SCHWAB CHARLES CORP
8-K, 1996-11-08
SECURITY BROKERS, DEALERS & FLOTATION COMPANIES
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<PAGE>
 
                                    FORM 8-K


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                        Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                        Date of Report: November 8, 1996


                         THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION
                         ------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


       Delaware                      1-9700           94-3025021
- -------------------------------   -----------    ----------------------
(State or other jurisdiction      (Commission    (I.R.S. Employer
      of incorporation)           File Number)   Identification Number)
 
 
                             101 Montgomery Street
                        San Francisco, California 94104
                        -------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)


                                 (415) 627-7000
                                 --------------
                        (Registrant's telephone number,
                              including area code)
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated:  November 8, 1996     THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION


                                  By: /s/ Steven L. Scheid
                                      -------------------------
                                  Name:  Steven L. Scheid
                                  Title: Executive Vice President - Finance and
                                         Chief Financial Officer
<PAGE>
 
     Item 5.  Other Events.  Attached hereto and incorporated herein by
              ------------                                             
reference are forms of Senior and Senior Subordinated Medium-Term Notes, Series
A, relating to the issuance and sale from time to time by the Company of up to
$196,000,000 aggregate public offering price of such Medium-Term Notes pursuant
to Registration Statement Nos. 333-12727 and 33-61943.

     Item 7(c).  Exhibits
                 --------


          4.3  Form of Senior Medium-Term Note, Series A (Fixed Rate).

          4.4  Form of Senior Medium-Term Note, Series A (Floating Rate).

          4.5  Form of Senior Subordinated Medium-Term Note, Series A (Fixed
          Rate).

          4.6  Form of Senior Subordinated Medium-Term Note, Series A (Floating
          Rate).

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.3

                                FACE OF SECURITY

                             Fixed Rate Senior Note

REGISTERED                                         REGISTERED
No. FXR                                            U.S. $ [PRINCIPAL
                                                   AMOUNT]
                                                   CUSIP:*


               Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized
     representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York,
     New York) to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange
     or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede &
     Co. or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The
     Depository Trust Company and any payment is made to Cede & Co., ANY
     TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY
     PERSON IS WRONGFUL since the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an
     interest herein.*


                         THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION

                       SENIOR MEDIUM-TERM NOTE, SERIES A
                                  (Fixed Rate)
 

ORIGINAL           INITIAL REDEMPTION   INTEREST RATE:
ISSUE DATE:        DATE:
                                        MATURITY
INTEREST           INITIAL REDEMPTION   DATE:
ACCRUAL DATE:      PERCENTAGE:
                                        OPTIONAL
APPLICABILITY      ANNUAL REDEMPTION    REPAYMENT
OF ANNUAL          PERCENTAGE           DATE(S):
INTEREST           REDUCTION:
PAYMENTS:
 
- ----------------
    * Applies only if this Note is a Registered Global Security.
<PAGE>
 
          The Charles Schwab Corporation, a Delaware corporation (together with
its successors and assigns, the "Issuer"), for value received, hereby promises
to pay to



, or registered assignees, the principal sum of U.S. $                  , on the
Maturity Date specified above (except to the extent previously redeemed or
repaid) and to pay interest thereon at the Interest Rate per annum specified
above from the Interest Accrual Date specified above until the principal hereof
is paid or duly made available for payment (except as provided below),
semiannually in arrears on the first day of March and September in each year
(each such date an "Interest Payment Date") commencing on the Interest Payment
Date next succeeding the Interest Accrual Date specified above, and at maturity
(or on any redemption or repayment date); provided, however, that if the
                                          --------  -------             
Interest Accrual Date occurs between a Record Date, as defined below, and the
next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest payments will commence on the
second Interest Payment Date succeeding the Interest Accrual Date to the
registered holder of this Note on the Record Date with respect to such second
Interest Payment Date; and provided, further, that if this Note is subject to
                           --------  -------                                 
"Annual Interest Payments," interest payments shall be made annually in arrears
and the term "Interest Payment Date" shall be deemed to mean the first day of
March in each year.

          Interest on this Note will accrue from and including the most recent
Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, or,
if no interest has been paid or duly provided for, from and including the
Interest Accrual Date, until the principal hereof has been paid or duly made
available for payment (except as provided below).  The interest so payable, and
punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, subject
to certain exceptions described herein, be paid to the person in whose name this
Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business
on the date 15 calendar days prior to such Interest Payment Date (whether or not
a Business Day) (each such date a "Record Date"); provided, however, that
                                                  --------  -------      
interest payable at maturity (or on any redemption or repayment date) will be
payable to the person to whom the principal hereof shall be payable.  As used
herein, "Business Day" means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is
neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
authorized or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York.

          Payment of the principal of this Note, any premium and the interest
due at maturity (or on any redemption or repayment date) will be made in
immediately available funds upon surrender of this Note at the office or agency
of the Paying Agent, as defined on the reverse hereof, maintained for that
purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or at such other
paying agency as the Issuer may determine.  Payments of interest, other than
interest due at maturity or on any date of redemption or repayment, will be made
by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address
shall appear in the Note register; provided, however, that if the registered
                                   --------  -------                        
holder of this Note is (i) Cede & Co. or (ii) a holder of U.S. $10,000,000 or
more in aggregate principal amount of Notes having the same Interest Payment
Date, such holder will be entitled to receive payments of interest, other than
interest due at maturity or on any date of redemption or repayment, by wire
transfer of immediately available funds if appropriate wire transfer
instructions have been received by the Paying Agent in writing not less than 15
calendar days prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date.

          Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

          Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Note
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Senior Indenture, as defined on
the reverse hereof, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this Note to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.


DATED:                        THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION



                              By ___________________________
                                  Chairman and Chief
                                  Executive Officer


TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE
OF AUTHENTICATION


This is one of the Notes referred
to in the within-mentioned
Senior Indenture.

CHEMICAL BANK,
  as Trustee



By _____________________________
    Authorized Officer

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
                              REVERSE OF SECURITY


          This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Senior Medium-Term
Notes, Series A, having maturities more than nine months from the date of issue
(the "Notes") of the Issuer.  The Notes are issuable under a Senior Indenture,
dated as of July 15, 1993 (the "Senior Indenture"), between the Issuer and
Chemical Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee," which term includes any successor
trustee under the Senior Indenture), to which Senior Indenture and all
indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities of the Issuer,
the Trustee and holders of the Notes and the terms upon which the Notes are, and
are to be, authenticated and delivered.  The Issuer has appointed Chemical Bank
at its corporate trust office in The City of New York as the paying agent (the
"Paying Agent," which term includes any additional or successor Paying Agent
appointed by the Issuer) with respect to the Notes.  The terms of individual
Notes may vary with respect to interest rates, interest rate formulas, issue
dates, maturity dates, or otherwise, all as provided in the Senior Indenture.
To the extent not inconsistent herewith, the terms of the Senior Indenture are
hereby incorporated by reference herein.

          This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund and, unless
otherwise provided on the face hereof in accordance with the provisions of the
following two paragraphs, will not be redeemable or subject to repayment at the
option of the holder prior to maturity.

          If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note may be redeemed in
whole or in part at the option of the Issuer on or after the Initial Redemption
Date specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth on the face hereof,
together with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of redemption
(except as provided below).  If this Note is subject to "Annual Redemption
Percentage Reduction," the Initial Redemption Percentage indicated on the face
hereof will be reduced on each anniversary of the Initial Redemption Date by the
Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction specified on the face hereof until the
redemption price of this Note is 100% of the principal amount hereof, together
with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of redemption (except as
provided below).  Notice of redemption shall be mailed, not less than 30 nor
more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption, to the registered
holders of the Notes designated for redemption at their addresses as the same
shall appear on the Note

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
register, subject to all the conditions and provisions of the Senior Indenture.
In the event of redemption of this Note in part only, a new Note or Notes for
the amount of the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the
holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

          If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note will be subject to
repayment at the option of the holder on the Optional Repayment Date or Dates
specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth herein.  On any Optional
Repayment Date, this Note will be repayable in whole or in part in increments of
$1,000 (provided that any remaining principal amount hereof shall not be less
than the minimum authorized denomination hereof) at the option of the holder
hereof at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be repaid, together
with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of repayment (except as
provided below).  For this Note to be repaid at the option of the holder hereof,
the Paying Agent must receive at its corporate trust office in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, at least 15 but not more than 30 days prior to
the date of repayment, (i) this Note with the form entitled "Option to Elect
Repayment" below duly completed or (ii) a telegram, telex, facsimile
transmission or a letter from a member of a national securities exchange or the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or a commercial bank or a trust
company in the United States setting forth the name of the holder of this Note,
the principal amount hereof, the certificate number of this Note or a
description of this Note's tenor and terms, the principal amount hereof to be
repaid, a statement that the option to elect repayment is being exercised
thereby and a guarantee that this Note, together with the form entitled "Option
to Elect Repayment" duly completed, will be received by the Paying Agent not
later than the third Business Day after the date of such telegram, telex,
facsimile transmission or letter; provided, that such telegram, telex, facsimile
                                  --------                                      
transmission or letter shall only be effective if this Note and form duly
completed are received by the Paying Agent by such third Business Day.  Exercise
of such repayment option by the holder hereof shall be irrevocable.  In the
event of repayment of this Note in part only, a new Note or Notes for the amount
of the unpaid portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the holder hereof
upon the cancellation hereof.

          Interest payments on this Note will include interest accrued to but
excluding the Interest Payment Dates or the Maturity Date (or any earlier
redemption or repayment date), as the case may be.  Interest payments for this
Note will be computed and paid on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day
months.

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
          In the case where the Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date (or
any redemption or repayment date) does not fall on a Business Day, payment of
interest, premium, if any, or principal otherwise payable on such date need not
be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with
the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or on the
Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date), and no interest on such
payment shall accrue for the period from and after the Interest Payment Date or
the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) to such next succeeding
Business Day.

          This Note and all the obligations of the Issuer hereunder are direct,
unsecured obligations of the Issuer and rank without preference or priority
among themselves and pari passu with all other existing and future unsecured and
                     ---- -----                                                 
unsubordinated indebtedness of the Issuer, subject to certain statutory
exceptions in the event of liquidation upon insolvency.

          This Note, and any Note or Notes issued upon transfer or exchange
hereof, is issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, in
denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple of U.S. $1,000 in excess
thereof.

          The Trustee has been appointed registrar for the Notes, and the
Trustee will maintain at its office in The City of New York a register for the
registration and registration of transfer of Notes.  The transfer of this Note
may be registered at the aforesaid office of the Trustee by surrendering this
Note for cancellation, accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Trustee and duly executed by the registered holder hereof in
person or by the holder's attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon the
Trustee shall issue in the name of the transferee or transferees, in exchange
herefor, a new Note or Notes having identical terms and provisions and having a
like aggregate principal amount in authorized denominations, subject to the
terms and conditions set forth herein; provided, however, that the Trustee will
                                       --------  -------                       
not be required (i) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note that has
been called for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of
Notes being redeemed in part, (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any
Note if the holder thereof has exercised his right, if any, to require the
Issuer to repurchase such Note in whole or in part, except the portion of such
Note not required to be repurchased, or (iii) to register the transfer of or
exchange Notes to the extent and

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
during the period so provided in the Senior Indenture with respect to the
redemption of Notes.  Notes are exchangeable at said office for other Notes of
other authorized denominations of equal aggregate principal amount having
identical terms and provisions.  All such exchanges and registrations of
transfer of Notes will be free of charge, but the Issuer may require payment of
a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge in connection
therewith.  All Notes surrendered for exchange shall be accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Trustee and executed by the
registered holder in person or by the holder's attorney duly authorized in
writing.  The date of registration of any Note delivered upon any exchange or
transfer of Notes shall be such that no gain or loss of interest results from
such exchange or registration of transfer.

          In case any Note shall at any time become mutilated, defaced or be
destroyed, lost or stolen and such Note or evidence of the loss, theft or
destruction thereof (together with the indemnity hereinafter referred to and
such other documents or proof as may be required in the premises) shall be
delivered to the Trustee, a new Note of like tenor will be issued by the Issuer
in exchange for the Note so mutilated or defaced, or in lieu of the Note so
destroyed or lost or stolen, but, in the case of any destroyed or lost or stolen
Note, only upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the Trustee and the Issuer
that such Note was destroyed or lost or stolen and, if required, upon receipt
also of indemnity satisfactory to each of them.  All expenses and reasonable
charges associated with procuring such indemnity and with the preparation,
authentication and delivery of a new Note shall be borne by the owner of the
Note mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen.

          The Senior Indenture provides that, (a) if an Event of Default (as
defined in the Senior Indenture) due to the default in payment of principal of,
premium, if any, or interest on, any series of debt securities issued under the
Senior Indenture, including the series of Senior Medium-Term Notes of which this
Note forms a part, or due to the default in the performance or breach of any
other covenant or warranty of the Issuer applicable to the debt securities of
such series but not applicable to all outstanding debt securities issued under
the Senior Indenture shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee
or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities
of each affected series (voting as a single class) may then declare the
principal of all debt securities of all such series and interest accrued thereon
to be due

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
and payable immediately and (b) if an Event of Default due to a default in the
performance of any other of the covenants or agreements in the Senior Indenture
applicable to all outstanding debt securities issued thereunder, including this
Note, or due to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization of
the Issuer, shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the
holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of all debt securities issued
under the Senior Indenture then outstanding (treated as one class) may declare
the principal of all such debt securities and interest accrued thereon to be due
and payable immediately, but upon certain conditions such declarations may be
annulled and past defaults may be waived (except a continuing default in payment
of principal (or premium, if any) or interest on such debt securities) by the
holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of all affected
series then outstanding.

