<PAGE>
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JANUARY 24, 1997
REGISTRATION NO. 333-
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
--------------
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
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DELAWARE 41-1807858
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)
1100 LANDMARK TOWERS
345 ST. PETER STREET
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA 55102-1639
(612) 293-3400
(ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF
REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
--------------
JOEL H. GOTTESMAN
1100 LANDMARK TOWERS
345 ST. PETER STREET
SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA 55102-1639
(612) 293-3400
(NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE,
OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
COPIES TO:
CHARLES F. SAWYER JEFFREY J. MURPHY
DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP THACHER PROFFITT & WOOD
220 SOUTH SIXTH STREET TWO WORLD TRADE CENTER
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402 NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10048
--------------
APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE OF SECURITIES TO THE
PUBLIC: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration
Statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the
following box. [_]
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or
interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. [X]
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. [_]
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. [_]
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [_]
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
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<CAPTION>
PROPOSED PROPOSED
AMOUNT MAXIMUM MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF
TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF TO BE OFFERING PRICE AGGREGATE REGISTRATION
SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED REGISTERED PER UNIT(1) OFFERING PRICE FEE(2)
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Certificates for Home
Improvement and Home
Equity Loans .......... $2,000,000,000 100% $2,000,000,000 $689,655.17
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Limited Guaranty of
Green Tree Financial
Corporation............ (3) (3) (3) (3)
</TABLE>
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(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee on
the basis of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price, pursuant to
Rule 457(c).
(2) The amount of Certificates for Home Improvement Loans being carried
forward from Registration Statement No. 33-64183 pursuant to Rule 429 is
$201,766,567.00, and the Registrant previously paid a filing fee with
respect to such securities of $69,574.68 (calculated at the rate of 1/29th
of 1% of the amount of securities being registered, the rate in effect at
the time such Registration Statement was filed).
(3) No additional consideration will be paid for the Limited Guaranty;
accordingly, no separate filing fee is being paid herewith pursuant to
Rule 457(n).
Pursuant to Rule 429, the Prospectuses contained in this Registration
Statement also relate to and constitute Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to
Registration Statement No. 33-64183, which became effective on May 24, 1996.
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or
dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant
shall file a further amendment which specifically states that the Registration
Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of
the Securities Act of 1933, or until the Registration Statement shall become
effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section
8(a), may determine.
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<PAGE>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR +
+THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE +
+SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE +
+UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF +
+ANY SUCH STATE. +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION--PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS DATED JANUARY 24, 1997
SECURED HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION, SELLER AND SERVICER
CERTIFICATES FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT AND HOME EQUITY LOANS
(ISSUABLE IN SERIES)
Certificates for Home Improvement and Home Equity Loans ("Certificates") of
one or more series (each, a "Series") may be sold from time to time under this
Prospectus and a Prospectus Supplement for each such Series. The Certificates
of each Series may be issued in one or more classes or subclasses (each, a
"Class"), as further described herein. If the Certificates of a Series are
issued in more than one Class, all or less than all of such Classes may be sold
under this Prospectus, and there may be separate Prospectus Supplements for one
or more of such Classes so sold. Any reference herein to the Prospectus
Supplement relating to a Series comprised of more than one Class should be
understood to refer to each of the Prospectus Supplements relating to the
Classes sold hereunder.
The Certificates evidence specified interests in separate pools of (i) home
improvement contracts and promissory notes (the "Home Improvement Contracts")
and (ii) closed-end home equity loans (the "Home Equity Contracts," and,
together with the Home Improvement Contracts, collectively the "Contracts"), as
more particularly described herein, and liens on the related real estate.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Contracts will have been originated in the ordinary course of business by Green
Tree Financial Corporation (the "Company"). Specific information, to the extent
available, regarding the size and composition of the pool of Contracts relating
to each Series of Certificates will be set forth in the related Prospectus
Supplement. If specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, a pool insurance
policy, letter of credit, surety bond, guarantee of the Company, cash reserve
fund, or other form of credit enhancement, or any combination thereof, may be
provided with respect to a Series of Certificates, or one or more Classes of
such Series, evidencing interests in the Contracts. The Company will act as
Servicer (in such capacity referred to herein as the "Servicer") of the
Contracts.
Each Series of Certificates may include one or more senior Classes of
Certificates (the "Senior Certificates") and one or more subordinate Classes of
Certificates (the "Subordinated Certificates"). A Series of Senior/Subordinated
Certificates may include one or more Classes ("Mezzanine Certificates") which
are subordinated to one or more Classes of Certificates and are senior to one
or more Classes of Certificates. Certificates of a Series may be divided into
two or more Classes which (i) represent interests in specified percentages
(which may be 0%) of principal or interest, or both, in distributions on the
pool of Contracts relating to such Series, as specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, and/or (ii) are entitled to receive distributions in
respect of principal before or after specified principal distributions have
been made on one or more other Classes within such Series, or on a planned or
targeted amortization schedule or upon the occurrence of other specified
events. Each Prospectus Supplement will describe the Series and Class or
Classes of Certificates offered thereby.
The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the Pass-Through Rate that will be
paid to Certificateholders of each Class of a given Series. Such Pass-Through
Rate may be fixed, variable or adjustable, as specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the only
obligations of the Company with respect to a Series of Certificates will be
pursuant to certain limited representations and warranties. Except as otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer's obligations with
respect to the Certificates evidencing interests in a pool of Contracts are
limited to its contractual servicing obligations. If so specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer may be obligated, under certain
terms and conditions, to advance the amount of any delinquent payments of
principal and interest during the immediately preceding Due Period (as defined
herein), but only to the extent the Servicer determines such advances are
recoverable from future payments and collections on the delinquent Contracts.
See "Description of the Certificates--Advances" and "--Distributions on
Certificates."
There will have been no public market for any Certificates sold hereunder
prior to the offering thereof and there is no assurance that any such market
will develop. The Underwriters named in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a
Series may from time to time buy and sell Certificates of such Series, but
there can be no assurance that an active secondary market therefor will
develop, and there is no assurance that any such market, if established, will
continue.
The Company may elect to cause the Trust Fund relating to a Series of
Certificates to be treated as a "Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit" (a
"REMIC") for federal income tax purposes. See "Certain Federal Income Tax
Consequences" herein.
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THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECU-
RITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REP-
RESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAS NOT PASSED ON OR
ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THIS OFFERING. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL.
This Prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of all or a portion of
any Series of Certificates unless accompanied by a Prospectus Supplement
relating to those particular Classes of Certificates.
The date of this Prospectus is January , 1997
<PAGE>
REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
The Company will cause to be provided to the holders of the Certificates of
each Series certain monthly and annual reports concerning such Certificates
and the related Trust Fund as further described in the related Prospectus
Supplement under "Description of the Certificates--Reports to
Certificateholders."
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Company is subject to the information requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance
therewith files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"). Information concerning the Company can be
inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549,
and at the regional offices of the Commission located at 500 West Madison
Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511 and Seven World Trade Center,
13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such material can be obtained
from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. The Commission also maintains a
Web site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information
statements and other information regarding registrants that file
electronically with the Commission. The Company's Common Stock and rights to
purchase preferred shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE")
and on the Pacific Stock Exchange ("PSE"). The Company's Senior Subordinated
Debentures are also listed on the NYSE and the PSE. The Company's Senior
Subordinated Notes are listed on the NYSE. Reports and other information
concerning the Company can be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock
Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New York and the Pacific Stock
Exchange, Inc., 310 Pine Street, San Francisco, California.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Prospectus contains, and the Prospectus Supplement for each Series of
Certificates will contain, a summary of certain material terms of certain of
the documents referred to herein and therein, but neither contains nor will
contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement of
which this Prospectus is a part (the "Registration Statement"). For further
information, reference is made to such Registration Statement and the exhibits
thereto which the Company has filed with the Commission under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended. Statements contained in this Prospectus and any
Prospectus Supplement describing a provision of any contract or other document
referred to are summaries, and if this Prospectus or such Prospectus
Supplement indicates that such contract or other document has been filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement, reference is made to the copy of the
contract or other document filed as an exhibit, each such statement being
qualified in all respects by reference to the actual provision being
described. Copies of the Registration Statement can be inspected and, upon
payment of the Commission's prescribed charges, copied at the public reference
facilities maintained by the Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 and at certain of its Regional Offices located as
follows: New York Regional Office, Seven World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New
York, New York 10048, and Chicago Regional Office, 500 West Madison Street,
Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
With respect to any Class of Certificates that is supported by a guarantee
of the Company, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1995, and the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the
quarters ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 1996, all of which have
been filed with the Commission, are hereby incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement.
All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act, subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior
to the termination of the offering of the Certificates, shall
2
<PAGE>
be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and the
Prospectus Supplement relating to a Class of Certificates that is supported by
a guarantee of the Company, and to be a part thereof from the respective dates
of filing of such documents. Any statement contained herein or in a document
all or any portion of which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of
this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any
statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
The Company will provide without charge to any person to whom this
Prospectus is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a
copy of any or all of the foregoing documents incorporated herein by reference
(other than certain exhibits to such documents). Requests for such copies
should be directed to John Dolphin, Vice President and Director of Investor
Relations, 1100 Landmark Towers, 345 St. Peter Street, St. Paul, Minnesota
55102-1639, telephone number (612) 293-3400.
3
<PAGE>
SUMMARY OF TERMS
This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the detailed
information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus and in the accompanying
Prospectus Supplement.
Title of Securities.......... Certificates for Home Improvement and Home Eq-
uity Loans (Issuable in Series) (the "Certifi-
cates").
Seller....................... Green Tree Financial Corporation (in such capac-
ity referred to herein as the "Company").
Servicer..................... Green Tree Financial Corporation (in such capac-
ity referred to herein as the "Servicer," which
term shall include any successor to Green Tree
Financial Corporation in such capacity under
the applicable Agreement (as defined herein)).
Risk Factors................. Certain special considerations are particularly
relevant to a decision to invest in any Certif-
icates sold hereunder. See "Risk Factors" here-
in.
Securities Offered........... Certificates evidencing interests in pools of
Contracts (as defined herein) may be issued
from time to time in one or more series (each,
a "Series") pursuant to separate Pooling and
Servicing Agreements (each, an "Agreement") be-
tween the Company, as Seller and Servicer, and
the Trustee specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement for such Series of Certificates (the
"Trustee").
The Contracts................ The Contracts underlying a Series of Certifi-
cates (the "Contract Pool") will be fixed or
variable rate Contracts. Such Contracts, as
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
will consist of (1) home improvement contracts
and promissory notes (the "Home Improvement
Contracts"), which will be either conventional
contracts or contracts insured by the Federal
Housing Administration ("FHA") pursuant to Ti-
tle I of the National Housing Act ("Title I"),
and (2) closed-end home equity loans (the "Home
Equity Contracts"). Each Contract will be se-
cured by the related real estate. If so speci-
fied in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Contract Pool may be divided into two or more
sub-pools, in which event the Certificates of
certain specified Classes may be payable pri-
marily from, and in respect of, the Contracts
comprising a given sub-pool.
The Prospectus Supplement for each Series will
provide information with respect to (i) the ag-
gregate principal balance of the Contracts com-
prising the Contract Pool, as of the date spec-
ified in the Prospectus Supplement (the "Cut-
off Date"); (ii) the weighted average and range
of contractual rates of interest (each, a "Con-
tract Rate") on the Contracts; (iii) the
weighted average and ranges of terms to sched-
uled maturity of the Contracts as of origina-
tion and as of the Cut-off Date; (iv) the per-
centage of the Contracts that are Home Improve-
ment Contracts and Home Equity Contracts, re-
spectively; (v) the percentage of Contracts
that are FHA-insured; (vi) the average out-
standing principal balance of the Contracts as
of the Cut-off Date; and (vii) the geographic
location of improved real estate underlying
4
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the Contracts. In addition, if so specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement, additional
Contracts may be purchased from the Company
during the Pre-Funding Period specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, from funds on
deposit in a Pre-Funding Account.
Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Sup-plement, the Contracts will have
been originated by the Company on an individual
basis in the ordinary course of its business.
Description of Certificates.. The Certificates of each Series may be issued in
one or more Classes or subclasses as and on the
terms specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, each of which will evidence the inter-
est specified in the related Prospectus Supple-
ment in the Contract Pool and certain other
property held in trust for the benefit of the
Certificateholders (the "Trust Fund"). For con-
venience of description, any reference in this
Prospectus to a "Class" of Certificates in-
cludes a reference to any subclasses of such
Class. If so specified in a Prospectus Supple-
ment, a Series of Certificates may include one
or more Classes which (i) are entitled to re-
ceive distributions only in respect of princi-
pal ("Principal Only Certificates"), interest
("Interest Only Certificates") or any combina-
tion thereof, or in specified proportions in
respect of such payments, and/or (ii) are enti-
tled to receive distributions in respect of
principal before or after specified principal
distributions have been made on one or more
other Classes within such Series ("Fast
Pay/Slow Pay Certificates"), or on a planned
amortization schedule ("PAC Certificates") or
targeted amortization schedule ("TAC Certifi-
cates") or upon the occurrence of other speci-
fied events. See "Description of Certificates."
The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the
rate at which interest will be paid to
Certificateholders of each Class of a given Se-
ries (the "Pass-Through Rate"). Such Pass-
Through Rate may be fixed, variable or adjust-
able, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
Each Series of Certificates may include one or
more Classes ("Subordinated Certificates")
which are subordinated in right of distribution
to one or more other Classes ("Senior Certifi-
cates"). Certificates of a Series which in-
cludes Senior and Subordinated Certificates are
referred to herein collectively as
"Senior/Subordinated Certificates." A Series of
Senior/Subordinated Certificates may include
one or more Classes ("Mezzanine Certificates")
which are subordinated to one or more Classes
of Certificates and are senior to one or more
Classes of Certificates.
The Certificates will be issuable in fully reg-
istered form in the authorized denominations
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
See "Description of the Certificates." The Cer-
tificates will not be guaranteed or insured by
any government agency or, unless otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus
5
<PAGE>
Supplement, other insurer and, except as de-
scribed herein and in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Contracts will not be guaran-
teed or insured by any government agency or
other insurer.
Subordinated Certificates.... One or more Classes of any Series may be Subor-
dinated Certificates, as specified in the re-
lated Prospectus Supplement. The rights of the
Subordinated Certificateholders to receive any
or a specified portion of distributions with
respect to the Contracts will be subordinated
to the rights of Senior Certificateholders to
the extent and in the manner specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. If a Series of
Certificates contains more than one Class of
Subordinated Certificates, distributions and
losses will be allocated among such classes in
the manner specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement. The rights of the Subordinated
Certificateholders, to the extent not subordi-
nated, may be on a parity with those of the Se-
nior Certificateholders. This subordination is
intended to enhance the likelihood of regular
receipt by Senior Certificateholders of the
full amount of scheduled monthly payments of
principal and interest due them and to protect
the Senior Certificateholders against losses.
If so specified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement, Mezzanine Certificates or other
Classes of Subordinated Certificates may be en-
titled to the benefits of other forms of credit
enhancement and may, if rated in one of the
four highest rating categories by a nationally
recognized statistical rating organization, be
offered pursuant to this Prospectus and such
Prospectus Supplement.
Credit Enhancement........... As an alternative, or in addition, to the credit
enhancement afforded by subordination of the
Subordinated Certificates, credit enhancement
with respect to a Series of Certificates may be
provided by pool insurance, letters of credit,
surety bonds, a guarantee of the Company, cash
reserve funds or other forms of enhancement ac-
ceptable to each nationally recognized rating
agency rating a Series of Certificates, in each
case as described in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
Interest..................... Except as otherwise set forth in the related
Prospectus Supplement, interest on the Certifi-
cates will be paid on the dates specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement (each, a
"Payment Date"). The related Prospectus Supple-
ment will set forth for each Class of Certifi-
cates the Pass-Through Rate, if any, for each
such Class or the method of determining such
Pass-Through Rate. See "Yield Considerations"
and "Description of the Certificates." As spec-
ified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
Classes of a Series of Certificates may be en-
titled to receive no interest or interest which
is not proportionate to the principal allocable
to such Certificates.
Principal (Including Except as otherwise set forth in the related
Prepayments)................ Prospectus Supple-ment, principal on each Con-
tract, including any principal prepayments,
will be passed through on each Payment Date.
See
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<PAGE>
"Maturity and Prepayment Considerations" and
"Description of the Certificates."
Optional Termination......... Unless otherwise specified in the related Pro-
spectus Supplement, each of the Company or the
Servicer may at its option repurchase all Con-
tracts relating to a Series of Certificates re-
maining outstanding at such time under the cir-
cumstances specified in such Prospectus Supple-
ment. Unless otherwise provided in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the repurchase price
will equal the principal amount of such Con-
tracts plus accrued and unpaid interest there-
on. See "Description of the Certificates--Ter-
mination of the Agreement."
Global Certificates.......... If so specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, the Certificates of a Series, or of
one or more Classes within a Series, will be
issuable in the form of one or more global cer-
tificates (each, a "Global Certificate") to be
held by a depositary (each, a "Depositary") on
behalf of the beneficial owners of the Certifi-
cates, as described herein under "Description
of the Certificates--Global Certificates." The
description of the Certificates in this Pro-
spectus assumes that the Certificates of a Se-
ries will not be issued in the form of Global
Certificates. If some or all of the Certifi-
cates of a Series are issued in the form of one
or more Global Certificates, the term "Global
Certificateholder," as used herein, will refer
to such beneficial owners of such Certificates,
and the rights of such Certificateholders will
be limited as described herein under "Descrip-
tion of the Certificates--Global Certificates."
Representations and
Warranties of the Company... As a condition to the Company's conveyance of
any Contract Pool to the Trust Fund, the Com-
pany will be required to make certain represen-
tations and warranties in the related Agreement
regarding the Contracts. Under the terms of the
Agreement, if the Company becomes aware of a
breach of any such representation or warranty
that materially adversely affects the Trust
Fund's interest in any Contract or receives
written notice of such a breach from the
Trustee or the Servicer, then the Company will
be obligated either to cure such breach or to
repurchase or, if so provided in the related
Prospectus Supplement, substitute for the af-
fected Contract, in each case under the condi-
tions further described herein and in the Pro-
spectus Supplement. See "Description of the
Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
Federal Income Tax
Considerations.............. If an election (a "REMIC Election") is made to
treat the Trust Fund represented by a Series of
Certificates or a segregated portion thereof as
a "real estate mortgage investment conduit" (a
"REMIC") under the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"), the Classes of
Certificates which are offered hereby may con-
stitute "regular interests" or "residual inter-
ests" in such REMIC under the Code, with the
tax consequences under the Code described
herein and in such Prospectus Supplement. If so
specified in the applicable Prospectus Sup-
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<PAGE>
plement, a Class of Certificates offered hereby
may represent interests in a "two-tier" REMIC,
but all interests in the first and second tier
REMIC will be created under the same Agreement.
See "Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences--
REMIC Series."
If a REMIC Election is not made with respect to
a Series of Certificates, the Trust Fund repre-
sented by such Certificates may be treated as a
grantor trust for federal income tax purposes
and not as an association taxable as a corpora-
tion. In such event, each Certificateholder
will be treated as the owner of an undivided
pro rata interest in income and corpus attrib-
utable to the related Contract Pool and any
other assets held by the Trust Fund and will be
considered the equitable owner of an undivided
interest in the Contracts included in such Con-
tract Pool. If a REMIC Election is not made
with respect to a Series of Certificates and
the Trust Fund represented by such Certificates
will not be treated as a grantor trust, the
federal income tax consequences of ownership of
such Certificates will be described in the re-
lated Prospectus Supplement. See "Certain Fed-
eral Income Tax Consequences--Non-REMIC Se-
ries."
ERISA Considerations......... A fiduciary of any employee benefit plan subject
to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), or the Code,
should review carefully with its legal advisors
whether the purchase or holding of Certificates
could give rise to a transaction prohibited or
otherwise impermissible under ERISA or the
Code. See "ERISA Considerations."
Legal Investment............. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates will
not constitute "mortgage related securities"
under the Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement
Act of 1984, as amended. See "Legal Invest-
ment."
Ratings...................... It is a condition precedent to the issuance of
any Class of Certificates sold under this Pro-
spectus that they be rated in one of the four
highest rating categories (within which there
may be sub-categories or gradations indicating
relative standing) of at least one nationally
recognized statistical rating organization. A
security rating is not a recommendation to buy,
sell or hold securities and may be subject to
revision or withdrawal at any time by the as-
signing rating agency. See "Ratings."
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<PAGE>
RISK FACTORS
Prospective investors in Certificates should consider, among other things,
the following factors in connection with the purchase of the Certificates:
1. Limitations on Availability of FHA Insurance. The related Prospectus
Supplement will specify the number and percentage of the Home Improvement
Contracts included in the Contract Pool that are insured by FHA pursuant to
Title I of the National Housing Act ("Title I"). The availability of FHA
Insurance following a default on an FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract
is subject to a number of conditions, including strict compliance by the
Company with FHA regulations in originating and servicing the Contract.
Although the Company is an FHA-approved lender and believes, and will
represent and warrant in the Agreement, that it has complied with FHA
regulations, such regulations are susceptible to substantial
interpretation. The Company is not required to obtain, and has not
obtained, approval from FHA of its origination and servicing practices.
Failure to comply with FHA regulations may result in a denial of FHA
Insurance claims, and there can be no assurance that FHA's enforcement of
its regulations will not become stricter in the future. From time to time
the Company is engaged in disputes with FHA over the validity of claims
submitted and the Company's compliance with FHA regulations in servicing
loans insured by FHA, such as the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts.
In addition, any insurance claim paid by FHA will cover only 90% of the sum
of the unpaid principal on the Home Improvement Contract, up to nine months
unpaid interest thereon (computed at 7% per annum) and certain liquidation
costs.
The amount of FHA Insurance available with respect to a Series of
Certificates at any given time with respect to the FHA-insured Home
Improvement Contracts included in a Contract Pool is limited to the balance
of a reserve amount determined with respect to all FHA Title I loans
originated and reported for insurance by the Company and not sold, or sold
with recourse, by the Company, including manufactured housing contracts as
well as home improvement loans. Such reserve amount, as of December 31,
1995, was equal to approximately $105,831,000, but will be reduced by the
amount of all FHA Insurance claims paid and by an annual reduction in the
reserve amount equal to 10% of the reserve amount, and will be increased by
an amount equal to 10% of the unpaid principal balance of FHA Title I loans
subsequently originated and reported for insurance by the Company. Severe
losses on the Company's FHA-insured manufactured housing contracts, or on
other FHA-insured home improvement loans originated by the Company, could
reduce or eliminate the Company's FHA Insurance reserves, in which event
FHA Insurance would not be available to cover losses on FHA-insured Home
Improvement Contracts. In the event the Company were terminated as Servicer
due to its bankruptcy or otherwise, it is anticipated that a proportionate
amount of the Company's FHA Insurance reserves would be transferred to the
reserve account of the Trustee or other successor servicer, but there can
be no assurance of the amount, if any, that would be so transferred. See
"Description of FHA Insurance."
2. Limited Obligations. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates of a Series will not represent an
interest in or obligation of the Company. The Certificates of any Series
will not be insured or guaranteed by any governmental agency or
instrumentality, any Underwriter or its affiliates, the Servicer or (except
as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement) any other
party.
3. Junior Mortgage Liens; Value of Mortgaged Property. The Company
expects that a substantial number of the liens on the improved real estate
securing the Contracts in a given Contract Pool will be junior to other
liens on such real estate. The rights of the Trust Fund (and therefore the
Certificateholders of the related Series), as beneficiary under a
conventional junior deed of trust or as mortgagee under a conventional
junior mortgage, are subordinate to those of the mortgagee or beneficiary
under the senior mortgage or deed of trust, including the prior rights of
the senior mortgagee or beneficiary to cause the property securing the
Contract to be sold upon default of the mortgagor or trustor, thereby
extinguishing the junior mortgagee's or junior beneficiary's lien unless
the Servicer on behalf of the Trust Fund asserts its subordinate interest
in the property in foreclosure litigation and, possibly, satisfies the
defaulted senior loan or loans. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Contracts--Repurchase Obligations."
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A substantial portion of the Contracts included in a Contract Pool are
expected to have loan-to-value ratios of 90% or more, based on the
aggregate of the outstanding principal balances of all senior mortgages or
deeds of trust and of the Contract on the one hand, and the value of the
home and an estimate of the value of the financed improvement, where
applicable, on the other. See "Green Tree Financial Corporation--Contract
Origination." An overall decline in the residential real estate market, the
general condition of a property securing a Contract or other factors could
adversely affect the value of the property securing a conventional (i.e.,
not insured by FHA) Home Improvement Contract or a Home Equity Contract
such that the remaining balance of such Contract, together with that of any
senior liens on the related property, could equal or exceed the value of
the property. While the same economic decline could affect the value of
property securing an FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract, assuming
compliance with other FHA regulations, an FHA claim would still be payable
to the Company, notwithstanding the decline in property value below the
aggregate outstanding principal balances of the Home Improvement Contract
and of all senior liens on the property.
4. Limited Liquidity. There can be no assurance that a secondary market
will develop for the Certificates of any Series, or, if it does develop,
that it will provide the holders of any of the Certificates with liquidity
of investment or that if such a secondary market develops that it will
continue to exist for the term of any Series of Certificates.
5. Non-recordation of Mortgage Assignments. Because of the expense and
administrative inconvenience involved, the Company will not record the
assignment to the Trustee of the mortgage or deed of trust securing any
Contract. In some states, in the absence of such recordation, the
assignment to the related Trustee of the mortgage or deed of trust securing
a Contract may not be effective against creditors of or purchasers from the
Company or a trustee in bankruptcy of the Company.
6. Certain Matters Relating to Insolvency. The Company intends that each
transfer of Contracts to the related Trust Fund constitute a sale, rather
than a pledge of the Contracts to secure indebtedness of the Company.
However, if the Company were to become a debtor under the federal
bankruptcy code, it is possible that a creditor or trustee in bankruptcy of
the Company or the Company as debtor-in-possession may argue that the sale
of the Contracts by the Company was a pledge of the Contracts rather than a
sale. This position, if presented to or accepted by a court, could result
in a delay in or reduction of distributions to the Certificateholders.
THE TRUST FUND
GENERAL
Each Trust Fund will include (i) a Contract Pool, (ii) the amounts held from
time to time in a trust account (the "Certificate Account") maintained by the
Trustee pursuant to the Agreement, (iii) proceeds from FHA Insurance (with
respect to any FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract included in the Contract
Pool), (iv) any letter of credit, guarantee, surety bond, insurance policy,
cash reserve fund or other credit enhancement securing payment of all or part
of a Series of Certificates, and (v) such other property as may be specified
in the related Prospectus Supplement.
Each Certificate will evidence the interest specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement in one Trust Fund, containing one Contract Pool
comprised of Contracts having the aggregate principal balance as of the
specified day of the month of the creation of the pool (the "Cut-off Date")
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement. Holders of Certificates of a
Series will have interests only in such Contract Pool and will have no
interest in the Contract Pool created with respect to any other Series of
Certificates, except with respect to FHA Insurance Reserves. If so specified
in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Contract Pool may be divided into
two or more sub-pools, in which event the Certificates of certain specified
Classes may be payable primarily from, and in respect of, the Contracts
comprising a given sub-pool. If so specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Trust Fund may include a Pre-Funding Account which would be
used to purchase additional Contracts
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("Subsequent Contracts") from the Company during the Pre-Funding Period
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement. The related Prospectus
Supplement will specify the conditions that must be satisfied prior to any
transfer of Subsequent Contracts, including the requisite characteristics of
the Subsequent Contracts.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, all of
the Contracts will have been originated by the Company in the ordinary course
of its business. Specific information respecting the Contracts included in
each Trust Fund will be provided in the related Prospectus Supplement and, to
the extent not contained in the related Prospectus Supplement, in a report on
Form 8-K to be filed with the Commission within fifteen days after the initial
issuance of the Certificates. A copy of the Agreement with respect to each
Series of Certificates will be attached to the Form 8-K and will be available
for inspection at the corporate trust office of the Trustee specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. A schedule of the Contracts relating to such
Series will be attached to the Agreement delivered to the Trustee upon
delivery of the Certificates.
Whenever in this Prospectus terms such as "Contract Pool," "Trust Fund,"
"Agreement" or "Pass-Through Rate" are used, those terms respectively apply,
unless the context otherwise indicates, to one specific Contract Pool and
Trust Fund, each Agreement and each Pass-Through Rate applicable to the
related Class of Certificates.
THE CONTRACT POOLS
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Contract Pool will consist of (i) home improvement contracts and promissory
notes (the "Home Improvement Contracts"), and (ii) closed-end home equity
loans (the "Home Equity Contracts" and, together with the Home Improvement
Contracts, collectively the "Contracts"), originated by the Company on an
individual basis in the ordinary course of business. The Home Improvement
Contracts may be conventional home improvement contracts or contracts insured
by FHA. All Contracts will be secured by the related real estate. Except as
otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Contracts will
be fully amortizing and will bear interest at a fixed or variable annual
percentage rate (the "Contract Rate").
For each Series of Certificates, the Company will assign the Contracts
constituting the Contract Pool to the trustee named in the related Prospectus
Supplement (the "Trustee"). The Company, as Servicer (in such capacity
referred to herein as the "Servicer", which term shall include any successor
to the Company in such capacity under the applicable Agreement), will service
the Contracts pursuant to the Agreement. See "Description of the
Certificates--Servicing." Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Contract documents will be held by the Trustee or a custodian
on its behalf.
Each Contract Pool will be composed of Contracts bearing interest at the
Contract Rates specified in the Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise stated
in the related Prospectus Supplement, each registered holder of a Certificate
will be entitled to receive periodic distributions, which will be monthly
unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, of all or a
portion of principal on the underlying Contracts or interest on the principal
balance of such Certificate (or on some other principal balance unrelated to
that of such Certificate) at the Pass-Through Rate, or both.
The related Prospectus Supplement will specify for the Contracts contained
in the related Contract Pool, among other things, the range of the dates of
origination of the Contracts; the range of the Contract Rates and the weighted
average Contract Rate; the minimum and maximum outstanding principal balances
and the average outstanding principal balance as of the Cut-off Date; the
aggregate principal balance of the Contracts included in the Contract Pool as
of the Cut-off Date; the weighted average and range of scheduled terms to
maturity as of origination and as of the Cut-off Date; the range of original
maturities of the Contracts and the last maturity date of any Contract; and
the geographic location of improved real estate securing the Contracts. If the
Trust Fund includes a Pre-Funding Account, the related Prospectus Supplement
will specify the conditions that must be satisfied prior to any transfer of
Subsequent Contracts, including the requisite characteristics of the
Subsequent Contracts.
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The Company will make representations and warranties as to the types and
geographical distribution of the Contracts included in a Contract Pool and as
to the accuracy in all material respects of certain information furnished to
the Trustee in respect of each such Contract. Upon a breach of any
representation or warranty that materially and adversely affects the interests
of the Certificateholders in a Contract, the Company will be obligated to cure
the breach in all material respects, or to repurchase or substitute for the
Contract as described below. This repurchase obligation constitutes the sole
remedy available to the Certificateholders or the Trustee for a breach of
representation or warranty by the Company. See "Description of the
Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
substantially all of the net proceeds to be received from the sale of each
Series of Certificates will be used by the Company for general corporate
purposes, including the origination or acquisition of additional home
improvement contracts and home equity loans, costs of carrying such contracts
and loans until sale of the related certificates and to pay other expenses
connected with pooling the Contracts and issuing the Certificates.
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
GENERAL
The Company is a Delaware corporation which, as of December 31, 1995, had
stockholders' equity of approximately $925,022,000. The Company purchases,
pools, sells and services conditional sales contracts for manufactured homes
and other consumer installment sales contracts, as well as home equity loans.
The Company is the largest servicer of government-insured manufactured housing
contracts and conventional manufactured housing contracts in the United
States. Servicing functions are performed through Green Tree Financial
Servicing Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Through its
principal offices in St. Paul, Minnesota, and service centers throughout the
United States, the Company serves all 50 states. The Company began financing
FHA-insured home improvement loans in April 1989, conventional home
improvement loans in September 1992 and home equity loans in January 1996. The
Company also purchases, pools and services installment sales contracts for
various consumer products. The Company's principal executive offices are
located at 1100 Landmark Towers, 345 St. Peter Street, St. Paul, Minnesota
55102-1639 (telephone (612) 293-3400). The Company's quarterly and annual
reports are available from the Company upon written request made to the
Company.
CONTRACT ORIGINATION
Home Improvement Contracts. Through its centralized loan processing
operations in St. Paul, Minnesota, the Company arranges to purchase certain
contracts from home improvement contractors located throughout the United
States. The Company's regional sales managers contact home improvement
contractors and explain the Company's available financing plans, terms,
prevailing rates and credit and financing policies. If the contractor wishes
to utilize the Company's available customer financing, the contractor must
make an application for contractor approval. The Company has a contractor
approval process pursuant to which the financial condition, business
experience and qualifications of the contractor are reviewed prior to his or
her approval to sell Contracts to the Company. In addition, the Company has a
centralized compliance group which reviews and updates contractor financial
condition and reviews contractors on an annual basis to determine whether such
contractor's approval will be continued. The Company also reviews monthly
contractor trend reports which show the default and delinquency trends of the
particular contractor with respect to contracts sold to the Company. The
Company occasionally will originate directly a home improvement promissory
note involving a home improvement transaction.
All contracts that the Company originates are written on forms provided or
approved by the Company and are purchased on an individually approved basis in
accordance with the Company's guidelines. The contractor submits the
customer's credit application and construction contract to the Company's
office where
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an analysis of the creditworthiness of the customer is made using a
proprietary credit scoring system that was implemented by the Company in June
1993. If the Company determines that the application meets the Company's
underwriting guidelines and applicable FHA regulations (for FHA-insured
contracts) and the credit is approved, the Company purchases the contract from
the contractor when the customer verifies satisfactory completion of the work,
or, in the case of staged funding, the Company follows up with the customer
for the completion certificate 90 days after funding.
The types of home improvements financed by the Company include (i) exterior
renovations, including windows, siding and roofing, (ii) pools and spas, (iii)
kitchen and bath remodeling, and (iv) room additions and garages. The Company
may also, under certain limited conditions, extend additional credit beyond
the purchase price of the home improvement for the purpose of debt
consolidation.
The original principal amount of an FHA-insured home improvement contract
with respect to a single family property currently may not exceed $25,000
without specific FHA approval, with a maximum term of 20 years. FHA will
insure loans of up to $17,500 for manufactured homes which qualify as real
estate under applicable state law and loans of up to $12,000 per unit or a
$48,000 limit for four units of owner-occupied multiple-family homes. Certain
other criteria for home improvement contracts eligible for FHA Insurance are
described under the caption "Description of FHA Insurance."
The Company began financing conventional home improvement loans in September
1992. Conventional home improvement loans are not insured by FHA. The original
principal amount of a conventional secured home improvement loan may not
exceed $40,000 for the Company's secured "no equity" lien program, and
$100,000 for the Company's secured equity lien program, unless a higher amount
financed is approved by senior management. The original principal amount of a
conventional home improvement loan may not exceed $100,000 for the Company's
secured lien program, unless a higher amount financed is approved by senior
management. The Company requires that any secured home improvement contract be
secured by a recorded lien (which may be a first, second or (with respect to
FHA-insured contracts and some conventional contracts of $30,000 or less)
third lien) on the improved real estate.
The Company's underwriting guidelines and credit scoring process weight
significantly the applicant's creditworthiness and place less weight on the
available equity in the related real estate being improved. While it is the
Company's policy not to exceed 100% in loan-to-value ratio on any Contract, a
substantial portion of the Home Improvement Contracts are expected to have
loan-to-value ratios of 90% or more when considering the estimated value of
the real estate, other liens senior to that of the Home Improvement Contract,
and the improvements being financed. Because the Company does not require
appraisals on most Home Improvement Contracts with loan amounts of less than
$30,000 (which Home Improvement Contracts are expected to comprise a
substantial portion of any Contract Pool), and given the many other factors
that can affect the value of property securing a conventional Home Improvement
Contract, the related Prospectus Supplement will not provide detailed
disclosure of loan-to-value ratios on the Home Improvement Contracts.
Home Equity Contracts. The Company has originated closed-end home equity
loans since January 1996. As of September 30, 1996, the Company had
approximately $414,728,000 aggregate principal amount of outstanding serviced
closed-end home equity loans.
Through a system of regional offices, the Company markets its home equity
lending directly to consumers using a variety of marketing techniques. The
Company also reviews and re-underwrites loan applications forwarded by
correspondent lenders.
The Company's credit approval process analyzes both the equity position of
the requested loan (including both the priority of the lien and the combined
loan-to-value ratio) and the applicant's creditworthiness; to the extent the
requested loan would have a less favorable (or more favorable) equity
position, the creditworthiness of the borrower must be stronger (or may be
weaker). The loan-to-value ratio of the requested loan, combined
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with any existing loans with a senior lien position (giving effect to any
potential negative amortization provisions in senior loans), may not exceed
95% without senior management approval. In most circumstances, an appraisal of
the property is required. Currently, loans secured by a first mortgage with an
obligor having a superior credit rating may not exceed $300,000 without senior
management approval, and loans secured by a second mortgage with an obligor
having a superior credit rating may not exceed $250,000 without senior
management approval.
The homes used for collateral to secure the Home Equity Contracts may be
either primary residential (which includes second and vacation homes) or
investor owned one- to four-family homes, condominiums, townhouses or certain
qualified manufactured housing. Generally, each home must have a minimum
appraised value of $25,000. Agricultural, mixed-usage and multifamily
properties are not accepted as collateral.
For all Home Equity Contracts that are first mortgage loans, the applicant
is required to obtain (a) property insurance in an amount sufficient to cover
the Home Equity Contract, and (b) an ALTA title insurance policy or an
attorney's opinion of title.
Prior to funding a Home Equity Contract the rescission period, to the extent
provided for by the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act, must have
expired. Such rescission period may not be waived by the applicant except as
permitted by law.
For the Company's full documentation program, each mortgage applicant
provide, and Company personnel must verify, personal financial information.
Applicants who are salaried employees must provide current employment
information in addition to two recent years of employment history. Self-
employed applicants must generally be self-employed in the same field for a
minimum of two years, although self-employment for a period of no less than
one year may be considered on a case-by-case basis. The self-employed
applicant must provide signed copies of complete federal income tax returns
for the most recent two years.
For the Company's no-income-qualifier program, proof of at least one year's
history of self-employment plus proof of current self-employed status is
required. The applicant's debt-to-income ratio is calculated based on income
as certified on the application and must be reasonable. No-income-verification
Home Equity Contracts are also available to borrowers other than self-employed
borrowers. The maximum loan amount and maximum loan-to-value ratio for the no-
income qualifier and no-income-verification programs may not exceed $250,000
and 85%, respectively.
The Company offers a streamlined underwriting process for applicants who
have existing home equity contracts originated by the Company. In connection
with these applications, (i) no appraisal will generally be required, although
an employee of the Company will visit the property to confirm that there has
been no decline in the quality of the property or the neighboring area; and
(ii) no verification of employment or income will generally be required,
provided that the applicant had sufficient verified income (plus reasonable
income growth) at the time of origination of the original home equity contract
and that the applicant claims to be employed by the same employer. In each
case, the underwriter has the discretion to obtain a new appraisal,
verification of employment and verification of income. For such Home Equity
Contracts that are first mortgage loans the Company will conduct a title
search and verify property insurance coverage.
YIELD CONSIDERATIONS
The Pass-Through Rates and the weighted average Contract Rate of the
Contracts (as of the related Cut-off Date) relating to each Series of
Certificates will be set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The Prospectus Supplement for each Series will indicate that a lower rate of
principal prepayments than anticipated would negatively affect the total
return to investors of any Class of Certificates that is offered at a discount
to its principal amount, and a higher rate of principal prepayments than
anticipated would negatively affect the total return to investors of any such
Class of Certificates that is offered at a premium to its principal amount or
without any principal amount.
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The yield on some types of Certificates which may be offered hereby, such as
Interest Only Certificates, Principal Only Certificates, and Fast Pay/Slow Pay
Certificates, may be particularly sensitive to prepayment rates, and to
changes in prepayment rates, on the underlying Contracts. If so stated in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the yield on some types of Certificates which
may be offered hereby could change and may be negative under certain
prepayment rate scenarios. Accordingly, some types of Certificates may not be
legal or appropriate investments for certain financial institutions, pension
funds or others. See "ERISA Considerations" and "Legal Investment
Considerations." In addition, the timing of changes in the rate of prepayment
on the Contracts included in a Contract Pool may significantly affect an
investor's actual yield to maturity, even if the average prepayment rate over
time is consistent with the investor's expectations. In general, the earlier
that prepayments on Contracts occur, the greater the effect on the investor's
yield to maturity.
MATURITY AND PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
MATURITY
Unless otherwise described in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, all of
the Contracts will have maturities at origination of not more than 25 years.
PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Contracts generally may be prepaid in full or in part without penalty. FHA-
insured Home Improvement Contracts may be prepaid at any time without penalty.
The Company has no significant experience with respect to the rate of
principal prepayments on home improvement contracts or home equity loans.
Because the Contracts have scheduled due dates throughout the calendar month,
and because (unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement)
all principal prepayments will be passed through to Certificateholders of the
related Series on the Payment Date following the Due Period in which such
principal prepayment occurred, prepayments on the Contracts would affect the
amount of funds available to make distributions on the Certificates on any
Payment Date only if a substantial portion of the Contracts prepaid prior to
their respective due dates in a particular month (thus paying less than 30
days' interest for that Due Period) while very few Contracts prepaid after
their respective due dates in that month. In addition, liquidations of
defaulted Contracts or the Servicer's or the Company's exercise of its option
to repurchase the entire remaining pool of Contracts (see "Description of the
Certificates--Repurchase Option") will affect the timing of principal
distributions on the Certificates of a Series.
Information regarding the prepayment standard or model or any other rate of
assumed prepayment, as applicable, will be set forth in the Prospectus
Supplement with respect to a Series of Certificates. Although the related
Prospectus Supplement will specify the prepayment assumptions used to price
any Series of Certificates, there can be no assurance that the Contracts will
prepay at such rate, and it is unlikely that prepayments or liquidations of
the Contracts will occur at any constant rate.
See "Description of the Certificates--Repurchase Option" for a description
of the Company's or Servicer's option to repurchase the Contracts comprising
part of a Trust Fund when the aggregate outstanding principal balance of such
Contracts is less than a specified percentage of the initial aggregate
outstanding principal balance of such Contracts as of the related Cut-off
Date. See also "The Trust Fund--The Contract Pools" for a description of the
obligations of the Company to repurchase a Contract in case of a breach of a
representation or warranty relative to such Contract.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CERTIFICATES
Each Series of Certificates will be issued pursuant to a separate pooling
and servicing agreement (each, an "Agreement") to be entered into among the
Company, as seller and Servicer, and the trustee named in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Trustee"), and such other parties, if any, as are
described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The following summaries
describe certain provisions expected to be common to each Agreement and the
related Certificates, but do not purport to be complete and are subject to,
and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, the provisions of the
related Agreement and the description set forth in the related Prospectus
Supplement. The provisions of the form of Agreement filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement of which this Prospectus is a part (the "Registration
Statement") that are not described herein may differ from
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the provisions of any actual Agreement. The material differences will be
described in the related Prospectus Supplement. Capitalized terms used herein
and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in
the form of Agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
Each Series of Certificates will have been rated in the rating category by
the rating agency or agencies specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
GENERAL
The Certificates may be issued in one or more Classes. If the Certificates
of a Series are issued in more than one Class, the Certificates of all or less
than all of such Classes may be sold pursuant to this Prospectus, and there
may be separate Prospectus Supplements relating to one or more of such Classes
so sold. Any reference herein to the Prospectus Supplement relating to a
Series comprised of more than one Class should be understood as a reference to
each of the Prospectus Supplements relating to the Classes sold hereunder. Any
reference herein to the Certificates of a Class should be understood to refer
to the Certificates of a Class within a Series or all of the Certificates of a
single-Class Series, as the context may require. For convenience of
description, any reference in this Prospectus to a "Class" of Certificates
includes a reference to any subclasses of such Class.
The Certificates of each Series will be issued in fully registered form only
and will represent the interests specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement in a separate trust fund (the "Trust Fund") created pursuant to the
related Agreement. The Trust Fund will be held by the Trustee for the benefit
of the Certificateholders. Each Trust Fund, to the extent specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, will include (i) Contracts (the "Contract
Pool") which are subject to the Agreement, (ii) the amounts held in the
Certificate Account from time to time, (iii) proceeds from FHA Insurance (with
respect to any FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract included in the Contract
Pool), (iv) any letter of credit, guarantee, surety bond, insurance policy,
cash reserve fund or other credit enhancement securing payment of all or part
of a Series of Certificates and (v) such other property as may be specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement. Except as otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates will be freely transferable
and exchangeable at the corporate trust office of the Trustee at the address
set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement. No service charge will be made
for any registration of exchange or transfer of Certificates, but the Trustee
may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge.
Ownership of each Contract Pool may be evidenced by one or more Classes of
Certificates, each representing the interest in the Contract Pool specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement. Each Series of Certificates may include one
or more Classes ("Subordinated Certificates") which are subordinated in right
of distribution to one or more other Classes ("Senior Certificates"), as
provided in the related Prospectus Supplement. Certificates of a Series which
includes Senior and Subordinated Certificates are referred to herein
collectively as "Senior/Subordinated Certificates." A Series of
Senior/Subordinated Certificates may include one or more Classes ("Mezzanine
Certificates") which are subordinated to one or more Classes of Certificates
and are senior to one or more Classes of Certificates. The Prospectus
Supplement with respect to a Series of Senior/Subordinated Certificates will
set forth, among other things, the extent to which the Subordinated
Certificates are subordinated (which may include a formula for determining the
subordinated amount or for determining the allocation of the Amount Available
(hereinafter defined) among Senior Certificates and Subordinated
Certificates), the allocation of losses among the Classes of Subordinated
Certificates, the period or periods of such subordination, the minimum
subordinated amount, if any, and any distributions or payments which will not
be affected by such subordination. The protection afforded to the Senior
Certificateholders from the subordination feature described above will be
effected by the preferential right of such Certificateholders to receive
current distributions from the Contract Pool. If a Series of Certificates
contains more than one Class of Subordinated Certificates, losses will be
allocated among such Classes in the manner described in the Prospectus
Supplement. If so specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, Mezzanine
Certificates or other Classes of Subordinated Certificates may be entitled to
the benefits of other forms of credit enhancement and may, if rated in one of
the four highest rating categories by a nationally recognized statistical
rating organization, be offered pursuant to this Prospectus and such
Prospectus Supplement.
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If so specified in a Prospectus Supplement, a Series of Certificates may
include one or more Classes which (i) are entitled to receive distributions
only in respect of principal ("Principal Only Certificates"), interest
("Interest Only Certificates") or any combination thereof, or in specified
proportions in respect of such payments, and/or (ii) are entitled to receive
distributions in respect of principal before or after specified principal
distributions have been made on one or more other Classes within such Series
("Fast Pay/Slow Pay Certificates"), or on a planned amortization schedule
("PAC Certificates") or targeted amortization schedule ("TAC Certificates") or
upon the occurrence of other specified events. The Prospectus Supplement will
set forth the rate at which interest will be paid to Certificateholders of
each Class of a given Series (the "Pass-Through Rate"). Such Pass-Through Rate
may be fixed, variable or adjustable, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
The related Prospectus Supplement will specify the minimum denomination or
initial principal amount of Contracts evidenced by a single Certificate of
each Class of Certificates of a Series (a "Single Certificate").
Distributions of principal and interest on the Certificates will be made on
the payment dates set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement (each, a
"Payment Date") to the persons in whose names the Certificates are registered
at the close of business on the related record date specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Record Date"). Distributions will be made by check
mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears on the
Certificate Register, or, to the extent described in the related Prospectus
Supplement, by wire transfer, except that the final distribution in retirement
of Certificates will be made only upon presentation and surrender of the
Certificates at the office or agency of the Trustee specified in the final
distribution notice to Certificateholders.
GLOBAL CERTIFICATES
The Certificates of a Class may be issued in whole or in part in the form of
one or more global certificates (each, a "Global Certificate") that will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, and registered in the name of a nominee for,
a depositary (the "Depositary") identified in the related Prospectus
Supplement. The description of the Certificates contained in this Prospectus
assumes that the Certificates will be issued in definitive form. If the
Certificates of a Class are issued in the form of one or more Global
Certificates, the term "Certificateholder" should be understood to refer to
the beneficial owners of the Global Certificates, and the rights of such
Certificateholders will be limited as described under this subheading.
Global Certificates will be issued in registered form. Unless and until it
is exchanged in whole or in part for a Certificate in definitive form, a
Global Certificate may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary
for such Global Certificate to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of
such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary.
The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any
Certificates of a Class will be described in the related Prospectus
Supplement. It is anticipated that the following provisions will apply to all
depositary arrangements:
Upon the issuance of a Global Certificate, the Depositary for such Global
Certificate will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system,
the respective denominations of the Certificates represented by such Global
Certificate to the accounts of institutions that have accounts with such
Depositary ("participants"). Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global
Certificate will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests
through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in such Global
Certificate will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be
effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary for such Global
Certificate or by participants or persons that hold through participants. The
laws of some states require that certain purchasers of securities take
physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and such
laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global
Certificate.
So long as the Depositary for a Global Certificate, or its nominee, is the
owner of such Global Certificate, such Depositary or such nominee, as the case
may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the
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Certificates represented by such Global Certificate for all purposes under the
Agreement relating to such Certificates. Except as set forth below, owners of
beneficial interests in a Global Certificate will not be entitled to have
Certificates of the Series represented by such Global Certificate registered
in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery
of Certificates of such Series in definitive form and will not be considered
the owners or holders thereof under the Agreement governing such Certificates.
Distributions or payments on Certificates registered in the name of or held
by a Depositary or its nominee will be made to the Depositary or its nominee,
as the case may be, as the registered owner for the holder of the Global
Certificate representing such Certificates. In addition, all reports required
under the applicable Agreement to be made to Certificateholders (as described
below under "Reports to Certificateholders") will be delivered to the
Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be. None of the Company, Servicer,
Trustee, or any agent thereof (including any applicable Certificate Registrar
or Paying Agent), will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of
the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests in a Global Certificate or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing
any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for providing
reports to the related beneficial owners.
The Company expects that the Depositary for Certificates of a Class, upon
receipt of any distribution or payment in respect of a Global Certificate,
will credit immediately participants' accounts with payments in amounts
proportionate to their respective beneficial interest in such Global
Certificate as shown on the records of such Depositary. The Company also
expects that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in
such Global Certificate held through such participants will be governed by
standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with
securities held for the accounts of customers registered in "street name," and
will be the responsibility of such participants.
If a Depositary for Certificates of a Class is at any time unwilling or
unable to continue as Depositary and a successor depositary is not appointed
by or on behalf of the Company within the time period specified in the
Agreement, the Company will cause to be issued Certificates of such Class in
definitive form in exchange for the related Global Certificate or
Certificates. In addition, the Company may at any time and in its sole
discretion determine not to have any Certificates of a Class represented by
one or more Global Certificates and, in such event, will cause to be issued
Certificates of such Class in definitive form in exchange for the related
Global Certificate or Certificates. Further, if the Company so specifies with
respect to the Certificates of a Class, an owner of a beneficial interest in a
Global Certificate representing Certificates of such Class may, on terms
acceptable to the Company and the Depositary for such Global Certificate,
receive Certificates of such Class in definitive form. In any such instance,
an owner of a beneficial interest in a Global Certificate will be entitled to
physical delivery in definitive form of Certificates of the Class represented
by such Global Certificate equal in denominations to such beneficial interest
and to have such Certificates registered in its name.
CONVEYANCE OF CONTRACTS
The Company will transfer, assign, set over and otherwise convey to the
Trustee all right, title and interest of the Company in the Contracts,
including all principal and interest received on or with respect to the
Contracts (other than receipts of principal and interest due on the Contracts
before the Cut-off Date). On behalf of the Trust Fund, as the issuer of the
related Series of Certificates, the Trustee, concurrently with such
conveyance, will execute and deliver the Certificates to the order of the
Company. The Contracts will be as described on a list attached to the
Agreement. Such list will include the amount of monthly payments due on each
Contract as of the date of issuance of the Certificates, the Contract Rate on
each Contract and the maturity date of each Contract. Such list will be
available for inspection by any Certificateholder at the principal executive
office of the Servicer. Prior to the conveyance of the Contracts to the Trust
Fund, the Company's internal audit department will complete a review of all of
the Contract files confirming the accuracy of the list of Contracts delivered
to the Trustee. Any Contract discovered not to agree with such list in a
manner that is materially adverse to the interests of the Certificateholders
will be repurchased or substituted for by the Company, or, if the discrepancy
relates to the unpaid principal balance of a Contract, the Company may deposit
cash in the separate account maintained at an Eligible Institution in the name
of the Trustee (the "Certificate Account") in an amount sufficient to offset
such discrepancy. If the Trust Fund includes a Pre-Funding Account, the
related Prospectus
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Supplement will specify the conditions that must be satisfied prior to any
transfer of Subsequent Contracts, including the requisite characteristics of
the Subsequent Contracts.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Trustee
or its custodian will maintain possession of the Contracts and any other
documents contained in the Contract files. Uniform Commercial Code financing
statements will be filed in Minnesota reflecting the sale and assignment of
the Contracts to the Trustee, and the Company's accounting records and
computer systems will also reflect such sale and assignment.
The counsel to the Company identified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement will render an opinion to the Trustee that the transfer of the
Contracts from the Company to the related Trust Fund would, in the event the
Company became a debtor under the United States Bankruptcy Code, be treated as
a true sale and not as a pledge to secure borrowings. If, however, the
transfer of the Contracts from the Company to the Trust Fund were treated as a
pledge to secure borrowings by the Company, the distribution of proceeds of
the Contracts to the Trust Fund might be subject to the automatic stay
provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which would delay the
distribution of such proceeds for an uncertain period of time. In addition, a
bankruptcy trustee would have the power to sell the Contracts if the proceeds
of such sale could satisfy the amount of the debt deemed owed by the Company,
or the bankruptcy trustee could substitute other collateral in lieu of the
Contracts to secure such debt, or such debt could be subject to adjustment by
the bankruptcy trustee if the Company were to file for reorganization under
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Company will make certain representations and warranties in the Agreement with
respect to each Contract as of the related Closing Date, including that: (a)
as of the Cut-off Date the most recent scheduled payment was made or was not
delinquent more than 59 days; (b) no provision of a Contract has been waived,
altered or modified in any respect, except by instruments or documents
included in the Contract file and reflected on the list of Contracts delivered
to the Trustee; (c) each Contract is a legal, valid and binding obligation of
the Obligor and is enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as may be
limited by laws affecting creditors rights generally); (d) no Contract is
subject to any right of rescission, set-off, counterclaim or defense; (e) each
FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract was originated in accordance with
applicable FHA regulations and is insured, without set-off, surcharge or
defense, by FHA Insurance; (f) each Contract was either (i) entered into by a
home improvement contractor in the ordinary course of such contractor's
business and, immediately upon funding, assigned to the Company, (ii) was
originated by a home equity lender in the ordinary course of such lender's
business and assigned to the Company, or (iii) was originated by the Company
directly; (g) no Contract was originated in or is subject to the laws of any
jurisdiction whose laws would make the transfer of the Contract or an interest
therein pursuant to the Agreement or the Certificates unlawful; (h) each
Contract complies with all requirements of law; (i) no Contract has been
satisfied, subordinated to a lower lien ranking than its original position (if
any) or rescinded; (j) each Contract creates a valid and perfected lien on the
related improved real estate; (k) all parties to each Contract had full legal
capacity to execute such Contract; (l) no Contract has been sold, conveyed and
assigned or pledged to any other person and the Company has good and
marketable title to each Contract free and clear of any encumbrance, equity,
loan, pledge, charge, claim or security interest, and is the sole owner and
has full right to transfer such Contract to the Trustee; (m) as of the Cut-off
Date there was no default, breach, violation or event permitting acceleration
under any Contract (except for payment delinquencies permitted by clause (a)
above), no event that with notice and the expiration of any grace or cure
period would constitute a default, breach, violation or event permitting
acceleration under such Contract, and the Company has not waived any of the
foregoing; (n) each Contract is a fully-amortizing loan with a fixed rate of
interest and provides for level payments over the term of such Contract; (o)
each Contract contains customary and enforceable provisions such as to render
the rights and remedies of the holder thereof adequate for realization against
the collateral; (p) the description of each Contract set forth in the list
delivered to the Trustee is true and correct; (q) there is only one original
of each Contract; and (r) each Contract was originated or purchased in
accordance with the Company's then-current underwriting guidelines.
Under the terms of the Agreement, if the Company becomes aware of a breach
of any such representation or warranty that materially adversely affects the
Trust Fund's interest in any Contract or receives written notice of such a
breach from the Trustee or the Servicer, then the Company will be obligated
either to cure such breach
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or to repurchase or, if so provided in the related Prospectus Supplement,
substitute for the affected Contract, in each case under the conditions
further described herein and in the Prospectus Supplement. This repurchase
obligation will constitute the sole remedy available to the Trust Fund and the
Certificateholders for a breach of a representation or warranty under the
Agreement with respect to the Contracts (but not with respect to any other
breach by the Company of its obligations under the Agreement). If a prohibited
transaction tax under the REMIC provisions of the Code is incurred in
connection with such repurchase, distributions otherwise payable to Residual
Certificateholders will be applied to pay such tax. The Company will be
required to pay the amount of such tax that is not funded out of such
distributions.
The "Repurchase Price" of a Contract at any time means the outstanding
principal amount of such Contract (without giving effect to any Advances made
by the Servicer or the Trustee), plus interest at the applicable Pass-Through
Rate on such Contract from the end of the Due Period with respect to which the
Obligor last made a payment (without giving effect to any Advances made by the
Servicer or the Trustee) through the end of the immediately preceding Due
Period.
PAYMENTS ON CONTRACTS
Each Certificate Account will be a trust account established by the Servicer
as to each Series of Certificates in the name of the Trustee (i) with a
depository institution, the long-term unsecured debt obligations of which at
the time of any deposit therein are rated within the two highest rating
categories, or such other rating category as will not adversely affect the
ratings assigned to the Certificates, by each rating agency rating the
Certificates of such Series, (ii) with the trust department of a national
bank, (iii) in an account or accounts the deposits in which are fully insured
by the FDIC, (iv) in an account or accounts the deposits in which are insured
by the FDIC (to the limits established by the FDIC), the uninsured deposits in
which are otherwise secured such that, as evidenced by an opinion of counsel,
the Certificateholders have a claim with respect to the funds in the
Certificate Account or a perfected first priority security interest against
any collateral securing such funds that is superior to the claims of any other
depositors or general creditors of the depository institution with which the
Certificate Account is maintained or (v) otherwise acceptable to the rating
agency without reduction or withdrawal of the rating assigned to the relevant
Certificates. The collateral eligible to secure amounts in the Certificate
Account is limited to United States government securities and certain other
high-quality investments specified in the applicable Agreement ("Eligible
Investments"). A Certificate Account may be maintained as an interest-bearing
account, or the funds held therein may be invested pending each succeeding
Payment Date in Eligible Investments.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Servicer will deposit in the Certificate Account on a daily basis all proceeds
and collections received or made by it with respect to the related Contracts
subsequent to the Cut-off Date (including scheduled payments of principal and
interest due after the Cut-off Date but received by the Servicer on or before
the Cut-off Date), including:
(i) all Obligor payments on account of principal, including principal
prepayments, on the Contracts;
(ii) all Obligor payments on account of interest on the Contracts;
(iii) all FHA Insurance payments received by the Servicer;
(iv) all amounts received and retained in connection with the liquidation
of defaulted Contracts, net of liquidation expenses ("Net Liquidation
Proceeds");
(v) any Advances made as described under "Advances" below and certain
other amounts required under the Agreement to be deposited in the
Certificate Account;
(vi) all amounts received from any credit enhancement provided with
respect to a Series of Certificates; and
(vii) all proceeds of any Contract or property acquired in respect
thereof repurchased by the Servicer or the Company, as described under
"Conveyance of Contracts" above or under "Repurchase Option" below.
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DISTRIBUTIONS ON CERTIFICATES
Except as otherwise provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, on each
Payment Date for a Series of Certificates, the Trustee will withdraw from the
applicable Certificate Account and distribute to the Certificateholders of
such Series of record on the preceding Record Date an amount equal to, in the
aggregate, the "Amount Available" for such Payment Date. Unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the "Amount Available" for
a Payment Date is an amount equal to the aggregate of all amounts on deposit
in the Certificate Account as of the seventh Business Day following the end of
the related Due Period, or such other date as may be specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Determination Date") except: (i) all payments on
the Contracts that were due on or before the Cut-off Date; (ii) all payments
or collections received after the Due Period preceding the month in which the
Payment Date occurs; (iii) all scheduled payments of principal and interest
due on a date or dates subsequent to the Due Period preceding the
Determination Date; (iv) amounts representing reimbursement for Advances, such
reimbursement being limited, if so specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, to amounts received on particular Contracts as late collections of
principal or interest as to which the Servicer has made an unreimbursed
Advance; and (v) amounts representing reimbursement for any unpaid Servicing
Fee. In the case of a Series of Certificates which includes only one Class,
the Amount Available for each Payment Date will be distributed pro rata to the
holders of such Certificates. In the case of any other Series of Certificates,
the Amount Available for each Payment Date will be allocated and distributed
to holders of the Certificates of such Series pursuant to the method and in
the order of priority specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The
amount of principal and interest specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement to be distributed to Certificateholders is referred to herein as
the "Certificate Distribution Amount."
Within the time specified in the Agreement and described in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer will furnish a statement to the Trustee
setting forth the amount to be distributed on the related Payment Date on
account of principal and interest, stated separately, and a statement setting
forth certain information with respect to the Contracts.
ADVANCES
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, to the
extent that collections on a Contract in any Due Period are less than the
scheduled payment due thereon, the Servicer will be obligated to make an
advance of the uncollected portion of such scheduled payment. The Servicer
will be obligated to advance a delinquent payment on a Contract only to the
extent that the Servicer, in its sole discretion, expects to recoup such
Advance from subsequent collections on the Contract or from liquidation
proceeds thereof. The Servicer will deposit any Advances in the Certificate
Account no later than one Business Day before the following Payment Date. The
Servicer will be entitled to recoup its advances on a Contract from subsequent
payments by or on behalf of the Obligor and from liquidation proceeds
(including FHA Insurance payments, if applicable, or foreclosure resale
proceeds), if any, of the Contract, and will release its right to
reimbursements in conjunction with the purchase of the Contract by the Company
for breach of representations and warranties. If the Servicer determines in
good faith that an amount previously advanced will not ultimately be
recoverable from payments by or on behalf of the Obligor or from liquidation
proceeds (including FHA Insurance payments, if applicable, or foreclosure
resale proceeds), if any, of the Contract (an "Uncollectible Advance"), the
Servicer will be entitled to reimbursement from payments on other Contracts or
from other funds available therefor.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, if the
Servicer fails to make an Advance required under the Agreement, the Trustee
will be obligated to deposit the amount of such Advance in the Certificate
Account on the Payment Date. The Trustee will not, however, be obligated to
deposit any such amount if (i) the Trustee does not expect to recoup such
Advance from subsequent collections on the Contract or from liquidation
proceeds thereof, if any, or (ii) the Trustee determines that it is not
legally able to make such Advance.
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EXAMPLE OF DISTRIBUTIONS
The following is an example of the flow of funds as it would relate to a
hypothetical Series of Certificates issued, and with a Cut-off Date occurring,
in March 1996 (all weekdays are assumed to be business days):
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
March 1......................................... (1) Cut-off Date.
March 1-31...................................... (2) Due Period. Servicer
receives scheduled payments
on the Contracts and any
principal prepayments made
by Obligors and applicable
interest thereon.
March 29........................................ (3) Record Date.
April 9......................................... (4) Determination Date.
Distribution amount
determined.
April 15........................................ (5) Payment Date.
</TABLE>
Succeeding months follow the pattern of (2) through (5). The flow of funds
with respect to any Series of Certificates may differ from the above example,
as specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
- --------
(1) The initial principal balance of the Contract Pool will be the aggregate
principal balance of the Contracts at the close of business on the Cut-off
Date, after deducting principal payments due on or before such date,
which, together with corresponding interest payments, are not part of the
Contract Pool and will not be passed through to Certificateholders.
(2) Scheduled payments and principal prepayments may be received at any time
during this period and will be deposited in the Certificate Account by the
Servicer for distribution to Certificateholders. When a Contract is
prepaid in full, interest on the amount prepaid is collected from the
Obligor only to the date of payment.
(3) Distributions on April 15 will be made to Certificateholders of record at
the close of business on the last Business Day of March, being the month
immediately preceding the month of distribution.
(4) On April 9 (the seventh Business Day following the end of the prior Due
Period), the Servicer will determine the amounts of principal and interest
which will be passed through on April 15. In addition, the Servicer may
advance funds to cover any delinquencies, in which event the distribution
to Certificateholders on April 15 will include the full amounts of
principal and interest due during March. The Servicer will also calculate
any changes in the relative interests evidenced by the Senior Certificates
and the Subordinated Certificates in the Trust Fund.
(5) On April 15, the amounts determined on April 9 will be distributed to
Certificateholders.
INDEMNIFICATION
The Agreement requires the Company to defend and indemnify the Trust Fund,
the Trustee (including any agent of the Trustee) and the Certificateholders
(which indemnification will survive any removal of the Servicer as servicer of
the Contracts) against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages, claims
and liabilities, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel and
expenses of litigation (a) arising out of or resulting from the use or
ownership by the Company or the Servicer or any affiliate thereof of any real
estate related to a Contract and (b) for any taxes which may at any time be
asserted with respect to, and as of the date of, the conveyance of the
Contracts to the Trust Fund (but not including any federal, state or other tax
arising out of the creation of the Trust Fund and the issuance of the
Certificates).
The Agreement also requires the Servicer, in connection with its duties as
servicer of the Contracts, to defend and indemnify the Trust Fund, the Trustee
and the Certificateholders (which indemnification will survive any removal of
the Servicer as servicer of the Contracts) against any and all costs,
expenses, losses, damages, claims and liabilities, including reasonable fees
and expenses of counsel and expenses of litigation, in respect of any action
taken by the Servicer with respect to any Contract while it was the Servicer.
SERVICING
Pursuant to the Agreement, the Servicer will service and administer the
Contracts assigned to the Trustee as more fully set forth below. The Servicer
will perform diligently all services and duties specified in each
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Agreement, in the same manner as prudent lending institutions of home
improvement contracts and home equity loans of the same type as the Contracts
in those jurisdictions where the related real properties are located or as
otherwise specified in the Agreement. The duties to be performed by the
Servicer will include collection and remittance of principal and interest
payments, collection of insurance claims and, if necessary, foreclosure of
Contracts.
The Servicer will make reasonable efforts to collect all payments called for
under the Contracts and, consistent with the Agreement and any FHA Insurance,
will follow such collection procedures with respect to the Contracts as it
follows with respect to mortgage loans or contracts serviced by it that are
comparable to the Contracts.
Evidence as to Compliance. Unless otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, each Agreement will require the Servicer to deliver to
the Trustee a monthly report prior to each Payment Date, setting forth certain
information regarding the Contract Pool and the Certificates of such Series as
is specified in the related Prospectus Supplement. Each such report to the
Trustee will be accompanied by a statement from an appropriate officer of the
Servicer certifying the accuracy of such report and stating that the Servicer
has not defaulted in the performance of its obligations under the Agreement.
On or before May 1 of each year, the Servicer will deliver to the Trustee a
report of a nationally recognized accounting firm stating that such firm has
examined certain documents and records relating to the servicing of home
improvement contracts and home equity loans serviced by the Servicer under
pooling and servicing agreements similar to the Agreement and stating that, on
the basis of such procedures, such servicing has been conducted in compliance
with the Agreement, except for any exceptions set forth in such report.
Certain Matters Regarding the Servicer. The Servicer may not resign from its
obligations and duties under an Agreement except upon a determination that its
duties thereunder are no longer permissible under applicable law. No such
resignation will become effective until the Trustee or a successor servicer
has assumed the Servicer's obligations and duties under such Agreement. The
Servicer can only be removed as servicer upon the occurrence of an Event of
Termination as discussed below.
The Servicer shall keep in force throughout the term of the Agreement (i) a
policy or policies of insurance covering errors and omissions for failure to
maintain insurance as required by the Agreement, and (ii) a fidelity bond.
Such policy or policies and such fidelity bond shall be in such form and
amount as is generally customary among persons which service a portfolio of
home improvement contracts and home equity loans having an aggregate principal
amount of $10 million or more and which are generally regarded as servicers
acceptable to institutional investors.
Servicing Compensation and Payment of Expenses. For its servicing of the
Contracts, the Servicer will receive servicing fees ("Servicing Fees") which
include a Monthly Servicing Fee (which the Company may assign) for each Due
Period (paid on the next succeeding Payment Date) equal to 1/12th of the
product of the annual servicing fee rate described in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement and the Pool Scheduled Principal Balance for such
Payment Date. As long as the Company is the Servicer, the Trustee will pay the
Company its Monthly Servicing Fee from any monies remaining after the
Certificateholders have received all payments of principal and interest for
such Payment Date.
The Monthly Servicing Fee provides compensation for customary third-party
servicing activities to be performed by the Servicer for the Trust Fund, for
additional administrative services performed by the Servicer on behalf of the
Trust Fund and for expenses paid by the Servicer on behalf of the Trust Fund.
Customary servicing activities include collecting and recording payments,
communicating with Obligors, investigating payment delinquencies, providing
billing and tax records to Obligors and maintaining internal records with
respect to each Contract. Administrative services performed by the Servicer on
behalf of the Trust Fund include selecting and packaging the Contracts,
calculating distributions to Certificateholders and providing related data
processing and reporting services for Certificateholders and on behalf of the
Trustee. Expenses incurred in connection with servicing of the Contracts and
paid by the Company from its Monthly Servicing Fees include payment of FHA
Insurance premiums, payment of fees and expenses of accountants, payments of
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all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement of Contracts
or foreclosure on collateral relating thereto (including submission of FHA
Insurance claims, if applicable), payment of Trustee's fees, and payment of
expenses incurred in connection with distributions and reports to
Certificateholders, except that the Servicer shall be reimbursed out of the
liquidation proceeds of a liquidated Contract (including FHA Insurance
proceeds) for customary out-of-pocket liquidation expenses incurred by it.
Events of Termination. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, Events of Termination under each Agreement will occur
if (a) the Servicer fails to make any payment or deposit required under the
Agreement (including an Advance) and such failure continues for four business
days; (b) the Servicer fails to observe or perform in any material respect any
other covenant or agreement in the Agreement which continues unremedied for
thirty days; (c) the Servicer conveys, assigns or delegates its duties or
rights under the Agreement, except as specifically permitted under the
Agreement, or attempts to make such a conveyance, assignment or delegation;
(d) a court having jurisdiction in the premises enters a decree or order for
relief in respect of the Servicer in an involuntary case under any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or
appoints a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, or sequestrator
(or similar official) of the Servicer, as the case may be, or enters a decree
or order for any substantial liquidation of its affairs; (e) the Servicer
commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or
similar law, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary
case under any such law, or consents to the appointment of or taking
possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian or its
creditors, or fails to, or admits in writing its inability to, pay its debts
as they become due, or takes any corporate action in furtherance of the
foregoing; (f) the Servicer fails to be an Eligible Servicer; or (g) if the
Company is the Servicer, the Company's servicing rights under its master
seller-servicer contract with GNMA are terminated. The Servicer will be
required under the Agreement to give the Trustee and the Certificateholders
notice of an Event of Termination promptly upon the occurrence of such event.
Rights Upon Event of Termination. Except as otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, so long as an Event of Termination remains
unremedied, the Trustee may, and at the written direction of
Certificateholders representing 25% or more of the Aggregate Certificate
Principal Balance of a Series shall, terminate all of the rights and
obligations of the Servicer under the related Agreement and in and to the
Contracts, and the proceeds thereof, whereupon (subject to applicable law
regarding the Trustee's ability to make advances) the Trustee or a successor
Servicer under the Agreement will succeed to all the responsibilities, duties
and liabilities of the Servicer under the Agreement and will be entitled to
similar compensation arrangements; provided, however, that neither the Trustee
nor any successor Servicer will assume any obligation of the Company to
repurchase Contracts for breaches of representations or warranties, and the
Trustee and such successor Servicer will not be liable for any acts or
omissions of the prior Servicer occurring prior to a transfer of the
Servicer's servicing and related functions or for any breach by such Servicer
of any of its obligations contained in the Agreement. In addition, the Trustee
will notify FHA of the Company's termination as Servicer of the Contracts and
will request that the portion of the Company's FHA Insurance reserves
allocable to the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts be transferred to the
Trustee or a successor Servicer. See "Description of FHA Insurance."
Notwithstanding such termination, the Servicer shall be entitled to payment of
certain amounts payable to it prior to such termination, for services rendered
prior to such termination. No such termination will affect in any manner the
Company's obligation to repurchase certain Contracts for breaches of
representations or warranties under the Agreement. In the event that the
Trustee would be obligated to succeed the Servicer but is unwilling or unable
so to act, it may appoint, or petition to a court of competent jurisdiction
for the appointment of, a Servicer. Pending such appointment, the Trustee is
obligated to act in such capacity. The Trustee and such successor may agree
upon the servicing compensation to be paid, which in no event may be greater
than the compensation to the Servicer under the Agreement.
The Trustee will be under no obligation to take any action or to institute,
conduct or defend any litigation under the Agreement at the request, order or
direction of any of the Holders of Certificates, unless such
Certificateholders have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or
indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which the Trustee may
incur.
