate advance as will be required in the sale and servicing agreement, but
in no event beyond the last final scheduled distribution date.
The master servicer shall deposit in or credit to the collection account or
the holding account, within two business days of receipt, all net collections
received on or in respect of the contracts, except that as to contracts serviced
by a subservicer, such proceeds shall be deposited within three business days of
receipt by the subservicer. The master servicer will also deposit in or credit
to the collection account or the holding account, within two business days of
receipt, all net liquidation proceeds and net insurance proceeds, after
deducting the amount of any outstanding and unreimbursed advances. See "Certain
Information Regarding the Securities -- The Accounts and Eligible Investments".
ADVANCES
The master servicer will be obligated to advance delinquent payments of
monthly principal and interest payments on individual Rule of 78's contracts and
to advance 30 days of interest at the sum of the weighted average interest rate
and the servicing fee percent for each month of delinquency in that due period
on individual simple interest contracts, each of which is an "advance," to the
extent that any advance, if made, would not, in the good faith judgment of the
master servicer, constitute a "nonrecoverable advance". A nonrecoverable advance
will be an advance previously made or to be made by the master servicer which,
in the good faith judgment of the master servicer, may not be ultimately
recoverable by the master servicer from proceeds of liquidated contracts and
proceeds of any insurance applicable to a financed vehicle or otherwise.
Concurrently with the furnishing of the related distribution date statement to
the indenture trustee and the owner trustee, the master servicer will deposit in
the collection account all advances, if any, in respect of the related due
period. The master servicer will not be entitled to any interest on advances
when it is reimbursed for advances. The amount of advances deposited in the
collection account for any distribution date may be net of amounts otherwise
payable to the master servicer on such distribution date.
In making advances, the master servicer will be endeavoring to maintain a
regular flow of interest and principal payments to the noteholders rather than
to guarantee or insure against losses. Advances will be reimbursed to the master
servicer out of recoveries on the related contracts, including late payments by
the obligor, net liquidation proceeds and net insurance proceeds, or, to the
extent any portion of an advance is determined to be a nonrecoverable advance,
out of unrelated installments of monthly principal and interest payments or
prepayment proceeds.
INSURANCE ON FINANCED VEHICLES
Each obligor on a contract is required to maintain insurance covering
physical damage to the financed vehicle of such obligor in an amount not less
than the lesser of its actual cash value or the unpaid principal balance under
that contract; provided, however, that the master servicer will not be obligated
to enforce this requirement when the principal balance of a contract is less
than $4,000 or there are six or fewer months remaining to its scheduled
maturity. The master servicer or a subservicer is required to be
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named as a loss payee under the policy of insurance obtained by the obligor. In
addition, to the extent required by applicable law, the policy of insurance will
be delivered to the master servicer or subservicer, as appropriate. The financed
vehicle is required to be insured against loss and damage due to fire, theft,
transportation, collision and other risks covered by comprehensive coverage. The
master servicer shall obtain a limited dual interest insurance policy which
provides coverage for physical damage to, or loss of, a financed vehicle if the
obligor fails to maintain the required insurance and may add the premium for
that insurance to the balance due on the contract to the extent permitted by
applicable law; provided, however, that the master servicer shall not be
required to maintain that insurance in respect of any financed vehicle as to
which the related contract has an unpaid principal balance of less than $4,000
or there are six or fewer months remaining until the contract matures. Since
obligors may choose their own insurers to provide the required coverage, the
specific terms and conditions of their policies vary. The Scheduled Balance of a
contract will not include any amount for premiums paid by the master servicer,
and payments by an obligor in respect of such financed premium will not be
applied to distributions on the notes.
SERVICER DETERMINATION AND REPORTS TO TRUSTEES
The master servicer will perform monitoring and reporting functions for the
owner trustee, the indenture trustee and the insurer. The master servicer will
prepare and deliver to the owner trustee, the indenture trustee and the insurer
the following:
(a) each statement to noteholders and
(b) an additional report covering:
- the aggregate amount, if any, paid by or due from the master
servicer or a seller for the purchase of contracts which the master
servicer or a seller has become obligated to purchase, and
- the net amount of funds which have been deposited in or credited to
the collection account or holding account.
SERVICING COMPENSATION
The master servicer will be entitled to compensation for the performance of
its obligations under the sale and servicing agreement. The master servicer
shall be entitled to receive for each contract from the monthly principal and
interest paid on or in respect of that contract an amount equal to a certain
percentage, or the servicing fee percent, which, except as otherwise specified
in the related prospectus supplement, shall equal one-twelfth of 1.25% per annum
of the Scheduled Balance of that contract for the related month in respect of
which the monthly principal and interest for that month has been collected or
advanced. As additional compensation, the master servicer or its designee shall
be entitled to retain all late payment charges, extension fees and similar items
paid in respect of the contracts. The master servicer will determine when an
extension is to be granted, subject to the limitations described under "The
Master Servicer -- Collection of Payments." The master servicer or its designee
will also receive as additional servicing compensation the amount, if any, by
which the outstanding principal balance of a contract that is prepaid in full
prior to its maturity exceeds the Scheduled Balance of that contract. The sum of
the foregoing items is the Servicing Fee. The master servicer shall pay all
expenses incurred by it in connection with its servicing activities under the
sale and servicing agreement and shall not be entitled to reimbursement of such
expenses except to the extent they constitute liquidation expenses or expenses
recoverable under an applicable insurance policy.
The servicing fee will compensate the master servicer for:
(a) performing the functions of a third party servicer of the
contracts as an agent for the indenture trustee and the owner trustee,
including:
- collecting and posting all payments,
- responding to inquiries of obligors,
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- investigating delinquencies,
- sending payment statements and reporting tax information to obligors,
- paying costs of collections, and
- policing the collateral,
(b) administering the contracts, including:
- accounting for collections, and
- furnishing quarterly and annual statements to the indenture trustee
and the owner trustee with respect to distributions and generating
federal income tax information and certain taxes, accounting fees,
auditor fees, data processing costs and other costs incurred in
connection with administering the contracts, and
(c) maximizing the performance of the contracts for the benefit of
each seller, including:
- focusing servicing activities on delinquent obligors to reduce the
likelihood of those obligors defaulting upon their contracts, and
- increasing realization upon defaulted contracts in an efficient manner
so as to maximize the amount distributable to the seller or sellers
from the spread account.