          The Trustee also acts as trustee under a Senior Subordinated
Indenture, dated as of July 15, 1993 (the "Senior Subordinated Indenture" and,
together with the Senior Indenture, the "Indentures"), between the Issuer and
the Trustee, with respect to certain other debt securities of the Issuer.  The
Senior Indenture provides that, should a default occur with respect to either
the debt securities issued under the Senior Indenture or the debt securities
issued under the Senior Subordinated Indenture, the Trustee would be required to
resign as trustee under one of the Indentures within 90 days of such default
unless such default were cured, duly waived or otherwise eliminated.

          The Senior Indenture permits the Issuer and the Trustee, with the
consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the debt securities of all series issued under the Senior Indenture then
outstanding and affected (voting as one class), to execute supplemental
indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any manner the rights of the
holders of each series so affected; provided that the Issuer and the Trustee may
                                    --------                                    
not, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security
affected thereby, (a) extend the final maturity of any such debt security, or
reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of
payment of interest thereon, or reduce any amount payable on redemption or
repayment thereof, or change the currency of payment thereof, or impair or
affect the rights of any holder to institute suit for the payment thereof
without the consent of the holder of each debt security so affected; or (b)
reduce the aforesaid percentage in principal amount of debt securities the
consent of the holders of which is required for any such supplemental

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
indenture, without the consent of the holders of each debt security so affected.

          So long as this Note shall be outstanding, the Issuer will cause to be
maintained an office or agency for the payment of the principal of and premium,
if any, and interest on this Note as herein provided in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, and an office or agency in said Borough of
Manhattan for the registration, registration of transfer and exchange as
aforesaid of the Notes.  The Issuer may designate other agencies for the payment
of said principal, premium and interest at such place or places (subject to
applicable laws and regulations) as the Issuer may decide.  So long as there
shall be such an agency, the Issuer shall keep the Trustee advised of the names
and locations of such agencies, if any are so designated.

          With respect to moneys paid by the Issuer and held by the Trustee or
any Paying Agent for payment of the principal of or interest or premium, if any,
on any Notes that remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal,
interest or premium shall have become due and payable (whether at maturity or
upon call for redemption or otherwise), (i) the Trustee or such Paying Agent
shall notify the holders of such Notes that such moneys shall be repaid to the
Issuer and any person claiming such moneys shall thereafter look only to the
Issuer for payment thereof and (ii) such moneys shall be so repaid to the
Issuer.  Upon such repayment all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent
with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease, without, however, limiting in
any way any obligation that the Issuer may have to pay the principal of or
interest or premium, if any, on this Note as the same shall become due.

          No provision of this Note or of the Senior Indenture shall alter or
impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay
the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Note at the time, place,
and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed unless otherwise agreed
between the Issuer and the registered holder of this Note.

          Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer,
the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may treat the
holder in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and none of the Issuer, the
Trustee or any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
          No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of, premium,
if any, or the interest on this Note, for any claim based hereon, or otherwise
in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Senior Indenture or any
indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator, shareholder, officer
or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Issuer or of any successor
corporation, either directly or through the Issuer or any successor corporation,
whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the
enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being,
by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof,
expressly waived and released.

          This Note shall for all purposes be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of California.

          All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Senior Indenture
and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the
Senior Indenture.

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
                                 ABBREVIATIONS


     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:


     TEN COM-as tenants in common
     TEN ENT-as tenants by the entireties
     JT TEN-as joint tenants with right of survivorship
       and not as tenants in common


     UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-...........Custodian..............
                         (Cust)               (Minor)

     Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act...................
                                            (State)



     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.


                                   __________

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto


[PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
    IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE]


 
- ----------------------------------------

- -------------------------------------------------------------------
[PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING ZIP CODE,
   OF ASSIGNEE]

- -------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably

- -------------------------------------------------------------------
constituting and appointing such person attorney to transfer

- -------------------------------------------------------------------
such note on the books of the Issuer, with full power of

- -------------------------------------------------------------------
substitution in the premises.


Dated:_____________________


NOTICE:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
         written upon the face of the within Note in every particular without
         alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
                           OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT



      The undersigned hereby irrevocably requests and instructs the Issuer to
repay the within Note (or portion thereof specified below) pursuant to its terms
at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest to the
Optional Repayment Date, to the undersigned at


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           (Please print or typewrite
                      name and address of the undersigned)



      If less than the entire principal amount of the within Note is to be
repaid, specify the portion thereof which the holder elects to have repaid:
__________________; and specify the denomination or denominations (which shall
not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) of the Notes to be issued
to the holder for the portion of the within Note not being repaid (in the
absence of any such specification, one such Note will be issued for the portion
not being repaid):

____________________________.



Dated:_____________________________________________________
      NOTICE:  The signature on this
      Option to Elect Repayment must
      correspond with the name as written
      upon the face of the within
      instrument in every particular
      without alteration or enlargement.

                                       14

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.4

                                FACE OF SECURITY

                           Floating Rate Senior Note

REGISTERED                                              REGISTERED
No. FLR                                                 U.S. $ [PRINCIPAL
                                                        AMOUNT]
                                                        CUSIP:*

               Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized
     representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York,
     New York) to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange
     or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede &
     Co. or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The
     Depository Trust Company and any payment is made to Cede & Co., ANY
     TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY
     PERSON IS WRONGFUL since the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an
     interest herein.*


                         THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION

                       SENIOR MEDIUM-TERM NOTE, SERIES A
                                (Floating Rate)
<TABLE>
<S>                     <C>                       <C>  
BASE RATE:              ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE:      MATURITY DATE:
 
INDEX MATURITY:         INTEREST ACCRUAL DATE:    INTEREST PAYMENT DATE(S):
 
SPREAD (PLUS OR         INITIAL INTEREST RATE:    INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD:
MINUS):
                        INITIAL INTEREST RESET    INTEREST RESET PERIOD:
SPREAD MULTIPLIER:      DATE:
                                                  INTEREST RESET DATES:
INITIAL REDEMPTION      MAXIMUM INTEREST RATE:
DATE:                                             CALCULATION AGENT:
                        MINIMUM INTEREST RATE:
INITIAL REDEMPTION                                OPTIONAL REPAYMENT
PERCENTAGE:             LIBOR REUTERS/TELERATE:   DATE(S):
</TABLE>
 
ANNUAL REDEMPTION
PERCENTAGE
REDUCTION:

______________ 
* Applies only if this Note is a Registered Global Security.

                                       1
<PAGE>
 
          The Charles Schwab Corporation, a Delaware corporation (together with
its successors and assigns, the "Issuer"), for value received, hereby promises
to pay to



, or registered assignees, the principal sum of U.S. $                     , on
the Maturity Date specified above (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior
to the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon, from the Interest Accrual
Date specified above at a rate per annum equal to the Initial Interest Rate
specified above until the Initial Interest Reset Date specified above, and
thereafter at a rate per annum determined in accordance with the provisions
specified on the reverse hereof until the principal hereof is paid or duly made
available for payment.  The Issuer will pay interest in arrears monthly,
quarterly, semiannually or annually as specified above as the Interest Payment
Period on each Interest Payment Date (as specified above), commencing with the
first Interest Payment Date next succeeding the Interest Accrual Date specified
above, and on the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date); provided,
                                                                       -------- 
however, that if the Interest Accrual Date occurs between a Record Date, as
- -------                                                                    
defined below, and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest payments
will commence on the second Interest Payment Date succeeding the Interest
Accrual Date to the registered holder of this Note on the Record Date with
respect to such second Interest Payment Date; and provided, further, that,
                                                  --------  -------       
subject to the next succeeding sentence, if an Interest Payment Date would fall
on a day that is not a Business Day, as defined on the reverse hereof, such
Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the following day that is a Business
Day, except that if the Base Rate specified above is LIBOR and such next
Business Day falls in the next calendar month, the Interest Payment Date shall
be the immediately preceding day that is a Business Day.  If the Maturity Date
or redemption or repayment date would fall on a day that is not a Business Day,
the payment of principal and interest will be made on the next succeeding
Business Day, and no interest on such payment shall accrue for the period from
and after such Maturity Date or redemption or repayment date, as the case may
be.

          Interest on this Note will accrue from the most recent date to which
interest has been paid or duly provided for, or, if no interest has been paid or
duly provided for, from the Interest Accrual Date, until the principal hereof
has been paid or duly made available for payment.  The

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest
Payment Date will, subject to certain exceptions described herein, be paid to
the person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is
registered at the close of business on the date 15 calendar days prior to such
Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day) (each such date a "Record
Date"); provided, however, that interest payable on the Maturity Date (or any
        --------  -------                                                    
redemption or repayment date) will be payable to the person to whom the
principal hereof shall be payable.

          Payment of the principal of this Note, any premium and the interest
due at the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) will be made in
immediately available funds upon surrender of this Note at the office or agency
of the Paying Agent, as defined on the reverse hereof, maintained for that
purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or at such other
paying agency as the Issuer may determine.  Payments of interest, other than
interest due at maturity or any date of redemption or repayment, will be made by
check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall
appear in the Note register; provided, however, that if the registered holder of
                             --------  -------                                  
this Note is (i) Cede & Co. or (ii) a holder of U.S. $10,000,000 or more in
aggregate principal amount of Notes having the same Interest Payment Date, such
holder will be entitled to receive payments of interest, other than interest due
at maturity or any date of redemption or repayment, by wire transfer of
immediately available funds if appropriate wire transfer instructions have been
received by the Paying Agent in writing not less than 15 calendar days prior to
the applicable Interest Payment Date.

          Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

          Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Note
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Senior Indenture, as defined on
the reverse hereof, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this Note to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.


DATED:                                 THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION



                                       By ______________________________
                                          Chairman and Chief
                                          Executive Officer


TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE
OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Notes
referred to in the within-
mentioned Senior Indenture.

CHEMICAL BANK, as Trustee



By ______________________________
     Authorized Officer

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
                              REVERSE OF SECURITY


          This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Senior Medium-Term
Notes, Series A, having maturities more than nine months from the date of issue
(the "Notes") of the Issuer.  The Notes are issuable under a Senior Indenture,
dated as of July 15, 1993 (the "Senior Indenture"), between the Issuer and
Chemical Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee," which term includes any successor
trustee under the Senior Indenture), to which Senior Indenture and all
indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities of the Issuer,
the Trustee and holders of the Notes and the terms upon which the Notes are, and
are to be, authenticated and delivered.  The Issuer has appointed Chemical Bank
at its corporate trust office in The City of New York as the paying agent (the
"Paying Agent," which term includes any additional or successor Paying Agent
appointed by the Issuer) with respect to the Notes.  The terms of individual
Notes may vary with respect to interest rates, interest rate formulas, issue
dates, maturity dates, or otherwise, all as provided in the Senior Indenture.
To the extent not inconsistent herewith, the terms of the Senior Indenture are
hereby incorporated by reference herein.

          This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund and, unless
otherwise provided on the face hereof in accordance with the provisions of the
following two paragraphs, will not be redeemable or subject to repayment at the
option of the holder prior to maturity.