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REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
The Trustee will forward to each Certificateholder on each Payment Date, or
as soon thereafter as is practicable, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, a statement setting forth, among other things:
(a) the amount of such distribution which constitutes Monthly Principal,
specifying the amounts constituting scheduled payments by Obligors,
principal prepayments on the Contracts, and other payments with respect to
the Contracts;
(b) the amount of such distribution which constitutes Monthly Interest;
(c) the remaining Principal Balance represented by such
Certificateholder's interest;
(d) the Company's FHA Insurance reserve amount;
(e) the amount of fees payable out of the Trust Fund;
(f) the Pool Factor (a percentage derived from a fraction the numerator
of which is the remaining Principal Balance of the Certificates and the
denominator of which is the Initial Principal Amount of the Certificates)
immediately before and immediately after such Payment Date;
(g) the number and aggregate principal balance of Contracts delinquent
(i) 31-59 days, (ii) 60-89 and (iii) 90 or more days;
(h) the number of Contracts liquidated during the Due Period ending
immediately before such Payment Date;
(i) such customary factual information as is necessary to enable
Certificateholders to prepare their tax returns; and
(j) such other customary factual information available to the Servicer
without unreasonable expense as is necessary to enable Certificateholders
to comply with regulatory requirements.
REPURCHASE OPTION
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, each
Agreement will provide that on any Payment Date on which the Pool Scheduled
Principal Balance is less than 10% of the Cut-Off Date Pool Principal Balance,
the Company or the Servicer will have the option to repurchase, on 30 days'
prior written notice to the Trustee, all outstanding Contracts in the related
Contract Pool at a price equal to the greatest of (i) the principal balance of
the Contracts on the prior Payment Date plus 30 days' accrued interest thereon
at the applicable Pass-Through Rate and any delinquent payments of interest
thereon, plus the fair market value (as determined by the Servicer) of any
acquired properties, (ii) the fair market value of all of the assets of the
Trust Fund, and (iii) an amount equal to the Aggregate Certificate Principal
Balance of the related Certificates plus interest on such Certificates payable
on and prior to the Payment Date occurring in the month following such
repurchase (less amounts on deposit in the Certificate Account and available
to pay such principal and interest). Such price will be paid on the Payment
Date on which such purchase occurs to the Certificateholders of record on the
last Business Day of the immediately preceding Due Period in immediately
available funds against the Trustee's delivery of the Contracts and any
acquired properties to the Servicer. The distribution of such purchase price
to Certificateholders will be in lieu of any other distribution to be made on
such Payment Date with respect to the related Contracts.
AMENDMENT
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Agreement may be amended by the Company, the Servicer and the Trustee without
the consent of the Certificateholders, (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision therein that may be inconsistent with any
other provision therein, (iii) if an election has been made with respect to a
particular Series of Certificates to treat the Trust Fund as a real estate
mortgage investment conduit ("REMIC") within the meaning of Section 860D(a) of
the Code, to maintain the REMIC status of the Trust Fund and to avoid the
imposition of certain taxes on the REMIC or (iv) to make any other provisions
with respect to matters or questions arising under such Agreement that are not
inconsistent with the provisions thereof, provided that such action will not
adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the
Certificateholders of the related Series. Unless otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus
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Supplement, the Agreement may also be amended by the Company, the Servicer and
the Trustee with the consent of the Certificateholders (other than holders of
Residual Certificates) representing 66 2/3% or more of the Aggregate
Certificate Principal Balance of a Series for the purpose of adding any
provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions
of such Agreement or of modifying in any manner the rights of the
Certificateholders; provided, however, that no such amendment that reduces in
any manner the amount of, or delays the timing of, any payment received on or
with respect to Contracts which are required to be distributed on any
Certificate may be effective without the consent of the Holders of each such
Certificate.
TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT
The obligations created by each Agreement will terminate (after distribution
of all Monthly Principal and Monthly Interest then due to Certificateholders)
on the earlier of (a) the Payment Date next succeeding the later of the final
payment or other liquidation of the last Contract or the disposition of all
property acquired upon foreclosure of any Contract; or (b) the Payment Date on
which the Company or the Servicer repurchases the Contracts as described under
"Description of the Certificates--Repurchase Option." However, the Company's
representations, warranties and indemnities will survive any termination of
the Agreement.
THE TRUSTEE
The Prospectus Supplement for a Series of Certificates will specify the
Trustee under the related Agreement. The Trustee may have customary commercial
banking relationships with the Company or its affiliates and the Servicer or
its affiliates.
The Trustee may resign at any time, in which event the Company will be
obligated to appoint a successor Trustee. The Company may also remove the
Trustee if the Trustee ceases to be eligible to continue as such under the
Agreement or if the Trustee becomes insolvent. Any resignation or removal of
the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will not become effective
until acceptance of the appointment by the successor Trustee.
The Trustee will make no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of
the Agreement, the Certificates or any Contract, Contract file or related
documents, and will not be accountable for the use or application by the
Company of any funds paid to the Company, as seller, in consideration of the
conveyance of the Contracts, or deposited into or withdrawn from the
Certificate Account by the Servicer. If no Event of Termination has occurred,
the Trustee will be required to perform only those duties specifically
required of it under the Agreement. However, upon receipt of the various
certificates, reports or other instruments required to be furnished to it, the
Trustee will be required to examine them to determine whether they conform as
to form to the requirements of the Agreement. Whether or not an Event of
Termination has occurred, the Trustee is not required to expend or risk its
own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of its
duties or the exercise of its powers if it has reasonable grounds to believe
that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
Under the Agreement, the Servicer agrees to pay to the Trustee on each
Payment Date (a) reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
thereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in
regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) and (b)
reimbursement for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred
or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of the Agreement
(including FHA Insurance premiums not paid by the Servicer and reasonable
compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel),
except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to the
Trustee's negligence or bad faith. The Company has agreed to indemnify the
Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense
incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration of the Trust Fund and the
Trustee's duties thereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending
itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or
performance of any of the Trustee's powers or duties thereunder.
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DESCRIPTION OF FHA INSURANCE
Certain of the Home Improvement Contracts may be FHA-insured, the payments
upon which, subject to the following discussion, are insured by the FHA under
Title I of the National Housing Act.
The insurance available to any Trust Fund will be subject to the limit of a
reserve amount equal to 10% of the principal balance of all Title I insured
loans originated or purchased and reported for FHA Insurance by the Company,
which amount will be increased by an amount equal to 10% of the lesser of the
principal balance or the purchase price of insured loans subsequently
originated or purchased of record by the Company. The Company's reserve amount
may be reduced by 10% of the principal balance of any loans reported to FHA as
sold without recourse by the Company. In the Agreement, the Company will agree
to pay all FHA Insurance premiums required by FHA Regulations. If the Company
fails to pay any such premium, the Trustee or the successor Servicer (if any)
with respect to each Series is obligated to pay such premium and is entitled
to be reimbursed by the Company and from collections on the related Home
Improvement Contracts.
As of September 30, 1996, the Company's FHA Insurance reserve amount was
equal to approximately $99,075,000. These insurance reserves were available to
cover losses on approximately $1,150,585,000 of FHA-insured manufactured
housing contracts and approximately $168,362,000 of FHA-insured home
improvement loans, including the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts that
may be owned by a Trust Fund. If an Event of Termination (as defined under
"Description of the Certificates--Events of Termination") occurs, each Trustee
will notify FHA of the Company's termination as Servicer of the related FHA-
insured Home Improvement Contracts and will request that the portion of the
Company's FHA Insurance reserves allocable to the FHA-insured Home Improvement
Contracts be transferred to the Trustee or a successor Servicer. Although each
Trustee will request such a transfer of reserves, FHA is not obligated to
comply with such a request, and may determine that it is not in FHA's interest
to permit such transfer of reserves. In addition, FHA has not specified how
insurance reserves might be allocated in such event, and there can be no
assurance that any reserve amount, if transferred to the Trustee or a
successor Servicer, would not be substantially less than 10% of the
outstanding principal amount of the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts. It
is likely that the Trustee or any successor Servicer would be the lender of
record on other FHA Title I loans, so that any reserves that are so permitted
to be transferred would become commingled with reserves available for other
FHA Title I loans. FHA also reserves the right to transfer reserves with
"earmarking" (segregating such reserves so that they will not be commingled
with the reserves of the transferee) if it is in FHA's interest to do so.
In general, FHA will insure property improvement loans up to $25,000 for a
single-family property, with a maximum term of 20 years. FHA will insure loans
of up to $17,500 for manufactured homes which qualify as real estate under
applicable state law and loans of up to $12,000 per unit for a $48,000 limit
for four units for owner-occupied multiple-family homes. If the loan amount is
$15,000 or more, FHA requires a drive-by appraisal, the current tax assessment
value, or a full Uniform Residential Appraisal Report dated within 12 months
of the closing to verify the property's value. The maximum loan amount on
transactions requiring an appraisal is the amount of equity in the property
shown by the market value determination of the property. The loan proceeds
must be used for the purposes described in the loan application, and those
improvements must substantially protect or improve the basic livability or
utility of the property. The Secretary of HUD from time to time publishes a
list of ineligible items and activities which may not be financed with the
proceeds of an FHA-insured home improvement loan.
Following a default on an FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract the Servicer
may, subject to certain conditions, either commence foreclosure proceedings
against the improved property securing the loan, if applicable, or submit a
claim to FHA, but may submit a claim to FHA after proceeding against the
improved property only with the prior approval of the Secretary of HUD. The
availability of FHA Insurance following a default on an FHA-insured Home
Improvement Contract is subject to a number of conditions, including strict
compliance by the Company with FHA regulations in originating and servicing
the Home Improvement Contract.
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Failure to comply with FHA regulations may result in a denial of or surcharge
on the FHA Insurance claim. Prior to declaring an FHA-insured Home Improvement
Contract in default and submitting a claim to FHA, the Servicer must take
certain steps to attempt to cure the default, including personal contact with
the borrower either by telephone or in a meeting and providing the borrower
with 30 days' written notice prior to declaration of default. FHA may deny
insurance coverage if the borrower's nonpayment is related to a valid
objection to faulty contractor performance. In such event, the Company will
seek to obtain payment by or a judgment against the borrower, and may resubmit
the claim to FHA following such a judgment. As described under "Green Tree
Financial Corporation--Contract Origination," the Company does not purchase a
Home Improvement Contract until the customer verifies satisfactory completion
of the work.
Upon submission of a claim to FHA, the related Trust Fund must assign its
entire interest in the Home Improvement Contract to the United States. In
general, the claim payment will equal 90% of the sum of (i) the unpaid
principal amount of the Home Improvement Contract at the date of default and
uncollected interest computed at the Contract Rate earned to the date of
default, (ii) accrued and unpaid interest on the unpaid amount of the Home
Improvement Contract from the date of default to the date of submission of the
claim plus 15 calendar days (but in no event more than nine months) computed
at a rate of 7% per annum, (iii) uncollected court costs, (iv) legal fees, not
to exceed $500, and (v) expenses for recording the assignment of the lien to
the United States, if applicable.
CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE CONTRACTS;
REPURCHASE OBLIGATIONS
As a result of the Company's conveyance and assignment of a pool of
Contracts to a Trust Fund, the Certificateholders of such Series, as the
beneficial owners of the Trust Fund, will succeed collectively to all of the
rights thereunder (including the right to receive payment on the Contracts).
The following discussion contains summaries of certain legal aspects of home
improvement contracts and home equity loans secured by residential properties
which are general in nature. These legal aspects are in addition to the
requirements of FHA regulations described in "Description of FHA Insurance"
with respect to the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts. Because such legal
aspects are governed by applicable state law (which laws may differ
substantially), the summaries do not purport to be complete nor to reflect the
laws of any particular state, nor to encompass the laws of all states in which
the real estate securing the Contracts may be situated or which may govern any
Contract. The summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the
applicable federal and state laws governing the Contracts.
MORTGAGES AND DEEDS OF TRUST
The Contracts will be secured by either mortgages, deeds of trust, security
deeds or deeds to secure debt depending upon the prevailing practice in the
state in which the underlying property is located, and may have first, second
or third priority. In some states, a mortgage creates a lien upon the real
property encumbered by the mortgage or deed of trust. In other states, the
mortgage conveys legal title to the property to the mortgagee subject to a
condition subsequent, i.e., the payment of the indebtedness secured thereby.
There are two parties to a mortgage: the mortgagor, who is the borrower, and
the mortgagee, who is the lender. In a mortgage state, the mortgagor delivers
to the mortgagee a note or retail installment contract evidencing the loan and
the mortgage. Although a deed of trust is similar to a mortgage, a deed of
trust has three parties: the borrower, or trustor, the lender as beneficiary,
and a third-party grantee called the trustee. Under a deed of trust, the
borrower grants the property, irrevocably until the debt is paid, in trust,
generally with a power of sale, to the trustee to secure repayment of the
loan. The trustee's authority under a deed of trust and the mortgagee's
authority under a mortgage are governed by applicable state law, the express
provisions of the deed of trust or mortgage, and, in
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some cases with respect to deeds of trust, the directions of the beneficiary.
Some states use a security deed or deed to secure debt which is similar to a
deed of trust except that it has only two parties: a grantor (similar to a
mortgagor) and a grantee (similar to a mortgagee). Mortgages, deeds of trust
and deeds to secure debt are not prior to liens for real estate taxes and
assessments and other charges imposed under governmental police powers.
Priority between mortgages, deeds of trust and deeds to secure debt and other
encumbrances depends on their terms, the knowledge of the parties to such
instrument in some cases and generally on the order of recordation of the
mortgage, deed of trust or the deed to secure debt in the appropriate
recording office.
SUBORDINATE MORTGAGES; RIGHTS OF SENIOR MORTGAGEES OR BENEFICIARIES
A substantial number of the mortgages, security deeds, deeds to secure debt
and deeds of trust securing the Contracts in any Contract Pool are expected to
be second or third mortgages or deeds of trust which are junior to mortgages
or deeds of trust held by other lenders or institutional investors. The rights
of the related Trust Fund (and therefore the Certificateholders), as
beneficiary under a junior deed of trust or as mortgagee under a junior
mortgage, are subordinate to those of the mortgagee or beneficiary under the
senior mortgage or deed of trust, including the prior rights of the senior
mortgagee or beneficiary to receive hazard insurance and condemnation proceeds
and to cause the property securing the Contract to be sold upon default of the
mortgagor or trustor under the senior mortgage or deed of trust, thereby
extinguishing the junior mortgagee's or junior beneficiary's lien unless the
Servicer on behalf of the Trust Fund asserts its subordinate interest in the
property in foreclosure litigation and, possibly, satisfies the defaulted
senior loan or loans. As discussed more fully below, a junior mortgagee or
beneficiary may satisfy a defaulted senior loan in full, or in some states may
cure such default and bring the senior loan current, in either event usually
adding the amounts expended to the balance due on the junior loan. Although
the Company generally does not cure defaults under a senior mortgage or deed
of trust, it is the Company's standard practice to protect its interest by
attending any foreclosure sale and bidding for property only if it is in the
Company's best interests to do so.
The standard form of the mortgage or deed of trust used by most
institutional lenders, like that of the Company, confers on the mortgagee or
beneficiary the right both to receive all proceeds collected under any hazard
insurance policy and all awards made in connection with any condemnation
proceedings, and to apply such proceeds and awards to any indebtedness secured
by the mortgage or deed of trust, in such order as the mortgagee or
beneficiary may determine. Thus, in the event improvements on the property are
damaged or destroyed by fire or other casualty, or in the event the property
is taken by condemnation, the mortgagee or beneficiary under the underlying
first mortgage or deed of trust will have the prior right to collect any
insurance proceeds payable under a hazard insurance policy and any award of
damages in connection with the condemnation and to apply the same to the
indebtedness secured by the first mortgage or deed of trust. Proceeds in
excess of the amount of first mortgage indebtedness, in most cases, may be
applied to the indebtedness of a junior mortgage or deed of trust.
The form of mortgage or deed of trust used by institutional lenders may
contain a "future advance" clause, which provides, in essence, that additional
amounts advanced to or on behalf of the mortgagor or trustor by the mortgagee
or beneficiary are to be secured by the mortgage or deed of trust. The
priority of any advance made under the clause depends, in some states, on
whether the advance was an "obligatory" or "optional" advance. If the
mortgagee or beneficiary is obligated to advance the additional amounts, the
advance is entitled to receive the same priority as amounts initially advanced
under the mortgage or deed of trust, notwithstanding the fact that there may
be junior mortgages or deeds of trust and other liens which intervene between
the date of recording of the mortgage or deed of trust and the date of the
future advance, and, in some states, notwithstanding that the senior mortgagee
or beneficiary had actual knowledge of such intervening junior mortgages or
deeds of trust and other liens at the time of the advance. Where the mortgagee
or beneficiary is not obligated to advance additional amounts or, in some
states, has actual knowledge of the intervening junior mortgages or deeds of
trust and other liens, the advance will be subordinate to such intervening
junior mortgages or deeds of trust and other liens.
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Priority of advances under the clause rests, in some states, on state statutes
giving priority to all advances made under the loan agreement to a "credit
limit" amount stated in the recorded mortgage.
Another provision typically found in the form of the mortgage or deed of
trust used by most institutional lenders obligates the mortgagor or trustor to
pay before delinquency all taxes and assessments on the property and, when
due, all encumbrances, charges and liens on the property which appear prior to
the mortgage or deed of trust, to provide and maintain fire insurance on the
property, to maintain and repair the property and not to commit or permit any
waste thereof, and to appear in and defend any action or proceeding purporting
to affect the property or the rights of the mortgagee or beneficiary under the
mortgage or deed of trust. Upon a failure of the mortgagor or trustor to
perform any of these obligations, the mortgagee or beneficiary is given the
right under the mortgage or deed of trust to perform the obligation itself, at
its election, with the mortgagor or trustor agreeing to reimburse the
mortgagee or beneficiary for any sums expended by the mortgagee or beneficiary
on behalf of the mortgagor or trustor. All sums so expended by a senior
mortgagee or beneficiary generally become part of the indebtedness secured by
the senior mortgage or deed of trust.
SUBORDINATE FINANCING
Where the borrower encumbers the mortgaged property with one or more junior
liens, the senior lender is subjected to additional risk. First, the borrower
may have difficulty servicing and repaying multiple loans. Second, acts of the
senior lender which prejudice the junior lender or impair the junior lender's
security may create a superior equity in favor of the junior lender. For
example, if the borrower and the senior lender agree to an increase in the
principal amount of or the interest rate payable on the senior loan, the
senior lender may lose its priority to the extent any existing junior lender
is harmed or the borrower is additionally burdened. Third, if the borrower
defaults on the senior loan and/or any junior loan or loans, the existence of
junior loans and actions taken by junior lenders can impair the security
available to the senior lender and can interfere with or delay the taking of
action by the senior lender. The bankruptcy of a junior lender may operate to
stay foreclosure or similar proceedings by the senior lender.
FORECLOSURE
Foreclosure is a legal procedure that allows the mortgagor to recover its
mortgage debt by enforcing its rights and available remedies under the
mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or security deed. Foreclosure of
a mortgage is generally accomplished by judicial action. A foreclosure action
is regulated by statutes and rules and subject throughout to the court's
equitable powers. Generally, a mortgagor is bound by the terms of the mortgage
note and the mortgage as made and cannot be relieved from its own default.
However, since a foreclosure action is equitable in nature and is addressed to
a court of equity, the court may relieve a mortgagor of a default and deny the
mortgagee foreclosure on proof that the mortgagor's default was neither
willful nor in bad faith and that the mortgagee's action was such as to
establish a waiver, or fraud, bad faith, oppressive or unconscionable conduct
as to warrant a court of equity to refuse affirmative relief to the mortgagee.
Under certain circumstances a court of equity may relieve the mortgagor from
an entirely technical default where such default was not willful. Generally,
the action is initiated by the service of legal pleadings upon all parties
having an interest of record in the real property. Delays in completion of the
foreclosure occasionally may result from difficulties in locating necessary
parties defendant. When the mortgagee's right to foreclosure is contested, the
legal proceedings necessary to resolve the issue can be time-consuming. After
the completion of a judicial foreclosure proceeding, the court may issue a
judgment of foreclosure and appoint a referee or other officer to conduct the
sale of the property. In some states, mortgages may also be foreclosed by
advertisement, pursuant to a power of sale provided in the mortgage.
Foreclosure of a mortgage by advertisement is essentially similar to
foreclosure of a deed of trust by non-judicial power of sale.
Foreclosure of a deed of trust or a deed to secure debt is generally
accomplished by a non-judicial trustee's sale under a specific provision in
the deed of trust, security deed or deed to secure debt that authorizes the
trustee to sell the property upon any default by the borrower under the terms
of the note, deed of trust, security deed or
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deed to secure debt. In certain states, such foreclosure also may be
accomplished by judicial action in the manner provided for foreclosure of
mortgages. In some states, prior to a sale, the trustee must record a notice
of default and send a copy to the borrower trustor and to any person who has
recorded a request for a copy of a notice of default and notice of sale. In
addition, prior to such sale, the trustee must provide notice in some states
to any other individual having an interest of record in the real property,
including any junior lienholders. Certain states require that a notice of sale
be posted in a public place and, in most states, published for a specified
period of time in one or more newspapers in a specified manner prior to the
date of trustee's sale. In addition, some state laws require that a copy of
the notice of sale be posted on the property and sent to all parties having an
interest of record in the property.
In some states, the borrower trustor has the right to reinstate the loan at
any time following default until shortly before the trustee's sale. In
general, the borrower, or any other person having a junior encumbrance on the
real estate, may, during a reinstatement period, cure the default by paying
the entire amount in arrears plus the costs and expenses incurred in enforcing
the obligation. Certain state laws control the amount of foreclosure expenses
and costs, including attorney's fees, which may be recovered by a lender.
In the case of foreclosure under either a mortgage or a deed of trust, the
sale by the referee or other designated officer, or by the trustee, is
generally a public sale. However, because of the difficulty a potential third
party buyer at the sale might have in determining the exact status of title
and because the physical condition of the property may have deteriorated
during the foreclosure proceedings, it is not common for a third party to
purchase the property at the foreclosure sale. In some states, there is a
statutory minimum purchase price which the lender may offer for the property.
Thereafter, subject to the right of the borrower in some states to remain in
possession during the redemption period, the lender will assume the burdens of
ownership, including obtaining hazard insurance, paying taxes and making such
repairs at its own expense as are necessary to render the property suitable
for sale. The lender commonly will obtain the services of a real estate broker
and pay the broker a commission in connection with the sale of the property.
Depending upon market conditions, the ultimate proceeds of the sale of the
property may not equal the lender's investment in the property. Any loss
resulting from such sale may be reduced by the receipt of mortgage insurance
proceeds, if any.
A second or third mortgagee (junior mortgagee) may not foreclose on the
property securing a second or first mortgage (senior mortgages) unless it
forecloses subject to the senior mortgages, in which case it must either pay
the entire amount due on the senior mortgages prior to or at the time of the
foreclosure sale or make payments on the senior mortgages in the event the
mortgagor is in default thereunder, in either event adding the amounts
expended to the balance due on the junior loan, and may be subrogated to the
rights of the senior mortgagees. In addition, in the event that the
foreclosure by a junior mortgagee triggers the enforcement of a "due-on-sale"
clause in a senior mortgage, the junior mortgagee may be required to pay the
full amount of the senior mortgages to the senior mortgagees. Accordingly,
with respect to those Contracts which are second or third mortgage loans, if
the lender purchases the property, the lender's title will be subject to all
senior liens and claims and certain governmental liens.
The proceeds received by the referee or trustee from the sale are applied
first to the costs, fees, and expenses of sale and then in satisfaction of the
indebtedness secured by the mortgage or deed of trust under which the sale was
conducted. Any remaining proceeds are generally payable to the holders of
junior mortgages or deeds of trust and other liens and claims in order of
their priority, whether or not the borrower is in default. Any additional
proceeds are generally payable to the mortgagor or trustor. The payment of the
proceeds to the holders of junior mortgages may occur in the foreclosure
action of the senior mortgagee or may require the institution of separate
legal proceeding.
Some states impose prohibitions or limitations on remedies available to the
mortgagee, including the right to recover the debt from the mortgagor. See "--
Anti-Deficiency Legislation and Other Limitations on Lenders" herein.
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In certain jurisdictions, real property transfer or recording taxes or fees
may be imposed on the related Trust Fund with respect to its acquisition (by
foreclosure or otherwise) and disposition of real property securing a
Contract, and any such taxes or fees imposed may reduce liquidation proceeds
with respect to such property, as well as distributions payable to the
Certificateholders.
SECOND OR THIRD MORTGAGES
The Contracts may be secured by second or third mortgages or deeds of trust,
which are junior to first or second mortgages or deeds of trust held by other
lenders. The rights of the Certificateholders as the holders of a junior deed
of trust, junior mortgage, or junior security deed are subordinate in lien and
in payment to those of the holder of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, or
security deed including the prior rights of the senior mortgagee or
beneficiary to receive and apply hazard insurance and condemnation proceeds
and, upon default of the mortgagor under the senior mortgage or deed of trust,
to cause a foreclosure on the property. Upon completion of the foreclosure
proceedings by the holder of the senior mortgage or the sale pursuant to the
senior deed of trust, the junior mortgagee's or junior beneficiary's lien will
be extinguished unless the junior lienholder satisfies the defaulted senior
loan or asserts its subordinate interest in a property in foreclosure
proceedings. Such extinguishment will eliminate access to the collateral for
the Contract.
See "--Foreclosure" herein.
Furthermore, the terms of the junior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure
debt or security deed are subordinate to the terms of the senior mortgage,
deed of trust, deed to secure debt or security deed. In the event of a
conflict between the terms of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to
secure debt or security deed and the junior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to
secure debt or security deed, the terms of the senior mortgage, deed of trust,
deed to secure debt or security deed will govern generally. Upon a failure of
the mortgagor or trustor to perform any of its obligations, the senior
mortgagee or beneficiary, subject to the terms of the senior mortgage, deed of
trust, deed to secure debt or security deed may have the right to perform the
obligation itself. Generally, all sums so expended by the mortgagee or
beneficiary become part of the indebtedness secured by the mortgage, deed of
trust, deed to secure debt or security deed. To the extent a first mortgagee
expends such sums, such sums will generally have priority over all sums due
under a junior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or security deed.
RIGHTS OF REDEMPTION
The purposes of a foreclosure action are to enable the mortgagee to realize
upon its security and to bar the mortgagor, and all persons who have an
interest in the property which is subordinate to the foreclosing mortgagee,
from their "equity of redemption." The doctrine of equity of redemption
provides that, until the property covered by a mortgage has been sold in
accordance with a properly conducted foreclosure and foreclosure sale, those
having an interest which is subordinate to that of the foreclosing mortgagee
have an equity of redemption and may redeem the property by paying the entire
debt with interest. In addition, in some states, when a foreclosure action has
been commenced, the redeeming party must pay certain costs of such action.
Those having an equity of redemption must generally be made parties and duly
summoned to the foreclosure action in order for their equity of redemption to
be barred.
In some states, after sale pursuant to a deed of trust or foreclosure of a
mortgage, the borrower and certain foreclosed junior lienors are given a
statutory period in which to redeem the property from the foreclosure sale. In
certain other states, this right of redemption applies only to sale following
judicial foreclosure, and not to sale pursuant to a non-judicial power of
sale. In most states where the right of redemption is available, statutory
redemption may occur upon payment of the foreclosure purchase price, accrued
interest and expenses of foreclosure. In other states, redemption may be
authorized if the former borrower pays only a portion of the sums due. In some
states, the right to redeem is an equitable right. The equity of redemption,
which is a non-statutory right that must be exercised prior to foreclosure
sale, should be distinguished from statutory rights of redemption. The effect
of a right of redemption is to diminish the ability of the lender to sell the
foreclosed property. The
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exercise of a right of redemption would defeat the title of any purchaser at a
foreclosure sale, or of any purchaser from the lender subsequent to judicial
foreclosure or sale under a deed of trust. Consequently, the practical effect
of the redemption right is to force the lender to maintain the property and
pay the expenses of ownership until the redemption period has run. In some
states, there is no right to redeem property after a trustee's sale under a
deed of trust.
ANTI-DEFICIENCY LEGISLATION AND OTHER LIMITATIONS ON LENDERS
Certain states have imposed statutory restrictions that limit the remedies
of a beneficiary under a deed of trust or a mortgagee under a mortgage. In
some states, statutes limit the right of the beneficiary or mortgagee to
obtain a deficiency judgment against the borrower following foreclosure or
sale under a deed of trust. A deficiency judgment is a personal judgment
against the borrower equal in most cases to the difference between the amount
due to the lender and the net amount realized upon the public sale.
Some state statutes may require the beneficiary or mortgagee to exhaust the
security afforded under a deed of trust or mortgage by foreclosure in an
attempt to satisfy the full debt before bringing a personal action against the
borrower. In certain other states, the lender has the option of bringing a
personal action against the borrower on the debt without first exhausting such
security; however, in some of these states, the lender, following judgment on
such personal action, may be deemed to have elected a remedy and may be
precluded from exercising remedies with respect to the security. Consequently,
the practical effect of the election requirement, when applicable, is that
lenders will usually proceed first against the security rather than bringing a
personal action against the borrower.
Other statutory provisions may limit any deficiency judgment against the
borrower following a foreclosure sale to the excess of the outstanding debt
over the fair market value of the property at the time of such sale. The
purpose of these statutes is to prevent a beneficiary or a mortgagee from
obtaining a large deficiency judgment against the former borrower as a result
of low or no bids at the foreclosure sale.
In some states, exceptions to the anti-deficiency statutes are provided for
in certain instances where the value of the lender's security has been
impaired by acts or omissions of the borrower, for example, in the event of
waste of the property.
In addition to anti-deficiency and related legislation, numerous other
federal and state statutory provisions, including the federal bankruptcy laws,
the federal Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 and state laws
affording relief to debtors, may interfere with or affect the ability of a
secured mortgage lender to realize upon its security and/or enforce a
deficiency judgment. For example, in a Chapter 13 proceeding, the holder may
not be able to obtain a lift of the automatic stay to foreclose if the
borrower has equity and the home is necessary to the bankruptcy
reorganization. Generally, with respect to the federal bankruptcy law, the
filing of a petition acts as a stay against virtually all actions against the
debtor, including the enforcement of remedies of collection of a debt and,
often, no interest or principal payments are made during bankruptcy
proceedings. A bankruptcy court may also grant the debtor a reasonable time to
cure a payment default with respect to a mortgage loan on a debtor's residence
by paying arrearages and reinstate the original mortgage loan payment schedule
even though the lender accelerated the mortgage loan and final judgment of
foreclosure had been entered in state court (provided no sale of the property
had yet occurred) prior to the filing of the debtor's Chapter 13 petition.
Some courts with federal bankruptcy jurisdiction have approved plans, based on
the particular facts of the reorganization case, that effected the curing of a
mortgage loan default by paying arrearages over a number of years. In the case
of a mortgage loan not secured by the debtor's principal residence, courts
with federal bankruptcy jurisdiction may also reduce the monthly payments due
under such mortgage loan, change the rate of interest and alter the mortgage
loan repayment schedule.
The Code provides priority to certain federal tax liens over the lien of the
mortgage or deed of trust. The Bankruptcy Code also provides priority to
certain tax liens over the lien of the mortgage or deed of trust.
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The laws of some states provide priority to certain state tax liens over the
lien of the mortgage or deed of trust. Numerous federal and some state
consumer protection laws impose substantive requirements upon mortgage lenders
in connection with the origination, servicing and the enforcement of mortgage
loans. These laws include the federal Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate
Settlement Procedures Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Credit Billing
Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, state licensing requirements, and related
statutes and regulations. These federal laws and state laws impose specific
statutory liabilities upon lenders who originate or service mortgage loans and
who fail to comply with the provisions of the law. In some cases, this
liability may affect assignees of the mortgage loans.
CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS WITH RESPECT TO CONTRACTS
Numerous Federal and state consumer protection laws impose substantial
requirements upon creditors involved in consumer finance. These laws include
the Federal Truth-in-Lending Act, Regulation "Z", the Equal Credit Opportunity
Act, Regulation "B", the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and related statutes. The
Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994 (the "Home Protection Act"),
which became effective on October 1, 1995, adds provisions to Regulation Z
which impose additional disclosure and other requirements on creditors
involved in non-purchase money mortgage loans with high interest rates or high
up-front fees and charges. It is possible that some Contracts included in a
Contract Pool may be subject to such provisions. The Home Protection Act
applies to mortgage loans originated on or after the effective date of such
regulations. These laws can impose specific statutory liabilities upon
creditors who fail to comply with their provisions and may affect the
enforceability of the contract.
Courts have imposed general equitable principles upon repossession and
litigation involving deficiency balances. These equitable principles are
generally designed to relieve a consumer from the legal consequences of a
default.
In several cases, consumers have asserted that the remedies provided secured
parties under the UCC and related laws violate the due process protections
provided under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
For the most part, courts have upheld the notice provisions of the UCC and
related laws as reasonable or have found that the repossession and resale by
the creditor does not involve sufficient state action to afford constitutional
protection to consumers.
The so-called "Holder-in-Due-Course" rule of the Federal Trade Commission is
intended to defeat the ability of the transferor of a consumer credit contract
which is the seller of goods which gave rise to the transaction (and certain
related lenders and assignees) to transfer such contract free of notice of
claims by the debtor thereunder. The effect of this rule is to subject the
assignee of such a contract to all claims and defenses which the debtor could
assert against the seller of goods, such as a home improvement contractor.
Liability under this rule is limited to amounts paid under a Contract;
however, the Obligor also may be able to assert the rule to set off remaining
amounts due as a defense against a claim brought by the Trust Fund against
such Obligor. The Home Protection Act provides that assignees of certain high-
interest, non-purchase money mortgage loans (which may include some Contracts)
are subject to all claims and defenses that the debtor could assert against
the original creditor, unless the assignee demonstrates that a reasonable
person in the exercise of ordinary due diligence could not have determined
that the mortgage loan was subject to the provisions of the Home Protection
Act.
ENFORCEABILITY OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS
The standard forms of note, mortgage and deed of trust generally contain
provisions obligating the borrower to pay a late charge if payments are not
timely made. In addition to limitations imposed by FHA regulations with
respect to FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts, in certain states there are
or may be specific limitations upon late charges which a lender may collect
from a borrower for delinquent payments. Under the Agreement, late charges (to
the extent permitted by law and not waived by the Company) will be retained by
the Company as additional servicing compensation.
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The standard forms of note, mortgage and deed of trust also include a debt-
acceleration clause, which permits the lender to accelerate the debt upon a
monetary default of the borrower, after the applicable cure period. Courts
will generally enforce clauses providing for acceleration in the event of a
material payment default. However, courts, exercising equity jurisdiction, may
refuse to allow a lender to foreclose a mortgage or deed of trust when an
acceleration of the indebtedness would be inequitable or unjust and the
circumstances would render the acceleration unconscionable.
Courts have imposed general equitable principles upon foreclosure. These
equitable principles are generally designed to relieve the borrower from the
legal effect of defaults under the loan documents. Examples of judicial
remedies that may be fashioned include judicial requirements that the lender
undertake affirmative actions to determine the causes for the borrower's
default and the likelihood that the borrower will be able to reinstate the
loan. In some cases, courts have required lenders to reinstate loans or recast
payment schedules to accommodate borrowers who are suffering from temporary
financial disability. In some cases, courts have limited the right of lenders
to foreclose if the default under the mortgage instrument is not monetary,
such as the borrower failing to adequately maintain the property or the
borrower executing a junior mortgage or deed of trust affecting the property.
In other cases, some courts have been faced with the issue whether federal or
state constitutional provisions reflecting due process concerns for adequate
notice require that borrowers under mortgages or the deeds of trust receive
notices in addition to statutorily-prescribed minimum requirements. For the
most part, these cases have upheld the notice provisions as being reasonable
or have found that the sale by a trustee under a deed of trust or under a
mortgage having a power of sale does not involve sufficient state action to
afford constitutional protection to the borrower.
It is the Company's practice with some of the Home Improvement Contracts to
defer the first payment thereon for up to 90 days, and to charge the home
improvement contractor points to cover the lost interest due to collecting
only 30 days' interest on the first payment on these deferred payment
contracts.
"DUE-ON-SALE" CLAUSES
All of the Contract documents will contain due-on-sale clauses unless the
Prospectus Supplement indicates otherwise. These clauses permit the Servicer
to accelerate the maturity of the loan on notice, which is usually 30 days, if
the borrower sells, transfers or conveys the property without the prior
consent of the mortgagee. In recent years, court decisions and legislative
actions placed substantial restrictions on the right of lenders to enforce
such clauses in many states. However, effective October 15, 1982, Congress
enacted the Garn-St Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 (the "Garn-St.
Germain Act"), which, after a three-year grace period, preempts state laws
which prohibit the enforcement of due-on-sale clauses by providing, among
other matters, that "due-on-sale" clauses in certain loans (including the
Contracts) made after the effective date of the Garn-St. Germain Act are
enforceable within certain limitations as set forth in the Garn-St. Germain
Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
By virtue of the Garn-St. Germain Act, the Servicer generally may be
permitted to accelerate any Contract which contains a "due-on-sale" clause
upon transfer of an interest in the mortgaged property. This ability to
accelerate will not apply to certain types of transfers, including (i) the
granting of a leasehold interest which has a term of three years or less and
which does not contain an option to purchase, (ii) a transfer to a relative
resulting from the death of a mortgagor or trustor, or a transfer where the
spouse or child(ren) becomes an owner of the mortgaged property in each case
where the transferee(s) will occupy the mortgaged property, (iii) a transfer
resulting from a decree of dissolution of marriage, legal separation agreement
or from an incidental property settlement agreement by which the spouse
becomes an owner of the mortgaged property, (iv) the creation of a lien or
other encumbrance subordinate to the lender's security instrument which does
not relate to a transfer of rights of occupancy in the mortgaged property
(provided that such lien or encumbrance is not created pursuant to a contract
for deed), (v) a transfer by devise, descent or operation of law on the death
of a joint tenant or tenant by the entirety, and (vi) other transfers as set
forth in the Garn-St. Germain Act and the regulations
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thereunder. As a result, a lesser number of Contracts which contain "due-on-
sale" clauses may extend to full maturity than earlier experience would
indicate with respect to single-family mortgage loans. The extent of the
effect of the Garn-St. Germain Act on the average lives and delinquency rates
of the Contracts, however, cannot be predicted.
The inability to enforce a due-on-sale clause may result in Contracts
bearing an interest rate below the current market rate being assumed by a new
home buyer rather than being paid off, which may have an impact upon the
average life of the Contracts and the number of Contracts which may be
outstanding until maturity.
Although Title V of the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary
Control Act of 1980, as amended ("Title V"), provides that, subject to certain
conditions, state usury limitations shall not apply to FHA-insured loans and
to first mortgage secured conventional contracts if the contract is defined as
a "federally related mortgage loan," a number of states have adopted
legislation overriding Title V's exemptions, as permitted by Title V. The
Company will represent and warrant in each Agreement that all Contracts comply
with any applicable usury limitations.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
Under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act, as amended ("CERCLA"), and under state law in certain states, a
secured party which takes a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, purchases a mortgaged
property at a foreclosure sale, or operates a mortgaged property may become
liable in certain circumstances for the costs of cleaning up hazardous
substances regardless of whether they have contaminated the property. CERCLA
imposes strict, as well as joint and several, liability on several classes of
potentially responsible parties, including current owners and operators of the
property who did not cause or contribute to the contamination. Furthermore,
liability under CERCLA is not limited to the original or unamortized principal
balance of a loan or to the value of the property securing a loan. Lenders may
be held liable under CERCLA as owners or operators unless they qualify for the
secured creditor exemption to CERCLA. This exemption exempts from the
definition of owners and operators those who, without participating in the
management of a facility, hold indicia of ownership primarily to protect a
security interest in the facility. What constitutes sufficient participation
in the management of a property securing a loan or the business of a borrower
to render the exemption unavailable to a lender has been a matter of
interpretation by the courts. CERCLA has been interpreted to impose liability
on a secured party, even absent foreclosure, where the party participated in
the financial management of the borrower's business to a degree indicating a
capacity to influence waste disposal decisions. However, court interpretations
of the secured creditor exemption have been inconsistent. In addition, when
lenders foreclose and thereupon become owners of collateral property, courts
are inconsistent as to whether such ownership renders the secured creditor
exemption unavailable. Other federal and state laws in certain circumstances
may impose liability on a secured party which takes a deed-in-lieu of
foreclosure, purchases a mortgaged property at a foreclosure sale, or operates
a mortgaged property on which contaminants other than CERCLA hazardous
substances are present, including petroleum, agricultural chemicals, hazardous
wastes, asbestos, radon, and lead-based paint. Such cleanup costs may be
substantial. It is possible that such cleanup costs could become a liability
of a Trust Fund and reduce the amounts otherwise distributable to the holders
of the related Series of Certificates in certain circumstances if such cleanup
costs were incurred. Moreover, certain states by statute impose a lien for any
cleanup costs incurred by such state on the property that is the subject of
such cleanup costs (an "environmental lien"). All subsequent liens on such
property generally are subordinated to such an environmental lien and, in some
states, even prior recorded liens are subordinated to environmental liens. In
the latter states, the security interest of the Trustee in a related parcel of
real property that is subject to such an environmental lien could be adversely
affected.
Traditionally, many residential mortgage lenders have not taken steps to
evaluate whether contaminants are present with respect to any mortgaged
property prior to the origination of the mortgage loan or prior to foreclosure
or accepting a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. Accordingly, the Company has not
made and will not make such evaluations prior to the origination of the
Contracts. Neither the Company nor any replacement
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Servicer will be required by any Agreement to undertake any such evaluations
prior to foreclosure or accepting a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. The Company
does not make any representations or warranties or assume any liability with
respect to the absence or effect of contaminants on any related real property
or any casualty resulting from the presence or effect of contaminants.
However, the Company will not foreclose on related real property or accept a
deed-in-lieu of foreclosure if it knows or reasonably believes that there are
material contaminated conditions on such property. A failure so to foreclose
may reduce the amounts otherwise available to Certificateholders of the
related Series.
SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' CIVIL RELIEF ACT
Application of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Relief Act"), would adversely affect, for an indeterminate
period of time, the ability of the Servicer to collect full amounts of
interest on certain of the Contracts. Any shortfall in interest collections
resulting from the application of the Relief Act or similar legislation, which
would not be recoverable from the related Contracts, would result in a
reduction of the amounts distributable to the Certificateholders. In addition,
the Relief Act imposes limitations that would impair the ability of the
Servicer to foreclose on an affected mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secured
debt or security deed during the mortgagor's period of active duty status,
and, under certain circumstances, during an additional three month period
thereafter. Thus, in the event that the Relief Act or similar legislation
applies to any Contract which goes into default, there may be delays in
payment on the Certificates in connection therewith. Any other interest
shortfalls, deferrals or forgiveness of payments on the Contracts resulting
from similar legislation or regulations may result in delays in payments or
losses to Certificateholders.
REPURCHASE OBLIGATIONS
Under the Agreement, the Company will represent and warrant that each FHA-
insured Home Improvement Contract was originated in compliance with FHA
regulations and is covered by FHA Insurance. In the event FHA were to deny
insurance coverage on an FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract due to a
violation of FHA regulations in originating or servicing such Home Improvement
Contracts, such violation would constitute a breach of a representation and
warranty under the Agreement and would create an obligation of the Company to
repurchase such Home Improvement Contract unless the breach is cured. See
"Description of the Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
In addition, the Company will also represent and warrant under each
Agreement that each Contract complies with all requirements of law.
Accordingly, if any Obligor has a claim against the related Trust Fund for
violation of any law and such claim materially adversely affects the Trust
Fund's interest in a Contract, such violation would constitute a breach of a
representation and warranty under the Agreement and would create an obligation
to repurchase such Contract unless the breach is cured. See "Description of
the Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"),
imposes certain fiduciary and prohibited transaction restrictions on employee
pension and welfare benefit plans subject to ERISA ("ERISA Plans"). Section
4975 of the Code imposes similar prohibited transaction restrictions on tax-
qualified retirement plans described in Section 401(a) of the Code ("Qualified
Retirement Plans") and on Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs") described in
Section 408 of the Code (collectively, "Tax-Favored Plans").
Certain employee benefit plans, such as governmental plans (as defined in
Section 3(32) of ERISA), are not subject to the ERISA requirements discussed
herein. Accordingly, assets of such plans may be invested in Certificates
without regard to the ERISA considerations described below, subject to the
provisions of applicable federal and state law. Any such plan that is a
Qualified Retirement Plan and exempt from taxation under Sections 401(a) and
501(a) of the Code, however, is subject to the prohibited transaction rules
set forth in Section 503 of the Code.
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In addition to imposing general fiduciary requirements, including those of
investment prudence and diversification and the requirement that a Plan's
investment be made in accordance with the documents governing the Plan,
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit a broad range of
transactions involving "plan assets" of ERISA Plans and Tax-Favored Plans
(collectively, "Plans") and persons ("Parties in Interest" under ERISA or
"Disqualified Persons" under the Code) who have certain specified
relationships to the Plans, unless a statutory or administrative exemption is
available. Certain Parties in Interest (or Disqualified Persons) that
participate in a prohibited transaction may be subject to a penalty (or an
excise tax) imposed pursuant to Section 502(i) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the
Code, unless a statutory or administrative exemption is available.
PLAN ASSET REGULATIONS
Certain transactions involving the Trust Fund might be deemed to constitute
prohibited transactions under ERISA and the Code with respect to a Plan that
purchased Certificates, if assets of the Trust Fund were deemed to be assets
of the Plan. An investment of Plan Assets (as defined below) in Certificates
may cause the underlying assets included in the Trust to be deemed "plan
assets" of such Plan. The U.S. Department of Labor (the "DOL") has promulgated
regulations at 29 C.F.R. section 2510.3-101 (the "DOL Regulations") concerning
whether or not a Plan's assets would be deemed to include an interest in the
underlying assets of an entity (such as the Trust Fund), for purposes of
applying the general fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA and the
prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and the Code, when a Plan acquires
an "equity interest" (such as a Certificate) in such entity. Exceptions
contained in the DOL Regulations provide that a Plan's assets will not include
an undivided interest in each asset of an entity in which it makes an equity
investment if (1) the entity is an operating company, or (2) the equity
investment made by the Plan is either a "publicly-offered security" as defined
in the DOL Regulations or a security issued by an investment company
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or (3)
"benefit plan investors" do not own 25% or more in value of any class of
equity securities issued by the entity. For this purpose, "benefit plan
investors" include Plans, as well as any "employee benefit plan" as defined in
Section 3(3) of ERISA that is not subject to Title I of ERISA, such as
"governmental plans," as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA, and "church
plans," as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA, that have not made an election
under Section 410(d) of the Code, and any entity whose underlying assets
include plan assets by reason of a plan's investment in the entity. Because of
the factual nature of certain of the exceptions and rules set forth in the DOL
Regulations, Plan Assets either may be deemed to include an interest in the
assets of the Trust Fund or may be deemed merely to include its interest in
the Certificates. Therefore, neither Plans nor such entities should acquire or
hold Certificates in reliance upon the availability of any exception under the
DOL Regulations. For purposes of this Section the term "Plan Assets" or assets
of a Plan has the meaning specified in the DOL Regulations and includes an
undivided interest in the underlying assets of certain entities in which a
Plan invests. The prohibited transaction provisions of Sections 406, 407 and
408 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code may apply to the Trust Fund and
cause the Company, the Trust Fund, the Trustee, any successor, or certain
affiliates thereof, to be considered or become Parties in Interest or
Disqualified Persons with respect to an investing Plan (or of a Plan holding
an interest in such an entity). If so, the acquisition or holding of
Certificates by or on behalf of the investing Plan could also give rise to a
prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code, unless some statutory or
administrative exemption is available. Certificates acquired by a Plan would
be assets of that Plan. Under the DOL Regulations, the Trust Fund, including
the assets held in the Trust Fund, may also be deemed to be assets of each
Plan that acquires Certificates. Special caution should be exercised before
Plan Assets are used to acquire a Certificate in such circumstances,
especially if, with respect to such assets, the Company, the Trust Fund, the
Trustee, any successor or an affiliate thereof either (i) has investment
discretion with respect to the investment of Plan Assets; or (ii) has
authority or responsibility to give (or regularly gives) investment advice
with respect to Plan Assets for a fee pursuant to an agreement or
understanding that such advice will serve as a primary basis for investment
decisions with respect to such assets.
Any person who has discretionary authority or control respecting the
management or disposition of Plan Assets and any person who provides
investment advice with respect to such assets for a fee (in the manner
described above), is a fiduciary of the investing Plan. If the assets of the
Trust Fund were to constitute Plan Assets, then any party exercising
management or discretionary control regarding those assets may be deemed to
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be a Plan "fiduciary," and thus subject to the fiduciary requirements of ERISA
and the prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and Section 4975 of the
Code with respect to any investing Plan. In addition, if the assets of the
Trust Fund were to constitute Plan Assets, then the acquisition or holding of
Certificates by, on behalf of or with Plan Assets, as well as the operation of
the Trust Fund, may constitute or involve a prohibited transaction under ERISA
and the Code.
Some or all of the transactions involving the Trust Fund that might
otherwise constitute prohibited transactions under ERISA or the Code might
qualify for relief from the prohibited transaction rules and related taxes and
penalties under certain statutory or administrative exemptions, which may be
individual exemptions or class exemptions. The DOL has granted a number of
individual underwriter exemptions that may apply to the Trust Fund (the
"Exemptions"), including Prohibited Transaction Exemption ("PTE") 91-14 issued
to Lehman Brothers, Inc., PTE 90-29 issued to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &
Smith, Inc., PTE 90-30 issued to Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and all similar
individual underwriters' exemptions. In addition to such individual
exemptions, the DOL has issued certain class exemptions, such as Prohibited
Transaction Class Exemption ("PTCE") 83-1, which exempts certain transactions
involving employee benefit plans and mortgage pool investment trusts, PTCE 86-
128, which exempts certain transactions involving employee benefit plans and
certain broker-dealers, PTCE 90-1, which exempts certain transactions
involving employee benefit plans and insurance company pooled separate
accounts, PTCE 91-38, which exempts certain transactions involving employee
benefit plans and bank collective investment funds, and PTCE 95-60, which
exempts certain transactions involving employee benefit plans and insurance
company general accounts. There also may be other exemptions applicable to a
particular transaction involving the Trust Fund.
No purchases of Certificates by, on behalf of or with Plan Assets of any
Plan will be registered unless the transferee, at its expense, delivers to the
Trustee, the Servicer and the Company an opinion of counsel (satisfactory to
the Trustee, the Servicer and the Company) that the purchase and holding of a
Certificate by, on behalf of, or with Plan Assets of such Plan is permissible
under applicable law, will not result in the assets of the Trust Fund being
deemed to be Plan Assets and subject to the prohibited transaction provisions
of ERISA and the Code and will not subject the Trustee, the Trust Fund, the
Company or the Servicer to any obligation or liability in addition to those
undertaken in the Agreement. Unless such opinion is delivered, each person
acquiring a Certificate will be deemed to represent to the Trustee, the
Company and the Servicer that such person is neither a Plan, nor acting on
behalf of a Plan, nor purchasing with Plan Assets of any Plan.
CONSULTATION WITH COUNSEL
Any fiduciary or other Plan investor that proposes to acquire or hold
Certificates on behalf of or with Plan Assets of any Plan should consult with
its counsel with respect to the potential applicability of the fiduciary
responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited transaction provisions
of ERISA and the Code to the proposed investment and the availability of any
prohibited transaction exemption, as well as other issues and their potential
consequences.
CERTAIN FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
GENERAL
The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax
consequences relating to the purchase, ownership, and disposition of the
Certificates. The discussion is based upon laws, regulations, rulings, and
decisions now in effect, including Treasury Regulations issued on December 23,
1992, and generally effective for REMICs with startup days on or after
November 12, 1991 (the "REMIC Regulations"), all of which are subject to
change (which change may be retroactive) or possibly differing
interpretations. The discussion does not purport to deal with federal income
tax consequences applicable to all categories of investors, some of which may
be subject to special rules. Investors should consult their own tax advisors
to determine the federal, state, local, and any other tax consequences of the
purchase, ownership, and disposition of the Certificates.
Many aspects of the federal tax treatment of the purchase, ownership, and
disposition of the Certificates will depend upon whether an election is made
to treat the Trust Fund or a segregated portion thereof evidenced by a
particular Series or sub-series of Certificates as a REMIC within the meaning
of Section 860D(a) of the
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Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The Prospectus
Supplement for each series will indicate whether or not an election to be
treated as a REMIC has been or will be made with respect thereto. The
following discussion deals first with Series with respect to which a REMIC
Election is made and then with Series with respect to which a REMIC Election
is not made.
REMIC SERIES
With respect to each Series of Certificates for which a REMIC Election is
made, the counsel to the Company identified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement will have advised the Company that in its opinion, assuming (i) the
making of that election in accordance with the requirements of the Code and
(ii) ongoing compliance with the applicable Agreement, at the initial issuance
of the Certificates in such series the Trust Fund will qualify as a REMIC and
the Certificates in such a Series ("REMIC Certificates") will be treated
either as regular interests in the REMIC within the meaning of Section
860G(a)(1) of the Code ("Regular Certificates") or as residual interests in
the REMIC within the meaning of Section 860G(a)(2) of the Code ("Residual
Certificates").
Qualification as a REMIC. Qualification as a REMIC involves ongoing
compliance with certain requirements and the following discussion assumes that
such requirements will be satisfied by the Trust Fund so long as there are any
REMIC Certificates outstanding. Substantially all of the assets of the REMIC
must consist of "qualified mortgages" and "permitted investments" as of the
close of the third month beginning after the day on which the REMIC issues all
of its regular and residual interests (the "Startup Day") and at all times
thereafter. The term "qualified mortgage" means any obligation (including a
participation or certificate of beneficial ownership in such obligation) which
is principally secured by an interest in real property that is transferred to
the REMIC on the Startup Day in exchange for regular or residual interests in
the REMIC or is purchased by the REMIC within the three-month period beginning
on the Startup Day if such purchase is pursuant to a fixed price contract in
effect on the Startup Day. The REMIC Regulations provide that a Contract is
principally secured by an interest in real property if the fair market value
of the real property securing the Contract is at least equal to either (i) 80%
of the issue price (generally, the principal balance) of the Contract at the
time it was originated or (ii) 80% of the adjusted issue price (the then-
outstanding principal balance, with certain adjustments) of the Contract at
the time it is contributed to a REMIC. The fair market value of the underlying
real property is to be determined after taking into account other liens
encumbering that real property. Alternatively, a Contract is principally
secured by an interest in real property if substantially all of the proceeds
of the Contract were used to acquire or to improve or protect an interest in
real property that, at the origination date, is the only security for the
Contract (other than the personal liability of the obligor). A qualified
mortgage also includes a qualified replacement mortgage that is used to
replace any qualified mortgage within three months of the Startup Day or to
replace a defective mortgage within two years of the Startup Day.
"Permitted investments" consist of (a) temporary investments of cash
received under qualified mortgages before distribution to holders of interests
in the REMIC ("cash-flow investments"), (b) amounts, such as a Reserve Fund,
if any, reasonably required to provide for full payment of expenses of the
REMIC, the principal and interest due on regular or residual interests in the
event of defaults on qualified mortgages, lower than expected returns on cash-
flow investments, prepayment interest shortfalls or certain other
contingencies ("qualified reserve assets"), and (c) certain property acquired
as a result of foreclosure of defaulted qualified mortgages ("foreclosure
property"). A reserve fund will not be qualified if more than 30% of the gross
income from the assets in the reserve fund is derived from the sale or other
disposition of property held for three months or less, unless such sale is
necessary to prevent a default in payment of principal or interest on Regular
Certificates. In accordance with Section 860G(a)(7) of the Code, a reserve
fund must be "promptly and appropriately" reduced as payments on contracts are
received. Foreclosure property will be a permitted investment only to the
extent that such property is not held for more than two years.
The Code requires that in order to qualify as a REMIC an entity must make
reasonable arrangements designed to ensure that certain specified entities,
generally including governmental entities or other entities that are exempt
from United States tax, including the tax on unrelated business income
("Disqualified Organizations"), not hold residual interests in the REMIC.
Consequently, it is expected that in the case of any Trust Fund for which a
REMIC Election is made the transfer, sale, or other disposition of a Residual
Certificate to a Disqualified Organization will be prohibited and the ability
of a Residual Certificate to be transferred will
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be conditioned on the Trustee's receipt of a certificate or other document
representing that the proposed transferee is not a Disqualified Organization.
The transferor of a Residual Certificate must not, as of the time of the
transfer, have actual knowledge that such representation is false. The Code
further requires that reasonable arrangements must be made to enable a REMIC
to provide the Internal Revenue Service (the "Service") and certain other
parties, including transferors of residual interests in a REMIC, with the
information needed to compute the tax imposed by Section 860E(e)(1) of the
Code if, in spite of the steps taken to prevent Disqualified Organizations
from holding residual interests, such an organization does, in fact, acquire a
residual interest. See "REMIC Series--Restrictions on Transfer of Residual
Certificates" below.
If the Trust Fund fails to comply with one or more of the ongoing
requirements for qualification as a REMIC, the Trust Fund will not be treated
as a REMIC for the year during which such failure occurs and thereafter unless
the Service determines, in its discretion, that such failure was inadvertent
(in which case, the Service may require any adjustments which it deems
appropriate). If the ownership interests in the assets of the Trust Fund
consist of multiple classes, failure to treat the Trust Fund as a REMIC may
cause the Trust Fund to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation.
Such treatment could result in income of the Trust Fund being subject to
corporate tax in the hands of the Trust Fund and in a reduced amount being
available for distribution to Certificateholders as a result of the payment of
such taxes.
Two-Tier REMIC Structures. For certain series of Certificates, two separate
elections may be made to treat segregated portions of the assets of a single
Trust Fund as REMICs for federal income tax purposes (respectively, the
"Subsidiary REMIC" and the "Master REMIC"). Upon the issuance of any such
series of Certificates, Counsel will have advised the Company, as described
above, that at the initial issuance of the Certificates, the Subsidiary REMIC
and the Master REMIC will each qualify as a REMIC for federal income tax
purposes, and that the Certificates in such a series will be treated either as
Regular Certificates or Residual Certificates of the appropriate REMIC. Only
REMIC Certificates issued by the Master REMIC will be offered hereunder.
Solely for the purpose of determining whether such Regular Certificates will
constitute qualifying real estate or real property assets for certain
categories of financial institutions or real estate investment trusts as
described below, both REMICs in a two-tier REMIC structure will be treated as
one. See the discussion below under "REMIC Series--Taxation of Regular
Interests."
Taxation of Regular Interests. Regular Certificates will be treated as new
debt instruments issued by the REMIC on the Startup Day. If a Regular
Certificate represents an interest in a REMIC that consists of a specified
portion of the interest payments on the REMIC's qualified mortgages, the
stated principal amount with respect to that Regular Certificate may be zero.
Such a specified portion may consist of a fixed number of basis points, a
fixed percentage of interest or a qualified variable rate on some or all of
the qualified mortgages. Stated interest on a Regular Certificate will be
taxable as ordinary income. Holders of Regular Certificates that would
otherwise report income under a cash method of accounting will be required to
report income with respect to such Regular Certificates under the accrual
method. Under Temporary Treasury Regulations, if a Trust Fund, with respect to
which a REMIC Election is made, is considered to be a "single-class REMIC," a
portion of the REMIC's servicing fees, administrative and other non-interest
expenses, including assumption fees and late payment charges retained by the
Company, will be allocated as a separate item of gross income and as a
separate item of expense to those Regular Certificateholders that are "pass-
through interest holders." Generally, a single-class REMIC is defined as a
REMIC that would be treated as a fixed investment trust under applicable law
but for its qualification as a REMIC, or a REMIC that is substantially similar
to an investment trust but is structured with the principal purpose of
avoiding this allocation requirement imposed by the Temporary Treasury
Regulations. Generally, a pass-through interest holder refers to individuals,
trusts and estates, certain other pass-through entities beneficially owned by
one or more individuals, trusts or estates, and regulated investment
companies. Such an individual, estate, trust or pass-through entity that holds
a Regular Certificate in such a REMIC will be allowed to deduct the foregoing
separate item of expense under Section 212 of the Code only to the extent
that, in the aggregate and combined with certain other itemized deductions, it
exceeds 2% of the adjusted gross income of the holder. In addition, Section 68
of the Code provides that the amount of itemized deductions (including those
provided for in Section 212 of the Code) otherwise allowable for the taxable
year for an individual whose adjusted gross income exceeds a threshold amount
specified in the Code ($117,950 for 1996,
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in the case of a joint return) will be reduced by the lesser of (i) 3% of the
excess of adjusted gross income over the specified threshold amount or (ii)
80% of the amount of itemized deductions otherwise allowable for such taxable
year. Furthermore, in determining the alternative minimum taxable income of
such an individual, trust, estate or pass-through entity that is a holder of a
Regular Certificate in such a REMIC, no deduction will be allowed for such
holder's allocable portion of the foregoing expenses, even though an amount
equal to the total of such expenses will be included in such holder's gross
income for alternative minimum tax purposes. Unless otherwise stated in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the foregoing expenses will not be allocated to
holders of a Regular Certificate in a REMIC. If the foregoing limitations
apply, certain holders of Regular Certificates in "single-class REMICs" may
not be entitled to deduct all or any part of the foregoing expenses.
Accordingly, Regular Certificates in such a "single class-REMIC" may not be
appropriate investments for individuals, trusts, estates or pass-through
entities beneficially owned by one or more individuals, trusts or estates.
Such prospective investors should carefully consult with their own tax
advisors prior to making an investment in any such Regular Certificates.
Tax Status of REMIC Certificates. In general, (i) Regular Certificates held
by a thrift institution taxed as a "domestic building and loan association"
within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code will constitute "a
regular ... interest in a REMIC" within the meaning of Section
7701(a)(19)(C)(xi) of the Code; and (ii) Regular Certificates held by a real
estate investment trust will constitute "real estate assets" within the
meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A) of the Code and interest thereon will be
considered "interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real property"
within the meaning of Section 856(c)(3)(B) of the Code. If less than 95% of
the average adjusted basis of the assets comprising the REMIC are assets
qualifying under any of the foregoing Sections of the Code (including assets
described in Section 7701(a)(19)(C) of the Code), then the Regular
Certificates will be qualifying assets only to the extent that the assets
comprising the REMIC are qualifying assets. Furthermore, interest paid with
respect to Certificates held by a real estate investment trust will be
considered "interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real property or
on interests in real property" within the meaning of Section 856(c)(3)(B) of
the Code to the same extent that the Certificates themselves are treated as
real estate assets. Regular Certificates held by a regulated investment
company or a real estate investment trust will not constitute "Government
securities" within the meaning of Sections 851(b)(4)(A)(i) and 856(c)(5)(A) of
the Code, respectively. In addition, the REMIC Regulations provide that
payments on Contracts held and reinvested pending distribution to
Certificateholders will be considered to be "real estate assets" within the
meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A) of the Code. The Small Business Job Protection
Act of 1996 repealed the application of Code Section 593(d) to any taxable
year beginning after December 31, 1995. Entities affected by the foregoing
provisions of the Code that are considering the purchase of Certificates
should consult their own tax advisors regarding these provisions.
Original Issue Discount. Regular Certificates may be issued with "original
issue discount." Rules governing original issue discount are set forth in
Sections 1271-1273 and 1275 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued
thereunder in January 1994 (the "OID Regulations"). The discussion herein is
based in part on the OID Regulations, which generally apply to debt
instruments issued on or after April 4, 1994, but which generally may be
relied upon for debt instruments issued after December 21, 1992. Moreover,
although the rules relating to original issue discount contained in the Code
were modified by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 specifically to address the tax
treatment of securities, such as the Regular Certificates, on which principal
is required to be prepaid based on prepayments of the underlying assets,
regulations under that legislation have not yet been issued. Nonetheless, the
Code requires that a prepayment assumption be used with respect to the
underlying assets of a REMIC in computing the accrual of original issue
discount on Regular Certificates, and that regular adjustments be made in the
amount and the rate of accrual to reflect differences between the actual
prepayment rate and the prepayment assumption. Although regulations have not
been issued concerning the use of a prepayment assumption, the legislative
history associated with the Tax Reform Act of 1986 indicates that such
regulations are to provide that the prepayment assumption used with respect to
a Regular Certificate must be the same as that used in pricing the initial
offering of such Regular Certificate. The prepayment assumption (the
"Prepayment Assumption") used in reporting original issue discount for each
series of Regular Certificates will be consistent with this standard and will
be disclosed in the related Prospectus Supplement. However, no
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representation is made hereby nor can there be any assurance that the
underlying assets of a REMIC will in fact prepay at a rate conforming to the
prepayment assumption or at any other rate. Certificateholders also should be
aware that the OID Regulations do not address certain issues relevant to, or
are not applicable to, prepayable securities such as the Regular Certificates.
In general, in the hands of the original holder of a Regular Certificate,
original issue discount, if any, is the difference between the "stated
redemption price at maturity" of the Regular Certificate and its "issue
price." The original issue discount with respect to a Regular Certificate will
be considered to be zero if it is less than .25% of the Regular Certificate's
stated redemption price at maturity multiplied by the number of complete years
from the date of issue of such Regular Certificate to its maturity date. The
OID Regulations, however, provide a special de minimis rule to apply to
obligations such as the Regular Certificates that have more than one principal
payment or that have interest payments that are not qualified stated interest
as defined in the OID Regulations, payable before maturity ("installment
obligations"). Under the special rule, original issue discount on an
installment obligation is generally considered to be zero if it is less than
.25% of the principal amount of the obligation multiplied by the weighted
average maturity of the obligation as defined in the OID Regulations. Because
of the possibility of prepayments, it is not clear whether or how the de
minimis rules will apply to the Regular Certificates. As described above, it
appears that the Prepayment Assumption will be required to be used in
determining the weighted average maturity of the Regular Certificates. In the
absence of authority to the contrary, the Company expects to apply the de
minimis rule applicable to installment obligations by using the Prepayment
Assumption.
Generally, the original holder of a Regular Certificate that includes a de
minimis amount of original issue discount (other than de minimis original
issue discount attributable to a so-called "teaser" interest rate or initial
interest rate holiday) includes that original issue discount in income as
principal payments are made. The amount includable in income with respect to
each principal payment equals a pro rata portion of the entire amount of de
minimis original issue discount with respect to that Regular Certificate. Any
de minimis amount of original issue discount includable in income by a holder
of a Regular Certificate is generally treated as a capital gain if the Regular
Certificate is a capital asset in the hands of the holder thereof. Pursuant to
the OID Regulations, a holder of a Regular Certificate that uses the accrual
method of tax accounting or that acquired such Regular Certificate on or after
April 4, 1994, may, however, elect to include in gross income all interest
that accrues on a Regular Certificate, including any de minimis original issue
discount and market discount, by using the constant yield method described
below with respect to original issue discount.
The stated redemption price at maturity of a Regular Certificate generally
will be equal to the sum of all payments, whether denominated as principal or
interest, to be made with respect thereto other than "qualified stated
interest." Pursuant to the OID Regulations, qualified stated interest is
stated interest that is unconditionally payable at least annually at a single
fixed rate of interest (or, under certain circumstances, a variable rate tied
to an objective index) during the entire term of the Regular Certificate
(including short periods). Under the OID Regulations, interest is considered
unconditionally payable only if late payment or nonpayment is expected to be
penalized or reasonable remedies exist to compel payment. It is possible that
interest payable on Regular Certificates may not be considered to be
unconditionally payable under the OID Regulations because Regular
Certificateholders may not have default remedies ordinarily available to
holders of debt instruments or because no penalties are imposed as a result of
any failure to make interest payments on the Regular Certificates. Until
further guidance is issued, however, the REMIC will treat the interest on
Regular Certificates as unconditionally payable under the OID Regulations. In
addition, under the OID Regulations, certain variable interest rates payable
on Regular Certificates, including rates based upon the weighted average
interest rate of a Contract Pool, may not be treated as qualified stated
interest. In such case, the OID Regulations would treat interest under such
rates as contingent interest which generally must be included in income by the
Regular Certificateholder when the interest becomes fixed, as opposed to when
it accrues. Until further guidance is issued concerning the treatment of such
interest payable on Regular Certificates, the REMIC will treat such interest
as being payable at a variable rate tied to a single objective index of market
rates. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the
treatment of such interest under the OID Regulations. In the absence of
authority to the contrary and if otherwise appropriate, the Company expects to
determine the stated redemption price at maturity
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of a Regular Certificate by assuming that the anticipated rate of prepayment
for all Contracts will occur in such a manner that the initial Pass-Through
Rate for a Certificate will not change. Accordingly, interest at the initial
Pass-Through Rate will constitute qualified stated interest payments for
purposes of applying the original issue discount provisions of the Code. In
general, the issue price of a Regular Certificate is the first price at which
a substantial amount of the Regular Certificates of such class are sold for
money to the public (excluding bond houses, brokers or similar persons or
organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents or
wholesalers). If a portion of the initial offering price of a Regular
Certificate is allocable to interest that has accrued prior to its date of
issue, the issue price of such a Regular Certificate includes that pre-
issuance accrued interest.
If the Regular Certificates are determined to be issued with original issue
discount, a holder of a Regular Certificate must generally include the
original issue discount in ordinary gross income for federal income tax
purposes as it accrues in advance of the receipt of any cash attributable to
such income. The amount of original issue discount, if any, required to be
included in a Regular Certificateholder's ordinary gross income for federal
income tax purposes in any taxable year will be computed in accordance with
Section 1272(a) of the Code and the OID Regulations. Under such Section and
the OID Regulations, original issue discount accrues on a daily basis under a
constant yield method that takes into account the compounding of interest. The
amount of original issue discount to be included in income by a holder of a
debt instrument, such as a Regular Certificate, under which principal payments
may be subject to acceleration because of prepayments of other debt
obligations securing such instruments, is computed by taking into account the
Prepayment Assumption.
The amount of original issue discount includable in income by a holder of a
Regular Certificate is the sum of the "daily portions" of the original issue
discount for each day during the taxable year on which the holder held the
Regular Certificate. The daily portions of original issue discount are
determined by allocating to each day in any "accrual period" a pro rata
portion of the excess, if any, of the sum of (i) the present value of all
remaining payments to be made on the Regular Certificate as of the close of
the "accrual period" and (ii) the payments during the "accrual period" of
amounts included in the stated redemption price of the Regular Certificate
over the "adjusted issue price" of the Regular Certificate at the beginning of
the "accrual period." Generally, the "accrual period" for the Regular
Certificates corresponds to the intervals at which amounts are paid or
compounded with respect to such Regular Certificate, beginning with their date
of issuance and ending with the maturity date. The "adjusted issue price" of a
Regular Certificate at the beginning of any accrual period is the sum of the
issue price and accrued original issue discount for each prior accrual period
reduced by the amount of payments other than payments of qualified stated
interest made during each prior accrual period. The Code requires the present
value of the remaining payments to be determined on the bases of (a) the
original yield to maturity (determined on the basis of compounding at the
close of each accrual period and properly adjusted for the length of the
accrual period), (b) events, including actual prepayments, which have occurred
before the close of the accrual period, and (c) the assumption that the
remaining payments will be made in accordance with the original Prepayment
Assumption. The effect of this method is to increase the portions of original
issue discount that a Regular Certificateholder must include in income to take
into account prepayments with respect to the Contracts held by the Trust Fund
that occur at a rate that exceeds the Prepayment Assumption and to decrease
(but not below zero for any period) the portions of original issue discount
that a Regular Certificateholder must include in income to take into account
prepayments with respect to the Contracts that occur at a rate that is slower
than the Prepayment Assumption. Although original issue discount will be
reported to Regular Certificateholders based on the Prepayment Assumption, no
representation is made to Regular Certificateholders that the Contracts will
be prepaid at that rate or at any other rate.
A subsequent purchaser of a Regular Certificate will also be required to
include in such purchaser's ordinary gross income for federal income tax
purposes the original issue discount, if any, accruing with respect to such
Regular Certificate, unless the price paid equals or exceeds the Regular
Certificate's remaining stated redemption price. If the price paid exceeds the
Regular Certificate's adjusted issue price, but does not equal or exceed the
remaining stated redemption price of the Regular Certificate, the amount of
original issue discount to be accrued will be reduced in accordance with a
formula set forth in Section 1272(a)(7)(B) of the Code. Under this provision,
the daily portions of original issue discount which must be included in gross
income will be reduced by an amount equal to such daily portion multiplied by
the fraction obtained by dividing (i) the excess of the
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purchase price therefor over the Regular Certificate's adjusted issue price by
(ii) the aggregate original issue discount remaining to be accrued with
respect to such Regular Certificate.
The Company believes that the holder of a Regular Certificate determined to
be issued with non-de minimis original issue discount will be required to
include the original issue discount in ordinary gross income for federal
income tax purposes computed in the manner described above. However, the OID
Regulations either do not address or are subject to varying interpretations
with respect to several issues concerning the computation of original issue
discount for obligations such as the Regular Certificates.
Adjustable Rate Regular Certificates. Regular Certificates may bear interest
at an adjustable rate. Under the OID Regulations, if an adjustable rate
Regular Certificate provides for qualified stated interest payments computed
on the basis of certain qualified floating rates or objective rates, then any
original issue discount on such a Regular Certificate may be computed and
accrued under the same methodology that applies to Regular Certificates paying
qualified stated interest at a fixed rate. See the discussion above under
"REMIC Series-- Original Issue Discount." If adjustable rate Regular
Certificates are issued, the related Prospectus Supplement will describe the
manner in which the original issue discount rules may be applied with respect
thereto and the method to be used in preparing information returns to the
holders of such adjustable rate Regular Certificates and to the Service.
For purposes of applying the original issue discount provisions of the Code,
all or a portion of the interest payable with respect to adjustable rate
Regular Certificate may not be treated as qualified stated interest in certain
circumstances, including the following: (i) if the adjustable rate of interest
is subject to one or more minimum or maximum rate floors or ceilings which are
not fixed throughout the term of the Regular Certificate and which are
reasonably expected as of the issue date to cause the rate in certain accrual
periods to be significantly higher or lower than the overall expected return
on the Regular Certificate determined without such floor or ceiling; (ii) if
it is reasonably expected that the average value of the adjustable rate during
the first half of the term of the Regular Certificate will be either
significantly less than or significantly greater than the average value of the
rate during the final half of the term of the Regular Certificate; or (iii) if
interest is not payable in all circumstances. In these situations, as well as
others, it is unclear under the OID Regulations whether such interest payments
constitute qualified stated interest payments, or must be treated as part of a
Regular Certificate's stated redemption price at maturity resulting in
original issue discount.