REALIZATION UPON DEFAULTED CONTRACTS
The master servicer will liquidate any contract that goes into default and
as to which no satisfactory arrangements can be made for collection of
delinquent payments. Liquidation of a defaulted contract may be through
repossession or sale of the financed vehicle or otherwise. In connection with a
repossession or other conversion, the master servicer will follow normal and
usual procedures for holders of motor vehicle retail installment sales contracts
and installment loans. In this regard, the master servicer may sell the financed
vehicle at a repossession or other sale.
CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE CONTRACTS
GENERAL
The contracts are "chattel paper" as defined in the Uniform Commercial
Code, as in effect in California and the other states in which the contracts are
originated. Pursuant to the UCC, an ownership or security interest in chattel
paper may be perfected by possession of the chattel paper or filing a UCC-1
financing statement with the secretary of state or other central filing office
in the appropriate state as required by the applicable UCC.
WFS and each seller will each take or cause to be taken those actions as
are required to perfect a trust's rights in the contracts sold or otherwise
transferred by that seller to that trust and will represent and warrant that the
trust, subject to the interest of Financial Security under each insurance
agreement pursuant to which a note policy will be issued, has good title, or a
first priority security interest, free and clear of liens and encumbrances, to
each contract on the closing date. Under each sale and servicing agreement, WFS,
as master servicer, or one or more subservicers, will have custody of the
contracts following the sale of the contracts to a trust and will hold the
contracts as bailee for the benefit of the trust. However, the contracts will
not be physically marked to indicate the ownership or security interest thereof
by a trust. UCC-1 financing statements will be filed with the Secretary of
States of California and Nevada to perfect by filing and to give notice of a
trust's ownership or security interest in the contracts. If, through
inadvertence or otherwise, any of the contracts were sold to another party who
purchased those contracts in the ordinary course of its business and took
possession of them, the purchaser would acquire an interest in those contracts
superior to the interests of a trust if the purchaser acquired the contracts in
good faith, for value and without actual knowledge of the trust's ownership or
security interest in those
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contracts. The master servicer will agree in the sale and servicing agreement to
take all necessary actions to preserve and protect a trust's ownership or
security interest in the contracts. Each seller will represent and warrant that
each contract is secured by a financed vehicle. Notwithstanding the failure of a
trust to have obtained a valid, first priority ownership or security interest in
a contract, Financial Security will remain unconditionally and irrevocably
obligated on its guarantee of Scheduled Payments payable to noteholders on each
distribution date. See "The Note Policy".
SECURITY INTERESTS IN THE FINANCED VEHICLES
All of the financed vehicles were registered in the State of California or
another of the states listed above under "The Contracts Pool" at the time of
origination of the related contracts. Perfection of security interests in motor
vehicles is generally governed by state certificate of title statutes or by the
motor vehicle registration laws of the state in which each vehicle is located.
Security interests in vehicles registered in the State of California (except as
otherwise noted in the related prospectus supplement, the state in which the
largest number of financed vehicles is located) may be perfected by depositing
with the California Department of Motor Vehicles a properly endorsed certificate
of title showing the secured party as legal owner or an application for an
original registration together with an application for registration of the
secured party as legal owner. Security interests in vehicles registered in most
other states are perfected, generally, in a similar manner. California and some
other states permit the required documents to perfect a security interest to be
filed electronically as well as physically. Each seller will represent and
warrant to the trust in the sale and servicing agreement that all steps
necessary to obtain a perfected first priority security interest with respect to
the financed vehicles securing the contracts sold or transferred by that seller
have been taken. If the master servicer fails, because of clerical error or
otherwise, to effect or maintain such notation for a financed vehicle, the trust
may not have a first priority security interest in that financed vehicle.
All contracts purchased or originated by WFS name WFS as obligee or
assignee and as the secured party. WFS also takes all actions necessary under
the laws of the state in which the related financed vehicles are located to
perfect its security interest in those vehicles, including, where applicable,
having a notation of its lien recorded on the related certificate of title and
obtaining possession of the certificates of title.
The seller or the sellers will transfer contracts to the trust and will
assign its security interests in the financed vehicles to that trust and
Financial Security. However, because of the administrative burden and expense,
neither a trust nor Financial Security will amend any certificate of title to
identify the trust or Financial Security as the new secured party nor will the
certificates of title be delivered to the trustee. Accordingly, WFS will
continue to be named as the secured party on the certificates of title for the
financed vehicles. Under the law of California and most other states, the
assignment of the contracts is an effective conveyance of a security interest
without amendment of any lien noted on a vehicle's certificate of title, and the
new secured party succeeds thereby to the assignor's rights as secured party.
However, there exists a risk in not identifying a trust as the new secured party
on the certificates of title that, through fraud or negligence, the security
interest of the trust in one or more financed vehicles could be released.
In the absence of fraud or forgery by the financed vehicle owner or
administrative error by state recording officials, notation of the lien of WFS
on the certificates of title or in the electronic records of the state officials
where electronic titles are permitted should be sufficient to protect the trust
against the rights of subsequent purchasers of a financed vehicle or subsequent
lenders who take a security interest in a financed vehicle. If there are any
financed vehicles as to which WFS has failed to perfect the security interest
assigned to the trust, the security interest would be subordinate to, among
others, subsequent purchasers of the financed vehicles and holders of perfected
security interests.
In the event that the owner of a financed vehicle relocates to a state
other than the state in which the financed vehicle is registered, under the laws
of most states the perfected security interest in the financed vehicle would
continue for four months after that relocation and thereafter, in most
instances, until the owner registers the financed vehicle in that state. A
majority of states, including California, generally
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require surrender of a certificate of title to initially register in that state
a vehicle originally registered in another state. Therefore, the master servicer
on behalf of the trust must surrender possession, if it holds the certificate of
title to a relocated financed vehicle, for the financed vehicle owner to effect
the registration. If the financed vehicle owner moves to a state that provides
for notation of lien on the certificate of title to perfect the security
interests in the financed vehicle, WFS, absent clerical errors or fraud, would
receive notice of surrender of the certificate of title if WFS' lien is noted
thereon. Accordingly, WFS will have notice and the opportunity to reperfect the
security interest in the financed vehicle in the state of relocation. If the
financed vehicle owner moves to a state which does not require surrender of a
certificate of title for registration of a motor vehicle, registration in that
state could defeat perfection. In the ordinary course of servicing its portfolio
of motor vehicle loans, WFS takes steps to effect reperfection upon receipt of
notice of reregistration or information from the obligor as to relocation.
Similarly, when an obligor under a contract sells a financed vehicle, the master
servicer must surrender possession of the certificate of title or will receive
notice as a result of its lien noted thereon and accordingly will have an
opportunity to require satisfaction of the related contract before release of
the lien. Under the sale and servicing agreement, the master servicer, at its
cost, will be obligated to maintain the continuous perfection of security
interests in the financed vehicles.