          If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note may be redeemed in
whole or in part at the option of the Issuer on or after the Initial Redemption
Date specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth on the face hereof,
together with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of redemption.  If
this Note is subject to "Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction," the Initial
Redemption Percentage indicated on the face hereof will be reduced on each
anniversary of the Initial Redemption Date by the Annual Redemption Percentage
Reduction specified on the face hereof until the redemption price of this Note
is 100% of the principal amount hereof, together with interest accrued and
unpaid hereon to the date of redemption.  Notice of redemption shall be mailed,
not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption,
to the registered holders of the Notes designated for redemption at their
addresses as the same shall appear on the Note register, subject to all the
conditions and provisions of

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
the Senior Indenture. In the event of redemption of this Note in part only, a
new Note or Notes for the amount of the unredeemed portion hereof shall be
issued in the name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

          If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note will be subject to
repayment at the option of the holder on the Optional Repayment Date or Dates
specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth herein.  On any Optional
Repayment Date, this Note will be repayable in whole or in part in increments of
$1,000 (provided that any remaining principal amount hereof shall not be less
than the minimum authorized denomination hereof) at the option of the holder
hereof at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be repaid, together
with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of repayment.  For this Note
to be repaid at the option of the holder hereof, the Paying Agent must receive
at its corporate trust office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York,
at least 15 but not more than 30 days prior to the date of repayment, (i) this
Note with the form entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" below duly completed or
(ii) a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or a letter from a member of a
national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. or a commercial bank or a trust company in the United States setting forth
the name of the holder of this Note, the principal amount hereof, the
certificate number of this Note or a description of this Note's tenor and terms,
the principal amount hereof to be repaid, a statement that the option to elect
repayment is being exercised thereby and a guarantee that this Note, together
with the form entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" duly completed, will be
received by the Paying Agent not later than the fifth Business Day after the
date of such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter; provided, that
                                                                --------      
such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter shall only be effective
if this Note and form duly completed are received by the Paying Agent by such
fifth Business Day.  Exercise of such repayment option by the holder hereof
shall be irrevocable.  In the event of repayment of this Note in part only, a
new Note or Notes for the amount of the unpaid portion hereof shall be issued in
the name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

          This Note will bear interest at the rate determined in accordance with
the applicable provisions below by reference to the Base Rate shown on the face
hereof based on the Index Maturity, if any, shown on the face hereof (i) plus or
minus the Spread, if any, and/or (ii) multiplied by the Spread Multiplier, if
any, specified on the face hereof. Commencing with the Initial Interest Reset

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
Date specified on the face hereof, the rate at which interest on this Note is
payable shall be reset as of each Interest Reset Date (as used herein, the term
"Interest Reset Date" shall include the Initial Interest Reset Date). The
Interest Reset Dates will be the Interest Reset Dates specified on the face
hereof; provided, however, that (i) the interest rate in effect for the period
        --------  -------
from the Interest Accrual Date to the Initial Interest Reset Date will be the
Initial Interest Rate and (ii) the interest rate in effect hereon for the 10
days immediately prior to the Maturity Date hereof (or, with respect to any
principal amount to be redeemed or repaid, any redemption or repayment date)
shall be that in effect on the tenth calendar day preceding the Maturity Date
hereof or such date of redemption or repayment, as the case may be. If any
Interest Reset Date would otherwise be a day that is not a Business Day, such
Interest Reset Date shall be postponed to the next succeeding day that is a
Business Day, except that if the Base Rate specified on the face hereof is LIBOR
and such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar month, such Interest
Reset Date shall be the immediately preceding Business Day. As used herein,
"Business Day" means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, and that is
neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized
or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York and, with
respect to Notes bearing interest calculated by reference to LIBOR, is also a
London Banking Day (as defined below).

          The Interest Determination Date pertaining to an Interest Reset Date
for Notes bearing interest calculated by reference to the CD Rate, Commercial
Paper Rate, Federal Funds Rate and Prime Rate will be the second Business Day
preceding such Interest Reset Date.  The Interest Determination Date pertaining
to an Interest Reset Date for Notes bearing interest calculated by reference to
LIBOR shall be the second London Banking Day preceding such Interest Reset Date.
As used herein, "London Banking Day" means any day on which dealings in deposits
in U.S. dollars are transacted in the London interbank market.  The Interest
Determination Date pertaining to an Interest Reset Date for Notes bearing
interest calculated by reference to the Treasury Rate shall be the day of the
week in which such Interest Reset Date falls on which Treasury bills normally
would be auctioned; provided, however, that if as a result of a legal holiday an
                    --------  -------                                           
auction is held on the Friday of the week preceding such Interest Reset Date,
the related Interest Determination Date shall be such preceding Friday; and
provided, further, that if an auction shall fall on any Interest Reset Date,
- --------  -------                                                           
then the Interest Reset Date shall

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
instead be the first Business Day following the date of such auction.

          The "Calculation Date" pertaining to any Interest Determination Date
will be the earlier (i) of the tenth calendar day after such Interest
Determination Date or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding
Business Day or (ii) the Business Day preceding the applicable Interest Payment
Date or maturity, as the case may be.

          Determination of CD Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on the face
          ------------------------                                         
hereof is the CD Rate, the CD Rate with respect to this Note shall be determined
on each Interest Determination Date and shall be the rate on such date for
negotiable certificates of deposit having the Index Maturity specified on the
face hereof as published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
in "Statistical Release H.15(519), Selected Interest Rates," or any successor
publication of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
("H.15(519)"), under the heading "CDs (Secondary Market)," or, if not so
published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining
to such Interest Determination Date, the CD Rate will be the rate on such
Interest Determination Date for negotiable certificates of deposit of the Index
Maturity specified on the face hereof as published by the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York in its daily statistical release "Composite 3:30 P.M. Quotations for
U.S. Government Securities" ("Composite Quotations") under the heading
"Certificates of Deposit."  If neither of such rates is published by 3:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on such Calculation Date, then the CD Rate on such Interest
Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent referred to on
the face hereof and will be the arithmetic mean of the secondary market offered
rates as of 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on such Interest Determination Date
for certificates of deposit in the denomination of U.S. $5,000,000 with a
remaining maturity closest to the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof of
three leading nonbank dealers in negotiable U.S. dollar certificates of deposit
in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent for negotiable
certificates of deposit of major United States money center banks in the market
for negotiable certificates of deposit; provided, however, that if the dealers
                                        --------  -------                     
selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in
this sentence, the rate of interest in effect for the applicable period will be
the same as the CD Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or,
if there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon
shall be the Initial Interest Rate).

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
          Determination of Commercial Paper Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on
          --------------------------------------                                
the face hereof is the Commercial Paper Rate, the Commercial Paper Rate with
respect to this Note shall be determined on each Interest Determination Date and
shall be the Money Market Yield (as defined herein) of the rate on such date for
commercial paper having the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof, as such
rate shall be published in H.15(519) under the heading "Commercial Paper," or if
not so published prior to 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date
pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the Commercial Paper Rate shall
be the Money Market Yield of the rate on such Interest Determination Date for
commercial paper of the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof as published
in Composite Quotations under the heading "Commercial Paper."  If neither of
such rates is published by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on such Calculation
Date, then the Commercial Paper Rate shall be the Money Market Yield of the
arithmetic mean of the offered rates as of 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on
such Interest Determination Date of three leading dealers in commercial paper in
The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent for commercial paper of
the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof, placed for an industrial issuer
whose bond rating is "AA," or the equivalent, from a nationally recognized
rating agency; provided, however, that if the dealers selected as aforesaid by
               --------  -------                                              
the Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the rate of
interest in effect for the applicable period will be the same as the Commercial
Paper Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was
no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon shall be the
Initial Interest Rate).

          "Money Market Yield" shall be the yield calculated in accordance with
the following formula:


          Money Market Yield =       D x 360
                                ---------------- x 100
                                  360 - (D x M)

where "D" refers to the applicable per annum rate for commercial paper quoted on
a bank discount basis and expressed as a decimal and "M" refers to the actual
number of days in the period for which interest is being calculated.

          Determination of Federal Funds Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on
          -----------------------------------                                
the face hereof is the Federal Funds Rate, the Federal Funds Rate with respect
to this Note shall be determined on each Interest Determination Date and shall
be

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
the rate on such date for Federal Funds as published in H.15(519) under the
heading "Federal Funds (Effective)," or, if not so published by 9:00 A.M., New
York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest
Determination Date, the Federal Funds Rate will be the rate on such Interest
Determination Date as published in Composite Quotations under the heading
"Federal Funds/Effective Rate." If neither of such rates is published by 3:00
P.M., New York City time, on such Calculation Date, the Federal Funds Rate for
such Interest Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent and
will be the arithmetic mean of the rates for the last transaction in overnight
Federal funds as of 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on such Interest
Determination Date arranged by three leading brokers in Federal funds
transactions in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent;
provided, however, that if the brokers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation
- --------  -------                                                              
Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the rate of interest in
effect for the applicable period will be the same as the Federal Funds Rate for
the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such
Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon shall be the Initial
Interest Rate).

          Determination of LIBOR.  If the Base Rate specified on the face hereof
          ----------------------                                                
is LIBOR, LIBOR with respect to this Note shall be determined as follows:

          (i) With respect to a LIBOR Interest Determination Date, LIBOR will
     be, as specified on the face hereof, either:  (a) the arithmetic mean of
     the offered rates for deposits in U.S. dollars having the Index Maturity
     specified on the face hereof, commencing on the second London Banking Day
     immediately following the LIBOR Interest Determination Date, that appear on
     the Reuters Screen LIBO Page as of 11:00 A.M., London time, on that LIBOR
     Interest Determination Date, if at least two such offered rates appear on
     the Reuters Screen LIBO Page ("LIBOR Reuters"), or (b) the rate for
     deposits in U.S. dollars having the Index Maturity specified on the face
     hereof, commencing on the second London Banking Day immediately following
     that LIBOR Interest Determination Date, that appears on the Telerate Page
     3750 as of 11:00 A.M., London time, on that LIBOR Interest Determination
     Date ("LIBOR Telerate").  "Reuters Screen LIBO Page" means the display
     designated as page "LIBO" on the Reuters Monitor Money Rates Service (or
     such other page as may replace the LIBO page on that service for the
     purpose of displaying London interbank offered rates of major banks).
     "Telerate Page 3750" means the display

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
     designated as page "3750" on the Telerate Service (or such other page as
     may replace the 3750 page on that service or such other service or services
     as may be nominated by the British Bankers' Association for the purpose of
     displaying London interbank offered rates for U.S. dollar deposits). If
     neither LIBOR Reuters nor LIBOR Telerate is specified on the face hereof,
     LIBOR will be determined as if LIBOR Telerate had been specified. If fewer
     than two offered rates appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page, or if no
     rate appears on the Telerate Page 3750, as applicable, LIBOR in respect of
     that LIBOR Interest Determination Date will be determined as if the parties
     had specified the rate described in (ii) below.

          (ii)  With respect to a LIBOR Interest Determination Date on which
     fewer than two offered rates appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page, as
     specified in (i)(a) above, or on which no rate appears on Telerate Page
     3750, as specified in (i)(b) above, as applicable, LIBOR will be determined
     on the basis of the rates at which deposits in U.S. dollars having the
     Index Maturity specified on the face hereof are offered at approximately
     11:00 A.M., London time, on that LIBOR Interest Determination Date by four
     major banks in the London interbank market selected by the Calculation
     Agent ("Reference Banks") to prime banks in the London interbank market
     commencing on the second London Banking Day immediately following that
     LIBOR Interest Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to an
     amount of not less than $1,000,000 that is representative for a single
     transaction in such market at such time.  The Calculation Agent will
     request the principal London office of each of the Reference Banks to
     provide a quotation of its rate.  If at least two such quotations are
     provided, LIBOR in respect of that LIBOR Interest Determination Date will
     be the arithmetic mean of such quotations.  If fewer than two quotations
     are provided, LIBOR in respect of that LIBOR Interest Determination Date
     will be the arithmetic mean of the rates quoted at approximately 11:00
     A.M., New York City time, on that LIBOR Interest Determination Date by
     three major banks in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent
     for loans in U.S. dollars to leading European banks having the Index
     Maturity specified on the face hereof commencing on the second London
     Banking Day immediately following that LIBOR Interest Determination Date
     and in a principal amount equal to an amount of not less than $1,000,000
     that is representative for a single transaction in such market at such
     time; provided, however, that if the
           --------  -------             

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
     banks selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as
     mentioned in this sentence, LIBOR with respect to such LIBOR Interest
     Determination Date will be the rate of LIBOR in effect on such date.

          Determination of Prime Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on the face
          ---------------------------                                         
hereof is the Prime Rate, the Prime Rate with respect to this Note shall be
determined on each Interest Determination Date and shall be the rate set forth
in H.15(519) for such date opposite the caption "Bank Prime Loan."  If such rate
is not yet published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date
pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the Prime Rate for such Interest
Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of the rates of interest publicly
announced by each bank named on the Reuters Screen USPRIME 1 Page (as defined
below) as such bank's prime rate or base lending rate as in effect for such
Interest Determination Date as quoted on the Reuters Screen USPRIME 1 Page on
such Interest Determination Date, or, if fewer than four such rates appear on
the Reuters Screen USPRIME 1 Page for such Interest Determination Date, the rate
shall be the arithmetic mean of the prime rates quoted on the basis of the
actual number of days in the year divided by 360 as of the close of business on
such Interest Determination Date by at least two of the three major money center
banks in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent from which
quotations are requested.  If fewer than two quotations are provided, the Prime
Rate shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent and shall be determined as the
arithmetic mean on the basis of the prime rates in The City of New York by the
appropriate number of substitute banks or trust companies organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, in each case
having total equity capital of at least U.S. $500 million and being subject to
supervision or examination by Federal or State authority, selected by the
Calculation Agent to quote such rate or rates; provided, however, that if the
                                               --------  -------             
substitute banks or trust companies selected as aforesaid are not quoting as
mentioned in this sentence, the Prime Rate for such Interest Reset Period will
be the Prime Rate in effect for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period
(or, if there is no such Interest Reset Period, the Initial Interest Rate).
"Reuters Screen USPRIME 1 Page" means the display designated as Page "USPRIME 1"
on the Reuters Monitor Money Rates Service (or such other page as may replace
the USPRIME 1 Page on that service for the purpose of displaying prime rates or
base lending rates of major United States banks).