Market Discount. Regular Certificates, whether or not issued with original
issue discount, will be subject to the market discount rules of the Code. A
purchaser of a Regular Certificate who purchases the Regular Certificate at a
market discount (i.e., a discount from its original issue price plus any
accrued original issue discount, if any, as described above) will be required
to recognize accrued market discount as ordinary income as payments of
principal are received on such Regular Certificate or upon the sale or
exchange of the Regular Certificate. In general, the holder of a Regular
Certificate may elect to treat market discount as accruing either (i) under a
constant yield method that is similar to the method for the accrual of
original issue discount or (ii) under a ratable accrual method (pursuant to
which the market discount is treated as accruing in equal daily installments
during the period the Regular Certificate is held by the purchaser), in each
case computed taking into account the Prepayment Assumption. Because the
regulations referred to above have not been issued, it is not possible to
predict what effect, if any, such regulations, when issued, might have on the
tax treatment of a Regular Certificate purchased at a discount in the
secondary market.
The Code provides that the market discount in respect of a Regular
Certificate will be considered to be zero if the amount allocable to the
Regular Certificate is less than 0.25% of the Regular Certificate's stated
redemption price at maturity multiplied by the number of complete years
remaining to its maturity after the holder acquired the obligation. If market
discount is treated as de minimis under this rule, the actual discount would
be allocated among a portion of each scheduled distribution representing the
stated redemption price of such Regular Certificate and that portion of the
discount allocable to such distribution would be reported as income when such
distribution occurs or is due.
The Code further provides that any principal payment with respect to a
Regular Certificate acquired with market discount or any gain on disposition
of such a Regular Certificate shall be treated as ordinary income to
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the extent it does not exceed the accrued market discount at the time of such
payment. The amount of accrued market discount for purposes of determining the
amount of ordinary income to be recognized with respect to subsequent payments
on such a Regular Certificate is to be reduced by the amount previously
treated as ordinary income.
In general, limitations imposed by the Code that are intended to match
deductions with the taxation of income may require a holder of a Regular
Certificate having market discount to defer a portion of the interest
deductions attributable to any indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase
or carry such Regular Certificate. Alternatively, a holder of a Regular
Certificate may elect to include market discount in gross income as it accrues
and, if he makes such an election, is exempt from this rule. The adjusted
basis of a Regular Certificate subject to such election will be increased to
reflect market discount included in gross income, thereby reducing any gain or
increasing any loss on a sale or taxable disposition.
Amortizable Premium. A holder of a Regular Certificate who holds the Regular
Certificate as a capital asset and who purchased the Regular Certificate at a
cost greater than its stated redemption price will be considered to have
purchased the Regular Certificate at a premium. In general, the Regular
Certificateholder may elect to deduct the amortizable bond premium as it
accrues under a constant yield method. A Regular Certificateholder's tax basis
in the Regular Certificate will be reduced by the amount of the amortizable
bond premium deducted. It appears that the Prepayment Assumption should be
taken into account in determining the term of a Regular Certificate for this
purpose. Amortizable bond premium with respect to a Regular Certificate will
be treated as an offset to interest income on such Regular Certificate, and a
Certificateholder's deduction for amortizable bond premium will be limited in
each year to the amount of interest income derived with respect to such
Regular Certificate for such year. Any election to deduct amortizable bond
premium will apply to all debt instruments (other than instruments the
interest on which is excludable from gross income) held by the
Certificateholder at the beginning of the first taxable year to which the
election applies or thereafter acquired, and may be revoked only with the
consent of the Service. Bond premium on a Regular Certificate held by a
Certificateholder who does not elect to deduct the premium will decrease the
gain or increase the loss otherwise recognized on the disposition of the
Regular Certificate. Certificateholders who pay a premium for a Regular
Certificate should consult their tax advisors concerning such an election and
rules for determining the method for amortizing bond premium.
Realized Losses. Holders of a Regular Certificate acquired in connection
with a trade or business should be allowed to deduct as ordinary losses any
losses sustained during a taxable year in which the Regular Certificates
become wholly or partially worthless as a result of one or more realized
losses on the underlying assets of the REMIC. However, it appears that a
noncorporate holder of a Regular Certificate that does not acquire such
certificate in connection with a trade or business may not be entitled to
deduct such a loss until such holder's certificate becomes wholly worthless,
which may not occur until its outstanding principal balance has been reduced
to zero. Any such loss may be characterized as a short-term capital loss.
At present, the law is unclear with respect to the timing and character of
any loss which may be realized by a holder of a Regular Certificate. Such a
holder may be required to accrue interest and original issue discount with
respect to such Regular Certificate without giving effect to any defaults or
deficiencies on the underlying assets of the REMIC until such holder can
establish that such losses will not be recoverable under any circumstances. As
a result, the holder of a Regular Certificate may be required to report
taxable income in excess of the amount of economic income actually accruing to
the benefit of such holder in a particular period. It is expected, however,
that the holder of such a Regular Certificate would eventually recognize a
loss or reduction in income attributable to such income when such loss is, in
fact, realized for federal income tax purposes.
Gain or Loss on Disposition. If a Regular Certificate is sold, the seller
will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount
realized from the sale and the seller's adjusted basis in such Regular
Certificate. The adjusted basis generally will equal the cost of such Regular
Certificate to the seller, increased by any original issue discount included
in the seller's ordinary gross income with respect to such Regular Certificate
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and reduced (but not below zero) by any payments on the Regular Certificate
previously received or accrued by the seller (other than qualified stated
interest payments) and any amortizable premium. Similarly, a Regular
Certificateholder who receives a principal payment with respect to a Regular
Certificate will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the
amount of the payment and the holder's allocable portion of his or her
adjusted basis in the Regular Certificate. Except as discussed below or with
respect to market discount, any gain or loss recognized upon a sale, exchange,
retirement, or other disposition of a Regular Certificate will be capital gain
if the Regular Certificate is held as a capital asset.
Gain from the disposition of a Regular Certificate that might otherwise be
capital gain, including any gain attributable to de minimis original issue
discount or market discount, will be treated as ordinary income to the extent
of the excess, if any, of (i) the amount that would have been includable in
the holder's income if the yield on such Regular Certificate had equaled 110%
of the applicable federal rate determined as of the beginning of such holder's
holding period, over (ii) the amount of ordinary income actually recognized by
the holder with respect to such Regular Certificate.
Taxation of Residual Interests. Generally, the "daily portions" of the
taxable income or net loss of a REMIC will be includable as ordinary income or
loss in determining the taxable income of holders of Residual Certificates
("Residual Holders"), and will not be taxed separately to the REMIC. The daily
portions are determined by allocating the REMIC's taxable income or net loss
for each calendar quarter ratably to each day in such quarter and by
allocating such daily portion among the Residual Holders in proportion to
their respective holdings of Residual Certificates in the REMIC on such day.
REMIC taxable income is generally determined in the same manner as the
taxable income of an individual using the accrual method of accounting except
that (i) the limitation on deductibility of investment interest expense and
expenses for the production of income do not apply, (ii) all bad loans will be
deductible as business bad debts, and (iii) the limitation on the
deductibility of interest and expenses related to tax-exempt income will
apply. REMIC taxable income generally means a REMIC's gross income, including
interest, original issue discount income, and market discount income, if any,
on the Contracts, plus any cancellation of indebtedness income due to realized
losses with respect to Regular Certificates and income on reinvestment of cash
flows and reserve assets, minus deductions, including interest and original
issue discount expense on the Regular Certificates, bad debt losses with
respect to the underlying assets of a REMIC, servicing fees on the Contracts,
other administrative expenses of a REMIC, and amortization of premium, if any,
with respect to the Contracts.
The taxable income recognized by a Residual Holder in any taxable year will
be affected by, among other factors, the relationship between the timing of
interest, original issue discount or market discount income, or amortization
of premium with respect to the Contracts, on the one hand, and the timing of
deductions for interest (including original issue discount) on the Regular
Certificates, on the other hand. In the event that an interest in the
Contracts is acquired by a REMIC at a discount, and one or more of such
Contracts is prepaid, the Residual Holder may recognize taxable income without
being entitled to receive a corresponding cash distribution because (i) the
prepayment may be used in whole or in part to make distributions on Regular
Certificates, and (ii) the discount on the Contracts which is includable in a
REMIC's income may exceed its deduction with respect to the distributions on
those Regular Certificates. When there is more than one class of Regular
Certificates that receive payments sequentially (i.e., a fast-pay, slow-pay
structure), this mismatching of income and deductions is particularly likely
to occur in the early years following issuance of the Regular Certificates,
when distributions are being made in respect of earlier classes of Regular
Certificates to the extent that such classes are not issued with substantial
discount. If taxable income attributable to such a mismatching is realized, in
general, losses would be allowed in later years as distributions on the later
classes of Regular Certificates are made. Taxable income may also be greater
in earlier years than in later years as a result of the fact that interest
expense deductions, expressed as a percentage of the outstanding principal
amount of Regular Certificates, may increase over time as distributions are
made on the lower yielding classes of Regular Certificates, whereas interest
income with respect to any given Contract will remain constant over time as a
percentage of the outstanding principal amount of that loan (assuming it bears
interest at a fixed rate). Consequently, Residual Holders must have
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sufficient other sources of cash to pay any federal, state, or local income
taxes due as a result of such mismatching, or such holders must have unrelated
deductions against which to offset such income, subject to the discussion of
"excess inclusions" below under "REMIC Series--Limitations on Offset or
Exemption of REMIC Income." The mismatching of income and deductions described
in this paragraph, if present with respect to a series of Certificates, may
have a significant adverse effect upon the Residual Holder's after-tax rate of
return.
The amount of any net loss of a REMIC that may be taken into account by the
Residual Holder is limited to the adjusted basis of the Residual Certificate
as of the close of the quarter (or time of disposition of the Residual
Certificate if earlier), determined without taking into account the net loss
for the quarter. The initial adjusted basis of a purchaser of a Residual
Certificate is the amount paid for such Residual Certificate. Such adjusted
basis will be increased by the amount of taxable income of the REMIC
reportable by the Residual Holder and decreased (but not below zero) by the
amount of loss of the REMIC reportable by the Residual Holder. A cash
distribution from the REMIC also will reduce such adjusted basis (but not
below zero). Any loss that is disallowed on account of this limitation may be
carried over indefinitely by the Residual Holder for whom such loss was
disallowed and may be used by such Residual Holder only to offset any income
generated by the same REMIC.
If a Residual Certificate has a negative value, it is not clear whether its
issue price would be considered to be zero or such negative amount for
purposes of determining the REMIC's basis in its assets. The REMIC Regulations
imply that residual interests cannot have a negative basis or a negative issue
price. However, the preamble to the REMIC Regulations indicates that, while
existing tax rules do not accommodate such concepts, the Service is
considering the tax treatment of these types of residual interests, including
the proper tax treatment of a payment made by the transferor of such a
residual interest to induce the transferee to acquire that interest. Absent
regulations or administrative guidance to the contrary, the Company does not
intend to treat a class of Residual Certificates as having a value of less
than zero for purposes of determining the basis of the related REMIC in its
assets.
Further, to the extent that the initial adjusted basis of a Residual Holder
(other than an original holder) in the Residual Certificate is in excess of
the corresponding portion of the REMIC's basis in the Contracts, the Residual
Holder will not recover such excess basis until termination of the REMIC
unless Treasury Regulations yet to be issued provide for periodic adjustments
to the REMIC income otherwise reportable by such holder.
Treatment of Certain Items of REMIC Income and Expense. Generally, a REMIC's
deductions for original issue discount will be determined in the same manner,
and subject to the same uncertainties, as original issue discount income on
Regular Certificates as described above under "REMIC Series--Original Issue
Discount" and "--Adjustable Rate Regular Certificates," without regard to the
de minimis rule described therein.
The REMIC will have market discount income in respect of the Contracts if,
in general, the basis of the REMIC in such Contracts is exceeded by their
unpaid principal balances. The REMIC's basis in such Contracts is generally
the fair market value of the Contracts immediately after the transfer thereof
to the REMIC (which will equal the aggregate issue prices of the REMIC
Certificates which are sold to investors and the estimated fair market value
of any classes of Certificates which are retained). In respect of the
Contracts that have market discount to which Code Section 1276 applies, the
accrued portion of such market discount would be recognized currently as an
item of ordinary income. Market discount income generally should accrue in the
manner described above under "REMIC Series--Market Discount."
Generally, if the basis of a REMIC in the Contracts exceeds the unpaid
principal balances thereof, the REMIC will be considered to have acquired such
Contracts at a premium equal to the amount of such excess. As stated above,
the REMIC's basis in the Contracts is the fair market value of the Contracts
immediately after the transfer thereof to the REMIC. Generally, a REMIC that
holds a Contract as a capital asset will elect to amortize
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premium on the Contracts under a constant interest method. See the discussion
under "REMIC Series--Amortizable Premium."
Limitations on Offset or Exemption of REMIC Income. Subject to an exception
described below, which applies only if the aggregate value of the Residual
Certificates relative to the aggregate value of the Regular Certificates and
Residual Certificates is considered to be "significant," as described below, a
portion (or all) of the REMIC taxable income includable in determining the
federal income tax liability of a Residual Holder will be subject to special
treatment. That portion, referred to as the "excess inclusion," is equal to
the excess of REMIC taxable income for the calendar quarter allocable to a
Residual Certificate over the daily accruals for such quarterly period of (i)
120% of the long-term applicable Federal rate that would have applied to the
Residual Certificate (if it were a debt instrument) on the Startup Day under
Section 1274(d) of the Code, multiplied by (ii) the adjusted issue price of
such Residual Certificate at the beginning of such quarterly period. For this
purpose, the adjusted issue price of a Residual Certificate at the beginning
of a quarter is the issue price of the Residual Certificate, plus the amount
of such daily accruals of REMIC income described in this paragraph for all
prior quarters, decreased by any distributions made with respect to such
Residual Certificate prior to the beginning of such quarterly period. The
value of the Residual Certificates would be considered significant in cases
where the aggregate issue price of the Residual Certificates is at least 2% of
the aggregate issue price of the Regular Certificates and Residual
Certificates, and the anticipated weighted average life of the Residual
Certificates is at least 20% of the anticipated weighted average life of the
REMIC.
The portion of a Residual Holder's REMIC taxable income consisting of the
excess inclusions generally may not be offset by other deductions on such
Residual Holder's tax return, including net operating loss carry forwards.
Further, if the Residual Holder is an organization subject to the tax on
unrelated business income imposed by Section 511 of the Code, the Residual
Holder's excess inclusions will be treated as unrelated business taxable
income of such Residual Holder for purposes of Section 511. In addition, if
the Residual Holder is not a U.S. person, such Residual Holder's excess
inclusions generally would be ineligible for exemption from or reduction in
the rate of United States withholding tax. Finally, if a real estate
investment trust or regulated investment company owns a Residual Certificate,
a portion (allocated under Treasury Regulations yet to be issued) of dividends
paid by such real estate investment trust or regulated investment company
could not be offset by net operating losses of its shareholders and would
constitute unrelated business taxable income for tax-exempt shareholders.
The Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 has eliminated the special
rule permitting Section 593 institutions ("thrift institutions") to use net
operating losses and other allowable deductions to offset their excess
inclusion income from REMIC residual certificates that have "significant
value" within the meaning of the REMIC Regulations, effective for taxable
years beginning after December 31, 1995, except with respect to residual
certificates continuously held by a thrift institution since November 1, 1995.
In addition, the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 provides three
rules for determining the effect of excess inclusions on the alternative
minimum taxable income of a residual holder. First, alternative minimum
taxable income for such residual holder is determined without regard to the
special rule that taxable income cannot be less than excess inclusions.
Second, a residual holder's alternative minimum taxable income for a tax year
cannot be less than the excess inclusions for the year. Third, the amount of
any alternative minimum tax net operating loss deductions must be computed
without regard to any excess inclusions. These rules are effective for tax
years beginning after December 31, 1986, unless a residual holder elects to
have such rules apply only to tax years beginning after August 20, 1996.
Restrictions on Transfer of Residual Certificates. As described above under
"REMIC Series--Qualification as a REMIC," an interest in a Residual
Certificate may not be transferred to a Disqualified Organization. If any
legal or beneficial interest in a Residual Certificate is, nonetheless,
transferred to a Disqualified Organization, a
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tax would be imposed in an amount equal to the product of (i) the present
value of the total anticipated excess inclusions with respect to such Residual
Certificate for periods after the transfer, and (ii) the highest marginal
federal income tax rate applicable to corporations. The anticipated excess
inclusions are based on actual prepayment experience to the date of the
transfer and projected payments based on the Prepayment Assumption. The
present value rate equals the applicable federal rate under Section 1274(d) of
the Code as of the date of the transfer for a term ending on the close of the
last quarter in which excess inclusions are expected to accrue. Such rate is
applied to the anticipated excess inclusions from the end of the remaining
calendar quarters in which they arise to the date of the transfer. Such a tax
generally would be imposed on the transferor of the Residual Certificate,
except that where such transfer is through an agent (including a broker,
nominee, or other middleman) for a Disqualified Organization, the tax would
instead be imposed on such agent. However, a transferor of a Residual
Certificate would in no event be liable for such tax with respect to a
transfer if the transferee furnishes to the transferor an affidavit, under
penalties of perjury, that the transferee is not a Disqualified Organization
and, as of the time of the transfer, the transferor does not have actual
knowledge that such affidavit is false. The tax also may be waived by the
Treasury Department if the Disqualified Organization promptly disposes of the
residual interest and the transferor pays such amount of tax as the Treasury
Department may require (presumably, a corporate tax on the excess inclusion
for the period the residual interest is actually held by the Disqualified
Organization).
In addition, if a "Pass-Through Entity" (as defined below) has excess
inclusion income with respect to a Residual Certificate during a taxable year
and a Disqualified Organization is the record holder of an equity interest in
such entity, then a tax is imposed on such entity equal to the product of (i)
the amount of excess inclusions on the Residual Certificate that are allocable
to the interest in the Pass-Through Entity during the period such interest is
held by such Disqualified Organization, and (ii) the highest marginal federal
income tax rate imposed on corporations. Such tax would be deductible from the
ordinary gross income of the Pass-Through Entity for the taxable year. The
Pass-Through Entity would not be liable for such tax if it has received an
affidavit from such record holder that it is not a Disqualified Organization
and, during the period such person is the record holder of the Residual
Certificate, the Pass-Through Entity does not have actual knowledge that such
affidavit is false.
For these purposes, a "Pass-Through Entity" means any regulated investment
company, real estate investment trust, common trust fund, partnership, trust
or estate and certain corporations operating on a cooperative basis. Except as
may be provided in Treasury Regulations, any person holding an interest in a
Pass-Through Entity as a nominee for another will, with respect to such
interest, be treated as a Pass-Through Entity.
Noneconomic Residual Interests. The REMIC Regulations would disregard
certain transfers of Residual Certificates, in which case the transferor would
continue to be treated as the owner of the Residual Certificates and thus
would continue to be subject to tax on its allocable portion of the net income
of the REMIC. Under the REMIC Regulations, a transfer of a "noneconomic
residual interest" (as defined below) to a Residual Holder is disregarded for
all federal income tax purposes if a significant purpose of the transfer is to
enable the transferor to impede the assessment or collection of tax. A
residual interest in a REMIC (including a residual interest with a positive
value at issuance) is a "noneconomic residual interest" unless, at the time of
transfer, (i) the present value of the expected future distributions on the
residual interest at least equals the product of the present value of the
anticipated excess inclusions and the highest corporate income tax rate in
effect for the year in which the transfer occurs, and (ii) the transferor
reasonably expects that the transferee will receive distributions from the
REMIC at or after the time at which taxes accrue on the anticipated excess
inclusions in an amount sufficient to satisfy the accrued taxes. The
anticipated excess inclusions and the present value rate are determined in the
same manner as set forth above. The REMIC Regulations explain that a
significant purpose to impede the assessment or collection of tax exists if
the transferor, at the time of the transfer, either knew or should have known
that the transferee would be unwilling or unable to pay taxes due on its share
of the taxable income of the REMIC. A safe harbor is provided if (i) the
transferor conducted, at the time of the transfer, a reasonable investigation
of the financial condition of the transferee and found that the transferee
historically had paid its debts as they came due and found no significant
evidence to indicate that the transferee would not continue to pay its debts
as they came due in the future, and (ii) the transferee represents to the
transferor that it understands that, as the holder of
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a non-economic residual interest, the transferee may incur tax liabilities in
excess of any cash flows generated by the interest and that the transferee
intends to pay taxes associated with holding the residual interest as they
become due. The Agreement with respect to each series of REMIC Certificates
will require the transferee of a Residual Certificate to certify to the
statements in clause (ii) of the preceding sentence as part of the affidavit
described above under "Restrictions on Transfer of Residual Certificates."
Sale or Exchange of a Residual Certificate. Upon the sale or exchange of a
Residual Certificate, the Residual Holder will recognize gain or loss equal to
the excess, if any, of the amount realized over the adjusted basis as
described above of such Residual Holder in such Residual Certificate at the
time of the sale or exchange. In addition to reporting the taxable income of
the REMIC, a Residual Holder will have taxable income to the extent that any
cash distribution to him from the REMIC exceeds such adjusted basis on that
Distribution Date. Such income will be treated as gain from the sale or
exchange of the Residual Certificate. It is possible that the termination of
the REMIC may be treated as a sale or exchange of a Residual Holder's Residual
Certificate, in which case, if the Residual Holder has an adjusted basis in
his Residual Certificate remaining when his interest in the REMIC terminates,
and if he holds such Residual Certificate as a capital asset, then he will
recognize a capital loss at that time in the amount of such remaining adjusted
basis.
The Conference Committee Report to the Tax Reform Act of 1986 provides that,
except as provided in Treasury Regulations, the wash sale rules of Code
Section 1091 will apply to dispositions of Residual Certificates where the
seller of the Residual Certificate, during the period beginning six months
before the sale or disposition of the Residual Certificate and ending six
months after such sale or disposition, acquires (or enters into any other
transaction that results in the application of Code Section 1091) any residual
interest in any REMIC or any interest in a "taxable mortgage pool" that is
economically comparable to a Residual Certificate.
Certain Other Taxes on the REMIC. The REMIC provisions of the Code impose a
100% tax on any net income derived by a REMIC from certain prohibited
transactions. Such transactions are: (i) any disposition of a qualified
mortgage, other than pursuant to the substitution of a qualified replacement
mortgage for a qualified mortgage (or the repurchase in lieu of substitution
of a defective obligation), a disposition incident to the foreclosure,
default, or imminent default of a mortgage, the bankruptcy or insolvency of
the REMIC, or a qualified liquidation of the REMIC; (ii) the receipt of income
from assets other than qualified mortgages and permitted investments; (iii)
the receipt of compensation for services; and (iv) the receipt of gain from
the dispositions of cash flow investments. The REMIC Regulations provide that
the modification of the terms of a Contract occasioned by default or a
reasonably foreseeable default of the Contract, the assumption of the
Contract, the waiver of a due-on-sale clause or the conversion of an interest
rate by an Obligor pursuant to the terms of a convertible adjustable-rate
Contract will not be treated as a disposition of the Contract. In the event
that a REMIC holds Convertible ARM Loans which are convertible at the option
of the Obligor into fixed-rate, fully amortizing, level payment Contracts, a
sale of such Contracts by the REMIC pursuant to a purchase agreement or other
contract with the Company or other party, if and when the Obligor elects to so
convert the terms of the Contract, will not result in a prohibited transaction
for the REMIC. The Code also imposes a 100% tax on contributions to a REMIC
made after the Startup Day, unless such contributions are payments made to
facilitate a cleanup call or a qualified liquidation of the REMIC, payments in
the nature of a guaranty, contributions during the three-month period
beginning on the Startup Day or contributions to a qualified reserve fund of
the REMIC by a holder of a residual interest in the REMIC. The Code also
imposes a tax on a REMIC at the highest corporate rate on certain net income
from foreclosure property that the REMIC derives from the management, sale, or
disposition of any real property, or any personal property incident thereto,
acquired by the REMIC in connection with the default or imminent default of a
loan. Generally, it is not anticipated that a REMIC will incur a significant
amount of such taxes or any material amount of state or local income or
franchise taxes. However, if any such taxes are imposed on a REMIC they will
be paid by the Company or the Trustee, if due to the breach of the Company's
or the Trustee's obligations, as the case may be, under the related Pooling
and Servicing Agreement or in other cases, such taxes shall be borne by the
related Trust Fund resulting in a reduction in amounts otherwise payable to
holders of the related Regular or Residual Certificates.
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Liquidation of the REMIC. A REMIC may liquidate without the imposition of
entity-level tax only in a "qualified liquidation." A liquidation is
considered qualified if a REMIC adopts a plan of complete liquidation (which
may be accomplished by designating in the REMIC's final tax return a date on
which such adoption is deemed to occur) and sells all of its assets (other
than cash) within the ninety-day period beginning on the date of the adoption
of the plan of liquidation, provided that it distributes to holders of Regular
or Residual Certificates, on or before the last day of the ninety-day
liquidation period, all the proceeds of the liquidation (including all cash),
less amounts retained to meet claims.
Taxation of Certain Foreign Investors. For purposes of this discussion, a
"Foreign Holder" is a Certificateholder who holds a Regular Certificate and
who is not (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation,
partnership, or other entity organized in or under the laws of the United
States or a political subdivision thereof, (iii) an estate the income of which
is includible in gross income for United States tax purposes regardless of its
source, or (iv) a trust if (A) a court within the United States is able to
exercise primary supervision over the administration of the trust and (B) one
or more United States trustees have authority to control all substantial
decisions of the trust. Unless the interest on a Regular Certificate is
effectively connected with the conduct by the Foreign Holder of a trade or
business within the United States, the Foreign Holder is not subject to
federal income or withholding tax on interest (or original issue discount, if
any) on a Regular Certificate (subject to possible backup withholding of tax,
discussed below). To qualify for this tax exemption, the Foreign Holder will
be required to provide periodically a statement signed under penalties of
perjury certifying that the Foreign Holder meets the requirements for
treatment as a Foreign Holder and providing the Foreign Holder's name and
address. The statement, which may be made on a Form W-8 or substantially
similar substitute form, generally must be provided in the year a payment
occurs or in either of the two preceding years. The statement must be
provided, either directly or through clearing organization or financial
institution intermediaries, to the person that otherwise would withhold tax.
This exemption may not apply to a Foreign Holder that owns both Regular
Certificates and Residual Certificates. If the interest on a Regular
Certificate is effectively connected with the conduct by a Foreign Holder of a
trade or business within the United States, then the Foreign Holder will be
subject to tax at regular graduated rates. In addition, the foregoing rules
will not apply to exempt a U.S. shareholder of a controlled foreign
corporation from taxation on such U.S. shareholder's allocable portion of the
interest income received by such controlled foreign corporation. Foreign
Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the specific tax
consequences of their owning a Regular Certificate.
Any gain recognized by a Foreign Holder upon a sale, retirement or other
taxable disposition of a Regular Certificate generally will not be subject to
United States federal income tax unless either (i) the Foreign Holder is a
nonresident alien individual who holds the Regular Certificate as a capital
asset and who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the
taxable year of the disposition and either the gain is attributable to an
office or other fixed place of business maintained in the U.S. by the
individual or the individual has a "tax home" in the United States, or (ii)
the gain is effectively connected with the conduct by the Foreign Holder of a
trade or business within the United States.
It appears that a Regular Certificate will not be included in the estate of
a Foreign Holder and will not be subject to United States estate taxes.
However, Foreign Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding
estate tax consequences.
Unless otherwise stated in the related Prospectus Supplement, transfers of
Residual Certificates to Foreign Holders will be prohibited by the related
Agreement.
Backup Withholding. Under certain circumstances, a REMIC Certificateholder
may be subject to "backup withholding" at a 31% rate. Backup withholding may
apply to a REMIC Certificateholder who is a United States person if the
holder, among other circumstances, fails to furnish his Social Security number
or other taxpayer identification number to the Trustee. Backup withholding may
apply, under certain circumstances, to a REMIC
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Certificateholder who is a foreign person if the REMIC Certificateholder fails
to provide the Trustee or the REMIC Certificateholder's securities broker with
the statement necessary to establish the exemption from federal income and
withholding tax on interest on the REMIC Certificate. Backup withholding,
however, does not apply to payments on a Certificate made to certain exempt
recipients, such as corporations and tax-exempt organizations, and to certain
foreign persons. REMIC Certificateholders should consult their tax advisors
for additional information concerning the potential application of backup
withholding to payments received by them with respect to a Certificate.
Reporting Requirements and Tax Administration. The Company will report
annually to the Service, holders of record of the Regular Certificates that
are not excepted from the reporting requirements and, to the extent required
by the Code, other interested parties, information with respect to the
interest paid or accrued on the Regular Certificates, original issue discount,
if any, accruing on the Regular Certificates and information necessary to
compute the accrual of any market discount or the amortization of any premium
on the Regular Certificates.
The Treasury Department has issued temporary regulations concerning certain
aspects of REMIC tax administration. Under those regulations, a Residual
Certificateholder must be designated as the REMIC's "tax matters person." The
tax matters person, generally, has responsibility for overseeing and providing
notice to the other Residual Certificateholders of certain administrative and
judicial proceedings regarding the REMIC's tax affairs. Unless otherwise
indicated in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Company will be designated
as tax matters person for each REMIC, and in conjunction with the Trustee will
act as the agent of the Residual Certificateholders in the preparation and
filing of the REMIC's federal and state income tax and other information
returns.
NON-REMIC SERIES
Tax Status of the Trust Fund. In the case of a Trust Fund evidenced by a
series of Certificates, or a segregated portion thereof, with respect to which
a REMIC Election is not made ("Non-REMIC Certificates"), Counsel will, unless
otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, have advised the
Company that, in their opinion, each Contract Pool and the arrangement to be
administered by the Company under which the Trustee will hold and the Company
will be obligated to service the Contracts and pursuant to which Non-REMIC
Certificates will be issued to Non-REMIC Certificateholders will not be
classified as an association taxable as a corporation or a "taxable mortgage
pool", within the meaning of Code Section 7701(i), but rather will be
classified as a grantor trust under Subpart E, Part 1 of Subchapter J of the
Code. In such event, each Non-REMIC Certificateholder will be treated as the
owner of a pro rata undivided interest in the ordinary income and corpus
portions of the trust attributable to the Contract Pool in which its
Certificate evidences an ownership interest and will be considered the
equitable owner of a pro rata undivided interest in each of the Contracts
included therein. The following discussion assumes the Trust Fund will be so
classified as a grantor trust.
Tax Status of Non-REMIC Certificates. In general, (i) Certificates held by a
financial institution taxed as described in Section 593(a) of the Code may
represent interests in "qualifying real property loans" within the meaning of
Section 593(d) of the Code; (ii) Certificates held by a "domestic building and
loan association" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code may be
considered to represent "loans secured by an interest in real property" within
the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19)(C)(v) of the Code; and (iii) Certificates
held by a real estate investment trust may constitute "real estate assets"
within the meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A) of the Code and interest thereon
may be considered "interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real
property" within the meaning of Section 856(c)(3)(B) of the Code. See the
discussions of such Code provisions above under "REMIC Series Tax Status of
REMIC Certificates." Investors should review the related Prospectus Supplement
for a discussion of the treatment of Non-REMIC Certificates and Contracts
under these Code sections and should, in addition, consult with their own tax
advisors with respect to these matters.
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Tax Treatment of Non-REMIC Certificates. Subject to the discussion below of
the "stripped bond" rules of the Code, Non-REMIC Certificateholders will be
required to report on their federal income tax returns, and in a manner
consistent with their respective methods of accounting, their pro rata share
of the entire income arising from the Contracts comprising such Contract Pool,
including interest, market or original issue discount, if any, prepayment
fees, assumption fees, and late payment charges received by the Company, and
any gain upon disposition of such Contracts. (For purposes of this discussion,
the term "disposition," when used with respect to the Contracts, includes
scheduled or prepaid collections with respect to the Contracts, as well as the
sale or exchange of a Non-REMIC Certificate.) Subject to the discussion below
of certain limitations on itemized deductions, Non-REMIC Certificateholders
will be entitled under Section 162 or 212 of the Code to deduct their pro rata
share of related servicing fees, administrative and other non-interest
expenses, including assumption fees and late payment charges retained by the
Company. An individual, an estate, or a trust that holds a Non-REMIC
Certificate either directly or through a pass-through entity will be allowed
to deduct such expenses under Section 212 of the Code only to the extent that,
in the aggregate and combined with certain other itemized deductions, they
exceed 2% of the adjusted gross income of the holder. In addition, Section 68
of the Code provides that the amount of itemized deductions (including those
provided for in Section 212 of the Code) otherwise allowable for the taxable
year for an individual whose adjusted gross income exceeds a threshold amount
specified in the Code ($117,950 for 1996, in the case of a joint return) will
be reduced by the lesser of (i) 3% of the excess of adjusted gross income over
the specified threshold amount or (ii) 80% of the amount of itemized
deductions otherwise allowable for such taxable year. Furthermore, in
determining the alternative minimum taxable income of an individual, trust,
estate or pass-through entity that is a holder of a Non-REMIC Certificate, no
deduction will be allowed for such holder's allocable portion of the foregoing
expenses, even though an amount equal to the total of such expenses will be
included in such holder's gross income for alternative minimum tax purposes.
To the extent that a Non-REMIC Certificateholder is not permitted to deduct
servicing fees allocable to a Non-REMIC Certificate, the taxable income of the
Non-REMIC Certificateholder attributable to that Non-REMIC Certificate will
exceed the net cash distributions related to such income. Non-REMIC
Certificateholders may deduct any loss on disposition of the Contracts to the
extent permitted under the Code.
To the extent that any of the Contracts comprising a Contract Pool were
originated on or after March 2, 1984 and under circumstances giving rise to
original issue discount, Certificateholders will be required to report
annually an amount of additional interest income attributable to such discount
in such Contracts prior to receipt of cash related to such discount. See the
discussion above under "REMIC Series--Original Issue Discount." Similarly,
Code provisions concerning market discount and amortizable premium will apply
to the Contracts comprising a Contract Pool to the extent that the loans were
originated after July 18, 1984 and September 27, 1985, respectively. See the
discussions above under "REMIC Series--Market Discount" and "REMIC Series--
Amortizable Premium." However, it is unclear whether a prepayment assumption
should be used in accruing or amortizing any such discount or premium.
Stripped Non-REMIC Certificates. Certain classes of Non-REMIC Certificates
may be subject to the stripped bond rules of Section 1286 of the Code and for
purposes of this discussion will be referred to as "Stripped Certificates." In
general, a Stripped Certificate will be subject to the stripped bond rules
where there has been a separation of ownership of the right to receive some or
all of the principal payments on a Contract from ownership of the right to
receive some or all of the related interest payments. Non-REMIC Certificates
will constitute Stripped Certificates and will be subject to these rules under
various circumstances, including the following: (i) if any servicing
compensation is deemed to exceed a reasonable amount; (ii) if the Company or
any other party retains a portion of the payments to be made under the
Contracts comprising a Contract Pool; (iii) if two or more classes of Non-
REMIC Certificates are issued representing the right to non-pro rata
percentages of the interest or principal payments on the Contracts; or (iv) if
Non-REMIC Certificates are issued which represent the right to interest only
payments or principal only payments.
Although not entirely clear, each Stripped Certificate should be considered
to be a single debt instrument issued on the day it is purchased for purposes
of calculating any original issue discount. Original issue discount with
respect to a Stripped Certificate, if any, must be included in ordinary gross
income for federal income tax
54
<PAGE>
purposes as it accrues in accordance with the constant-yield method that takes
into account the compounding of interest and such accrual of income may be in
advance of the receipt of any cash attributable to such income. See "REMIC
Series--Original Issue Discount" above. For purposes of applying the original
issue discount provisions of the Code, the issue price of a Stripped
Certificate will be the purchase price paid by each holder thereof and the
stated redemption price at maturity may include the aggregate amount of all
payments to be made with respect to the Stripped Certificate whether or not
denominated as interest. The amount of original issue discount with respect to
a Stripped Certificate may be treated as zero under the original issue
discount de minimis rules described above. A purchaser of a Stripped
Certificate will be required to account for any discount on the certificate as
market discount rather than original issue discount if either (i) the amount
of original issue discount with respect to the certificate was treated as zero
under the original issue discount de minimis rule when the certificate was
stripped or (ii) no more than 100 basis points (including any amount of
servicing in excess of reasonable servicing) is stripped off of the Contracts.
See "REMIC Series--Market Discount" above.
Although the OID Regulations suggest that a prepayment assumption is not to
be used in computing the yield on the underlying assets of a Trust Fund with
respect to which a REMIC election is not made, the Code appears to require
that such a prepayment assumption be used in computing yield with respect to
Stripped Certificates. In the absence of authority to the contrary, the
Company intends to base information reports and returns to the Service and the
holders of Stripped Certificates taking into account an appropriate prepayment
assumption. Holders of Stripped Certificates should refer to the related
Prospectus Supplement to determine whether and in what manner the original
issue discount rules will apply thereto.
When an investor purchases more than one class of Stripped Certificates it
is currently unclear whether for federal income tax purposes such classes of
Stripped Certificates should be treated separately or aggregated for purposes
of applying the original issue discount rules described above.
It is possible that the Service may take a contrary position with respect to
some or all of the foregoing tax consequences. For example, a holder of a
Stripped Certificate may be treated as the owner of (i) as many stripped bonds
or stripped coupons as there are scheduled payments of principal and/or
interest on each Contract or (ii) a separate installment obligation for each
Contract representing the Stripped Certificate's pro rata share of principal
and/or interest payments to be made with respect thereto. As a result of these
possible alternative characterizations, investors should consult their own tax
advisors regarding the proper treatment of Stripped Certificates for federal
income tax purposes.
The servicing compensation to be received by the Company and the fee for
credit enhancement, if any, may be questioned by the Service with respect to
certain Certificates or Contracts as exceeding a reasonable fee for the
services being performed in exchange therefor, and a portion of such servicing
compensation could be recharacterized as an ownership interest retained by the
Company or other party in a portion of the interest payments to be made
pursuant to the Contracts. In this event, a Certificate might be treated as a
Stripped Certificate subject to the stripped bond rules of Section 1286 of the
Code and the original issue discount provisions rather than to the market
discount and premium rules.
Gain or Loss on Disposition. Upon sale or exchange of a Non-REMIC
Certificate, a Non-REMIC Certificateholder will recognize gain or loss equal
to the difference between the amount realized in the sale and its aggregate
adjusted basis in the Contracts represented by the Non-REMIC Certificate.
Generally, the aggregate adjusted basis will equal the Non-REMIC
Certificateholder's cost for the Non-REMIC Certificate increased by the amount
of any previously reported income or gain with respect to the Non-REMIC
Certificate and decreased by the amount of any losses previously reported with
respect to the Non-REMIC Certificate and the amount of any distributions
received thereon. Except as provided above with respect to the original issue
discount and market discount rules, any such gain or loss would be capital
gain or loss if the Non-REMIC Certificate was held as a capital asset.
Tax Treatment of Certain Foreign Investors. Generally, interest or original
issue discount paid to or accruing for the benefit of a Non-REMIC
Certificateholder who is a Foreign Holder (as defined above under "REMIC
Series--Taxation of Certain Foreign Investors") will be treated as "portfolio
interest" and therefore will be
55
<PAGE>
exempt from the 30% withholding tax. Such Non-REMIC Certificateholder will be
entitled to receive interest payments and original issue discount on the Non-
REMIC Certificates free of United States federal income tax, but only to the
extent the Contracts were originated after July 18, 1984 and provided that
such Non-REMIC Certificateholder periodically provides the Trustee (or other
person who would otherwise be required to withhold tax) with a statement
certifying under penalty of perjury that such Non-REMIC Certificateholder is
not a United States person and providing the name and address of such Non-
REMIC Certificateholder. For additional information concerning interest or
original issue discount paid by the Company to a Foreign Holder and the
treatment of a sale or exchange of a Non-REMIC Certificate by a Foreign
Holder, which will generally have the same tax consequences as the sale of a
Regular Certificate, see the discussion above under "REMIC Series--Taxation of
Certain Foreign Investors."
Tax Administration and Reporting. The Company will furnish to each Non-REMIC
Certificateholder with each distribution a statement setting forth the amount
of such distribution allocable to principal and to interest. In addition, the
Company will furnish, within a reasonable time after the end of each calendar
year, to each Non-REMIC Certificateholder who was a Certificateholder at any
time during such year, information regarding the amount of servicing
compensation received by the Company and any sub-servicer and such other
customary factual information as the Company deems necessary or desirable to
enable Certificateholders to prepare their tax returns. Reports will be made
annually to the Service and to holders of record that are not excepted from
the reporting requirements regarding information as may be required with
respect to interest and original issue discount, if any, with respect to the
Non-REMIC Certificates.
OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES
No advice has been received as to local income, franchise, personal
property, or other taxation in any state or locality, or as to the tax effect
of ownership of Certificates in any state or locality. Certificateholders are
advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to any state or local
income, franchise, personal property, or other tax consequences arising out of
their ownership of Certificates.
LEGAL INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, any
Certificates offered hereby are not expected to constitute "mortgage related
securities" for purposes of the Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement Act of
1984 ("SMMEA") because there will be a substantial number of Contracts that
are secured by liens on real estate that are not first liens, as required by
SMMEA. Accordingly, many institutions with legal authority to invest in
"mortgage related securities" may not be legally authorized to invest in the
Certificates.
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, The Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency and the National Credit Union Administration have
proposed or adopted guidelines regarding investment in various types of
mortgage-backed securities. In addition, certain state regulators have taken
positions that may prohibit regulated institutions subject to their
jurisdiction from holding securities representing residual interests,
including securities previously purchased. There may be other restrictions on
the ability of certain investors, including depository institutions, either to
purchase Certificates or to purchase Certificates representing more than a
specified percentage of the investor's assets. Investors should consult their
own legal advisors in determining whether and to what extent the Certificates
constitute legal investments for such investors.
RATINGS
It is a condition precedent to the issuance of any Class of Certificates
sold under this Prospectus that they be rated by at least one nationally
recognized statistical rating organization in one of its four highest rating
categories (within which there may be sub-categories or gradations indicating
relative standing). A security rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or
hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by
the assigning rating agency. The security rating of any Series of Certificates
should be evaluated independently of similar security ratings assigned to
other kinds of securities.
56
<PAGE>
UNDERWRITING
The Company may sell Certificates of each Series to or through underwriters
(the "Underwriters") by a negotiated firm commitment underwriting and public
reoffering by the Underwriters, and also may sell and place Certificates
directly to other purchasers or through agents. The Company intends that
Certificates will be offered through such various methods from time to time
and that offerings may be made concurrently through more than one of these
methods or that an offering of a particular Series of Certificates may be made
through a combination of such methods.
The distribution of the Certificates may be effected from time to time in
one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or
at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
If so specified in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a Series of
Certificates, the Company or any affiliate thereof may purchase some or all of
one or more Classes of Certificates of such Series from the Underwriter or
Underwriters at a price specified in such Prospectus Supplement. Such
purchaser may thereafter from time to time offer and sell, pursuant to this
Prospectus, some or all of such Certificates so purchased directly, through
one or more Underwriters to be designated at the time of the offering of such
Certificates or through broker-dealers acting as agent and/or principal. Such
offering may be restricted in the manner specified in such Prospectus
Supplement. Such transactions may be effected at market prices prevailing at
the time of sale, at negotiated prices or at fixed prices.
In connection with the sale of the Certificates, Underwriters may receive
compensation from the Company or from purchasers of Certificates for whom they
may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.
Underwriters may sell the Certificates of a Series to or through dealers and
such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or
commissions from the Underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for
whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate
in the distribution of the Certificates of a Series may be deemed to be
Underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from the
Company and any profit on the resale of the Certificates by them may be deemed
to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Any such Underwriters or agents will
be identified, and any such compensation received from the Company will be
described, in the Prospectus Supplement.
Under agreements which may be entered into by the Company, Underwriters and
agents who participate in the distribution of the Certificates may be entitled
to indemnification by the Company against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act.
If so indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, the Company will authorize
Underwriters or other persons acting as the Company's agents to solicit offers
by certain institutions to purchase the Certificates from the Company pursuant
to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions
with which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks,
insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational
charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such institutions must be
approved by the Company. The obligation of any purchaser under any such
contract will be subject to the condition that the purchaser of the offered
Certificates shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of
the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject from purchasing such
Certificates. The Underwriters and such other agents will not have
responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.
The Underwriters may, from time to time, buy and sell Certificates, but
there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop and
there is no assurance that any such market, if established, will continue.
Certain of the Underwriters and their associates may engage in transactions
with and perform services for the Company in the ordinary course of business.
57
<PAGE>
LEGAL MATTERS
The legality and material federal income tax consequences of the
Certificates will be passed upon for the Company by the counsel to the Company
identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 1995
and 1994 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31,
1995 incorporated by reference herein have been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP, independent accountants, as stated in their report given upon their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
58
<PAGE>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR +
+THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE +
+SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE +
+UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF +
+ANY SUCH STATE. +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION--PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS DATED JANUARY , 1997
UNSECURED HOME
IMPROVEMENT LOANS
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION, SELLER AND SERVICER
CERTIFICATES FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS
(ISSUABLE IN SERIES)
Certificates for Home Improvement Loans ("Certificates") of one or more
series (each, a "Series") may be sold from time to time under this Prospectus
and a Prospectus Supplement for each such Series. The Certificates of each
Series may be issued in one or more classes or subclasses (each, a "Class"), as
further described herein. If the Certificates of a Series are issued in more
than one Class, all or less than all of such Classes may be sold under this
Prospectus, and there may be separate Prospectus Supplements for one or more of
such Classes so sold. Any reference herein to the Prospectus Supplement
relating to a Series comprised of more than one Class should be understood to
refer to each of the Prospectus Supplements relating to the Classes sold
hereunder.
The Certificates evidence specified interests in separate pools of home
improvement contracts and promissory notes (the "Contracts"), as more
particularly described herein. No Contract will be secured by an interest in
the related real estate. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Contracts will have been originated in the ordinary
course of business by Green Tree Financial Corporation (the "Company").
Specific information, to the extent available, regarding the size and
composition of the pool of Contracts relating to each Series of Certificates
will be set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement. If specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, a pool insurance policy, letter of credit,
surety bond, guarantee of the Company, cash reserve fund, or other form of
credit enhancement, or any combination thereof, may be provided with respect to
a Series of Certificates, or one or more Classes of such Series, evidencing
interests in the Contracts. The Company will act as Servicer (in such capacity
referred to herein as the "Servicer") of the Contracts.
Each Series of Certificates may include one or more senior Classes of
Certificates (the "Senior Certificates") and one or more subordinate Classes of
Certificates (the "Subordinated Certificates"). A Series of Senior/Subordinated
Certificates may include one or more Classes ("Mezzanine Certificates") which
are subordinated to one or more Classes of Certificates and are senior to one
or more Classes of Certificates. Certificates of a Series may be divided into
two or more Classes which (i) represent interests in specified percentages
(which may be 0%) of principal or interest, or both, in distributions on the
pool of Contracts relating to such Series, as specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, and/or (ii) are entitled to receive distributions in
respect of principal before or after specified principal distributions have
been made on one or more other Classes within such Series, or on a planned or
targeted amortization schedule or upon the occurrence of other specified
events. Each Prospectus Supplement will describe the Series and Class or
Classes of Certificates offered thereby.
The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the Pass-Through Rate that will be
paid to Certificateholders of each Class of a given Series. Such Pass-Through
Rate may be fixed, variable or adjustable, as specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the only
obligations of the Company with respect to a Series of Certificates will be
pursuant to certain limited representations and warranties. Except as otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer's obligations with
respect to the Certificates evidencing interests in a pool of Contracts are
limited to its contractual servicing obligations. If so specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer may be obligated, under certain
terms and conditions, to advance the amount of any delinquent payments of
principal and interest during the immediately preceding Due Period (as defined
herein), but only to the extent the Servicer determines such advances are
recoverable from future payments and collections on the delinquent Contracts.
See "Description of the Certificates--Advances" and "--Distributions on
Certificates."
There will have been no public market for any Certificates sold hereunder
prior to the offering thereof and there is no assurance that any such market
will develop. The Underwriters named in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a
Series may from time to time buy and sell Certificates of such Series, but
there can be no assurance that an active secondary market therefor will
develop, and there is no assurance that any such market, if established, will
continue.
-----------
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAS NOT PASSED ON OR ENDORSED
THE MERITS OF THIS OFFERING. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL.
This Prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of all or a portion of
any Series of Certificates unless accompanied by a Prospectus Supplement
relating to those particular Classes of Certificates.
The date of this Prospectus is January , 1997.
<PAGE>
REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
The Company will cause to be provided to the holders of the Certificates of
each Series certain monthly and annual reports concerning such Certificates and
the related Trust Fund as further described in the related Prospectus
Supplement under "Description of the Certificates--Reports to
Certificateholders."
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Company is subject to the information requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance
therewith files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"). Information concerning the Company can be
inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549,
and at the regional offices of the Commission located at 500 West Madison
Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511 and Seven World Trade Center,
13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such material can be obtained
from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. The Commission also maintains a
Web site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information
statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically
with the Commission. The Company's Common Stock and rights to purchase
preferred shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and on the
Pacific Stock Exchange ("PSE"). The Company's Senior Subordinated Debentures
are also listed on the NYSE and the PSE. The Company's Senior Subordinated
Notes are listed on the NYSE. Reports and other information concerning the
Company can be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.,
20 Broad Street, New York, New York and the Pacific Stock Exchange, Inc., 310
Pine Street, San Francisco, California.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Prospectus contains, and the Prospectus Supplement for each Series of
Certificates will contain, a summary of certain material terms of certain of
the documents referred to herein and therein, but neither contains nor will
contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement of which
this Prospectus is a part (the "Registration Statement"). For further
information, reference is made to such Registration Statement and the exhibits
thereto which the Company has filed with the Commission under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended. Statements contained in this Prospectus and any
Prospectus Supplement describing a provision of any contract or other document
referred to are summaries, and if this Prospectus or such Prospectus Supplement
indicates that such contract or other document has been filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement, reference is made to the copy of the contract or
other document filed as an exhibit, each such statement being qualified in all
respects by reference to the actual provision being described. Copies of the
Registration Statement can be inspected and, upon payment of the Commission's
prescribed charges, copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549
and at certain of its Regional Offices located as follows: New York Regional
Office, Seven World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048, and
Chicago Regional Office, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois
60661-2511.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
With respect to any Class of Certificates that is supported by a guarantee of
the Company, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1995 and the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the
quarters ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 1996, all of which have been
filed with the Commission, are hereby incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement.
All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act, subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior
to the termination of the offering of the Certificates, shall
2
<PAGE>
be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and the
Prospectus Supplement relating to a Class of Certificates that is supported by
a guarantee of the Company, and to be a part thereof from the respective dates
of filing of such documents. Any statement contained herein or in a document
all or any portion of which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of
this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other
subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
The Company will provide without charge to any person to whom this Prospectus
is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or
all of the foregoing documents incorporated herein by reference (other than
certain exhibits to such documents). Requests for such copies should be
directed to John Dolphin, Vice President and Director of Investor Relations,
1100 Landmark Towers, 345 St. Peter Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102-1639,
telephone number (612) 293-3400.
3
<PAGE>
SUMMARY OF TERMS
This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the detailed
information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus and in the accompanying
Prospectus Supplement.
Title of Securities.......... Certificates for Home Improvement Loans (Issua-
ble in Series) (the "Certificates").
Seller....................... Green Tree Financial Corporation (in such capac-
ity referred to herein as the "Company").
Servicer..................... Green Tree Financial Corporation (in such capac-
ity referred to herein as the "Servicer," which
term shall include any successor to Green Tree
Financial Corporation in such capacity under
the applicable Agreement (as defined herein)).
Risk Factors................. Certain special considerations are particularly
relevant to a decision to invest in any Certif-
icates sold hereunder. See "Risk Factors" here-
in.
Securities Offered........... Certificates evidencing interests in pools of
Contracts (as defined herein) may be issued
from time to time in one or more series (each,
a "Series") pursuant to separate Pooling and
Servicing Agreements (each, an "Agreement") be-
tween the Company, as Seller and Servicer, and
the Trustee specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement for such Series of Certificates (the
"Trustee").
The Contracts................ The Contracts underlying a Series of Certifi-
cates (the "Contract Pool") will be fixed or
variable rate Contracts. Such Contracts, as
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
will consist of home improvement contracts and
promissory notes and will be either conven-
tional contracts or contracts insured by the
Federal Housing Administration ("FHA") pursuant
to Title I of the National Housing Act ("Title
I"). No Contract will be secured by an interest
in the related real estate.
The Prospectus Supplement for each Series will
provide information with respect to (i) the ag-
gregate principal balance of the Contracts com-
prising the Contract Pool, as of the date spec-
ified in the Prospectus Supplement (the "Cut-
off Date"); (ii) the weighted average and range
of contractual rates of interest (each, a "Con-
tract Rate") on the Contracts; (iii) the
weighted average and ranges of terms to sched-
uled maturity of the Contracts as of origina-
tion and as of the Cut-off Date; (iv) the aver-
age outstanding principal balance of the Con-
tracts as of the Cut-off Date; (v) the percent-
age of the Contracts that are FHA-issued; and
(vi) the geographic location of improved real
estate underlying the Contracts. In addition,
if so specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, additional Contracts may be purchased
from the Company during the Pre-Funding Period
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
from funds on deposit in a Pre-Funding Account.
4
<PAGE>
Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Sup-plement, the Contracts will have
been originated by the Company on an individual
basis in the ordinary course of its business.
Description of Certificates.. The Certificates of each Series may be issued in
one or more Classes or subclasses as and on the
terms specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, each of which will evidence the inter-
est specified in the related Prospectus Supple-
ment in the Contract Pool and certain other
property held in trust for the benefit of the
Certificateholders (the "Trust Fund"). For con-
venience of description, any reference in this
Prospectus to a "Class" of Certificates in-
cludes a reference to any subclasses of such
Class. If so specified in a Prospectus Supple-
ment, a Series of Certificates may include one
or more Classes which (i) are entitled to re-
ceive distributions only in respect of princi-
pal ("Principal Only Certificates"), interest
("Interest Only Certificates") or any combina-
tion thereof, or in specified proportions in
respect of such payments, and/or (ii) are enti-
tled to receive distributions in respect of
principal before or after specified principal
distributions have been made on one or more
other Classes within such Series ("Fast
Pay/Slow Pay Certificates"), or on a planned
amortization schedule ("PAC Certificates") or
targeted amortization schedule ("TAC Certifi-
cates") or upon the occurrence of other speci-
fied events. See "Description of Certificates."
The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the
rate at which interest will be paid to
Certificateholders of each Class of a given Se-
ries (the "Pass-Through Rate"). Such Pass-
Through Rate may be fixed, variable or adjust-
able, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
Each Series of Certificates may include one or
more Classes ("Subordinated Certificates")
which are subordinated in right of distribution
to one or more other Classes ("Senior Certifi-
cates"). Certificates of a Series which in-
cludes Senior and Subordinated Certificates are
referred to herein collectively as
"Senior/Subordinated Certificates." A Series of
Senior/Subordinated Certificates may include
one or more Classes ("Mezzanine Certificates")
which are subordinated to one or more Classes
of Certificates and are senior to one or more
Classes of Certificates.
The Certificates will be issuable in fully reg-
istered form in the authorized denominations
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
See "Description of the Certificates." The Cer-
tificates will not be guaranteed or insured by
any government agency or, unless otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
other insurer and, except as described herein
and in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Contracts will not be guaranteed or insured by
any government agency or other insurer.
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Subordinated Certificates.... One or more Classes of any Series may be Subor-
dinated Certificates, as specified in the re-
lated Prospectus Supplement. The rights of the
Subordinated Certificateholders to receive any
or a specified portion of distributions with
respect to the Contracts will be subordinated
to the rights of Senior Certificateholders to
the extent and in the manner specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. If a Series of
Certificates contains more than one Class of
Subordinated Certificates, distributions and
losses will be allocated among such classes in
the manner specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement. The rights of the Subordinated
Certificateholders, to the extent not subordi-
nated, may be on a parity with those of the Se-
nior Certificateholders. This subordination is
intended to enhance the likelihood of regular
receipt by Senior Certificateholders of the
full amount of scheduled monthly payments of
principal and interest due them and to protect
the Senior Certificateholders against losses.
If so specified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement, Mezzanine Certificates or other
Classes of Subordinated Certificates may be en-
titled to the benefits of other forms of credit
enhancement and may, if rated in one of the
four highest rating categories by a nationally
recognized statistical rating organization, be
offered pursuant to this Prospectus and such
Prospectus Supplement.
Credit Enhancement........... As an alternative, or in addition, to the credit
enhancement afforded by subordination of the
Subordinated Certificates, credit enhancement
with respect to a Series of Certificates may be
provided by pool insurance, letters of credit,
surety bonds, a guarantee of the Company, cash
reserve funds or other forms of enhancement ac-
ceptable to each nationally recognized rating
agency rating a Series of Certificates, in each
case as described in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
Interest..................... Except as otherwise set forth in the related
Prospectus Supplement, interest on the Certifi-
cates will be paid on the dates specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement (each, a
"Payment Date"). The related Prospectus Supple-
ment will set forth for each Class of Certifi-
cates the Pass-Through Rate, if any, for each
such Class or the method of determining such
Pass-Through Rate. See "Yield Considerations"
and "Description of the Certificates." As spec-
ified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
Classes of a Series of Certificates may be en-
titled to receive no interest or interest which
is not proportionate to the principal allocable
to such Certificates.
Principal (Including Except as otherwise set forth in the related
Prepayments)................ Prospectus Supple-ment, principal on each Con-
tract, including any principal prepayments,
will be passed through on each Payment Date.
See "Maturity and Prepayment Considerations"
and "Description of the Certificates."
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<PAGE>
Optional Termination......... Unless otherwise specified in the related Pro-
spectus Supplement, each of the Company or the
Servicer may at its option repurchase all Con-
tracts relating to a Series of Certificates re-
maining outstanding at such time under the cir-
cumstances specified in such Prospectus Supple-
ment. Unless otherwise provided in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the repurchase price
will equal the principal amount of such Con-
tracts plus accrued and unpaid interest there-
on. See "Description of the Certificates--Ter-
mination of the Agreement."
Global Certificates.......... If so specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, the Certificates of a Series, or of
one or more Classes within a Series, will be
issuable in the form of one or more global cer-
tificates (each, a "Global Certificate") to be
held by a depositary (each, a "Depositary") on
behalf of the beneficial owners of the Certifi-
cates, as described herein under "Description
of the Certificates--Global Certificates." The
description of the Certificates in this Pro-
spectus assumes that the Certificates of a Se-
ries will not be issued in the form of Global
Certificates. If some or all of the Certifi-
cates of a Series are issued in the form of one
or more Global Certificates, the term "Global
Certificateholder," as used herein, will refer
to such beneficial owners of such Certificates,
and the rights of such Certificateholders will
be limited as described herein under "Descrip-
tion of the Certificates--Global Certificates."
Representations and
Warranties of the Company...
As a condition to the Company's conveyance of
any Contract Pool to the Trust Fund, the Com-
pany will be required to make certain represen-
tations and warranties in the related Agreement
regarding the Contracts. Under the terms of the
Agreement, if the Company becomes aware of a
breach of any such representation or warranty
that materially adversely affects the Trust
Fund's interest in any Contract or receives
written notice of such a breach from the
Trustee or the Servicer, then the Company will
be obligated either to cure such breach or to
repurchase or, if so provided in the related
Prospectus Supplement, substitute for the af-
fected Contract, in each case under the condi-
tions further described herein and in the Pro-
spectus Supplement. See "Description of the
Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
Federal Income Tax The Trust Fund represented by a Series of Cer-
Considerations.............. tificates may be treated as a grantor trust for
federal income tax purposes and not as an asso-
ciation taxable as a corporation. In such
event, each Certificateholder will be treated
as the owner of an undivided pro rata interest
in income and corpus attributable to the re-
lated Contract Pool and any other assets held
by the Trust Fund and will be considered the
equitable owner of an undivided interest in the
Contracts included in such Contact Pool. If the
Trust Fund represented by a Series of Certifi-
cates will not be treated as a grantor trust,
the federal income tax
7
<PAGE>
consequences of ownership of such Certificates
will be described in the related Prospectus
Supplement. See "Certain Federal Income Tax
Consequences."
ERISA Considerations......... A fiduciary of any employee benefit plan subject
to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), or the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),
should review carefully with its legal advisors
whether the purchase or holding of Certificates
could give rise to a transaction prohibited or
otherwise impermissible under ERISA or the
Code. See "ERISA Considerations."
Legal Investment............. The Certificates will not constitute "mortgage
related securities" under the Secondary Mort-
gage Market Enhancement Act of 1984, as amend-
ed. See "Legal Investment."
Ratings...................... It is a condition precedent to the issuance of
any Class of Certificates sold under this Pro-
spectus that they be rated in one of the four
highest rating categories (within which there
may be sub-categories or gradations indicating
relative standing) of at least one nationally
recognized statistical rating organization. A
security rating is not a recommendation to buy,
sell or hold securities and may be subject to
revision or withdrawal at any time by the as-
signing rating agency. See "Ratings."
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<PAGE>
RISK FACTORS
Prospective investors in Certificates should consider, among other things,
the following factors in connection with the purchase of the Certificates:
1. Limitations on Availability of FHA Insurance. The related Prospectus
Supplement will specify the number and percentage of the Contracts included
in the Contract Pool that are insured by FHA pursuant to Title I of the
National Housing Act ("Title I"). The availability of FHA Insurance
following a default on an FHA-insured Contract is subject to a number of
conditions, including strict compliance by the Company with FHA regulations
in originating and servicing the Contract. Although the Company is an FHA-
approved lender and believes, and will represent and warrant in the
Agreement, that it has complied with FHA regulations, such regulations are
susceptible to substantial interpretation. The Company is not required to
obtain, and has not obtained, approval from FHA of its origination and
servicing practices. Failure to comply with FHA regulations may result in a
denial of FHA Insurance claims, and there can be no assurance that FHA's
enforcement of its regulations will not become stricter in the future. From
time to time the Company is engaged in disputes with FHA over the validity
of claims submitted and the Company's compliance with FHA regulations in
servicing loans insured by FHA, such as the FHA-insured Contracts. In
addition, any insurance claim paid by FHA will cover only 90% of the sum of
the unpaid principal on the Contract, up to nine months unpaid interest
thereon (computed at 7% per annum) and certain liquidation costs.
The amount of FHA Insurance available with respect to a Series of
Certificates at any given time with respect to the FHA-insured Contracts
included in a Contract Pool is limited to the balance of a reserve amount
determined with respect to all FHA Title I loans originated and reported
for insurance by the Company and not sold, or sold with recourse, by the
Company, including manufactured housing contracts as well as home
improvement loans. Such reserve amount, as of December 31, 1995, was equal
to approximately $105,831,000, but will be reduced by the amount of all FHA
Insurance claims paid, and will be increased by an amount equal to 10% of
the unpaid principal balance of FHA Title I loans subsequently originated
and reported for insurance by the Company. Severe losses on the Company's
FHA-insured manufactured housing contracts, or on other FHA-insured home
improvement loans originated by the Company, could reduce or eliminate the
Company's FHA Insurance reserves, in which event FHA Insurance would not be
available to cover losses on FHA-insured Contracts. In the event the
Company were terminated as Servicer due to its bankruptcy or otherwise, it
is anticipated that a proportionate amount of the Company's FHA Insurance
reserves would be transferred to the reserve account of the Trustee or
other successor servicer, but there can be no assurance of the amount, if
any, that would be so transferred. See "Description of FHA Insurance."
2. Limited Obligations. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates of a Series will not represent an
interest in or obligation of the Company. The Certificates of any Series
will not be insured or guaranteed by any governmental agency or
instrumentality, any Underwriter or its affiliates, the Servicer or (except
as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement) any other
party.
3. Limited Liquidity. There can be no assurance that a secondary market
will develop for the Certificates of any Series, or, if it does develop,
that it will provide the holders of any of the Certificates with liquidity
of investment or that if such a secondary market develops that it will
continue to exist for the term of any Series of Certificates.
4. Contracts Unsecured. The obligations of the Obligor under the Contract
included in a Contract Pool will not be secured by an interest in the
related real estate or otherwise, and the related Trust Fund, as the owner
of such Contract, will be a general unsecured creditor as to such
obligations. As a consequence, in the event of a default under a Contract,
the related Trust Fund will have recourse only against the Obligor's assets
generally, along with all other general unsecured creditors of the Obligor.
In a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding relating to an Obligor on a
Contract, the obligations of the Obligor under such Contract may be
discharged in their entirety, notwithstanding the fact that the
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<PAGE>
portion of such Obligor's assets made available to the related Trust Fund
as a general unsecured creditor to pay amounts due and owing thereunder are
insufficient to pay all such amounts. An Obligor on a Contract may not
demonstrate the same degree of concern over performance of the Obligor's
obligations under such Contract as if such obligations were secured by the
real estate owned by such Obligor.
5. Certain Matters Relating to Insolvency. The Company intends that each
transfer of Contracts to the related Trust Fund constitute a sale, rather
than a pledge of the Contracts to secure indebtedness of the Company.
However, if the Company were to become a debtor under the federal
bankruptcy code, it is possible that a creditor or trustee in bankruptcy of
the Company or the Company as debtor-in-possession may argue that the sale
of the Contracts by the Company was a pledge of the Contracts rather than a
sale. This position, if presented to or accepted by a court, could result
in a delay in or reduction of distributions to the Certificateholders.
THE TRUST FUND
GENERAL
Each Trust Fund will include (i) a Contract Pool, (ii) the amounts held from
time to time in a trust account (the "Certificate Account") maintained by the
Trustee pursuant to the Agreement, (iii) proceeds from FHA Insurance (with
respect to any FHA-insured Contract included in the Contract Pool), (iv) any
letter of credit, guarantee, surety bond, insurance policy, cash reserve fund
or other credit enhancement securing payment of all or part of a Series of
Certificates, and (v) such other property as may be specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement.
Each Certificate will evidence the interest specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement in one Trust Fund, containing one Contract Pool comprised
of Contracts having the aggregate principal balance as of the specified day of
the month of the creation of the pool (the "Cut-off Date") specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. Holders of Certificates of a Series will have
interests only in such Contract Pool and will have no interest in the Contract
Pool created with respect to any other Series of Certificates, except with
respect to FHA Insurance reserves. If so specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Trust Fund may include a Pre-Funding Account which would be
used to purchase additional Contracts ("Subsequent Contracts") from the Company
during the Pre-Funding Period specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The related Prospectus Supplement will specify the conditions that must be
satisfied prior to any transfer of Subsequent Contracts, including the
requisite characteristics of the Subsequent Contracts.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, all of
the Contracts will have been originated by the Company in the ordinary course
of its business. Specific information respecting the Contracts included in each
Trust Fund will be provided in the related Prospectus Supplement and, to the
extent not contained in the related Prospectus Supplement, in a report on Form
8-K to be filed with the Commission within fifteen days after the initial
issuance of the Certificates. A copy of the Agreement with respect to each
Series of Certificates will be attached to the Form 8-K and will be available
for inspection at the corporate trust office of the Trustee specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. A schedule of the Contracts relating to such
Series will be attached to the Agreement delivered to the Trustee upon delivery
of the Certificates.
Whenever in this Prospectus terms such as "Contract Pool," "Trust Fund,"
"Agreement" or "Pass-Through Rate" are used, those terms respectively apply,
unless the context otherwise indicates, to one specific Contract Pool and Trust
Fund, each Agreement and each Pass-Through Rate applicable to the related Class
of Certificates.
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<PAGE>
THE CONTRACT POOLS
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Contract Pool will consist of home improvement contracts and promissory notes
(collectively, the "Contracts") originated by the Company on an individual
basis in the ordinary course of business. The Contracts will be conventional
home improvement contracts or contracts insured by FHA. No Contract will be
secured by an interest in the related real estate. Except as otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Contracts will be fully
amortizing and will bear interest at a fixed or variable annual percentage rate
(the "Contract Rate").
For each Series of Certificates, the Company will assign the Contracts
constituting the Contract Pool to the trustee named in the related Prospectus
Supplement (the "Trustee"). The Company, as Servicer (in such capacity referred
to herein as the "Servicer", which term shall include any successor to the
Company in such capacity under the applicable Agreement), will service the
Contracts pursuant to the Agreement. See "Description of the Certificates--
Servicing." Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
the Contract documents will be held by the Trustee or a custodian on its
behalf.
Each Contract Pool will be composed of Contracts bearing interest at the
Contract Rates specified in the Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise stated
in the related Prospectus Supplement, each registered holder of a Certificate
will be entitled to receive periodic distributions, which will be monthly
unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, of all or a
portion of principal on the underlying Contracts or interest on the principal
balance of such Certificate (or on some other principal balance unrelated to
that of such Certificate) at the Pass-Through Rate, or both.
The related Prospectus Supplement will specify for the Contracts contained in
the related Contract Pool, among other things, the range of the dates of
origination of the Contracts; the range of the Contract Rates and the weighted
average Contract Rate; the minimum and maximum outstanding principal balances
and the average outstanding principal balance as of the Cut-off Date; the
aggregate principal balance of the Contracts included in the Contract Pool as
of the Cut-off Date; the weighted average and range of scheduled terms to
maturity as of origination and as of the Cut-off Date; and the range of
original maturities of the Contracts and the last maturity date of any
Contract. If the Trust Fund includes a Pre-Funding Account, the related
Prospectus Supplement will specify the conditions that must be satisfied prior
to any transfer of Subsequent Contracts, including the requisite
characteristics of the Subsequent Contracts.
The Company will make representations and warranties as to the types and
geographical distribution of the Contracts included in a Contract Pool and as
to the accuracy in all material respects of certain information furnished to
the Trustee in respect of each such Contract. Upon a breach of any
representation or warranty that materially and adversely affects the interests
of the Certificateholders in a Contract, the Company will be obligated to cure
the breach in all material respects, or to repurchase or substitute for
the Contract as described below. This repurchase obligation constitutes the
sole remedy available to the Certificateholders or the Trustee for a breach of
representation or warranty by the Company. See "Description of the
Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
substantially all of the net proceeds to be received from the sale of each
Series of Certificates will be used by the Company for general corporate
purposes, including the origination or acquisition of additional home
improvement loan contracts, costs of carrying such contracts until sale of the
related certificates and to pay other expenses connected with pooling the
Contracts and issuing the Certificates.
11
<PAGE>
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
GENERAL
The Company is a Delaware corporation which, as of December 31, 1995, had
stockholders' equity of approximately $925,022,000. The Company purchases,
pools, sells and services conditional sales contracts for manufactured homes
and other consumer installment sales contracts, as well as home equity loans.
The Company is the largest servicer of government-insured manufactured housing
contracts and conventional manufactured housing contracts in the United States.
Servicing functions are performed through Green Tree Financial Servicing
Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Through its principal
offices in St. Paul, Minnesota, and service centers throughout the United
States, the Company serves all 50 states. The Company began financing
FHA-insured home improvement loans in April 1989 and conventional home
improvement loans in September 1992. The Company also purchases, pools and
services installment sales contracts for various consumer products. The
Company's principal executive offices are located at 1100 Landmark Towers,
345 St. Peter Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102-1639 (telephone (612) 293-
3400). The Company's quarterly and annual reports are available from the
Company upon written request made to the Company.
CONTRACT ORIGINATION
Through its centralized loan processing operations in St. Paul, Minnesota,
the Company arranges to purchase certain contracts from home improvement
contractors located throughout the United States. The Company's regional sales
managers contact home improvement contractors and explain the Company's
available financing plans, terms, prevailing rates and credit and financing
policies. If the contractor wishes to utilize the Company's available customer
financing, the contractor must make an application for contractor approval. The
Company has a contractor approval process pursuant to which the financial
condition, business experience and qualifications of the contractor are
reviewed prior to his or her approval to sell Contracts to the Company. In
addition, the Company has a centralized compliance group which reviews and
updates contractor financial condition and reviews contractors on an annual
basis to determine whether such contractor's approval will be continued. The
Company also reviews monthly contractor trend reports which show the default
and delinquency trends of the particular contractor with respect to contracts
sold to the Company. The Company occasionally will originate directly a home
improvement promissory note involving a home improvement transaction.
All contracts that the Company originates are written on forms provided or
approved by the Company and are purchased on an individually approved basis in
accordance with the Company's guidelines. The contractor submits the customer's
credit application and construction contract to the Company's office where an
analysis of the creditworthiness of the customer is made using a proprietary
credit scoring system that was implemented by the Company in June 1993. If the
Company determines that the application meets the Company's underwriting
guidelines and applicable FHA regulations (for FHA-insured contracts) and the
credit is approved, the Company purchases the contract from the contractor when
the customer verifies satisfactory completion of the work, or, in the case of
staged funding, the Company follows up with the customer for the completion
certificate 90 days after funding.
The types of home improvements financed by the Company include (i) exterior
renovations, including windows, siding and roofing, (ii) pools and spas, (iii)
kitchen and bath remodeling, and (iv) room additions and garages. The Company
may also, under certain limited conditions, extend additional credit beyond the
purchase price of the home improvement for the purpose of debt consolidation.
The original principal amount of an unsecured FHA-insured home improvement
contract currently may not exceed $7,500 without specific FHA approval, with a
maximum term of 20 years. Certain other criteria for home improvement contracts
eligible for FHA Insurance are described under the caption "Description of FHA
Insurance."
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<PAGE>
The Company began financing conventional home improvement loans in September
1992. Conventional home improvement loans are not insured by FHA. The unsecured
conventional program allows for an amount financed from $2,500 to $15,000
(except in Massachusetts where the loan limit may be $20,000). The allowable
term of unsecured contracts is 24 to 120 months. The Company's underwriting
standards with respect to unsecured home improvement contracts are, in general,
more stringent than its underwriting standards with respect to secured home
improvement contracts with similar terms. Eligible property includes an owner-
occupied single family home, up to four unit multiple-family dwelling, owner-
occupied condominium or town house, or an owner-occupied manufactured home
located in a Company-approved park or attached to the real estate.