Under the law of California and most other states, liens for unpaid taxes
and possessory liens for storage of and repairs performed on a motor vehicle
take priority even over a perfected security interest in that vehicle. The
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, also grants priority to certain
federal tax liens over the lien of a secured party. The laws of certain states
and federal law permit the confiscation of motor vehicles by governmental
authorities under certain circumstances if used in unlawful activities, which
may result in the loss of a secured party's perfected security interest in a
confiscated vehicle. Each seller will represent in the sale and servicing
agreement that, as of the closing date, the security interest in each financed
vehicle is prior to all other present liens upon and security interests in that
financed vehicle. However, liens for repairs or taxes could arise at any time
during the term of a contract. No notice will be given to the trustees, the
master servicer or noteholders in the event such a lien or confiscation arises
and any such lien or confiscation arising after the closing date would not give
rise to the related seller's repurchase obligations under the sale and servicing
agreement.
ENFORCEMENT OF SECURITY INTERESTS IN FINANCED VEHICLES
The master servicer, on behalf of the trust, may take action itself or
through one or more subservicers to enforce its security interest with respect
to defaulted contracts by repossession and resale of the financed vehicles
securing such defaulted contracts. In addition to the provisions of the UCC,
under California law the contracts originated in California are subject to the
provisions of its Rees-Levering Motor Vehicle Sales and Finance Act, commonly
known as the Rees-Levering Act. Contracts originated in other states are subject
to retail installment sales laws and similar laws of those states including in
many of those states their version of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code. The
provisions of the Rees-Levering Act and similar laws of other states control in
the event of a conflict with the provisions of the UCC. Under the UCC and laws
applicable in most states, a creditor can, without prior notice to the debtor,
repossess a motor vehicle securing a loan by voluntary surrender, by "self-help"
repossession without breach of peace, and by judicial process. The Rees-Levering
Act and similar laws of other states place restrictions on repossession sales,
including notice to the debtor of the intent to sell and of the debtor's right
to redeem the vehicle. In addition, the UCC requires commercial reasonableness
in the conduct of the sale.
In the event of repossession and resale of a financed vehicle, the master
servicer for the benefit of the trust would be entitled to be paid out of the
sale proceeds before the proceeds could be applied to the payment of the claims
of unsecured creditors or the holders of subsequently perfected security
interests or, thereafter, to the debtor.
Under the UCC and laws applicable in most states, a creditor is entitled to
obtain a deficiency judgment from a debtor for any deficiency on repossession
and resale of the motor vehicle securing such debtor's loan. However, some
states impose prohibitions or limitations on deficiency judgments. Under
California law the proceeds from the resale of the motor vehicle securing the
debtor's loan are required to
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be applied first to the expenses of resale and repossession, and if the
remaining proceeds are not sufficient to repay the indebtedness, the creditor
may seek a deficiency judgment for the balance. The priority of application of
proceeds of sale as to repossessed vehicles under the contracts originated in
most other states is similar.
Certain other statutory provisions, including federal and state bankruptcy
and insolvency laws, may limit or delay the ability of a creditor to repossess
and resell collateral or enforce a deficiency judgment.
In the event that deficiency judgments are not satisfied or are satisfied
at a discount or are discharged in whole or in part in bankruptcy proceedings,
including proceedings under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, as
amended, the loss will be borne by the trust.
OTHER MATTERS
The so-called "holder-in-due-course" rule of the Federal Trade Commission
is intended to defeat the ability of the transferor of a consumer credit
contract which is the seller of goods which give rise to the transaction, and
certain related lenders and assignees, to transfer such contract free of notice
of claims by the debtor thereunder. The effect of this rule is to subject the
assignee of a transferred contract to all claims and defenses which the debtor
could assert against the seller of goods. Liability under this rule, which would
be applicable to a trust and Financial Security, is limited to amounts paid
under a contract; however, the obligor may also assert the rule to set off
remaining amounts due as a defense against a claim brought by a trustee against
that obligor.
The courts have imposed general equitable principles on repossession and
litigation involving deficiency balances. These equitable principles may have an
effect of relieving an obligor from some or all of the legal consequences of a
default.
Numerous other federal and state consumer protection laws, regulations and
rules impose requirements applicable to the origination and servicing of the
contracts, including the Truth-in-Lending Act (and Federal Reserve Board
Regulation Z), the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Fair Credit Billing Act,
the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (and Federal
Reserve Board Regulation B), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, state adaptations of the National Consumer Act and
of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code and the California Rees-Levering Act and
motor vehicle retail installment sale acts in other states, and similar laws and
rules. Also, the laws of certain states impose finance charge ceilings and other
restrictions on consumer transactions and require contract disclosures in
addition to those required under federal law. These requirements impose specific
statutory liabilities upon creditors who fail to comply with their provisions.
In some cases, this liability could affect the ability of a trustee as an
assignee to enforce noncomplying contracts. Each seller will represent and
warrant in the sale and servicing agreement that each of the contracts, and the
sale of the financed vehicles sold thereunder, complied with all material
requirements of such laws.
REPURCHASE OBLIGATION
In each sale and servicing agreement the master servicer will make certain
representations, warranties and affirmative covenants regarding, among other
things, the maintenance of the security interest in each financed vehicle, the
breach of which would create an obligation of the master servicer to repurchase
any affected contract unless the breach is cured.
THE BANK
GENERAL
Western Financial Bank (the "Bank") is a federally chartered savings
association. At December 31, 1999, the Bank had total assets of $4.5 billion,
total deposits of $2.2 billion and stockholder's equity of $351 million on a
generally accepted accounting principles basis. The Bank is a wholly owned
subsidiary of
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Westcorp. Westcorp is a financial services holding company which operates
principally through the Bank, its wholly owned subsidiary, and through WFS.
As a federally chartered savings association, the Bank is subject to
regulation and supervision by the OTS and the FDIC. The Bank is a member of the
Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.
The principal executive office of the Bank is located at 15750 Alton
Parkway, Irvine, California 92618 and its telephone number is (949) 727-1100.
BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
The Bank provides a wide range of financial services through its community
banking group which includes retail and commercial operations. Retail banking
services are available through a network of 25 retail banking offices located
throughout California. Commercial banking operations target selected southern
California markets. The Bank maintains an ownership interest in WFS which
exceeds 82 percent.