          Determination of Treasury Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on the
          ------------------------------                                    
face hereof is the Treasury Rate, the 

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
Treasury Rate with respect to this Note shall be determined on each Interest
Determination Date and shall be the rate for the auction held on such date of
direct obligations of the United States ("Treasury Bills") having the Index
Maturity specified on the face hereof, as published in H.15(519) under the
heading "Treasury Bills--auction average (investment)," or if not so published
by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining to such
Interest Determination Date, the auction average rate on such Interest
Determination Date (expressed as a bond equivalent, on the basis of a year of
365 or 366 days, as applicable, and applied on a daily basis) as otherwise
announced by the United States Department of the Treasury. In the event that the
results of the auction of Treasury Bills having the Index Maturity specified on
the face hereof are not published or reported as provided above by 3:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on such Calculation Date or if no such auction is held on
such Interest Determination Date, then the Treasury Rate shall be calculated by
the Calculation Agent and shall be a yield to maturity (expressed as a bond
equivalent, on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and
applied on a daily basis) calculated using the arithmetic mean of the secondary
market bid rates, as of approximately 3:30 P.M., New York City time, on such
Interest Determination Date, of three leading primary United States government
securities dealers selected by the Calculation Agent for the issue of Treasury
Bills with a remaining maturity closest to the Index Maturity specified on the
face hereof; provided, however, that if the dealers selected as aforesaid by the
             --------  -------
Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the Treasury
Rate for such Interest Reset Date will be the same as the Treasury Rate for the
immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such Interest
Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon shall be the Initial Interest
Rate).

          Notwithstanding the foregoing, the interest rate hereon shall not be
greater than the Maximum Interest Rate, if any, or less than the Minimum
Interest Rate, if any, specified on the face hereof.  The Calculation Agent
shall calculate the interest rate hereon in accordance with the foregoing on or
before each Calculation Date.

          At the request of the holder hereof, the Calculation Agent will
provide to the holder hereof the interest rate hereon then in effect and, if
determined, the interest rate that will become effective as of the next Interest
Reset Date.

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
          Interest payments on this Note will include interest accrued to but
excluding the Interest Payment Dates or the Maturity Date (or any earlier
redemption or repayment date), as the case may be; provided, however, that if
                                                   --------  -------         
the Interest Reset Period with respect to this Note is daily or weekly, interest
payable on any Interest Payment Date, other than interest payable on any date on
which principal hereof is payable, will include interest accrued through and
including the Record Date next preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date.
Accrued interest hereon shall be an amount calculated by multiplying the face
amount hereof by an accrued interest factor.  Such accrued interest factor shall
be computed by adding the interest factor calculated for each day in the period
for which interest is being paid.  The interest factor for each such date shall
be computed by dividing the interest rate applicable to such day by 360 if the
Base Rate is CD Rate, Commercial Paper Rate, Federal Funds Rate, Prime Rate or
LIBOR, as specified on the face hereof, or by the actual number of days in the
year if the Base Rate is the Treasury Rate, as specified on the face hereof.
All percentages resulting from any calculation of the rate of interest on this
Note will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a
percentage point (.0000001), with five one-millionths of a percentage point
rounded upward, and all dollar amounts used in or resulting from such
calculation on this Note will be rounded to the nearest cent (with one-half cent
rounded upward).  The interest rate in effect on any Interest Reset Date will be
the applicable rate as reset on such date.  The interest rate applicable to any
other day is the interest rate from the immediately preceding Interest Reset
Date (or, if none, the Initial Interest Rate).

          This Note and all the obligations of the Issuer hereunder are direct,
unsecured obligations of the Issuer and rank without preference or priority
among themselves and pari passu with all other existing and future unsecured and
                     ---- -----                                                 
unsubordinated indebtedness of the Issuer, subject to certain statutory
exceptions in the event of liquidation upon insolvency.

          This Note, and any Note or Notes issued upon transfer or exchange
hereof, is issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, in
denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple of U.S. $1,000 in excess
thereof.

          The Trustee has been appointed registrar for the Notes, and the
Trustee will maintain at its office in The City of New York a register for the
registration and registration of transfer of Notes.  The transfer of this

                                       14
<PAGE>
 
Note may be registered at the aforesaid office of the Trustee by surrendering
this Note for cancellation, accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in
form satisfactory to the Trustee and duly executed by the registered holder
hereof in person or by the holder's attorney duly authorized in writing, and
thereupon the Trustee shall issue in the name of the transferee or transferees,
in exchange herefor, a new Note or Notes having identical terms and provisions
and having a like aggregate principal amount in authorized denominations,
subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein; provided, however, that
                                                      --------  -------      
the Trustee will not be required (i) to register the transfer of or exchange any
Note that has been called for redemption in whole or in part, except the
unredeemed portion of Notes being redeemed in part, (ii) to register the
transfer of or exchange any Note if the holder thereof has exercised his right,
if any, to require the Issuer to repurchase such Note in whole or in part,
except the portion of such Note not required to be repurchased, or (iii) to
register the transfer of or exchange Notes to the extent and during the period
so provided in the Senior Indenture with respect to the redemption of Notes.
Notes are exchangeable at said office for other Notes of other authorized
denominations of equal aggregate principal amount having identical terms and
provisions.  All such exchanges and registrations of transfer of Notes will be
free of charge, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge in connection therewith.  All Notes
surrendered for exchange shall be accompanied by a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Trustee and executed by the registered
holder in person or by the holder's attorney duly authorized in writing.   The
date of registration of any Note delivered upon any exchange or transfer of
Notes shall be such that no gain or loss of interest results from such exchange
or registration of transfer.

          In case any Note shall at any time become mutilated, defaced or be
destroyed, lost or stolen and such Note or evidence of the loss, theft or
destruction thereof (together with the indemnity hereinafter referred to and
such other documents or proof as may be required in the premises) shall be
delivered to the Trustee, a new Note of like tenor will be issued by the Issuer
in exchange for the Note so mutilated or defaced, or in lieu of the Note so
destroyed or lost or stolen, but, in the case of any destroyed or lost or stolen
Note, only upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the Trustee and the Issuer
that such Note was destroyed or lost or stolen and, if required, upon receipt
also of indemnity satisfactory to each of them.  All expenses and reasonable
charges associated with

                                       15
<PAGE>
 
procuring such indemnity and with the preparation, authentication and delivery
of a new Note shall be borne by the owner of the Note mutilated, defaced,
destroyed, lost or stolen.

          The Senior Indenture provides that, (a) if an Event of Default (as
defined in the Senior Indenture) due to the default in payment of principal of,
premium, if any, or interest on, any series of debt securities issued under the
Senior Indenture, including the series of Senior Medium-Term Notes of which this
Note forms a part, or due to the default in the performance or breach of any
other covenant or warranty of the Issuer applicable to the debt securities of
such series but not applicable to all outstanding debt securities issued under
the Senior Indenture shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee
or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities
of each affected series (voting as a single class) may then declare the
principal of all debt securities of all such series and interest accrued thereon
to be due and payable immediately and (b) if an Event of Default due to a
default in the performance of any other of the covenants or agreements in the
Senior Indenture applicable to all outstanding debt securities issued
thereunder, including this Note, or due to certain events of bankruptcy,
insolvency and reorganization of the Issuer, shall have occurred and be
continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal
amount of all debt securities issued under the Senior Indenture then outstanding
(treated as one class) may declare the principal of all such debt securities and
interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately, but upon certain
conditions such declarations may be annulled and past defaults may be waived
(except a continuing default in payment of principal (or premium, if any) or
interest on such debt securities) by the holders of a majority in principal
amount of the debt securities of all affected series then outstanding.

          The Trustee also acts as trustee under a Senior Subordinated
Indenture, dated as of July 15, 1993 (the "Senior Subordinated Indenture" and,
together with the Senior Indenture, the "Indentures"), between the Issuer and
the Trustee, with respect to certain other debt securities of the Issuer.  The
Senior Indenture provides that, should a default occur with respect to either
the debt securities issued under the Senior Indenture or the debt securities
issued under the Senior Subordinated Indenture, the Trustee would be required to
resign as trustee under one of the Indentures within 90 days of such default
unless such default were cured, duly waived or otherwise eliminated.

                                       16
<PAGE>
 
          The Senior Indenture permits the Issuer and the Trustee, with the
consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount
of the debt securities of all series issued under the Senior Indenture then
outstanding and affected (voting as one class), to execute supplemental
indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any manner the rights of the
holders of each series so affected; provided that the Issuer and the Trustee may
                                    --------                                    
not, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security
affected thereby, (a) extend the final maturity of any such debt security, or
reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of
payment of interest thereon, or reduce any amount payable on redemption or
repayment thereof, or change the currency of payment thereof, or impair or
affect the rights of any holder to institute suit for the payment thereof
without the consent of the holder of each debt security so affected; or (b)
reduce the aforesaid percentage in principal amount of debt securities the
consent of the holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture,
without the consent of the holders of each debt security so affected.

          So long as this Note shall be outstanding, the Issuer will cause to be
maintained an office or agency for the payment of the principal of and premium,
if any, and interest on this Note as herein provided in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, and an office or agency in said Borough of
Manhattan for the registration, registration of transfer and exchange as
aforesaid of the Notes.  The Issuer may designate other agencies for the payment
of said principal, premium and interest at such place or places (subject to
applicable laws and regulations) as the Issuer may decide.  So long as there
shall be such an agency, the Issuer shall keep the Trustee advised of the names
and locations of such agencies, if any are so designated.

          With respect to moneys paid by the Issuer and held by the Trustee or
any Paying Agent for payment of the principal of or interest or premium, if any,
on any Notes that remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal,
interest or premium shall have become due and payable (whether at maturity or
upon call for redemption or otherwise), (i) the Trustee or such Paying Agent
shall notify the holders of such Notes that such moneys shall be repaid to the
Issuer and any person claiming such moneys shall thereafter look only to the
Issuer for payment thereof and (ii) such moneys shall be so repaid to the
Issuer.   Upon such repayment all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent
with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease, without, however, limiting in
any way any obligation

                                       17
<PAGE>
 
that the Issuer may have to pay the principal of or interest or premium, if any,
on this Note as the same shall become due.

          No provision of this Note or of the Senior Indenture shall alter or
impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay
the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Note at the time, place,
and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed unless otherwise agreed
between the Issuer and the registered holder of this Note.

          Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer,
the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may treat the
holder in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and none of the Issuer, the
Trustee or any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

          No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of, premium,
if any, or the interest on this Note, for any claim based hereon, or otherwise
in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Senior Indenture or any
indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator, shareholder, officer
or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Issuer or of any successor
corporation, either directly or through the Issuer or any successor corporation,
whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the
enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being,
by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof,
expressly waived and released.

          This Note shall for all purposes be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of California.

          All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Senior Indenture
and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the
Senior Indenture.

                                       18
<PAGE>
 
                                 ABBREVIATIONS

     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:


          TEN COM-as tenants in common
          TEN ENT-as tenants by the entireties
          JT TEN-as joint tenants with right of survivorship
            and not as tenants in common


          UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-........Custodian...........
                              (Cust)               (Minor)

          Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act................
                                                 (State)



     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

                                       19
<PAGE>
 
       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto


[PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
    IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE]


 
- -----------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE]


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
constituting and appointing such person attorney to transfer

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
such note on the books of the Issuer, with full power of

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
substitution in the premises.


Dated:_____________________


NOTICE:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
         written upon the face of the within Note in every particular without
         alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                       20
<PAGE>
 
                           OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT



          The undersigned hereby irrevocably requests and instructs the Issuer
to repay the within Note (or portion thereof specified below) pursuant to its
terms at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest
to the Optional Repayment Date, to the undersigned at

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          (Please print or typewrite
                     name and address of the undersigned)



          If less than the entire principal amount of the within Note is to be
repaid, specify the portion thereof which the holder elects to have repaid:
__________________; and specify the denomination or denominations (which shall
not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) of the Notes to be issued
to the holder for the portion of the within Note not being repaid (in the
absence of any such specification, one such Note will be issued for the portion
not being repaid): __________________________.



Dated:_____________                    ___________________________________
                                       NOTICE:  The signature on this
                                       Option to Elect Repayment must
                                       correspond with the name as written
                                       upon the face of the within
                                       instrument in every particular
                                       without alteration or enlargement.

                                       21

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.5

                                FACE OF SECURITY

                      Fixed Rate Senior Subordinated Note

REGISTERED                                         REGISTERED
No. FXR                                            U.S. $ [PRINCIPAL
                                                   AMOUNT]
                                                   CUSIP:*

               Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized
     representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York,
     New York) to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange
     or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede &
     Co. or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The
     Depository Trust Company and any payment is made to Cede & Co., ANY
     TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY
     PERSON IS WRONGFUL since the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an
     interest herein.*


                         THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION

                 SENIOR SUBORDINATED MEDIUM-TERM NOTE, SERIES A
                                  (Fixed Rate)
 
ORIGINAL           INITIAL REDEMPTION   INTEREST RATE:
ISSUE DATE:        DATE:
                                        MATURITY
INTEREST           INITIAL REDEMPTION   DATE:
ACCRUAL DATE:      PERCENTAGE:
                                        OPTIONAL
APPLICABILITY      ANNUAL REDEMPTION    REPAYMENT
OF ANNUAL          PERCENTAGE           DATE(S):
INTEREST           REDUCTION:
PAYMENTS:
 
 
*Applies only if this Note is a Registered Global Security.
<PAGE>
 
          The Charles Schwab Corporation, a Delaware corporation (together with
its successors and assigns, the "Issuer"), for value received, hereby promises
to pay to



, or registered assignees, the principal sum of U.S. $                   , on
the Maturity Date specified above (except to the extent previously redeemed or
repaid) and to pay interest thereon at the Interest Rate per annum specified
above from the Interest Accrual Date specified above until the principal hereof
is paid or duly made available for payment (except as provided below),
semiannually in arrears on the first day of March and September in each year
(each such date an "Interest Payment Date") commencing on the Interest Payment
Date next succeeding the Interest Accrual Date specified above, and at maturity
(or on any redemption or repayment date); provided, however, that if the
                                          --------  -------             
Interest Accrual Date occurs between a Record Date, as defined below, and the
next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest payments will commence on the
second Interest Payment Date succeeding the Interest Accrual Date to the
registered holder of this Note on the Record Date with respect to such second
Interest Payment Date; and provided, further, that if this Note is subject to
                           --------  -------                                 
"Annual Interest Payments," interest payments shall be made annually in arrears
and the term "Interest Payment Date" shall be deemed to mean the first day of
March in each year.