YIELD CONSIDERATIONS
The Pass-Through Rates and the weighted average Contract Rate of the
Contracts (as of the related Cut-off Date) relating to each Series of
Certificates will be set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The Prospectus Supplement for each Series will indicate that a lower rate of
principal prepayments than anticipated would negatively affect the total return
to investors of any Class of Certificates that is offered at a discount to its
principal amount, and a higher rate of principal prepayments than anticipated
would negatively affect the total return to investors of any such Class of
Certificates that is offered at a premium to its principal amount or without
any principal amount.
The yield on some types of Certificates which may be offered hereby, such as
Interest Only Certificates, Principal Only Certificates, and Fast Pay/Slow Pay
Certificates, may be particularly sensitive to prepayment rates, and to changes
in prepayment rates, on the underlying Contracts. If so stated in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the yield on some types of Certificates which may be
offered hereby could change and may be negative under certain prepayment rate
scenarios. Accordingly, some types of Certificates may not be legal or
appropriate investments for certain financial institutions, pension funds or
others. See "ERISA Considerations" and "Legal Investment Considerations." In
addition, the timing of changes in the rate of prepayment on the Contracts
included in a Contract Pool may significantly affect an investor's actual yield
to maturity, even if the average prepayment rate over time is consistent with
the investor's expectations. In general, the earlier that prepayments on
Contracts occur, the greater the effect on the investor's yield to maturity.
MATURITY AND PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
MATURITY
Unless otherwise described in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, all of the
Contracts will have maturities at origination of not more than 25 years.
PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Contracts generally may be prepaid in full or in part without penalty. FHA-
insured Contracts may be prepaid at any time without penalty. The Company has
no significant experience with respect to the rate of principal prepayments on
home improvement contracts. Because the Contracts have scheduled due dates
throughout the calendar month, and because (unless otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement) all principal prepayments will be passed through
to Certificateholders of the related Series on the Payment Date following the
Due Period in which such principal prepayment occurred, prepayments on the
Contracts would affect the amount of funds available to make distributions on
the Certificates on any Payment Date only if a substantial portion of the
Contracts prepaid prior to their respective due dates in a particular month
(thus paying less than 30 days' interest for that Due Period) while very few
Contracts
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<PAGE>
prepaid after their respective due dates in that month. In addition,
liquidations of defaulted Contracts or the Servicer's or the Company's exercise
of its option to repurchase the entire remaining pool of Contracts (see
"Description of the Certificates--Repurchase Option") will affect the timing of
principal distributions on the Certificates of a Series.
Information regarding the prepayment standard or model or any other rate of
assumed prepayment, as applicable, will be set forth in the Prospectus
Supplement with respect to a Series of Certificates. Although the related
Prospectus Supplement will specify the prepayment assumptions used to price any
Series of Certificates, there can be no assurance that the Contracts will
prepay at such rate, and it is unlikely that prepayments or liquidations of the
Contracts will occur at any constant rate.
See "Description of the Certificates--Repurchase Option" for a description of
the Company's or Servicer's option to repurchase the Contracts comprising part
of a Trust Fund when the aggregate outstanding principal balance of such
Contracts is less than a specified percentage of the initial aggregate
outstanding principal balance of such Contracts as of the related Cut-off Date.
See also "The Trust Fund--The Contract Pools" for a description of the
obligations of the Company to repurchase a Contract in case of a breach of a
representation or warranty relative to such Contract.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CERTIFICATES
Each Series of Certificates will be issued pursuant to a separate pooling and
servicing agreement (each, an "Agreement") to be entered into among the
Company, as seller and Servicer, and the trustee named in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Trustee"), and such other parties, if any, as are
described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The following summaries
describe certain provisions expected to be common to each Agreement and the
related Certificates, but do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and
are qualified in their entirety by reference to, the provisions of the related
Agreement and the description set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The provisions of the form of Agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement of which this Prospectus is a part (the "Registration Statement")
that are not described herein may differ from the provisions of any actual
Agreement. The material differences will be described in the related Prospectus
Supplement. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the form of Agreement filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.
Each Series of Certificates will have been rated in the rating category by
the rating agency or agencies specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
GENERAL
The Certificates may be issued in one or more Classes. If the Certificates of
a Series are issued in more than one Class, the Certificates of all or less
than all of such Classes may be sold pursuant to this Prospectus, and there may
be separate Prospectus Supplements relating to one or more of such Classes so
sold. Any reference herein to the Prospectus Supplement relating to a Series
comprised of more than one Class should be understood as a reference to each of
the Prospectus Supplements relating to the Classes sold hereunder. Any
reference herein to the Certificates of a Class should be understood to refer
to the Certificates of a Class within a Series or all of the Certificates of a
single-Class Series, as the context may require. For convenience of
description, any reference in this Prospectus to a "Class" of Certificates
includes a reference to any subclasses of such Class.
The Certificates of each Series will be issued in fully registered form only
and will represent the interests specified in the related Prospectus Supplement
in a separate trust fund (the "Trust Fund") created pursuant to the related
Agreement. The Trust Fund will be held by the Trustee for the benefit of the
Certificateholders. Each Trust Fund, to the extent specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, will include (i) Contracts (the
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<PAGE>
"Contract Pool") which are subject to the Agreement, (ii) the amounts held in
the Certificate Account from time to time, (iii) proceeds from FHA Insurance
(with respect to any FHA-insured Contract included in the Contract Pool), (iv)
any letter of credit, guarantee, surety bond, insurance policy, cash reserve
fund or other credit enhancement securing payment of all or part of a Series of
Certificates and (v) such other property as may be specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement. Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Certificates will be freely transferable and exchangeable at
the corporate trust office of the Trustee at the address set forth in the
related Prospectus Supplement. No service charge will be made for any
registration of exchange or transfer of Certificates, but the Trustee may
require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge.
Ownership of each Contract Pool may be evidenced by one or more Classes of
Certificates, each representing the interest in the Contract Pool specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement. Each Series of Certificates may include one
or more Classes ("Subordinated Certificates") which are subordinated in right
of distribution to one or more other Classes ("Senior Certificates"), as
provided in the related Prospectus Supplement. Certificates of a Series which
includes Senior and Subordinated Certificates are referred to herein
collectively as "Senior/Subordinated Certificates." A Series of
Senior/Subordinated Certificates may include one or more Classes ("Mezzanine
Certificates") which are subordinated to one or more Classes of Certificates
and are senior to one or more Classes of Certificates. The Prospectus
Supplement with respect to a Series of Senior/Subordinated Certificates will
set forth, among other things, the extent to which the Subordinated
Certificates are subordinated (which may include a formula for determining the
subordinated amount or for determining the allocation of the Amount Available
(hereinafter defined) among Senior Certificates and Subordinated Certificates),
the allocation of losses among the Classes of Subordinated Certificates, the
period or periods of such subordination, the minimum subordinated amount, if
any, and any distributions or payments which will not be affected by such
subordination. The protection afforded to the Senior Certificateholders from
the subordination feature described above will be effected by the preferential
right of such Certificateholders to receive current distributions from the
Contract Pool. If a Series of Certificates contains more than one Class of
Subordinated Certificates, losses will be allocated among such Classes in the
manner described in the Prospectus Supplement. If so specified in the
applicable Prospectus Supplement, Mezzanine Certificates or other Classes of
Subordinated Certificates may be entitled to the benefits of other forms of
credit enhancement and may, if rated in one of the four highest rating
categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, be
offered pursuant to this Prospectus and such Prospectus Supplement.
If so specified in a Prospectus Supplement, a Series of Certificates may
include one or more Classes which (i) are entitled to receive distributions
only in respect of principal ("Principal Only Certificates"), interest
("Interest Only Certificates") or any combination thereof, or in specified
proportions in respect of such payments, and/or (ii) are entitled to receive
distributions in respect of principal before or after specified principal
distributions have been made on one or more other Classes within such Series
("Fast Pay/Slow Pay Certificates"), or on a planned amortization schedule ("PAC
Certificates") or targeted amortization schedule ("TAC Certificates") or upon
the occurrence of other specified events. The Prospectus Supplement will set
forth the rate at which interest will be paid to Certificateholders of each
Class of a given Series (the "Pass-Through Rate"). Such Pass-Through Rate may
be fixed, variable or adjustable, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
The related Prospectus Supplement will specify the minimum denomination or
initial principal amount of Contracts evidenced by a single Certificate of each
Class of Certificates of a Series (a "Single Certificate").
Distributions of principal and interest on the Certificates will be made on
the payment dates set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement (each, a
"Payment Date") to the persons in whose names the Certificates are registered
at the close of business on the related record date specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Record Date"). Distributions will be made by check
mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears on the
Certificate Register, or, to the extent described in the related Prospectus
Supplement, by wire transfer, except that the final distribution in retirement
of Certificates will be made only upon presentation and surrender of the
Certificates at the office or agency of the Trustee specified in the final
distribution notice to Certificateholders.
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GLOBAL CERTIFICATES
The Certificates of a Class may be issued in whole or in part in the form of
one or more global certificates (each, a "Global Certificate") that will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, and registered in the name of a nominee for, a
depositary (the "Depositary") identified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The description of the Certificates contained in this Prospectus assumes that
the Certificates will be issued in definitive form. If the Certificates of a
Class are issued in the form of one or more Global Certificates, the term
"Certificateholder" should be understood to refer to the beneficial owners of
the Global Certificates, and the rights of such Certificateholders will be
limited as described under this subheading.
Global Certificates will be issued in registered form. Unless and until it is
exchanged in whole or in part for a Certificate in definitive form, a Global
Certificate may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such
Global Certificate to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such
Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary.
The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any
Certificates of a Class will be described in the related Prospectus Supplement.
It is anticipated that the following provisions will apply to all depositary
arrangements:
Upon the issuance of a Global Certificate, the Depositary for such Global
Certificate will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system,
the respective denominations of the Certificates represented by such Global
Certificate to the accounts of institutions that have accounts with such
Depositary ("participants"). Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global
Certificate will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests
through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in such Global
Certificate will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be
effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary for such Global
Certificate or by participants or persons that hold through participants. The
laws of some states require that certain purchasers of securities take physical
delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and such laws may
impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Certificate.
So long as the Depositary for a Global Certificate, or its nominee, is the
owner of such Global Certificate, such Depositary or such nominee, as the case
may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Certificates
represented by such Global Certificate for all purposes under the Agreement
relating to such Certificates. Except as set forth below, owners of beneficial
interests in a Global Certificate will not be entitled to have Certificates of
the Series represented by such Global Certificate registered in their names,
will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of Certificates of
such Series in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders
thereof under the Agreement governing such Certificates.
Distributions or payments on Certificates registered in the name of or held
by a Depositary or its nominee will be made to the Depositary or its nominee,
as the case may be, as the registered owner for the holder of the Global
Certificate representing such Certificates. In addition, all reports required
under the applicable Agreement to be made to Certificateholders (as described
below under "Reports to Certificateholders") will be delivered to the
Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be. None of the Company, Servicer,
Trustee, or any agent thereof (including any applicable Certificate Registrar
or Paying Agent), will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of
the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests in a Global Certificate or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing
any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for providing
reports to the related beneficial owners.
The Company expects that the Depositary for Certificates of a Class, upon
receipt of any distribution or payment in respect of a Global Certificate, will
credit immediately participants' accounts with payments in amounts
proportionate to their respective beneficial interest in such Global
Certificate as shown on the records of such Depositary. The Company also
expects that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in such
Global Certificate held through such participants will be governed by standing
instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held
for the accounts of customers registered in "street name," and will be the
responsibility of such participants.
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If a Depositary for Certificates of a Class is at any time unwilling or
unable to continue as Depositary and a successor depositary is not appointed by
or on behalf of the Company within the time period specified in the Agreement,
the Company will cause to be issued Certificates of such Class in definitive
form in exchange for the related Global Certificate or Certificates. In
addition, the Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine not
to have any Certificates of a Class represented by one or more Global
Certificates and, in such event, will cause to be issued Certificates of such
Class in definitive form in exchange for the related Global Certificate or
Certificates. Further, if the Company so specifies with respect to the
Certificates of a Class, an owner of a beneficial interest in a Global
Certificate representing Certificates of such Class may, on terms acceptable to
the Company and the Depositary for such Global Certificate, receive
Certificates of such Class in definitive form. In any such instance, an owner
of a beneficial interest in a Global Certificate will be entitled to physical
delivery in definitive form of Certificates of the Class represented by such
Global Certificate equal in denominations to such beneficial interest and to
have such Certificates registered in its name.
CONVEYANCE OF CONTRACTS
The Company will transfer, assign, set over and otherwise convey to the
Trustee all right, title and interest of the Company in the Contracts,
including all principal and interest received on or with respect to the
Contracts (other than receipts of principal and interest due on the Contracts
before the Cut-off Date). On behalf of the Trust Fund, as the issuer of the
related Series of Certificates, the Trustee, concurrently with such conveyance,
will execute and deliver the Certificates to the order of the Company. The
Contracts will be as described on a list attached to the Agreement. Such list
will include the amount of monthly payments due on each Contract as of the date
of issuance of the Certificates, the Contract Rate on each Contract and the
maturity date of each Contract. Such list will be available for inspection by
any Certificateholder at the principal executive office of the Servicer. Prior
to the conveyance of the Contracts to the Trust Fund, the Company's internal
audit department will complete a review of all of the Contract files confirming
the accuracy of the list of Contracts delivered to the Trustee. Any Contract
discovered not to agree with such list in a manner that is materially adverse
to the interests of the Certificateholders will be repurchased or substituted
for by the Company, or, if the discrepancy relates to the unpaid principal
balance of a Contract, the Company may deposit cash in the separate account
maintained at an Eligible Institution in the name of the Trustee (the
"Certificate Account") in an amount sufficient to offset such discrepancy. If
the Trust Fund includes a Pre-Funding Account, the related Prospectus
Supplement will specify the conditions that must be satisfied prior to any
transfer of Subsequent Contracts, including the requisite characteristics of
the Subsequent Contracts.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Trustee
or its custodian will maintain possession of the Contracts and any other
documents contained in the Contract files. Uniform Commercial Code financing
statements will be filed in Minnesota reflecting the sale and assignment of the
Contracts to the Trustee, and the Company's accounting records and computer
systems will also reflect such sale and assignment.
The counsel to the Company identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement
will render an opinion to the Trustee that the transfer of the Contracts from
the Company to the related Trust Fund would, in the event the Company became a
debtor under the United States Bankruptcy Code, be treated as a true sale and
not as a pledge to secure borrowings. If, however, the transfer of the
Contracts from the Company to the Trust Fund were treated as a pledge to secure
borrowings by the Company, the distribution of proceeds of the Contracts to the
Trust Fund might be subject to the automatic stay provisions of the United
States Bankruptcy Code, which would delay the distribution of such proceeds for
an uncertain period of time. In addition, a bankruptcy trustee would have the
power to sell the Contracts if the proceeds of such sale could satisfy the
amount of the debt deemed owed by the Company, or the bankruptcy trustee could
substitute other collateral in lieu of the Contracts to secure such debt, or
such debt could be subject to adjustment by the bankruptcy trustee if the
Company were to file for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code.
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Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Company will make certain representations and warranties in the Agreement with
respect to each Contract as of the related Closing Date, including that: (a) as
of the Cut-off Date the most recent scheduled payment was made or was not
delinquent more than 59 days; (b) no provision of a Contract has been waived,
altered or modified in any respect, except by instruments or documents included
in the Contract file and reflected on the list of Contracts delivered to the
Trustee; (c) each Contract is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Obligor and is enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as may be
limited by laws affecting creditors rights generally); (d) no Contract is
subject to any right of rescission, set-off, counterclaim or defense; (e) each
FHA-insured Contract was originated in accordance with applicable FHA
regulations and is insured, without set off, surcharge or defense, by FHA
Insurance; (f) each Contract was either (i) entered into by a home improvement
contractor in the ordinary course of such contractor's business and,
immediately upon funding, assigned to the Company or (ii) was originated by the
Company directly; (g) no Contract was originated in or is subject to the laws
of any jurisdiction whose laws would make the transfer of the Contract or an
interest therein pursuant to the Agreement or the Certificates unlawful; (h)
each Contract complies with all requirements of law; (i) no Contract has been
satisfied or rescinded; (j) all parties to each Contract had full legal
capacity to execute such Contract; (k) no Contract has been sold, conveyed and
assigned or pledged to any other person and the Company has good and marketable
title to each Contract free and clear of any encumbrance, equity, loan, pledge,
charge, claim or security interest, and is the sole owner and has full right to
transfer such Contract to the Trustee; (l) as of the Cut-off Date there was no
default, breach, violation or event permitting acceleration under any Contract
(except for payment delinquencies permitted by clause (a) above), no event that
with notice and the expiration of any grace or cure period would constitute a
default, breach, violation or event permitting acceleration under such
Contract, and the Company has not waived any of the foregoing; (m) each
Contract is a fully-amortizing loan with a fixed rate of interest and provides
for level payments over the term of such Contract; (n) the description of each
Contract set forth in the list delivered to the Trustee is true and correct;
(o) there is only one original of each Contract; and (p) each Contract was
originated or purchased in accordance with the Company's then-current
underwriting guidelines.
Under the terms of the Agreement, if the Company becomes aware of a breach of
any such representation or warranty that materially adversely affects the Trust
Fund's interest in any Contract or receives written notice of such a breach
from the Trustee or the Servicer, then the Company will be obligated either to
cure such breach or to repurchase or, if so provided in the related Prospectus
Supplement, substitute for the affected Contract, in each case under the
conditions further described herein and in the Prospectus Supplement. This
repurchase obligation will constitute the sole remedy available to the Trust
Fund and the Certificateholders for a breach of a representation or warranty
under the Agreement with respect to the Contracts (but not with respect to any
other breach by the Company of its obligations under the Agreement).
The "Repurchase Price" of a Contract at any time means the outstanding
principal amount of such Contract (without giving effect to any Advances made
by the Servicer or the Trustee), plus interest at the applicable Pass-Through
Rate on such Contract from the end of the Due Period with respect to which the
Obligor last made a payment (without giving effect to any Advances made by the
Servicer or the Trustee) through the end of the immediately preceding Due
Period.
PAYMENTS ON CONTRACTS
Each Certificate Account will be a trust account established by the Servicer
as to each Series of Certificates in the name of the Trustee (i) with a
depository institution, the long-term unsecured debt obligations of which at
the time of any deposit therein are rated within the two highest rating
categories, or such other rating category as will not adversely affect the
ratings assigned to the Certificates, by each rating agency rating the
Certificates of such Series, (ii) with the trust department of a national bank,
(iii) in an account or accounts the deposits in which are fully insured by the
FDIC, (iv) in an account or accounts the deposits in which are insured by the
FDIC (to the limits established by the FDIC), the uninsured deposits in which
are otherwise secured such that, as evidenced by an opinion of counsel, the
Certificateholders have a claim with respect to the funds in the Certificate
Account or a perfected first priority security interest against
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<PAGE>
any collateral securing such funds that is superior to the claims of any other
depositors or general creditors of the depository institution with which the
Certificate Account is maintained or (v) otherwise acceptable to the rating
agency without reduction or withdrawal of the rating assigned to the relevant
Certificates. The collateral eligible to secure amounts in the Certificate
Account is limited to United States government securities and certain other
high-quality investments specified in the applicable Agreement ("Eligible
Investments"). A Certificate Account may be maintained as an interest-bearing
account, or the funds held therein may be invested pending each succeeding
Payment Date in Eligible Investments.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer
will deposit in the Certificate Account on a daily basis all proceeds and
collections received or made by it with respect to the related Contracts
subsequent to the Cut-off Date (including scheduled payments of principal and
interest due after the Cut-off Date but received by the Servicer on or before
the Cut-off Date), including:
(i) all Obligor payments on account of principal, including principal
prepayments, on the Contracts;
(ii) all Obligor payments on account of interest on the Contracts;
(iii) all FHA Insurance payments received by the Servicer;
(iv) all amounts received and retained in connection with the liquidation
of defaulted Contracts, net of liquidation expenses ("Net Liquidation
Proceeds");
(v) any Advances made as described under "Advances" below and certain
other amounts required under the Agreement to be deposited in the
Certificate Account;
(vi) all amounts received from any credit enhancement provided with
respect to a Series of Certificates; and
(vii) all proceeds of any Contract or property acquired in respect
thereof repurchased by the Servicer or the Company, as described under
"Conveyance of Contracts" above or under "Repurchase Option" below.
DISTRIBUTIONS ON CERTIFICATES
Except as otherwise provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, on each
Payment Date for a Series of Certificates, the Trustee will withdraw from the
applicable Certificate Account and distribute to the Certificateholders of such
Series of record on the preceding Record Date an amount equal to, in the
aggregate, the "Amount Available" for such Payment Date. Unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the "Amount Available" for a
Payment Date is an amount equal to the aggregate of all amounts on deposit in
the Certificate Account as of the seventh Business Day following the end of the
related Due Period, or such other date as may be specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Determination Date") except: (i) all payments on
the Contracts that were due on or before the Cut-off Date; (ii) all payments or
collections received after the Due Period preceding the month in which the
Payment Date occurs; (iii) all scheduled payments of principal and interest due
on a date or dates subsequent to the Due Period preceding the Determination
Date; (iv) amounts representing reimbursement for Advances, such reimbursement
being limited, if so specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, to amounts
received on particular Contracts as late collections of principal or interest
as to which the Servicer has made an unreimbursed Advance; and (v) amounts
representing reimbursement for any unpaid Servicing Fee. In the case of a
Series of Certificates which includes only one Class, the Amount Available for
each Payment Date will be distributed pro rata to the holders of such
Certificates. In the case of any other Series of Certificates, the Amount
Available for each Payment Date will be allocated and distributed to holders of
the Certificates of such Series pursuant to the method and in the order of
priority specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The amount of
principal and interest specified in the related Prospectus Supplement to be
distributed to Certificateholders is referred to herein as the "Certificate
Distribution Amount."
Within the time specified in the Agreement and described in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer will furnish a statement to the Trustee
setting forth the amount to be distributed on the related Payment Date on
account of principal and interest, stated separately, and a statement setting
forth certain information with respect to the Contracts.
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ADVANCES
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, to the
extent that collections on a Contract in any Due Period are less than the
scheduled payment due thereon, the Servicer will be obligated to make an
advance of the uncollected portion of such scheduled payment. The Servicer will
be obligated to advance a delinquent payment on a Contract only to the extent
that the Servicer, in its sole discretion, expects to recoup such Advance from
subsequent collections on the Contract or from liquidation proceeds thereof.
The Servicer will deposit any Advances in the Certificate Account no later than
one Business Day before the following Payment Date. The Servicer will be
entitled to recoup its advances on a Contract from subsequent payments by or on
behalf of the Obligor and from liquidation proceeds (including FHA Insurance
payments, if applicable), if any, of the Contract, and will release its right
to reimbursements in conjunction with the purchase of the Contract by the
Company for breach of representations and warranties. If the Servicer
determines in good faith that an amount previously advanced will not ultimately
be recoverable from payments by or on behalf of the Obligor or from liquidation
proceeds (including FHA Insurance payments, if applicable), if any, of the
Contract (an "Uncollectible Advance"), the Servicer will be entitled to
reimbursement from payments on other Contracts or from other funds available
therefor.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, if the
Servicer fails to make an Advance required under the Agreement, the Trustee
will be obligated to deposit the amount of such Advance in the Certificate
Account on the Payment Date. The Trustee will not, however, be obligated to
deposit any such amount if (i) the Trustee does not expect to recoup such
Advance from subsequent collections on the Contract or from liquidation
proceeds thereof, if any, or (ii) the Trustee determines that it is not legally
able to make such Advance.
EXAMPLE OF DISTRIBUTIONS
The following is an example of the flow of funds as it would relate to a
hypothetical Series of Certificates issued, and with a Cut-off Date occurring,
in March 1996 (all weekdays are assumed to be business days):
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
March 1......................................... (1) Cut-off Date.
March 1-31...................................... (2) Due Period. Servicer
receives scheduled payments
on the Contracts and any
principal prepayments made
by Obligors and applicable
interest thereon.
March 29........................................ (3) Record Date.
April 9......................................... (4) Determination Date.
Distribution amount
determined.
April 15........................................ (5) Payment Date.
</TABLE>
Succeeding months follow the pattern of (2) through (5). The flow of funds
with respect to any Series of Certificates may differ from the above example,
as specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
- --------
(1) The initial principal balance of the Contract Pool will be the aggregate
principal balance of the Contracts at the close of business on the Cut-off
Date, after deducting principal payments due on or before such date, which,
together with corresponding interest payments, are not part of the Contract
Pool and will not be passed through to Certificateholders.
(2) Scheduled payments and principal prepayments may be received at any time
during this period and will be deposited in the Certificate Account by the
Servicer for distribution to Certificateholders. When a Contract is prepaid
in full, interest on the amount prepaid is collected from the Obligor only
to the date of payment.
(3) Distributions on April 15 will be made to Certificateholders of record at
the close of business on the last Business Day of March, being the month
immediately preceding the month of distribution.
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(4) On April 9 (the seventh Business Day following the end of the prior Due
Period), the Servicer will determine the amounts of principal and interest
which will be passed through on April 15. In addition, the Servicer may
advance funds to cover any delinquencies, in which event the distribution
to Certificateholders on April 15 will include the full amounts of
principal and interest due during March. The Servicer will also calculate
any changes in the relative interests evidenced by the Senior Certificates
and the Subordinated Certificates in the Trust Fund.
(5) On April 15, the amounts determined on April 9 will be distributed to
Certificateholders.
INDEMNIFICATION
The Agreement requires the Company to defend and indemnify the Trust Fund,
the Trustee (including any agent of the Trustee) and the Certificateholders
(which indemnification will survive any removal of the Servicer as servicer of
the Contracts) against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages, claims and
liabilities, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel and expenses of
litigation for any taxes which may at any time be asserted with respect to, and
as of the date of, the conveyance of the Contracts to the Trust Fund (but not
including any federal, state or other tax arising out of the creation of the
Trust Fund and the issuance of the Certificates).
The Agreement also requires the Servicer, in connection with its duties as
servicer of the Contracts, to defend and indemnify the Trust Fund, the Trustee
and the Certificateholders (which indemnification will survive any removal of
the Servicer as servicer of the Contracts) against any and all costs, expenses,
losses, damages, claims and liabilities, including reasonable fees and expenses
of counsel and expenses of litigation, in respect of any action taken by the
Servicer with respect to any Contract while it was the Servicer.
SERVICING
Pursuant to the Agreement, the Servicer will service and administer the
Contracts assigned to the Trustee as more fully set forth below. The Servicer
will perform diligently all services and duties specified in each Agreement, in
the same manner as prudent lending institutions of home improvement contracts
of the same type as the Contracts in those jurisdictions where the related real
properties are located or as otherwise specified in the Agreement. The duties
to be performed by the Servicer will include collection and remittance of
principal and interest payments, as well as submission of FHA Insurance claims
where applicable.
The Servicer will make reasonable efforts to collect all payments called for
under the Contracts and, consistent with the Agreement and any FHA Insurance,
will follow such collection procedures with respect to the Contracts as it
follows with respect to loans or contracts serviced by it that are comparable
to the Contracts.
Evidence as to Compliance. Unless otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, each Agreement will require the Servicer to deliver to
the Trustee a monthly report prior to each Payment Date, setting forth certain
information regarding the Contract Pool and the Certificates of such Series as
is specified in the related Prospectus Supplement. Each such report to the
Trustee will be accompanied by a statement from an appropriate officer of the
Servicer certifying the accuracy of such report and stating that the Servicer
has not defaulted in the performance of its obligations under the Agreement. On
or before May 1 of each year, the Servicer will deliver to the Trustee a report
of a nationally recognized accounting firm stating that such firm has examined
certain documents and records relating to the servicing of home improvement
contracts serviced by the Servicer under pooling and servicing agreements
similar to the Agreement and stating that, on the basis of such procedures,
such servicing has been conducted in compliance with the Agreement, except for
any exceptions set forth in such report.
Certain Matters Regarding the Servicer. The Servicer may not resign from its
obligations and duties under an Agreement except upon a determination that its
duties thereunder are no longer permissible under applicable law. No such
resignation will become effective until the Trustee or a successor servicer has
assumed the Servicer's obligations and duties under such Agreement. The
Servicer can only be removed as servicer upon the occurrence of an Event of
Termination as discussed below.
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The Servicer shall keep in force throughout the term of the Agreement (i) a
policy or policies of insurance covering errors and omissions for failure to
maintain insurance as required by the Agreement, and (ii) a fidelity bond. Such
policy or policies and such fidelity bond shall be in such form and amount as
is generally customary among persons which service a portfolio of home
improvement contracts having an aggregate principal amount of $10 million or
more and which are generally regarded as servicers acceptable to institutional
investors.
Servicing Compensation and Payment of Expenses. For its servicing of the
Contracts, the Servicer will receive servicing fees ("Servicing Fees") which
include a Monthly Servicing Fee (which the Company may assign) for each Due
Period (paid on the next succeeding Payment Date) equal to 1/12th of the
product of the annual servicing fee rate described in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement and the Pool Scheduled Principal Balance for such Payment Date. As
long as the Company is the Servicer, the Trustee will pay the Company its
Monthly Servicing Fee from any monies remaining after the Certificateholders
have received all payments of principal and interest for such Payment Date.
The Monthly Servicing Fee provides compensation for customary third-party
servicing activities to be performed by the Servicer for the Trust Fund, for
additional administrative services performed by the Servicer on behalf of the
Trust Fund and for expenses paid by the Servicer on behalf of the Trust Fund.
Customary servicing activities include collecting and recording payments,
communicating with Obligors, investigating payment delinquencies, providing
billing and tax records to Obligors and maintaining internal records with
respect to each Contract. Administrative services performed by the Servicer on
behalf of the Trust Fund include selecting and packaging the Contracts,
calculating distributions to Certificateholders and providing related data
processing and reporting services for Certificateholders and on behalf of the
Trustee. Expenses incurred in connection with servicing of the Contracts and
paid by the Company from its Monthly
Servicing Fees include payment of FHA Insurance premiums, payment of fees and
expenses of accountants, payments of all fees and expenses incurred in
connection with the enforcement of Contracts (including submission of FHA
Insurance claims, if applicable) or payment of Trustee's fees, and payment of
expenses incurred in connection with distributions and reports to
Certificateholders, except that the Servicer shall be reimbursed out of the
liquidation proceeds of a liquidated Contract (including FHA Insurance
proceeds) for customary out-of-pocket liquidation expenses incurred by it.
Events of Termination. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, Events of Termination under each Agreement will occur if
(a) the Servicer fails to make any payment or deposit required under the
Agreement (including an Advance) and such failure continues for four business
days; (b) the Servicer fails to observe or perform in any material respect any
other covenant or agreement in the Agreement which continues unremedied for
thirty days; (c) the Servicer conveys, assigns or delegates its duties or
rights under the Agreement, except as specifically permitted under the
Agreement, or attempts to make such a conveyance, assignment or delegation; (d)
a court having jurisdiction in the premises enters a decree or order for relief
in respect of the Servicer in an involuntary case under any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or
appoints a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, or sequestrator
(or similar official) of the Servicer, as the case may be, or enters a decree
or order for any substantial liquidation of its affairs; (e) the Servicer
commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or
similar law, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary
case under any such law, or consents to the appointment of or taking possession
by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian or its creditors, or
fails to, or admits in writing its inability to, pay its debts as they become
due, or takes any corporate action in furtherance of the foregoing; (f) the
Servicer fails to be an Eligible Servicer; or (g) if the Company is the
Servicer, the Company's receiving rights under its master seller-servicer
contract with GNMA are terminated. The Servicer will be required under the
Agreement to give the Trustee and the Certificateholders notice of an Event of
Termination promptly upon the occurrence of such event.
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Rights Upon Event of Termination. Except as otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, so long as an Event of Termination remains
unremedied, the Trustee may, and at the written direction of Certificateholders
representing 25% or more of the Aggregate Certificate Principal Balance of a
Series shall, terminate all of the rights and obligations of the Servicer under
the related Agreement and in and to the Contracts, and the proceeds thereof,
whereupon (subject to applicable law regarding the Trustee's ability to make
advances) the Trustee or a successor Servicer under the Agreement will succeed
to all the responsibilities, duties and liabilities of the Servicer under the
Agreement and will be entitled to similar compensation arrangements; provided,
however, that neither the Trustee nor any successor Servicer will assume any
obligation of the Company to repurchase Contracts for breaches of
representations or warranties, and the Trustee and such successor Servicer will
not be liable for any acts or omissions of the prior Servicer occurring prior
to a transfer of the Servicer's servicing and related functions or for any
breach by such Servicer of any of its obligations contained in the Agreement.
In addition, the Trustee will notify FHA of the Company's termination as
Servicer of the Contracts and will request that the portion of the Company's
FHA Insurance reserves allocable to the FHA-insured Contracts be transferred to
the Trustee or a successor Servicer. See "Description of FHA Insurance."
Notwithstanding such termination, the Servicer shall be entitled to payment of
certain amounts payable to it prior to such termination, for services rendered
prior to such termination. No such termination will affect in any manner the
Company's obligation to repurchase certain Contracts for breaches of
representations or warranties under the Agreement. In the event that the
Trustee would be obligated to succeed the Servicer but is unwilling or unable
so to act, it may appoint, or petition to a court of competent jurisdiction for
the appointment of, a Servicer. Pending such appointment, the Trustee is
obligated to act in such capacity. The Trustee and such successor may agree
upon the servicing compensation to be paid, which in no event may be greater
than the compensation to the Servicer under the Agreement without the consent
of all of the Certificateholders.
The Trustee will be under no obligation to take any action or to institute,
conduct or defend any litigation under the Agreement at the request, order or
direction of any of the Holders of Certificates, unless such Certificateholders
have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs,
expenses and liabilities which the Trustee may incur.
REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
The Trustee will forward to each Certificateholder on each Payment Date, or
as soon thereafter as is practicable, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, a statement setting forth, among other things:
(a) the amount of such distribution which constitutes Monthly Principal,
specifying the amounts constituting scheduled payments by Obligors,
principal prepayments on the Contracts, and other payments with respect to
the Contracts;
(b) the amount of such distribution which constitutes Monthly Interest;
(c) the remaining Principal Balance represented by such
Certificateholder's interest;
(d) the Company's FHA Insurance reserve amount;
(e) the amount of fees payable out of the Trust Fund;
(f) the Pool Factor (a percentage derived from a fraction the numerator
of which is the remaining Principal Balance of the Certificates and the
denominator of which is the Initial Principal Amount of the Certificates)
immediately before and immediately after such Payment Date;
(g) the number and aggregate principal balance of Contracts delinquent
(i) 31-59 days, (ii) 60-89 and (iii) 90 or more days;
(h) the number of Contracts liquidated during the Due Period ending
immediately before such Payment Date;
(i) such customary factual information as is necessary to enable
Certificateholders to prepare their tax returns; and
(j) such other customary factual information available to the Servicer
without unreasonable expense as is necessary to enable Certificateholders
to comply with regulatory requirements.
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REPURCHASE OPTION
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, each
Agreement will provide that on any Payment Date on which the Pool Scheduled
Principal Balance is less than 10% of the Cut-off Date Pool Principal Balance,
the Company or the Servicer will have the option to repurchase, on 30 days'
prior written notice to the Trustee, all outstanding Contracts in the related
Contract Pool at a price equal to the greatest of (i) the principal balance of
the Contracts on the prior Payment Date plus 30 days' accrued interest thereon
at the applicable Pass-Through Rate and any delinquent payments of interest
thereon, plus the fair market value (as determined by the Servicer) of any
acquired properties, (ii) the fair market value of all of the assets of the
Trust Fund, and (iii) an amount equal to the Aggregate Certificate Principal
Balance of the related Certificates plus interest on such Certificates payable
on and prior to the Payment Date occurring in the month following such
repurchase (less amounts on deposit in the Certificate Account and available to
pay such principal and interest). Such price will be paid on the Payment Date
on which such purchase occurs to the Certificateholders of record on the last
Business Day of the immediately preceding Due Period in immediately available
funds against the Trustee's delivery of the Contracts and any acquired
properties to the Servicer. The distribution of such purchase price to
Certificateholders will be in lieu of any other distribution to be made on such
Payment Date with respect to the related Contracts.
AMENDMENT
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Agreement may be amended by the Company, the Servicer and the Trustee without
the consent of the Certificateholders, (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision therein that may be inconsistent with any
other provision therein or (iii) to make any other provisions with respect to
matters or questions arising under such Agreement that are not inconsistent
with the provisions thereof, provided that such action will not adversely
affect in any material respect the interests of the Certificateholders of the
related Series. Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Agreement may also be amended by the Company, the Servicer and
the Trustee with the consent of the Certificateholders (other than holders of
Residual Certificates) representing 66 2/3% or more of the Aggregate
Certificate Principal Balance of a Series for the purpose of adding any
provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of
such Agreement or of modifying in any manner the rights of the
Certificateholders; provided, however, that no such amendment that reduces in
any manner the amount of, or delays the timing of, any payment received on or
with respect to Contracts which are required to be distributed on any
Certificate may be effective without the consent of the Holders of each such
Certificate.
TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT
The obligations created by each Agreement will terminate (after distribution
of all Monthly Principal and Monthly Interest then due to Certificateholders)
on the earlier of (a) the Payment Date next succeeding the final payment or
other liquidation of the last Contract or (b) the Payment Date on which the
Company or the Servicer repurchases the Contracts as described under
"Description of the Certificates--Repurchase Option." However, the Company's
representations, warranties and indemnities will survive any termination of the
Agreement.
THE TRUSTEE
The Prospectus Supplement for a Series of Certificates will specify the
Trustee under the related Agreement. The Trustee may have customary commercial
banking relationships with the Company or its affiliates and the Servicer or
its affiliates.
The Trustee may resign at any time, in which event the Company will be
obligated to appoint a successor Trustee. The Company may also remove the
Trustee if the Trustee ceases to be eligible to continue as such under the
Agreement or if the Trustee becomes insolvent. Any resignation or removal of
the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will not become effective
until acceptance of the appointment by the successor Trustee.
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The Trustee will make no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of
the Agreement, the Certificates or any Contract, Contract file or related
documents, and will not be accountable for the use or application by the
Company of any funds paid to the Company, as seller, in consideration of the
conveyance of the Contracts, or deposited into or withdrawn from the
Certificate Account by the Servicer. If no Event of Termination has occurred,
the Trustee will be required to perform only those duties specifically required
of it under the Agreement. However, upon receipt of the various certificates,
reports or other instruments required to be furnished to it, the Trustee will
be required to examine them to determine whether they conform as to form to the
requirements of the Agreement. Whether or not an Event of Termination has
occurred, the Trustee is not required to expend or risk its own funds or
otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of its duties or the
exercise of its powers if it has reasonable grounds to believe that repayment
of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
Under the Agreement, the Servicer agrees to pay to the Trustee on each
Payment Date (a) reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
thereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in
regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) and (b)
reimbursement for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred
or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of the Agreement
(including FHA Insurance premiums not paid by the Servicer and reasonable
compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel),
except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to the
Trustee's negligence or bad faith. The Company has agreed to indemnify the
Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense
incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration of the Trust Fund and the
Trustee's duties thereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending
itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or
performance of any of the Trustee's powers or duties thereunder.
DESCRIPTION OF FHA INSURANCE
Certain of the Contracts may be FHA-insured, the payments upon which, subject
to the following discussion, are insured by the FHA under Title I of the
National Housing Act.
The insurance available to any Trust Fund will be subject to the limit of a
reserve amount equal to 10% of the principal balance of all Title I insured
loans originated or purchased and reported for FHA Insurance by the Company,
which amount will be increased by an amount equal to 10% of the lesser of the
principal balance or the purchase price of insured loans subsequently
originated or purchased of record by the Company. The Company's reserve amount
may be reduced by 10% of the principal balance of any loans reported to FHA as
sold without recourse by the Company. In the Agreement, the Company will agree
to pay all FHA Insurance premiums required by FHA Regulations. If the Company
fails to pay any such premium, the Trustee or the successor Servicer (if any)
with respect to each Series is obligated to pay such premium and is entitled to
be reimbursed by the Company and from collections on the related Contracts.
As of June 30, 1996, the Company's FHA Insurance reserve amount was equal to
approximately $103,163,000. These insurance reserves were available to cover
losses on approximately $1,212,523,000 of FHA-insured manufactured housing
contracts and approximately $178,284,000 of FHA-insured home improvement loans,
including the FHA-insured Contracts that may be owned by a Trust Fund. If an
Event of Termination (as defined under "Description of the Certificates--Events
of Termination") occurs, each Trustee will notify FHA of the Company's
termination as Servicer of the related FHA-insured Contracts and will request
that the portion of the Company's FHA Insurance reserves allocable to the FHA-
insured Contracts be transferred to the Trustee or a successor servicer.
Although each Trustee will request such a transfer of reserves, FHA is not
obligated to comply with such a request, and may determine that it is not in
FHA's interest to permit such transfer of reserves. In addition, FHA has not
specified how insurance reserves might be allocated in such event, and there
can be no assurance that any reserve amount, if transferred to the
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Trustee or a successor Servicer, would not be substantially less than 10% of
the outstanding principal amount of the FHA-insured Contracts. It is likely
that the Trustee or any successor Servicer would be the lender of record on
other FHA Title I loans, so that any reserves that are so permitted to be
transferred would become commingled with reserves available for other FHA Title
I loans. FHA also reserves the right to transfer reserves with "earmarking"
(segregating such reserves so that they will not be commingled with the
reserves of the transferee) if it is in FHA's interest to do so.
In general, FHA will insure unsecured property improvement loans up to
$7,500, with a maximum term of 20 years. The loan proceeds must be used for the
purposes described in the loan application, and those improvements must
substantially protect or improve the basic livability or utility of the
property. The Secretary of HUD from time to time publishes a list of ineligible
items and activities which may not be financed with the proceeds of an FHA-
insured home improvement loan.
Following a default on an FHA-insured Contract the Servicer may, subject to
certain conditions, submit a claim to FHA. The availability of FHA Insurance
following a default on an FHA-insured Contract is subject to a number of
conditions, including strict compliance by the Company with FHA regulations in
originating and servicing the Contract. Failure to comply with FHA regulations
may result in a denial of or surcharge on the FHA Insurance claim. Prior to
declaring an FHA-insured Contract in default and submitting a claim to FHA, the
Servicer must take certain steps to attempt to cure the default, including
personal contact with the borrower either by telephone or in a meeting and
providing the borrower with 30 days' written notice prior to declaration of
default. FHA may deny insurance coverage if the borrower's nonpayment is
related to a valid objection to faulty contractor performance. In such event,
the Company will seek to obtain payment by or a judgment against the borrower,
and may resubmit the claim to FHA following such a judgment. As described under
"Green Tree Financial Corporation--Contract Origination," the Company does not
purchase a Contract until the customer verifies satisfactory completion of the
work.
Upon submission of a claim to FHA, the related Trust Fund must assign its
entire interest in the Contract to the United States. In general, the claim
payment will equal 90% of the sum of (i) the unpaid principal amount of the
Contract at the date of default and uncollected interest computed at the
Contract Rate earned to the data of default, (ii) accrued and unpaid interest
on the unpaid amount of the Contract from the date of default to the date of
submission of the claim plus 15 calendar days (but in no event more than nine
months) computed at a rate of 7% per annum, (iii) uncollected court costs, and
(iv) legal fees, not to exceed $500.
CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE CONTRACTS; REPURCHASE OBLIGATIONS
As a result of the Company's conveyance and assignment of a pool of Contracts
to a Trust Fund, the Certificateholders of such Series, as the beneficial
owners of the Trust Fund, will succeed collectively to all of the rights
thereunder (including the right to receive payment on the Contracts). The
following discussion contains summaries of certain legal aspects of home
improvement contracts which are general in nature. These legal aspects are in
addition to the requirements of FHA regulations described in "Description of
FHA Insurance" with respect to the FHA-insured Contracts. Because such legal
aspects are governed by applicable state law (which laws may differ
substantially), the summaries do not purport to be complete nor to reflect the
laws of any particular state, nor to encompass the laws of all states in which
the improved real estate is situated. The summaries are qualified in their
entirety by reference to the applicable federal and state laws governing the
Contracts.
CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS WITH RESPECT TO CONTRACTS
Numerous Federal and state consumer protection laws impose substantial
requirements upon creditors involved in consumer finance. These laws include
the Federal Truth-in-Lending Act, Regulation "Z", the Equal Credit Opportunity
Act, Regulation "B", the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and related statutes. These
laws can impose specific statutory liabilities upon creditors who fail to
comply with their provisions and may affect the enforceability of the contract.
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The so-called "Holder-in-Due-Course" rule of the Federal Trade Commission is
intended to defeat the ability of the transferor of a consumer credit contract
which is the seller of goods which gave rise to the transaction (and certain
related lenders and assignees) to transfer such contract free of notice of
claims by the debtor thereunder. The effect of this rule is to subject the
assignee of a Contract to all claims and defenses which the debtor could assert
against the home improvement contractor. Liability under this rule is limited
to amounts paid under a Contract; however, the Obligor also may be able to
assert the rule to set off remaining amounts due as a defense against a claim
brought by the Trust Fund against such Obligor.
The obligations of the Obligor under each Contract are not secured by an
interest in the related real estate or otherwise, and the related Trust Fund,
as the owner of a Contract, will be a general unsecured creditor as to such
obligations. As a consequence, in the event of a default under a Contract, the
related Trust Fund will have recourse only against the Obligor's assets
generally, along with all other general unsecured creditors of the Obligor. In
a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding relating to an Obligor on a Contract, the
obligations of the Obligor under such Contract may be discharged in their
entirety, notwithstanding the fact that the portion of such Obligor's assets
made available to the Trust Fund as a general unsecured creditor to pay amounts
due and owing thereunder are insufficient to pay all such amounts.
ENFORCEABILITY OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS
The standard form of note generally contains provisions obligating the
borrower to pay a late charge if payments are not timely made. In addition to
limitations imposed by FHA regulations with respect to FHA- insured Contracts,
in certain states there are or may be specific limitations upon late charges
which a lender may collect from a borrower for delinquent payments. Under the
Agreement, late charges (to the extent permitted by law and not waived by the
Company) will be retained by the Company as additional servicing compensation.
The standard form of note also includes a debt-acceleration clause, which
permits the lender to accelerate the debt upon a monetary default of the
borrower, after the applicable cure period. Courts will generally enforce
clauses providing for acceleration in the event of a material payment default.
However, courts, exercising equity jurisdiction, may refuse to allow a lender
to accelerate when an acceleration of the indebtedness would be inequitable or
unjust and the circumstances would render the acceleration unconscionable.
Courts have imposed general equitable principles upon foreclosure. These
equitable principles are generally designed to relieve the borrower from the
legal effect of defaults under the loan documents. Examples of judicial
remedies that may be fashioned include judicial requirements that the lender
undertake affirmative actions to determine the causes for the borrower's
default and the likelihood that the borrower will be able to reinstate the
loan. In some cases, courts have required lenders to reinstate loans or recast
payment schedules to accommodate borrowers who are suffering from temporary
financial disability. In some cases, courts have limited the right of lenders
to foreclose if the default under the mortgage instrument is not monetary, such
as the borrower failing to adequately maintain the property or the borrower
executing a junior mortgage or deed of trust affecting the property. In other
cases, some courts have been faced with the issue whether federal or state
constitutional provisions reflecting due process concerns for adequate notice
require that borrowers under mortgages or the deeds of trust receive notices in
addition to statutorily-prescribed minimum requirements. For the most part,
these cases have upheld the notice provisions as being reasonable or have found
that the sale by a trustee under a deed of trust or under a mortgage having a
power of sale does not involve sufficient state action to afford constitutional
protection to the borrower.
It is the Company's practice with some of the Contracts to defer the first
payment thereon for up to 90 days, and to charge the home improvement
contractor points to cover the lost interest due to collecting only 30 days'
interest on the first payment on these deferred payment contracts.
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SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' CIVIL RELIEF ACT
Application of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Relief Act"), would adversely affect, for an indeterminate period
of time, the ability of the Servicer to collect full amounts of interest on
certain of the Contracts. Any shortfall in interest collections resulting from
the application of the Relief Act or similar legislation, which would not be
recoverable from the related Contracts, would result in a reduction of the
amounts distributable to the Certificateholders. In the event that the Relief
Act or similar legislation applies to any Contract which goes into default,
there may be delays in payment on the Certificates in connection therewith. Any
other interest shortfalls, deferrals or forgiveness of payments on the
Contracts resulting from similar legislation or regulations may result in
delays in payments or losses to Certificateholders.
The Company will represent and warrant under each Agreement that each
Contract complies with all requirements of law. Accordingly, if any Obligor has
a claim against the related Trust Fund for violation of any law and such claim
materially adversely affects the Trust Fund's interest in a Contract, such
violation would constitute a breach of a representation and warranty under the
Agreement and would create an obligation to repurchase such Contract unless the
breach is cured. See "Description of the Certificates--Conveyance of
Contracts."
REPURCHASE OBLIGATIONS
Under the Agreement, the Company will represent and warrant that each FHA-
insured Contract was originated in compliance with FHA regulations and is
covered by FHA Insurance. In the event FHA were to deny insurance coverage on
an FHA-insured Contract due to a violation of FHA regulations in originating or
servicing such Contracts, such violation would constitute a breach of a
representation and warranty under the Agreement and would create an obligation
of the Company to repurchase such Contract unless the breach is cured. See
"Description of the Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
In addition, the Company will also represent and warrant under each Agreement
that each Contract complies with all requirements of law. Accordingly, if any
Obligor has a claim against the related Trust Fund for violation of any law and
such claim materially adversely affects the Trust Fund's interest in a
Contract, such violation would constitute a breach of a representation and
warranty under the Agreement and would create an obligation to repurchase such
Contract unless the breach is cured. See "Description of the Certificates--
Conveyance of Contracts."
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"),
imposes certain fiduciary and prohibited transaction restrictions on employee
pension and welfare benefit plans subject to ERISA ("ERISA Plans"). Section
4975 of the Code imposes similar prohibited transaction restrictions on tax-
qualified retirement plans described in Section 401(a) of the Code ("Qualified
Retirement Plans") and on Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs") described in
Section 408 of the Code (collectively, "Tax-Favored Plans").
Certain employee benefit plans, such as governmental plans (as defined in
Section 3(32) of ERISA), are not subject to the ERISA requirements discussed
herein. Accordingly, assets of such plans may be invested in Certificates
without regard to the ERISA considerations described below, subject to the
provisions of applicable federal and state law. Any such plan that is a
Qualified Retirement Plan and exempt from taxation under Sections 401(a) and
501(a) of the Code, however, is subject to the prohibited transaction rules set
forth in Section 503 of the Code.
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In addition to imposing general fiduciary requirements, including those of
investment prudence and diversification and the requirement that a Plan's
investment be made in accordance with the documents governing the Plan, Section
406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit a broad range of
transactions involving the "plan assets" of ERISA Plans and Tax-Favored Plans
(collectively, "Plans") and persons ("Parties in Interest" under ERISA or
"Disqualified Persons" under the Code) who have certain specified relationships
to the Plans, unless a statutory or administrative exemption is available.
Certain Parties in Interest (or Disqualified Persons) that participate in a
prohibited transaction may be subject to a penalty (or an excise tax) imposed
pursuant to Section 502(i) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, unless a
statutory or administrative exemption is available.
PLAN ASSET REGULATIONS
Certain transactions involving the Trust Fund might be deemed to constitute
prohibited transactions under ERISA and the Code with respect to a Plan that
purchased Certificates, if assets of the Trust Fund were deemed to be assets of
the Plan. An investment of Plan Assets (as defined below) in Certificates may
cause the underlying assets included in the Trust to be deemed "plan assets" of
such Plan. The U.S. Department of Labor (the "DOL") has promulgated regulations
at 29 C.F.R. section 2510.3-101 (the "DOL Regulations") concerning whether or
not a Plan's assets would be deemed to include an interest in the underlying
assets of an entity (such as the Trust Fund), for purposes of applying the
general fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited
transaction provisions of ERISA and the Code, when a Plan acquires an "equity
interest" (such as a Certificate) in such entity. Because of the factual nature
of certain of the rules set forth in the DOL Regulations, Plan Assets either
may be deemed to include an interest in the assets of the Trust Fund or may be
deemed merely to include its interest in the Certificates. Therefore, neither
Plans nor such entities should acquire or hold Certificates in reliance upon
the availability of any exception under the DOL Regulations. For purposes of
this Section the term "Plan Assets" or assets of a Plan has the meaning
specified in the DOL Regulations and includes an undivided interest in the
underlying assets of certain entities in which a Plan invests. The prohibited
transaction provisions of Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code may
apply to the Trust Fund and cause the Company, the Trust Fund, the Trustee, any
successor, or certain affiliates thereof, to be considered or become Parties in
Interest or Disqualified Persons with respect to an investing Plan (or of a
Plan holding an interest in such an entity). If so, the acquisition or holding
of Certificates by or on behalf of the investing Plan could also give rise to a
prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code, unless some statutory or
administrative exemption is available. Certificates acquired by a Plan would be
assets of that Plan. Under the DOL Regulations, the Trust Fund, including the
assets held in the Trust Fund, may also be deemed to be assets of each Plan
that acquires Certificates. Special caution should be exercised before Plan
Assets are used to acquire a Certificate in such circumstances, especially if,
with respect to such assets, the Company, the Trust Fund, the Trustee, any
successor or an affiliate thereof either (i) has investment discretion with
respect to the investment of Plan Assets; or (ii) has authority or
responsibility to give (or regularly gives) investment advice with respect to
Plan Assets for a fee pursuant to an agreement or understanding that such
advice will serve as a primary basis for investment decisions with respect to
such assets.
Any person who has discretionary authority or control respecting the
management or disposition of Plan Assets and any person who provides investment
advice with respect to such assets for a fee (in the manner described above),
is a fiduciary of the investing Plan. If the assets of the Trust Fund were to
constitute Plan Assets then any party exercising management or discretionary
control regarding those assets may be deemed to be a Plan "fiduciary," and thus
subject to the fiduciary requirements of ERISA and the prohibited transaction
provisions of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code with respect to any investing
Plan. In addition, if the assets of the Trust Fund were to constitute Plan
Assets, then the acquisition or holding of Certificates by, on behalf of or
with Plan Assets, as well as the operation of the Trust Fund, may constitute or
involve a prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code.
No purchases of Certificates by, on behalf of or with Plan Assets of any Plan
will be registered unless the transferee, at its expense, delivers to the
Trustee, the Servicer and the Company an opinion of counsel
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(satisfactory to the Trustee, the Servicer and the Company) that the purchase
and holding of a Certificate by, on behalf of, or with Plan Assets of such Plan
is permissible under applicable law, will not result in the assets of the Trust
Fund being deemed to be Plan Assets and subject to the prohibited transaction
provisions of ERISA and the Code and will not subject the Trustee, the Trust
Fund, the Company or the Servicer to any obligation or liability in addition to
those undertaken in the Agreement. Unless such opinion is delivered, each
person acquiring a Certificate will be deemed to represent to the Trustee, the
Company and the Servicer that such person is neither a Plan, nor acting on
behalf of a Plan, nor purchasing with Plan Assets of any Plan.
CONSULTATION WITH COUNSEL
Any fiduciary or other Plan investor that proposes to acquire or hold
Certificates on behalf of or with Plan Assets of any Plan should consult with
its counsel with respect to the potential applicability of the fiduciary
responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited transaction provisions of
ERISA and the Code to the proposed investment and the availability of any
prohibited transaction exemption, as well as other issues and their potential
consequences.
CERTAIN FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax
consequences relating to the purchase, ownership, and disposition of the
Certificates. The discussion is based upon laws, regulations, rulings, and
decisions now in effect, all of which are subject to change (which change may
be retroactive) or possibly differing interpretations. The discussion does not
purport to deal with federal income tax consequences applicable to all
categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special rules.
Investors should consult their own tax advisors to determine the federal,
state, local, and any other tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, and
disposition of the Certificates.
Tax Status of the Trust Fund. Counsel will, unless otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, have advised the Company that, in their opinion,
each Contract Pool and the arrangement to be administered by the Company under
which the Trustee will hold and the Company will be obligated to service the
Contracts and pursuant to which Certificates will be issued to
Certificateholders will not be classified as an association taxable as a
corporation or a "taxable mortgage pool," within the meaning of Section 7701(i)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), but rather will
be classified as a grantor trust under Subpart E, Part 1 of Subchapter J of the
Code. In such event, each Certificateholder will be treated as the owner of a
pro rata undivided interest in the ordinary income and corpus portions of the
trust attributable to the Contract Pool in which its Certificate evidences an
ownership interest and will be considered the equitable owner of a pro rata
undivided interest in each of the Contracts included therein. The following
discussion assumes the Trust Fund will be so classified as a grantor trust.
Tax Status of Certificates. In general, (i) Certificates held by a financial
institution taxed as described in Section 593(a) of the Code will not represent
interests in "qualifying real property loans" within the meaning of Section
593(d) of the Code; (ii) Certificates held by a "domestic building and loan
association" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code will not be
considered to represent "loans secured by an interest in real property" within
the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19)(C)(v) of the Code; and (iii) Certificates
held by a real estate investment trust will not constitute "real estate assets"
within the meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A) of the Code and interest thereon
will not be considered "interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real
property" within the meaning of Section 856(c)(3)(B) of the Code. Investors
affected by the foregoing provisions of the Code should consult with their own
tax advisors with respect to these matters.
Tax Treatment of Certificates. Subject to the discussion below of the
"stripped bond" rules of the Code, Certificateholders will be required to
report on their federal income tax returns, and in a manner consistent with
their respective methods of accounting, their pro rata share of the entire
income arising from the Contracts comprising such Contract Pool, including
interest, market or original issue discount, if any,
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<PAGE>
prepayment fees, assumption fees, and late payment charges received by the
Company, and any gain upon disposition of such Contracts. (For purposes of this
discussion, the term "disposition," when used with respect to the Contracts,
includes scheduled or prepaid collections with respect to the Contracts, as
well as the sale or exchange of a Certificate.) Subject to the discussion below
of certain limitations on itemized deductions, Certificateholders will be
entitled under Section 162 or 212 of the Code to deduct their pro rata share of
related servicing fees, administrative and other non-interest expenses,
including assumption fees and late payment charges retained by the Company. An
individual, an estate, or a trust that holds a Certificate either directly or
through a pass-through entity will be allowed to deduct such expenses under
Section 212 of the Code only to the extent that, in the aggregate and combined
with certain other itemized deductions, they exceed 2% of the adjusted gross
income of the holder. In addition, Section 68 of the Code provides that the
amount of itemized deductions (including those provided for in Section 212 of
the Code) otherwise allowable for the taxable year for an individual whose
adjusted gross income exceeds a threshold amount specified in the Code
($117,950 for 1996, in the case of a joint return) will be reduced by the
lesser of (i) 3% of the excess of adjusted gross income over the specified
threshold amount or (ii) 80% of the amount of itemized deductions otherwise
allowable for such taxable year. Furthermore, in determining the alternative
minimum taxable income of an individual, trust, estate or pass-through entity
that is a holder of a Certificate, no deduction will be allowed for such
holder's allocable portion of the foregoing expenses, even though an amount
equal to the total of such expenses will be included in such holder's gross
income for alternative minimum tax purposes. To the extent that a
Certificateholder is not permitted to deduct servicing fees allocable to a
Certificate, the taxable income of the Certificateholder attributable to that
Certificate will exceed the net cash distributions related to such income.
Certificateholders may deduct any loss on disposition of the Contracts to the
extent permitted under the Code.
A Certificateholder will be treated as purchasing an interest in each
Contract comprising the Contract Pool at a price determined by allocating the
purchase price paid for the Certificate among all such Contracts in proportion
to their fair market values at the time of purchase of the Certificate. To the
extent that the portion of the purchase price of a Certificate allocated to a
Contract is greater than or less than the portion of the principal balance of
the Contract allocable to the Certificate, that interest in the Contract will
be deemed to have been acquired with premium or discount, respectively.
Market Discount. A Certificateholder generally will be treated as having
acquired an interest in a Contract at a market discount if, at the time the
Certificate is acquired, the unpaid principal balance on such Contract
allocable to the Certificate exceeds the portion of the price paid for the
Certificate by such Certificateholder that is allocated to that Contract. A
Certificateholder who acquires an interest in a Contract at a market discount
will be required to recognize accrued market discount as ordinary income as
payments of principal are received on such Contract or upon the sale or
exchange of the Certificate. Section 1276(b)(3) of the Code authorizes the
issuance of regulations providing for the method for accruing market discount
on debt instruments, the principal of which is payable in more than one
installment, such as a Contract. Until such regulations are issued, the
legislative history associated with this provision indicates certain methods
which are to be used. In general, the holder of a Certificate may elect to
treat market discount as accruing either (i) under a constant yield method that
is similar to the method for the accrual of original issue discount or (ii)
under a ratable accrual method (pursuant to which the market discount is
treated as accruing in equal daily installments during the period the
Certificate is held by the purchaser), in each case computed taking into
account the prepayment assumption used in pricing the initial offering of such
Certificate (the "Prepayment Assumption"). Because the regulations referred to
above have not been issued, it is not possible to predict what effect, if any,
such regulations, when issued, might have on the tax treatment of an interest
in a Contract purchased at a discount.
The Code provides that the market discount in respect of a Contract will be
considered to be zero if the amount of discount allocable to the Contract is
less than 0.25% of the Contract's stated redemption price at maturity
multiplied by the number of complete years remaining to its maturity after the
holder acquired the
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<PAGE>
obligation. If market discount is treated as de minimis under this rule, the
actual discount would be allocated among a portion of each scheduled payment
representing the stated redemption price of such Contract and that portion of
the discount allocable to such payment would be reported as income when such
payment occurs or is due.
The Code further provides that any principal payment with respect to a
Contract acquired with market discount or any gain on disposition of such a
Contract shall be treated as ordinary income to the extent it does not exceed
the accrued market discount at the time of such payment. The amount of accrued
market discount for purposes of determining the amount of ordinary income to be
recognized with respect to subsequent payments on such a Contract is to be
reduced by the amount previously treated as ordinary income.
In general, limitations imposed by the Code that are intended to match
deductions with the taxation of income may require a holder of an interest in a
Contract having market discount to defer a portion of the interest deductions
attributable to any indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry
such Contract. Alternatively, a holder of an interest in a Contract may elect
to include market discount in gross income as it accrues and, if he makes such
an election, is exempt from this rule. The adjusted basis of a Certificate
subject to such election will be increased to reflect market discount included
in gross income, thereby reducing any gain or increasing any loss on a sale or
taxable disposition.
The treatment of any discount will depend upon whether the discount
represents market discount or original issue discount. It is not anticipated
that the Contracts will have original issue discount, unless they are subject
to the "stripped bond" rules of the Code described below. If the Contracts are
subject to the stripped bond rules of the Code, the market discount rules
discussed above may not apply.
Amortizable Premium. A holder of a Certificate who holds the Certificate as a
capital asset and who is treated as having purchased an interest in a Contract
at a cost greater than its stated redemption price will be considered to have
purchased the interest in the Contract at a premium. In general, the
Certificateholder may elect to deduct the amortizable bond premium as it
accrues under a constant yield method. A Certificateholder's tax basis in the
Certificate will be reduced by the amount of the amortizable bond premium
deducted. It appears that the Prepayment Assumption should be taken into
account in determining the term of a Contract for this purpose. Amortizable
bond premium with respect to an interest in a Contract will be treated as an
offset to interest income on such Contract, and a Certificateholder's deduction
for amortizable bond premium will be limited in each year to the amount of
interest income derived with respect to such Contract for such year. Any
election to deduct amortizable bond premium will apply to all debt instruments
(other than instruments the interest on which is excludable from gross income)
held by the Certificateholder at the beginning of the first taxable year to
which the election applies or thereafter acquired, and may be revoked only with
the consent of the Service. Bond premium on an interest in a Contract held by a
Certificateholder who does not elect to deduct the premium will decrease the
gain or increase the loss otherwise recognized on the disposition of the
Certificate. Certificateholders who pay a premium for a Certificate should
consult their tax advisors concerning such an election and rules for
determining the method for amortizing bond premium.
Stripped Certificates. Certain classes of Certificates may be subject to the
stripped bond rules of Section 1286 of the Code and for purposes of this
discussion will be referred to as "Stripped Certificates." In general, a
Stripped Certificate will be subject to the stripped bond rules where there has
been a separation of ownership of the right to receive some or all of the
principal payments on a Contract from ownership of the right to receive some or
all of the related interest payments. Certificates will constitute Stripped
Certificates and will be subject to these rules under various circumstances,
including the following: (i) if any servicing compensation is deemed to exceed
a reasonable amount; (ii) if the Company or any other party retains a portion
of the payments to be made under the Contracts comprising a Contract Pool;
(iii) if two or more classes of Certificates are issued representing the right
to non-pro rata percentages of the interest or principal payments on the
Contracts; or (iv) if Certificates are issued which represent the right to
interest only payments or principal only payments.
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<PAGE>
Although not entirely clear, each Stripped Certificate should be considered
to be a single debt instrument issued on the day it is purchased for purposes
of calculating any original issue discount. Rules governing original issue
discount are set forth in Sections 1271-1273 and 1275 of the Code and the
Treasury Regulations issued thereunder (the "OID Regulations"). In general, in
the hands of the original holder of a Stripped Certificate, original issue
discount, if any, is the difference between the "stated redemption price at
maturity" of the Certificate and its "issue price." For purposes of applying
the original issue discount provisions of the Code, the issue price of a
Stripped Certificate will be the purchase price paid by each holder thereof and
the stated redemption price at maturity may include the aggregate amount of all
payments to be made with respect to the Stripped Certificate whether or not
denominated as interest. The amount of original issue discount with respect to
a Stripped Certificate may be treated as zero under the original issue discount
de minimis rules if it is less than .25% of the principal amount of the
Certificate multiplied by the weighted average maturity of the Certificate as
defined in the OID Regulations. A purchaser of a Stripped Certificate may be
required to account for any discount on the certificate as market discount
rather than original issue discount if either (i) the amount of original issue
discount with respect to the certificate was treated as zero under the original
issue discount de minimis rule when the certificate was stripped or (ii) no
more than 100 basis points (including any amount of servicing in excess of
reasonable servicing) is stripped off of the Contracts. See "Market Discount"
above.
Original issue discount with respect to a Stripped Certificate, if any, must
be included in ordinary gross income for federal income tax purposes as it
accrues in advance of the receipt of any cash attributable to such income. The
amount of original issue discount, if any, required to be included in a
Stripped Certificateholder's ordinary gross income in any taxable year will be
computed in accordance with Section 1272(a) of the code and the OID
Regulations. Under such Section and the OID Regulations, original issue
discount accrues on a daily basis under a constant yield method that takes into
account the compounding of interest. Although the OID Regulations suggest that
a prepayment assumption is not to be used in computing the yield on the
underlying assets of a Trust Fund, the Code appears to require that such a
prepayment assumption be used in computing yield with respect to Stripped
Certificates. In the absence of authority to the contrary, the Company intends
to base information reports and returns to the Service and the holders of
Stripped Certificates taking into account an appropriate prepayment assumption.
Holders of Stripped Certificates should refer to the related Prospectus
Supplement to determine whether and in what manner the original issue discount
rules will apply thereto.
When an investor purchases more than one class of Stripped Certificates it is
currently unclear whether for federal income tax purposes such classes of
Stripped Certificates should be treated separately or aggregated for purposes
of applying the original issue discount rules described above.
It is possible that the Service may take a contrary position with respect to
some or all of the foregoing tax consequences. For example, a holder of a
Stripped Certificate may be treated as the owner of (i) as many stripped bonds
or stripped coupons as there are scheduled payments of principal and/or
interest on each Contract or (ii) a separate installment obligation for each
Contract representing the Stripped Certificate's pro rata share of principal
and/or interest payments to be made with respect thereto. As a result of these
possible alternative characterizations, investors should consult their own tax
advisors regarding the proper treatment of Stripped Certificates for federal
income tax purposes.
The servicing compensation to be received by the Company and the fee for
credit enhancement, if any, may be questioned by the Service with respect to
certain Certificates or Contracts as exceeding a reasonable fee for the
services being performed in exchange therefor, and a portion of such servicing
compensation could be recharacterized as an ownership interest retained by the
Company or other party in a portion of the interest payments to be made
pursuant to the Contracts. In this event, a Certificate might be treated as a
Stripped Certificate subject to the stripped bond rules of Section 1286 of the
Code and the original issue discount provisions rather than to the market
discount and premium rules.
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<PAGE>
Gain or Loss on Disposition. Upon sale or exchange of a Certificate, a
Certificateholder will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between
the amount realized in the sale and its aggregate adjusted basis in the
Contracts represented by the Certificate. Generally, the aggregate adjusted
basis will equal the Certificateholder's cost for the Certificate increased by
the amount of any previously reported income or gain with respect to the
Certificate and decreased by the amount of any losses previously reported with
respect to the Certificate and the amount of any distributions received
thereon. Except as provided above with respect to the original issue discount
and market discount rules, any such gain or loss would be capital gain or loss
if the Certificate was held as a capital asset.
Taxation of Certain Foreign Investors. For purposes of this discussion, a
"Foreign Holder" is a Certificateholder who holds a Certificate and who is not
(i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation,
partnership, or other entity organized in or under the laws of the United
States or a political subdivision thereof or (iii) an estate or trust the
income of which is includible in gross income for United States tax purposes
regardless of its source. Unless the interest on a Certificate is effectively
connected with the conduct by the Foreign Holder of a trade or business within
the United States, the Foreign Holder is not subject to federal income or
withholding tax on interest (or original issue discount, if any) on a
Certificate (subject to possible backup withholding of tax, discussed below).
To qualify for this tax exemption, the Foreign Holder will be required to
provide periodically a statement signed under penalties of perjury certifying
that the Foreign Holder meets the requirements for treatment as a Foreign
Holder and providing the Foreign Holder's name and address. The statement,
which may be made on a Form W-8 or substantially similar substitute form,
generally must be provided in the year a payment occurs or in either of the two
preceding years. The statement must be provided, either directly or through
clearing organization or financial institution intermediaries, to the person
that otherwise would withhold tax. If the interest on a Certificate is
effectively connected with the conduct by a Foreign Holder of a trade or
business within the United States, then the Foreign Holder will be subject to
tax at regular graduated rates. In addition, the foregoing rules will not apply
to exempt a U.S. shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation from taxation
on such U.S. shareholder's allocable portion of the interest income received by
such controlled foreign corporation. Foreign Holders should consult their own
tax advisors regarding the specific tax consequences of their owning a
Certificate.
Any gain recognized by a Foreign Holder upon a sale, retirement or other
taxable disposition of a Certificate generally will not be subject to United
States federal income tax unless either (i) the Foreign Holder is a nonresident
alien individual who holds the Certificate as a capital asset and who is
present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the
disposition and either the gain is attributable to an office or other fixed
place of business maintained in the U.S. by the individual or the individual
has a "tax home" in the United States, or (ii) the gain is effectively
connected with the conduct by the Foreign Holder of a trade or business within
the United States.
It appears that a Certificate will not be included in the estate of a Foreign
Holder and will not be subject to United States estate taxes. However, Foreign
Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding estate tax
consequences.
Backup Withholding. Under certain circumstances, a Certificateholder may be
subject to "backup withholding" at a 31% rate. Backup withholding may apply to
a Certificateholder who is a United States person if the holder, among other
circumstances, fails to furnish his Social Security number or other taxpayer
identification number to the Trustee. Backup withholding may apply, under
certain circumstances, to a Certificateholder who is a foreign person if the
Certificateholder fails to provide the Trustee or the Certificateholder's
securities broker with the statement necessary to establish the exemption from
federal income and withholding tax on interest on the Certificate. Backup
withholding, however, does not apply to payments on a Certificate made to
certain exempt recipients, such as corporations and tax-exempt organizations,
and to certain foreign persons. Certificateholders should consult their tax
advisors for additional information concerning the potential application of
backup withholding to payments received by them with respect to a Certificate.
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<PAGE>
Tax Administration and Reporting. The Company will furnish to each
Certificateholder with each distribution a statement setting forth the amount
of such distribution allocable to principal and to interest. In addition, the
Company will furnish, within a reasonable time after the end of each calendar
year, to each Certificateholder who was a Certificateholder at any time during
such year, information regarding the amount of servicing compensation received
by the Company and any sub-servicer and such other customary factual
information as the Company deems necessary or desirable to enable
Certificateholders to prepare their tax returns. Reports will be made annually
to the Service and to holders of record that are not excepted from the
reporting requirements regarding information as may be required with respect to
interest and original issue discount, if any, with respect to the Certificates.
Other Tax Consequences. No advice has been received as to local income,
franchise, personal property, or other taxation in any state or locality, or as
to the tax effect of ownership of Certificates in any state or locality.
Certificateholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect
to any state or local income, franchise, personal property, or other tax
consequences arising out of their ownership of Certificates.
LEGAL INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS
No Certificates offered hereby will constitute "mortgage related securities"
for purposes of the Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement Act of 1984 ("SMMEA")
because none of the Contracts will be secured as required by SMMEA.
Accordingly, many institutions with legal authority to invest in "mortgage
related securities" may not be legally authorized to invest in the
Certificates.
There may be other restrictions on the ability of certain investors,
including depository institutions, either to purchase Certificates or to
purchase Certificates representing more than a specified percentage of the
investor's assets. Investors should consult their own legal advisors in
determining whether and to what extent the Certificates constitute legal
investments for such investors.
RATINGS
It is a condition precedent to the issuance of any Class of Certificates sold
under this Prospectus that they be rated by at least one nationally recognized
statistical rating organization in one of its four highest rating categories
(within which there may be sub-categories or gradations indicating relative
standing). A security rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold
securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the
assigning rating agency. The security rating of any Series of Certificates
should be evaluated independently of similar security ratings assigned to other
kinds of securities.
UNDERWRITING
The Company may sell Certificates of each Series to or through underwriters
(the "Underwriters") by a negotiated firm commitment underwriting and public
reoffering by the Underwriters, and also may sell and place Certificates
directly to other purchasers or through agents. The Company intends that
Certificates will be offered through such various methods from time to time and
that offerings may be made concurrently through more than one of these methods
or that an offering of a particular Series of Certificates may be made through
a combination of such methods.