WFS
GENERAL
WFS is an auto finance company incorporated in California in 1988. WFS was
formerly known as Westcorp Financial Services, Inc., or "Westcorp Financial," a
wholly owned operating subsidiary of Western Financial Bank, and a licensed
consumer finance company. Prior to May 1, 1995, the auto finance activities
described in this prospectus were conducted separately by Western Financial
Bank, through its auto finance division, and by Westcorp Financial. Effective
May 1, 1995, Western Financial Bank's auto finance division was combined with
the consumer auto finance activities of Westcorp Financial, with Westcorp
Financial then changing its corporate name to WFS Financial Inc. In August 1995,
WFS completed an initial public offering of 19.7% of its common stock. In
February 2000, WFS completed a public offering of additional common stock,
following which Western Financial Bank owned 82.6% of WFS. WFS is a majority
owned operating subsidiary of Western Financial Bank.
WFS' revenues are derived principally from contractual servicing fees, the
retained interest on contracts sold for which servicing is retained, interest on
contracts not sold and fee income including late fees, deferment fees,
documentation fees and other fees, interest charged on its portfolio of
contracts and, to a lesser extent, gain on other investments. Interest on
borrowings and general and administrative costs are WFS' major expense items.
The principal executive offices of WFS are located at 23 Pasteur, Irvine,
California 92618 and its telephone number is (949) 727-1002.
BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
WFS is engaged principally in the business of originating contracts secured
by automobiles and light duty trucks from new and used car dealers and the
public. WFS currently conducts its operations through its principal office and
44 production offices nationwide.
WFAL
WFAL is a wholly owned, limited-purpose operating subsidiary of WFS which
was incorporated under the laws of the State of California on October 24, 1985.
The principal office of WFAL is 6655 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada
89146. WFAL's telephone number is (702) 227-8100
WFAL was organized principally for the purpose of purchasing retail
installment sales contracts and installment loans from the Bank in connection
with its activities as a finance subsidiary of the Bank. Effective May 1, 1995,
ownership of WFAL was transferred to WFS and it is now a limited purpose
operating subsidiary of WFS. WFAL has not and will not engage in any activity
other than (i) acquiring,
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owning, holding, selling, transferring, assigning, pledging or otherwise dealing
in installment sales contracts and installment loans secured by automobiles and
light-duty trucks or (ii) authorizing, issuing, selling and delivering one or
more series of obligations consisting of one or more classes of bonds or
pass-through certificates collateralized by installment sales contracts and
installment loans secured by automobiles and light-duty trucks, which bonds or
pass-through certificates are rated in the highest available category by at
least one nationally recognized statistical rating agency.
WFAL's Articles of Incorporation limit the activities of WFAL to the above
purposes and to any activities incidental to and necessary for such purposes.
WFSRC
WFSRC is a wholly owned, limited-purpose service corporation of WFS, and
was incorporated under the laws of the State of California on December 22, 1999.
The principal office of WFSRC is 6655 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada
89146. WFSRC's telephone number is (702) 227-8100.
WFSRC was organized principally for the purpose of purchasing retail
installment sales contracts and installment loans from WFS in connection with
its activities as a finance subsidiary of WFS. WFSRC has not and will not engage
in any activity other than (i) acquiring, owning, holding, selling,
transferring, assigning, pledging or otherwise dealing in installment sales
contracts and installment loans secured by vehicles or (ii) originating one or
more grantor or owner trusts owning installment sales contracts and installment
loans secured by vehicles.
WFSRC's Articles of Incorporation limit the activities of WFSRC to the
above purposes and to any activities incidental to and necessary for such
purposes.
FEDERAL AND CALIFORNIA INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The following is a discussion of the material federal income tax
consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes. This
summary is based upon laws, regulations, rulings and decisions currently in
effect, all of which are subject to change. The discussion does not deal with
all federal tax consequences applicable to all categories of investors, some of
which may be subject to special rules contained within the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended, and regulations promulgated thereunder. To the extent the
tax consequences related to subordinated notes, if any, differs from the
consequences discussed in this prospectus, those consequences will be discussed
in the related prospectus supplement.
Investors should consult their own tax advisors to determine the federal,
state, local and other tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and
disposition of the notes. Prospective investors should note that no rulings have
been or will be sought from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to any of
the federal income tax consequences discussed below, and no assurance can be
given that the IRS will not take contrary positions. Moreover, there are no
cases or IRS rulings on transactions similar to those described herein with
respect to the trust, involving both debt and equity interests issued by a trust
with terms similar to those of the notes. Prospective investors are urged to
consult their own tax advisors in determining the federal, state, local, foreign
and any other tax consequences to them of the purchase, ownership and
disposition of the notes.
This summary does not purport to deal with all aspects of federal income
taxation that may be relevant to investors in light of their individual
investment circumstances, such financial institutions, broker-dealers, life
insurance companies and tax-exempt organizations.
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TAX CHARACTERIZATION OF TRUSTS
In the opinion of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp LLP, special tax counsel to
WFAL and WFSRC, the trust will not be an association, or a publicly traded
partnership, taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. This
opinion is based on the assumption that the terms of each trust agreement and
related documents will be complied with, and on that counsel's conclusions that
the nature of the income of such trust will exempt it from the rule that certain
publicly traded partnerships are taxable as corporations.
If a trust were taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes,
it would be subject to corporate income tax on its taxable income. Such trust's
taxable income would include all its income on the related contracts, which may
be reduced by its interest expense on the notes. Any corporate income tax could
materially reduce cash available to make payments on the notes.
TAX CONSEQUENCES TO HOLDERS OF THE NOTES
Treatment of the Notes as Indebtedness. The seller or the sellers will
agree, and the noteholders will agree by their purchase of notes, to treat the
notes as debt for federal income tax purposes. Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp LLP,
special tax counsel, will render an opinion that the notes will be classified as
debt for federal income tax purposes. All of the discussion below assumes this
characterization of the notes is correct.
OID. The discussion below assumes that all payments on the notes are
denominated in U.S. dollars. Moreover, the discussion assumes that the interest
formula for the notes meets the requirements for "qualified stated interest"
under Treasury regulations relating to original issue discount, or OID, and that
any OID on the notes (i.e., any excess of the principal amount of the notes over
their issue price) does not exceed a de minimis amount (i.e., 1/4% of their
principal amount multiplied by the number of full years included in their term),
all within the meaning of such OID regulations.
Interest Income on the Notes. Based on the above assumptions, except as
discussed in the following paragraph, the notes will not be considered issued
with OID. The stated interest thereon, and any premium received upon an optional
repurchase, will be taxable to a noteholder as ordinary interest income when
received or accrued in accordance with such noteholder's method of tax
accounting. Under the OID regulations, a holder of a note issued with more than
a de minimis amount of OID must include such OID in income, on a pro rata basis,
as principal payments are made on the note. A purchaser who buys a note for more
or less than its principal amount will generally be subject, respectively, to
the premium amortization or market discount rules of the Internal Revenue Code.