          Interest on this Note will accrue from and including the most recent
Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, or,
if no interest has been paid or duly provided for, from and including the
Interest Accrual Date, until the principal hereof has been paid or duly made
available for payment (except as provided below).  The interest so payable, and
punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, subject
to certain exceptions described herein, be paid to the person in whose name this
Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business
on the date 15 calendar days prior to such Interest Payment Date (whether or not
a Business Day) (each such date a "Record Date"); provided, however, that
                                                  --------  -------      
interest payable at maturity (or on any redemption or repayment date) will be
payable to the person to whom the principal hereof shall be payable.  As used
herein, "Business Day" means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is
neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
authorized or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York.

          Payment of the principal of this Note, any premium and the interest
due at maturity (or on any redemption or repayment date) will be made in
immediately available funds upon surrender of this Note at the office or agency
of the Paying Agent, as defined on the reverse hereof, maintained for that
purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or at such other
paying agency as the Issuer may determine.  Payments of interest, other than
interest due at maturity or on any date of redemption or repayment, will be made
by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address
shall appear in the Note register; provided, however, that if the registered
                                   --------  -------                        
holder of this Note is (i) Cede & Co. or (ii) a holder of U.S. $10,000,000 or
more in aggregate principal amount of Notes having the same Interest Payment
Date, such holder will be entitled to receive payments of interest, other than
interest due at maturity or on any date of redemption or repayment, by wire
transfer of immediately available funds if appropriate wire transfer
instructions have been received by the Paying Agent in writing not less than 15
calendar days prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date.

          Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes
have the same effect as if set forth at this place, including, without
limitation, the provisions relating to the subordination of this Note to the
Issuer's Senior Indebtedness, as defined on the reverse hereof.

          Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Note
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Senior Subordinated Indenture, as
defined on the reverse hereof, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this Note to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.


DATED:                        THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION



                              By __________________________
                                  Chairman and Chief
                                  Executive Officer


TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE
OF AUTHENTICATION


This is one of the Notes referred
to in the within-mentioned
Senior Subordinated Indenture.

CHEMICAL BANK,
  as Trustee



By _____________________________
    Authorized Officer

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
                              REVERSE OF SECURITY



          This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Senior Subordinated
Medium-Term Notes, Series A, having maturities more than nine months from the
date of issue (the "Notes") of the Issuer.  The Notes are issuable under a
Senior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of July 15, 1993 (the "Senior
Subordinated Indenture"), between the Issuer and Chemical Bank, as Trustee (the
"Trustee," which term includes any successor trustee under the Senior
Subordinated Indenture), to which Senior Subordinated Indenture and all
indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities of the Issuer,
the Trustee and holders of the Notes and the terms upon which the Notes are, and
are to be, authenticated and delivered.  The Issuer has appointed Chemical Bank
at its corporate trust office in The City of New York as the paying agent (the
"Paying Agent," which term includes any additional or successor Paying Agent
appointed by the Issuer) with respect to the Notes.  The terms of individual
Notes may vary with respect to interest rates, interest rate formulas, issue
dates, maturity dates, or otherwise, all as provided in the Senior Subordinated
Indenture.  To the extent not inconsistent herewith, the terms of the Senior
Subordinated Indenture are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

          This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund and, unless
otherwise provided on the face hereof in accordance with the provisions of the
following two paragraphs, will not be redeemable or subject to repayment at the
option of the holder prior to maturity.

          If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note may be redeemed in
whole or in part at the option of the Issuer on or after the Initial Redemption
Date specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth on the face hereof,
together with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of redemption
(except as provided below).  If this Note is subject to "Annual Redemption
Percentage Reduction," the Initial Redemption Percentage indicated on the face
hereof will be reduced on each anniversary of the Initial Redemption Date by the
Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction specified on the face hereof until the
redemption price of this Note is 100% of the principal amount hereof, together
with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of redemption (except as
provided below).  Notice of redemption shall be mailed, not less than 30 nor
more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption, to the registered
holders of the Notes designated for redemption at

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
their addresses as the same shall appear on the Note register, subject to all
the conditions and provisions of the Senior Subordinated Indenture.  In the
event of redemption of this Note in part only, a new Note or Notes for the
amount of the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the
holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

          If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note will be subject to
repayment at the option of the holder on the Optional Repayment Date or Dates
specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth herein.  On any Optional
Repayment Date, this Note will be repayable in whole or in part in increments of
$1,000 (provided that any remaining principal amount hereof shall not be less
than the minimum authorized denomination hereof) at the option of the holder
hereof at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be repaid, together
with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of repayment (except as
provided below).  For this Note to be repaid at the option of the holder hereof,
the Paying Agent must receive at its corporate trust office in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, at least 15 but not more than 30 days prior to
the date of repayment, (i) this Note with the form entitled "Option to Elect
Repayment" below duly completed or (ii) a telegram, telex, facsimile
transmission or a letter from a member of a national securities exchange or the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or a commercial bank or a trust
company in the United States setting forth the name of the holder of this Note,
the principal amount hereof, the certificate number of this Note or a
description of this Note's tenor and terms, the principal amount hereof to be
repaid, a statement that the option to elect repayment is being exercised
thereby and a guarantee that this Note, together with the form entitled "Option
to Elect Repayment" duly completed, will be received by the Paying Agent not
later than the third Business Day after the date of such telegram, telex,
facsimile transmission or letter; provided, that such telegram, telex, facsimile
                                  --------                                      
transmission or letter shall only be effective if this Note and form duly
completed are received by the Paying Agent by such third Business Day.  Exercise
of such repayment option by the holder hereof shall be irrevocable.  In the
event of repayment of this Note in part only, a new Note or Notes for the amount
of the unpaid portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the holder hereof
upon the cancellation hereof.

          Interest payments on this Note will include interest accrued to but
excluding the Interest Payment Dates or the Maturity Date (or any earlier
redemption or repayment date), as the case may be.  Interest payments for this
Note will be computed and paid on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day
months.

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
          In the case where the Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date (or
any redemption or repayment date) does not fall on a Business Day, payment of
interest, premium, if any, or principal otherwise payable on such date need not
be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with
the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or on the
Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date), and no interest on such
payment shall accrue for the period from and after the Interest Payment Date or
the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) to such next succeeding
Business Day.

          This Note and all other obligations of the Issuer hereunder will
constitute part of the senior subordinated debt of the Issuer, will be issued
under the Senior Subordinated Indenture and will be subordinate and junior in
right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Senior
Subordinated Indenture, to all "Senior Indebtedness" of the Issuer.  The Senior
Subordinated Indenture defines "Senior Indebtedness" as the principal of and
premium, if any, and interest on (a) indebtedness of the Issuer, whether
outstanding on the date of the Senior Subordinated Indenture or thereafter
created, that is (i) for money borrowed by the Issuer (including, without
limitation, capitalized lease obligations), (ii) for money borrowed by others
and guaranteed, directly or indirectly, by the Issuer or (iii) constituting
purchase money indebtedness, or indebtedness secured by property at the time of
the acquisition of such property by the Issuer, for the payment of which the
Issuer is directly or contingently liable, and (b) all deferrals, renewals,
extensions and refundings of and amendments, modifications and supplements to
(whether outstanding on the date of the Senior Subordinated Indenture or
thereafter created), any such indebtedness, unless by the terms of the
instrument creating or evidencing any such indebtedness referred to in clause
(a) or clause (b) above it is expressly provided that such indebtedness is not
superior in right of payment to the Notes and/or it is expressly provided that
such indebtedness is itself subordinated to any other indebtedness of the
Issuer.  As used in the preceding sentence, the term "purchase money
indebtedness" means indebtedness evidenced by a note, debenture, bond or other
instrument (whether or not secured by any lien or other security interest)
issued or assumed as all or a part of the consideration for the acquisition of
property, whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise.  The term
Senior Indebtedness shall not include (i) indebtedness of the Issuer to a
subsidiary of the Issuer for money borrowed or advances from a subsidiary of the
Issuer or (ii) the Notes.

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
          This Note, and any Note or Notes issued upon transfer or exchange
hereof, is issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, in
denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple of U.S. $1,000 in excess
thereof.

          The Trustee has been appointed registrar for the Notes, and the
Trustee will maintain at its office in The City of New York a register for the
registration and registration of transfer of Notes.  The transfer of this Note
may be registered at the aforesaid office of the Trustee by surrendering this
Note for cancellation, accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Trustee and duly executed by the registered holder hereof in
person or by the holder's attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon the
Trustee shall issue in the name of the transferee or transferees, in exchange
herefor, a new Note or Notes having identical terms and provisions and having a
like aggregate principal amount in authorized denominations, subject to the
terms and conditions set forth herein; provided, however, that the Trustee will
                                       --------  -------                       
not be required (i) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note that has
been called for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of
Notes being redeemed in part, (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any
Note if the holder thereof has exercised his right, if any, to require the
Issuer to repurchase such Note in whole or in part, except the portion of such
Note not required to be repurchased, or (iii) to register the transfer of or
exchange Notes to the extent and during the period so provided in the Senior
Subordinated Indenture with respect to the redemption of Notes.  Notes are
exchangeable at said office for other Notes of other authorized denominations of
equal aggregate principal amount having identical terms and provisions.  All
such exchanges and registrations of transfer of Notes will be free of charge,
but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge in connection therewith.  All Notes surrendered for exchange
shall be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to
the Trustee and executed by the registered holder in person or by the holder's
attorney duly authorized in writing.  The date of registration of any Note
delivered upon any exchange or transfer of Notes shall be such that no gain or
loss of interest results from such exchange or registration of transfer.

          In case any Note shall at any time become mutilated, defaced or be
destroyed, lost or stolen and such Note or evidence of the loss, theft or
destruction thereof (together with the indemnity hereinafter referred to and
such other documents or proof as may be required in the premises) shall be
delivered to the Trustee, a new Note of

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
like tenor will be issued by the Issuer in exchange for the Note so mutilated or
defaced, or in lieu of the Note so destroyed or lost or stolen, but, in the case
of any destroyed or lost or stolen Note, only upon receipt of evidence
satisfactory to the Trustee and the Issuer that such Note was destroyed or lost
or stolen and, if required, upon receipt also of indemnity satisfactory to each
of them.  All expenses and reasonable charges associated with procuring such
indemnity and with the preparation, authentication and delivery of a new Note
shall be borne by the owner of the Note mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or
stolen.

          The Senior Subordinated Indenture provides that, (a) if an Event of
Default (as defined in the Senior Subordinated Indenture) due to the default in
payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any series of debt
securities issued under the Senior Subordinated Indenture, including the series
of Senior Subordinated Medium-Term Notes of which this Note forms a part, or due
to the default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty of
the Issuer applicable to the debt securities of such series but not applicable
to all outstanding debt securities issued under the Senior Subordinated
Indenture shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the
holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of each
affected series (voting as a single class) may then declare the principal of all
debt securities of all such series and interest accrued thereon to be due and
payable immediately and (b) if an Event of Default due to a default in the
performance of any other of the covenants or agreements in the Senior
Subordinated Indenture applicable to all outstanding debt securities issued
thereunder, including this Note, or due to certain events of bankruptcy,
insolvency and reorganization of the Issuer, shall have occurred and be
continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal
amount of all debt securities issued under the Senior Subordinated Indenture
then outstanding (treated as one class) may declare the principal of all such
debt securities and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately,
but upon certain conditions such declarations may be annulled and past defaults
may be waived (except a continuing default in payment of principal (or premium,
if any) or interest on such debt securities) by the holders of a majority in
principal amount of the debt securities of all affected series then outstanding.

          The Trustee also acts as trustee under a Senior Indenture, dated as of
July 15, 1993 (the "Senior Indenture" and, together with the Senior Subordinated
Indenture, the "Indentures"), between the Issuer and the Trustee, with

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
respect to certain other debt securities of the Issuer.  The Senior Subordinated
Indenture provides that, should a default occur with respect to either the debt
securities issued under the Senior Subordinated Indenture or the debt securities
issued under the Senior Indenture, the Trustee would be required to resign as
trustee under one of the Indentures within 90 days of such default unless such
default were cured, duly waived or otherwise eliminated.