The distribution of the Certificates may be effected from time to time in one
or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at
market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
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<PAGE>
If so specified in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a Series of
Certificates, the Company or any affiliate thereof may purchase some or all of
one or more Classes of Certificates of such Series from the Underwriter or
Underwriters at a price specified in such Prospectus Supplement. Such purchaser
may thereafter from time to time offer and sell, pursuant to this Prospectus,
some or all of such Certificates so purchased directly, through one or more
Underwriters to be designated at the time of the offering of such Certificates
or through broker-dealers acting as agent and/or principal. Such offering may
be restricted in the manner specified in such Prospectus Supplement. Such
transactions may be effected at market prices prevailing at the time of sale,
at negotiated prices or at fixed prices.
In connection with the sale of the Certificates, Underwriters may receive
compensation from the Company or from purchasers of Certificates for whom they
may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.
Underwriters may sell the Certificates of a Series to or through dealers and
such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or
commissions from the Underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for
whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate
in the distribution of the Certificates of a Series may be deemed to be
Underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from the
Company and any profit on the resale of the Certificates by them may be deemed
to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Securities Act"). Any such Underwriters or agents will be
identified, and any such compensation received from the Company will be
described, in the Prospectus Supplement.
Under agreements which may be entered into by the Company, Underwriters and
agents who participate in the distribution of the Certificates may be entitled
to indemnification by the Company against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act.
If so indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, the Company will authorize
Underwriters or other persons acting as the Company's agents to solicit offers
by certain institutions to purchase the Certificates from the Company pursuant
to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions
with which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks,
insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational
charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such institutions must be
approved by the Company. The obligation of any purchaser under any such
contract will be subject to the condition that the purchaser of the offered
Certificates shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of
the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject from purchasing such
Certificates. The Underwriters and such other agents will not have
responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.
The Underwriters may, from time to time, buy and sell Certificates, but there
can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop and there is
no assurance that any such market, if established, will continue.
Certain of the Underwriters and their associates may engage in transactions
with and perform services for the Company in the ordinary course of business.
LEGAL MATTERS
The legality and material federal income tax consequences of the Certificates
will be passed upon for the Company by the counsel to the Company identified in
the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 1995
and 1994 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31,
1995 incorporated by reference herein have been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP, independent accountants, as stated in their reports given upon their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
36
<PAGE>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR +
+THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE +
+SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE +
+UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF +
+ANY SUCH STATE. +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION--PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS DATED JANUARY , 1997
SECURED HOME IMPROVEMENT
AND HOME EQUITY LOANS
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION, SELLER AND SERVICER
CERTIFICATES FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT AND HOME EQUITY LOANS
(ISSUABLE IN SERIES)
Certificates for Home Improvement and Home Equity Loans ("Certificates") of
one or more series (each, a "Series") may be sold from time to time under this
Prospectus and a Prospectus Supplement for each such Series. The Certificates
of each Series may be issued in one or more classes or subclasses (each, a
"Class"), as further described herein. If the Certificates of a Series are
issued in more than one Class, all or less than all of such Classes may be sold
under this Prospectus, and there may be separate Prospectus Supplements for one
or more of such Classes so sold. Any reference herein to the Prospectus
Supplement relating to a Series comprised of more than one Class should be
understood to refer to each of the Prospectus Supplements relating to the
Classes sold hereunder.
The Certificates evidence specified interests in separate pools of (i) home
improvement contracts and promissory notes (the "Home Improvement Contracts")
and (ii) closed-end home equity loans (the "Home Equity Contracts," and,
together with the Home Improvement Contracts, collectively the "Contracts"), as
more particularly described herein, and liens on the related real estate.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Contracts will have been originated in the ordinary course of business by Green
Tree Financial Corporation (the "Company"). Specific information, to the extent
available, regarding the size and composition of the pool of Contracts relating
to each Series of Certificates will be set forth in the related Prospectus
Supplement. If specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, a pool insurance
policy, letter of credit, surety bond, guarantee of the Company, cash reserve
fund, or other form of credit enhancement, or any combination thereof, may be
provided with respect to a Series of Certificates, or one or more Classes of
such Series, evidencing interests in the Contracts. The Company will act as
Servicer (in such capacity referred to herein as the "Servicer") of the
Contracts.
Each Series of Certificates may include one or more senior Classes of
Certificates (the "Senior Certificates") and one or more subordinate Classes of
Certificates (the "Subordinated Certificates"). A Series of Senior/Subordinated
Certificates may include one or more Classes ("Mezzanine Certificates") which
are subordinated to one or more Classes of Certificates and are senior to one
or more Classes of Certificates. Certificates of a Series may be divided into
two or more Classes which (i) represent interests in specified percentages
(which may be 0%) of principal or interest, or both, in distributions on the
pool of Contracts relating to such Series, as specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, and/or (ii) are entitled to receive distributions in
respect of principal before or after specified principal distributions have
been made on one or more other Classes within such Series, or on a planned or
targeted amortization schedule or upon the occurrence of other specified
events. Each Prospectus Supplement will describe the Series and Class or
Classes of Certificates offered thereby.
The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the Pass-Through Rate that will be
paid to Certificateholders of each Class of a given Series. Such Pass-Through
Rate may be fixed, variable or adjustable, as specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the only
obligations of the Company with respect to a Series of Certificates will be
pursuant to certain limited representations and warranties. Except as otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer's obligations with
respect to the Certificates evidencing interests in a pool of Contracts are
limited to its contractual servicing obligations. If so specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer may be obligated, under certain
terms and conditions, to advance the amount of any delinquent payments of
principal and interest during the immediately preceding Due Period (as defined
herein), but only to the extent the Servicer determines such advances are
recoverable from future payments and collections on the delinquent Contracts.
See "Description of the Certificates--Advances" and "--Distributions on
Certificates."
There will have been no public market for any Certificates sold hereunder
prior to the offering thereof and there is no assurance that any such market
will develop. The Underwriters named in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a
Series may from time to time buy and sell Certificates of such Series, but
there can be no assurance that an active secondary market therefor will
develop, and there is no assurance that any such market, if established, will
continue.
The Company may elect to cause the Trust Fund relating to a Series of
Certificates to be treated as a "Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit" (a
"REMIC") for federal income tax purposes. See "Certain Federal Income Tax
Consequences" herein.
-----------
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAS NOT PASSED ON OR ENDORSED
THE MERITS OF THIS OFFERING. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL.
This Prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of all or a portion of
any Series of Certificates unless accompanied by a Prospectus Supplement
relating to those particular Classes of Certificates.
The date of this Prospectus is January , 1997.
<PAGE>
REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
The Company will cause to be provided to the holders of the Certificates of
each Series certain monthly and annual reports concerning such Certificates and
the related Trust Fund as further described in the related Prospectus
Supplement under "Description of the Certificates--Reports to
Certificateholders."
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Company is subject to the information requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance
therewith files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"). Information concerning the Company can be
inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549,
and at the regional offices of the Commission located at 500 West Madison
Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511 and Seven World Trade Center,
13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such material can be obtained
from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. The Commission also maintains a
Web site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information
statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically
with the Commission. The Company's Common Stock and rights to purchase
preferred shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and on the
Pacific Stock Exchange ("PSE"). The Company's Senior Subordinated Debentures
are also listed on the NYSE and the PSE. The Company's Senior Subordinated
Notes are listed on the NYSE. Reports and other information concerning the
Company can be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.,
20 Broad Street, New York, New York and the Pacific Stock Exchange, Inc., 310
Pine Street, San Francisco, California.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Prospectus contains, and the Prospectus Supplement for each Series of
Certificates will contain, a summary of certain material terms of certain of
the documents referred to herein and therein, but neither contains nor will
contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement of which
this Prospectus is a part (the "Registration Statement"). For further
information, reference is made to such Registration Statement and the exhibits
thereto which the Company has filed with the Commission under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended. Statements contained in this Prospectus and any
Prospectus Supplement describing a provision of any contract or other document
referred to are summaries, and if this Prospectus or such Prospectus Supplement
indicates that such contract or other document has been filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement, reference is made to the copy of the contract or
other document filed as an exhibit, each such statement being qualified in all
respects by reference to the actual provision being described. Copies of the
Registration Statement can be inspected and, upon payment of the Commission's
prescribed charges, copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549
and at certain of its Regional Offices located as follows: New York Regional
Office, Seven World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048, and
Chicago Regional Office, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois
60661-2511.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
With respect to any Class of Certificates that is supported by a guarantee of
the Company, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1995 and the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the
quarters ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 1996, all of which have been
filed with the Commission, are hereby incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement.
All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act, subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior
to the termination of the offering of the Certificates, shall
2
<PAGE>
be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and the
Prospectus Supplement relating to a Class of Certificates that is supported by
a guarantee of the Company, and to be a part thereof from the respective dates
of filing of such documents. Any statement contained herein or in a document
all or any portion of which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of
this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other
subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
The Company will provide without charge to any person to whom this Prospectus
is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or
all of the foregoing documents incorporated herein by reference (other than
certain exhibits to such documents). Requests for such copies should be
directed to John Dolphin, Vice President and Director of Investor Relations,
1100 Landmark Towers, 345 St. Peter Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102-1639,
telephone number (612) 293-3400.
3
<PAGE>
SUMMARY OF TERMS
This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the detailed
information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus and in the accompanying
Prospectus Supplement.
Title of Securities.......... Certificates for Home Improvement and Home Eq-
uity Loans (Issuable in Series) (the "Certifi-
cates").
Seller....................... Green Tree Financial Corporation (in such capac-
ity referred to herein as the "Company").
Servicer..................... Green Tree Financial Corporation (in such capac-
ity referred to herein as the "Servicer," which
term shall include any successor to Green Tree
Financial Corporation in such capacity under
the applicable Agreement (as defined herein)).
Risk Factors................. Certain special considerations are particularly
relevant to a decision to invest in any Certif-
icates sold hereunder. See "Risk Factors" here-
in.
Securities Offered........... Certificates evidencing interests in pools of
Contracts (as defined herein) may be issued
from time to time in one or more series (each,
a "Series") pursuant to separate Pooling and
Servicing Agreements (each, an "Agreement") be-
tween the Company, as Seller and Servicer, and
the Trustee specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement for such Series of Certificates (the
"Trustee").
The Contracts................ The Contracts underlying a Series of Certifi-
cates (the "Contract Pool") will be fixed or
variable rate Contracts. Such Contracts, as
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
will consist of (1) home improvement contracts
and promissory notes (the "Home Improvement
Contracts"), which will be either conventional
contracts or contracts insured by the Federal
Housing Administration ("FHA") pursuant to Ti-
tle I of the National Housing Act ("Title I"),
and (2) closed-end home equity loans (the "Home
Equity Contracts"). Each Contract will be se-
cured by the related real estate. If so speci-
fied in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Contract Pool may be divided into two or more
sub-pools, in which event the Certificates of
certain specified Classes may be payable pri-
marily from, and in respect of, the Contracts
comprising a given sub-pool.
The Prospectus Supplement for each Series will
provide information with respect to (i) the ag-
gregate principal balance of the Contracts com-
prising the Contract Pool, as of the date spec-
ified in the Prospectus Supplement (the "Cut-
off Date"); (ii) the weighted average and range
of contractual rates of interest (each, a "Con-
tract Rate") on the Contracts; (iii) the
weighted average and ranges of terms to sched-
uled maturity of the Contracts as of origina-
tion and as of the Cut-off Date; (iv) the per-
centage of the Contracts that are Home Improve-
ment Contracts and Home Equity Contracts, re-
spectively; (v) the percentage of Contracts
that are FHA-insured; (vi) the average out-
standing principal balance of the Contracts as
of the Cut-off Date; and (vii) the geographic
location of improved real
4
<PAGE>
estate underlying the Contracts. In addition,
if so specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, additional Contracts may be purchased
from the Company during the Pre-Funding Period
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
from funds on deposit in a Pre-Funding Account.
Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Sup-plement, the Contracts will have
been originated by the Company on an individual
basis in the ordinary course of its business.
Description of Certificates.. The Certificates of each Series may be issued in
one or more Classes or subclasses as and on the
terms specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, each of which will evidence the inter-
est specified in the related Prospectus Supple-
ment in the Contract Pool and certain other
property held in trust for the benefit of the
Certificateholders (the "Trust Fund"). For con-
venience of description, any reference in this
Prospectus to a "Class" of Certificates in-
cludes a reference to any subclasses of such
Class. If so specified in a Prospectus Supple-
ment, a Series of Certificates may include one
or more Classes which (i) are entitled to re-
ceive distributions only in respect of princi-
pal ("Principal Only Certificates"), interest
("Interest Only Certificates") or any combina-
tion thereof, or in specified proportions in
respect of such payments, and/or (ii) are enti-
tled to receive distributions in respect of
principal before or after specified principal
distributions have been made on one or more
other Classes within such Series ("Fast
Pay/Slow Pay Certificates"), or on a planned
amortization schedule ("PAC Certificates") or
targeted amortization schedule ("TAC Certifi-
cates") or upon the occurrence of other speci-
fied events. See "Description of Certificates."
The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the
rate at which interest will be paid to
Certificateholders of each Class of a given Se-
ries (the "Pass-Through Rate"). Such Pass-
Through Rate may be fixed, variable or adjust-
able, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
Each Series of Certificates may include one or
more Classes ("Subordinated Certificates")
which are subordinated in right of distribution
to one or more other Classes ("Senior Certifi-
cates"). Certificates of a Series which in-
cludes Senior and Subordinated Certificates are
referred to herein collectively as
"Senior/Subordinated Certificates." A Series of
Senior/Subordinated Certificates may include
one or more Classes ("Mezzanine Certificates")
which are subordinated to one or more Classes
of Certificates and are senior to one or more
Classes of Certificates.
The Certificates will be issuable in fully reg-
istered form in the authorized denominations
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
See "Description of the Certificates." The Cer-
tificates will not be guaranteed or insured by
any government agency or, unless otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus
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<PAGE>
Supplement, other insurer and, except as de-
scribed herein and in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Contracts will not be guaran-
teed or insured by any government agency or
other insurer.
Subordinated Certificates.... One or more Classes of any Series may be Subor-
dinated Certificates, as specified in the re-
lated Prospectus Supplement. The rights of the
Subordinated Certificateholders to receive any
or a specified portion of distributions with
respect to the Contracts will be subordinated
to the rights of Senior Certificateholders to
the extent and in the manner specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. If a Series of
Certificates contains more than one Class of
Subordinated Certificates, distributions and
losses will be allocated among such classes in
the manner specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement. The rights of the Subordinated
Certificateholders, to the extent not subordi-
nated, may be on a parity with those of the Se-
nior Certificateholders. This subordination is
intended to enhance the likelihood of regular
receipt by Senior Certificateholders of the
full amount of scheduled monthly payments of
principal and interest due them and to protect
the Senior Certificateholders against losses.
If so specified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement, Mezzanine Certificates or other
Classes of Subordinated Certificates may be en-
titled to the benefits of other forms of credit
enhancement and may, if rated in one of the
four highest rating categories by a nationally
recognized statistical rating organization, be
offered pursuant to this Prospectus and such
Prospectus Supplement.
Credit Enhancement........... As an alternative, or in addition, to the credit
enhancement afforded by subordination of the
Subordinated Certificates, credit enhancement
with respect to a Series of Certificates may be
provided by pool insurance, letters of credit,
surety bonds, a guarantee of the Company, cash
reserve funds or other forms of enhancement ac-
ceptable to each nationally recognized rating
agency rating a Series of Certificates, in each
case as described in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
Interest..................... Except as otherwise set forth in the related
Prospectus Supplement, interest on the Certifi-
cates will be paid on the dates specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement (each, a
"Payment Date"). The related Prospectus Supple-
ment will set forth for each Class of Certifi-
cates the Pass-Through Rate, if any, for each
such Class or the method of determining such
Pass-Through Rate. See "Yield Considerations"
and "Description of the Certificates." As spec-
ified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
Classes of a Series of Certificates may be en-
titled to receive no interest or interest which
is not proportionate to the principal allocable
to such Certificates.
Principal (Including Except as otherwise set forth in the related
Prepayments)................ Prospectus Supple-ment, principal on each Con-
tract, including any principal prepayments,
will be passed through on each Payment Date.
See
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<PAGE>
"Maturity and Prepayment Considerations" and
"Description of the Certificates."
Optional Termination......... Unless otherwise specified in the related Pro-
spectus Supplement, each of the Company or the
Servicer may at its option repurchase all Con-
tracts relating to a Series of Certificates re-
maining outstanding at such time under the cir-
cumstances specified in such Prospectus Supple-
ment. Unless otherwise provided in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the repurchase price
will equal the principal amount of such Con-
tracts plus accrued and unpaid interest there-
on. See "Description of the Certificates--Ter-
mination of the Agreement."
Global Certificates.......... If so specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, the Certificates of a Series, or of
one or more Classes within a Series, will be
issuable in the form of one or more global cer-
tificates (each, a "Global Certificate") to be
held by a depositary (each, a "Depositary") on
behalf of the beneficial owners of the Certifi-
cates, as described herein under "Description
of the Certificates--Global Certificates." The
description of the Certificates in this Pro-
spectus assumes that the Certificates of a Se-
ries will not be issued in the form of Global
Certificates. If some or all of the Certifi-
cates of a Series are issued in the form of one
or more Global Certificates, the term "Global
Certificateholder," as used herein, will refer
to such beneficial owners of such Certificates,
and the rights of such Certificateholders will
be limited as described herein under "Descrip-
tion of the Certificates--Global Certificates."
Representations and
Warranties of the Company...
As a condition to the Company's conveyance of
any Contract Pool to the Trust Fund, the Com-
pany will be required to make certain represen-
tations and warranties in the related Agreement
regarding the Contracts. Under the terms of the
Agreement, if the Company becomes aware of a
breach of any such representation or warranty
that materially adversely affects the Trust
Fund's interest in any Contract or receives
written notice of such a breach from the
Trustee or the Servicer, then the Company will
be obligated either to cure such breach or to
repurchase or, if so provided in the related
Prospectus Supplement, substitute for the af-
fected Contract, in each case under the condi-
tions further described herein and in the Pro-
spectus Supplement. See "Description of the
Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
Federal Income Tax If an election (a "REMIC Election") is made to
Considerations.............. treat the Trust Fund represented by a Series of
Certificates or a segregated portion thereof as
a "real estate mortgage investment conduit" (a
"REMIC") under the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"), the Classes of
Certificates which are offered hereby may con-
stitute "regular interests" or "residual inter-
ests" in such REMIC under the Code, with the
tax con-
7
<PAGE>
sequences under the Code described herein and
in such Prospectus Supplement. If so specified
in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, a
Class of Certificates offered hereby may repre-
sent interests in a "two-tier" REMIC, but all
interests in the first and second tier REMIC
will be created under the same Agreement. See
"Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences--REMIC
Series."
If a REMIC Election is not made with respect to
a Series of Certificates, the Trust Fund repre-
sented by such Certificates may be treated as a
grantor trust for federal income tax purposes
and not as an association taxable as a corpora-
tion. In such event, each Certificateholder
will be treated as the owner of an undivided
pro rata interest in income and corpus attrib-
utable to the related Contract Pool and any
other assets held by the Trust Fund and will be
considered the equitable owner of an undivided
interest in the Contracts included in such Con-
tract Pool. If a REMIC Election is not made
with respect to a Series of Certificates and
the Trust Fund represented by such Certificates
will not be treated as a grantor trust, the
federal income tax consequences of ownership of
such Certificates will be described in the re-
lated Prospectus Supplement. See "Certain Fed-
eral Income Tax Consequences--Non-REMIC Se-
ries."
ERISA Considerations......... A fiduciary of any employee benefit plan subject
to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), or the Code,
should review carefully with its legal advisors
whether the purchase or holding of Certificates
could give rise to a transaction prohibited or
otherwise impermissible under ERISA or the
Code. See "ERISA Considerations."
Legal Investment............. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates will
not constitute "mortgage related securities"
under the Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement
Act of 1984, as amended. See "Legal Invest-
ment."
Ratings...................... It is a condition precedent to the issuance of
any Class of Certificates sold under this Pro-
spectus that they be rated in one of the four
highest rating categories (within which there
may be sub-categories or gradations indicating
relative standing) of at least one nationally
recognized statistical rating organization. A
security rating is not a recommendation to buy,
sell or hold securities and may be subject to
revision or withdrawal at any time by the as-
signing rating agency. See "Ratings."
8
<PAGE>
RISK FACTORS
Prospective investors in Certificates should consider, among other things,
the following factors in connection with the purchase of the Certificates:
1. Limitations on Availability of FHA Insurance. The related Prospectus
Supplement will specify the number and percentage of the Home Improvement
Contracts included in the Contract Pool that are insured by FHA pursuant to
Title I of the National Housing Act ("Title I"). The availability of FHA
Insurance following a default on an FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract
is subject to a number of conditions, including strict compliance by the
Company with FHA regulations in originating and servicing the Contract.
Although the Company is an FHA-approved lender and believes, and will
represent and warrant in the Agreement, that it has complied with FHA
regulations, such regulations are susceptible to substantial
interpretation. The Company is not required to obtain, and has not
obtained, approval from FHA of its origination and servicing practices.
Failure to comply with FHA regulations may result in a denial of FHA
Insurance claims, and there can be no assurance that FHA's enforcement of
its regulations will not become stricter in the future. From time to time
the Company is engaged in disputes with FHA over the validity of claims
submitted and the Company's compliance with FHA regulations in servicing
loans insured by FHA, such as the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts.
In addition, any insurance claim paid by FHA will cover only 90% of the sum
of the unpaid principal on the Home Improvement Contract, up to nine months
unpaid interest thereon (computed at 7% per annum) and certain liquidation
costs.
The amount of FHA Insurance available with respect to a Series of
Certificates at any given time with respect to the FHA-insured Home
Improvement Contracts included in a Contract Pool is limited to the balance
of a reserve amount determined with respect to all FHA Title I loans
originated and reported for insurance by the Company and not sold, or sold
with recourse, by the Company, including manufactured housing contracts as
well as home improvement loans. Such reserve amount, as of December 31,
1995, was equal to approximately $105,831,000, but will be reduced by the
amount of all FHA Insurance claims paid and by an annual reduction in the
reserve amount equal to 10% of the reserve amount, and will be increased by
an amount equal to 10% of the unpaid principal balance of FHA Title I loans
subsequently originated and reported for insurance by the Company. Severe
losses on the Company's FHA-insured manufactured housing contracts, or on
other FHA-insured home improvement loans originated by the Company, could
reduce or eliminate the Company's FHA Insurance reserves, in which event
FHA Insurance would not be available to cover losses on FHA-insured Home
Improvement Contracts. In the event the Company were terminated as Servicer
due to its bankruptcy or otherwise, it is anticipated that a proportionate
amount of the Company's FHA Insurance reserves would be transferred to the
reserve account of the Trustee or other successor servicer, but there can
be no assurance of the amount, if any, that would be so transferred. See
"Description of FHA Insurance."
2. Limited Obligations. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates of a Series will not represent an
interest in or obligation of the Company. The Certificates of any Series
will not be insured or guaranteed by any governmental agency or
instrumentality, any Underwriter or its affiliates, the Servicer or (except
as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement) any other
party.
3. Junior Mortgage Liens; Value of Mortgaged Property. The Company
expects that a substantial number of the liens on the improved real estate
securing the Contracts in a given Contract Pool will be junior to other
liens on such real estate. The rights of the Trust Fund (and therefore the
Certificateholders of the related Series), as beneficiary under a
conventional junior deed of trust or as mortgagee under a conventional
junior mortgage, are subordinate to those of the mortgagee or beneficiary
under the senior mortgage or deed of trust, including the prior rights of
the senior mortgagee or beneficiary to cause the property securing the
Contract to be sold upon default of the mortgagor or trustor, thereby
extinguishing the junior mortgagee's or junior beneficiary's lien unless
the Servicer on behalf of the Trust Fund asserts its subordinate interest
in the property in foreclosure litigation and,
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<PAGE>
possibly, satisfies the defaulted senior loan or loans. See "Certain Legal
Aspects of the Contracts--Repurchase Obligations."
A substantial portion of the Contracts included in a Contract Pool are
expected to have loan-to-value ratios of 90% or more, based on the
aggregate of the outstanding principal balances of all senior mortgages or
deeds of trust and of the Contract on the one hand, and the value of the
home and an estimate of the value of the financed improvement, where
applicable, on the other. See "Green Tree Financial Corporation--Contract
Origination." An overall decline in the residential real estate market, the
general condition of a property securing a Contract or other factors could
adversely affect the value of the property securing a conventional (i.e.,
not insured by FHA) Home Improvement Contract or a Home Equity Contract
such that the remaining balance of such Contract, together with that of any
senior liens on the related property, could equal or exceed the value of
the property. While the same economic decline could affect the value of
property securing an FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract, assuming
compliance with other FHA regulations, an FHA claim would still be payable
to the Company, notwithstanding the decline in property value below the
aggregate outstanding principal balances of the Home Improvement Contract
and of all senior liens on the property.
4. Limited Liquidity. There can be no assurance that a secondary market
will develop for the Certificates of any Series, or, if it does develop,
that it will provide the holders of any of the Certificates with liquidity
of investment or that if such a secondary market develops that it will
continue to exist for the term of any Series of Certificates.
5. Non-recordation of Mortgage Assignments. Because of the expense and
administrative inconvenience involved, the Company will not record the
assignment to the Trustee of the mortgage or deed of trust securing any
Contract. In some states, in the absence of such recordation, the
assignment to the related Trustee of the mortgage or deed of trust securing
a Contract may not be effective against creditors of or purchasers from the
Company or a trustee in bankruptcy of the Company.
6. Certain Matters Relating to Insolvency. The Company intends that each
transfer of Contracts to the related Trust Fund constitute a sale, rather
than a pledge of the Contracts to secure indebtedness of the Company.
However, if the Company were to become a debtor under the federal
bankruptcy code, it is possible that a creditor or trustee in bankruptcy of
the Company or the Company as debtor-in-possession may argue that the sale
of the Contracts by the Company was a pledge of the Contracts rather than a
sale. This position, if presented to or accepted by a court, could result
in a delay in or reduction of distributions to the Certificateholders.
THE TRUST FUND
GENERAL
Each Trust Fund will include (i) a Contract Pool, (ii) the amounts held from
time to time in a trust account (the "Certificate Account") maintained by the
Trustee pursuant to the Agreement, (iii) proceeds from FHA Insurance (with
respect to any FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract included in the Contract
Pool), (iv) any letter of credit, guarantee, surety bond, insurance policy,
cash reserve fund or other credit enhancement securing payment of all or part
of a Series of Certificates, and (v) such other property as may be specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement.
Each Certificate will evidence the interest specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement in one Trust Fund, containing one Contract Pool comprised
of Contracts having the aggregate principal balance as of the specified day of
the month of the creation of the pool (the "Cut-off Date") specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. Holders of Certificates of a Series will have
interests only in such Contract Pool and will have no interest in the Contract
Pool created with respect to any other Series of Certificates, except with
respect to FHA Insurance Reserves. If so specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, the Contract Pool may be divided into two or more sub-pools, in
which event the Certificates of certain specified Classes may be payable
primarily from, and in respect of, the Contracts comprising a given sub-pool.
If so specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Trust Fund may
include a Pre-Funding Account which would be used to
10
<PAGE>
purchase additional Contracts ("Subsequent Contracts") from the Company during
the Pre-Funding Period specified in the related Prospectus Supplement. The
related Prospectus Supplement will specify the conditions that must be
satisfied prior to any transfer of Subsequent Contracts, including the
requisite characteristics of the Subsequent Contracts.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, all of
the Contracts will have been originated by the Company in the ordinary course
of its business. Specific information respecting the Contracts included in each
Trust Fund will be provided in the related Prospectus Supplement and, to the
extent not contained in the related Prospectus Supplement, in a report on Form
8-K to be filed with the Commission within fifteen days after the initial
issuance of the Certificates. A copy of the Agreement with respect to each
Series of Certificates will be attached to the Form 8-K and will be available
for inspection at the corporate trust office of the Trustee specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. A schedule of the Contracts relating to such
Series will be attached to the Agreement delivered to the Trustee upon delivery
of the Certificates.
Whenever in this Prospectus terms such as "Contract Pool," "Trust Fund,"
"Agreement" or "Pass-Through Rate" are used, those terms respectively apply,
unless the context otherwise indicates, to one specific Contract Pool and Trust
Fund, each Agreement and each Pass-Through Rate applicable to the related Class
of Certificates.
THE CONTRACT POOLS
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Contract Pool will consist of (i) home improvement contracts and promissory
notes (the "Home Improvement Contracts"), and (ii) closed-end home equity loans
(the "Home Equity Contracts" and, together with the Home Improvement Contracts,
collectively the "Contracts"), originated by the Company on an individual basis
in the ordinary course of business. The Home Improvement Contracts may be
conventional home improvement contracts or contracts insured by FHA. All
Contracts will be secured by the related real estate. Except as otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Contracts will be fully
amortizing and will bear interest at a fixed or variable annual percentage rate
(the "Contract Rate").
For each Series of Certificates, the Company will assign the Contracts
constituting the Contract Pool to the trustee named in the related Prospectus
Supplement (the "Trustee"). The Company, as Servicer (in such capacity referred
to herein as the "Servicer", which term shall include any successor to the
Company in such capacity under the applicable Agreement), will service the
Contracts pursuant to the Agreement. See "Description of the Certificates--
Servicing." Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
the Contract documents will be held by the Trustee or a custodian on its
behalf.
Each Contract Pool will be composed of Contracts bearing interest at the
Contract Rates specified in the Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise stated
in the related Prospectus Supplement, each registered holder of a Certificate
will be entitled to receive periodic distributions, which will be monthly
unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, of all or a
portion of principal on the underlying Contracts or interest on the principal
balance of such Certificate (or on some other principal balance unrelated to
that of such Certificate) at the Pass-Through Rate, or both.
The related Prospectus Supplement will specify for the Contracts contained in
the related Contract Pool, among other things, the range of the dates of
origination of the Contracts; the range of the Contract Rates and the weighted
average Contract Rate; the minimum and maximum outstanding principal balances
and the average outstanding principal balance as of the Cut-off Date; the
aggregate principal balance of the Contracts included in the Contract Pool as
of the Cut-off Date; the weighted average and range of scheduled terms to
maturity as of origination and as of the Cut-off Date; the range of original
maturities of the Contracts and the last maturity date of any Contract; and the
geographic location of improved real estate securing the Contracts. If the
Trust Fund includes a Pre-Funding Account, the related Prospectus Supplement
will specify the conditions that must be satisfied prior to any transfer of
Subsequent Contracts, including the requisite characteristics of the Subsequent
Contracts.
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<PAGE>
The Company will make representations and warranties as to the types and
geographical distribution of the Contracts included in a Contract Pool and as
to the accuracy in all material respects of certain information furnished to
the Trustee in respect of each such Contract. Upon a breach of any
representation or warranty that materially and adversely affects the interests
of the Certificateholders in a Contract, the Company will be obligated to cure
the breach in all material respects, or to repurchase or substitute for the
Contract as described below. This repurchase obligation constitutes the sole
remedy available to the Certificateholders or the Trustee for a breach of
representation or warranty by the Company. See "Description of the
Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
substantially all of the net proceeds to be received from the sale of each
Series of Certificates will be used by the Company for general corporate
purposes, including the origination or acquisition of additional home
improvement contracts and home equity loans, costs of carrying such contracts
and loans until sale of the related certificates and to pay other expenses
connected with pooling the Contracts and issuing the Certificates.
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
GENERAL
The Company is a Delaware corporation which, as of December 31, 1995, had
stockholders' equity of approximately $925,022,000. The Company purchases,
pools, sells and services conditional sales contracts for manufactured homes
and other consumer installment sales contracts, as well as home equity loans.
The Company is the largest servicer of government-insured manufactured housing
contracts and conventional manufactured housing contracts in the United States.
Servicing functions are performed through Green Tree Financial Servicing
Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Through its principal
offices in St. Paul, Minnesota, and service centers throughout the United
States, the Company serves all 50 states. The Company began financing FHA-
insured home improvement loans in April 1989, conventional home improvement
loans in September 1992 and home equity loans in January 1996. The Company also
purchases, pools and services installment sales contracts for various consumer
products. The Company's principal executive offices are located at 1100
Landmark Towers, 345 St. Peter Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102-1639
(telephone (612) 293-3400). The Company's quarterly and annual reports are
available from the Company upon written request made to the Company.
CONTRACT ORIGINATION
Home Improvement Contracts. Through its centralized loan processing
operations in St. Paul, Minnesota, the Company arranges to purchase certain
contracts from home improvement contractors located throughout the United
States. The Company's regional sales managers contact home improvement
contractors and explain the Company's available financing plans, terms,
prevailing rates and credit and financing policies. If the contractor wishes to
utilize the Company's available customer financing, the contractor must make an
application for contractor approval. The Company has a contractor approval
process pursuant to which the financial condition, business experience and
qualifications of the contractor are reviewed prior to his or her approval to
sell Contracts to the Company. In addition, the Company has a centralized
compliance group which reviews and updates contractor financial condition and
reviews contractors on an annual basis to determine whether such contractor's
approval will be continued. The Company also reviews monthly contractor trend
reports which show the default and delinquency trends of the particular
contractor with respect to contracts sold to the Company. The Company
occasionally will originate directly a home improvement promissory note
involving a home improvement transaction.
All contracts that the Company originates are written on forms provided or
approved by the Company and are purchased on an individually approved basis in
accordance with the Company's guidelines. The contractor submits the customer's
credit application and construction contract to the Company's office where
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an analysis of the creditworthiness of the customer is made using a proprietary
credit scoring system that was implemented by the Company in June 1993. If the
Company determines that the application meets the Company's underwriting
guidelines and applicable FHA regulations (for FHA-insured contracts) and the
credit is approved, the Company purchases the contract from the contractor when
the customer verifies satisfactory completion of the work, or, in the case of
staged funding, the Company follows up with the customer for the completion
certificate 90 days after funding.
The types of home improvements financed by the Company include (i) exterior
renovations, including windows, siding and roofing, (ii) pools and spas, (iii)
kitchen and bath remodeling, and (iv) room additions and garages. The Company
may also, under certain limited conditions, extend additional credit beyond the
purchase price of the home improvement for the purpose of debt consolidation.
The original principal amount of an FHA-insured home improvement contract
with respect to a single family property currently may not exceed $25,000
without specific FHA approval, with a maximum term of 20 years. FHA will insure
loans of up to $17,500 for manufactured homes which qualify as real estate
under applicable state law and loans of up to $12,000 per unit or a $48,000
limit for four units of owner-occupied multiple-family homes. Certain other
criteria for home improvement contracts eligible for FHA Insurance are
described under the caption "Description of FHA Insurance."
The Company began financing conventional home improvement loans in September
1992. Conventional home improvement loans are not insured by FHA. The original
principal amount of a conventional secured home improvement loan may not exceed
$40,000 for the Company's secured "no equity" lien program, and $100,000 for
the Company's secured equity lien program, unless a higher amount financed is
approved by senior management. The original principal amount of a conventional
home improvement loan may not exceed $100,000 for the Company's secured lien
program, unless a higher amount financed is approved by senior management. The
Company requires that any secured home improvement contract be secured by a
recorded lien (which may be a first, second or (with respect to FHA-insured
contracts and some conventional contracts of $30,000 or less) third lien) on
the improved real estate.
The Company's underwriting guidelines and credit scoring process weight
significantly the applicant's creditworthiness and place less weight on the
available equity in the related real estate being improved. While it is the
Company's policy not to exceed 100% in loan-to-value ratio on any Contract, a
substantial portion of the Home Improvement Contracts are expected to have
loan-to-value ratios of 90% or more when considering the estimated value of the
real estate, other liens senior to that of the Home Improvement Contract, and
the improvements being financed. Because the Company does not require
appraisals on most Home Improvement Contracts with loan amounts of less than
$30,000 (which Home Improvement Contracts are expected to comprise a
substantial portion of any Contract Pool), and given the many other factors
that can affect the value of property securing a conventional Home Improvement
Contract, the related Prospectus Supplement will not provide detailed
disclosure of loan-to-value ratios on the Home Improvement Contracts.
Home Equity Contracts. The Company has originated closed-end home equity
loans since January 1996. As of September 30, 1996, the Company had
approximately $414,728,000 aggregate principal amount of outstanding closed-end
home equity loans.
Through a system of regional offices, the Company markets its home equity
lending directly to consumers using a variety of marketing techniques. The
Company also reviews and re-underwrites loan applications forwarded by
correspondent lenders.
The Company's credit approval process analyzes both the equity position of
the requested loan (including both the priority of the lien and the combined
loan-to-value ratio) and the applicant's creditworthiness; to the extent the
requested loan would have a less favorable (or more favorable) equity position,
the creditworthiness of the borrower must be stronger (or may be weaker). The
loan-to-value ratio of the requested loan, combined with any existing loans
with a senior lien position, may not exceed 95% without
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senior management approval. In most circumstances, an appraisal of the property
is required. Currently, loans secured by a first mortgage with an obligor
having a superior credit rating may not exceed $300,000 without senior
management approval, and loans secured by a second mortgage with an obligor
having a superior credit rating may not exceed $250,000 without senior
management approval.
YIELD CONSIDERATIONS
The Pass-Through Rates and the weighted average Contract Rate of the
Contracts (as of the related Cut-off Date) relating to each Series of
Certificates will be set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The Prospectus Supplement for each Series will indicate that a lower rate of
principal prepayments than anticipated would negatively affect the total return
to investors of any Class of Certificates that is offered at a discount to its
principal amount, and a higher rate of principal prepayments than anticipated
would negatively affect the total return to investors of any such Class of
Certificates that is offered at a premium to its principal amount or without
any principal amount.
The yield on some types of Certificates which may be offered hereby, such as
Interest Only Certificates, Principal Only Certificates, and Fast Pay/Slow Pay
Certificates, may be particularly sensitive to prepayment rates, and to changes
in prepayment rates, on the underlying Contracts. If so stated in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the yield on some types of Certificates which may be
offered hereby could change and may be negative under certain prepayment rate
scenarios. Accordingly, some types of Certificates may not be legal or
appropriate investments for certain financial institutions, pension funds or
others. See "ERISA Considerations" and "Legal Investment Considerations." In
addition, the timing of changes in the rate of prepayment on the Contracts
included in a Contract Pool may significantly affect an investor's actual yield
to maturity, even if the average prepayment rate over time is consistent with
the investor's expectations. In general, the earlier that prepayments on
Contracts occur, the greater the effect on the investor's yield to maturity.
MATURITY AND PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
MATURITY
Unless otherwise described in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, all of the
Contracts will have maturities at origination of not more than 25 years.
PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Contracts generally may be prepaid in full or in part without penalty. FHA-
insured Home Improvement Contracts may be prepaid at any time without penalty.
The Company has no significant experience with respect to the rate of principal
prepayments on home improvement contracts or home equity loans. Because the
Contracts have scheduled due dates throughout the calendar month, and because
(unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement) all principal
prepayments will be passed through to Certificateholders of the related Series
on the Payment Date following the Due Period in which such principal prepayment
occurred, prepayments on the Contracts would affect the amount of funds
available to make distributions on the Certificates on any Payment Date only if
a substantial portion of the Contracts prepaid
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prior to their respective due dates in a particular month (thus paying less
than 30 days' interest for that Due Period) while very few Contracts prepaid
after their respective due dates in that month. In addition, liquidations of
defaulted Contracts or the Servicer's or the Company's exercise of its option
to repurchase the entire remaining pool of Contracts (see "Description of the
Certificates--Repurchase Option") will affect the timing of principal
distributions on the Certificates of a Series.
Information regarding the prepayment standard or model or any other rate of
assumed prepayment, as applicable, will be set forth in the Prospectus
Supplement with respect to a Series of Certificates. Although the related
Prospectus Supplement will specify the prepayment assumptions used to price any
Series of Certificates, there can be no assurance that the Contracts will
prepay at such rate, and it is unlikely that prepayments or liquidations of the
Contracts will occur at any constant rate.
See "Description of the Certificates--Repurchase Option" for a description of
the Company's or Servicer's option to repurchase the Contracts comprising part
of a Trust Fund when the aggregate outstanding principal balance of such
Contracts is less than a specified percentage of the initial aggregate
outstanding principal balance of such Contracts as of the related Cut-off Date.
See also "The Trust Fund--The Contract Pools" for a description of the
obligations of the Company to repurchase a Contract in case of a breach of a
representation or warranty relative to such Contract.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CERTIFICATES
Each Series of Certificates will be issued pursuant to a separate pooling and
servicing agreement (each, an "Agreement") to be entered into among the
Company, as seller and Servicer, and the trustee named in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Trustee"), and such other parties, if any, as are
described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The following summaries
describe certain provisions expected to be common to each Agreement and the
related Certificates, but do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and
are qualified in their entirety by reference to, the provisions of the related
Agreement and the description set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The provisions of the form of Agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement of which this Prospectus is a part (the "Registration Statement")
that are not described herein may differ from the provisions of any actual
Agreement. The material differences will be described in the related Prospectus
Supplement. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the form of Agreement filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.
Each Series of Certificates will have been rated in the rating category by
the rating agency or agencies specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
GENERAL
The Certificates may be issued in one or more Classes. If the Certificates of
a Series are issued in more than one Class, the Certificates of all or less
than all of such Classes may be sold pursuant to this Prospectus, and there may
be separate Prospectus Supplements relating to one or more of such Classes so
sold. Any reference herein to the Prospectus Supplement relating to a Series
comprised of more than one Class should be understood as a reference to each of
the Prospectus Supplements relating to the Classes sold hereunder. Any
reference herein to the Certificates of a Class should be understood to refer
to the Certificates of a Class within a Series or all of the Certificates of a
single-Class Series, as the context may require. For convenience of
description, any reference in this Prospectus to a "Class" of Certificates
includes a reference to any subclasses of such Class.
The Certificates of each Series will be issued in fully registered form only
and will represent the interests specified in the related Prospectus Supplement
in a separate trust fund (the "Trust Fund") created pursuant to the related
Agreement. The Trust Fund will be held by the Trustee for the benefit of the
Certificateholders. Each Trust Fund, to the extent specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, will include (i) Contracts (the
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"Contract Pool") which are subject to the Agreement, (ii) the amounts held in
the Certificate Account from time to time, (iii) proceeds from FHA Insurance
(with respect to any FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract included in the
Contract Pool), (iv) any letter of credit, guarantee, surety bond, insurance
policy, cash reserve fund or other credit enhancement securing payment of all
or part of a Series of Certificates and (v) such other property as may be
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement. Except as otherwise specified
in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates will be freely
transferable and exchangeable at the corporate trust office of the Trustee at
the address set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement. No service charge
will be made for any registration of exchange or transfer of Certificates, but
the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge.
Ownership of each Contract Pool may be evidenced by one or more Classes of
Certificates, each representing the interest in the Contract Pool specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement. Each Series of Certificates may include one
or more Classes ("Subordinated Certificates") which are subordinated in right
of distribution to one or more other Classes ("Senior Certificates"), as
provided in the related Prospectus Supplement. Certificates of a Series which
includes Senior and Subordinated Certificates are referred to herein
collectively as "Senior/Subordinated Certificates." A Series of
Senior/Subordinated Certificates may include one or more Classes ("Mezzanine
Certificates") which are subordinated to one or more Classes of Certificates
and are senior to one or more Classes of Certificates. The Prospectus
Supplement with respect to a Series of Senior/Subordinated Certificates will
set forth, among other things, the extent to which the Subordinated
Certificates are subordinated (which may include a formula for determining the
subordinated amount or for determining the allocation of the Amount Available
(hereinafter defined) among Senior Certificates and Subordinated Certificates),
the allocation of losses among the Classes of Subordinated Certificates, the
period or periods of such subordination, the minimum subordinated amount, if
any, and any distributions or payments which will not be affected by such
subordination. The protection afforded to the Senior Certificateholders from
the subordination feature described above will be effected by the preferential
right of such Certificateholders to receive current distributions from the
Contract Pool. If a Series of Certificates contains more than one Class of
Subordinated Certificates, losses will be allocated among such Classes in the
manner described in the Prospectus Supplement. If so specified in the
applicable Prospectus Supplement, Mezzanine Certificates or other Classes of
Subordinated Certificates may be entitled to the benefits of other forms of
credit enhancement and may, if rated in one of the four highest rating
categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, be
offered pursuant to this Prospectus and such Prospectus Supplement.
If so specified in a Prospectus Supplement, a Series of Certificates may
include one or more Classes which (i) are entitled to receive distributions
only in respect of principal ("Principal Only Certificates"), interest
("Interest Only Certificates") or any combination thereof, or in specified
proportions in respect of such payments, and/or (ii) are entitled to receive
distributions in respect of principal before or after specified principal
distributions have been made on one or more other Classes within such Series
("Fast Pay/Slow Pay Certificates"), or on a planned amortization schedule ("PAC
Certificates") or targeted amortization schedule ("TAC Certificates") or upon
the occurrence of other specified events. The Prospectus Supplement will set
forth the rate at which interest will be paid to Certificateholders of each
Class of a given Series (the "Pass-Through Rate"). Such Pass-Through Rate may
be fixed, variable or adjustable, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
The related Prospectus Supplement will specify the minimum denomination or
initial principal amount of Contracts evidenced by a single Certificate of each
Class of Certificates of a Series (a "Single Certificate").
Distributions of principal and interest on the Certificates will be made on
the payment dates set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement (each, a
"Payment Date") to the persons in whose names the Certificates are registered
at the close of business on the related record date specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Record Date"). Distributions will be made by check
mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears on the
Certificate Register, or, to the extent described in the related Prospectus
Supplement, by
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wire transfer, except that the final distribution in retirement of Certificates
will be made only upon presentation and surrender of the Certificates at the
office or agency of the Trustee specified in the final distribution notice to
Certificateholders.
GLOBAL CERTIFICATES
The Certificates of a Class may be issued in whole or in part in the form of
one or more global certificates (each, a "Global Certificate") that will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, and registered in the name of a nominee for, a
depositary (the "Depositary") identified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The description of the Certificates contained in this Prospectus assumes that
the Certificates will be issued in definitive form. If the Certificates of a
Class are issued in the form of one or more Global Certificates, the term
"Certificateholder" should be understood to refer to the beneficial owners of
the Global Certificates, and the rights of such Certificateholders will be
limited as described under this subheading.
Global Certificates will be issued in registered form. Unless and until it is
exchanged in whole or in part for a Certificate in definitive form, a Global
Certificate may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such
Global Certificate to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such
Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary.
The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any
Certificates of a Class will be described in the related Prospectus Supplement.
It is anticipated that the following provisions will apply to all depositary
arrangements:
Upon the issuance of a Global Certificate, the Depositary for such Global
Certificate will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system,
the respective denominations of the Certificates represented by such Global
Certificate to the accounts of institutions that have accounts with such
Depositary ("participants"). Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global
Certificate will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests
through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in such Global
Certificate will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be
effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary for such Global
Certificate or by participants or persons that hold through participants. The
laws of some states require that certain purchasers of securities take physical
delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and such laws may
impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Certificate.
So long as the Depositary for a Global Certificate, or its nominee, is the
owner of such Global Certificate, such Depositary or such nominee, as the case
may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Certificates
represented by such Global Certificate for all purposes under the Agreement
relating to such Certificates. Except as set forth below, owners of beneficial
interests in a Global Certificate will not be entitled to have Certificates of
the Series represented by such Global Certificate registered in their names,
will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of Certificates of
such Series in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders
thereof under the Agreement governing such Certificates.
Distributions or payments on Certificates registered in the name of or held
by a Depositary or its nominee will be made to the Depositary or its nominee,
as the case may be, as the registered owner for the holder of the Global
Certificate representing such Certificates. In addition, all reports required
under the applicable Agreement to be made to Certificateholders (as described
below under "Reports to Certificateholders") will be delivered to the
Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be. None of the Company, Servicer,
Trustee, or any agent thereof (including any applicable Certificate Registrar
or Paying Agent), will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of
the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests in a Global Certificate or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing
any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for providing
reports to the related beneficial owners.
The Company expects that the Depositary for Certificates of a Class, upon
receipt of any distribution or payment in respect of a Global Certificate, will
credit immediately participants' accounts with payments in
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amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interest in such Global
Certificate as shown on the records of such Depositary. The Company also
expects that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in such
Global Certificate held through such participants will be governed by standing
instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held
for the accounts of customers registered in "street name," and will be the
responsibility of such participants.
If a Depositary for Certificates of a Class is at any time unwilling or
unable to continue as Depositary and a successor depositary is not appointed by
or on behalf of the Company within the time period specified in the Agreement,
the Company will cause to be issued Certificates of such Class in definitive
form in exchange for the related Global Certificate or Certificates. In
addition, the Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine not
to have any Certificates of a Class represented by one or more Global
Certificates and, in such event, will cause to be issued Certificates of such
Class in definitive form in exchange for the related Global Certificate or
Certificates. Further, if the Company so specifies with respect to the
Certificates of a Class, an owner of a beneficial interest in a Global
Certificate representing Certificates of such Class may, on terms acceptable to
the Company and the Depositary for such Global Certificate, receive
Certificates of such Class in definitive form. In any such instance, an owner
of a beneficial interest in a Global Certificate will be entitled to physical
delivery in definitive form of Certificates of the Class represented by such
Global Certificate equal in denominations to such beneficial interest and to
have such Certificates registered in its name.
CONVEYANCE OF CONTRACTS
The Company will transfer, assign, set over and otherwise convey to the
Trustee all right, title and interest of the Company in the Contracts,
including all principal and interest received on or with respect to the
Contracts (other than receipts of principal and interest due on the Contracts
before the Cut-off Date). On behalf of the Trust Fund, as the issuer of the
related Series of Certificates, the Trustee, concurrently with such conveyance,
will execute and deliver the Certificates to the order of the Company. The
Contracts will be as described on a list attached to the Agreement. Such list
will include the amount of monthly payments due on each Contract as of the date
of issuance of the Certificates, the Contract Rate on each Contract and the
maturity date of each Contract. Such list will be available for inspection by
any Certificateholder at the principal executive office of the Servicer. Prior
to the conveyance of the Contracts to the Trust Fund, the Company's internal
audit department will complete a review of all of the Contract files confirming
the accuracy of the list of Contracts delivered to the Trustee. Any Contract
discovered not to agree with such list in a manner that is materially adverse
to the interests of the Certificateholders will be repurchased or substituted
for by the Company, or, if the discrepancy relates to the unpaid principal
balance of a Contract, the Company may deposit cash in the separate account
maintained at an Eligible Institution in the name of the Trustee (the
"Certificate Account") in an amount sufficient to offset such discrepancy. If
the Trust Fund includes a Pre-Funding Account, the related Prospectus
Supplement will specify the conditions that must be satisfied prior to any
transfer of Subsequent Contracts, including the requisite characteristics of
the Subsequent Contracts.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Trustee
or its custodian will maintain possession of the Contracts and any other
documents contained in the Contract files. Uniform Commercial Code financing
statements will be filed in Minnesota reflecting the sale and assignment of the
Contracts to the Trustee, and the Company's accounting records and computer
systems will also reflect such sale and assignment.
The counsel to the Company identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement
will render an opinion to the Trustee that the transfer of the Contracts from
the Company to the related Trust Fund would, in the event the Company became a
debtor under the United States Bankruptcy Code, be treated as a true sale and
not as a pledge to secure borrowings. If, however, the transfer of the
Contracts from the Company to the Trust Fund were treated as a pledge to secure
borrowings by the Company, the distribution of proceeds of the Contracts to the
Trust Fund might be subject to the automatic stay provisions of the United
States
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Bankruptcy Code, which would delay the distribution of such proceeds for an
uncertain period of time. In addition, a bankruptcy trustee would have the
power to sell the Contracts if the proceeds of such sale could satisfy the
amount of the debt deemed owed by the Company, or the bankruptcy trustee could
substitute other collateral in lieu of the Contracts to secure such debt, or
such debt could be subject to adjustment by the bankruptcy trustee if the
Company were to file for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Company will make certain representations and warranties in the Agreement with
respect to each Contract as of the related Closing Date, including that: (a) as
of the Cut-off Date the most recent scheduled payment was made or was not
delinquent more than 59 days; (b) no provision of a Contract has been waived,
altered or modified in any respect, except by instruments or documents included
in the Contract file and reflected on the list of Contracts delivered to the
Trustee; (c) each Contract is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Obligor and is enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as may be
limited by laws affecting creditors rights generally); (d) no Contract is
subject to any right of rescission, set-off, counterclaim or defense; (e) each
FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract was originated in accordance with
applicable FHA regulations and is insured, without set-off, surcharge or
defense, by FHA Insurance; (f) each Contract was either (i) entered into by a
home improvement contractor in the ordinary course of such contractor's
business and, immediately upon funding, assigned to the Company, (ii) was
originated by a home equity lender in the ordinary course of such lender's
business and assigned to the Company, or (iii) was originated by the Company
directly; (g) no Contract was originated in or is subject to the laws of any
jurisdiction whose laws would make the transfer of the Contract or an interest
therein pursuant to the Agreement or the Certificates unlawful; (h) each
Contract complies with all requirements of law; (i) no Contract has been
satisfied, subordinated to a lower lien ranking than its original position (if
any) or rescinded; (j) each Contract creates a valid and perfected lien on the
related improved real estate; (k) all parties to each Contract had full legal
capacity to execute such Contract; (l) no Contract has been sold, conveyed and
assigned or pledged to any other person and the Company has good and marketable
title to each Contract free and clear of any encumbrance, equity, loan, pledge,
charge, claim or security interest, and is the sole owner and has full right to
transfer such Contract to the Trustee; (m) as of the Cut-off Date there was no
default, breach, violation or event permitting acceleration under any Contract
(except for payment delinquencies permitted by clause (a) above), no event that
with notice and the expiration of any grace or cure period would constitute a
default, breach, violation or event permitting acceleration under such
Contract, and the Company has not waived any of the foregoing; (n) each
Contract is a fully-amortizing loan with a fixed rate of interest and provides
for level payments over the term of such Contract; (o) each Contract contains
customary and enforceable provisions such as to render the rights and remedies
of the holder thereof adequate for realization against the collateral; (p) the
description of each Contract set forth in the list delivered to the Trustee is
true and correct; (q) there is only one original of each Contract; and (r) each
Contract was originated or purchased in accordance with the Company's then-
current underwriting guidelines.
Under the terms of the Agreement, if the Company becomes aware of a breach of
any such representation or warranty that materially adversely affects the Trust
Fund's interest in any Contract or receives written notice of such a breach
from the Trustee or the Servicer, then the Company will be obligated either to
cure such breach or to repurchase or, if so provided in the related Prospectus
Supplement, substitute for the affected Contract, in each case under the
conditions further described herein and in the Prospectus Supplement. This
repurchase obligation will constitute the sole remedy available to the Trust
Fund and the Certificateholders for a breach of a representation or warranty
under the Agreement with respect to the Contracts (but not with respect to any
other breach by the Company of its obligations under the Agreement). If a
prohibited transaction tax under the REMIC provisions of the Code is incurred
in connection with such repurchase, distributions otherwise payable to Residual
Certificateholders will be applied to pay such tax. The Company will be
required to pay the amount of such tax that is not funded out of such
distributions.
The "Repurchase Price" of a Contract at any time means the outstanding
principal amount of such Contract (without giving effect to any Advances made
by the Servicer or the Trustee), plus interest at the
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applicable Pass-Through Rate on such Contract from the end of the Due Period
with respect to which the Obligor last made a payment (without giving effect to
any Advances made by the Servicer or the Trustee) through the end of the
immediately preceding Due Period.
PAYMENTS ON CONTRACTS
Each Certificate Account will be a trust account established by the Servicer
as to each Series of Certificates in the name of the Trustee (i) with a
depository institution, the long-term unsecured debt obligations of which at
the time of any deposit therein are rated within the two highest rating
categories, or such other rating category as will not adversely affect the
ratings assigned to the Certificates, by each rating agency rating the
Certificates of such Series, (ii) with the trust department of a national bank,
(iii) in an account or accounts the deposits in which are fully insured by the
FDIC, (iv) in an account or accounts the deposits in which are insured by the
FDIC (to the limits established by the FDIC), the uninsured deposits in which
are otherwise secured such that, as evidenced by an opinion of counsel, the
Certificateholders have a claim with respect to the funds in the Certificate
Account or a perfected first priority security interest against any collateral
securing such funds that is superior to the claims of any other depositors or
general creditors of the depository institution with which the Certificate
Account is maintained or (v) otherwise acceptable to the rating agency without
reduction or withdrawal of the rating assigned to the relevant Certificates.
The collateral eligible to secure amounts in the Certificate Account is limited
to United States government securities and certain other high-quality
investments specified in the applicable Agreement ("Eligible Investments"). A
Certificate Account may be maintained as an interest-bearing account, or the
funds held therein may be invested pending each succeeding Payment Date in
Eligible Investments.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer
will deposit in the Certificate Account on a daily basis all proceeds and
collections received or made by it with respect to the related Contracts
subsequent to the Cut-off Date (including scheduled payments of principal and
interest due after the Cut-off Date but received by the Servicer on or before
the Cut-off Date), including:
(i) all Obligor payments on account of principal, including principal
prepayments, on the Contracts;
(ii) all Obligor payments on account of interest on the Contracts;
(iii) all FHA Insurance payments received by the Servicer;
(iv) all amounts received and retained in connection with the liquidation
of defaulted Contracts, net of liquidation expenses ("Net Liquidation
Proceeds");
(v) any Advances made as described under "Advances" below and certain
other amounts required under the Agreement to be deposited in the
Certificate Account;
(vi) all amounts received from any credit enhancement provided with
respect to a Series of Certificates; and
(vii) all proceeds of any Contract or property acquired in respect
thereof repurchased by the Servicer or the Company, as described under
"Conveyance of Contracts" above or under "Repurchase Option" below.
DISTRIBUTIONS ON CERTIFICATES
Except as otherwise provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, on each
Payment Date for a Series of Certificates, the Trustee will withdraw from the
applicable Certificate Account and distribute to the Certificateholders of such
Series of record on the preceding Record Date an amount equal to, in the
aggregate, the "Amount Available" for such Payment Date. Unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the "Amount Available" for a
Payment Date is an amount equal to the aggregate of all amounts on deposit in
the Certificate Account as of the seventh Business Day following the end of the
related Due Period, or such other date as may be specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Determination Date") except: (i) all payments on
the Contracts that were due on or before the Cut-off Date; (ii) all payments or
collections received after the Due Period preceding the month in which the
Payment Date occurs; (iii) all
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scheduled payments of principal and interest due on a date or dates subsequent
to the Due Period preceding the Determination Date; (iv) amounts representing
reimbursement for Advances, such reimbursement being limited, if so specified
in the related Prospectus Supplement, to amounts received on particular
Contracts as late collections of principal or interest as to which the Servicer
has made an unreimbursed Advance; and (v) amounts representing reimbursement
for any unpaid Servicing Fee. In the case of a Series of Certificates which
includes only one Class, the Amount Available for each Payment Date will be
distributed pro rata to the holders of such Certificates. In the case of any
other Series of Certificates, the Amount Available for each Payment Date will
be allocated and distributed to holders of the Certificates of such Series
pursuant to the method and in the order of priority specified in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement. The amount of principal and interest specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement to be distributed to Certificateholders is
referred to herein as the "Certificate Distribution Amount."
Within the time specified in the Agreement and described in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer will furnish a statement to the Trustee
setting forth the amount to be distributed on the related Payment Date on
account of principal and interest, stated separately, and a statement setting
forth certain information with respect to the Contracts.
ADVANCES
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, to the
extent that collections on a Contract in any Due Period are less than the
scheduled payment due thereon, the Servicer will be obligated to make an
advance of the uncollected portion of such scheduled payment. The Servicer will
be obligated to advance a delinquent payment on a Contract only to the extent
that the Servicer, in its sole discretion, expects to recoup such Advance from
subsequent collections on the Contract or from liquidation proceeds thereof.
The Servicer will deposit any Advances in the Certificate Account no later than
one Business Day before the following Payment Date. The Servicer will be
entitled to recoup its advances on a Contract from subsequent payments by or on
behalf of the Obligor and from liquidation proceeds (including FHA Insurance
payments, if applicable, or foreclosure resale proceeds), if any, of the
Contract, and will release its right to reimbursements in conjunction with the
purchase of the Contract by the Company for breach of representations and
warranties. If the Servicer determines in good faith that an amount previously
advanced will not ultimately be recoverable from payments by or on behalf of
the Obligor or from liquidation proceeds (including FHA Insurance payments, if
applicable, or foreclosure resale proceeds), if any, of the Contract (an
"Uncollectible Advance"), the Servicer will be entitled to reimbursement from
payments on other Contracts or from other funds available therefor.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, if the
Servicer fails to make an Advance required under the Agreement, the Trustee
will be obligated to deposit the amount of such Advance in the Certificate
Account on the Payment Date. The Trustee will not, however, be obligated to
deposit any such amount if (i) the Trustee does not expect to recoup such
Advance from subsequent collections on the Contract or from liquidation
proceeds thereof, if any, or (ii) the Trustee determines that it is not legally
able to make such Advance.
EXAMPLE OF DISTRIBUTIONS
The following is an example of the flow of funds as it would relate to a
hypothetical Series of Certificates issued, and with a Cut-off Date occurring,
in March 1996 (all weekdays are assumed to be business days):
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
March 1......................................... (1) Cut-off Date.
March 1-31...................................... (2) Due Period. Servicer
receives scheduled payments
on the Contracts and any
principal prepayments made
by Obligors and applicable
interest thereon.
March 29........................................ (3) Record Date.
April 9......................................... (4) Determination Date.
Distribution amount
determined.
April 15........................................ (5) Payment Date.
</TABLE>
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Succeeding months follow the pattern of (2) through (5). The flow of funds
with respect to any Series of Certificates may differ from the above example,
as specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
- --------
(1) The initial principal balance of the Contract Pool will be the aggregate
principal balance of the Contracts at the close of business on the Cut-off
Date, after deducting principal payments due on or before such date, which,
together with corresponding interest payments, are not part of the Contract
Pool and will not be passed through to Certificateholders.
(2) Scheduled payments and principal prepayments may be received at any time
during this period and will be deposited in the Certificate Account by the
Servicer for distribution to Certificateholders. When a Contract is prepaid
in full, interest on the amount prepaid is collected from the Obligor only
to the date of payment.
(3) Distributions on April 15 will be made to Certificateholders of record at
the close of business on the last Business Day of March, being the month
immediately preceding the month of distribution.
(4) On April 9 (the seventh Business Day following the end of the prior Due
Period), the Servicer will determine the amounts of principal and interest
which will be passed through on April 15. In addition, the Servicer may
advance funds to cover any delinquencies, in which event the distribution
to Certificateholders on April 15 will include the full amounts of
principal and interest due during March. The Servicer will also calculate
any changes in the relative interests evidenced by the Senior Certificates
and the Subordinated Certificates in the Trust Fund.
(5) On April 15, the amounts determined on April 9 will be distributed to
Certificateholders.
INDEMNIFICATION
The Agreement requires the Company to defend and indemnify the Trust Fund,
the Trustee (including any agent of the Trustee) and the Certificateholders
(which indemnification will survive any removal of the Servicer as servicer of
the Contracts) against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages, claims and
liabilities, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel and expenses of
litigation (a) arising out of or resulting from the use or ownership by the
Company or the Servicer or any affiliate thereof of any real estate related to
a Contract and (b) for any taxes which may at any time be asserted with respect
to, and as of the date of, the conveyance of the Contracts to the Trust Fund
(but not including any federal, state or other tax arising out of the creation
of the Trust Fund and the issuance of the Certificates).
The Agreement also requires the Servicer, in connection with its duties as
servicer of the Contracts, to defend and indemnify the Trust Fund, the Trustee
and the Certificateholders (which indemnification will survive any removal of
the Servicer as servicer of the Contracts) against any and all costs, expenses,
losses, damages, claims and liabilities, including reasonable fees and expenses
of counsel and expenses of litigation, in respect of any action taken by the
Servicer with respect to any Contract while it was the Servicer.
SERVICING
Pursuant to the Agreement, the Servicer will service and administer the
Contracts assigned to the Trustee as more fully set forth below. The Servicer
will perform diligently all services and duties specified in each Agreement, in
the same manner as prudent lending institutions of home improvement contracts
and home equity loans of the same type as the Contracts in those jurisdictions
where the related real properties are located or as otherwise specified in the
Agreement. The duties to be performed by the Servicer will include collection
and remittance of principal and interest payments, collection of insurance
claims and, if necessary, foreclosure of Contracts.
The Servicer will make reasonable efforts to collect all payments called for
under the Contracts and, consistent with the Agreement and any FHA Insurance,
will follow such collection procedures with respect to the Contracts as it
follows with respect to mortgage loans or contracts serviced by it that are
comparable to the Contracts.
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<PAGE>
Evidence as to Compliance. Unless otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, each Agreement will require the Servicer to deliver to
the Trustee a monthly report prior to each Payment Date, setting forth certain
information regarding the Contract Pool and the Certificates of such Series as
is specified in the related Prospectus Supplement. Each such report to the
Trustee will be accompanied by a statement from an appropriate officer of the
Servicer certifying the accuracy of such report and stating that the Servicer
has not defaulted in the performance of its obligations under the Agreement. On
or before May 1 of each year, the Servicer will deliver to the Trustee a report
of a nationally recognized accounting firm stating that such firm has examined
certain documents and records relating to the servicing of home improvement
contracts and home equity loans serviced by the Servicer under pooling and
servicing agreements similar to the Agreement and stating that, on the basis of
such procedures, such servicing has been conducted in compliance with the
Agreement, except for any exceptions set forth in such report.
Certain Matters Regarding the Servicer. The Servicer may not resign from its
obligations and duties under an Agreement except upon a determination that its
duties thereunder are no longer permissible under applicable law. No such
resignation will become effective until the Trustee or a successor servicer has
assumed the Servicer's obligations and duties under such Agreement. The
Servicer can only be removed as servicer upon the occurrence of an Event of
Termination as discussed below.
The Servicer shall keep in force throughout the term of the Agreement (i) a
policy or policies of insurance covering errors and omissions for failure to
maintain insurance as required by the Agreement, and (ii) a fidelity bond. Such
policy or policies and such fidelity bond shall be in such form and amount as
is generally customary among persons which service a portfolio of home
improvement contracts and home equity loans having an aggregate principal
amount of $10 million or more and which are generally regarded as servicers
acceptable to institutional investors.
Servicing Compensation and Payment of Expenses. For its servicing of the
Contracts, the Servicer will receive servicing fees ("Servicing Fees") which
include a Monthly Servicing Fee (which the Company may assign) for each Due
Period (paid on the next succeeding Payment Date) equal to 1/12th of the
product of the annual servicing fee rate described in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement and the Pool Scheduled Principal Balance for such Payment Date. As
long as the Company is the Servicer, the Trustee will pay the Company its
Monthly Servicing Fee from any monies remaining after the Certificateholders
have received all payments of principal and interest for such Payment Date.
The Monthly Servicing Fee provides compensation for customary third-party
servicing activities to be performed by the Servicer for the Trust Fund, for
additional administrative services performed by the Servicer on behalf of the
Trust Fund and for expenses paid by the Servicer on behalf of the Trust Fund.
Customary servicing activities include collecting and recording payments,
communicating with Obligors, investigating payment delinquencies, providing
billing and tax records to Obligors and maintaining internal records with
respect to each Contract. Administrative services performed by the Servicer on
behalf of the Trust Fund include selecting and packaging the Contracts,
calculating distributions to Certificateholders and providing related data
processing and reporting services for Certificateholders and on behalf of the
Trustee. Expenses incurred in connection with servicing of the Contracts and
paid by the Company from its Monthly Servicing Fees include payment of FHA
Insurance premiums, payment of fees and expenses of accountants, payments of
all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement of Contracts
or foreclosure on collateral relating thereto (including submission of FHA
Insurance claims, if applicable), payment of Trustee's fees, and payment of
expenses incurred in connection with distributions and reports to
Certificateholders, except that the Servicer shall be reimbursed out of the
liquidation proceeds of a liquidated Contract (including FHA Insurance
proceeds) for customary out-of-pocket liquidation expenses incurred by it.
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Events of Termination. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, Events of Termination under each Agreement will occur if
(a) the Servicer fails to make any payment or deposit required under the
Agreement (including an Advance) and such failure continues for four business
days; (b) the Servicer fails to observe or perform in any material respect any
other covenant or agreement in the Agreement which continues unremedied for
thirty days; (c) the Servicer conveys, assigns or delegates its duties or
rights under the Agreement, except as specifically permitted under the
Agreement, or attempts to make such a conveyance, assignment or delegation; (d)
a court having jurisdiction in the premises enters a decree or order for relief
in respect of the Servicer in an involuntary case under any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or
appoints a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, or sequestrator
(or similar official) of the Servicer, as the case may be, or enters a decree
or order for any substantial liquidation of its affairs; (e) the Servicer
commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or
similar law, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary
case under any such law, or consents to the appointment of or taking possession
by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian or its creditors, or
fails to, or admits in writing its inability to, pay its debts as they become
due, or takes any corporate action in furtherance of the foregoing; (f) the
Servicer fails to be an Eligible Servicer; or (g) if the Company is the
Servicer, the Company's servicing rights under its master seller-servicer
contract with GNMA are terminated. The Servicer will be required under the
Agreement to give the Trustee and the Certificateholders notice of an Event of
Termination promptly upon the occurrence of such event.
Rights Upon Event of Termination. Except as otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, so long as an Event of Termination remains
unremedied, the Trustee may, and at the written direction of Certificateholders
representing 25% or more of the Aggregate Certificate Principal Balance of a
Series shall, terminate all of the rights and obligations of the Servicer under
the related Agreement and in and to the Contracts, and the proceeds thereof,
whereupon (subject to applicable law regarding the Trustee's ability to make
advances) the Trustee or a successor Servicer under the Agreement will succeed
to all the responsibilities, duties and liabilities of the Servicer under the
Agreement and will be entitled to similar compensation arrangements; provided,
however, that neither the Trustee nor any successor Servicer will assume any
obligation of the Company to repurchase Contracts for breaches of
representations or warranties, and the Trustee and such successor Servicer will
not be liable for any acts or omissions of the prior Servicer occurring prior
to a transfer of the Servicer's servicing and related functions or for any
breach by such Servicer of any of its obligations contained in the Agreement.
In addition, the Trustee will notify FHA of the Company's termination as
Servicer of the Contracts and will request that the portion of the Company's
FHA Insurance reserves allocable to the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts
be transferred to the Trustee or a successor Servicer. See "Description of FHA
Insurance." Notwithstanding such termination, the Servicer shall be entitled to
payment of certain amounts payable to it prior to such termination, for
services rendered prior to such termination. No such termination will affect in
any manner the Company's obligation to repurchase certain Contracts for
breaches of representations or warranties under the Agreement. In the event
that the Trustee would be obligated to succeed the Servicer but is unwilling or
unable so to act, it may appoint, or petition to a court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of, a Servicer. Pending such appointment, the
Trustee is obligated to act in such capacity. The Trustee and such successor
may agree upon the servicing compensation to be paid, which in no event may be
greater than the compensation to the Servicer under the Agreement.
The Trustee will be under no obligation to take any action or to institute,
conduct or defend any litigation under the Agreement at the request, order or
direction of any of the Holders of Certificates, unless such Certificateholders
have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs,
expenses and liabilities which the Trustee may incur.
REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
The Trustee will forward to each Certificateholder on each Payment Date, or
as soon thereafter as is practicable, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, a statement setting forth, among other things:
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<PAGE>
(a) the amount of such distribution which constitutes Monthly Principal,
specifying the amounts constituting scheduled payments by Obligors,
principal prepayments on the Contracts, and other payments with respect to
the Contracts;
(b) the amount of such distribution which constitutes Monthly Interest;
(c) the remaining Principal Balance represented by such
Certificateholder's interest;
(d) the Company's FHA Insurance reserve amount;
(e) the amount of fees payable out of the Trust Fund;
(f) the Pool Factor (a percentage derived from a fraction the numerator
of which is the remaining Principal Balance of the Certificates and the
denominator of which is the Initial Principal Amount of the Certificates)
immediately before and immediately after such Payment Date;
(g) the number and aggregate principal balance of Contracts delinquent
(i) 31-59 days, (ii) 60-89 and (iii) 90 or more days;
(h) the number of Contracts liquidated during the Due Period ending
immediately before such Payment Date;
(i) such customary factual information as is necessary to enable
Certificateholders to prepare their tax returns; and
(j) such other customary factual information available to the Servicer
without unreasonable expense as is necessary to enable Certificateholders
to comply with regulatory requirements.
REPURCHASE OPTION
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, each
Agreement will provide that on any Payment Date on which the Pool Scheduled
Principal Balance is less than 10% of the Cut-Off Date Pool Principal Balance,
the Company or the Servicer will have the option to repurchase, on 30 days'
prior written notice to the Trustee, all outstanding Contracts in the related
Contract Pool at a price equal to the greatest of (i) the principal balance of
the Contracts on the prior Payment Date plus 30 days' accrued interest thereon
at the applicable Pass-Through Rate and any delinquent payments of interest
thereon, plus the fair market value (as determined by the Servicer) of any
acquired properties, (ii) the fair market value of all of the assets of the
Trust Fund, and (iii) an amount equal to the Aggregate Certificate Principal
Balance of the related Certificates plus interest on such Certificates payable
on and prior to the Payment Date occurring in the month following such
repurchase (less amounts on deposit in the Certificate Account and available to
pay such principal and interest). Such price will be paid on the Payment Date
on which such purchase occurs to the Certificateholders of record on the last
Business Day of the immediately preceding Due Period in immediately available
funds against the Trustee's delivery of the Contracts and any acquired
properties to the Servicer. The distribution of such purchase price to
Certificateholders will be in lieu of any other distribution to be made on such
Payment Date with respect to the related Contracts.