However, because a failure to pay interest currently on notes is not a
default and does not give rise to a penalty, under the OID regulations notes
might be viewed as having been issued with OID. This interpretation would not
significantly affect accrual basis holders of notes, although it would somewhat
accelerate taxable income to cash basis holders by in effect requiring them to
report interest income on the accrual basis.
Sale or Other Disposition. If a noteholder sells a note, the holder will
recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount
realized on the sale and the holder's adjusted tax basis in the note. The
adjusted tax basis of a note to a particular noteholder will equal the holder's
cost for the note, increased by any market discount, acquisition discount, OID
and gain previously included by such noteholder in income with respect to the
note and decreased by the amount of bond premium, if any, previously amortized
and by the amount of principal payments previously received by such noteholder
with respect to such note. Any gain or loss will be capital gain or loss if the
note was held as a capital asset, except for gain representing accrued interest
and accrued market discount not previously included in income. Capital losses
generally may be used only to offset capital gains.
Foreign holders. Interest payments made, or accrued, to a noteholder who is
a nonresident alien, foreign corporation or other non-United States person, each
a "foreign person," generally will be considered "portfolio interest," and
generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax and
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withholding tax, if the interest is not effectively connected with the conduct
of a trade or business within the United States by the foreign person and the
foreign person (i) is not actually or constructively a "10 percent shareholder"
of a trust or the seller, including a holder of 10% of outstanding notes, or a
"controlled foreign corporation" with respect to which a trust or the seller is
a "related person" within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code and (ii)
provides the owner trustee or other person who is otherwise required to withhold
U.S. tax with respect to the notes with an appropriate statement, on Form W-8 or
a similar form, signed under penalty of perjury, certifying that the beneficial
owner of a note is a foreign person and providing the foreign person's name and
address. If a note is held through a securities clearing organization or certain
other financial institutions, the organization or institution may provide the
relevant signed statement to the withholding agent; in that case, however, the
signed statement must be accompanied by a Form W-8 or substitute form provided
by the foreign person that owns the note. If that interest is not portfolio
interest, then it will be subject to United States federal income and
withholding tax at a rate of 30%, unless reduced or eliminated pursuant to an
applicable tax treaty.
Any capital gain realized on the sale, redemption, retirement or other
taxable disposition of a note by a foreign person will be exempt from United
States federal income and withholding tax, provided that (i) such gain is not
effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United
States by the foreign person and (ii) in the case of an individual foreign
person, the foreign person is not present in the United States for 183 days or
more in the taxable year.
Backup Withholding. Each holder of a note, other than an exempt holder such
as a corporation, tax exempt organization, qualified pension and profit sharing
trust, individual retirement account or nonresident alien who provides
certification as to status as a nonresident, will be required to provide, under
penalty of perjury, a certificate containing the holder's name, address, correct
federal taxpayer identification number and a statement that the holder is not
subject to backup withholding. Should a nonexempt noteholder fail to provide the
required certification, each trust will be required to withhold 31% of the
amount otherwise payable to the holder, and remit the withheld amount to the IRS
as a credit against the holder's federal income tax liability.
The IRS has issued final regulations which, among other things, affect the
procedures to be followed by a noteholder that is a foreign person in
establishing such person's exemption for the purpose of the backup withholding
rules discussed above. The final regulations generally will be effective for
payments made after December 31, 2000. Prospective investors should consult
their own tax advisors concerning the effect of the final regulations on their
purchase, ownership and disposition of the notes.
Possible Alternative Treatments of the Notes. If, contrary to the opinion
of special tax counsel, the IRS successfully asserted that one or more of the
notes did not represent debt for federal income tax purposes, such notes might
be treated as equity interests in a trust. If so treated, a trust might be
treated as a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation with the
adverse consequences described above, and the resulting taxable corporation
would not be able to reduce its taxable income by deductions for interest
expense on notes recharacterized as equity. Alternatively, and most likely in
the view of special tax counsel, such trust might be treated as a publicly
traded partnership that would not be taxable as a corporation because it would
meet certain qualifying income tests. Nonetheless, treatment of notes as equity
interests in a publicly traded partnership could have adverse tax consequences
to certain holders. For example, income to certain tax-exempt entities,
including pension funds, would be "unrelated business taxable income", income to
foreign holders generally would be subject to U.S. tax and U.S. tax return
filing and withholding requirements, and individual holders might be subject to
certain limitations on their ability to deduct their share of trust expenses.
NOTEHOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH RESPECT TO THE TAX
CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES,
INCLUDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES UNDER STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX LAWS
AND THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF CHANGES IN FEDERAL OR OTHER TAX LAWS.
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CALIFORNIA INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
In the opinion of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp LLP, special tax counsel to
WFAL and WFSRC, the trust will not be an association taxable as a corporation
for California income tax purposes. This opinion will be based on the assumption
that the terms of the trust agreement and related documents will be complied
with. Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp LLP has rendered an opinion that noteholders
who are not residents of or otherwise subject to tax in California will not,
solely by reason of their acquisition of an interest in any class of notes,
respectively, be subject to California income, franchise, excise or similar
taxes with respect to interest on any class of notes or with respect to any of
the other trust property. To the extent the tax consequences related to
subordinated notes, if any, differs from the consequences discussed in this
prospectus, those consequences will be discussed in the related prospectus
supplement.
Investors should consult their own tax advisors to determine the state,
local and other tax consequences to them of the purchase, ownership and
disposition of the notes.
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
OVERVIEW
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and
Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code imposes certain restrictions on
employee and other benefit plans and on certain other retirement plans and
arrangements, such as individual retirement accounts and annuities and Keough
plans and on collective investment funds and separate accounts, in which those
plans, accounts or arrangements are invested, each at which is referred to in
this prospectus as a "plan", and on persons who are parties in interest or
disqualified persons, which persons are parties in interest, with respect to
such plans which could affect the decision to purchase the senior notes by or on
behalf of plans. Certain employee benefit plans, such as governmental plans and
church plans if no election has been made under Section 410(d) of the Internal
Revenue Code, are not subject to the requirements of ERISA or Section 4975 of
the Internal Revenue Code and assets of those plans may be invested without
regard to the ERISA considerations described below, subject to the provisions of
other applicable federal and state law, including, for any government or church
plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from
taxation under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, the prohibited
transaction rules set forth in Section 503 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Investments by plans are subject to ERISA's general fiduciary requirements,
including the requirement of investment prudence and diversification,
requirements respecting delegation of investment authority and the requirement
that a plan's investment be made in accordance with the documents governing the
plan.
PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS
Section 406 of ERISA prohibits parties in interest with respect to a plan
from engaging in certain transactions involving a plan and its assets unless a
statutory, regulatory or administrative exemption applies to the transaction.
Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code and Section 502(i) of ERISA impose
certain excise taxes on the parties to such prohibited transactions. Notes
purchased by a plan would be assets of the plan. Under regulations issued by the
U.S. Department of Labor, the contracts in certain circumstances may also be
deemed to be assets of each plan that purchases senior notes. If this were so,
persons that cause a plan to acquire notes or that sponsor or insure the related
contracts or manage, control or service the contracts may be subject to the
fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited transaction
provisions of Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code in the absence of a
statutory, regulatory or administrative exemption.
Under a regulation issued by the United States Department of Labor, the
assets of the trust would be treated as assets of a plan for the purposes of
ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code only if the plan acquires an "equity
interest" in the trust and none of the exceptions contained in this plan assets
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regulation is applicable. An equity interest is defined under the plan assets
regulation as an interest other than an investment which is treated as
indebtedness under applicable local law and which has no substantial equity
features. Although there is little guidance on the subject, the senior notes
should be treated as indebtedness without substantial equity features for
purposes of the plan assets regulation. This determination is based in part on
the traditional debt features of the senior notes, including the reasonable
expectation of purchasers of the senior notes that the senior notes will be
repaid when due, as well as the absence of conversion rights, warrants and other
typical equity features. The debt treatment of the senior notes could change if
the trust incurs losses. However, even if the senior notes are treated as debt
for such purposes, the acquisition or holding of notes by or on behalf of a plan
could be considered to give rise to a prohibited transaction if the trust or any
of its affiliates is or becomes a party-in-interest or a disqualified person
with respect to such plan. In such case, certain exemptions from the prohibited
transaction rules could be applicable depending on the type and circumstances of
the plan fiduciary making the decision to acquire a note. Included among these
exemptions are: PTCE 90-1, regarding investments by insurance company pooled
separate accounts; PTCE 95-60, regarding investments by insurance company
general accounts; PTCE 91-38, regarding investments by bank collective
investment funds; PTCE 96-23, regarding transactions effected by in-house asset
managers; and PTCE 84-14, regarding transactions effected by "qualified
professional asset managers." Each investor using the assets of a plan which
acquires the notes, or to whom the notes are transferred, will be deemed to have
represented that the acquisition and continued holding of the notes will be
covered by one of the exemptions listed above or by another U.S. Department of
Labor class exemption.
THE NOTES
The senior notes may be purchased by a plan subject to ERISA or Section
4975 of the Internal Revenue Code. A fiduciary of a plan must determine that the
purchase of a note is consistent with its fiduciary duties under ERISA and does
not result in a nonexempt prohibited transaction as defined in Section 406 of
ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code.
The senior notes may not be purchased with the assets of a plan if the
seller, the master servicer, the indenture trustee, the owner trustee or any of
their affiliates (i) has investment or administrative discretion with respect to
such plan assets; (ii) has authority or responsibility to give, or regularly
gives, investment advice with respect to such plan assets, for a fee and
pursuant to an agreement or understanding that such advice (a) will serve as a
primary basis for investment decisions with respect to such plan assets and (b)
will be based on the particular investment needs for such plan; or (iii) is an
employer maintaining or contributing to that plan.
If subordinated notes are offered by a related prospectus supplement, the
eligibility of such notes for purchase by plans will be described in that
prospectus supplement.
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
The notes will be offered through one or more of the methods described
below. The prospectus supplement will provide specific details as to the method
of distribution for particular offerings, and set forth the time and place for
delivery of notes. Offerings may be made through one or more of the following
methods by:
- negotiated firm commitment or best efforts underwriting and public
re-offering by underwriters;
- placements with institutional investors through dealers;
- direct placements with institutional investors; and
- competitive bid.
If underwriters are used for the sale of any securities, other than for
underwriting on a best efforts basis, the notes will be acquired by the
underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time through
one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at fixed public
offering prices or
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at varying prices to be determined at the time of sale or at the time of
commitment. The notes will be described on the cover of the prospectus
supplement and the members of the underwriting syndicate, if any, will be named
in the prospectus supplement.
In connection with the sale of notes, underwriters may receive compensation
from the company or from purchasers of notes in the form of discounts,
concessions or commissions. Underwriters and dealers participating in the
distribution of notes may be deemed to be underwriters in connection with the
notes, and any discounts or commissions received by them from the company and
any profit on the resale of notes by them may be deemed to be underwriting
discounts and commissions under the Act. The prospectus supplement will describe
any compensation paid to underwriters.
It is anticipated that the underwriting agreement pertaining to the sale of
notes will provide that the obligations of the underwriters will be subject to
conditions precedent providing that the underwriters will be obligated to
purchase all the notes if any are purchased, other than in connection with
underwriting on a best efforts basis, and that, in limited circumstances, the
seller or the sellers and the master servicer will jointly and severally
indemnify the several underwriters and the underwriters will indemnify the
seller as against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act of 1933 or will contribute to payments required to be made.
The prospectus supplement with respect to any notes offered by placements
through dealers will contain information regarding the nature of the offering
and any agreements to be entered into between the company and purchasers of
notes.
Purchasers of notes, including dealers, may, depending upon the facts and
circumstances of such purchases, be deemed to be "underwriters" within the
meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with reoffers and sales by
them of securities. Noteholders should consult with their legal advisors in this
regard prior to any reoffer or sale.
If subordinated notes are offered by a related prospectus supplement, the
method of distribution of such offered subordinated notes will be described in
that prospectus supplement.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters with respect to the notes, including certain federal
and California income tax matters, will be passed upon for WFAL and WFSRC by
Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp LLP, Los Angeles, California. Brown & Wood LLP, San
Francisco, California will act as counsel for the underwriters. Certain legal
matters relating to the note policy will be passed upon for Financial Security
by the counsel identified in the prospectus supplement.
EXPERTS
Financial statements of the insurer are contained in or incorporated by
reference in the related prospectus supplement.
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GLOSSARY
"Aggregate Scheduled Balance" means, the sum of the Scheduled Balances of
the outstanding contracts.
"Aggregate Scheduled Balance Decline" means, with respect to any
distribution date, the amount by which the Aggregate Scheduled Balance as of the
beginning of the related due period - or in the case of the first distribution
date, as of the cut-off date - exceeds the Aggregate Scheduled Balance as of the
end of such due period.