          The Senior Subordinated Indenture permits the Issuer and the Trustee,
with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the debt securities of all series issued under the Senior
Subordinated Indenture then outstanding and affected (voting as one class), to
execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any
manner the rights of the holders of each series so affected; provided that the
                                                             --------         
Issuer and the Trustee may not, without the consent of the holder of each
outstanding debt security affected thereby, (a) extend the final maturity of any
such debt security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate
or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce any amount payable
on redemption or repayment thereof, or change the currency of payment thereof,
or impair or affect the rights of any holder to institute suit for the payment
thereof without the consent of the holder of each debt security so affected; or
(b) reduce the aforesaid percentage in principal amount of debt securities the
consent of the holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture,
without the consent of the holders of each debt security so affected; provided,
                                                                      -------- 
however, that neither this Note nor the Senior Subordinated Indenture may be
- -------                                                                     
amended to alter the subordination provisions hereof or thereof without the
written consent of each holder of Senior Indebtedness then outstanding that
would be adversely affected thereby.

          So long as this Note shall be outstanding, the Issuer will cause to be
maintained an office or agency for the payment of the principal of and premium,
if any, and interest on this Note as herein provided in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, and an office or agency in said Borough of
Manhattan for the registration, registration of transfer and exchange as
aforesaid of the Notes.  The Issuer may designate other agencies for the payment
of said principal, premium and interest at such place or places (subject to
applicable laws and regulations) as the Issuer may decide.  So long as there
shall be such an agency, the Issuer shall keep the Trustee advised of the names
and locations of such agencies, if any are so designated.

          With respect to moneys paid by the Issuer and held by the Trustee or
any Paying Agent for payment of the principal of or interest or premium, if any,
on any Notes

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
that remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, interest or
premium shall have become due and payable (whether at maturity or upon call for
redemption or otherwise), (i) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall notify the
holders of such Notes that such moneys shall be repaid to the Issuer and any
person claiming such moneys shall thereafter look only to the Issuer for payment
thereof and (ii) such moneys shall be so repaid to the Issuer.  Upon such
repayment all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such
moneys shall thereupon cease, without, however, limiting in any way any
obligation that the Issuer may have to pay the principal of or interest or
premium, if any, on this Note as the same shall become due.

          No provision of this Note or of the Senior Subordinated Indenture
shall alter or impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is absolute and
unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this
Note at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein
prescribed unless otherwise agreed between the Issuer and the registered holder
of this Note.

          Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer,
the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may treat the
holder in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and none of the Issuer, the
Trustee or any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

          No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of, premium,
if any, or the interest on this Note, for any claim based hereon, or otherwise
in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Senior Subordinated
Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator,
shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the
Issuer or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Issuer or
any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or
rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all
such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration
for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

          This Note shall for all purposes be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of California.

          All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Senior
Subordinated Indenture and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings
assigned to them in the Senior Subordinated Indenture.

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
                                 ABBREVIATIONS


     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:


     TEN COM-as tenants in common
     TEN ENT-as tenants by the entireties
     JT TEN-as joint tenants with right of survivorship
       and not as tenants in common


     UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-...........Custodian..............
                         (Cust)               (Minor)

     Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act...................
                                            (State)



     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

                                   __________

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto


[PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
    IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE]


 
- -----------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING ZIP CODE,
   OF ASSIGNEE]

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
constituting and appointing such person attorney to transfer

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
such note on the books of the Issuer, with full power of

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
substitution in the premises.


Dated:_____________________


NOTICE:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
         written upon the face of the within Note in every particular without
         alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
                           OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT


         The undersigned hereby irrevocably requests and instructs the Issuer to
repay the within Note (or portion thereof specified below) pursuant to its terms
at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest to the
Optional Repayment Date, to the undersigned at


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           (Please print or typewrite
                      name and address of the undersigned)



         If less than the entire principal amount of the within Note is to be
repaid, specify the portion thereof which the holder elects to have repaid:
__________________; and specify the denomination or denominations (which shall
not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) of the Notes to be issued
to the holder for the portion of the within Note not being repaid (in the
absence of any such specification, one such Note will be issued for the portion
not being repaid):

____________________________.



Dated:_____________              _______________________________

                            NOTICE:  The signature on this Option to Elect
                            Repayment must correspond with the name as written
                            upon the face of the within instrument in every
                            particular without alteration or enlargement.

                                       14

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.6
 
                                FACE OF SECURITY

                     Floating Rate Senior Subordinated Note

REGISTERED                                            REGISTERED
No. FLR                                               U.S. $ [PRINCIPAL
                                                      AMOUNT]
                                                      CUSIP:*

               Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized
     representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Water Street, New York,
     New York) to the issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange
     or payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede &
     Co. or such other name as requested by an authorized representative of The
     Depository Trust Company and any payment is made to Cede & Co., ANY
     TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY
     PERSON IS WRONGFUL since the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an
     interest herein.*


                         THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION

                 SENIOR SUBORDINATED MEDIUM-TERM NOTE, SERIES A
                                (Floating Rate)
 
BASE RATE:            ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE:      MATURITY DATE:
 
INDEX MATURITY:       INTEREST ACCRUAL DATE:    INTEREST PAYMENT DATE(S):
 
SPREAD (PLUS OR       INITIAL INTEREST RATE:    INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD:
MINUS):
                      INITIAL INTEREST RESET    INTEREST RESET PERIOD:
SPREAD                DATE:
MULTIPLIER:                                     INTEREST RESET DATES:
                      MAXIMUM INTEREST RATE:
INITIAL                                         CALCULATION AGENT:
REDEMPTION DATE:      MINIMUM INTEREST RATE:
                                                OPTIONAL REPAYMENT
INITIAL               LIBOR REUTERS/TELERATE:   DATE(S):
REDEMPTION
PERCENTAGE:
 
ANNUAL
REDEMPTION
PERCENTAGE
REDUCTION:

- -----------
* Applies only if this Note is a Registered Global Security.
<PAGE>
 
       The Charles Schwab Corporation, a Delaware corporation (together with its
successors and assigns, the "Issuer"), for value received, hereby promises to
pay to



, or registered assignees, the principal sum of U.S. $                 on the
Maturity Date specified above (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to
the Maturity Date) and to pay interest thereon, from the Interest Accrual Date
specified above at a rate per annum equal to the Initial Interest Rate specified
above until the Initial Interest Reset Date specified above, and thereafter at a
rate per annum determined in accordance with the provisions specified on the
reverse hereof until the principal hereof is paid or duly made available for
payment.  The Issuer will pay interest in arrears monthly, quarterly,
semiannually or annually as specified above as the Interest Payment Period on
each Interest Payment Date (as specified above), commencing with the first
Interest Payment Date next succeeding the Interest Accrual Date specified above,
and on the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date); provided,
                                                                -------- 
however, that if the Interest Accrual Date occurs between a Record Date, as
- -------                                                                    
defined below, and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest payments
will commence on the second Interest Payment Date succeeding the Interest
Accrual Date to the registered holder of this Note on the Record Date with
respect to such second Interest Payment Date; and provided, further, that,
                                                  --------  -------       
subject to the next succeeding sentence, if an Interest Payment Date would fall
on a day that is not a Business Day, as defined on the reverse hereof, such
Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the following day that is a Business
Day, except that if the Base Rate specified above is LIBOR and such next
Business Day falls in the next calendar month, the Interest Payment Date shall
be the immediately preceding day that is a Business Day.  If the Maturity Date
or redemption or repayment date would fall on a day that is not a Business Day,
the payment of principal and interest will be made on the next succeeding
Business Day, and no interest on such payment shall accrue for the period from
and after such Maturity Date or redemption or repayment date, as the case may
be.

       Interest on this Note will accrue from the most recent date to which
interest has been paid or duly provided for, or, if no interest has been paid or
duly provided for, from the Interest Accrual Date, until the principal hereof
has been paid or duly made available for payment.  The

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest
Payment Date will, subject to certain exceptions described herein, be paid to
the person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is
registered at the close of business on the date 15 calendar days prior to such
Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day) (each such date a "Record
Date"); provided, however, that interest payable on the Maturity Date (or any
        --------  -------                                                    
redemption or repayment date) will be payable to the person to whom the
principal hereof shall be payable.

       Payment of the principal of this Note, any premium and the interest due
at the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) will be made in
immediately available funds upon surrender of this Note at the office or agency
of the Paying Agent, as defined on the reverse hereof, maintained for that
purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or at such other
paying agency as the Issuer may determine.  Payments of interest, other than
interest due at maturity or any date of redemption or repayment, will be made by
check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall
appear in the Note register; provided, however, that if the registered holder of
                             --------  -------                                  
this Note is (i) Cede & Co. or (ii) a holder of U.S. $10,000,000 or more in
aggregate principal amount of Notes having the same Interest Payment Date, such
holder will be entitled to receive payments of interest, other than interest due
at maturity or any date of redemption or repayment, by wire transfer of
immediately available funds if appropriate wire transfer instructions have been
received by the Paying Agent in writing not less than 15 calendar days prior to
the applicable Interest Payment Date.

       Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set forth
on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the
same effect as if set forth at this place, including, without limitation, the
provisions relating to the subordination of this Note to the Issuer's Senior
Indebtedness, as defined on the reverse hereof.

          Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Note
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Senior Subordinated Indenture, as
defined on the reverse hereof, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this Note to be duly
executed under its corporate seal.


DATED:                   THE CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION



                         By ______________________________
                             Chairman and Chief
                             Executive Officer


TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE
OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Notes
referred to in the within-
mentioned Senior Subordinated
Indenture.

CHEMICAL BANK,
  as Trustee



By ______________________________
    Authorized Officer

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
                              REVERSE OF SECURITY


          This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Senior Subordinated
Medium-Term Notes, Series A, having maturities more than nine months from the
date of issue (the "Notes") of the Issuer.  The Notes are issuable under a
Senior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of July 15, 1993 (the "Senior
Subordinated Indenture"), between the Issuer and Chemical Bank, as Trustee (the
"Trustee," which term includes any successor trustee under the Senior
Subordinated Indenture), to which Senior Subordinated Indenture and all
indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities of the Issuer,
the Trustee and holders of the Notes and the terms upon which the Notes are, and
are to be, authenticated and delivered.  The Issuer has appointed Chemical Bank
at its corporate trust office in The City of New York as the paying agent (the
"Paying Agent," which term includes any additional or successor Paying Agent
appointed by the Issuer) with respect to the Notes.  The terms of individual
Notes may vary with respect to interest rates, interest rate formulas, issue
dates, maturity dates, or otherwise, all as provided in the Senior Subordinated
Indenture.  To the extent not inconsistent herewith, the terms of the Senior
Subordinated Indenture are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

          This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund and, unless
otherwise provided on the face hereof in accordance with the provisions of the
following two paragraphs, will not be redeemable or subject to repayment at the
option of the holder prior to maturity.

          If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note may be redeemed in
whole or in part at the option of the Issuer on or after the Initial Redemption
Date specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth on the face hereof,
together with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of redemption.  If
this Note is subject to "Annual Redemption Percentage Reduction," the Initial
Redemption Percentage indicated on the face hereof will be reduced on each
anniversary of the Initial Redemption Date by the Annual Redemption Percentage
Reduction specified on the face hereof until the redemption price of this Note
is 100% of the principal amount hereof, together with interest accrued and
unpaid hereon to the date of redemption.  Notice of redemption shall be mailed,
not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption,
to the registered holders of the Notes designated for redemption at their
addresses as the same shall appear on the Note

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
register, subject to all the conditions and provisions of the Senior
Subordinated Indenture.  In the event of redemption of this Note in part only, a
new Note or Notes for the amount of the unredeemed portion hereof shall be
issued in the name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

          If so indicated on the face of this Note, this Note will be subject to
repayment at the option of the holder on the Optional Repayment Date or Dates
specified on the face hereof on the terms set forth herein.  On any Optional
Repayment Date, this Note will be repayable in whole or in part in increments of
$1,000 (provided that any remaining principal amount hereof shall not be less
than the minimum authorized denomination hereof) at the option of the holder
hereof at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be repaid, together
with interest accrued and unpaid hereon to the date of repayment.  For this Note
to be repaid at the option of the holder hereof, the Paying Agent must receive
at its corporate trust office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York,
at least 15 but not more than 30 days prior to the date of repayment, (i) this
Note with the form entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" below duly completed or
(ii) a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or a letter from a member of a
national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. or a commercial bank or a trust company in the United States setting forth
the name of the holder of this Note, the principal amount hereof, the
certificate number of this Note or a description of this Note's tenor and terms,
the principal amount hereof to be repaid, a statement that the option to elect
repayment is being exercised thereby and a guarantee that this Note, together
with the form entitled "Option to Elect Repayment" duly completed, will be
received by the Paying Agent not later than the third Business Day after the
date of such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter; provided, that
                                                                --------      
such telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter shall only be effective
if this Note and form duly completed are received by the Paying Agent by such
third Business Day.  Exercise of such repayment option by the holder hereof
shall be irrevocable.  In the event of repayment of this Note in part only, a
new Note or Notes for the amount of the unpaid portion hereof shall be issued in
the name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.