AMENDMENT
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Agreement may be amended by the Company, the Servicer and the Trustee without
the consent of the Certificateholders, (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision therein that may be inconsistent with any
other provision therein, (iii) if an election has been made with respect to a
particular Series of Certificates to treat the Trust Fund as a real estate
mortgage investment conduit ("REMIC") within the meaning of Section 860D(a) of
the Code, to maintain the REMIC status of the Trust Fund and to avoid the
imposition of certain taxes on the REMIC or (iv) to make any other provisions
with respect to matters or questions arising under such Agreement that are not
inconsistent with the provisions thereof, provided that such action will not
adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the
Certificateholders of the related Series. Unless otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the Agreement may also be amended by the
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<PAGE>
Company, the Servicer and the Trustee with the consent of the
Certificateholders (other than holders of Residual Certificates) representing
66 2/3% or more of the Aggregate Certificate Principal Balance of a Series for
the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or
eliminating any of the provisions of such Agreement or of modifying in any
manner the rights of the Certificateholders; provided, however, that no such
amendment that reduces in any manner the amount of, or delays the timing of,
any payment received on or with respect to Contracts which are required to be
distributed on any Certificate may be effective without the consent of the
Holders of each such Certificate.
TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT
The obligations created by each Agreement will terminate (after distribution
of all Monthly Principal and Monthly Interest then due to Certificateholders)
on the earlier of (a) the Payment Date next succeeding the later of the final
payment or other liquidation of the last Contract or the disposition of all
property acquired upon foreclosure of any Contract; or (b) the Payment Date on
which the Company or the Servicer repurchases the Contracts as described under
"Description of the Certificates--Repurchase Option." However, the Company's
representations, warranties and indemnities will survive any termination of the
Agreement.
THE TRUSTEE
The Prospectus Supplement for a Series of Certificates will specify the
Trustee under the related Agreement. The Trustee may have customary commercial
banking relationships with the Company or its affiliates and the Servicer or
its affiliates.
The Trustee may resign at any time, in which event the Company will be
obligated to appoint a successor Trustee. The Company may also remove the
Trustee if the Trustee ceases to be eligible to continue as such under the
Agreement or if the Trustee becomes insolvent. Any resignation or removal of
the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will not become effective
until acceptance of the appointment by the successor Trustee.
The Trustee will make no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of
the Agreement, the Certificates or any Contract, Contract file or related
documents, and will not be accountable for the use or application by the
Company of any funds paid to the Company, as seller, in consideration of the
conveyance of the Contracts, or deposited into or withdrawn from the
Certificate Account by the Servicer. If no Event of Termination has occurred,
the Trustee will be required to perform only those duties specifically required
of it under the Agreement. However, upon receipt of the various certificates,
reports or other instruments required to be furnished to it, the Trustee will
be required to examine them to determine whether they conform as to form to the
requirements of the Agreement. Whether or not an Event of Termination has
occurred, the Trustee is not required to expend or risk its own funds or
otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of its duties or the
exercise of its powers if it has reasonable grounds to believe that repayment
of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
Under the Agreement, the Servicer agrees to pay to the Trustee on each
Payment Date (a) reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
thereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in
regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) and (b)
reimbursement for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred
or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of the Agreement
(including FHA Insurance premiums not paid by the Servicer and reasonable
compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel),
except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to the
Trustee's negligence or bad faith. The Company has agreed to indemnify the
Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense
incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration of the Trust Fund and the
Trustee's duties thereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending
itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or
performance of any of the Trustee's powers or duties thereunder.
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<PAGE>
DESCRIPTION OF FHA INSURANCE
Certain of the Home Improvement Contracts may be FHA-insured, the payments
upon which, subject to the following discussion, are insured by the FHA under
Title I of the National Housing Act.
The insurance available to any Trust Fund will be subject to the limit of a
reserve amount equal to 10% of the principal balance of all Title I insured
loans originated or purchased and reported for FHA Insurance by the Company,
which amount will be increased by an amount equal to 10% of the lesser of the
principal balance or the purchase price of insured loans subsequently
originated or purchased of record by the Company. The Company's reserve amount
may be reduced by 10% of the principal balance of any loans reported to FHA as
sold without recourse by the Company. In the Agreement, the Company will agree
to pay all FHA Insurance premiums required by FHA Regulations. If the Company
fails to pay any such premium, the Trustee or the successor Servicer (if any)
with respect to each Series is obligated to pay such premium and is entitled to
be reimbursed by the Company and from collections on the related Home
Improvement Contracts.
As of December 31, 1995, the Company's FHA Insurance reserve amount was equal
to approximately $105,831,000. These insurance reserves were available to cover
losses on approximately $1,336,170,000 of FHA-insured manufactured housing
contracts and approximately $191,024,000 of FHA-insured home improvement loans,
including the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts that may be owned by a
Trust Fund. If an Event of Termination (as defined under "Description of the
Certificates--Events of Termination") occurs, each Trustee will notify FHA of
the Company's termination as Servicer of the related FHA-insured Home
Improvement Contracts and will request that the portion of the Company's FHA
Insurance reserves allocable to the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts be
transferred to the Trustee or a successor Servicer. Although each Trustee will
request such a transfer of reserves, FHA is not obligated to comply with such a
request, and may determine that it is not in FHA's interest to permit such
transfer of reserves. In addition, FHA has not specified how insurance reserves
might be allocated in such event, and there can be no assurance that any
reserve amount, if transferred to the Trustee or a successor Servicer, would
not be substantially less than 10% of the outstanding principal amount of the
FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts. It is likely that the Trustee or any
successor Servicer would be the lender of record on other FHA Title I loans, so
that any reserves that are so permitted to be transferred would become
commingled with reserves available for other FHA Title I loans. FHA also
reserves the right to transfer reserves with "earmarking" (segregating such
reserves so that they will not be commingled with the reserves of the
transferee) if it is in FHA's interest to do so.
In general, FHA will insure property improvement loans up to $25,000 for a
single-family property, with a maximum term of 20 years. FHA will insure loans
of up to $17,500 for manufactured homes which qualify as real estate under
applicable state law and loans of up to $12,000 per unit for a $48,000 limit
for four units for owner-occupied multiple-family homes. If the loan amount is
$15,000 or more, FHA requires a drive-by appraisal, the current tax assessment
value, or a full Uniform Residential Appraisal Report dated within 12 months of
the closing to verify the property's value. The maximum loan amount on
transactions requiring an appraisal is the amount of equity in the property
shown by the market value determination of the property. The loan proceeds must
be used for the purposes described in the loan application, and those
improvements must substantially protect or improve the basic livability or
utility of the property. The Secretary of HUD from time to time publishes a
list of ineligible items and activities which may not be financed with the
proceeds of an FHA-insured home improvement loan.
Following a default on an FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract the Servicer
may, subject to certain conditions, either commence foreclosure proceedings
against the improved property securing the loan, if applicable, or submit a
claim to FHA, but may submit a claim to FHA after proceeding against the
improved property only with the prior approval of the Secretary of HUD. The
availability of FHA Insurance following a default on an FHA-insured Home
Improvement Contract is subject to a number of conditions, including strict
compliance by the Company with FHA regulations in originating and servicing the
Home Improvement Contract. Failure to comply with FHA regulations may result in
a denial of or surcharge on
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<PAGE>
the FHA Insurance claim. Prior to declaring an FHA-insured Home Improvement
Contract in default and submitting a claim to FHA, the Servicer must take
certain steps to attempt to cure the default, including personal contact with
the borrower either by telephone or in a meeting and providing the borrower
with 30 days' written notice prior to declaration of default. FHA may deny
insurance coverage if the borrower's nonpayment is related to a valid objection
to faulty contractor performance. In such event, the Company will seek to
obtain payment by or a judgment against the borrower, and may resubmit the
claim to FHA following such a judgment. As described under "Green Tree
Financial Corporation--Contract Origination," the Company does not purchase a
Home Improvement Contract until the customer verifies satisfactory completion
of the work.
Upon submission of a claim to FHA, the related Trust Fund must assign its
entire interest in the Home Improvement Contract to the United States. In
general, the claim payment will equal 90% of the sum of (i) the unpaid
principal amount of the Home Improvement Contract at the date of default and
uncollected interest computed at the Contract Rate earned to the date of
default, (ii) accrued and unpaid interest on the unpaid amount of the Home
Improvement Contract from the date of default to the date of submission of the
claim plus 15 calendar days (but in no event more than nine months) computed at
a rate of 7% per annum, (iii) uncollected court costs, (iv) legal fees, not to
exceed $500, and (v) expenses for recording the assignment of the lien to the
United States, if applicable.
CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE CONTRACTS; REPURCHASE OBLIGATIONS
As a result of the Company's conveyance and assignment of a pool of Contracts
to a Trust Fund, the Certificateholders of such Series, as the beneficial
owners of the Trust Fund, will succeed collectively to all of the rights
thereunder (including the right to receive payment on the Contracts). The
following discussion contains summaries of certain legal aspects of home
improvement contracts and home equity loans secured by residential properties
which are general in nature. These legal aspects are in addition to the
requirements of FHA regulations described in "Description of FHA Insurance"
with respect to the FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts. Because such legal
aspects are governed by applicable state law (which laws may differ
substantially), the summaries do not purport to be complete nor to reflect the
laws of any particular state, nor to encompass the laws of all states in which
the real estate securing the Contracts may be situated or which may govern any
Contract. The summaries are qualified in their entirety by reference to the
applicable federal and state laws governing the Contracts.
MORTGAGES AND DEEDS OF TRUST
The Contracts will be secured by either mortgages, deeds of trust, security
deeds or deeds to secure debt depending upon the prevailing practice in the
state in which the underlying property is located, and may have first, second
or third priority. In some states, a mortgage creates a lien upon the real
property encumbered by the mortgage or deed of trust. In other states, the
mortgage conveys legal title to the property to the mortgagee subject to a
condition subsequent, i.e., the payment of the indebtedness secured thereby.
There are two parties to a mortgage: the mortgagor, who is the borrower, and
the mortgagee, who is the lender. In a mortgage state, the mortgagor delivers
to the mortgagee a note or retail installment contract evidencing the loan and
the mortgage. Although a deed of trust is similar to a mortgage, a deed of
trust has three parties: the borrower, or trustor, the lender as beneficiary,
and a third-party grantee called the trustee. Under a deed of trust, the
borrower grants the property, irrevocably until the debt is paid, in trust,
generally with a power of sale, to the trustee to secure repayment of the loan.
The trustee's authority under a deed of trust and the mortgagee's authority
under a mortgage are governed by applicable state law, the express provisions
of the deed of trust or mortgage, and, in some cases with respect to deeds of
trust, the directions
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of the beneficiary. Some states use a security deed or deed to secure debt
which is similar to a deed of trust except that it has only two parties: a
grantor (similar to a mortgagor) and a grantee (similar to a mortgagee).
Mortgages, deeds of trust and deeds to secure debt are not prior to liens for
real estate taxes and assessments and other charges imposed under governmental
police powers. Priority between mortgages, deeds of trust and deeds to secure
debt and other encumbrances depends on their terms, the knowledge of the
parties to such instrument in some cases and generally on the order of
recordation of the mortgage, deed of trust or the deed to secure debt in the
appropriate recording office.
SUBORDINATE MORTGAGES; RIGHTS OF SENIOR MORTGAGEES OR BENEFICIARIES
A substantial number of the mortgages, security deeds, deeds to secure debt
and deeds of trust securing the Contracts in any Contract Pool are expected to
be second or third mortgages or deeds of trust which are junior to mortgages or
deeds of trust held by other lenders or institutional investors. The rights of
the related Trust Fund (and therefore the Certificateholders), as beneficiary
under a junior deed of trust or as mortgagee under a junior mortgage, are
subordinate to those of the mortgagee or beneficiary under the senior mortgage
or deed of trust, including the prior rights of the senior mortgagee or
beneficiary to receive hazard insurance and condemnation proceeds and to cause
the property securing the Contract to be sold upon default of the mortgagor or
trustor under the senior mortgage or deed of trust, thereby extinguishing the
junior mortgagee's or junior beneficiary's lien unless the Servicer on behalf
of the Trust Fund asserts its subordinate interest in the property in
foreclosure litigation and, possibly, satisfies the defaulted senior loan or
loans. As discussed more fully below, a junior mortgagee or beneficiary may
satisfy a defaulted senior loan in full, or in some states may cure such
default and bring the senior loan current, in either event usually adding the
amounts expended to the balance due on the junior loan. Although the Company
generally does not cure defaults under a senior mortgage or deed of trust, it
is the Company's standard practice to protect its interest by attending any
foreclosure sale and bidding for property only if it is in the Company's best
interests to do so.
The standard form of the mortgage or deed of trust used by most institutional
lenders, like that of the Company, confers on the mortgagee or beneficiary the
right both to receive all proceeds collected under any hazard insurance policy
and all awards made in connection with any condemnation proceedings, and to
apply such proceeds and awards to any indebtedness secured by the mortgage or
deed of trust, in such order as the mortgagee or beneficiary may determine.
Thus, in the event improvements on the property are damaged or destroyed by
fire or other casualty, or in the event the property is taken by condemnation,
the mortgagee or beneficiary under the underlying first mortgage or deed of
trust will have the prior right to collect any insurance proceeds payable under
a hazard insurance policy and any award of damages in connection with the
condemnation and to apply the same to the indebtedness secured by the first
mortgage or deed of trust. Proceeds in excess of the amount of first mortgage
indebtedness, in most cases, may be applied to the indebtedness of a junior
mortgage or deed of trust.
The form of mortgage or deed of trust used by institutional lenders may
contain a "future advance" clause, which provides, in essence, that additional
amounts advanced to or on behalf of the mortgagor or trustor by the mortgagee
or beneficiary are to be secured by the mortgage or deed of trust. The priority
of any advance made under the clause depends, in some states, on whether the
advance was an "obligatory" or "optional" advance. If the mortgagee or
beneficiary is obligated to advance the additional amounts, the advance is
entitled to receive the same priority as amounts initially advanced under the
mortgage or deed of trust, notwithstanding the fact that there may be junior
mortgages or deeds of trust and other liens which intervene between the date of
recording of the mortgage or deed of trust and the date of the future advance,
and, in some states, notwithstanding that the senior mortgagee or beneficiary
had actual knowledge of such
intervening junior mortgages or deeds of trust and other liens at the time of
the advance. Where the mortgagee or beneficiary is not obligated to advance
additional amounts or, in some states, has actual knowledge of the intervening
junior mortgages or deeds of trust and other liens, the advance will be
subordinate to such intervening junior mortgages or deeds of trust and other
liens. Priority of advances under the clause rests, in
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some states, on state statutes giving priority to all advances made under the
loan agreement to a "credit limit" amount stated in the recorded mortgage.
Another provision typically found in the form of the mortgage or deed of
trust used by most institutional lenders obligates the mortgagor or trustor to
pay before delinquency all taxes and assessments on the property and, when due,
all encumbrances, charges and liens on the property which appear prior to the
mortgage or deed of trust, to provide and maintain fire insurance on the
property, to maintain and repair the property and not to commit or permit any
waste thereof, and to appear in and defend any action or proceeding purporting
to affect the property or the rights of the mortgagee or beneficiary under the
mortgage or deed of trust. Upon a failure of the mortgagor or trustor to
perform any of these obligations, the mortgagee or beneficiary is given the
right under the mortgage or deed of trust to perform the obligation itself, at
its election, with the mortgagor or trustor agreeing to reimburse the mortgagee
or beneficiary for any sums expended by the mortgagee or beneficiary on behalf
of the mortgagor or trustor. All sums so expended by a senior mortgagee or
beneficiary generally become part of the indebtedness secured by the senior
mortgage or deed of trust.
SUBORDINATE FINANCING
Where the borrower encumbers the mortgaged property with one or more junior
liens, the senior lender is subjected to additional risk. First, the borrower
may have difficulty servicing and repaying multiple loans. Second, acts of the
senior lender which prejudice the junior lender or impair the junior lender's
security may create a superior equity in favor of the junior lender. For
example, if the borrower and the senior lender agree to an increase in the
principal amount of or the interest rate payable on the senior loan, the senior
lender may lose its priority to the extent any existing junior lender is harmed
or the borrower is additionally burdened. Third, if the borrower defaults on
the senior loan and/or any junior loan or loans, the existence of junior loans
and actions taken by junior lenders can impair the security available to the
senior lender and can interfere with or delay the taking of action by the
senior lender. The bankruptcy of a junior lender may operate to stay
foreclosure or similar proceedings by the senior lender.
FORECLOSURE
Foreclosure is a legal procedure that allows the mortgagor to recover its
mortgage debt by enforcing its rights and available remedies under the
mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or security deed. Foreclosure of a
mortgage is generally accomplished by judicial action. A foreclosure action is
regulated by statutes and rules and subject throughout to the court's equitable
powers. Generally, a mortgagor is bound by the terms of the mortgage note and
the mortgage as made and cannot be relieved from its own default. However,
since a foreclosure action is equitable in nature and is addressed to a court
of equity, the court may relieve a mortgagor of a default and deny the
mortgagee foreclosure on proof that the mortgagor's default was neither willful
nor in bad faith and that the mortgagee's action was such as to establish a
waiver, or fraud, bad faith, oppressive or unconscionable conduct as to warrant
a court of equity to refuse affirmative relief to the mortgagee. Under certain
circumstances a court of equity may relieve the mortgagor from an entirely
technical default where such default was not willful. Generally, the action is
initiated by the service of legal pleadings upon all parties having an interest
of record in the real property. Delays in completion of the foreclosure
occasionally may result from difficulties in locating necessary parties
defendant. When the mortgagee's right to foreclosure is contested, the legal
proceedings necessary to resolve the issue can be time-consuming. After the
completion of a judicial foreclosure proceeding, the court may issue a judgment
of foreclosure and appoint a referee or other officer to conduct the sale of
the property. In some states, mortgages may also be foreclosed by
advertisement, pursuant to a power of sale provided in the mortgage.
Foreclosure of a mortgage by advertisement is essentially similar to
foreclosure of a deed of trust by non-judicial power of sale.
Foreclosure of a deed of trust or a deed to secure debt is generally
accomplished by a non-judicial trustee's sale under a specific provision in the
deed of trust, security deed or deed to secure debt that
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authorizes the trustee to sell the property upon any default by the borrower
under the terms of the note, deed of trust, security deed or deed to secure
debt. In certain states, such foreclosure also may be accomplished by judicial
action in the manner provided for foreclosure of mortgages. In some states,
prior to a sale, the trustee must record a notice of default and send a copy to
the borrower trustor and to any person who has recorded a request for a copy of
a notice of default and notice of sale. In addition, prior to such sale, the
trustee must provide notice in some states to any other individual having an
interest of record in the real property, including any junior lienholders.
Certain states require that a notice of sale be posted in a public place and,
in most states, published for a specified period of time in one or more
newspapers in a specified manner prior to the date of trustee's sale. In
addition, some state laws require that a copy of the notice of sale be posted
on the property and sent to all parties having an interest of record in the
property.
In some states, the borrower trustor has the right to reinstate the loan at
any time following default until shortly before the trustee's sale. In general,
the borrower, or any other person having a junior encumbrance on the real
estate, may, during a reinstatement period, cure the default by paying the
entire amount in arrears plus the costs and expenses incurred in enforcing the
obligation. Certain state laws control the amount of foreclosure expenses and
costs, including attorney's fees, which may be recovered by a lender.
In the case of foreclosure under either a mortgage or a deed of trust, the
sale by the referee or other designated officer, or by the trustee, is
generally a public sale. However, because of the difficulty a potential third
party buyer at the sale might have in determining the exact status of title and
because the physical condition of the property may have deteriorated during the
foreclosure proceedings, it is not common for a third party to purchase the
property at the foreclosure sale. In some states, there is a statutory minimum
purchase price which the lender may offer for the property. Thereafter, subject
to the right of the borrower in some states to remain in possession during the
redemption period, the lender will assume the burdens of ownership, including
obtaining hazard insurance, paying taxes and making such repairs at its own
expense as are necessary to render the property suitable for sale. The lender
commonly will obtain the services of a real estate broker and pay the broker a
commission in connection with the sale of the property. Depending upon market
conditions, the ultimate proceeds of the sale of the property may not equal the
lender's investment in the property. Any loss resulting from such sale may be
reduced by the receipt of mortgage insurance proceeds, if any.
A second or third mortgagee (junior mortgagee) may not foreclose on the
property securing a second or first mortgage (senior mortgages) unless it
forecloses subject to the senior mortgages, in which case it must either pay
the entire amount due on the senior mortgages prior to or at the time of the
foreclosure sale or make payments on the senior mortgages in the event the
mortgagor is in default thereunder, in either event adding the amounts expended
to the balance due on the junior loan, and may be subrogated to the rights of
the senior mortgagees. In addition, in the event that the foreclosure by a
junior mortgagee triggers the enforcement of a "due-on-sale" clause in a senior
mortgage, the junior mortgagee may be required to pay the full amount of the
senior mortgages to the senior mortgagees. Accordingly, with respect to those
Contracts which are second or third mortgage loans, if the lender purchases the
property, the lender's title will be subject to all senior liens and claims and
certain governmental liens.
The proceeds received by the referee or trustee from the sale are applied
first to the costs, fees, and expenses of sale and then in satisfaction of the
indebtedness secured by the mortgage or deed of trust under which the sale was
conducted. Any remaining proceeds are generally payable to the holders of
junior mortgages or deeds of trust and other liens and claims in order of their
priority, whether or not the borrower is in default. Any additional proceeds
are generally payable to the mortgagor or trustor. The payment of the proceeds
to the holders of junior mortgages may occur in the foreclosure action of the
senior mortgagee or may require the institution of separate legal proceeding.
Some states impose prohibitions or limitations on remedies available to the
mortgagee, including the right to recover the debt from the mortgagor. See "--
Anti-Deficiency Legislation and Other Limitations on Lenders" herein.
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In certain jurisdictions, real property transfer or recording taxes or fees
may be imposed on the related Trust Fund with respect to its acquisition (by
foreclosure or otherwise) and disposition of real property securing a Contract,
and any such taxes or fees imposed may reduce liquidation proceeds with respect
to such property, as well as distributions payable to the Certificateholders.
SECOND OR THIRD MORTGAGES
The Contracts may be secured by second or third mortgages or deeds of trust,
which are junior to first or second mortgages or deeds of trust held by other
lenders. The rights of the Certificateholders as the holders of a junior deed
of trust, junior mortgage, or junior security deed are subordinate in lien and
in payment to those of the holder of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, or
security deed including the prior rights of the senior mortgagee or beneficiary
to receive and apply hazard insurance and condemnation proceeds and, upon
default of the mortgagor under the senior mortgage or deed of trust, to cause a
foreclosure on the property. Upon completion of the foreclosure proceedings by
the holder of the senior mortgage or the sale pursuant to the senior deed of
trust, the junior mortgagee's or junior beneficiary's lien will be extinguished
unless the junior lienholder satisfies the defaulted senior loan or asserts its
subordinate interest in a property in foreclosure proceedings. Such
extinguishment will eliminate access to the collateral for the Contract.
See "--Foreclosure" herein.
Furthermore, the terms of the junior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure
debt or security deed are subordinate to the terms of the senior mortgage, deed
of trust, deed to secure debt or security deed. In the event of a conflict
between the terms of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or
security deed and the junior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or
security deed, the terms of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure
debt or security deed will govern generally. Upon a failure of the mortgagor or
trustor to perform any of its obligations, the senior mortgagee or beneficiary,
subject to the terms of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt
or security deed may have the right to perform the obligation itself.
Generally, all sums so expended by the mortgagee or beneficiary become part of
the indebtedness secured by the mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or
security deed. To the extent a first mortgagee expends such sums, such sums
will generally have priority over all sums due under a junior mortgage, deed of
trust, deed to secure debt or security deed.
RIGHTS OF REDEMPTION
The purposes of a foreclosure action are to enable the mortgagee to realize
upon its security and to bar the mortgagor, and all persons who have an
interest in the property which is subordinate to the foreclosing mortgagee,
from their "equity of redemption." The doctrine of equity of redemption
provides that, until the property covered by a mortgage has been sold in
accordance with a properly conducted foreclosure and foreclosure sale, those
having an interest which is subordinate to that of the foreclosing mortgagee
have an equity of redemption and may redeem the property by paying the entire
debt with interest. In addition, in some states, when a foreclosure action has
been commenced, the redeeming party must pay certain costs of such action.
Those having an equity of redemption must generally be made parties and duly
summoned to the foreclosure action in order for their equity of redemption to
be barred.
In some states, after sale pursuant to a deed of trust or foreclosure of a
mortgage, the borrower and certain foreclosed junior lienors are given a
statutory period in which to redeem the property from the foreclosure sale. In
certain other states, this right of redemption applies only to sale following
judicial foreclosure, and not to sale pursuant to a non-judicial power of sale.
In most states where the right of redemption is available, statutory redemption
may occur upon payment of the foreclosure purchase price, accrued interest and
expenses of foreclosure. In other states, redemption may be authorized if the
former borrower pays only a portion of the sums due. In some states, the right
to redeem is an equitable right. The equity of redemption, which is a non-
statutory right that must be exercised prior to foreclosure sale, should be
distinguished from statutory rights of redemption. The effect of a right of
redemption is to diminish the
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ability of the lender to sell the foreclosed property. The exercise of a right
of redemption would defeat the title of any purchaser at a foreclosure sale, or
of any purchaser from the lender subsequent to judicial foreclosure or sale
under a deed of trust. Consequently, the practical effect of the redemption
right is to force the lender to maintain the property and pay the expenses of
ownership until the redemption period has run. In some states, there is no
right to redeem property after a trustee's sale under a deed of trust.
ANTI-DEFICIENCY LEGISLATION AND OTHER LIMITATIONS ON LENDERS
Certain states have imposed statutory restrictions that limit the remedies of
a beneficiary under a deed of trust or a mortgagee under a mortgage. In some
states, statutes limit the right of the beneficiary or mortgagee to obtain a
deficiency judgment against the borrower following foreclosure or sale under a
deed of trust. A deficiency judgment is a personal judgment against the
borrower equal in most cases to the difference between the amount due to the
lender and the net amount realized upon the public sale.
Some state statutes may require the beneficiary or mortgagee to exhaust the
security afforded under a deed of trust or mortgage by foreclosure in an
attempt to satisfy the full debt before bringing a personal action against the
borrower. In certain other states, the lender has the option of bringing a
personal action against the borrower on the debt without first exhausting such
security; however, in some of these states, the lender, following judgment on
such personal action, may be deemed to have elected a remedy and may be
precluded from exercising remedies with respect to the security. Consequently,
the practical effect of the election requirement, when applicable, is that
lenders will usually proceed first against the security rather than bringing a
personal action against the borrower.
Other statutory provisions may limit any deficiency judgment against the
borrower following a foreclosure sale to the excess of the outstanding debt
over the fair market value of the property at the time of such sale. The
purpose of these statutes is to prevent a beneficiary or a mortgagee from
obtaining a large deficiency judgment against the former borrower as a result
of low or no bids at the foreclosure sale.
In some states, exceptions to the anti-deficiency statutes are provided for
in certain instances where the value of the lender's security has been impaired
by acts or omissions of the borrower, for example, in the event of waste of the
property.
In addition to anti-deficiency and related legislation, numerous other
federal and state statutory provisions, including the federal bankruptcy laws,
the federal Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 and state laws
affording relief to debtors, may interfere with or affect the ability of a
secured mortgage lender to realize upon its security and/or enforce a
deficiency judgment. For example, in a Chapter 13 proceeding, the holder may
not be able to obtain a lift of the automatic stay to foreclose if the borrower
has equity and the home is necessary to the bankruptcy reorganization.
Generally, with respect to the federal bankruptcy law, the filing of a petition
acts as a stay against virtually all actions against the debtor, including the
enforcement of remedies of collection of a debt and, often, no interest or
principal payments are made during bankruptcy proceedings. A bankruptcy court
may also grant the debtor a reasonable time to cure a payment default with
respect to a mortgage loan on a debtor's residence by paying arrearages and
reinstate the original mortgage loan payment schedule even though the lender
accelerated the mortgage loan and final judgment of foreclosure had been
entered in state court (provided no sale of the property had yet occurred)
prior to the filing of the debtor's Chapter 13 petition. Some courts with
federal bankruptcy jurisdiction have approved plans, based on the particular
facts of the reorganization case, that effected the curing of a mortgage loan
default by paying arrearages over a number of years. In the case of a mortgage
loan not secured by the debtor's principal residence, courts with federal
bankruptcy jurisdiction may also reduce the monthly payments due under such
mortgage loan, change the rate of interest and alter the mortgage loan
repayment schedule.
The Code provides priority to certain federal tax liens over the lien of the
mortgage or deed of trust. The Bankruptcy Code also provides priority to
certain tax liens over the lien of the mortgage or deed of trust.
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The laws of some states provide priority to certain state tax liens over the
lien of the mortgage or deed of trust. Numerous federal and some state consumer
protection laws impose substantive requirements upon mortgage lenders in
connection with the origination, servicing and the enforcement of mortgage
loans. These laws include the federal Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate
Settlement Procedures Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Credit Billing
Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, state licensing requirements, and related
statutes and regulations. These federal laws and state laws impose specific
statutory liabilities upon lenders who originate or service mortgage loans and
who fail to comply with the provisions of the law. In some cases, this
liability may affect assignees of the mortgage loans.
CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS WITH RESPECT TO CONTRACTS
Numerous Federal and state consumer protection laws impose substantial
requirements upon creditors involved in consumer finance. These laws include
the Federal Truth-in-Lending Act, Regulation "Z", the Equal Credit Opportunity
Act, Regulation "B", the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and related statutes. The
Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994 (the "Home Protection Act"),
which became effective on October 1, 1995, adds provisions to Regulation Z
which impose additional disclosure and other requirements on creditors involved
in non-purchase money mortgage loans with high interest rates or high up-front
fees and charges. It is possible that some Contracts included in a Contract
Pool may be subject to such provisions. The Home Protection Act applies to
mortgage loans originated on or after the effective date of such regulations.
These laws can impose specific statutory liabilities upon creditors who fail to
comply with their provisions and may affect the enforceability of the contract.
Courts have imposed general equitable principles upon repossession and
litigation involving deficiency balances. These equitable principles are
generally designed to relieve a consumer from the legal consequences of a
default.
In several cases, consumers have asserted that the remedies provided secured
parties under the UCC and related laws violate the due process protections
provided under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. For
the most part, courts have upheld the notice provisions of the UCC and related
laws as reasonable or have found that the repossession and resale by the
creditor does not involve sufficient state action to afford constitutional
protection to consumers.
The so-called "Holder-in-Due-Course" rule of the Federal Trade Commission is
intended to defeat the ability of the transferor of a consumer credit contract
which is the seller of goods which gave rise to the transaction (and certain
related lenders and assignees) to transfer such contract free of notice of
claims by the debtor thereunder. The effect of this rule is to subject the
assignee of such a contract to all claims and defenses which the debtor could
assert against the seller of goods, such as a home improvement contractor.
Liability under this rule is limited to amounts paid under a Contract; however,
the Obligor also may be able to assert the rule to set off remaining amounts
due as a defense against a claim brought by the Trust Fund against such
Obligor. The Home Protection Act provides that assignees of certain high-
interest, non-purchase money mortgage loans (which may include some Contracts)
are subject to all claims and defenses that the debtor could assert against the
original creditor, unless the assignee demonstrates that a reasonable person in
the exercise of ordinary due diligence could not have determined that the
mortgage loan was subject to the provisions of the Home Protection Act.
ENFORCEABILITY OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS
The standard forms of note, mortgage and deed of trust generally contain
provisions obligating the borrower to pay a late charge if payments are not
timely made. In addition to limitations imposed by FHA regulations with respect
to FHA-insured Home Improvement Contracts, in certain states there are or may
be specific limitations upon late charges which a lender may collect from a
borrower for delinquent payments. Under the Agreement, late charges (to the
extent permitted by law and not waived by the Company) will be retained by the
Company as additional servicing compensation.
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The standard forms of note, mortgage and deed of trust also include a debt-
acceleration clause, which permits the lender to accelerate the debt upon a
monetary default of the borrower, after the applicable cure period. Courts will
generally enforce clauses providing for acceleration in the event of a material
payment default. However, courts, exercising equity jurisdiction, may refuse to
allow a lender to foreclose a mortgage or deed of trust when an acceleration of
the indebtedness would be inequitable or unjust and the circumstances would
render the acceleration unconscionable.
Courts have imposed general equitable principles upon foreclosure. These
equitable principles are generally designed to relieve the borrower from the
legal effect of defaults under the loan documents. Examples of judicial
remedies that may be fashioned include judicial requirements that the lender
undertake affirmative actions to determine the causes for the borrower's
default and the likelihood that the borrower will be able to reinstate the
loan. In some cases, courts have required lenders to reinstate loans or recast
payment schedules to accommodate borrowers who are suffering from temporary
financial disability. In some
cases, courts have limited the right of lenders to foreclose if the default
under the mortgage instrument is not monetary, such as the borrower failing to
adequately maintain the property or the borrower executing a junior mortgage or
deed of trust affecting the property. In other cases, some courts have been
faced with the issue whether federal or state constitutional provisions
reflecting due process concerns for adequate notice require that borrowers
under mortgages or the deeds of trust receive notices in addition to
statutorily-prescribed minimum requirements. For the most part, these cases
have upheld the notice provisions as being reasonable or have found that the
sale by a trustee under a deed of trust or under a mortgage having a power of
sale does not involve sufficient state action to afford constitutional
protection to the borrower.
It is the Company's practice with some of the Home Improvement Contracts to
defer the first payment thereon for up to 90 days, and to charge the home
improvement contractor points to cover the lost interest due to collecting only
30 days' interest on the first payment on these deferred payment contracts.
"DUE-ON-SALE" CLAUSES
All of the Contract documents will contain due-on-sale clauses unless the
Prospectus Supplement indicates otherwise. These clauses permit the Servicer to
accelerate the maturity of the loan on notice, which is usually 30 days, if the
borrower sells, transfers or conveys the property without the prior consent of
the mortgagee. In recent years, court decisions and legislative actions placed
substantial restrictions on the right of lenders to enforce such clauses in
many states. However, effective October 15, 1982, Congress enacted the Garn-St
Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 (the "Garn-St. Germain Act"),
which, after a three-year grace period, preempts state laws which prohibit the
enforcement of due-on-sale clauses by providing, among other matters, that
"due-on-sale" clauses in certain loans (including the Contracts) made after the
effective date of the Garn-St. Germain Act are enforceable within certain
limitations as set forth in the Garn-St. Germain Act and the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
By virtue of the Garn-St. Germain Act, the Servicer generally may be
permitted to accelerate any Contract which contains a "due-on-sale" clause upon
transfer of an interest in the mortgaged property. This ability to accelerate
will not apply to certain types of transfers, including (i) the granting of a
leasehold interest which has a term of three years or less and which does not
contain an option to purchase, (ii) a transfer to a relative resulting from the
death of a mortgagor or trustor, or a transfer where the spouse or child(ren)
becomes an owner of the mortgaged property in each case where the transferee(s)
will occupy the mortgaged property, (iii) a transfer resulting from a decree of
dissolution of marriage, legal separation agreement or from an incidental
property settlement agreement by which the spouse becomes an owner of the
mortgaged property, (iv) the creation of a lien or other encumbrance
subordinate to the lender's security instrument which does not relate to a
transfer of rights of occupancy in the mortgaged property (provided that such
lien or encumbrance is not created pursuant to a contract for deed), (v) a
transfer by devise, descent or operation of law on the death of a joint tenant
or tenant by the entirety, and (vi) other transfers as set forth in the Garn-
St. Germain Act and the regulations thereunder. As a result, a lesser number of
Contracts which
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contain "due-on-sale" clauses may extend to full maturity than earlier
experience would indicate with respect to single-family mortgage loans. The
extent of the effect of the Garn-St. Germain Act on the average lives and
delinquency rates of the Contracts, however, cannot be predicted.
The inability to enforce a due-on-sale clause may result in Contracts bearing
an interest rate below the current market rate being assumed by a new home
buyer rather than being paid off, which may have an impact upon the average
life of the Contracts and the number of Contracts which may be outstanding
until maturity.
Although Title V of the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary
Control Act of 1980, as amended ("Title V"), provides that, subject to certain
conditions, state usury limitations shall not apply to FHA-insured loans and to
first mortgage secured conventional contracts if the contract is defined as a
"federally related mortgage loan," a number of states have adopted legislation
overriding Title V's exemptions, as permitted by Title V. The Company will
represent and warrant in each Agreement that all Contracts comply with any
applicable usury limitations.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
Under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act, as amended ("CERCLA"), and under state law in certain states, a
secured party which takes a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, purchases a mortgaged
property at a foreclosure sale, or operates a mortgaged property may become
liable in certain circumstances for the costs of cleaning up hazardous
substances regardless of whether they have contaminated the property. CERCLA
imposes strict, as well as joint and several, liability on several classes of
potentially responsible parties, including current owners and operators of the
property who did not cause or contribute to the contamination. Furthermore,
liability under CERCLA is not limited to the original or unamortized principal
balance of a loan or to the value of the property securing a loan. Lenders may
be held liable under CERCLA as owners or operators unless they qualify for the
secured creditor exemption to CERCLA. This exemption exempts from the
definition of owners and operators those who, without participating in the
management of a facility, hold indicia of ownership primarily to protect a
security interest in the facility. What constitutes sufficient participation in
the management of a property securing a loan or the business of a borrower to
render the exemption unavailable to a lender has been a matter of
interpretation by the courts. CERCLA has been interpreted to impose liability
on a secured party, even absent foreclosure, where the party participated in
the financial management of the borrower's business to a degree indicating a
capacity to influence waste disposal decisions. However, court interpretations
of the secured creditor exemption have been inconsistent. In addition, when
lenders foreclose and thereupon become owners of collateral property, courts
are inconsistent as to whether such ownership renders the secured creditor
exemption unavailable. Other federal and state laws in certain circumstances
may impose liability on a secured party which takes a deed-in-lieu of
foreclosure, purchases a mortgaged property at a foreclosure sale, or operates
a mortgaged property on which contaminants other than CERCLA hazardous
substances are present, including petroleum, agricultural chemicals, hazardous
wastes, asbestos, radon, and lead-based paint. Such cleanup costs may be
substantial. It is possible that such cleanup costs could become a liability of
a Trust Fund and reduce the amounts otherwise distributable to the holders of
the related Series of Certificates in certain circumstances if such cleanup
costs were incurred. Moreover, certain states by statute impose a lien for any
cleanup costs incurred by such state on the property that is the subject of
such cleanup costs (an "environmental lien"). All subsequent liens on such
property generally are subordinated to such an environmental lien and, in some
states, even prior recorded liens are subordinated to environmental liens. In
the latter states, the security interest of the Trustee in a related parcel of
real property that is subject to such an environmental lien could be adversely
affected.
Traditionally, many residential mortgage lenders have not taken steps to
evaluate whether contaminants are present with respect to any mortgaged
property prior to the origination of the mortgage loan or prior to foreclosure
or accepting a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. Accordingly, the Company has not
made and will not make such evaluations prior to the origination of the
Contracts. Neither the Company nor any replacement
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Servicer will be required by any Agreement to undertake any such evaluations
prior to foreclosure or accepting a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. The Company
does not make any representations or warranties or assume any liability with
respect to the absence or effect of contaminants on any related real property
or any casualty resulting from the presence or effect of contaminants. However,
the Company will not foreclose on related real property or accept a deed-in-
lieu of foreclosure if it knows or reasonably believes that there are material
contaminated conditions on such property. A failure so to foreclose may reduce
the amounts otherwise available to Certificateholders of the related Series.
SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' CIVIL RELIEF ACT
Application of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Relief Act"), would adversely affect, for an indeterminate period
of time, the ability of the Servicer to collect full amounts of interest on
certain of the Contracts. Any shortfall in interest collections resulting from
the application of the Relief Act or similar legislation, which would not be
recoverable from the related Contracts, would result in a reduction of the
amounts distributable to the Certificateholders. In addition, the Relief Act
imposes limitations that would impair the ability of the Servicer to foreclose
on an affected mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secured debt or security deed
during the mortgagor's period of active duty status, and, under certain
circumstances, during an additional three month period thereafter. Thus, in the
event that the Relief Act or similar legislation applies to any Contract which
goes into default, there may be delays in payment on the Certificates in
connection therewith. Any other interest shortfalls, deferrals or forgiveness
of payments on the Contracts resulting from similar legislation or regulations
may result in delays in payments or losses to Certificateholders.
REPURCHASE OBLIGATIONS
Under the Agreement, the Company will represent and warrant that each FHA-
insured Home Improvement Contract was originated in compliance with FHA
regulations and is covered by FHA Insurance. In the event FHA were to deny
insurance coverage on an FHA-insured Home Improvement Contract due to a
violation of FHA regulations in originating or servicing such Home Improvement
Contracts, such violation would constitute a breach of a representation and
warranty under the Agreement and would create an obligation of the Company to
repurchase such Home Improvement Contract unless the breach is cured. See
"Description of the Certificates--Conveyance of Contracts."
In addition, the Company will also represent and warrant under each Agreement
that each Contract complies with all requirements of law. Accordingly, if any
Obligor has a claim against the related Trust Fund for violation of any law and
such claim materially adversely affects the Trust Fund's interest in a
Contract, such violation would constitute a breach of a representation and
warranty under the Agreement and would create an obligation to repurchase such
Contract unless the breach is cured. See "Description of the Certificates--
Conveyance of Contracts."
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"),
imposes certain fiduciary and prohibited transaction restrictions on employee
pension and welfare benefit plans subject to ERISA ("ERISA Plans"). Section
4975 of the Code imposes similar prohibited transaction restrictions on tax-
qualified retirement plans described in Section 401(a) of the Code ("Qualified
Retirement Plans") and on Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs") described in
Section 408 of the Code (collectively, "Tax-Favored Plans").
Certain employee benefit plans, such as governmental plans (as defined in
Section 3(32) of ERISA), are not subject to the ERISA requirements discussed
herein. Accordingly, assets of such plans may be invested in Certificates
without regard to the ERISA considerations described below, subject to the
provisions of applicable federal and state law. Any such plan that is a
Qualified Retirement Plan and exempt from taxation under Sections 401(a) and
501(a) of the Code, however, is subject to the prohibited transaction rules set
forth in Section 503 of the Code.
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In addition to imposing general fiduciary requirements, including those of
investment prudence and diversification and the requirement that a Plan's
investment be made in accordance with the documents governing the Plan, Section
406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit a broad range of
transactions involving "plan assets" of ERISA Plans and Tax-Favored Plans
(collectively, "Plans") and persons ("Parties in Interest" under ERISA or
"Disqualified Persons" under the Code) who have certain specified relationships
to the Plans, unless a statutory or administrative exemption is available.
Certain Parties in Interest (or Disqualified Persons) that participate in a
prohibited transaction may be subject to a penalty (or an excise tax) imposed
pursuant to Section 502(i) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, unless a
statutory or administrative exemption is available.
PLAN ASSET REGULATIONS
Certain transactions involving the Trust Fund might be deemed to constitute
prohibited transactions under ERISA and the Code with respect to a Plan that
purchased Certificates, if assets of the Trust Fund were deemed to be assets of
the Plan. An investment of Plan Assets (as defined below) in Certificates may
cause the underlying assets included in the Trust to be deemed "plan assets" of
such Plan. The U.S. Department of Labor (the "DOL") has promulgated regulations
at 29 C.F.R. section 2510.3-101 (the "DOL Regulations") concerning whether or
not a Plan's assets would be deemed to include an interest in the underlying
assets of an entity (such as the Trust Fund), for purposes of applying the
general fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited
transaction provisions of ERISA and the Code, when a Plan acquires an "equity
interest" (such as a Certificate) in such entity. Because of the factual nature
of certain of the rules set forth in the DOL Regulations, Plan Assets either
may be deemed to include an interest in the assets of the Trust Fund or may be
deemed merely to include its interest in the Certificates. Therefore, neither
Plans nor such entities should acquire or hold Certificates in reliance upon
the availability of any exception under the DOL Regulations. For purposes of
this Section the term "Plan Assets" or assets of a Plan has the meaning
specified in the DOL Regulations and includes an undivided interest in the
underlying assets of certain entities in which a Plan invests. The prohibited
transaction provisions of Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code may
apply to the Trust Fund and cause the Company, the Trust Fund, the Trustee, any
successor, or certain affiliates thereof, to be considered or become Parties in
Interest or Disqualified Persons with respect to an investing Plan (or of a
Plan holding an interest in such an entity). If so, the acquisition or holding
of Certificates by or on behalf of the investing Plan could also give rise to a
prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code, unless some statutory or
administrative exemption is available. Certificates acquired by a Plan would be
assets of that Plan. Under the DOL Regulations, the Trust Fund, including the
assets held in the Trust Fund, may also be deemed to be assets of each Plan
that acquires Certificates. Special caution should be exercised before Plan
Assets are used to acquire a Certificate in such circumstances, especially if,
with respect to such assets, the Company, the Trust Fund, the Trustee, any
successor or an affiliate thereof either (i) has investment discretion with
respect to the investment of Plan Assets; or (ii) has authority or
responsibility to give (or regularly gives) investment advice with respect to
Plan Assets for a fee pursuant to an agreement or understanding that such
advice will serve as a primary basis for investment decisions with respect to
such assets.
Any person who has discretionary authority or control respecting the
management or disposition of Plan Assets and any person who provides investment
advice with respect to such assets for a fee (in the manner described above),
is a fiduciary of the investing Plan. If the assets of the Trust Fund were to
constitute Plan Assets then any party exercising management or discretionary
control regarding those assets may be deemed to be a Plan "fiduciary," and thus
subject to the fiduciary requirements of ERISA and the prohibited transaction
provisions of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code with respect to any investing
Plan. In addition, if the assets of the Trust Fund were to constitute Plan
Assets, then the acquisition or holding of Certificates by, on behalf of or
with Plan Assets, as well as the operation of the Trust Fund, may constitute or
involve a prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code.
No purchases of Certificates by, on behalf of or with Plan Assets of any Plan
will be registered unless the transferee, at its expense, delivers to the
Trustee, the Servicer and the Company an opinion of counsel
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(satisfactory to the Trustee, the Servicer and the Company) that the purchase
and holding of a Certificate by, on behalf of, or with Plan Assets of such Plan
is permissible under applicable law, will not result in the assets of the Trust
Fund being deemed to be Plan Assets and subject to the prohibited transaction
provisions of ERISA and the Code and will not subject the Trustee, the Trust
Fund, the Company or the Servicer to any obligation or liability in addition to
those undertaken in the Agreement. Unless such opinion is delivered, each
person acquiring a Certificate will be deemed to represent to the Trustee, the
Company and the Servicer that such person is neither a Plan, nor acting on
behalf of a Plan, nor purchasing with Plan Assets of any Plan.
CONSULTATION WITH COUNSEL
Any fiduciary or other Plan investor that proposes to acquire or hold
Certificates on behalf of or with Plan Assets of any Plan should consult with
its counsel with respect to the potential applicability of the fiduciary
responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited transaction provisions of
ERISA and the Code to the proposed investment and the availability of any
prohibited transaction exemption, as well as other issues and their potential
consequences.
CERTAIN FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
GENERAL
The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax
consequences relating to the purchase, ownership, and disposition of the
Certificates. The discussion is based upon laws, regulations, rulings, and
decisions now in effect, including Treasury Regulations issued on December 23,
1992, and generally effective for REMICs with startup days on or after November
12, 1991 (the "REMIC Regulations"), all of which are subject to change (which
change may be retroactive) or possibly differing interpretations. The
discussion does not purport to deal with federal income tax consequences
applicable to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to
special rules. Investors should consult their own tax advisors to determine the
federal, state, local, and any other tax consequences of the purchase,
ownership, and disposition of the Certificates.
Many aspects of the federal tax treatment of the purchase, ownership, and
disposition of the Certificates will depend upon whether an election is made to
treat the Trust Fund or a segregated portion thereof evidenced by a particular
Series or sub-series of Certificates as a REMIC within the meaning of Section
860D(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The
Prospectus Supplement for each series will indicate whether or not an election
to be treated as a REMIC has been or will be made with respect thereto. The
following discussion deals first with Series with respect to which a REMIC
Election is made and then with Series with respect to which a REMIC Election is
not made.
REMIC SERIES
With respect to each Series of Certificates for which a REMIC Election is
made, the counsel to the Company identified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement will have advised the Company that in its opinion, assuming (i) the
making of that election in accordance with the requirements of the Code and
(ii) ongoing compliance with the applicable Agreement, at the initial issuance
of the Certificates in such series the Trust Fund will qualify as a REMIC and
the Certificates in such a Series ("REMIC Certificates") will be treated either
as regular interests in the REMIC within the meaning of Section 860G(a)(1) of
the Code ("Regular Certificates") or as residual interests in the REMIC within
the meaning of Section 860G(a)(2) of the Code ("Residual Certificates").
Qualification as a REMIC. Qualification as a REMIC involves ongoing
compliance with certain requirements and the following discussion assumes that
such requirements will be satisfied by the Trust Fund
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so long as there are any REMIC Certificates outstanding. Substantially all of
the assets of the REMIC must consist of "qualified mortgages" and "permitted
investments" as of the close of the third month beginning after the day on
which the REMIC issues all of its regular and residual interests (the "Startup
Day") and at all times thereafter. The term "qualified mortgage" means any
obligation (including a participation or certificate of beneficial ownership in
such obligation) which is principally secured by an interest in real property
that is transferred to the REMIC on the Startup Day in exchange for regular or
residual interests in the REMIC or is purchased by the REMIC within the three-
month period beginning on the Startup Day if such purchase is pursuant to a
fixed price contract in effect on the Startup Day. The REMIC Regulations
provide that a Contract is principally secured by an interest in real property
if the fair market value of the real property securing the Contract is at least
equal to either (i) 80% of the issue price (generally, the principal balance)
of the Contract at the time it was originated or (ii) 80% of the adjusted issue
price (the then-outstanding principal balance, with certain adjustments) of the
Contract at the time it is contributed to a REMIC. The fair market value of the
underlying real property is to be determined after taking into account other
liens encumbering that real property. Alternatively, a Contract is principally
secured by an interest in real property if substantially all of the proceeds of
the Contract were used to acquire or to improve or protect an interest in real
property that, at the origination date, is the only security for the Contract
(other than the personal liability of the obligor). A qualified mortgage also
includes a qualified replacement mortgage that is used to replace any qualified
mortgage within three months of the Startup Day or to replace a defective
mortgage within two years of the Startup Day.
"Permitted investments" consist of (a) temporary investments of cash received
under qualified mortgages before distribution to holders of interests in the
REMIC ("cash-flow investments"), (b) amounts, such as a Reserve Fund, if any,
reasonably required to provide for full payment of expenses of the REMIC, the
principal and interest due on regular or residual interests in the event of
defaults on qualified mortgages, lower than expected returns on cash-flow
investments, prepayment interest shortfalls or certain other contingencies
("qualified reserve assets"), and (c) certain property acquired as a result of
foreclosure of defaulted qualified mortgages ("foreclosure property"). A
reserve fund will not be qualified if more than 30% of the gross income from
the assets in the reserve fund is derived from the sale or other disposition of
property held for three months or less, unless such sale is necessary to
prevent a default in payment of principal or interest on Regular Certificates.
In accordance with Section 860G(a)(7) of the Code, a reserve fund must be
"promptly and appropriately" reduced as payments on contracts are received.
Foreclosure property will be a permitted investment only to the extent that
such property is not held for more than two years.
The Code requires that in order to qualify as a REMIC an entity must make
reasonable arrangements designed to ensure that certain specified entities,
generally including governmental entities or other entities that are exempt
from United States tax, including the tax on unrelated business income
("Disqualified Organizations"), not hold residual interests in the REMIC.
Consequently, it is expected that in the case of any Trust Fund for which a
REMIC Election is made the transfer, sale, or other disposition of a Residual
Certificate to a Disqualified Organization will be prohibited and the ability
of a Residual Certificate to be transferred will be conditioned on the
Trustee's receipt of a certificate or other document representing that the
proposed transferee is not a Disqualified Organization. The transferor of a
Residual Certificate must not, as of the time of the transfer, have actual
knowledge that such representation is false. The Code further requires that
reasonable arrangements must be made to enable a REMIC to provide the Internal
Revenue Service (the "Service") and certain other parties, including
transferors of residual interests in a REMIC, with the information needed to
compute the tax imposed by Section 860E(e)(1) of the Code if, in spite of the
steps taken to prevent Disqualified Organizations from holding residual
interests, such an organization does, in fact, acquire a residual interest. See
"REMIC Series--Restrictions on Transfer of Residual Certificates" below.
If the Trust Fund fails to comply with one or more of the ongoing
requirements for qualification as a REMIC, the Trust Fund will not be treated
as a REMIC for the year during which such failure occurs and thereafter unless
the Service determines, in its discretion, that such failure was inadvertent
(in which case,
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the Service may require any adjustments which it deems appropriate). If the
ownership interests in the assets of the Trust Fund consist of multiple
classes, failure to treat the Trust Fund as a REMIC may cause the Trust Fund to
be treated as an association taxable as a corporation. Such treatment could
result in income of the Trust Fund being subject to corporate tax in the hands
of the Trust Fund and in a reduced amount being available for distribution to
Certificateholders as a result of the payment of such taxes.
Two-Tier REMIC Structures. For certain series of Certificates, two separate
elections may be made to treat segregated portions of the assets of a single
Trust Fund as REMICs for federal income tax purposes (respectively, the
"Subsidiary REMIC" and the "Master REMIC"). Upon the issuance of any such
series of Certificates, Counsel will have advised the Company, as described
above, that at the initial issuance of the Certificates, the Subsidiary REMIC
and the Master REMIC will each qualify as a REMIC for federal income tax
purposes, and that the Certificates in such a series will be treated either as
Regular Certificates or Residual Certificates of the appropriate REMIC. Only
REMIC Certificates issued by the Master REMIC will be offered hereunder. Solely
for the purpose of determining whether such Regular Certificates will
constitute qualifying real estate or real property assets for certain
categories of financial institutions or real estate investment trusts as
described below, both REMICs in a two-tier REMIC structure will be treated as
one. See the discussion below under "REMIC Series--Taxation of Regular
Interests."
Taxation of Regular Interests. Regular Certificates will be treated as new
debt instruments issued by the REMIC on the Startup Day. If a Regular
Certificate represents an interest in a REMIC that consists of a specified
portion of the interest payments on the REMIC's qualified mortgages, the stated
principal amount with respect to that Regular Certificate may be zero. Such a
specified portion may consist of a fixed number of basis points, a fixed
percentage of interest or a qualified variable rate on some or all of the
qualified mortgages. Stated interest on a Regular Certificate will be taxable
as ordinary income. Holders of Regular Certificates that would otherwise report
income under a cash method of accounting will be required to report income with
respect to such Regular Certificates under the accrual method. Under Temporary
Treasury Regulations, if a Trust Fund, with respect to which a REMIC Election
is made, is considered to be a "single-class REMIC," a portion of the REMIC's
servicing fees, administrative and other non-interest expenses, including
assumption fees and late payment charges retained by the Company, will be
allocated as a separate item of gross income and as a separate item of expense
to those Regular Certificateholders that are "pass-through interest holders."
Generally, a single-class REMIC is defined as a REMIC that would be treated as
a fixed investment trust under applicable law but for its qualification as a
REMIC, or a REMIC that is substantially similar to an investment trust but is
structured with the principal purpose of avoiding this allocation requirement
imposed by the Temporary Treasury Regulations. Generally, a pass-through
interest holder refers to individuals, trusts and estates, certain other pass-
through entities beneficially owned by one or more individuals, trusts or
estates, and regulated investment companies. Such an individual, estate, trust
or pass-through entity that holds a Regular Certificate in such a REMIC will be
allowed to deduct the foregoing separate item of expense under Section 212 of
the Code only to the extent that, in the aggregate and combined with certain
other itemized deductions, it exceeds 2% of the adjusted gross income of the
holder. In addition, Section 68 of the Code provides that the amount of
itemized deductions (including those provided for in Section 212 of the Code)
otherwise allowable for the taxable year for an individual whose adjusted gross
income exceeds a threshold amount specified in the Code ($117,950 for 1996, in
the case of a joint return) will be reduced by the lesser of (i) 3% of the
excess of adjusted gross income over the specified threshold amount or (ii) 80%
of the amount of itemized deductions otherwise allowable for such taxable year.
Furthermore, in determining the alternative minimum taxable income of such an
individual, trust, estate or pass-through entity that is a holder of a Regular
Certificate in such a REMIC, no deduction will be allowed for such holder's
allocable portion of the foregoing expenses, even though an amount equal to the
total of such expenses will be included in such holder's gross income for
alternative minimum tax purposes. Unless otherwise stated in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the foregoing expenses will not be allocated to holders
of a Regular Certificate in a REMIC. If the foregoing limitations apply,
certain holders of Regular Certificates in "single-class REMICs" may not be
entitled to deduct all or any part of the foregoing expenses. Accordingly,
Regular Certificates in such a "single class-REMIC" may not be appropriate
investments for
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individuals, trusts, estates or pass-through entities beneficially owned by one
or more individuals, trusts or estates. Such prospective investors should
carefully consult with their own tax advisors prior to making an investment in
any such Regular Certificates.
Tax Status of REMIC Certificates. In general, (i) Regular Certificates held
by a financial institution as described in Section 593(a) of the Code will
represent interests in "qualifying real property loans" within the meaning of
Section 593(d) of the Code; (ii) Regular Certificates held by a thrift
institution taxed as a "domestic building and loan association" within the
meaning of Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code will constitute "a regular ...
interest in a REMIC" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19)(C)(xi) of the
Code; and (iii) Regular Certificates held by a real estate investment trust
will constitute "real estate assets" within the meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A)
of the Code and interest thereon will be considered "interest on obligations
secured by mortgages on real property" within the meaning of Section
856(c)(3)(B) of the Code. If less than 95% of the average adjusted basis of the
assets comprising the REMIC are assets qualifying under any of the foregoing
Sections of the Code (including assets described in Section 7701(a)(19)(C) of
the Code), then the Regular Certificates will be qualifying assets only to the
extent that the assets comprising the REMIC are qualifying assets. Furthermore,
interest paid with respect to Certificates held by a real estate investment
trust will be considered "interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real
property or on interests in real property" within the meaning of Section
856(c)(3)(B) of the Code to the same extent that the Certificates themselves
are treated as real estate assets. Regular Certificates held by a regulated
investment company or a real estate investment trust will not constitute
"Government securities" within the meaning of Sections 851(b)(4)(A)(i) and
856(c)(5)(A) of the Code, respectively. In addition, the REMIC Regulations
provide that payments on Contracts held and reinvested pending distribution to
Certificateholders will be considered to be "qualifying real property loans"
within the meaning of Section 593(d) of the Code and "real estate assets"
within the meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A) of the Code. Entities affected by
the foregoing provisions of the Code that are considering the purchase of
Certificates should consult their own tax advisors regarding these provisions.
Original Issue Discount. Regular Certificates may be issued with "original
issue discount." Rules governing original issue discount are set forth in
Sections 1271-1273 and 1275 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued
thereunder in January 1994 (the "OID Regulations"). The discussion herein is
based in part on the OID Regulations, which generally apply to debt instruments
issued on or after April 4, 1994, but which generally may be relied upon for
debt instruments issued after December 21, 1992. Moreover, although the rules
relating to original issue discount contained in the Code were modified by the
Tax Reform Act of 1986 specifically to address the tax treatment of securities,
such as the Regular Certificates, on which principal is required to be prepaid
based on prepayments of the underlying assets, regulations under that
legislation have not yet been issued. Nonetheless, the Code requires that a
prepayment assumption be used with respect to the underlying assets of a REMIC
in computing the accrual of original issue discount on Regular Certificates,
and that regular adjustments be made in the amount and the rate of accrual to
reflect differences between the actual prepayment rate and the prepayment
assumption. Although regulations have not been issued concerning the use of a
prepayment assumption, the legislative history associated with the Tax Reform
Act of 1986 indicates that such regulations are to provide that the prepayment
assumption used with respect to a Regular Certificate must be the same as that
used in pricing the initial offering of such Regular Certificate. The
prepayment assumption (the "Prepayment Assumption") used in reporting original
issue discount for each series of Regular Certificates will be consistent with
this standard and will be disclosed in the related Prospectus Supplement.
However, no representation is made hereby nor can there be any assurance that
the underlying assets of a REMIC will in fact prepay at a rate conforming to
the prepayment assumption or at any other rate. Certificateholders also should
be aware that the OID Regulations do not address certain issues relevant to, or
are not applicable to, prepayable securities such as the Regular Certificates.
In general, in the hands of the original holder of a Regular Certificate,
original issue discount, if any, is the difference between the "stated
redemption price at maturity" of the Regular Certificate and its "issue price."
The original issue discount with respect to a Regular Certificate will be
considered to be zero if it is
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less than .25% of the Regular Certificate's stated redemption price at maturity
multiplied by the number of complete years from the date of issue of such
Regular Certificate to its maturity date. The OID Regulations, however, provide
a special de minimis rule to apply to obligations such as the Regular
Certificates that have more than one principal payment or that have interest
payments that are not qualified stated interest as defined in the OID
Regulations, payable before maturity ("installment obligations"). Under the
special rule, original issue discount on an installment obligation is generally
considered to be zero if it is less than .25% of the principal amount of the
obligation multiplied by the weighted average maturity of the obligation as
defined in the OID Regulations. Because of the possibility of prepayments, it
is not clear whether or how the de minimis rules will apply to the Regular
Certificates. As described above, it appears that the Prepayment Assumption
will be required to be used in determining the weighted average maturity of the
Regular Certificates. In the absence of authority to the contrary, the Company
expects to apply the de minimis rule applicable to installment obligations by
using the Prepayment Assumption.
Generally, the original holder of a Regular Certificate that includes a de
minimis amount of original issue discount (other than de minimis original issue
discount attributable to a so-called "teaser" interest rate or initial interest
rate holiday) includes that original issue discount in income as principal
payments are made. The amount includable in income with respect to each
principal payment equals a pro rata portion of the entire amount of de minimis
original issue discount with respect to that Regular Certificate. Any de
minimis amount of original issue discount includable in income by a holder of a
Regular Certificate is generally treated as a capital gain if the Regular
Certificate is a capital asset in the hands of the holder thereof. Pursuant to
the OID Regulations, a holder of a Regular Certificate that uses the accrual
method of tax accounting or that acquired such Regular Certificate on or after
April 4, 1994, may, however, elect to include in gross income all interest that
accrues on a Regular Certificate, including any de minimis original issue
discount and market discount, by using the constant yield method described
below with respect to original issue discount.
The stated redemption price at maturity of a Regular Certificate generally
will be equal to the sum of all payments, whether denominated as principal or
interest, to be made with respect thereto other than "qualified stated
interest." Pursuant to the OID Regulations, qualified stated interest is stated
interest that is unconditionally payable at least annually at a single fixed
rate of interest (or, under certain circumstances, a variable rate tied to an
objective index) during the entire term of the Regular Certificate (including
short periods). Under the OID Regulations, interest is considered
unconditionally payable only if late payment or nonpayment is expected to be
penalized or reasonable remedies exist to compel payment. It is possible that
interest payable on Regular Certificates may not be considered to be
unconditionally payable under the OID Regulations because Regular
Certificateholders may not have default remedies ordinarily available to
holders of debt instruments or because no penalties are imposed as a result of
any failure to make interest payments on the Regular Certificates. Until
further guidance is issued, however, the REMIC will treat the interest on
Regular Certificates as unconditionally payable under the OID Regulations. In
addition, under the OID Regulations, certain variable interest rates payable on
Regular Certificates, including rates based upon the weighted average interest
rate of a Contract Pool, may not be treated as qualified stated interest. In
such case, the OID Regulations would treat interest under such rates as
contingent interest which generally must be included in income by the Regular
Certificateholder when the interest becomes fixed, as opposed to when it
accrues. Until further guidance is issued concerning the treatment of such
interest payable on Regular Certificates, the REMIC will treat such interest as
being payable at a variable rate tied to a single objective index of market
rates. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the
treatment of such interest under the OID Regulations. In the absence of
authority to the contrary and if otherwise appropriate, the Company expects to
determine the stated redemption price at maturity of a Regular Certificate by
assuming that the anticipated rate of prepayment for all Contracts will occur
in such a manner that the initial Pass-Through Rate for a Certificate will not
change. Accordingly, interest at the initial Pass-Through Rate will constitute
qualified stated interest payments for purposes of applying the original issue
discount provisions of the Code. In general, the issue price of a Regular
Certificate is the first price at which a substantial amount of the Regular
Certificates of such class are sold for money to the public (excluding bond
houses, brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of
underwriters, placement agents
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or wholesalers). If a portion of the initial offering price of a Regular
Certificate is allocable to interest that has accrued prior to its date of
issue, the issue price of such a Regular Certificate includes that pre-issuance
accrued interest.
If the Regular Certificates are determined to be issued with original issue
discount, a holder of a Regular Certificate must generally include the original
issue discount in ordinary gross income for federal income tax purposes as it
accrues in advance of the receipt of any cash attributable to such income. The
amount of original issue discount, if any, required to be included in a Regular
Certificateholder's ordinary gross income for federal income tax purposes in
any taxable year will be computed in accordance with Section 1272(a) of the
Code and the OID Regulations. Under such Section and the OID Regulations,
original issue discount accrues on a daily basis under a constant yield method
that takes into account the compounding of interest. The amount of original
issue discount to be included in income by a holder of a debt instrument, such
as a Regular Certificate, under which principal payments may be subject to
acceleration because of prepayments of other debt obligations securing such
instruments, is computed by taking into account the Prepayment Assumption.
The amount of original issue discount includable in income by a holder of a
Regular Certificate is the sum of the "daily portions" of the original issue
discount for each day during the taxable year on which the holder held the
Regular Certificate. The daily portions of original issue discount are
determined by allocating to each day in any "accrual period" a pro rata portion
of the excess, if any, of the sum of (i) the present value of all remaining
payments to be made on the Regular Certificate as of the close of the "accrual
period" and (ii) the payments during the "accrual period" of amounts included
in the stated redemption price of the Regular Certificate over the "adjusted
issue price" of the Regular Certificate at the beginning of the "accrual
period." Generally, the "accrual period" for the Regular Certificates
corresponds to the intervals at which amounts are paid or compounded with
respect to such Regular Certificate, beginning with their date of issuance and
ending with the maturity date. The "adjusted issue price" of a Regular
Certificate at the beginning of any accrual period is the sum of the issue
price and accrued original issue discount for each prior accrual period reduced
by the amount of payments other than payments of qualified stated interest made
during each prior accrual period. The Code requires the present value of the
remaining payments to be determined on the bases of (a) the original yield to
maturity (determined on the basis of compounding at the close of each accrual
period and properly adjusted for the length of the accrual period), (b) events,
including actual prepayments, which have occurred before the close of the
accrual period, and (c) the assumption that the remaining payments will be made
in accordance with the original Prepayment Assumption. The effect of this
method is to increase the portions of original issue discount that a Regular
Certificateholder must include in income to take into account prepayments with
respect to the Contracts held by the Trust Fund that occur at a rate that
exceeds the Prepayment Assumption and to decrease (but not below zero for any
period) the portions of original issue discount that a Regular
Certificateholder must include in income to take into account prepayments with
respect to the Contracts that occur at a rate that is slower than the
Prepayment Assumption. Although original issue discount will be reported to
Regular Certificateholders based on the Prepayment Assumption, no
representation is made to Regular Certificateholders that the Contracts will be
prepaid at that rate or at any other rate.
A subsequent purchaser of a Regular Certificate will also be required to
include in such purchaser's ordinary gross income for federal income tax
purposes the original issue discount, if any, accruing with respect to such
Regular Certificate, unless the price paid equals or exceeds the Regular
Certificate's remaining stated redemption price. If the price paid exceeds the
Regular Certificate's adjusted issue price, but does not equal or exceed the
remaining stated redemption price of the Regular Certificate, the amount of
original issue discount to be accrued will be reduced in accordance with a
formula set forth in Section 1272(a)(7)(B) of the Code. Under this provision,
the daily portions of original issue discount which must be included in gross
income will be reduced by an amount equal to such daily portion multiplied by
the fraction obtained by dividing (i) the excess of the purchase price therefor
over the Regular Certificate's adjusted issue price by (ii) the aggregate
original issue discount remaining to be accrued with respect to such Regular
Certificate.
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The Company believes that the holder of a Regular Certificate determined to
be issued with non-de minimis original issue discount will be required to
include the original issue discount in ordinary gross income for federal income
tax purposes computed in the manner described above. However, the OID
Regulations either do not address or are subject to varying interpretations
with respect to several issues concerning the computation of original issue
discount for obligations such as the Regular Certificates.
Adjustable Rate Regular Certificates. Regular Certificates may bear interest
at an adjustable rate. Under the OID Regulations, if an adjustable rate Regular
Certificate provides for qualified stated interest payments computed on the
basis of certain qualified floating rates or objective rates, then any original
issue discount on such a Regular Certificate may be computed and accrued under
the same methodology that applies to Regular Certificates paying qualified
stated interest at a fixed rate. See the discussion above under "REMIC Series--
Original Issue Discount." If adjustable rate Regular Certificates are issued,
the related Prospectus Supplement will describe the manner in which the
original issue discount rules may be applied with respect thereto and the
method to be used in preparing information returns to the holders of such
adjustable rate Regular Certificates and to the Service.
For purposes of applying the original issue discount provisions of the Code,
all or a portion of the interest payable with respect to adjustable rate
Regular Certificate may not be treated as qualified stated interest in certain
circumstances, including the following: (i) if the adjustable rate of interest
is subject to one or more minimum or maximum rate floors or ceilings which are
not fixed throughout the term of the Regular Certificate and which are
reasonably expected as of the issue date to cause the rate in certain accrual
periods to be significantly higher or lower than the overall expected return on
the Regular Certificate determined without such floor or ceiling; (ii) if it is
reasonably expected that the average value of the adjustable rate during the
first half of the term of the Regular Certificate will be either significantly
less than or significantly greater than the average value of the rate during
the final half of the term of the Regular Certificate; or (iii) if interest is
not payable in all circumstances. In these situations, as well as others, it is
unclear under the OID Regulations whether such interest payments constitute
qualified stated interest payments, or must be treated as part of a Regular
Certificate's stated redemption price at maturity resulting in original issue
discount.
Market Discount. Regular Certificates, whether or not issued with original
issue discount, will be subject to the market discount rules of the Code. A
purchaser of a Regular Certificate who purchases the Regular Certificate at a
market discount (i.e., a discount from its original issue price plus any
accrued original issue discount, if any, as described above) will be required
to recognize accrued market discount as ordinary income as payments of
principal are received on such Regular Certificate or upon the sale or exchange
of the Regular Certificate. In general, the holder of a Regular Certificate may
elect to treat market discount as accruing either (i) under a constant yield
method that is similar to the method for the accrual of original issue discount
or (ii) under a ratable accrual method (pursuant to which the market discount
is treated as accruing in equal daily installments during the period the
Regular Certificate is held by the purchaser), in each case computed taking
into account the Prepayment Assumption. Because the regulations referred to
above have not been issued, it is not possible to predict what effect, if any,
such regulations, when issued, might have on the tax treatment of a Regular
Certificate purchased at a discount in the secondary market.
The Code provides that the market discount in respect of a Regular
Certificate will be considered to be zero if the amount allocable to the
Regular Certificate is less than 0.25% of the Regular Certificate's stated
redemption price at maturity multiplied by the number of complete years
remaining to its maturity after the holder acquired the obligation. If market
discount is treated as de minimis under this rule, the actual discount would be
allocated among a portion of each scheduled distribution representing the
stated redemption price of such Regular Certificate and that portion of the
discount allocable to such distribution would be reported as income when such
distribution occurs or is due.
The Code further provides that any principal payment with respect to a
Regular Certificate acquired with market discount or any gain on disposition of
such a Regular Certificate shall be treated as ordinary income to the extent it
does not exceed the accrued market discount at the time of such payment. The
amount
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of accrued market discount for purposes of determining the amount of ordinary
income to be recognized with respect to subsequent payments on such a Regular
Certificate is to be reduced by the amount previously treated as ordinary
income.
In general, limitations imposed by the Code that are intended to match
deductions with the taxation of income may require a holder of a Regular
Certificate having market discount to defer a portion of the interest
deductions attributable to any indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase
or carry such Regular Certificate. Alternatively, a holder of a Regular
Certificate may elect to include market discount in gross income as it accrues
and, if he makes such an election, is exempt from this rule. The adjusted basis
of a Regular Certificate subject to such election will be increased to reflect
market discount included in gross income, thereby reducing any gain or
increasing any loss on a sale or taxable disposition.
Amortizable Premium. A holder of a Regular Certificate who holds the Regular
Certificate as a capital asset and who purchased the Regular Certificate at a
cost greater than its stated redemption price will be considered to have
purchased the Regular Certificate at a premium. In general, the Regular
Certificateholder may elect to deduct the amortizable bond premium as it
accrues under a constant yield method. A Regular Certificateholder's tax basis
in the Regular Certificate will be reduced by the amount of the amortizable
bond premium deducted. It appears that the Prepayment Assumption should be
taken into account in determining the term of a Regular Certificate for this
purpose. Amortizable bond premium with respect to a Regular Certificate will be
treated as an offset to interest income on such Regular Certificate, and a
Certificateholder's deduction for amortizable bond premium will be limited in
each year to the amount of interest income derived with respect to such Regular
Certificate for such year. Any election to deduct amortizable bond premium will
apply to all debt instruments (other than instruments the interest on which is
excludable from gross income) held by the Certificateholder at the beginning of
the first taxable year to which the election applies or thereafter acquired,
and may be revoked only with the consent of the Service. Bond premium on a
Regular Certificate held by a Certificateholder who does not elect to deduct
the premium will decrease the gain or increase the loss otherwise recognized on
the disposition of the Regular Certificate. Certificateholders who pay a
premium for a Regular Certificate should consult their tax advisors concerning
such an election and rules for determining the method for amortizing bond
premium.
Realized Losses. Holders of a Regular Certificate acquired in connection with
a trade or business should be allowed to deduct as ordinary losses any losses
sustained during a taxable year in which the Regular Certificates become wholly
or partially worthless as a result of one or more realized losses on the
underlying assets of the REMIC. However, it appears that a noncorporate holder
of a Regular Certificate that does not acquire such certificate in connection
with a trade or business may not be entitled to deduct such a loss until such
holder's certificate becomes wholly worthless, which may not occur until its
outstanding principal balance has been reduced to zero. Any such loss may be
characterized as a short-term capital loss.