A "business day" will be any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day
on which banking institutions in New York, New York, Wilmington, Delaware or Los
Angeles, California are authorized or obligated by law, executive order or
government decree to be closed.
"Calculation Day" means the last day of each month.
"Charge-Off Percentage" means, with respect to any three calendar month
period, the annualized percentage equivalent of the average of the percentages
of charged-off contracts for each month in such period. The percentage of
charged-off contracts for each month shall be the percentage equivalent of a
fraction. The numerator of that fraction will consist of the Aggregate Scheduled
Balance for that month of all contracts that have become Liquidated Contracts,
as specified in clause (ii) or (iv) of the definition of Liquidated Contracts,
during that month, less any net liquidation proceeds received during that month,
and not reflected in prior periods, with respect to those contracts or from any
contracts charged-off in prior periods. The denominator of that fraction will
consist of the Aggregate Scheduled Balance of all outstanding contracts as of
the end of the immediately preceding month.
"Defaulted Contract" means, with respect to any due period, a contract
either which is, at the end of such due period, delinquent in the amount of at
least two monthly payments, or with respect to which the related financed
vehicle has been repossessed or repossession efforts have been commenced.
"Delinquency Percentage" means, with respect to any three calendar month
period, the average of the percentages of delinquent contracts for each month in
that period. The percentage of delinquent contracts for each month shall be the
percentage equivalent of a fraction. The numerator of that fraction will consist
of the sum of (i) the Aggregate Scheduled Balance of all outstanding contracts
61 days or more delinquent, after taking into account permitted extensions, plus
(ii) the Aggregate Scheduled Balance of all contracts in respect of which the
related financed vehicles have been repossessed but have not been liquidated, to
the extent the related contract is not otherwise reflected in clause (i) above.
The denominator of that fraction will consist of the Aggregate Scheduled Balance
of all outstanding contracts, in each case on the last day of that calendar
month.
"Due Period" means, with respect to any distribution date, the three-month
period commencing on the first day of the third month preceding the month in
which that distribution date occurs - or in the case of the first distribution
date, commencing on the cut-off date - to the last day of the month immediately
preceding the month in which that distribution date occurs.
"Insolvency Event" means certain events of insolvency, readjustment of
debt, marshaling of assets and liabilities or similar proceedings and certain
action by the Seller or the master servicer indicating its insolvency,
reorganization pursuant to bankruptcy or similar proceedings or inability to pay
its obligations.
"Liquidated Contract" means, a contract that (i) has been repurchased by
the seller or the master servicer or as to which all of the principal has been
paid prior to its scheduled maturity; (ii) is a Defaulted Contract with respect
to which the related financed vehicle was repossessed and, after any cure period
required by law has expired, the master servicer has charged-off any losses
prior to the four-month period referenced in clause (iv) below; (iii) has been
paid in full on or after its scheduled maturity; or (iv) is delinquent as to all
or part of four or more monthly principal and interest payments. Contracts that
become Liquidated Contracts pursuant to clause (ii) or (iv) above and any
collections thereon will thereupon no longer be part of the trust, although
collections thereon will be deposited in the collection account.
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"Net Collections" means all payments received by the master servicer on or
in respect of the contracts due on or after the out-off date, including: (i)
prepayments, net liquidation proceeds and net insurance proceeds, (ii) amounts
paid upon purchase or repurchase of contracts, and (iii) any advances that may
be made by the master servicer in respect of delinquent contracts, which amounts
are in each instance net of late payments in respect of which the master
servicer has previously made an advance or reimbursement to the master servicer
for nonrecoverable advances.
"Net Liquidation Proceeds" means proceeds received by the master servicer,
net of liquidation expenses, upon liquidation of a Defaulted Contract.
Liquidation expenses will be the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, exclusive of
overhead expenses, incurred by the master servicer in realizing upon a defaulted
contract. Net insurance proceeds will be proceeds paid by any insurer under a
comprehensive and collision or limited dual interest insurance related to a
contract, other than funds used for the repair of the related financed vehicle
or otherwise released to the related obligor in accordance with normal servicing
procedures, after reimbursement to the master servicer of expenses recoverable
under such insurance policy.
"Note Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any distribution date,
the sum of the Note Principal Distributable Amount and the Note Interest
Distributable Amount for that distribution date.
"Note Interest Carryover Shortfall" means, with respect to any distribution
date and a class of notes, the excess, if any, of the sum of the Note Quarterly
Interest Distributable Amount for that class for the immediately preceding
distribution date plus any outstanding Note Interest Carryover Shortfall for
that class on such preceding distribution date, over the amount in respect of
interest that is actually deposited in the note distribution account with
respect to that class on that preceding distribution date, plus, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, interest on the amount of interest due but not paid
to holders of such class of notes on that preceding distribution date at the
related interest rate for the related interest period.
"Note Interest Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any
distribution date and a class of notes, the sum of the Note Quarterly Interest
Distributable Amount and the Note Interest Carryover Shortfall for such class of
notes for that distribution date.
"Note Principal Carryover Shortfall" means, as of the close of any
distribution date, the excess of the sum of the Note Quarterly Principal
Distributable Amount and any outstanding Note Principal Carryover Shortfall for
the immediately preceding distribution date over the amount in respect of
principal that is actually deposited in the note distribution account on that
distribution date.
"Note Principal Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any
distribution date, the sum of the Note Quarterly Principal Distributable Amount
for that distribution date and any outstanding Note Principal Carryover
Shortfall for the immediately preceding distribution date; provided, however,
that the Note Principal Distributable Amount with respect to a class of notes
shall not exceed the outstanding principal amount of such class of notes.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Note Principal Distributable Amount on each
final scheduled distribution date shall not be less than the amount that is
necessary (after giving effect to other amounts to be deposited in the note
distribution account on such distribution date and allocable to principal) to
reduce the outstanding principal amount of the related class of notes to zero.
"Note Quarterly Interest Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any
distribution date, the sum of all interest due on the outstanding notes for the
interest period related to that distribution date. Interest will be calculated
based on the outstanding principal amount of each class of notes on the
immediately preceding distribution date, after giving effect to all payments of
principal to holders of that class of notes on or prior to that distribution
date, or, in the case of the first distribution date, on the original principal
amount of that class of notes.
"Note Quarterly Principal Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any
distribution date, the Principal Distributable Amount for that distribution
date.
"Note Pool Factor" for each class of notes means a six-digit decimal which
the master servicer will compute prior to each distribution date indicating the
unpaid principal amount of each class of notes, after
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giving effect to payments to be made on that distribution date, as a fraction of
the initial outstanding principal amount of that class of notes.