          This Note will bear interest at the rate determined in accordance with
the applicable provisions below by reference to the Base Rate shown on the face
hereof based on the Index Maturity, if any, shown on the face hereof (i) plus or
minus the Spread, if any, and/or (ii)

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
multiplied by the Spread Multiplier, if any, specified on the face hereof.
Commencing with the Initial Interest Reset Date specified on the face hereof,
the rate at which interest on this Note is payable shall be reset as of each
Interest Reset Date (as used herein, the term "Interest Reset Date" shall
include the Initial Interest Reset Date).  The Interest Reset Dates will be the
Interest Reset Dates specified on the face hereof; provided, however, that (i)
                                                   --------  -------          
the interest rate in effect for the period from the Interest Accrual Date to the
Initial Interest Reset Date will be the Initial Interest Rate and (ii) the
interest rate in effect hereon for the 10 days immediately prior to the Maturity
Date hereof (or, with respect to any principal amount to be redeemed or repaid,
any redemption or repayment date) shall be that in effect on the tenth calendar
day preceding the Maturity Date hereof or such date of redemption or repayment,
as the case may be.  If any Interest Reset Date would otherwise be a day that is
not a Business Day, such Interest Reset Date shall be postponed to the next
succeeding day that is a Business Day, except that if the Base Rate specified on
the face hereof is LIBOR and such Business Day is in the next succeeding
calendar month, such Interest Reset Date shall be the immediately preceding
Business Day.  As used herein, "Business Day" means any day, other than a
Saturday or Sunday, and that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which
banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close in
The City of New York and, with respect to Notes bearing interest calculated by
reference to LIBOR, is also a London Banking Day (as defined below).

          The Interest Determination Date pertaining to an Interest Reset Date
for Notes bearing interest calculated by reference to the CD Rate, Commercial
Paper Rate, Federal Funds Rate and Prime Rate will be the second Business Day
preceding such Interest Reset Date.  The Interest Determination Date pertaining
to an Interest Reset Date for Notes bearing interest calculated by reference to
LIBOR shall be the second London Banking Day preceding such Interest Reset Date.
As used herein, "London Banking Day" means any day on which dealings in deposits
in U.S. dollars are transacted in the London interbank market.  The Interest
Determination Date pertaining to an Interest Reset Date for Notes bearing
interest calculated by reference to the Treasury Rate shall be the day of the
week in which such Interest Reset Date falls on which Treasury bills normally
would be auctioned; provided, however, that if as a result of a legal holiday an
                    --------  -------                                           
auction is held on the Friday of the week preceding such Interest Reset Date,
the related Interest Determination Date shall be such preceding Friday; and
                                                                           
provided, further, that if an auction shall fall on any
- --------  -------                                      

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
Interest Reset Date, then the Interest Reset Date shall instead be the first
Business Day following the date of such auction.

          The "Calculation Date" pertaining to any Interest Determination Date
will be the earlier of (i) the tenth calendar day after such Interest
Determination Date or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding
Business Day or (ii) the Business Day preceeding the applicable Interest Payment
Date or maturity, as the case may be.

          Determination of CD Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on the face
          ------------------------                                         
hereof is the CD Rate, the CD Rate with respect to this Note shall be determined
on each Interest Determination Date and shall be the rate on such date for
negotiable certificates of deposit having the Index Maturity specified on the
face hereof as published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
in "Statistical Release H.15(519), Selected Interest Rates," or any successor
publication of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
("H.15(519)"), under the heading "CDs (Secondary Market)," or, if not so
published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date pertaining
to such Interest Determination Date, the CD Rate will be the rate on such
Interest Determination Date for negotiable certificates of deposit of the Index
Maturity specified on the face hereof as published by the Federal Reserve Bank
of New York in its daily statistical release "Composite 3:30 P.M. Quotations for
U.S. Government Securities" ("Composite Quotations") under the heading
"Certificates of Deposit."  If neither of such rates is published by 3:00 P.M.,
New York City time, on such Calculation Date, then the CD Rate on such Interest
Determination Date will be calculated by the Calculation Agent referred to on
the face hereof and will be the arithmetic mean of the secondary market offered
rates as of 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on such Interest Determination Date
for certificates of deposit in the denomination of U.S. $5,000,000 with a
remaining maturity closest to the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof of
three leading nonbank dealers in negotiable U.S. dollar certificates of deposit
in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent for negotiable
certificates of deposit of major United States money center banks in the market
for negotiable certificates of deposit; provided, however, that if the dealers
                                        --------  -------                     
selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in
this sentence, the rate of interest in effect for the applicable period will be
the same as the CD Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or,
if there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon
shall be the Initial Interest Rate).

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
          Determination of Commercial Paper Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on
          --------------------------------------                                
the face hereof is the Commercial Paper Rate, the Commercial Paper Rate with
respect to this Note shall be determined on each Interest Determination Date and
shall be the Money Market Yield (as defined herein) of the rate on such date for
commercial paper having the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof, as such
rate shall be published in H.15(519) under the heading "Commercial Paper," or if
not so published prior to 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date
pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the Commercial Paper Rate shall
be the Money Market Yield of the rate on such Interest Determination Date for
commercial paper of the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof as published
in Composite Quotations under the heading "Commercial Paper."  If neither of
such rates is published by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on such Calculation
Date, then the Commercial Paper Rate shall be the Money Market Yield of the
arithmetic mean of the offered rates as of 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on
such Interest Determination Date of three leading dealers in commercial paper in
The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent for commercial paper of
the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof, placed for an industrial issuer
whose bond rating is "AA," or the equivalent, from a nationally recognized
rating agency; provided, however, that if the dealers selected as aforesaid by
               --------  -------                                              
the Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the rate of
interest in effect for the applicable period will be the same as the Commercial
Paper Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was
no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon shall be the
Initial Interest Rate).

          "Money Market Yield" shall be the yield calculated in accordance with
the following formula:


                                         D x 360
          Money Market Yield =       ______________ x 100

                                      360 - (D x M)


where "D" refers to the applicable per annum rate for commercial paper quoted on
a bank discount basis and expressed as a decimal and "M" refers to the actual
number of days in the period for which interest is being calculated.

          Determination of Federal Funds Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on
          -----------------------------------                                
the face hereof is the Federal Funds Rate,

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
the Federal Funds Rate with respect to this Note shall be determined on each
Interest Determination Date and shall be the rate on such date for Federal Funds
as published in H.15(519) under the heading "Federal Funds (Effective)," or, if
not so published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date
pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the Federal Funds Rate will be
the rate on such Interest Determination Date as published in Composite
Quotations under the heading "Federal Funds/Effective Rate."  If neither of such
rates is published by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on such Calculation Date,
the Federal Funds Rate for such Interest Determination Date will be calculated
by the Calculation Agent and will be the arithmetic mean of the rates for the
last transaction in overnight Federal funds as of 9:00 A.M., New York City time,
on such Interest Determination Date arranged by three leading brokers in Federal
funds transactions in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent;
provided, however, that if the brokers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation
- --------  -------                                                              
Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, the rate of interest in
effect for the applicable period will be the same as the Federal Funds Rate for
the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period (or, if there was no such
Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable hereon shall be the Initial
Interest Rate).

          Determination of LIBOR.  If the Base Rate specified on the face hereof
          ----------------------                                                
is LIBOR, LIBOR with respect to this Note shall be determined as follows:

          (i) With respect to a LIBOR Interest Determination Date, LIBOR will
     be, as specified on the face hereof, either:  (a) the arithmetic mean of
     the offered rates for deposits in U.S. dollars having the Index Maturity
     specified on the face hereof, commencing on the second London Banking Day
     immediately following the LIBOR Interest Determination Date, that appear on
     the Reuters Screen LIBO Page as of 11:00 A.M., London time, on that LIBOR
     Interest Determination Date, if at least two such offered rates appear on
     the Reuters Screen LIBO Page ("LIBOR Reuters"), or (b) the rate for
     deposits in U.S. dollars having the Index Maturity specified on the face
     hereof, commencing on the second London Banking Day immediately following
     that LIBOR Interest Determination Date, that appears on the Telerate Page
     3750 as of 11:00 A.M., London time, on that LIBOR Interest Determination
     Date ("LIBOR Telerate").  "Reuters Screen LIBO Page" means the display
     designated as page "LIBO" on the Reuters Monitor Money Rates Service (or
     such other page as may replace the LIBO page on that service for the
     purpose

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
     of displaying London interbank offered rates of major banks).  "Telerate
     Page 3750" means the display designated as page "3750" on the Telerate
     Service (or such other page as may replace the 3750 page on that service or
     such other service or services as may be nominated by the British Bankers'
     Association for the purpose of displaying London interbank offered rates
     for U.S. dollar deposits).  If neither LIBOR Reuters nor LIBOR Telerate is
     specified on the face hereof, LIBOR will be determined as if LIBOR Telerate
     had been specified.  If fewer than two offered rates appear on the Reuters
     Screen LIBO Page, or if no rate appears on the Telerate Page 3750, as
     applicable, LIBOR in respect of that LIBOR Interest Determination Date will
     be determined as if the parties had specified the rate described in (ii)
     below.

          (ii)  With respect to a LIBOR Interest Determination Date on which
     fewer than two offered rates appear on the Reuters Screen LIBO Page, as
     specified in (i)(a) above, or on which no rate appears on Telerate Page
     3750, as specified in (i)(b) above, as applicable, LIBOR will be determined
     on the basis of the rates at which deposits in U.S. dollars having the
     Index Maturity specified on the face hereof are offered at approximately
     11:00 A.M., London time, on that LIBOR Interest Determination Date by four
     major banks in the London interbank market selected by the Calculation
     Agent ("Reference Banks") to prime banks in the London interbank market
     commencing on the second London Banking Day immediately following that
     LIBOR Interest Determination Date and in a principal amount equal to an
     amount of not less than $1,000,000 that is representative for a single
     transaction in such market at such time.  The Calculation Agent will
     request the principal London office of each of the Reference Banks to
     provide a quotation of its rate.  If at least two such quotations are
     provided, LIBOR in respect of that LIBOR Interest Determination Date will
     be the arithmetic mean of such quotations.  If fewer than two quotations
     are provided, LIBOR in respect of that LIBOR Interest Determination Date
     will be the arithmetic mean of the rates quoted at approximately 11:00
     A.M., New York City time, on that LIBOR Interest Determination Date by
     three major banks in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent
     for loans in U.S. dollars to leading European banks having the Index
     Maturity specified on the face hereof, commencing on the second London
     Banking Day immediately following that LIBOR Interest Determination Date
     and in a principal amount equal to an amount of not less than

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
     $1,000,000 that is representative for a single transaction in such market
     at such time; provided, however, that if the banks selected as aforesaid by
                   --------  -------                                            
     the Calculation Agent are not quoting as mentioned in this sentence, LIBOR
     with respect to such LIBOR Interest Determination Date will be the rate of
     LIBOR in effect on such date.

          Determination of Prime Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on the face
          ---------------------------                                         
hereof is the Prime Rate, the Prime Rate with respect to this Note shall be
determined on each Interest Determination Date and shall be the rate set forth
in H.15(519) for such date opposite the caption "Bank Prime Loan."  If such rate
is not yet published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Calculation Date
pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the Prime  Rate for such
Interest Determination Date will be the arithmetic mean of the rates of interest
publicly announced by each bank named on the Reuters Screen USPRIME 1 Page (as
defined below) as such bank's prime rate or base lending rate as in effect for
such Interest Determination Date as quoted on the Reuters Screen USPRIME 1 Page
on such Interest Determination Date, or, if fewer than four such rates appear on
the Reuters Screen USPRIME 1 Page for such Interest Determination Date, the rate
shall be the arithmetic mean of the prime rates quoted on the basis of the
actual number of days in the year divided by 360 as of the close of business on
such Interest Determination Date by at least two of the three major money center
banks in The City of New York selected by the Calculation Agent from which
quotations are requested.  If fewer than two quotations are provided, the Prime
Rate shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent and shall be determined as the
arithmetic mean on the basis of the prime rates in The City of New York by the
appropriate number of substitute banks or trust companies organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, in each case
having total equity capital of at least U.S. $500 million and being subject to
supervision or examination by Federal or State authority, selected by the
Calculation Agent to quote such rate or rates; provided, however, that if the
                                               --------  -------             
substitute banks or trust companies selected as aforesaid are not quoting as
mentioned in this sentence, the Prime Rate for such Interest Reset Period will
be the Prime Rate in effect for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period
(or, if there is no such Interest Reset Period, the Initial Interest Rate).
"Reuters Screen USPRIME 1 Page" means the display designated as Page "USPRIME 1"
on the Reuters Monitor Money Rates Service (or such other page as may replace
the USPRIME 1 Page on that service for the purpose of displaying prime rates or
base lending rates of major United States banks).

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
          Determination of Treasury Rate.  If the Base Rate specified on the
          ------------------------------                                    
face hereof is the Treasury Rate, the Treasury Rate with respect to this Note
shall be determined on each Interest Determination Date and shall be the rate
for the auction held on such date of direct obligations of the United States
("Treasury Bills") having the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof, as
published in H.15(519) under the heading "Treasury Bills--auction average
(investment)," or if not so published by 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the
Calculation Date pertaining to such Interest Determination Date, the auction
average rate on such Interest Determination Date (expressed as a bond
equivalent, on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as applicable, and
applied on a daily basis) as otherwise announced by the United States Department
of the Treasury.  In the event that the results of the auction of Treasury Bills
having the Index Maturity specified on the face hereof are not published or
reported as provided above by 3:00 P.M., New York City time, on such Calculation
Date or if no such auction is held on such Interest Determination Date, then the
Treasury Rate shall be calculated by the Calculation Agent and shall be a yield
to maturity (expressed as a bond equivalent, on the basis of a year of 365 or
366 days, as applicable, and applied on a daily basis) calculated using the
arithmetic mean of the secondary market bid rates, as of approximately 3:30
P.M., New York City time, on such Interest Determination Date, of three leading
primary United States government securities dealers selected by the Calculation
Agent for the issue of Treasury Bills with a remaining maturity closest to the
Index Maturity specified on the face hereof; provided, however, that if the
                                             --------  -------             
dealers selected as aforesaid by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as
mentioned in this sentence, the Treasury Rate for such Interest Reset Date will
be the same as the Treasury Rate for the immediately preceding Interest Reset
Period (or, if there was no such Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest
payable hereon shall be the Initial Interest Rate).