At present, the law is unclear with respect to the timing and character of
any loss which may be realized by a holder of a Regular Certificate. Such a
holder may be required to accrue interest and original issue discount with
respect to such Regular Certificate without giving effect to any defaults or
deficiencies on the underlying assets of the REMIC until such holder can
establish that such losses will not be recoverable under any circumstances. As
a result, the holder of a Regular Certificate may be required to report taxable
income in excess of the amount of economic income actually accruing to the
benefit of such holder in a particular period. It is expected, however, that
the holder of such a Regular Certificate would eventually recognize a loss or
reduction in income attributable to such income when such loss is, in fact,
realized for federal income tax purposes.
Gain or Loss on Disposition. If a Regular Certificate is sold, the seller
will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized
from the sale and the seller's adjusted basis in such Regular Certificate. The
adjusted basis generally will equal the cost of such Regular Certificate to the
seller, increased by any original issue discount included in the seller's
ordinary gross income with respect to such Regular Certificate and reduced (but
not below zero) by any payments on the Regular Certificate previously received
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or accrued by the seller (other than qualified stated interest payments) and
any amortizable premium. Similarly, a Regular Certificateholder who receives a
principal payment with respect to a Regular Certificate will recognize gain or
loss equal to the difference between the amount of the payment and the holder's
allocable portion of his or her adjusted basis in the Regular Certificate.
Except as discussed below or with respect to market discount, any gain or loss
recognized upon a sale, exchange, retirement, or other disposition of a Regular
Certificate will be capital gain if the Regular Certificate is held as a
capital asset.
Gain from the disposition of a Regular Certificate that might otherwise be
capital gain, including any gain attributable to de minimis original issue
discount or market discount, will be treated as ordinary income to the extent
of the excess, if any, of (i) the amount that would have been includable in the
holder's income if the yield on such Regular Certificate had equaled 110% of
the applicable federal rate determined as of the beginning of such holder's
holding period, over (ii) the amount of ordinary income actually recognized by
the holder with respect to such Regular Certificate.
Taxation of Residual Interests. Generally, the "daily portions" of the
taxable income or net loss of a REMIC will be includable as ordinary income or
loss in determining the taxable income of holders of Residual Certificates
("Residual Holders"), and will not be taxed separately to the REMIC. The daily
portions are determined by allocating the REMIC's taxable income or net loss
for each calendar quarter ratably to each day in such quarter and by allocating
such daily portion among the Residual Holders in proportion to their respective
holdings of Residual Certificates in the REMIC on such day.
REMIC taxable income is generally determined in the same manner as the
taxable income of an individual using the accrual method of accounting except
that (i) the limitation on deductibility of investment interest expense and
expenses for the production of income do not apply, (ii) all bad loans will be
deductible as business bad debts, and (iii) the limitation on the deductibility
of interest and expenses related to tax-exempt income will apply. REMIC taxable
income generally means a REMIC's gross income, including interest, original
issue discount income, and market discount income, if any, on the Contracts,
plus any cancellation of indebtedness income due to realized losses with
respect to Regular Certificates and income on reinvestment of cash flows and
reserve assets, minus deductions, including interest and original issue
discount expense on the Regular Certificates, bad debt losses with respect to
the underlying assets of a REMIC, servicing fees on the Contracts, other
administrative expenses of a REMIC, and amortization of premium, if any, with
respect to the Contracts.
The taxable income recognized by a Residual Holder in any taxable year will
be affected by, among other factors, the relationship between the timing of
interest, original issue discount or market discount income, or amortization of
premium with respect to the Contracts, on the one hand, and the timing of
deductions for interest (including original issue discount) on the Regular
Certificates, on the other hand. In the event that an interest in the Contracts
is acquired by a REMIC at a discount, and one or more of such Contracts is
prepaid, the Residual Holder may recognize taxable income without being
entitled to receive a corresponding cash distribution because (i) the
prepayment may be used in whole or in part to make distributions on Regular
Certificates, and (ii) the discount on the Contracts which is includable in a
REMIC's income may exceed its deduction with respect to the distributions on
those Regular Certificates. When there is more than one class of Regular
Certificates that receive payments sequentially (i.e., a fast-pay, slow-pay
structure), this mismatching of income and deductions is particularly likely to
occur in the early years following issuance of the Regular Certificates, when
distributions are being made in respect of earlier classes of Regular
Certificates to the extent that such classes are not issued with substantial
discount. If taxable income attributable to such a mismatching is realized, in
general, losses would be allowed in later years as distributions on the later
classes of Regular Certificates are made. Taxable income may also be greater in
earlier years than in later years as a result of the fact that interest expense
deductions, expressed as a percentage of the outstanding principal amount of
Regular Certificates, may increase over time as distributions are made on the
lower yielding classes of Regular Certificates, whereas interest income with
respect to any given Contract will remain constant over time as a percentage of
the outstanding principal amount of that loan (assuming it bears interest at a
fixed rate). Consequently, Residual Holders must have sufficient other sources
of cash to pay any federal, state, or
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local income taxes due as a result of such mismatching, or such holders must
have unrelated deductions against which to offset such income, subject to the
discussion of "excess inclusions" below under "REMIC Series--Limitations on
Offset or Exemption of REMIC Income." The mismatching of income and deductions
described in this paragraph, if present with respect to a series of
Certificates, may have a significant adverse effect upon the Residual Holder's
after-tax rate of return.
The amount of any net loss of a REMIC that may be taken into account by the
Residual Holder is limited to the adjusted basis of the Residual Certificate as
of the close of the quarter (or time of disposition of the Residual Certificate
if earlier), determined without taking into account the net loss for the
quarter. The initial adjusted basis of a purchaser of a Residual Certificate is
the amount paid for such Residual Certificate. Such adjusted basis will be
increased by the amount of taxable income of the REMIC reportable by the
Residual Holder and decreased (but not below zero) by the amount of loss of the
REMIC reportable by the Residual Holder. A cash distribution from the REMIC
also will reduce such adjusted basis (but not below zero). Any loss that is
disallowed on account of this limitation may be carried over indefinitely by
the Residual Holder for whom such loss was disallowed and may be used by such
Residual Holder only to offset any income generated by the same REMIC.
If a Residual Certificate has a negative value, it is not clear whether its
issue price would be considered to be zero or such negative amount for purposes
of determining the REMIC's basis in its assets. The REMIC Regulations imply
that residual interests cannot have a negative basis or a negative issue price.
However, the preamble to the REMIC Regulations indicates that, while existing
tax rules do not accommodate such concepts, the Service is considering the tax
treatment of these types of residual interests, including the proper tax
treatment of a payment made by the transferor of such a residual interest to
induce the transferee to acquire that interest. Absent regulations or
administrative guidance to the contrary, the Company does not intend to treat a
class of Residual Certificates as having a value of less than zero for purposes
of determining the basis of the related REMIC in its assets.
Further, to the extent that the initial adjusted basis of a Residual Holder
(other than an original holder) in the Residual Certificate is in excess of the
corresponding portion of the REMIC's basis in the Contracts, the Residual
Holder will not recover such excess basis until termination of the REMIC unless
Treasury Regulations yet to be issued provide for periodic adjustments to the
REMIC income otherwise reportable by such holder.
Treatment of Certain Items of REMIC Income and Expense. Generally, a REMIC's
deductions for original issue discount will be determined in the same manner,
and subject to the same uncertainties, as original issue discount income on
Regular Certificates as described above under "REMIC Series--Original Issue
Discount" and "--Adjustable Rate Regular Certificates," without regard to the
de minimis rule described therein.
The REMIC will have market discount income in respect of the Contracts if, in
general, the basis of the REMIC in such Contracts is exceeded by their unpaid
principal balances. The REMIC's basis in such Contracts is generally the fair
market value of the Contracts immediately after the transfer thereof to the
REMIC (which will equal the aggregate issue prices of the REMIC Certificates
which are sold to investors and the estimated fair market value of any classes
of Certificates which are retained). In respect of the Contracts that have
market discount to which Code Section 1276 applies, the accrued portion of such
market discount would be recognized currently as an item of ordinary income.
Market discount income generally should accrue in the manner described above
under "REMIC Series--Market Discount."
Generally, if the basis of a REMIC in the Contracts exceeds the unpaid
principal balances thereof, the REMIC will be considered to have acquired such
Contracts at a premium equal to the amount of such excess. As stated above, the
REMIC's basis in the Contracts is the fair market value of the Contracts
immediately after the transfer thereof to the REMIC. Generally, a REMIC that
holds a Contract as a capital asset will
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elect to amortize premium on the Contracts under a constant interest method.
See the discussion under "REMIC Series--Amortizable Premium."
Limitations on Offset or Exemption of REMIC Income. Subject to an exception
described below, which applies only if the aggregate value of the Residual
Certificates relative to the aggregate value of the Regular Certificates and
Residual Certificates is considered to be "significant," as described below, a
portion (or all) of the REMIC taxable income includable in determining the
federal income tax liability of a Residual Holder will be subject to special
treatment. That portion, referred to as the "excess inclusion," is equal to the
excess of REMIC taxable income for the calendar quarter allocable to a Residual
Certificate over the daily accruals for such quarterly period of (i) 120% of
the long-term applicable Federal rate that would have applied to the Residual
Certificate (if it were a debt instrument) on the Startup Day under Section
1274(d) of the Code, multiplied by (ii) the adjusted issue price of such
Residual Certificate at the beginning of such quarterly period. For this
purpose, the adjusted issue price of a Residual Certificate at the beginning of
a quarter is the issue price of the Residual Certificate, plus the amount of
such daily accruals of REMIC income described in this paragraph for all prior
quarters, decreased by any distributions made with respect to such Residual
Certificate prior to the beginning of such quarterly period. The value of the
Residual Certificates would be considered significant in cases where the
aggregate issue price of the Residual Certificates is at least 2% of the
aggregate issue price of the Regular Certificates and Residual Certificates,
and the anticipated weighted average life of the Residual Certificates is at
least 20% of the anticipated weighted average life of the REMIC.
The portion of a Residual Holder's REMIC taxable income consisting of the
excess inclusions generally may not be offset by other deductions on such
Residual Holder's tax return, including net operating loss carry forwards.
Further, if the Residual Holder is an organization subject to the tax on
unrelated business income imposed by Section 511 of the Code, the Residual
Holder's excess inclusions will be treated as unrelated business taxable income
of such Residual Holder for purposes of Section 511. In addition, if the
Residual Holder is not a U.S. person, such Residual Holder's excess inclusions
generally would be ineligible for exemption from or reduction in the rate of
United States withholding tax. Finally, if a real estate investment trust or
regulated investment company owns a Residual Certificate, a portion (allocated
under Treasury Regulations yet to be issued) of dividends paid by such real
estate investment trust or regulated investment company could not be offset by
net operating losses of its shareholders and would constitute unrelated
business taxable income for tax-exempt shareholders.
An exception to the inability of a Residual Holder to offset excess
inclusions with unrelated deductions and net operating losses applies to
certain financial institutions described in Section 593 of the Code ("thrift
institutions"). For purposes of applying this rule, all members of an
affiliated group filing a consolidated return are treated as one taxpayer,
except that thrift institutions to which Section 593 applies and each of their
subsidiaries formed to issue REMICs are treated as separate corporations.
Furthermore, the Code provides that regulations may be issued to disallow the
ability of a thrift institution to use deductions to offset excess inclusions
if necessary or appropriate to prevent the avoidance of tax. A thrift
institution may not so offset its excess inclusions unless the Residual
Certificates have "significant value," which requires that (i) the Residual
Certificates have an issue price that is at least equal to 2% of the aggregate
of the issue prices of all Residual Certificates and Regular Certificates with
respect to the REMIC, and (ii) the anticipated weighted average life of the
Residual Certificates is at least 20% of the anticipated weighted average life
of the REMIC. The anticipated weighted average life of the Residual
Certificates is based on all anticipated payments to be received with respect
thereto (using the Prepayment Assumption). The anticipated weighted average
life of the REMIC is the weighted average of the anticipated weighted average
lives of all classes of Certificates in the REMIC (computed using all
anticipated payments on a Regular Certificate with nominal or no principal).
Finally, an ordering rule under the REMIC Regulations provides that a thrift
institution may only offset its excess inclusion income with deductions after
it has first applied its deductions against income that is not excess inclusion
income. If this exception may be applicable, the Prospectus Supplement with
respect to a series will state that the Residual Certificates are expected to
have "significant value."
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Restrictions on Transfer of Residual Certificates. As described above under
"REMIC Series--Qualification as a REMIC," an interest in a Residual Certificate
may not be transferred to a Disqualified Organization. If any legal or
beneficial interest in a Residual Certificate is, nonetheless, transferred to a
Disqualified Organization, a tax would be imposed in an amount equal to the
product of (i) the present value of the total anticipated excess inclusions
with respect to such Residual Certificate for periods after the transfer, and
(ii) the highest marginal federal income tax rate applicable to corporations.
The anticipated excess inclusions are based on actual prepayment experience to
the date of the transfer and projected payments based on the Prepayment
Assumption. The present value rate equals the applicable federal rate under
Section 1274(d) of the Code as of the date of the transfer for a term ending on
the close of the last quarter in which excess inclusions are expected to
accrue. Such rate is applied to the anticipated excess inclusions from the end
of the remaining calendar quarters in which they arise to the date of the
transfer. Such a tax generally would be imposed on the transferor of the
Residual Certificate, except that where such transfer is through an agent
(including a broker, nominee, or other middleman) for a Disqualified
Organization, the tax would instead be imposed on such agent. However, a
transferor of a Residual Certificate would in no event be liable for such tax
with respect to a transfer if the transferee furnishes to the transferor an
affidavit, under penalties of perjury, that the transferee is not a
Disqualified Organization and, as of the time of the transfer, the transferor
does not have actual knowledge that such affidavit is false. The tax also may
be waived by the Treasury Department if the Disqualified Organization promptly
disposes of the residual interest and the transferor pays such amount of tax as
the Treasury Department may require (presumably, a corporate tax on the excess
inclusion for the period the residual interest is actually held by the
Disqualified Organization).
In addition, if a "Pass-Through Entity" (as defined below) has excess
inclusion income with respect to a Residual Certificate during a taxable year
and a Disqualified Organization is the record holder of an equity interest in
such entity, then a tax is imposed on such entity equal to the product of (i)
the amount of excess inclusions on the Residual Certificate that are allocable
to the interest in the Pass-Through Entity during the period such interest is
held by such Disqualified Organization, and (ii) the highest marginal federal
income tax rate imposed on corporations. Such tax would be deductible from the
ordinary gross income of the Pass-Through Entity for the taxable year. The
Pass-Through Entity would not be liable for such tax if it has received an
affidavit from such record holder that it is not a Disqualified Organization
and, during the period such person is the record holder of the Residual
Certificate, the Pass-Through Entity does not have actual knowledge that such
affidavit is false.
For these purposes, a "Pass-Through Entity" means any regulated investment
company, real estate investment trust, common trust fund, partnership, trust or
estate and certain corporations operating on a cooperative basis. Except as may
be provided in Treasury Regulations, any person holding an interest in a Pass-
Through Entity as a nominee for another will, with respect to such interest, be
treated as a Pass-Through Entity.
Noneconomic Residual Interests. The REMIC Regulations would disregard certain
transfers of Residual Certificates, in which case the transferor would continue
to be treated as the owner of the Residual Certificates and thus would continue
to be subject to tax on its allocable portion of the net income of the REMIC.
Under the REMIC Regulations, a transfer of a "noneconomic residual interest"
(as defined below) to a Residual Holder is disregarded for all federal income
tax purposes if a significant purpose of the transfer is to enable the
transferor to impede the assessment or collection of tax. A residual interest
in a REMIC (including a residual interest with a positive value at issuance) is
a "noneconomic residual interest" unless, at the time of transfer, (i) the
present value of the expected future distributions on the residual interest at
least equals the product of the present value of the anticipated excess
inclusions and the highest corporate income tax rate in effect for the year in
which the transfer occurs, and (ii) the transferor reasonably expects that the
transferee will receive distributions from the REMIC at or after the time at
which taxes accrue on the anticipated excess inclusions in an amount sufficient
to satisfy the accrued taxes. The anticipated excess inclusions and the present
value rate are determined in the same manner as set forth above. The REMIC
Regulations explain
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that a significant purpose to impede the assessment or collection of tax exists
if the transferor, at the time of the transfer, either knew or should have
known that the transferee would be unwilling or unable to pay taxes due on its
share of the taxable income of the REMIC. A safe harbor is provided if (i) the
transferor conducted, at the time of the transfer, a reasonable investigation
of the financial condition of the transferee and found that the transferee
historically had paid its debts as they came due and found no significant
evidence to indicate that the transferee would not continue to pay its debts as
they came due in the future, and (ii) the transferee represents to the
transferor that it understands that, as the holder of a non-economic residual
interest, the transferee may incur tax liabilities in excess of any cash flows
generated by the interest and that the transferee intends to pay taxes
associated with holding the residual interest as they become due. The Agreement
with respect to each series of REMIC Certificates will require the transferee
of a Residual Certificate to certify to the statements in clause (ii) of the
preceding sentence as part of the affidavit described above under "Restrictions
on Transfer of Residual Certificates."
Sale or Exchange of a Residual Certificate. Upon the sale or exchange of a
Residual Certificate, the Residual Holder will recognize gain or loss equal to
the excess, if any, of the amount realized over the adjusted basis as described
above of such Residual Holder in such Residual Certificate at the time of the
sale or exchange. In addition to reporting the taxable income of the REMIC, a
Residual Holder will have taxable income to the extent that any cash
distribution to him from the REMIC exceeds such adjusted basis on that
Distribution Date. Such income will be treated as gain from the sale or
exchange of the Residual Certificate. It is possible that the termination of
the REMIC may be treated as a sale or exchange of a Residual Holder's Residual
Certificate, in which case, if the Residual Holder has an adjusted basis in his
Residual Certificate remaining when his interest in the REMIC terminates, and
if he holds such Residual Certificate as a capital asset, then he will
recognize a capital loss at that time in the amount of such remaining adjusted
basis.
The Conference Committee Report to the Tax Reform Act of 1986 provides that,
except as provided in Treasury Regulations, the wash sale rules of Code Section
1091 will apply to dispositions of Residual Certificates where the seller of
the Residual Certificate, during the period beginning six months before the
sale or disposition of the Residual Certificate and ending six months after
such sale or disposition, acquires (or enters into any other transaction that
results in the application of Code Section 1091) any residual interest in any
REMIC or any interest in a "taxable mortgage pool" that is economically
comparable to a Residual Certificate.
Certain Other Taxes on the REMIC. The REMIC provisions of the Code impose a
100% tax on any net income derived by a REMIC from certain prohibited
transactions. Such transactions are: (i) any disposition of a qualified
mortgage, other than pursuant to the substitution of a qualified replacement
mortgage for a qualified mortgage (or the repurchase in lieu of substitution of
a defective obligation), a disposition incident to the foreclosure, default, or
imminent default of a mortgage, the bankruptcy or insolvency of the REMIC, or a
qualified liquidation of the REMIC; (ii) the receipt of income from assets
other than qualified mortgages and permitted investments; (iii) the receipt of
compensation for services; and (iv) the receipt of gain from the dispositions
of cash flow investments. The REMIC Regulations provide that the modification
of the terms of a Contract occasioned by default or a reasonably foreseeable
default of the Contract, the assumption of the Contract, the waiver of a due-
on-sale clause or the conversion of an interest rate by an Obligor pursuant to
the terms of a convertible adjustable-rate Contract will not be treated as a
disposition of the Contract. In the event that a REMIC holds Convertible ARM
Loans which are convertible at the option of the Obligor into fixed-rate, fully
amortizing, level payment Contracts, a sale of such Contracts by the REMIC
pursuant to a purchase agreement or other contract with the Company or other
party, if and when the Obligor elects to so convert the terms of the Contract,
will not result in a prohibited transaction for the REMIC. The Code also
imposes a 100% tax on contributions to a REMIC made after the Startup Day,
unless such contributions are payments made to facilitate a cleanup call or a
qualified liquidation of the REMIC, payments in the nature of a guaranty,
contributions during the three-month period beginning on the Startup Day or
contributions to a qualified reserve fund of the REMIC by a holder of a
residual interest in the REMIC. The Code also imposes a tax on a REMIC at the
highest corporate rate on certain net income from foreclosure property that the
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REMIC derives from the management, sale, or disposition of any real property,
or any personal property incident thereto, acquired by the REMIC in connection
with the default or imminent default of a loan. Generally, it is not
anticipated that a REMIC will incur a significant amount of such taxes or any
material amount of state or local income or franchise taxes. However, if any
such taxes are imposed on a REMIC they will be paid by the Company or the
Trustee, if due to the breach of the Company's or the Trustee's obligations, as
the case may be, under the related Pooling and Servicing Agreement or in other
cases, such taxes shall be borne by the related Trust Fund resulting in a
reduction in amounts otherwise payable to holders of the related Regular or
Residual Certificates.
Liquidation of the REMIC. A REMIC may liquidate without the imposition of
entity-level tax only in a "qualified liquidation." A liquidation is considered
qualified if a REMIC adopts a plan of complete liquidation (which may be
accomplished by designating in the REMIC's final tax return a date on which
such adoption is deemed to occur) and sells all of its assets (other than cash)
within the ninety-day period beginning on the date of the adoption of the plan
of liquidation, provided that it distributes to holders of Regular or Residual
Certificates, on or before the last day of the ninety-day liquidation period,
all the proceeds of the liquidation (including all cash), less amounts retained
to meet claims.
Taxation of Certain Foreign Investors. For purposes of this discussion, a
"Foreign Holder" is a Certificateholder who holds a Regular Certificate and who
is not (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation,
partnership, or other entity organized in or under the laws of the United
States or a political subdivision thereof or (iii) an estate or trust the
income of which is includible in gross income for United States tax purposes
regardless of its source. Unless the interest on a Regular Certificate is
effectively connected with the conduct by the Foreign Holder of a trade or
business within the United States, the Foreign Holder is not subject to federal
income or withholding tax on interest (or original issue discount, if any) on a
Regular Certificate (subject to possible backup withholding of tax, discussed
below). To qualify for this tax exemption, the Foreign Holder will be required
to provide periodically a statement signed under penalties of perjury
certifying that the Foreign Holder meets the requirements for treatment as a
Foreign Holder and providing the Foreign Holder's name and address. The
statement, which may be made on a Form W-8 or substantially similar substitute
form, generally must be provided in the year a payment occurs or in either of
the two preceding years. The statement must be provided, either directly or
through clearing organization or financial institution intermediaries, to the
person that otherwise would withhold tax. This exemption may not apply to a
Foreign Holder that owns both Regular Certificates and Residual Certificates.
If the interest on a Regular Certificate is effectively connected with the
conduct by a Foreign Holder of a trade or business within the United States,
then the Foreign Holder will be subject to tax at regular graduated rates. In
addition, the foregoing rules will not apply to exempt a U.S. shareholder of a
controlled foreign corporation from taxation on such U.S. shareholder's
allocable portion of the interest income received by such controlled foreign
corporation. Foreign Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding
the specific tax consequences of their owning a Regular Certificate.
Any gain recognized by a Foreign Holder upon a sale, retirement or other
taxable disposition of a Regular Certificate generally will not be subject to
United States federal income tax unless either (i) the Foreign Holder is a
nonresident alien individual who holds the Regular Certificate as a capital
asset and who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the
taxable year of the disposition and either the gain is attributable to an
office or other fixed place of business maintained in the U.S. by the
individual or the individual has a "tax home" in the United States, or (ii) the
gain is effectively connected with the conduct by the Foreign Holder of a trade
or business within the United States.
It appears that a Regular Certificate will not be included in the estate of a
Foreign Holder and will not be subject to United States estate taxes. However,
Foreign Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding estate tax
consequences.
Unless otherwise stated in the related Prospectus Supplement, transfers of
Residual Certificates to Foreign Holders will be prohibited by the related
Agreement.
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Backup Withholding. Under certain circumstances, a REMIC Certificateholder
may be subject to "backup withholding" at a 31% rate. Backup withholding may
apply to a REMIC Certificateholder who is a United States person if the holder,
among other circumstances, fails to furnish his Social Security number or other
taxpayer identification number to the Trustee. Backup withholding may apply,
under certain circumstances, to a REMIC Certificateholder who is a foreign
person if the REMIC Certificateholder fails to provide the Trustee or the REMIC
Certificateholder's securities broker with the statement necessary to establish
the exemption from federal income and withholding tax on interest on the REMIC
Certificate. Backup withholding, however, does not apply to payments on a
Certificate made to certain exempt recipients, such as corporations and tax-
exempt organizations, and to certain foreign persons. REMIC Certificateholders
should consult their tax advisors for additional information concerning the
potential application of backup withholding to payments received by them with
respect to a Certificate.
Reporting Requirements and Tax Administration. The Company will report
annually to the Service, holders of record of the Regular Certificates that are
not excepted from the reporting requirements and, to the extent required by the
Code, other interested parties, information with respect to the interest paid
or accrued on the Regular Certificates, original issue discount, if any,
accruing on the Regular Certificates and information necessary to compute the
accrual of any market discount or the amortization of any premium on the
Regular Certificates.
The Treasury Department has issued temporary regulations concerning certain
aspects of REMIC tax administration. Under those regulations, a Residual
Certificateholder must be designated as the REMIC's "tax matters person." The
tax matters person, generally, has responsibility for overseeing and providing
notice to the other Residual Certificateholders of certain administrative and
judicial proceedings regarding the REMIC's tax affairs. Unless otherwise
indicated in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Company will be designated
as tax matters person for each REMIC, and in conjunction with the Trustee will
act as the agent of the Residual Certificateholders in the preparation and
filing of the REMIC's federal and state income tax and other information
returns.
NON-REMIC SERIES
Tax Status of the Trust Fund. In the case of a Trust Fund evidenced by a
series of Certificates, or a segregated portion thereof, with respect to which
a REMIC Election is not made ("Non-REMIC Certificates"), Counsel will, unless
otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, have advised the
Company that, in their opinion, each Contract Pool and the arrangement to be
administered by the Company under which the Trustee will hold and the Company
will be obligated to service the Contracts and pursuant to which Non-REMIC
Certificates will be issued to Non-REMIC Certificateholders will not be
classified as an association taxable as a corporation or a "taxable mortgage
pool", within the meaning of Code Section 7701(i), but rather will be
classified as a grantor trust under Subpart E, Part 1 of Subchapter J of the
Code. In such event, each Non-REMIC Certificateholder will be treated as the
owner of a pro rata undivided interest in the ordinary income and corpus
portions of the trust attributable to the Contract Pool in which its
Certificate evidences an ownership interest and will be considered the
equitable owner of a pro rata undivided interest in each of the Contracts
included therein. The following discussion assumes the Trust Fund will be so
classified as a grantor trust.
Tax Status of Non-REMIC Certificates. In general, (i) Certificates held by a
financial institution taxed as described in Section 593(a) of the Code may
represent interests in "qualifying real property loans" within the meaning of
Section 593(d) of the Code; (ii) Certificates held by a "domestic building and
loan association" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code may be
considered to represent "loans secured by an interest in real property" within
the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19)(C)(v) of the Code; and (iii) Certificates
held by a real estate investment trust may constitute "real estate assets"
within the meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A) of the Code and interest thereon may
be considered "interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real property"
within the meaning of Section 856(c)(3)(B) of the Code. See the discussions of
such Code provisions above under "REMIC Series Tax Status of REMIC
Certificates." Investors should
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review the related Prospectus Supplement for a discussion of the treatment of
Non-REMIC Certificates and Contracts under these Code sections and should, in
addition, consult with their own tax advisors with respect to these matters.
Tax Treatment of Non-REMIC Certificates. Subject to the discussion below of
the "stripped bond" rules of the Code, Non-REMIC Certificateholders will be
required to report on their federal income tax returns, and in a manner
consistent with their respective methods of accounting, their pro rata share of
the entire income arising from the Contracts comprising such Contract Pool,
including interest, market or original issue discount, if any, prepayment fees,
assumption fees, and late payment charges received by the Company, and any gain
upon disposition of such Contracts. (For purposes of this discussion, the term
"disposition," when used with respect to the Contracts, includes scheduled or
prepaid collections with respect to the Contracts, as well as the sale or
exchange of a Non-REMIC Certificate.) Subject to the discussion below of
certain limitations on itemized deductions, Non-REMIC Certificateholders will
be entitled under Section 162 or 212 of the Code to deduct their pro rata share
of related servicing fees, administrative and other non-interest expenses,
including assumption fees and late payment charges retained by the Company. An
individual, an estate, or a trust that holds a Non-REMIC Certificate either
directly or through a pass-through entity will be allowed to deduct such
expenses under Section 212 of the Code only to the extent that, in the
aggregate and combined with certain other itemized deductions, they exceed 2%
of the adjusted gross income of the holder. In addition, Section 68 of the Code
provides that the amount of itemized deductions (including those provided for
in Section 212 of the Code) otherwise allowable for the taxable year for an
individual whose adjusted gross income exceeds a threshold amount specified in
the Code ($117,950 for 1996, in the case of a joint return) will be reduced by
the lesser of (i) 3% of the excess of adjusted gross income over the specified
threshold amount or (ii) 80% of the amount of itemized deductions otherwise
allowable for such taxable year. Furthermore, in determining the alternative
minimum taxable income of an individual, trust, estate or pass-through entity
that is a holder of a Non-REMIC Certificate, no deduction will be allowed for
such holder's allocable portion of the foregoing expenses, even though an
amount equal to the total of such expenses will be included in such holder's
gross income for alternative minimum tax purposes. To the extent that a Non-
REMIC Certificateholder is not permitted to deduct servicing fees allocable to
a Non-REMIC Certificate, the taxable income of the Non-REMIC Certificateholder
attributable to that Non-REMIC Certificate will exceed the net cash
distributions related to such income. Non-REMIC Certificateholders may deduct
any loss on disposition of the Contracts to the extent permitted under the
Code.
To the extent that any of the Contracts comprising a Contract Pool were
originated on or after March 2, 1984 and under circumstances giving rise to
original issue discount, Certificateholders will be required to report annually
an amount of additional interest income attributable to such discount in such
Contracts prior to receipt of cash related to such discount. See the discussion
above under "REMIC Series--Original Issue Discount." Similarly, Code provisions
concerning market discount and amortizable premium will apply to the Contracts
comprising a Contract Pool to the extent that the loans were originated after
July 18, 1984 and September 27, 1985, respectively. See the discussions above
under "REMIC Series--Market Discount" and "REMIC Series--Amortizable Premium."
However, it is unclear whether a prepayment assumption should be used in
accruing or amortizing any such discount or premium.
Stripped Non-REMIC Certificates. Certain classes of Non-REMIC Certificates
may be subject to the stripped bond rules of Section 1286 of the Code and for
purposes of this discussion will be referred to as "Stripped Certificates." In
general, a Stripped Certificate will be subject to the stripped bond rules
where there has been a separation of ownership of the right to receive some or
all of the principal payments on a Contract from ownership of the right to
receive some or all of the related interest payments. Non-REMIC Certificates
will constitute Stripped Certificates and will be subject to these rules under
various circumstances, including the following: (i) if any servicing
compensation is deemed to exceed a reasonable amount; (ii) if the Company or
any other party retains a Retained Yield with respect to the Contracts
comprising a Contract Pool; (iii) if two or more classes of Non-REMIC
Certificates are issued representing the right to non-pro rata
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percentages of the interest or principal payments on the Contracts; or (iv) if
Non-REMIC Certificates are issued which represent the right to interest only
payments or principal only payments.
Although not entirely clear, each Stripped Certificate should be considered
to be a single debt instrument issued on the day it is purchased for purposes
of calculating any original issue discount. Original issue discount with
respect to a Stripped Certificate, if any, must be included in ordinary gross
income for federal income tax purposes as it accrues in accordance with the
constant-yield method that takes into account the compounding of interest and
such accrual of income may be in advance of the receipt of any cash
attributable to such income. See "REMIC Series--Original Issue Discount" above.
For purposes of applying the original issue discount provisions of the Code,
the issue price of a Stripped Certificate will be the purchase price paid by
each holder thereof and the stated redemption price at maturity may include the
aggregate amount of all payments to be made with respect to the Stripped
Certificate whether or not denominated as interest. The amount of original
issue discount with respect to a Stripped Certificate may be treated as zero
under the original issue discount de minimis rules described above. A purchaser
of a Stripped Certificate will be required to account for any discount on the
certificate as market discount rather than original issue discount if either
(i) the amount of original issue discount with respect to the certificate was
treated as zero under the original issue discount de minimis rule when the
certificate was stripped or (ii) no more than 100 basis points (including any
amount of servicing in excess of reasonable servicing) is stripped off of the
Contracts. See "REMIC Series--Market Discount" above.
Although the OID Regulations suggest that a prepayment assumption is not to
be used in computing the yield on the underlying assets of a Trust Fund with
respect to which a REMIC election is not made, the Code appears to require that
such a prepayment assumption be used in computing yield with respect to
Stripped Certificates. In the absence of authority to the contrary, the Company
intends to base information reports and returns to the Service and the holders
of Stripped Certificates taking into account an appropriate prepayment
assumption. Holders of Stripped Certificates should refer to the related
Prospectus Supplement to determine whether and in what manner the original
issue discount rules will apply thereto.
When an investor purchases more than one class of Stripped Certificates it is
currently unclear whether for federal income tax purposes such classes of
Stripped Certificates should be treated separately or aggregated for purposes
of applying the original issue discount rules described above.
It is possible that the Service may take a contrary position with respect to
some or all of the foregoing tax consequences. For example, a holder of a
Stripped Certificate may be treated as the owner of (i) as many stripped bonds
or stripped coupons as there are scheduled payments of principal and/or
interest on each Contract or (ii) a separate installment obligation for each
Contract representing the Stripped Certificate's pro rata share of principal
and/or interest payments to be made with respect thereto. As a result of these
possible alternative characterizations, investors should consult their own tax
advisors regarding the proper treatment of Stripped Certificates for federal
income tax purposes.
The servicing compensation to be received by the Company and the fee for
credit enhancement, if any, may be questioned by the Service with respect to
certain Certificates or Contracts as exceeding a reasonable fee for the
services being performed in exchange therefor, and a portion of such servicing
compensation could be recharacterized as an ownership interest retained by the
Company or other party in a portion of the interest payments to be made
pursuant to the Contracts. In this event, a Certificate might be treated as a
Stripped Certificate subject to the stripped bond rules of Section 1286 of the
Code and the original issue discount provisions rather than to the market
discount and premium rules.
Gain or Loss on Disposition. Upon sale or exchange of a Non-REMIC
Certificate, a Non-REMIC Certificateholder will recognize gain or loss equal to
the difference between the amount realized in the sale and its aggregate
adjusted basis in the Contracts represented by the Non-REMIC Certificate.
Generally, the aggregate adjusted basis will equal the Non-REMIC
Certificateholder's cost for the Non-REMIC Certificate
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increased by the amount of any previously reported income or gain with respect
to the Non-REMIC Certificate and decreased by the amount of any losses
previously reported with respect to the Non-REMIC Certificate and the amount of
any distributions received thereon. Except as provided above with respect to
the original issue discount and market discount rules, any such gain or loss
would be capital gain or loss if the Non-REMIC Certificate was held as a
capital asset.
Tax Treatment of Certain Foreign Investors. Generally, interest or original
issue discount paid to or accruing for the benefit of a Non-REMIC
Certificateholder who is a Foreign Holder (as defined above under "REMIC
Series--Taxation of Certain Foreign Investors") will be treated as "portfolio
interest" and therefore will be exempt from the 30% withholding tax. Such Non-
REMIC Certificateholder will be entitled to receive interest payments and
original issue discount on the Non-REMIC Certificates free of United States
federal income tax, but only to the extent the Contracts were originated after
July 18, 1984 and provided that such Non-REMIC Certificateholder periodically
provides the Trustee (or other person who would otherwise be required to
withhold tax) with a statement certifying under penalty of perjury that such
Non-REMIC Certificateholder is not a United States person and providing the
name and address of such Non-REMIC Certificateholder. For additional
information concerning interest or original issue discount paid by the Company
to a Foreign Holder and the treatment of a sale or exchange of a Non-REMIC
Certificate by a Foreign Holder, which will generally have the same tax
consequences as the sale of a Regular Certificate, see the discussion above
under "REMIC Series--Taxation of Certain Foreign Investors."
Tax Administration and Reporting. The Company will furnish to each Non-REMIC
Certificateholder with each distribution a statement setting forth the amount
of such distribution allocable to principal and to interest. In addition, the
Company will furnish, within a reasonable time after the end of each calendar
year, to each Non-REMIC Certificateholder who was a Certificateholder at any
time during such year, information regarding the amount of servicing
compensation received by the Company and any sub-servicer and such other
customary factual information as the Company deems necessary or desirable to
enable Certificateholders to prepare their tax returns. Reports will be made
annually to the Service and to holders of record that are not excepted from the
reporting requirements regarding information as may be required with respect to
interest and original issue discount, if any, with respect to the Non-REMIC
Certificates.
OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES
No advice has been received as to local income, franchise, personal property,
or other taxation in any state or locality, or as to the tax effect of
ownership of Certificates in any state or locality. Certificateholders are
advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to any state or local
income, franchise, personal property, or other tax consequences arising out of
their ownership of Certificates.
LEGAL INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, any
Certificates offered hereby are not expected to constitute "mortgage related
securities" for purposes of the Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement Act of
1984 ("SMMEA") because there will be a substantial number of Contracts that are
secured by liens on real estate that are not first liens, as required by SMMEA.
Accordingly, many institutions with legal authority to invest in "mortgage
related securities" may not be legally authorized to invest in the
Certificates.
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, The Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency and the National Credit Union Administration have
proposed or adopted guidelines regarding investment in various types of
mortgage-backed securities. In addition, certain state regulators have taken
positions that may prohibit regulated institutions subject to their
jurisdiction from holding securities representing residual interests, including
securities previously purchased. There may be other restrictions on the ability
of certain investors, including
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depository institutions, either to purchase Certificates or to purchase
Certificates representing more than a specified percentage of the investor's
assets. Investors should consult their own legal advisors in determining
whether and to what extent the Certificates constitute legal investments for
such investors.
RATINGS
It is a condition precedent to the issuance of any Class of Certificates sold
under this Prospectus that they be rated by at least one nationally recognized
statistical rating organization in one of its four highest rating categories
(within which there may be sub-categories or gradations indicating relative
standing). A security rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold
securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time by the
assigning rating agency. The security rating of any Series of Certificates
should be evaluated independently of similar security ratings assigned to other
kinds of securities.
UNDERWRITING
The Company may sell Certificates of each Series to or through underwriters
(the "Underwriters") by a negotiated firm commitment underwriting and public
reoffering by the Underwriters, and also may sell and place Certificates
directly to other purchasers or through agents. The Company intends that
Certificates will be offered through such various methods from time to time and
that offerings may be made concurrently through more than one of these methods
or that an offering of a particular Series of Certificates may be made through
a combination of such methods.
The distribution of the Certificates may be effected from time to time in one
or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at
market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
If so specified in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a Series of
Certificates, the Company or any affiliate thereof may purchase some or all of
one or more Classes of Certificates of such Series from the Underwriter or
Underwriters at a price specified in such Prospectus Supplement. Such purchaser
may thereafter from time to time offer and sell, pursuant to this Prospectus,
some or all of such Certificates so purchased directly, through one or more
Underwriters to be designated at the time of the offering of such Certificates
or through broker-dealers acting as agent and/or principal. Such offering may
be restricted in the manner specified in such Prospectus Supplement. Such
transactions may be effected at market prices prevailing at the time of sale,
at negotiated prices or at fixed prices.
In connection with the sale of the Certificates, Underwriters may receive
compensation from the Company or from purchasers of Certificates for whom they
may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.
Underwriters may sell the Certificates of a Series to or through dealers and
such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or
commissions from the Underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for
whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate
in the distribution of the Certificates of a Series may be deemed to be
Underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from the
Company and any profit on the resale of the Certificates by them may be deemed
to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Securities Act"). Any such Underwriters or agents will be
identified, and any such compensation received from the Company will be
described, in the Prospectus Supplement.
Under agreements which may be entered into by the Company, Underwriters and
agents who participate in the distribution of the Certificates may be entitled
to indemnification by the Company against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act.
If so indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, the Company will authorize
Underwriters or other persons acting as the Company's agents to solicit offers
by certain institutions to purchase the Certificates from the
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Company pursuant to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future
date. Institutions with which such contracts may be made include commercial and
savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies,
educational charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such
institutions must be approved by the Company. The obligation of any purchaser
under any such contract will be subject to the condition that the purchaser of
the offered Certificates shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under
the laws of the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject from purchasing
such Certificates. The Underwriters and such other agents will not have
responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.
The Underwriters may, from time to time, buy and sell Certificates, but there
can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop and there is
no assurance that any such market, if established, will continue.
Certain of the Underwriters and their associates may engage in transactions
with and perform services for the Company in the ordinary course of business.
LEGAL MATTERS
The legality and material federal income tax consequences of the Certificates
will be passed upon for the Company by the counsel to the Company identified in
the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 1995
and 1994 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31,
1995 incorporated by reference herein have been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP, independent accountants, as stated in their report given upon their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A +
+REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE +
+SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY +
+OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT +
+BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR +
+THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE +
+SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE +
+UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF +
+ANY SUCH STATE. +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION--PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS DATED JANUARY , 1997
HOME EQUITY LOANS
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION, SELLER AND SERVICER
CERTIFICATES FOR HOME EQUITY LOANS
(ISSUABLE IN SERIES)
Certificates for Home Equity Loans ("Certificates") of one or more series
(each, a "Series") may be sold from time to time under this Prospectus and a
Prospectus Supplement for each such Series. The Certificates of each Series may
be issued in one or more classes or subclasses (each, a "Class"), as further
described herein. If the Certificates of a Series are issued in more than one
Class, all or less than all of such Classes may be sold under this Prospectus,
and there may be separate Prospectus Supplements for one or more of such
Classes so sold. Any reference herein to the Prospectus Supplement relating to
a Series comprised of more than one Class should be understood to refer to each
of the Prospectus Supplements relating to the Classes sold hereunder.
The Certificates evidence specified interests in separate pools of closed-end
home equity loans (the "Loans"), as more particularly described herein, and
liens on the related real estate. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Loans will have been originated in the ordinary
course of business by Green Tree Financial Corporation (the "Company").
Specific information, to the extent available, regarding the size and
composition of the pool of Loans relating to each Series of Certificates will
be set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement. If specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, a pool insurance policy, letter of credit, surety bond,
guarantee of the Company, cash reserve fund, or other form of credit
enhancement, or any combination thereof, may be provided with respect to a
Series of Certificates, or one or more Classes of such Series, evidencing
interests in the Loans. The Company will act as Servicer (in such capacity
referred to herein as the "Servicer") of the Loans.
Each Series of Certificates may include one or more senior Classes of
Certificates (the "Senior Certificates") and one or more subordinate Classes of
Certificates (the "Subordinated Certificates"). A Series of Senior/Subordinated
Certificates may include one or more Classes ("Mezzanine Certificates") which
are subordinated to one or more Classes of Certificates and are senior to one
or more Classes of Certificates. Certificates of a Series may be divided into
two or more Classes which (i) represent interests in specified percentages
(which may be 0%) of principal or interest, or both, in distributions on the
pool of Loans relating to such Series, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, and/or (ii) are entitled to receive distributions in respect of
principal before or after specified principal distributions have been made on
one or more other Classes within such Series, or on a planned or targeted
amortization schedule or upon the occurrence of other specified events. Each
Prospectus Supplement will describe the Series and Class or Classes of
Certificates offered thereby.
The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the Pass-Through Rate that will be
paid to Certificateholders of each Class of a given Series. Such Pass-Through
Rate may be fixed, variable or adjustable, as specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the only
obligations of the Company with respect to a Series of Certificates will be
pursuant to certain limited representations and warranties. Except as otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer's obligations with
respect to the Certificates evidencing interests in a pool of Loans are limited
to its contractual servicing obligations. If so specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer may be obligated, under certain terms and
conditions, to advance the amount of any delinquent payments of principal and
interest during the immediately preceding Due Period (as defined herein), but
only to the extent the Servicer determines such advances are recoverable from
future payments and collections on the delinquent Loans. See "Description of
the Certificates--Advances" and "--Distributions on Certificates."
There will have been no public market for any Certificates sold hereunder
prior to the offering thereof and there is no assurance that any such market
will develop. The Underwriters named in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a
Series may from time to time buy and sell Certificates of such Series, but
there can be no assurance that an active secondary market therefor will
develop, and there is no assurance that any such market, if established, will
continue.
The Company may elect to cause the Trust Fund relating to a Series of
Certificates to be treated as a "Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit" (a
"REMIC") for federal income tax purposes. See "Certain Federal Income Tax
Consequences" herein.
-----------
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAS NOT PASSED ON OR ENDORSED
THE MERITS OF THIS OFFERING. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL.
This Prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of all or a portion of
any Series of Certificates unless accompanied by a Prospectus Supplement
relating to those particular Classes of Certificates.
The date of this Prospectus is January , 1997.
<PAGE>
REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
The Company will cause to be provided to the holders of the Certificates of
each Series certain monthly and annual reports concerning such Certificates and
the related Trust Fund as further described in the related Prospectus
Supplement under "Description of the Certificates--Reports to
Certificateholders."
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Company is subject to the information requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and in accordance
therewith files reports and other information with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission"). Information concerning the Company can be
inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549,
and at the regional offices of the Commission located at 500 West Madison
Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511 and Seven World Trade Center,
13th Floor, New York, New York 10048. Copies of such material can be obtained
from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. The Commission also maintains a
Web site at http://www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information
statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically
with the Commission. The Company's Common Stock and rights to purchase
preferred shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and on the
Pacific Stock Exchange ("PSE"). The Company's Senior Subordinated Debentures
are also listed on the NYSE and the PSE. The Company's Senior Subordinated
Notes are listed on the NYSE. Reports and other information concerning the
Company can be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.,
20 Broad Street, New York, New York and the Pacific Stock Exchange, Inc., 310
Pine Street, San Francisco, California.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Prospectus contains, and the Prospectus Supplement for each Series of
Certificates will contain, a summary of certain material terms of certain of
the documents referred to herein and therein, but neither contains nor will
contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement of which
this Prospectus is a part (the "Registration Statement"). For further
information, reference is made to such Registration Statement and the exhibits
thereto which the Company has filed with the Commission under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended. Statements contained in this Prospectus and any
Prospectus Supplement describing a provision of any CONTRACT or other document
referred to are summaries, and if this Prospectus or such Prospectus Supplement
indicates that such CONTRACT or other document has been filed as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement, reference is made to the copy of the CONTRACT or
other document filed as an exhibit, each such statement being qualified in all
respects by reference to the actual provision being described. Copies of the
Registration Statement can be inspected and, upon payment of the Commission's
prescribed charges, copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the
Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549
and at certain of its Regional Offices located as follows: New York Regional
Office, Seven World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048, and
Chicago Regional Office, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois
60661-2511.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
With respect to any Class of Certificates that is supported by a guarantee of
the Company, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1995, and the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the
quarters ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 1996, all of which have been
filed with the Commission, are hereby incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement.
All documents filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act, subsequent to the date of this Prospectus and prior
to the termination of the offering of the Certificates, shall
2
<PAGE>
be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and the
Prospectus Supplement relating to a Class of Certificates that is supported by
a guarantee of the Company, and to be a part thereof from the respective dates
of filing of such documents. Any statement contained herein or in a document
all or any portion of which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of
this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other
subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
The Company will provide without charge to any person to whom this Prospectus
is delivered, upon the written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or
all of the foregoing documents incorporated herein by reference (other than
certain exhibits to such documents). Requests for such copies should be
directed to John Dolphin, Vice President and Director of Investor Relations,
1100 Landmark Towers, 345 St. Peter Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102-1639,
telephone number (612) 293-3400.
3
<PAGE>
SUMMARY OF TERMS
This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the detailed
information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus and in the accompanying
Prospectus Supplement.
Title of Securities..........
Certificates for Home Equity Loans (Issuable in
Series) (the "Certificates").
Seller....................... Green Tree Financial Corporation (in such capac-
ity referred to herein as the "Company").
Servicer..................... Green Tree Financial Corporation (in such capac-
ity referred to herein as the "Servicer," which
term shall include any successor to Green Tree
Financial Corporation in such capacity under
the applicable Agreement (as defined herein)).
Risk Factors................. Certain special considerations are particularly
relevant to a decision to invest in any Certif-
icates sold hereunder. See "Risk Factors" here-
in.
Securities Offered...........
Certificates evidencing interests in pools of
Loans (as defined herein) may be issued from
time to time in one or more series (each, a
"Series") pursuant to separate Pooling and Ser-
vicing Agreements (each, an "Agreement") be-
tween the Company, as Seller and Servicer, and
the Trustee specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement for such Series of Certificates (the
"Trustee").
The Loans............... The Loans underlying a Series of Certificates
(the "Loan Pool") will be fixed or variable
rate Loans. Such Loans, as specified in the re-
lated Prospectus Supplement, will consist of
closed-end home equity loans (the "Loans").
Each Loan will be secured by the related real
estate.
The Prospectus Supplement for each Series will
provide information with respect to (i) the ag-
gregate principal balance of the Loans compris-
ing the Loan Pool, as of the date specified in
the Prospectus Supplement (the "Cut-off Date");
(ii) the weighted average and range of contrac-
tual rates of interest (each, a "Loan Rate") on
the Loans; (iii) the weighted average and
ranges of terms to scheduled maturity of the
Loans as of origination and as of the Cut-off
Date; (iv) the average outstanding principal
balance of the Loans as of the Cut-off Date;
(v) the range of loan-to-value ratios; and (vi)
the geographic location of improved real estate
underlying the Loans. In addition, if so speci-
fied in the related Prospectus Supplement, ad-
ditional Loans may be purchased from the Com-
pany during the Pre-Funding Period specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement, from funds
on deposit in a Pre-Funding Account.
Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Sup-plement, the Loans will have
been originated by the Company on an individual
basis in the ordinary course of its business.
4
<PAGE>
Description of Certificates.. The Certificates of each Series may be issued in
one or more Classes or subclasses as and on the
terms specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, each of which will evidence the inter-
est specified in the related Prospectus Supple-
ment in the Loan Pool and certain other prop-
erty held in trust for the benefit of the
Certificateholders (the "Trust Fund"). For con-
venience of description, any reference in this
Prospectus to a "Class" of Certificates in-
cludes a reference to any subclasses of such
Class. If so specified in a Prospectus Supple-
ment, a Series of Certificates may include one
or more Classes which (i) are entitled to re-
ceive distributions only in respect of princi-
pal ("Principal Only Certificates"), interest
("Interest Only Certificates") or any combina-
tion thereof, or in specified proportions in
respect of such payments, and/or (ii) are enti-
tled to receive distributions in respect of
principal before or after specified principal
distributions have been made on one or more
other Classes within such Series ("Fast
Pay/Slow Pay Certificates"), or on a planned
amortization schedule ("PAC Certificates") or
targeted amortization schedule ("TAC Certifi-
cates") or upon the occurrence of other speci-
fied events. See "Description of Certificates."
The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the
rate at which interest will be paid to
Certificateholders of each Class of a given Se-
ries (the "Pass-Through Rate"). Such Pass-
Through Rate may be fixed, variable or adjust-
able, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
Each Series of Certificates may include one or
more Classes ("Subordinated Certificates")
which are subordinated in right of distribution
to one or more other Classes ("Senior Certifi-
cates"). Certificates of a Series which in-
cludes Senior and Subordinated Certificates are
referred to herein collectively as
"Senior/Subordinated Certificates." A Series of
Senior/Subordinated Certificates may include
one or more Classes ("Mezzanine Certificates")
which are subordinated to one or more Classes
of Certificates and are senior to one or more
Classes of Certificates.
The Certificates will be issuable in fully reg-
istered form in the authorized denominations
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
See "Description of the Certificates." The Cer-
tificates will not be guaranteed or insured by
any government agency or, unless otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
other insurer and, except as described herein
and in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Loans will not be guaranteed or insured by any
government agency or other insurer.
Subordinated Certificates.... One or more Classes of any Series may be Subor-
dinated Certificates, as specified in the re-
lated Prospectus Supplement. The rights of the
Subordinated Certificateholders to receive any
or
5
<PAGE>
a specified portion of distributions with re-
spect to the Loans will be subordinated to the
rights of Senior Certificateholders to the ex-
tent and in the manner specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement. If a Series of Certifi-
cates contains more than one Class of Subordi-
nated Certificates, distributions and losses
will be allocated among such classes in the
manner specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement. The rights of the Subordinated
Certificateholders, to the extent not subordi-
nated, may be on a parity with those of the Se-
nior Certificateholders. This subordination is
intended to enhance the likelihood of regular
receipt by Senior Certificateholders of the
full amount of scheduled monthly payments of
principal and interest due them and to protect
the Senior Certificateholders against losses.
If so specified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement, Mezzanine Certificates or other
Classes of Subordinated Certificates may be en-
titled to the benefits of other forms of credit
enhancement and may, if rated in one of the
four highest rating categories by a nationally
recognized statistical rating organization, be
offered pursuant to this Prospectus and such
Prospectus Supplement.
Credit Enhancement........... As an alternative, or in addition, to the credit
enhancement afforded by subordination of the
Subordinated Certificates, credit enhancement
with respect to a Series of Certificates may be
provided by pool insurance, letters of credit,
surety bonds, a guarantee of the Company, cash
reserve funds or other forms of enhancement ac-
ceptable to each nationally recognized rating
agency rating a Series of Certificates, in each
case as described in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
Interest..................... Except as otherwise set forth in the related
Prospectus Supplement, interest on the Certifi-
cates will be paid on the dates specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement (each, a
"Payment Date"). The related Prospectus Supple-
ment will set forth for each Class of Certifi-
cates the Pass-Through Rate, if any, for each
such Class or the method of determining such
Pass-Through Rate. See "Yield Considerations"
and "Description of the Certificates." As spec-
ified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
Classes of a Series of Certificates may be en-
titled to receive no interest or interest which
is not proportionate to the principal allocable
to such Certificates.
Principal (Including Except as otherwise set forth in the related
Prepayments)................ Prospectus Supple-ment, principal on each Loan,
including any principal prepayments, will be
passed through on each Payment Date. See "Matu-
rity and Prepayment Considerations" and "De-
scription of the Certificates."
Optional Termination......... Unless otherwise specified in the related Pro-
spectus Supplement, each of the Company or the
Servicer may at its option repurchase all Loans
relating to a Series of Certificates remaining
outstanding at such time under the circum-
stances specified
6
<PAGE>
in such Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise
provided in the related Prospectus Supplement,
the repurchase price will equal the principal
amount of such Loans plus accrued and unpaid
interest thereon. See "Description of the Cer-
tificates--Termination of the Agreement."
Global Certificates.......... If so specified in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, the Certificates of a Series, or of
one or more Classes within a Series, will be
issuable in the form of one or more global cer-
tificates (each, a "Global Certificate") to be
held by a depositary (each, a "Depositary") on
behalf of the beneficial owners of the Certifi-
cates, as described herein under "Description
of the Certificates--Global Certificates." The
description of the Certificates in this Pro-
spectus assumes that the Certificates of a Se-
ries will not be issued in the form of Global
Certificates. If some or all of the Certifi-
cates of a Series are issued in the form of one
or more Global Certificates, the term "Global
Certificateholder," as used herein, will refer
to such beneficial owners of such Certificates,
and the rights of such Certificateholders will
be limited as described herein under "Descrip-
tion of the Certificates--Global Certificates."
Representations and
Warranties of the Company...
As a condition to the Company's conveyance of
any Loan Pool to the Trust Fund, the Company
will be required to make certain representa-
tions and warranties in the related Agreement
regarding the Loans. Under the terms of the
Agreement, if the Company becomes aware of a
breach of any such representation or warranty
that materially adversely affects the Trust
Fund's interest in any Loan or receives written
notice of such a breach from the Trustee or the
Servicer, then the Company will be obligated
either to cure such breach or to repurchase or,
if so provided in the related Prospectus Sup-
plement, substitute for the affected Loan, in
each case under the conditions further de-
scribed herein and in the Prospectus Supple-
ment. See "Description of the Certificates--
Conveyance of Loans."
Federal Income Tax If an election (a "REMIC Election") is made to
Considerations.............. treat the Trust Fund represented by a Series of
Certificates or a segregated portion thereof as
a "real estate mortgage investment conduit" (a
"REMIC") under the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"), the Classes of
Certificates which are offered hereby may con-
stitute "regular interests" or "residual inter-
ests" in such REMIC under the Code, with the
tax consequences under the Code described
herein and in such Prospectus Supplement. If so
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supple-
ment, a Class of Certificates offered hereby
may represent interests in a "two-tier" REMIC,
but all interests in the first and second tier
REMIC will be created under the same Agreement.
See "Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences--
REMIC Series."
7
<PAGE>
If a REMIC Election is not made with respect to
a Series of Certificates, the Trust Fund repre-
sented by such Certificates may be treated as a
grantor trust for federal income tax purposes
and not as an association taxable as a corpora-
tion. In such event, each Certificateholder
will be treated as the owner of an undivided
pro rata interest in income and corpus attrib-
utable to the related Loan Pool and any other
assets held by the Trust Fund and will be con-
sidered the equitable owner of an undivided in-
terest in the Loans included in such Loan Pool.
If a REMIC Election is not made with respect to
a Series of Certificates and the Trust Fund
represented by such Certificates will not be
treated as a grantor trust, the federal income
tax consequences of ownership of such Certifi-
cates will be described in the related Prospec-
tus Supplement. See "Certain Federal Income Tax
Consequences--Non-REMIC Series."
ERISA Considerations......... A fiduciary of any employee benefit plan subject
to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), or the Code,
should review carefully with its legal advisors
whether the purchase or holding of Certificates
could give rise to a transaction prohibited or
otherwise impermissible under ERISA or the
Code. See "ERISA Considerations."
Legal Investment............. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates will
not constitute "mortgage related securities"
under the Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement
Act of 1984, as amended. See "Legal Invest-
ment."
Ratings...................... It is a condition precedent to the issuance of
any Class of Certificates sold under this Pro-
spectus that they be rated in one of the four
highest rating categories (within which there
may be sub-categories or gradations indicating
relative standing) of at least one nationally
recognized statistical rating organization. A
security rating is not a recommendation to buy,
sell or hold securities and may be subject to
revision or withdrawal at any time by the as-
signing rating agency. See "Ratings."
8
<PAGE>
RISK FACTORS
Prospective investors in Certificates should consider, among other things,
the following factors in connection with the purchase of the Certificates:
1. Limited Obligations. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates of a Series will not represent an
interest in or obligation of the Company. The Certificates of any Series
will not be insured or guaranteed by any governmental agency or
instrumentality, any Underwriter or its affiliates, the Servicer or (except
as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement) any other
party.
2. Junior Mortgage Liens; Value of Mortgaged Property. The Company
expects that a substantial number of the liens on the improved real estate
securing the Loans in a given Loan Pool will be junior to other liens on
such real estate. The rights of the Trust Fund (and therefore the
Certificateholders of the related Series), as beneficiary under a
conventional junior deed of trust or as mortgagee under a conventional
junior mortgage, are subordinate to those of the mortgagee or beneficiary
under the senior mortgage or deed of trust, including the prior rights of
the senior mortgagee or beneficiary to cause the property securing the Loan
to be sold upon default of the mortgagor or trustor, thereby extinguishing
the junior mortgagee's or junior beneficiary's lien unless the Servicer on
behalf of the Trust Fund asserts its subordinate interest in the property
in foreclosure litigation and, possibly, satisfies the defaulted senior
loan or loans. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the Loans--Repurchase
Obligations."
A portion of the Loans included in a Loan Pool are expected to have loan-
to-value ratios of 90% or more, based on the aggregate of the outstanding
principal balances of all senior mortgages or deeds of trust and of the
Loan on the one hand, and the value of the home, on the other. See "Green
Tree Financial Corporation--Loan Origination." An overall decline in the
residential real estate market, the general condition of a property
securing a Loan or other factors could adversely affect the value of the
property securing a Loan such that the remaining balance of such Loan,
together with that of any senior liens on the related property, could equal
or exceed the value of the property.
3. Limited Liquidity. There can be no assurance that a secondary market
will develop for the Certificates of any Series, or, if it does develop,
that it will provide the holders of any of the Certificates with liquidity
of investment or that if such a secondary market develops that it will
continue to exist for the term of any Series of Certificates.
4. Non-recordation of Mortgage Assignments. Because of the expense and
administrative inconvenience involved, the Company will not record the
assignment to the Trustee of the mortgage or deed of trust securing any
Loan. In some states, in the absence of such recordation, the assignment to
the related Trustee of the mortgage or deed of trust securing a Loan may
not be effective against creditors of or purchasers from the Company or a
trustee in bankruptcy of the Company.
5. Certain Matters Relating to Insolvency. The Company intends that each
transfer of Loans to the related Trust Fund constitute a sale, rather than
a pledge of the Loans to secure indebtedness of the Company. However, if
the Company were to become a debtor under the federal bankruptcy code, it
is possible that a creditor or trustee in bankruptcy of the Company or the
Company as debtor-in-possession may argue that the sale of the Loans by the
Company was a pledge of the Loans rather than a sale. This position, if
presented to or accepted by a court, could result in a delay in or
reduction of distributions to the Certificateholders.
THE TRUST FUND
GENERAL
Each Trust Fund will include (i) a Loan Pool, (ii) the amounts held from time
to time in a trust account (the "Certificate Account") maintained by the
Trustee pursuant to the Agreement, (iii) any letter of credit, guarantee,
surety bond, insurance policy, cash reserve fund or other credit enhancement
securing payment of
9
<PAGE>
all or part of a Series of Certificates, and (iv) such other property as may be
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
Each Certificate will evidence the interest specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement in one Trust Fund, containing one Loan Pool comprised of
Loans having the aggregate principal balance as of the specified day of the
month of the creation of the pool (the "Cut-off Date") specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement. Holders of Certificates of a Series will have interests
only in such Loan Pool and will have no interest in the Loan Pool created with
respect to any other Series of Certificates. If so specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Trust Fund may include a Pre-Funding Account which
would be used to purchase additional Loans ("Subsequent Loans") from the
Company during the Pre-Funding Period specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement. The related Prospectus Supplement will specify the conditions that
must be satisfied prior to any transfer of Subsequent Loans, including the
requisite characteristics of the Subsequent Loans.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, all of
the Loans will have been originated by the Company in the ordinary course of
its business. Specific information respecting the Loans included in each Trust
Fund will be provided in the related Prospectus Supplement and, to the extent
not contained in the related Prospectus Supplement, in a report on Form 8-K to
be filed with the Commission within fifteen days after the initial issuance of
the Certificates. A copy of the Agreement with respect to each Series of
Certificates will be attached to the Form 8-K and will be available for
inspection at the corporate trust office of the Trustee specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. A schedule of the Loans relating to such Series
will be attached to the Agreement delivered to the Trustee upon delivery of the
Certificates.
Whenever in this Prospectus terms such as "Loan Pool," "Trust Fund,"
"Agreement" or "Pass-Through Rate" are used, those terms respectively apply,
unless the context otherwise indicates, to one specific Loan Pool and Trust
Fund, each Agreement and each Pass-Through Rate applicable to the related Class
of Certificates.
THE LOAN POOLS
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Loan
Pool will consist of closed-end home equity loans (the "Loans"), originated by
the Company on an individual basis in the ordinary course of business. All
Loans will be secured by the related real estate. Except as otherwise specified
in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Loans will be fully amortizing and
will bear interest at a fixed or variable annual percentage rate (the "Loan
Rate").
For each Series of Certificates, the Company will assign the Loans
constituting the Loan Pool to the trustee named in the related Prospectus
Supplement (the "Trustee"). The Company, as Servicer (in such capacity referred
to herein as the "Servicer", which term shall include any successor to the
Company in such capacity under the applicable Agreement), will service the
Loans pursuant to the Agreement. See "Description of the Certificates--
Servicing." Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
the Loan documents will be held by the Trustee or a custodian on its behalf.
Each Loan Pool will be composed of Loans bearing interest at the Loan Rates
specified in the Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise stated in the related
Prospectus Supplement, each registered holder of a Certificate will be entitled
to receive periodic distributions, which will be monthly unless otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, of all or a portion of
principal on the underlying Loans or interest on the principal balance of such
Certificate (or on some other principal balance unrelated to that of such
Certificate) at the Pass-Through Rate, or both.
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The related Prospectus Supplement will specify for the Loans contained in the
related Loan Pool, among other things, the range of the dates of origination of
the Loans; the range of the Loan Rates and the weighted average Loan Rate; the
minimum and maximum outstanding principal balances and the average outstanding
principal balance as of the Cut-off Date; the aggregate principal balance of
the Loans included in the Loan Pool as of the Cut-off Date; the weighted
average and range of scheduled terms to maturity as of origination and as of
the Cut-off Date; the range of original maturities of the Loans and the last
maturity date of any Loan; and the geographic location of improved real estate
securing the Loans. If the Trust Fund includes a Pre-Funding Account, the
related Prospectus Supplement will specify the conditions that must be
satisfied prior to any transfer of Subsequent Loans, including the requisite
characteristics of the Subsequent Loans.
The Company will make representations and warranties as to the types and
geographical distribution of the Loans included in a Loan Pool and as to the
accuracy in all material respects of certain information furnished to the
Trustee in respect of each such Loan. Upon a breach of any representation or
warranty that materially and adversely affects the interests of the
Certificateholders in a Loan, the Company will be obligated to cure the breach
in all material respects, or to repurchase or substitute for the Loan as
described below. This repurchase obligation constitutes the sole remedy
available to the Certificateholders or the Trustee for a breach of
representation or warranty by the Company. See "Description of the
Certificates--Conveyance of Loans."
USE OF PROCEEDS
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement,
substantially all of the net proceeds to be received from the sale of each
Series of Certificates will be used by the Company for general corporate
purposes, including the origination or acquisition of additional and home
equity loans, costs of carrying such loans until sale of the related
certificates and to pay other expenses connected with pooling the Loans and
issuing the Certificates.
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
GENERAL
The Company is a Delaware corporation which, as of December 31, 1995, had
stockholders' equity of approximately $925,022,000. The Company purchases,
pools, sells and services conditional sales contracts for manufactured homes
and other consumer installment sales contracts, as well as home equity loans.
The Company is the largest servicer of government-insured manufactured housing
contracts and conventional manufactured housing contracts in the United States.
Servicing functions are performed through Green Tree Financial Servicing
Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Through its principal
offices in St. Paul, Minnesota, and service centers throughout the United
States, the Company serves all 50 states. The Company began financing home
equity loans in January 1996. The Company also purchases, pools and services
installment sales contracts for various consumer products. The Company's
principal executive offices are located at 1100 Landmark Towers, 345 St. Peter
Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102-1639 (telephone (612) 293-3400). The
Company's quarterly and annual reports are available from the Company upon
written request made to the Company.
LOAN ORIGINATION
The Company has originated closed-end home equity loans since January 1996.
As of September 30, 1996, the Company had approximately $414,728,000 aggregate
principal amount of outstanding closed-end home equity loans.
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Through a system of regional offices, the Company markets its home equity
lending directly to consumers using a variety of marketing techniques. The
Company also reviews and re-underwrites loan applications forwarded by
correspondent lenders.
The Company's credit approval process analyzes both the equity position of
the requested loan (including both the priority of the lien and the combined
loan-to-value ratio) and the applicant's creditworthiness; to the extent the
requested loan would have a less favorable (or more favorable) equity position,
the creditworthiness of the borrower must be stronger (or may be weaker). The
loan-to-value ratio of the requested loan, combined with any existing loans
with a senior lien position, may not exceed 95% without senior management
approval. In most circumstances, an appraisal of the property is required.
Currently, loans secured by a first mortgage with an obligor having a superior
credit rating may not exceed $300,000 without senior management approval, and
loans secured by a second mortgage with an obligor having a superior credit
rating may not exceed $250,000 without senior management approval.
YIELD CONSIDERATIONS
The Pass-Through Rates and the weighted average Loan Rate of the Loans (as of
the related Cut-off Date) relating to each Series of Certificates will be set
forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The Prospectus Supplement for each Series will indicate that a lower rate of
principal prepayments than anticipated would negatively affect the total return
to investors of any Class of Certificates that is offered at a discount to its
principal amount, and a higher rate of principal prepayments than anticipated
would negatively affect the total return to investors of any such Class of
Certificates that is offered at a premium to its principal amount or without
any principal amount.
The yield on some types of Certificates which may be offered hereby, such as
Interest Only Certificates, Principal Only Certificates, and Fast Pay/Slow Pay
Certificates, may be particularly sensitive to prepayment rates, and to changes
in prepayment rates, on the underlying Loans. If so stated in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the yield on some types of Certificates which may be
offered hereby could change and may be negative under certain prepayment rate
scenarios. Accordingly, some types of Certificates may not be legal or
appropriate investments for certain financial institutions, pension funds or
others. See "ERISA Considerations" and "Legal Investment Considerations." In
addition, the timing of changes in the rate of prepayment on the Loans included
in a Loan Pool may significantly affect an investor's actual yield to maturity,
even if the average prepayment rate over time is consistent with the investor's
expectations. In general, the earlier that prepayments on Loans occur, the
greater the effect on the investor's yield to maturity.
MATURITY AND PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
MATURITY
Unless otherwise described in an applicable Prospectus Supplement, all of the
Loans will have maturities at origination of not more than 30 years.
PREPAYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Loans generally may be prepaid in full or in part without penalty. The
Company has no significant experience with respect to the rate of principal
prepayments on home equity loans. Because the Loans have scheduled due dates
throughout the calendar month, and because (unless otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement) all principal prepayments will be passed through
to Certificateholders of the related Series on the Payment Date following the
Due Period in which such principal prepayment occurred, prepayments on the
Loans would affect the amount of funds available to make distributions on the
Certificates
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on any Payment Date only if a substantial portion of the Loans prepaid prior to
their respective due dates in a particular month (thus paying less than 30
days' interest for that Due Period) while very few Loans prepaid after their
respective due dates in that month. In addition, liquidations of defaulted
Loans or the Servicer's or the Company's exercise of its option to repurchase
the entire remaining pool of Loans (see "Description of the Certificates--
Repurchase Option") will affect the timing of principal distributions on the
Certificates of a Series.
Information regarding the prepayment standard or model or any other rate of
assumed prepayment, as applicable, will be set forth in the Prospectus
Supplement with respect to a Series of Certificates. Although the related
Prospectus Supplement will specify the prepayment assumptions used to price any
Series of Certificates, there can be no assurance that the Loans will prepay at
such rate, and it is unlikely that prepayments or liquidations of the Loans
will occur at any constant rate.
See "Description of the Certificates--Repurchase Option" for a description of
the Company's or Servicer's option to repurchase the Loans comprising part of a
Trust Fund when the aggregate outstanding principal balance of such Loans is
less than a specified percentage of the initial aggregate outstanding principal
balance of such Loans as of the related Cut-off Date. See also "The Trust
Fund--The Loan Pools" for a description of the obligations of the Company to
repurchase a Loan in case of a breach of a representation or warranty relative
to such Loan.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CERTIFICATES
Each Series of Certificates will be issued pursuant to a separate pooling and
servicing agreement (each, an "Agreement") to be entered into among the
Company, as seller and Servicer, and the trustee named in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Trustee"), and such other parties, if any, as are
described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The following summaries
describe certain provisions expected to be common to each Agreement and the
related Certificates, but do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and
are qualified in their entirety by reference to, the provisions of the related
Agreement and the description set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The provisions of the form of Agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement of which this Prospectus is a part (the "Registration Statement")
that are not described herein may differ from the provisions of any actual
Agreement. The material differences will be described in the related Prospectus
Supplement. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the form of Agreement filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.
Each Series of Certificates will have been rated in the rating category by
the rating agency or agencies specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
GENERAL
The Certificates may be issued in one or more Classes. If the Certificates of
a Series are issued in more than one Class, the Certificates of all or less
than all of such Classes may be sold pursuant to this Prospectus, and there may
be separate Prospectus Supplements relating to one or more of such Classes so
sold. Any reference herein to the Prospectus Supplement relating to a Series
comprised of more than one Class should be understood as a reference to each of
the Prospectus Supplements relating to the Classes sold hereunder. Any
reference herein to the Certificates of a Class should be understood to refer
to the Certificates of a Class within a Series or all of the Certificates of a
single-Class Series, as the context may require. For convenience of
description, any reference in this Prospectus to a "Class" of Certificates
includes a reference to any subclasses of such Class.
The Certificates of each Series will be issued in fully registered form only
and will represent the interests specified in the related Prospectus Supplement
in a separate trust fund (the "Trust Fund") created pursuant
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to the related Agreement. The Trust Fund will be held by the Trustee for the
benefit of the Certificateholders. Each Trust Fund, to the extent specified in
the related Prospectus Supplement, will include (i) Loans (the "Loan Pool")
which are subject to the Agreement, (ii) the amounts held in the Certificate
Account from time to time, (iii) any letter of credit, guarantee, surety bond,
insurance policy, cash reserve fund or other credit enhancement securing
payment of all or part of a Series of Certificates and (iv) such other property
as may be specified in the related Prospectus Supplement. Except as otherwise
specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Certificates will be freely
transferable and exchangeable at the corporate trust office of the Trustee at
the address set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement. No service charge
will be made for any registration of exchange or transfer of Certificates, but
the Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge.
Ownership of each Loan Pool may be evidenced by one or more Classes of
Certificates, each representing the interest in the Loan Pool specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement. Each Series of Certificates may include one or
more Classes ("Subordinated Certificates") which are subordinated in right of
distribution to one or more other Classes ("Senior Certificates"), as provided
in the related Prospectus Supplement. Certificates of a Series which includes
Senior and Subordinated Certificates are referred to herein collectively as
"Senior/Subordinated Certificates." A Series of Senior/Subordinated
Certificates may include one or more Classes ("Mezzanine Certificates") which
are subordinated to one or more Classes of Certificates and are senior to one
or more Classes of Certificates. The Prospectus Supplement with respect to a
Series of Senior/Subordinated Certificates will set forth, among other things,
the extent to which the Subordinated Certificates are subordinated (which may
include a formula for determining the subordinated amount or for determining
the allocation of the Amount Available (hereinafter defined) among Senior
Certificates and Subordinated Certificates), the allocation of losses among the
Classes of Subordinated Certificates, the period or periods of such
subordination, the minimum subordinated amount, if any, and any distributions
or payments which will not be affected by such subordination. The protection
afforded to the Senior Certificateholders from the subordination feature
described above will be effected by the preferential right of such
Certificateholders to receive current distributions from the Loan Pool. If a
Series of Certificates contains more than one Class of Subordinated
Certificates, losses will be allocated among such Classes in the manner
described in the Prospectus Supplement. If so specified in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement, Mezzanine Certificates or other Classes of Subordinated
Certificates may be entitled to the benefits of other forms of credit
enhancement and may, if rated in one of the four highest rating categories by a
nationally recognized statistical rating organization, be offered pursuant to
this Prospectus and such Prospectus Supplement.