"Principal Distributable Amount" means, with respect to any distribution
date, the sum of (i) the Aggregate Scheduled Balance Decline for such
distribution date, plus (ii) the Aggregate Scheduled Balance as of such
distribution date of all contracts that became Liquidated Contracts pursuant to
clause (i), (ii) or (iv) of the definition of the term "Liquidated Contract"
during the related due period.
"Rule of 78's contract" means, a contract that provides for the payment by
the obligor of a specified total number of payments, payable in equal monthly
installments, which total represents the interest in an amount calculated by
using the Rule of 78's. Under the Rule of 78's, the amount of a monthly payment
allocable to interest on a contract is determined by multiplying the total
amount of interest payable over the term of the contract by a fraction. The
denominator of that fraction consists of a number equal to the sum of a series
of numbers representing the number of each monthly payment due under the
contract. For example, with a contract providing for 12 payments, the
denominator of each month's fraction will be 78, the sum of a series of numbers
from 1 to 12. Accordingly, in the example of a twelve payment contract, the
fraction for the first payment is 12/78, for the second payment 11/78, for the
third payment 10/78, and so on through the final payment, for which the fraction
is 1/78. The numerator of that fraction, for a given month, consists of the
number of payments remaining before the maturity of the contract. The applicable
fraction is then multiplied by the total add-on interest payment over the entire
term of the contract, and the resulting amount is the amount of add-on interest
earned that month. The difference between the amount of the monthly payment by
the obligor and the amount of earned add-on interest calculated for the month is
applied to the principal reduction. Under the law of Texas, a similar procedure
is permitted for calculating the amount of add-on interest earned, except the
fraction is derived by using the sum of monthly payments rather than the sum of
the number of months (the "sum of the balances"). As a contract using either the
Rule of 78's or the sum of the balances method to compute interest earned is
payable in equal monthly payments, the mathematical result is substantially
identical under either system. Accordingly, for purposes of convenience, the
term "Rule of 78's" is used in this prospectus in referring to contracts with
add-on interest regardless of which system is used to calculate interest earned.
"Scheduled Balance" means, with respect to (i) a Rule of 78's contract, the
present value of the remaining scheduled payments of monthly principal and
interest due on that contract discounted on a monthly basis as described below.
The Scheduled Balance of a simple interest contract will be its actual principal
balance. The monthly principal and interest for a contract will be the
installment of principal and interest due each month, each such date being a due
date, and will be substantially equal for the term of the contract. The
Scheduled Balance of a Rule of 78's contract for the cut-off date and each due
date will be set forth in a schedule to the sale and servicing agreement and
will be equal to the present value, determined as discussed below, at each of
those dates of all payments of monthly principal and interest on the contract
that are due after that due date. That present value will be determined by
discounting, on a monthly basis, each payment of monthly principal and interest
from the last day of the month in which that payment of monthly principal and
interest is due to the first day of the month in which that due date occurs,
using a discount rate that will produce a present value at the cut-off date
equal to the outstanding principal balance of the contract as of the cut-off
date. The interest rate borne by substantially all of the contracts will not be
less than the weighted average of the interest rates on the closing date plus
the servicing fee percent.
"Scheduled Payments" means, with respect to any distribution date, payments
which are scheduled to be made on the senior notes during the term of the note
policy in accordance with the original terms of the senior notes when issued and
without regard to any subsequent amendment or modification of the senior notes
or of the indenture except amendments or modifications to which Financial
Security has given its prior written consent in an amount equal to (i) the Note
Interest Distributable Amount and (ii) the Note Principal Distributable Amount,
in each case as more fully described in the related prospectus supplement.
Scheduled Payments will not include (i) payments which become due on an
accelerated basis as a result of (a) a default by the trust, (b) any election to
pay principal on an accelerated basis, (c) the occurrence of an event of default
under the indenture or (d) any other cause, unless Financial Security
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elects, in its sole discretion, to pay in whole or in part such principal due
upon acceleration, together with any accrued interest to the date of
acceleration or (ii) any premium payable in connection with the exercise by the
Seller of its optional repurchase option. If Financial Security does not so
elect, the note policy will continue to guarantee Scheduled Payments on the
notes in accordance with their original terms. Scheduled payments shall not
include any portion of a Note Interest Distributable Amount due to holders of
the senior notes because a notice and certificate in proper form was not timely
received by Financial Security unless, in each case, Financial Security elects,
in its sole discretion, to pay such amount in whole or in part. Scheduled
Payments shall not include any amounts due in respect of the notes attributable
to any increase in interest rate, penalty or other sum payable by the trust by
reason of any default or any event of default in respect of the notes, or by
reason of any deterioration of the creditworthiness of the trust. Scheduled
Payments shall also not include, nor shall coverage be provided under the note
policy in respect of, any tax, withholding or other charge with respect to any
holder of the notes imposed by any governmental authority due in connection with
the payment of any Scheduled Payment to a holder of the notes.
"Servicing Fee" means the dollar value of the servicing fee percent plus
all late payment charges, extension fees (the master servicer will determine
when an extension is to be granted, subject to the limitations described under
"The Master Servicer -- Collection of Payments") and similar items paid in
respect of the contracts in addition to the amount, if any, by which the
outstanding principal balance of a contract that is prepaid in full prior to its
maturity exceeds the Scheduled Balance of that contract.
"Servicing Fee Percent" means compensation the master servicer shall be
entitled to receive for each contract from the monthly principal and interest
paid in or in respect of that contract an amount equal to a certain percentage,
which, except as otherwise specified in the related prospectus supplement, shall
equal one-twelfth of 1.25% per annum of the Scheduled Balance of that contract
for the related month in respect of which the monthly principal and interest for
that month has been collected or advanced.
"Simple Interest Contract" means a contract as to which interest is
calculated each day on the basis of the actual principal balance of that
contract on that day.
"Unreimbursed Insurer Amounts" means any unreimbursed fees, expenses or
other amounts owing to Financial Security under the insurance agreement pursuant
to which the related note policy was issued.
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$1,000,000,000
AUTO RECEIVABLE BACKED NOTES
WFS FINANCIAL 2000-D OWNER TRUST
$174,000,000 6.698% CLASS A-1 NOTES
$236,000,000 6.760% CLASS A-2 NOTES
$340,000,000 6.830% CLASS A-3 NOTES
$250,000,000 6.980% CLASS A-4 NOTES
WFS RECEIVABLES CORPORATION
SELLER
WFS FINANCIAL INC
MASTER SERVICER
SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON
DEUTSCHE BANC ALEX. BROWN
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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
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NOVEMBER 6, 2000
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