          Notwithstanding the foregoing, the interest rate hereon shall not be
greater than the Maximum Interest Rate, if any, or less than the Minimum
Interest Rate, if any, specified on the face hereof.  The Calculation Agent
shall calculate the interest rate hereon in accordance with the foregoing on or
before each Calculation Date.

          At the request of the holder hereof, the Calculation Agent will
provide to the holder hereof the interest rate hereon then in effect and, if
determined, the

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
interest rate that will become effective as of the next Interest Reset Date.

          Interest payments on this Note will include interest accrued to but
excluding the Interest Payment Dates or the Maturity Date (or any earlier
redemption or repayment date), as the case may be; provided, however, that if
                                                   --------  -------         
the Interest Reset Period with respect to this Note is daily or weekly, interest
payable on any Interest Payment Date, other than interest payable on any date on
which principal hereof is payable, will include interest accrued through and
including the Record Date next preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date.
Accrued interest hereon shall be an amount calculated by multiplying the face
amount hereof by an accrued interest factor.  Such accrued interest factor shall
be computed by adding the interest factor calculated for each day in the period
for which interest is being paid.  The interest factor for each such date shall
be computed by dividing the interest rate applicable to such day by 360 if the
Base Rate is CD Rate, Commercial Paper Rate, Federal Funds Rate, Prime Rate or
LIBOR, as specified on the face hereof, or by the actual number of days in the
year if the Base Rate is the Treasury Rate, as specified on the face hereof.
All percentages resulting from any calculation of the rate of interest on this
Note will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a
percentage point (.0000001), with five one-millionths of a percentage point
rounded upward, and all dollar amounts used in or resulting from such
calculation on this Note will be rounded to the nearest cent (with one-half cent
rounded upward).  The interest rate in effect on any Interest Reset Date will be
the applicable rate as reset on such date.  The interest rate applicable to any
other day is the interest rate from the immediately preceding Interest Reset
Date (or, if none, the Initial Interest Rate).

          This Note and all other obligations of the Issuer hereunder will
constitute part of the senior subordinated debt of the Issuer, will be issued
under the Senior Subordinated Indenture and will be subordinate and junior in
right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Senior
Subordinated Indenture, to all "Senior Indebtedness" of the Issuer.  The Senior
Subordinated Indenture defines "Senior Indebtedness" as the principal of and
premium, if any, and interest on (a) indebtedness of the Issuer, whether
outstanding on the date of the Senior Subordinated Indenture or thereafter
created, that is (i) for money borrowed by the Issuer (including, without
limitation, capitalized lease obligations), (ii) for money borrowed by others
and guaranteed, directly or indirectly, by the Issuer or (iii) constituting
purchase money

                                       14
<PAGE>
 
indebtedness, or indebtedness secured by property at the time of the acquisition
of such property by the Issuer, for the payment of which the Issuer is directly
or contingently liable, and (b) all deferrals, renewals, extensions and
refundings of and amendments, modifications and supplements to (whether
outstanding on the date of the Senior Subordinated Indenture or thereafter
created), any such indebtedness, unless by the terms of the instrument creating
or evidencing any such indebtedness referred to in clause (a) or clause (b)
above it is expressly provided that such indebtedness is not superior in right
of payment to the Notes and/or it is expressly provided that such indebtedness
is itself subordinated to any other indebtedness of the Issuer.  As used in the
preceding sentence, the term "purchase money indebtedness" means indebtedness
evidenced by a note, debenture, bond or other instrument (whether or not secured
by any lien or other security interest) issued or assumed as all or a part of
the consideration for the acquisition of property, whether by purchase, merger,
consolidation or otherwise.  The term Senior Indebtedness shall not include (i)
indebtedness of the Issuer to a subsidiary of the Issuer for money borrowed or
advances from a subsidiary of the Issuer or (ii) the Notes.

          This Note, and any Note or Notes issued upon transfer or exchange
hereof, is issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, in
denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple of U.S. $1,000 in excess
thereof.

          The Trustee has been appointed registrar for the Notes, and the
Trustee will maintain at its office in The City of New York a register for the
registration and registration of transfer of Notes.  The transfer of this Note
may be registered at the aforesaid office of the Trustee by surrendering this
Note for cancellation, accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Trustee and duly executed by the registered holder hereof in
person or by the holder's attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon the
Trustee shall issue in the name of the transferee or transferees, in exchange
herefor, a new Note or Notes having identical terms and provisions and having a
like aggregate principal amount in authorized denominations, subject to the
terms and conditions set forth herein; provided, however, that the Trustee will
                                       --------  -------                       
not be required (i) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note that has
been called for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of
Notes being redeemed in part, (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any
Note if the holder thereof has exercised his right, if any, to require the
Issuer to

                                       15
<PAGE>
 
repurchase such Note in whole or in part, except the portion of such Note not
required to be repurchased, or (iii) to register the transfer of or exchange
Notes to the extent and during the period so provided in the Senior Subordinated
Indenture with respect to the redemption of Notes.  Notes are exchangeable at
said office for other Notes of other authorized denominations of equal aggregate
principal amount having identical terms and provisions.  All such exchanges and
registrations of transfer of Notes will be free of charge, but the Issuer may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge in connection therewith.  All Notes surrendered for exchange shall be
accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Trustee and executed by the registered holder in person or by the holder's
attorney duly authorized in writing.  The date of registration of any Note
delivered upon any exchange or transfer of Notes shall be such that no gain or
loss of interest results from such exchange or registration of transfer.

          In case any Note shall at any time become mutilated, defaced or be
destroyed, lost or stolen and such Note or evidence of the loss, theft or
destruction thereof (together with the indemnity hereinafter referred to and
such other documents or proof as may be required in the premises) shall be
delivered to the Trustee, a new Note of like tenor will be issued by the Issuer
in exchange for the Note so mutilated or defaced, or in lieu of the Note so
destroyed or lost or stolen, but, in the case of any destroyed or lost or stolen
Note, only upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the Trustee and the Issuer
that such Note was destroyed or lost or stolen and, if required, upon receipt
also of indemnity satisfactory to each of them.  All expenses and reasonable
charges associated with procuring such indemnity and with the preparation,
authentication and delivery of a new Note shall be borne by the owner of the
Note mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen.

          The Senior Subordinated Indenture provides that, (a) if an Event of
Default (as defined in the Senior Subordinated Indenture) due to the default in
payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any series of debt
securities issued under the Senior Subordinated Indenture, including the series
of Senior Subordinated Medium-Term Notes of which this Note forms a part, or due
to the default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty of
the Issuer applicable to the debt securities of such series but not applicable
to all outstanding debt securities issued under the Senior Subordinated
Indenture shall have occurred and be

                                       16
<PAGE>
 
continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal
amount of the debt securities of each affected series (voting as a single class)
may then declare the principal of all debt securities of all such series and
interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately and (b) if an Event
of Default due to a default in the performance of any other of the covenants or
agreements in the Senior Subordinated Indenture applicable to all outstanding
debt securities issued thereunder, including this Note, or due to certain events
of bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization of the Issuer, shall have occurred
and be continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in
principal amount of all debt securities issued under the Senior Subordinated
Indenture then outstanding (treated as one class) may declare the principal of
all such debt securities and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable
immediately, but upon certain conditions such declarations may be annulled and
past defaults may be waived (except a continuing default in payment of principal
(or premium, if any) or interest on such debt securities) by the holders of a
majority in principal amount of the debt securities of all affected series then
outstanding.

          The Trustee also acts as trustee under a Senior Indenture, dated as of
July 15, 1993 (the "Senior Indenture" and, together with the Senior Subordinated
Indenture, the "Indentures"), between the Issuer and the Trustee, with respect
to certain other debt securities of the Issuer.  The Senior Subordinated
Indenture provides that, should a default occur with respect to either the debt
securities issued under the Senior Subordinated Indenture or the debt securities
issued under the Senior Indenture, the Trustee would be required to resign as
trustee under one of the Indentures within 90 days of such default unless such
default were cured, duly waived or otherwise eliminated.

          The Senior Subordinated Indenture permits the Issuer and the Trustee,
with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the debt securities of all series issued under the Senior
Subordinated Indenture then outstanding and affected (voting as one class), to
execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any
manner the rights of the holders of each series so affected; provided that the
                                                             --------         
Issuer and the Trustee may not, without the consent of the holder of each
outstanding debt security affected thereby, (a) extend the final maturity of any
such debt security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate
or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce any amount payable
on redemption or repayment thereof, or

                                       17
<PAGE>
 
change the currency of payment thereof, or impair or affect the rights of any
holder to institute suit for the payment thereof without the consent of the
holder of each debt security so affected; or (b) reduce the aforesaid percentage
in principal amount of debt securities the consent of the holders of which is
required for any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the holders
of each debt security so affected; provided, however, that neither this Note nor
                                   --------  -------                            
the Senior Subordinated Indenture may be amended to alter the subordination
provisions hereof or thereof without the written consent of each holder of
Senior Indebtedness then outstanding that would be adversely affected thereby.

          So long as this Note shall be outstanding, the Issuer will cause to be
maintained an office or agency for the payment of the principal of and premium,
if any, and interest on this Note as herein provided in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, and an office or agency in said Borough of
Manhattan for the registration, registration of transfer and exchange as
aforesaid of the Notes.  The Issuer may designate other agencies for the payment
of said principal, premium and interest at such place or places (subject to
applicable laws and regulations) as the Issuer may decide.  So long as there
shall be such an agency, the Issuer shall keep the Trustee advised of the names
and locations of such agencies, if any are so designated.

          With respect to moneys paid by the Issuer and held by the Trustee or
any Paying Agent for payment of the principal of or interest or premium, if any,
on any Notes that remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal,
interest or premium shall have become due and payable (whether at maturity or
upon call for redemption or otherwise), (i) the Trustee or such Paying Agent
shall notify the holders of such Notes that such moneys shall be repaid to the
Issuer and any person claiming such moneys shall thereafter look only to the
Issuer for payment thereof and (ii) such moneys shall be so repaid to the
Issuer.  Upon such repayment all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent
with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease, without, however, limiting in
any way any obligation that the Issuer may have to pay the principal of or
interest or premium, if any, on this Note as the same shall become due.

          No provision of this Note or of the Senior Subordinated Indenture
shall alter or impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is absolute and
unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this
Note at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein
prescribed unless otherwise agreed between the Issuer and the registered holder
of this Note.

                                       18
<PAGE>
 
          Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer,
the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may treat the
holder in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and none of the Issuer, the
Trustee or any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

          No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of, premium,
if any, or the interest on this Note, for any claim based hereon, or otherwise
in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Senior Subordinated
Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator,
shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the
Issuer or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Issuer or
any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or
rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all
such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration
for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

          This Note shall for all purposes be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of California.

          All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Senior
Subordinated Indenture and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings
assigned to them in the Senior Subordinated Indenture.

                                       19
<PAGE>
 
                                 ABBREVIATIONS


     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:


          TEN COM-as tenants in common
          TEN ENT-as tenants by the entireties
          JT TEN-as joint tenants with right of survivorship
            and not as tenants in common


          UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-...........Custodian..............
                              (Cust)               (Minor)

          Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act...................
                                                 (State)


     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

                                   __________

                                       20
<PAGE>
 
       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and
transfer(s) unto


[PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
    IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE]


 
- ------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING ZIP CODE,
   OF ASSIGNEE]

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
constituting and appointing such person attorney to transfer

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
such note on the books of the Issuer, with full power of

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
substitution in the premises.


Dated:_____________________


NOTICE:  The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as
         written upon the face of the within Note in every particular without
         alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

                                       21
<PAGE>
 
                           OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT



         The undersigned hereby irrevocably requests and
instructs the Issuer to repay the within Note (or portion
thereof specified below) pursuant to its terms at a price
equal to the principal amount thereof, together with inter-
est to the Optional Repayment Date, to the undersigned at

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________
                           (Please print or typewrite
                      name and address of the undersigned)


         If less than the entire principal amount of the within Note is to be
repaid, specify the portion thereof which the holder elects to have repaid:
__________________; and specify the denomination or denominations (which shall
not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) of the Notes to be issued
to the holder for the portion of the within Note not being repaid (in the
absence of any such specification, one such Note will be issued for the portion
not being repaid): __________________________.



Dated:_____________         ___________________________________
                            NOTICE:  The signature on this
                            Option to Elect Repayment must
                            correspond with the name as written
                            upon the face of the within
                            instrument in every particular
                            without alteration or enlargement.

                                       22


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