If so specified in a Prospectus Supplement, a Series of Certificates may
include one or more Classes which (i) are entitled to receive distributions
only in respect of principal ("Principal Only Certificates"), interest
("Interest Only Certificates") or any combination thereof, or in specified
proportions in respect of such payments, and/or (ii) are entitled to receive
distributions in respect of principal before or after specified principal
distributions have been made on one or more other Classes within such Series
("Fast Pay/Slow Pay Certificates"), or on a planned amortization schedule ("PAC
Certificates") or targeted amortization schedule ("TAC Certificates") or upon
the occurrence of other specified events. The Prospectus Supplement will set
forth the rate at which interest will be paid to Certificateholders of each
Class of a given Series (the "Pass-Through Rate"). Such Pass-Through Rate may
be fixed, variable or adjustable, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement.
The related Prospectus Supplement will specify the minimum denomination or
initial principal amount of Loans evidenced by a single Certificate of each
Class of Certificates of a Series (a "Single Certificate").
Distributions of principal and interest on the Certificates will be made on
the payment dates set forth in the related Prospectus Supplement (each, a
"Payment Date") to the persons in whose names the Certificates are registered
at the close of business on the related record date specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Record Date"). Distributions will be made by check
mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears on the
Certificate Register, or, to the extent described in the related Prospectus
Supplement, by
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wire transfer, except that the final distribution in retirement of Certificates
will be made only upon presentation and surrender of the Certificates at the
office or agency of the Trustee specified in the final distribution notice to
Certificateholders.
GLOBAL CERTIFICATES
The Certificates of a Class may be issued in whole or in part in the form of
one or more global certificates (each, a "Global Certificate") that will be
deposited with, or on behalf of, and registered in the name of a nominee for, a
depositary (the "Depositary") identified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
The description of the Certificates contained in this Prospectus assumes that
the Certificates will be issued in definitive form. If the Certificates of a
Class are issued in the form of one or more Global Certificates, the term
"Certificateholder" should be understood to refer to the beneficial owners of
the Global Certificates, and the rights of such Certificateholders will be
limited as described under this subheading.
Global Certificates will be issued in registered form. Unless and until it is
exchanged in whole or in part for a Certificate in definitive form, a Global
Certificate may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such
Global Certificate to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such
Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary.
The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any
Certificates of a Class will be described in the related Prospectus Supplement.
It is anticipated that the following provisions will apply to all depositary
arrangements:
Upon the issuance of a Global Certificate, the Depositary for such Global
Certificate will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system,
the respective denominations of the Certificates represented by such Global
Certificate to the accounts of institutions that have accounts with such
Depositary ("participants"). Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global
Certificate will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests
through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in such Global
Certificate will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership will be
effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary for such Global
Certificate or by participants or persons that hold through participants. The
laws of some states require that certain purchasers of securities take physical
delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and such laws may
impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Certificate.
So long as the Depositary for a Global Certificate, or its nominee, is the
owner of such Global Certificate, such Depositary or such nominee, as the case
may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Certificates
represented by such Global Certificate for all purposes under the Agreement
relating to such Certificates. Except as set forth below, owners of beneficial
interests in a Global Certificate will not be entitled to have Certificates of
the Series represented by such Global Certificate registered in their names,
will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of Certificates of
such Series in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders
thereof under the Agreement governing such Certificates.
Distributions or payments on Certificates registered in the name of or held
by a Depositary or its nominee will be made to the Depositary or its nominee,
as the case may be, as the registered owner for the holder of the Global
Certificate representing such Certificates. In addition, all reports required
under the applicable Agreement to be made to Certificateholders (as described
below under "Reports to Certificateholders") will be delivered to the
Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be. None of the Company, Servicer,
Trustee, or any agent thereof (including any applicable Certificate Registrar
or Paying Agent), will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of
the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership
interests in a Global Certificate or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing
any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for providing
reports to the related beneficial owners.
The Company expects that the Depositary for Certificates of a Class, upon
receipt of any distribution or payment in respect of a Global Certificate, will
credit immediately participants' accounts with payments in
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amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interest in such Global
Certificate as shown on the records of such Depositary. The Company also
expects that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in such
Global Certificate held through such participants will be governed by standing
instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held
for the accounts of customers registered in "street name," and will be the
responsibility of such participants.
If a Depositary for Certificates of a Class is at any time unwilling or
unable to continue as Depositary and a successor depositary is not appointed by
or on behalf of the Company within the time period specified in the Agreement,
the Company will cause to be issued Certificates of such Class in definitive
form in exchange for the related Global Certificate or Certificates. In
addition, the Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine not
to have any Certificates of a Class represented by one or more Global
Certificates and, in such event, will cause to be issued Certificates of such
Class in definitive form in exchange for the related Global Certificate or
Certificates. Further, if the Company so specifies with respect to the
Certificates of a Class, an owner of a beneficial interest in a Global
Certificate representing Certificates of such Class may, on terms acceptable to
the Company and the Depositary for such Global Certificate, receive
Certificates of such Class in definitive form. In any such instance, an owner
of a beneficial interest in a Global Certificate will be entitled to physical
delivery in definitive form of Certificates of the Class represented by such
Global Certificate equal in denominations to such beneficial interest and to
have such Certificates registered in its name.
CONVEYANCE OF LOANS
The Company will transfer, assign, set over and otherwise convey to the
Trustee all right, title and interest of the Company in the Loans, including
all principal and interest received on or with respect to the Loans (other than
receipts of principal and interest due on the Loans before the Cut-off Date).
On behalf of the Trust Fund, as the issuer of the related Series of
Certificates, the Trustee, concurrently with such conveyance, will execute and
deliver the Certificates to the order of the Company. The Loans will be as
described on a list attached to the Agreement. Such list will include the
amount of monthly payments due on each Loan as of the date of issuance of the
Certificates, the Loan Rate on each Loan and the maturity date of each Loan.
Such list will be available for inspection by any Certificateholder at the
principal executive office of the Servicer. Prior to the conveyance of the
Loans to the Trust Fund, the Company's internal audit department will complete
a review of all of the Loan files confirming the accuracy of the list of Loans
delivered to the Trustee. Any Loan discovered not to agree with such list in a
manner that is materially adverse to the interests of the Certificateholders
will be repurchased or substituted for by the Company, or, if the discrepancy
relates to the unpaid principal balance of a Loan, the Company may deposit cash
in the separate account maintained at an Eligible Institution in the name of
the Trustee (the "Certificate Account") in an amount sufficient to offset such
discrepancy. If the Trust Fund includes a Pre-Funding Account, the related
Prospectus Supplement will specify the conditions that must be satisfied prior
to any transfer of Subsequent Loans, including the requisite characteristics of
the Subsequent Loans.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Trustee
or its custodian will maintain possession of the Loans and any other documents
contained in the Loan files. Uniform Commercial Code financing statements will
be filed in Minnesota reflecting the sale and assignment of the Loans to the
Trustee, and the Company's accounting records and computer systems will also
reflect such sale and assignment.
The counsel to the Company identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement
will render an opinion to the Trustee that the transfer of the Loans from the
Company to the related Trust Fund would, in the event the Company became a
debtor under the United States Bankruptcy Code, be treated as a true sale and
not as a pledge to secure borrowings. If, however, the transfer of the Loans
from the Company to the Trust Fund were treated as a pledge to secure
borrowings by the Company, the distribution of proceeds of the Loans
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to the Trust Fund might be subject to the automatic stay provisions of the
United States Bankruptcy Code, which would delay the distribution of such
proceeds for an uncertain period of time. In addition, a bankruptcy trustee
would have the power to sell the Loans if the proceeds of such sale could
satisfy the amount of the debt deemed owed by the Company, or the bankruptcy
trustee could substitute other collateral in lieu of the Loans to secure such
debt, or such debt could be subject to adjustment by the bankruptcy trustee if
the Company were to file for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United
States Bankruptcy Code.
Except as otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Company will make certain representations and warranties in the Agreement with
respect to each Loan as of the related Closing Date, including that: (a) as of
the Cut-off Date the most recent scheduled payment was made or was not
delinquent more than 59 days; (b) no provision of a Loan has been waived,
altered or modified in any respect, except by instruments or documents included
in the Loan file and reflected on the list of Loans delivered to the Trustee;
(c) each Loan is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Obligor and is
enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as may be limited by laws
affecting creditors rights generally); (d) no Loan is subject to any right of
rescission, set-off, counterclaim or defense; (e) each Loan was originated by a
home equity lender in the ordinary course of such lender's business and
assigned to the Company or was originated by the Company directly; (f) no Loan
was originated in or is subject to the laws of any jurisdiction whose laws
would make the transfer of the Loan or an interest therein pursuant to the
Agreement or the Certificates unlawful; (g) each Loan complies with all
requirements of law; (h) no Loan has been satisfied, subordinated to a lower
lien ranking than its original position (if any) or rescinded; (i) each Loan
creates a valid and perfected lien on the related improved real estate; (j) all
parties to each Loan had full legal capacity to execute such Loan; (k) no Loan
has been sold, conveyed and assigned or pledged to any other person and the
Company has good and marketable title to each Loan free and clear of any
encumbrance, equity, loan, pledge, charge, claim or security interest, and is
the sole owner and has full right to transfer such Loan to the Trustee; (l) as
of the Cut-off Date there was no default, breach, violation or event permitting
acceleration under any Loan (except for payment delinquencies permitted by
clause (a) above), no event that with notice and the expiration of any grace or
cure period would constitute a default, breach, violation or event permitting
acceleration under such Loan, and the Company has not waived any of the
foregoing; (m) each Loan is a fully-amortizing loan with a fixed rate of
interest and provides for level payments over the term of such Loan; (n) each
Loan contains customary and enforceable provisions such as to render the rights
and remedies of the holder thereof adequate for realization against the
collateral; (o) the description of each Loan set forth in the list delivered to
the Trustee is true and correct; (p) there is only one original of each Loan;
and (q) each Loan was originated or purchased in accordance with the Company's
then-current underwriting guidelines.
Under the terms of the Agreement, if the Company becomes aware of a breach of
any such representation or warranty that materially adversely affects the Trust
Fund's interest in any Loan or receives written notice of such a breach from
the Trustee or the Servicer, then the Company will be obligated either to cure
such breach or to repurchase or, if so provided in the related Prospectus
Supplement, substitute for the affected Loan, in each case under the conditions
further described herein and in the Prospectus Supplement. This repurchase
obligation will constitute the sole remedy available to the Trust Fund and the
Certificateholders for a breach of a representation or warranty under the
Agreement with respect to the Loans (but not with respect to any other breach
by the Company of its obligations under the Agreement). If a prohibited
transaction tax under the REMIC provisions of the Code is incurred in
connection with such repurchase, distributions otherwise payable to Residual
Certificateholders will be applied to pay such tax. The Company will be
required to pay the amount of such tax that is not funded out of such
distributions.
The "Repurchase Price" of a Loan at any time means the outstanding principal
amount of such Loan (without giving effect to any Advances made by the Servicer
or the Trustee), plus interest at the applicable Pass-Through Rate on such Loan
from the end of the Due Period with respect to which the Obligor last made a
payment (without giving effect to any Advances made by the Servicer or the
Trustee) through the end of the immediately preceding Due Period.
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PAYMENTS ON LOANS
Each Certificate Account will be a trust account established by the Servicer
as to each Series of Certificates in the name of the Trustee (i) with a
depository institution, the long-term unsecured debt obligations of which at
the time of any deposit therein are rated within the two highest rating
categories, or such other rating category as will not adversely affect the
ratings assigned to the Certificates, by each rating agency rating the
Certificates of such Series, (ii) with the trust department of a national bank,
(iii) in an account or accounts the deposits in which are fully insured by the
FDIC, (iv) in an account or accounts the deposits in which are insured by the
FDIC (to the limits established by the FDIC), the uninsured deposits in which
are otherwise secured such that, as evidenced by an opinion of counsel, the
Certificateholders have a claim with respect to the funds in the Certificate
Account or a perfected first priority security interest against any collateral
securing such funds that is superior to the claims of any other depositors or
general creditors of the depository institution with which the Certificate
Account is maintained or (v) otherwise acceptable to the rating agency without
reduction or withdrawal of the rating assigned to the relevant Certificates.
The collateral eligible to secure amounts in the Certificate Account is limited
to United States government securities and certain other high-quality
investments specified in the applicable Agreement ("Eligible Investments"). A
Certificate Account may be maintained as an interest-bearing account, or the
funds held therein may be invested pending each succeeding Payment Date in
Eligible Investments.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer
will deposit in the Certificate Account on a daily basis all proceeds and
collections received or made by it with respect to the related Loans subsequent
to the Cut-off Date (including scheduled payments of principal and interest due
after the Cut-off Date but received by the Servicer on or before the Cut-off
Date), including:
(i) all Obligor payments on account of principal, including principal
prepayments, on the Loans;
(ii) all Obligor payments on account of interest on the Loans;
(iii) all amounts received and retained in connection with the
liquidation of defaulted Loans, net of liquidation expenses ("Net
Liquidation Proceeds");
(iv) any Advances made as described under "Advances" below and certain
other amounts required under the Agreement to be deposited in the
Certificate Account;
(v) all amounts received from any credit enhancement provided with
respect to a Series of Certificates; and
(vi) all proceeds of any Loan or property acquired in respect thereof
repurchased by the Servicer or the Company, as described under "Conveyance
of Loans" above or under "Repurchase Option" below.
DISTRIBUTIONS ON CERTIFICATES
Except as otherwise provided in the related Prospectus Supplement, on each
Payment Date for a Series of Certificates, the Trustee will withdraw from the
applicable Certificate Account and distribute to the Certificateholders of such
Series of record on the preceding Record Date an amount equal to, in the
aggregate, the "Amount Available" for such Payment Date. Unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the "Amount Available" for a
Payment Date is an amount equal to the aggregate of all amounts on deposit in
the Certificate Account as of the seventh Business Day following the end of the
related Due Period, or such other date as may be specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement (the "Determination Date") except: (i) all payments on
the Loans that were due on or before the Cut-off Date; (ii) all payments or
collections received after the Due Period preceding the month in which the
Payment Date occurs; (iii) all scheduled payments of principal and interest due
on a date or dates subsequent to the Due Period preceding the Determination
Date; (iv) amounts representing reimbursement for Advances, such reimbursement
being limited, if so specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, to amounts
received on particular Loans as late collections of principal or interest as to
which the Servicer has made an unreimbursed Advance; and (v) amounts
representing reimbursement for any unpaid Servicing Fee. In the case of a
Series of Certificates
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which includes only one Class, the Amount Available for each Payment Date will
be distributed pro rata to the holders of such Certificates. In the case of any
other Series of Certificates, the Amount Available for each Payment Date will
be allocated and distributed to holders of the Certificates of such Series
pursuant to the method and in the order of priority specified in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement. The amount of principal and interest specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement to be distributed to Certificateholders is
referred to herein as the "Certificate Distribution Amount."
Within the time specified in the Agreement and described in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the Servicer will furnish a statement to the Trustee
setting forth the amount to be distributed on the related Payment Date on
account of principal and interest, stated separately, and a statement setting
forth certain information with respect to the Loans.
ADVANCES
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, to the
extent that collections on a Loan in any Due Period are less than the scheduled
payment due thereon, the Servicer will be obligated to make an advance of the
uncollected portion of such scheduled payment. The Servicer will be obligated
to advance a delinquent payment on a Loan only to the extent that the Servicer,
in its sole discretion, expects to recoup such Advance from subsequent
collections on the Loan or from liquidation proceeds thereof. The Servicer will
deposit any Advances in the Certificate Account no later than one Business Day
before the following Payment Date. The Servicer will be entitled to recoup its
advances on a Loan from subsequent payments by or on behalf of the Obligor and
from liquidation proceeds (including foreclosure resale proceeds), if any, of
the Loan, and will release its right to reimbursements in conjunction with the
purchase of the Loan by the Company for breach of representations and
warranties. If the Servicer determines in good faith that an amount previously
advanced will not ultimately be recoverable from payments by or on behalf of
the Obligor or from liquidation proceeds (including foreclosure resale
proceeds), if any, of the Loan (an "Uncollectible Advance"), the Servicer will
be entitled to reimbursement from payments on other Loans or from other funds
available therefor.
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, if the
Servicer fails to make an Advance required under the Agreement, the Trustee
will be obligated to deposit the amount of such Advance in the Certificate
Account on the Payment Date. The Trustee will not, however, be obligated to
deposit any such amount if (i) the Trustee does not expect to recoup such
Advance from subsequent collections on the Loan or from liquidation proceeds
thereof, if any, or (ii) the Trustee determines that it is not legally able to
make such Advance.
EXAMPLE OF DISTRIBUTIONS
The following is an example of the flow of funds as it would relate to a
hypothetical Series of Certificates issued, and with a Cut-off Date occurring,
in March 1996 (all weekdays are assumed to be business days):
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
March 1......................................... (1) Cut-off Date.
March 1-31...................................... (2) Due Period. Servicer
receives scheduled payments
on the Loans and any
principal prepayments made
by Obligors and applicable
interest thereon.
March 29........................................ (3) Record Date.
April 9......................................... (4) Determination Date.
Distribution amount
determined.
April 15........................................ (5) Payment Date.
</TABLE>
Succeeding months follow the pattern of (2) through (5). The flow of funds
with respect to any Series of Certificates may differ from the above example,
as specified in the related Prospectus Supplement.
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- --------
(1) The initial principal balance of the Loan Pool will be the aggregate
principal balance of the Loans at the close of business on the Cut-off
Date, after deducting principal payments due on or before such date, which,
together with corresponding interest payments, are not part of the Loan
Pool and will not be passed through to Certificateholders.
(2) Scheduled payments and principal prepayments may be received at any time
during this period and will be deposited in the Certificate Account by the
Servicer for distribution to Certificateholders. When a Loan is prepaid in
full, interest on the amount prepaid is collected from the Obligor only to
the date of payment.
(3) Distributions on April 15 will be made to Certificateholders of record at
the close of business on the last Business Day of March, being the month
immediately preceding the month of distribution.
(4) On April 9 (the seventh Business Day following the end of the prior Due
Period), the Servicer will determine the amounts of principal and interest
which will be passed through on April 15. In addition, the Servicer may
advance funds to cover any delinquencies, in which event the distribution
to Certificateholders on April 15 will include the full amounts of
principal and interest due during March. The Servicer will also calculate
any changes in the relative interests evidenced by the Senior Certificates
and the Subordinated Certificates in the Trust Fund.
(5) On April 15, the amounts determined on April 9 will be distributed to
Certificateholders.
INDEMNIFICATION
The Agreement requires the Company to defend and indemnify the Trust Fund,
the Trustee (including any agent of the Trustee) and the Certificateholders
(which indemnification will survive any removal of the Servicer as servicer of
the Loans) against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages, claims and
liabilities, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel and expenses of
litigation (a) arising out of or resulting from the use or ownership by the
Company or the Servicer or any affiliate thereof of any real estate related to
a Loan and (b) for any taxes which may at any time be asserted with respect to,
and as of the date of, the conveyance of the Loans to the Trust Fund (but not
including any federal, state or other tax arising out of the creation of the
Trust Fund and the issuance of the Certificates).
The Agreement also requires the Servicer, in connection with its duties as
servicer of the Loans, to defend and indemnify the Trust Fund, the Trustee and
the Certificateholders (which indemnification will survive any removal of the
Servicer as servicer of the Loans) against any and all costs, expenses, losses,
damages, claims and liabilities, including reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel and expenses of litigation, in respect of any action taken by the
Servicer with respect to any Loan while it was the Servicer.
SERVICING
Pursuant to the Agreement, the Servicer will service and administer the Loans
assigned to the Trustee as more fully set forth below. The Servicer will
perform diligently all services and duties specified in each Agreement, in the
same manner as prudent lending institutions of mortgage loans of the same type
as the Loans in those jurisdictions where the related real properties are
located or as otherwise specified in the Agreement. The duties to be performed
by the Servicer will include collection and remittance of principal and
interest payments, collection of insurance claims and, if necessary,
foreclosure of Loans.
The Servicer will make reasonable efforts to collect all payments called for
under the Loans and, consistent with the Agreement, will follow such collection
procedures with respect to the Loans as it follows with respect to mortgage
loans serviced by it that are comparable to the Loans.
Evidence as to Compliance. Unless otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, each Agreement will require the Servicer to deliver to
the Trustee a monthly report prior to each Payment Date, setting forth certain
information regarding the Loan Pool and the Certificates of such Series as is
specified in
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the related Prospectus Supplement. Each such report to the Trustee will be
accompanied by a statement from an appropriate officer of the Servicer
certifying the accuracy of such report and stating that the Servicer has not
defaulted in the performance of its obligations under the Agreement. On or
before May 1 of each year, the Servicer will deliver to the Trustee a report of
a nationally recognized accounting firm stating that such firm has examined
certain documents and records relating to the servicing of home equity loans
serviced by the Servicer under pooling and servicing agreements similar to the
Agreement and stating that, on the basis of such procedures, such servicing has
been conducted in compliance with the Agreement, except for any exceptions set
forth in such report.
Certain Matters Regarding the Servicer. The Servicer may not resign from its
obligations and duties under an Agreement except upon a determination that its
duties thereunder are no longer permissible under applicable law. No such
resignation will become effective until the Trustee or a successor servicer has
assumed the Servicer's obligations and duties under such Agreement. The
Servicer can only be removed as servicer upon the occurrence of an Event of
Termination as discussed below.
The Servicer shall keep in force throughout the term of the Agreement (i) a
policy or policies of insurance covering errors and omissions for failure to
maintain insurance as required by the Agreement, and (ii) a fidelity bond. Such
policy or policies and such fidelity bond shall be in such form and amount as
is generally customary among persons which service a portfolio of home equity
loans having an aggregate principal amount of $10 million or more and which are
generally regarded as servicers acceptable to institutional investors.
Servicing Compensation and Payment of Expenses. For its servicing of the
Loans, the Servicer will receive servicing fees ("Servicing Fees") which
include a Monthly Servicing Fee (which the Company may assign) for each Due
Period (paid on the next succeeding Payment Date) equal to 1/12th of the
product of the annual servicing fee rate described in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement and the Pool Scheduled Principal Balance for such Payment Date. As
long as the Company is the Servicer, the Trustee will pay the Company its
Monthly Servicing Fee from any monies remaining after the Certificateholders
have received all payments of principal and interest for such Payment Date.
The Monthly Servicing Fee provides compensation for customary third-party
servicing activities to be performed by the Servicer for the Trust Fund, for
additional administrative services performed by the Servicer on behalf of the
Trust Fund and for expenses paid by the Servicer on behalf of the Trust Fund.
Customary servicing activities include collecting and recording payments,
communicating with Obligors, investigating payment delinquencies, providing
billing and tax records to Obligors and maintaining internal records with
respect to each Loan. Administrative services performed by the Servicer on
behalf of the Trust Fund include selecting and packaging the Loans, calculating
distributions to Certificateholders and providing related data processing and
reporting services for Certificateholders and on behalf of the Trustee.
Expenses incurred in connection with servicing of the Loans and paid by the
Company from its Monthly Servicing Fees include payment of fees and expenses of
accountants, payments of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
enforcement of Loans or foreclosure on collateral relating thereto, payment of
Trustee's fees, and payment of expenses incurred in connection with
distributions and reports to Certificateholders, except that the Servicer shall
be reimbursed out of the liquidation proceeds of a liquidated Loan for
customary out-of-pocket liquidation expenses incurred by it.
Events of Termination. Except as otherwise specified in the related
Prospectus Supplement, Events of Termination under each Agreement will occur if
(a) the Servicer fails to make any payment or deposit required under the
Agreement (including an Advance) and such failure continues for four business
days; (b) the Servicer fails to observe or perform in any material respect any
other covenant or agreement in the Agreement which continues unremedied for
thirty days; (c) the Servicer conveys, assigns or delegates its duties or
rights under the Agreement, except as specifically permitted under the
Agreement, or attempts to
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<PAGE>
make such a conveyance, assignment or delegation; (d) a court having
jurisdiction in the premises enters a decree or order for relief in respect of
the Servicer in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency
or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appoints a receiver,
liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, or sequestrator (or similar official)
of the Servicer, as the case may be, or enters a decree or order for any
substantial liquidation of its affairs; (e) the Servicer commences a voluntary
case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, or consents to
the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or
consents to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator,
assignee, trustee, custodian or its creditors, or fails to, or admits in
writing its inability to, pay its debts as they become due, or takes any
corporate action in furtherance of the foregoing; (f) the Servicer fails to be
an Eligible Servicer; or (g) if the Company is the Servicer, the Company's
servicing rights under its master seller-servicer contract with GNMA are
terminated. The Servicer will be required under the Agreement to give the
Trustee and the Certificateholders notice of an Event of Termination promptly
upon the occurrence of such event.
Rights Upon Event of Termination. Except as otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, so long as an Event of Termination remains
unremedied, the Trustee may, and at the written direction of Certificateholders
representing 25% or more of the Aggregate Certificate Principal Balance of a
Series shall, terminate all of the rights and obligations of the Servicer under
the related Agreement and in and to the Loans, and the proceeds thereof,
whereupon (subject to applicable law regarding the Trustee's ability to make
advances) the Trustee or a successor Servicer under the Agreement will succeed
to all the responsibilities, duties and liabilities of the Servicer under the
Agreement and will be entitled to similar compensation arrangements; provided,
however, that neither the Trustee nor any successor Servicer will assume any
obligation of the Company to repurchase Loans for breaches of representations
or warranties, and the Trustee and such successor Servicer will not be liable
for any acts or omissions of the prior Servicer occurring prior to a transfer
of the Servicer's servicing and related functions or for any breach by such
Servicer of any of its obligations contained in the Agreement. Notwithstanding
such termination, the Servicer shall be entitled to payment of certain amounts
payable to it prior to such termination, for services rendered prior to such
termination. No such termination will affect in any manner the Company's
obligation to repurchase certain Loans for breaches of representations or
warranties under the Agreement. In the event that the Trustee would be
obligated to succeed the Servicer but is unwilling or unable so to act, it may
appoint, or petition to a court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of, a Servicer. Pending such appointment, the Trustee is obligated to act in
such capacity. The Trustee and such successor may agree upon the servicing
compensation to be paid, which in no event may be greater than the compensation
to the Servicer under the Agreement.
The Trustee will be under no obligation to take any action or to institute,
conduct or defend any litigation under the Agreement at the request, order or
direction of any of the Holders of Certificates, unless such Certificateholders
have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs,
expenses and liabilities which the Trustee may incur.
REPORTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
The Trustee will forward to each Certificateholder on each Payment Date, or
as soon thereafter as is practicable, as specified in the related Prospectus
Supplement, a statement setting forth, among other things:
(a) the amount of such distribution which constitutes Monthly Principal,
specifying the amounts constituting scheduled payments by Obligors,
principal prepayments on the Loans, and other payments with respect to the
Loans;
(b) the amount of such distribution which constitutes Monthly Interest;
(c) the remaining Principal Balance represented by such
Certificateholder's interest;
(d) the amount of fees payable out of the Trust Fund;
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<PAGE>
(e) the Pool Factor (a percentage derived from a fraction the numerator
of which is the remaining Principal Balance of the Certificates and the
denominator of which is the Initial Principal Amount of the Certificates)
immediately before and immediately after such Payment Date;
(f) the number and aggregate principal balance of Loans delinquent (i)
31-59 days, (ii) 60-89 and (iii) 90 or more days;
(g) the number of Loans liquidated during the Due Period ending
immediately before such Payment Date;
(h) such customary factual information as is necessary to enable
Certificateholders to prepare their tax returns; and
(i) such other customary factual information available to the Servicer
without unreasonable expense as is necessary to enable Certificateholders
to comply with regulatory requirements.
REPURCHASE OPTION
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, each
Agreement will provide that on any Payment Date on which the Pool Scheduled
Principal Balance is less than 10% of the Cut-Off Date Pool Principal Balance,
the Company or the Servicer will have the option to repurchase, on 30 days'
prior written notice to the Trustee, all outstanding Loans in the related Loan
Pool at a price equal to the greatest of (i) the principal balance of the Loans
on the prior Payment Date plus 30 days' accrued interest thereon at the
applicable Pass-Through Rate and any delinquent payments of interest thereon,
plus the fair market value (as determined by the Servicer) of any acquired
properties, (ii) the fair market value of all of the assets of the Trust Fund,
and (iii) an amount equal to the Aggregate Certificate Principal Balance of the
related Certificates plus interest on such Certificates payable on and prior to
the Payment Date occurring in the month following such repurchase (less amounts
on deposit in the Certificate Account and available to pay such principal and
interest). Such price will be paid on the Payment Date on which such purchase
occurs to the Certificateholders of record on the last Business Day of the
immediately preceding Due Period in immediately available funds against the
Trustee's delivery of the Loans and any acquired properties to the Servicer.
The distribution of such purchase price to Certificateholders will be in lieu
of any other distribution to be made on such Payment Date with respect to the
related Loans.
AMENDMENT
Unless otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, the
Agreement may be amended by the Company, the Servicer and the Trustee without
the consent of the Certificateholders, (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to
correct or supplement any provision therein that may be inconsistent with any
other provision therein, (iii) if an election has been made with respect to a
particular Series of Certificates to treat the Trust Fund as a real estate
mortgage investment conduit ("REMIC") within the meaning of Section 860D(a) of
the Code, to maintain the REMIC status of the Trust Fund and to avoid the
imposition of certain taxes on the REMIC or (iv) to make any other provisions
with respect to matters or questions arising under such Agreement that are not
inconsistent with the provisions thereof, provided that such action will not
adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the
Certificateholders of the related Series. Unless otherwise specified in the
related Prospectus Supplement, the Agreement may also be amended by the
Company, the Servicer and the Trustee with the consent of the
Certificateholders (other than holders of Residual Certificates) representing
66 2/3% or more of the Aggregate Certificate Principal Balance of a Series for
the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or
eliminating any of the provisions of such Agreement or of modifying in any
manner the rights of the Certificateholders; provided, however, that no such
amendment that reduces in any manner the amount of, or delays the timing of,
any payment received on or with respect to Loans which are required to be
distributed on any Certificate may be effective without the consent of the
Holders of each such Certificate.
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TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT
The obligations created by each Agreement will terminate (after distribution
of all Monthly Principal and Monthly Interest then due to Certificateholders)
on the earlier of (a) the Payment Date next succeeding the later of the final
payment or other liquidation of the last Loan or the disposition of all
property acquired upon foreclosure of any Loan; or (b) the Payment Date on
which the Company or the Servicer repurchases the Loans as described under
"Description of the Certificates--Repurchase Option." However, the Company's
representations, warranties and indemnities will survive any termination of the
Agreement.
THE TRUSTEE
The Prospectus Supplement for a Series of Certificates will specify the
Trustee under the related Agreement. The Trustee may have customary commercial
banking relationships with the Company or its affiliates and the Servicer or
its affiliates.
The Trustee may resign at any time, in which event the Company will be
obligated to appoint a successor Trustee. The Company may also remove the
Trustee if the Trustee ceases to be eligible to continue as such under the
Agreement or if the Trustee becomes insolvent. Any resignation or removal of
the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will not become effective
until acceptance of the appointment by the successor Trustee.
The Trustee will make no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of
the Agreement, the Certificates or any Loan, Loan file or related documents,
and will not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of any
funds paid to the Company, as seller, in consideration of the conveyance of the
Loans, or deposited into or withdrawn from the Certificate Account by the
Servicer. If no Event of Termination has occurred, the Trustee will be required
to perform only those duties specifically required of it under the Agreement.
However, upon receipt of the various certificates, reports or other instruments
required to be furnished to it, the Trustee will be required to examine them to
determine whether they conform as to form to the requirements of the Agreement.
Whether or not an Event of Termination has occurred, the Trustee is not
required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of its duties or the exercise of its powers if it
has reasonable grounds to believe that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
Under the Agreement, the Servicer agrees to pay to the Trustee on each
Payment Date (a) reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it
thereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in
regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) and (b)
reimbursement for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred
or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of the Agreement
(including reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its
agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be
attributable to the Trustee's negligence or bad faith. The Company has agreed
to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss,
liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part,
arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the
Trust Fund and the Trustee's duties thereunder, including the costs and
expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with
the exercise or performance of any of the Trustee's powers or duties
thereunder.
CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE CONTRACTS; REPURCHASE OBLIGATIONS
As a result of the Company's conveyance and assignment of a pool of Loans to
a Trust Fund, the Certificateholders of such Series, as the beneficial owners
of the Trust Fund, will succeed collectively to all of the rights thereunder
(including the right to receive payment on the Loans). The following discussion
contains
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summaries of certain legal aspects of home equity loans secured by residential
properties which are general in nature. Because such legal aspects are governed
by applicable state law (which laws may differ substantially), the summaries do
not purport to be complete nor to reflect the laws of any particular state, nor
to encompass the laws of all states in which the real estate securing the Loans
may be situated or which may govern any Loan. The summaries are qualified in
their entirety by reference to the applicable federal and state laws governing
the Loans.
MORTGAGES AND DEEDS OF TRUST
The Loans will be secured by either mortgages, deeds of trust, security deeds
or deeds to secure debt depending upon the prevailing practice in the state in
which the underlying property is located, and may have first, second or third
priority. In some states, a mortgage creates a lien upon the real property
encumbered by the mortgage or deed of trust. In other states, the mortgage
conveys legal title to the property to the mortgagee subject to a condition
subsequent, i.e., the payment of the indebtedness secured thereby. There are
two parties to a mortgage: the mortgagor, who is the borrower, and the
mortgagee, who is the lender. In a mortgage state, the mortgagor delivers to
the mortgagee a note or retail installment CONTRACT evidencing the loan and the
mortgage. Although a deed of trust is similar to a mortgage, a deed of trust
has three parties: the borrower, or trustor, the lender as beneficiary, and a
third-party grantee called the trustee. Under a deed of trust, the borrower
grants the property, irrevocably until the debt is paid, in trust, generally
with a power of sale, to the trustee to secure repayment of the loan. The
trustee's authority under a deed of trust and the mortgagee's authority under a
mortgage are governed by applicable state law, the express provisions of the
deed of trust or mortgage, and, in some cases with respect to deeds of trust,
the directions of the beneficiary. Some states use a security deed or deed to
secure debt which is similar to a deed of trust except that it has only two
parties: a grantor (similar to a mortgagor) and a grantee (similar to a
mortgagee). Mortgages, deeds of trust and deeds to secure debt are not prior to
liens for real estate taxes and assessments and other charges imposed under
governmental police powers. Priority between mortgages, deeds of trust and
deeds to secure debt and other encumbrances depends on their terms, the
knowledge of the parties to such instrument in some cases and generally on the
order of recordation of the mortgage, deed of trust or the deed to secure debt
in the appropriate recording office.
SUBORDINATE MORTGAGES; RIGHTS OF SENIOR MORTGAGEES OR BENEFICIARIES
A substantial number of the mortgages, security deeds, deeds to secure debt
and deeds of trust securing the Loans in any Loan Pool are expected to be
second or third mortgages or deeds of trust which are junior to mortgages or
deeds of trust held by other lenders or institutional investors. The rights of
the related Trust Fund (and therefore the Certificateholders), as beneficiary
under a junior deed of trust or as mortgagee under a junior mortgage, are
subordinate to those of the mortgagee or beneficiary under the senior mortgage
or deed of trust, including the prior rights of the senior mortgagee or
beneficiary to receive hazard insurance and condemnation proceeds and to cause
the property securing the Loan to be sold upon default of the mortgagor or
trustor under the senior mortgage or deed of trust, thereby extinguishing the
junior mortgagee's or junior beneficiary's lien unless the Servicer on behalf
of the Trust Fund asserts its subordinate interest in the property in
foreclosure litigation and, possibly, satisfies the defaulted senior loan or
loans. As discussed more fully below, a junior mortgagee or beneficiary may
satisfy a defaulted senior loan in full, or in some states may cure such
default and bring the senior loan current, in either event usually adding the
amounts expended to the balance due on the junior loan. Although the Company
generally does not cure defaults under a senior mortgage or deed of trust, it
is the Company's standard practice to protect its interest by attending any
foreclosure sale and bidding for property only if it is in the Company's best
interests to do so.
The standard form of the mortgage or deed of trust used by most institutional
lenders, like that of the Company, confers on the mortgagee or beneficiary the
right both to receive all proceeds collected under any hazard insurance policy
and all awards made in connection with any condemnation proceedings, and to
apply such proceeds and awards to any indebtedness secured by the mortgage or
deed of trust, in such order as the
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<PAGE>
mortgagee or beneficiary may determine. Thus, in the event improvements on the
property are damaged or destroyed by fire or other casualty, or in the event
the property is taken by condemnation, the mortgagee or beneficiary under the
underlying first mortgage or deed of trust will have the prior right to collect
any insurance proceeds payable under a hazard insurance policy and any award of
damages in connection with the condemnation and to apply the same to the
indebtedness secured by the first mortgage or deed of trust. Proceeds in excess
of the amount of first mortgage indebtedness, in most cases, may be applied to
the indebtedness of a junior mortgage or deed of trust.
The form of mortgage or deed of trust used by institutional lenders may
contain a "future advance" clause, which provides, in essence, that additional
amounts advanced to or on behalf of the mortgagor or trustor by the mortgagee
or beneficiary are to be secured by the mortgage or deed of trust. The priority
of any advance made under the clause depends, in some states, on whether the
advance was an "obligatory" or "optional" advance. If the mortgagee or
beneficiary is obligated to advance the additional amounts, the advance is
entitled to receive the same priority as amounts initially advanced under the
mortgage or deed of trust, notwithstanding the fact that there may be junior
mortgages or deeds of trust and other liens which intervene between the date of
recording of the mortgage or deed of trust and the date of the future advance,
and, in some states, notwithstanding that the senior mortgagee or beneficiary
had actual knowledge of such intervening junior mortgages or deeds of trust and
other liens at the time of the advance. Where the mortgagee or beneficiary is
not obligated to advance additional amounts or, in some states, has actual
knowledge of the intervening junior mortgages or deeds of trust and other
liens, the advance will be subordinate to such intervening junior mortgages or
deeds of trust and other liens. Priority of advances under the clause rests, in
some states, on state statutes giving priority to all advances made under the
loan agreement to a "credit limit" amount stated in the recorded mortgage.
Another provision typically found in the form of the mortgage or deed of
trust used by most institutional lenders obligates the mortgagor or trustor to
pay before delinquency all taxes and assessments on the property and, when due,
all encumbrances, charges and liens on the property which appear prior to the
mortgage or deed of trust, to provide and maintain fire insurance on the
property, to maintain and repair the property and not to commit or permit any
waste thereof, and to appear in and defend any action or proceeding purporting
to affect the property or the rights of the mortgagee or beneficiary under the
mortgage or deed of trust. Upon a failure of the mortgagor or trustor to
perform any of these obligations, the mortgagee or beneficiary is given the
right under the mortgage or deed of trust to perform the obligation itself, at
its election, with the mortgagor or trustor agreeing to reimburse the mortgagee
or beneficiary for any sums expended by the mortgagee or beneficiary on behalf
of the mortgagor or trustor. All sums so expended by a senior mortgagee or
beneficiary generally become part of the indebtedness secured by the senior
mortgage or deed of trust.
SUBORDINATE FINANCING
Where the borrower encumbers the mortgaged property with one or more junior
liens, the senior lender is subjected to additional risk. First, the borrower
may have difficulty servicing and repaying multiple loans. Second, acts of the
senior lender which prejudice the junior lender or impair the junior lender's
security may create a superior equity in favor of the junior lender. For
example, if the borrower and the senior lender agree to an increase in the
principal amount of or the interest rate payable on the senior loan, the senior
lender may lose its priority to the extent any existing junior lender is harmed
or the borrower is additionally burdened. Third, if the borrower defaults on
the senior loan and/or any junior loan or loans, the existence of junior loans
and actions taken by junior lenders can impair the security available to the
senior lender and can interfere with or delay the taking of action by the
senior lender. The bankruptcy of a junior lender may operate to stay
foreclosure or similar proceedings by the senior lender.
FORECLOSURE
Foreclosure is a legal procedure that allows the mortgagor to recover its
mortgage debt by enforcing its rights and available remedies under the
mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or security deed.
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Foreclosure of a mortgage is generally accomplished by judicial action. A
foreclosure action is regulated by statutes and rules and subject throughout to
the court's equitable powers. Generally, a mortgagor is bound by the terms of
the mortgage note and the mortgage as made and cannot be relieved from its own
default. However, since a foreclosure action is equitable in nature and is
addressed to a court of equity, the court may relieve a mortgagor of a default
and deny the mortgagee foreclosure on proof that the mortgagor's default was
neither willful nor in bad faith and that the mortgagee's action was such as to
establish a waiver, or fraud, bad faith, oppressive or unconscionable conduct
as to warrant a court of equity to refuse affirmative relief to the mortgagee.
Under certain circumstances a court of equity may relieve the mortgagor from an
entirely technical default where such default was not willful. Generally, the
action is initiated by the service of legal pleadings upon all parties having
an interest of record in the real property. Delays in completion of the
foreclosure occasionally may result from difficulties in locating necessary
parties defendant. When the mortgagee's right to foreclosure is contested, the
legal proceedings necessary to resolve the issue can be time-consuming. After
the completion of a judicial foreclosure proceeding, the court may issue a
judgment of foreclosure and appoint a referee or other officer to conduct the
sale of the property. In some states, mortgages may also be foreclosed by
advertisement, pursuant to a power of sale provided in the mortgage.
Foreclosure of a mortgage by advertisement is essentially similar to
foreclosure of a deed of trust by non-judicial power of sale.
Foreclosure of a deed of trust or a deed to secure debt is generally
accomplished by a non-judicial trustee's sale under a specific provision in the
deed of trust, security deed or deed to secure debt that authorizes the trustee
to sell the property upon any default by the borrower under the terms of the
note, deed of trust, security deed or deed to secure debt. In certain states,
such foreclosure also may be accomplished by judicial action in the manner
provided for foreclosure of mortgages. In some states, prior to a sale, the
trustee must record a notice of default and send a copy to the borrower trustor
and to any person who has recorded a request for a copy of a notice of default
and notice of sale. In addition, prior to such sale, the trustee must provide
notice in some states to any other individual having an interest of record in
the real property, including any junior lienholders. Certain states require
that a notice of sale be posted in a public place and, in most states,
published for a specified period of time in one or more newspapers in a
specified manner prior to the date of trustee's sale. In addition, some state
laws require that a copy of the notice of sale be posted on the property and
sent to all parties having an interest of record in the property.
In some states, the borrower trustor has the right to reinstate the loan at
any time following default until shortly before the trustee's sale. In general,
the borrower, or any other person having a junior encumbrance on the real
estate, may, during a reinstatement period, cure the default by paying the
entire amount in arrears plus the costs and expenses incurred in enforcing the
obligation. Certain state laws control the amount of foreclosure expenses and
costs, including attorney's fees, which may be recovered by a lender.
In the case of foreclosure under either a mortgage or a deed of trust, the
sale by the referee or other designated officer, or by the trustee, is
generally a public sale. However, because of the difficulty a potential third
party buyer at the sale might have in determining the exact status of title and
because the physical condition of the property may have deteriorated during the
foreclosure proceedings, it is not common for a third party to purchase the
property at the foreclosure sale. In some states, there is a statutory minimum
purchase price which the lender may offer for the property. Thereafter, subject
to the right of the borrower in some states to remain in possession during the
redemption period, the lender will assume the burdens of ownership, including
obtaining hazard insurance, paying taxes and making such repairs at its own
expense as are necessary to render the property suitable for sale. The lender
commonly will obtain the services of a real estate broker and pay the broker a
commission in connection with the sale of the property. Depending upon market
conditions, the ultimate proceeds of the sale of the property may not equal the
lender's investment in the property. Any loss resulting from such sale may be
reduced by the receipt of mortgage insurance proceeds, if any.
A second or third mortgagee (junior mortgagee) may not foreclose on the
property securing a second or first mortgage (senior mortgages) unless it
forecloses subject to the senior mortgages, in which case it must
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either pay the entire amount due on the senior mortgages prior to or at the
time of the foreclosure sale or make payments on the senior mortgages in the
event the mortgagor is in default thereunder, in either event adding the
amounts expended to the balance due on the junior loan, and may be subrogated
to the rights of the senior mortgagees. In addition, in the event that the
foreclosure by a junior mortgagee triggers the enforcement of a "due-on-sale"
clause in a senior mortgage, the junior mortgagee may be required to pay the
full amount of the senior mortgages to the senior mortgagees. Accordingly, with
respect to those Loans which are second or third mortgage loans, if the lender
purchases the property, the lender's title will be subject to all senior liens
and claims and certain governmental liens.
The proceeds received by the referee or trustee from the sale are applied
first to the costs, fees, and expenses of sale and then in satisfaction of the
indebtedness secured by the mortgage or deed of trust under which the sale was
conducted. Any remaining proceeds are generally payable to the holders of
junior mortgages or deeds of trust and other liens and claims in order of their
priority, whether or not the borrower is in default. Any additional proceeds
are generally payable to the mortgagor or trustor. The payment of the proceeds
to the holders of junior mortgages may occur in the foreclosure action of the
senior mortgagee or may require the institution of separate legal proceeding.
Some states impose prohibitions or limitations on remedies available to the
mortgagee, including the right to recover the debt from the mortgagor. See "--
Anti-Deficiency Legislation and Other Limitations on Lenders" herein.
In certain jurisdictions, real property transfer or recording taxes or fees
may be imposed on the related Trust Fund with respect to its acquisition (by
foreclosure or otherwise) and disposition of real property securing a Loan, and
any such taxes or fees imposed may reduce liquidation proceeds with respect to
such property, as well as distributions payable to the Certificateholders.
SECOND OR THIRD MORTGAGES
The Loans may be secured by second or third mortgages or deeds of trust,
which are junior to first or second mortgages or deeds of trust held by other
lenders. The rights of the Certificateholders as the holders of a junior deed
of trust, junior mortgage, or junior security deed are subordinate in lien and
in payment to those of the holder of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, or
security deed including the prior rights of the senior mortgagee or beneficiary
to receive and apply hazard insurance and condemnation proceeds and, upon
default of the mortgagor under the senior mortgage or deed of trust, to cause a
foreclosure on the property. Upon completion of the foreclosure proceedings by
the holder of the senior mortgage or the sale pursuant to the senior deed of
trust, the junior mortgagee's or junior beneficiary's lien will be extinguished
unless the junior lienholder satisfies the defaulted senior loan or asserts its
subordinate interest in a property in foreclosure proceedings. Such
extinguishment will eliminate access to the collateral for the Loan. See "--
Foreclosure" herein.
Furthermore, the terms of the junior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure
debt or security deed are subordinate to the terms of the senior mortgage, deed
of trust, deed to secure debt or security deed. In the event of a conflict
between the terms of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or
security deed and the junior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or
security deed, the terms of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure
debt or security deed will govern generally. Upon a failure of the mortgagor or
trustor to perform any of its obligations, the senior mortgagee or beneficiary,
subject to the terms of the senior mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt
or security deed may have the right to perform the obligation itself.
Generally, all sums so expended by the mortgagee or beneficiary become part of
the indebtedness secured by the mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt or
security deed. To the extent a first mortgagee expends such sums, such sums
will generally have priority over all sums due under a junior mortgage, deed of
trust, deed to secure debt or security deed.
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RIGHTS OF REDEMPTION
The purposes of a foreclosure action are to enable the mortgagee to realize
upon its security and to bar the mortgagor, and all persons who have an
interest in the property which is subordinate to the foreclosing mortgagee,
from their "equity of redemption." The doctrine of equity of redemption
provides that, until the property covered by a mortgage has been sold in
accordance with a properly conducted foreclosure and foreclosure sale, those
having an interest which is subordinate to that of the foreclosing mortgagee
have an equity of redemption and may redeem the property by paying the entire
debt with interest. In addition, in some states, when a foreclosure action has
been commenced, the redeeming party must pay certain costs of such action.
Those having an equity of redemption must generally be made parties and duly
summoned to the foreclosure action in order for their equity of redemption to
be barred.
In some states, after sale pursuant to a deed of trust or foreclosure of a
mortgage, the borrower and certain foreclosed junior lienors are given a
statutory period in which to redeem the property from the foreclosure sale. In
certain other states, this right of redemption applies only to sale following
judicial foreclosure, and not to sale pursuant to a non-judicial power of sale.
In most states where the right of redemption is available, statutory redemption
may occur upon payment of the foreclosure purchase price, accrued interest and
expenses of foreclosure. In other states, redemption may be authorized if the
former borrower pays only a portion of the sums due. In some states, the right
to redeem is an equitable right. The equity of redemption, which is a non-
statutory right that must be exercised prior to foreclosure sale, should be
distinguished from statutory rights of redemption. The effect of a right of
redemption is to diminish the ability of the lender to sell the foreclosed
property. The exercise of a right of redemption would defeat the title of any
purchaser at a foreclosure sale, or of any purchaser from the lender subsequent
to judicial foreclosure or sale under a deed of trust. Consequently, the
practical effect of the redemption right is to force the lender to maintain the
property and pay the expenses of ownership until the redemption period has run.
In some states, there is no right to redeem property after a trustee's sale
under a deed of trust.
ANTI-DEFICIENCY LEGISLATION AND OTHER LIMITATIONS ON LENDERS
Certain states have imposed statutory restrictions that limit the remedies of
a beneficiary under a deed of trust or a mortgagee under a mortgage. In some
states, statutes limit the right of the beneficiary or mortgagee to obtain a
deficiency judgment against the borrower following foreclosure or sale under a
deed of trust. A deficiency judgment is a personal judgment against the
borrower equal in most cases to the difference between the amount due to the
lender and the net amount realized upon the public sale.
Some state statutes may require the beneficiary or mortgagee to exhaust the
security afforded under a deed of trust or mortgage by foreclosure in an
attempt to satisfy the full debt before bringing a personal action against the
borrower. In certain other states, the lender has the option of bringing a
personal action against the borrower on the debt without first exhausting such
security; however, in some of these states, the lender, following judgment on
such personal action, may be deemed to have elected a remedy and may be
precluded from exercising remedies with respect to the security. Consequently,
the practical effect of the election requirement, when applicable, is that
lenders will usually proceed first against the security rather than bringing a
personal action against the borrower.
Other statutory provisions may limit any deficiency judgment against the
borrower following a foreclosure sale to the excess of the outstanding debt
over the fair market value of the property at the time of such sale. The
purpose of these statutes is to prevent a beneficiary or a mortgagee from
obtaining a large deficiency judgment against the former borrower as a result
of low or no bids at the foreclosure sale.
In some states, exceptions to the anti-deficiency statutes are provided for
in certain instances where the value of the lender's security has been impaired
by acts or omissions of the borrower, for example, in the event of waste of the
property.
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In addition to anti-deficiency and related legislation, numerous other
federal and state statutory provisions, including the federal bankruptcy laws,
the federal Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940 and state laws
affording relief to debtors, may interfere with or affect the ability of a
secured mortgage lender to realize upon its security and/or enforce a
deficiency judgment. For example, in a Chapter 13 proceeding, the holder may
not be able to obtain a lift of the automatic stay to foreclose if the borrower
has equity and the home is necessary to the bankruptcy reorganization.
Generally, with respect to the federal bankruptcy law, the filing of a petition
acts as a stay against virtually all actions against the debtor, including the
enforcement of remedies of collection of a debt and, often, no interest or
principal payments are made during bankruptcy proceedings. A bankruptcy court
may also grant the debtor a reasonable time to cure a payment default with
respect to a mortgage loan on a debtor's residence by paying arrearages and
reinstate the original mortgage loan payment schedule even though the lender
accelerated the mortgage loan and final judgment of foreclosure had been
entered in state court (provided no sale of the property had yet occurred)
prior to the filing of the debtor's Chapter 13 petition. Some courts with
federal bankruptcy jurisdiction have approved plans, based on the particular
facts of the reorganization case, that effected the curing of a mortgage loan
default by paying arrearages over a number of years. In the case of a mortgage
loan not secured by the debtor's principal residence, courts with federal
bankruptcy jurisdiction may also reduce the monthly payments due under such
mortgage loan, change the rate of interest and alter the mortgage loan
repayment schedule.
The Code provides priority to certain federal tax liens over the lien of the
mortgage or deed of trust. The Bankruptcy Code also provides priority to
certain tax liens over the lien of the mortgage or deed of trust. The laws of
some states provide priority to certain state tax liens over the lien of the
mortgage or deed of trust. Numerous federal and some state consumer protection
laws impose substantive requirements upon mortgage lenders in connection with
the origination, servicing and the enforcement of mortgage loans. These laws
include the federal Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures
Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Credit Billing Act, Fair Credit
Reporting Act, state licensing requirements, and related statutes and
regulations. These federal laws and state laws impose specific statutory
liabilities upon lenders who originate or service mortgage loans and who fail
to comply with the provisions of the law. In some cases, this liability may
affect assignees of the mortgage loans.
CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS WITH RESPECT TO LOANS
Numerous Federal and state consumer protection laws impose substantial
requirements upon creditors involved in consumer finance. These laws include
the Federal Truth-in-Lending Act, Regulation "Z", the Equal Credit Opportunity
Act, Regulation "B", the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and related statutes. The
Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994 (the "Home Protection Act"),
which became effective on October 1, 1995, adds provisions to Regulation Z
which impose additional disclosure and other requirements on creditors involved
in non-purchase money mortgage loans with high interest rates or high up-front
fees and charges. It is possible that some Loans included in a Loan Pool may be
subject to such provisions. The Home Protection Act applies to mortgage loans
originated on or after the effective date of such regulations. These laws can
impose specific statutory liabilities upon creditors who fail to comply with
their provisions and may affect the enforceability of the contract.
Courts have imposed general equitable principles upon repossession and
litigation involving deficiency balances. These equitable principles are
generally designed to relieve a consumer from the legal consequences of a
default.
In several cases, consumers have asserted that the remedies provided secured
parties under the UCC and related laws violate the due process protections
provided under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. For
the most part, courts have upheld the notice provisions of the UCC and related
laws as reasonable or have found that the repossession and resale by the
creditor does not involve sufficient state action to afford constitutional
protection to consumers.
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The Home Protection Act provides that assignees of certain high-interest,
non-purchase money mortgage loans (which may include some Loans) are subject to
all claims and defenses that the debtor could assert against the original
creditor, unless the assignee demonstrates that a reasonable person in the
exercise of ordinary due diligence could not have determined that the mortgage
loan was subject to the provisions of the Home Protection Act.
ENFORCEABILITY OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS
The standard forms of note, mortgage and deed of trust generally contain
provisions obligating the borrower to pay a late charge if payments are not
timely made. In certain states there are or may be specific limitations upon
late charges which a lender may collect from a borrower for delinquent
payments. Under the Agreement, late charges (to the extent permitted by law and
not waived by the Company) will be retained by the Company as additional
servicing compensation.
The standard forms of note, mortgage and deed of trust also include a debt-
acceleration clause, which permits the lender to accelerate the debt upon a
monetary default of the borrower, after the applicable cure period. Courts will
generally enforce clauses providing for acceleration in the event of a material
payment default. However, courts, exercising equity jurisdiction, may refuse to
allow a lender to foreclose a mortgage or deed of trust when an acceleration of
the indebtedness would be inequitable or unjust and the circumstances would
render the acceleration unconscionable.
Courts have imposed general equitable principles upon foreclosure. These
equitable principles are generally designed to relieve the borrower from the
legal effect of defaults under the loan documents. Examples of judicial
remedies that may be fashioned include judicial requirements that the lender
undertake affirmative actions to determine the causes for the borrower's
default and the likelihood that the borrower will be able to reinstate the
loan. In some cases, courts have required lenders to reinstate loans or recast
payment schedules to accommodate borrowers who are suffering from temporary
financial disability. In some cases, courts have limited the right of lenders
to foreclose if the default under the mortgage instrument is not monetary, such
as the borrower failing to adequately maintain the property or the borrower
executing a junior mortgage or deed of trust affecting the property. In other
cases, some courts have been faced with the issue whether federal or state
constitutional provisions reflecting due process concerns for adequate notice
require that borrowers under mortgages or the deeds of trust receive notices in
addition to statutorily-prescribed minimum requirements. For the most part,
these cases have upheld the notice provisions as being reasonable or have found
that the sale by a trustee under a deed of trust or under a mortgage having a
power of sale does not involve sufficient state action to afford constitutional
protection to the borrower.
"DUE-ON-SALE" CLAUSES
All of the Loan documents will contain due-on-sale clauses unless the
Prospectus Supplement indicates otherwise. These clauses permit the Servicer to
accelerate the maturity of the loan on notice, which is usually 30 days, if the
borrower sells, transfers or conveys the property without the prior consent of
the mortgagee. In recent years, court decisions and legislative actions placed
substantial restrictions on the right of lenders to enforce such clauses in
many states. However, effective October 15, 1982, Congress enacted the Garn-St
Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 (the "Garn-St. Germain Act"),
which, after a three-year grace period, preempts state laws which prohibit the
enforcement of due-on-sale clauses by providing, among other matters, that
"due-on-sale" clauses in certain loans (including the Loans) made after the
effective date of the Garn-St. Germain Act are enforceable within certain
limitations as set forth in the Garn-St. Germain Act and the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
By virtue of the Garn-St. Germain Act, the Servicer generally may be
permitted to accelerate any Loan which contains a "due-on-sale" clause upon
transfer of an interest in the mortgaged property. This ability to accelerate
will not apply to certain types of transfers, including (i) the granting of a
leasehold interest which has a term of three years or less and which does not
contain an option to purchase, (ii) a transfer to a relative
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resulting from the death of a mortgagor or trustor, or a transfer where the
spouse or child(ren) becomes an owner of the mortgaged property in each case
where the transferee(s) will occupy the mortgaged property, (iii) a transfer
resulting from a decree of dissolution of marriage, legal separation agreement
or from an incidental property settlement agreement by which the spouse becomes
an owner of the mortgaged property, (iv) the creation of a lien or other
encumbrance subordinate to the lender's security instrument which does not
relate to a transfer of rights of occupancy in the mortgaged property (provided
that such lien or encumbrance is not created pursuant to a CONTRACT for deed),
(v) a transfer by devise, descent or operation of law on the death of a joint
tenant or tenant by the entirety, and (vi) other transfers as set forth in the
Garn-St. Germain Act and the regulations thereunder. As a result, a lesser
number of Loans which contain "due-on-sale" clauses may extend to full maturity
than earlier experience would indicate with respect to single-family mortgage
loans. The extent of the effect of the Garn-St. Germain Act on the average
lives and delinquency rates of the Loans, however, cannot be predicted.
The inability to enforce a due-on-sale clause may result in Loans bearing an
interest rate below the current market rate being assumed by a new home buyer
rather than being paid off, which may have an impact upon the average life of
the Loans and the number of Loans which may be outstanding until maturity.
Although Title V of the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary
Control Act of 1980, as amended ("Title V"), provides that, subject to certain
conditions, state usury limitations shall not apply to first mortgage secured
loans if the loan is defined as a "federally related mortgage loan," a number
of states have adopted legislation overriding Title V's exemptions, as
permitted by Title V. The Company will represent and warrant in each Agreement
that all Loans comply with any applicable usury limitations.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
Under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act, as amended ("CERCLA"), and under state law in certain states, a
secured party which takes a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, purchases a mortgaged
property at a foreclosure sale, or operates a mortgaged property may become
liable in certain circumstances for the costs of cleaning up hazardous
substances regardless of whether they have contaminated the property. CERCLA
imposes strict, as well as joint and several, liability on several classes of
potentially responsible parties, including current owners and operators of the
property who did not cause or contribute to the contamination. Furthermore,
liability under CERCLA is not limited to the original or unamortized principal
balance of a loan or to the value of the property securing a loan. Lenders may
be held liable under CERCLA as owners or operators unless they qualify for the
secured creditor exemption to CERCLA. This exemption exempts from the
definition of owners and operators those who, without participating in the
management of a facility, hold indicia of ownership primarily to protect a
security interest in the facility. What constitutes sufficient participation in
the management of a property securing a loan or the business of a borrower to
render the exemption unavailable to a lender has been a matter of
interpretation by the courts. CERCLA has been interpreted to impose liability
on a secured party, even absent foreclosure, where the party participated in
the financial management of the borrower's business to a degree indicating a
capacity to influence waste disposal decisions. However, court interpretations
of the secured creditor exemption have been inconsistent. In addition, when
lenders foreclose and thereupon become owners of collateral property, courts
are inconsistent as to whether such ownership renders the secured creditor
exemption unavailable. Other federal and state laws in certain circumstances
may impose liability on a secured party which takes a deed-in-lieu of
foreclosure, purchases a mortgaged property at a foreclosure sale, or operates
a mortgaged property on which contaminants other than CERCLA hazardous
substances are present, including petroleum, agricultural chemicals, hazardous
wastes, asbestos, radon, and lead-based paint. Such cleanup costs may be
substantial. It is possible that such cleanup costs could become a liability of
a Trust Fund and reduce the amounts otherwise distributable to the holders of
the related Series of Certificates in certain circumstances if such cleanup
costs were incurred. Moreover, certain states by statute impose a lien for any
cleanup costs incurred by such state on the property that is the subject of
such cleanup costs (an "environmental lien"). All subsequent liens on such
property generally are subordinated to such an
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environmental lien and, in some states, even prior recorded liens are
subordinated to environmental liens. In the latter states, the security
interest of the Trustee in a related parcel of real property that is subject to
such an environmental lien could be adversely affected.
Traditionally, many residential mortgage lenders have not taken steps to
evaluate whether contaminants are present with respect to any mortgaged
property prior to the origination of the mortgage loan or prior to foreclosure
or accepting a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. Accordingly, the Company has not
made and will not make such evaluations prior to the origination of the Loans.
Neither the Company nor any replacement Servicer will be required by any
Agreement to undertake any such evaluations prior to foreclosure or accepting a
deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. The Company does not make any representations or
warranties or assume any liability with respect to the absence or effect of
contaminants on any related real property or any casualty resulting from the
presence or effect of contaminants. However, the Company will not foreclose on
related real property or accept a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure if it knows or
reasonably believes that there are material contaminated conditions on such
property. A failure so to foreclose may reduce the amounts otherwise available
to Certificateholders of the related Series.
SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' CIVIL RELIEF ACT
Application of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Relief Act"), would adversely affect, for an indeterminate period
of time, the ability of the Servicer to collect full amounts of interest on
certain of the Loans. Any shortfall in interest collections resulting from the
application of the Relief Act or similar legislation, which would not be
recoverable from the related Loans, would result in a reduction of the amounts
distributable to the Certificateholders. In addition, the Relief Act imposes
limitations that would impair the ability of the Servicer to foreclose on an
affected mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secured debt or security deed during
the mortgagor's period of active duty status, and, under certain circumstances,
during an additional three month period thereafter. Thus, in the event that the
Relief Act or similar legislation applies to any Loan which goes into default,
there may be delays in payment on the Certificates in connection therewith. Any
other interest shortfalls, deferrals or forgiveness of payments on the Loans
resulting from similar legislation or regulations may result in delays in
payments or losses to Certificateholders.
REPURCHASE OBLIGATIONS
Under the Agreement, the Company will represent and warrant that each Loan
complies with all requirements of law. Accordingly, if any Obligor has a claim
against the related Trust Fund for violation of any law and such claim
materially adversely affects the Trust Fund's interest in a Loan, such
violation would constitute a breach of a representation and warranty under the
Agreement and would create an obligation to repurchase such Loan unless the
breach is cured. See "Description of the Certificates--Conveyance of Loans."
ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"),
imposes certain fiduciary and prohibited transaction restrictions on employee
pension and welfare benefit plans subject to ERISA ("ERISA Plans"). Section
4975 of the Code imposes similar prohibited transaction restrictions on tax-
qualified retirement plans described in Section 401(a) of the Code ("Qualified
Retirement Plans") and on Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs") described in
Section 408 of the Code (collectively, "Tax-Favored Plans").
Certain employee benefit plans, such as governmental plans (as defined in
Section 3(32) of ERISA), are not subject to the ERISA requirements discussed
herein. Accordingly, assets of such plans may be invested in Certificates
without regard to the ERISA considerations described below, subject to the
provisions of applicable federal and state law. Any such plan that is a
Qualified Retirement Plan and exempt from taxation under Sections 401(a) and
501(a) of the Code, however, is subject to the prohibited transaction rules set
forth in Section 503 of the Code.
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In addition to imposing general fiduciary requirements, including those of
investment prudence and diversification and the requirement that a Plan's
investment be made in accordance with the documents governing the Plan, Section
406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit a broad range of
transactions involving "plan assets" of ERISA Plans and Tax-Favored Plans
(collectively, "Plans") and persons ("Parties in Interest" under ERISA or
"Disqualified Persons" under the Code) who have certain specified relationships
to the Plans, unless a statutory or administrative exemption is available.
Certain Parties in Interest (or Disqualified Persons) that participate in a
prohibited transaction may be subject to a penalty (or an excise tax) imposed
pursuant to Section 502(i) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, unless a
statutory or administrative exemption is available.
PLAN ASSET REGULATIONS
Certain transactions involving the Trust Fund might be deemed to constitute
prohibited transactions under ERISA and the Code with respect to a Plan that
purchased Certificates, if assets of the Trust Fund were deemed to be assets of
the Plan. An investment of Plan Assets (as defined below) in Certificates may
cause the underlying assets included in the Trust to be deemed "plan assets" of
such Plan. The U.S. Department of Labor (the "DOL") has promulgated regulations
at 29 C.F.R. section 2510.3-101 (the "DOL Regulations") concerning whether or
not a Plan's assets would be deemed to include an interest in the underlying
assets of an entity (such as the Trust Fund), for purposes of applying the
general fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited
transaction provisions of ERISA and the Code, when a Plan acquires an "equity
interest" (such as a Certificate) in such entity. Because of the factual nature
of certain of the rules set forth in the DOL Regulations, Plan Assets either
may be deemed to include an interest in the assets of the Trust Fund or may be
deemed merely to include its interest in the Certificates. Therefore, neither
Plans nor such entities should acquire or hold Certificates in reliance upon
the availability of any exception under the DOL Regulations. For purposes of
this Section the term "Plan Assets" or assets of a Plan has the meaning
specified in the DOL Regulations and includes an undivided interest in the
underlying assets of certain entities in which a Plan invests. The prohibited
transaction provisions of Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code may
apply to the Trust Fund and cause the Company, the Trust Fund, the Trustee, any
successor, or certain affiliates thereof, to be considered or become Parties in
Interest or Disqualified Persons with respect to an investing Plan (or of a
Plan holding an interest in such an entity). If so, the acquisition or holding
of Certificates by or on behalf of the investing Plan could also give rise to a
prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code, unless some statutory or
administrative exemption is available. Certificates acquired by a Plan would be
assets of that Plan. Under the DOL Regulations, the Trust Fund, including the
assets held in the Trust Fund, may also be deemed to be assets of each Plan
that acquires Certificates. Special caution should be exercised before Plan
Assets are used to acquire a Certificate in such circumstances, especially if,
with respect to such assets, the Company, the Trust Fund, the Trustee, any
successor or an affiliate thereof either (i) has investment discretion with
respect to the investment of Plan Assets; or (ii) has authority or
responsibility to give (or regularly gives) investment advice with respect to
Plan Assets for a fee pursuant to an agreement or understanding that such
advice will serve as a primary basis for investment decisions with respect to
such assets.
Any person who has discretionary authority or control respecting the
management or disposition of Plan Assets and any person who provides investment
advice with respect to such assets for a fee (in the manner described above),
is a fiduciary of the investing Plan. If the assets of the Trust Fund were to
constitute Plan Assets then any party exercising management or discretionary
control regarding those assets may be deemed to be a Plan "fiduciary," and thus
subject to the fiduciary requirements of ERISA and the prohibited transaction
provisions of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code with respect to any investing
Plan. In addition, if the assets of the Trust Fund were to constitute Plan
Assets, then the acquisition or holding of Certificates by, on behalf of or
with Plan Assets, as well as the operation of the Trust Fund, may constitute or
involve a prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code.
No purchases of Certificates by, on behalf of or with Plan Assets of any Plan
will be registered unless the transferee, at its expense, delivers to the
Trustee, the Servicer and the Company an opinion of counsel
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(satisfactory to the Trustee, the Servicer and the Company) that the purchase
and holding of a Certificate by, on behalf of, or with Plan Assets of such Plan
is permissible under applicable law, will not result in the assets of the Trust
Fund being deemed to be Plan Assets and subject to the prohibited transaction
provisions of ERISA and the Code and will not subject the Trustee, the Trust
Fund, the Company or the Servicer to any obligation or liability in addition to
those undertaken in the Agreement. Unless such opinion is delivered, each
person acquiring a Certificate will be deemed to represent to the Trustee, the
Company and the Servicer that such person is neither a Plan, nor acting on
behalf of a Plan, nor purchasing with Plan Assets of any Plan.
CONSULTATION WITH COUNSEL
Any fiduciary or other Plan investor that proposes to acquire or hold
Certificates on behalf of or with Plan Assets of any Plan should consult with
its counsel with respect to the potential applicability of the fiduciary
responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited transaction provisions of
ERISA and the Code to the proposed investment and the availability of any
prohibited transaction exemption, as well as other issues and their potential
consequences.
CERTAIN FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
GENERAL
The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax
consequences relating to the purchase, ownership, and disposition of the
Certificates. The discussion is based upon laws, regulations, rulings, and
decisions now in effect, including Treasury Regulations issued on December 23,
1992, and generally effective for REMICs with startup days on or after November
12, 1991 (the "REMIC Regulations"), all of which are subject to change (which
change may be retroactive) or possibly differing interpretations. The
discussion does not purport to deal with federal income tax consequences
applicable to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to
special rules. Investors should consult their own tax advisors to determine the
federal, state, local, and any other tax consequences of the purchase,
ownership, and disposition of the Certificates.
Many aspects of the federal tax treatment of the purchase, ownership, and
disposition of the Certificates will depend upon whether an election is made to
treat the Trust Fund or a segregated portion thereof evidenced by a particular
Series or sub-series of Certificates as a REMIC within the meaning of Section
860D(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The
Prospectus Supplement for each series will indicate whether or not an election
to be treated as a REMIC has been or will be made with respect thereto. The
following discussion deals first with Series with respect to which a REMIC
Election is made and then with Series with respect to which a REMIC Election is
not made.
REMIC SERIES
With respect to each Series of Certificates for which a REMIC Election is
made, the counsel to the Company identified in the applicable Prospectus
Supplement will have advised the Company that in its opinion, assuming (i) the
making of that election in accordance with the requirements of the Code and
(ii) ongoing compliance with the applicable Agreement, at the initial issuance
of the Certificates in such series the Trust Fund will qualify as a REMIC and
the Certificates in such a Series ("REMIC Certificates") will be treated either
as regular interests in the REMIC within the meaning of Section 860G(a)(1) of
the Code ("Regular Certificates") or as residual interests in the REMIC within
the meaning of Section 860G(a)(2) of the Code ("Residual Certificates").
Qualification as a REMIC. Qualification as a REMIC involves ongoing
compliance with certain requirements and the following discussion assumes that
such requirements will be satisfied by the Trust Fund
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so long as there are any REMIC Certificates outstanding. Substantially all of
the assets of the REMIC must consist of "qualified mortgages" and "permitted
investments" as of the close of the third month beginning after the day on
which the REMIC issues all of its regular and residual interests (the "Startup
Day") and at all times thereafter. The term "qualified mortgage" means any
obligation (including a participation or certificate of beneficial ownership in
such obligation) which is principally secured by an interest in real property
that is transferred to the REMIC on the Startup Day in exchange for regular or
residual interests in the REMIC or is purchased by the REMIC within the three-
month period beginning on the Startup Day if such purchase is pursuant to a
fixed price CONTRACT in effect on the Startup Day. The REMIC Regulations
provide that a Loan is principally secured by an interest in real property if
the fair market value of the real property securing the Loan is at least equal
to either (i) 80% of the issue price (generally, the principal balance) of the
Loan at the time it was originated or (ii) 80% of the adjusted issue price (the
then-outstanding principal balance, with certain adjustments) of the Loan at
the time it is contributed to a REMIC. The fair market value of the underlying
real property is to be determined after taking into account other liens
encumbering that real property. Alternatively, a Loan is principally secured by
an interest in real property if substantially all of the proceeds of the Loan
were used to acquire or to improve or protect an interest in real property
that, at the origination date, is the only security for the Loan (other than
the personal liability of the obligor). A qualified mortgage also includes a
qualified replacement mortgage that is used to replace any qualified mortgage
within three months of the Startup Day or to replace a defective mortgage
within two years of the Startup Day.
"Permitted investments" consist of (a) temporary investments of cash received
under qualified mortgages before distribution to holders of interests in the
REMIC ("cash-flow investments"), (b) amounts, such as a Reserve Fund, if any,
reasonably required to provide for full payment of expenses of the REMIC, the
principal and interest due on regular or residual interests in the event of
defaults on qualified mortgages, lower than expected returns on cash-flow
investments, prepayment interest shortfalls or certain other contingencies
("qualified reserve assets"), and (c) certain property acquired as a result of
foreclosure of defaulted qualified mortgages ("foreclosure property"). A
reserve fund will not be qualified if more than 30% of the gross income from
the assets in the reserve fund is derived from the sale or other disposition of
property held for three months or less, unless such sale is necessary to
prevent a default in payment of principal or interest on Regular Certificates.
In accordance with Section 860G(a)(7) of the Code, a reserve fund must be
"promptly and appropriately" reduced as payments on CONTRACTS are received.
Foreclosure property will be a permitted investment only to the extent that
such property is not held for more than two years.
The Code requires that in order to qualify as a REMIC an entity must make
reasonable arrangements designed to ensure that certain specified entities,
generally including governmental entities or other entities that are exempt
from United States tax, including the tax on unrelated business income
("Disqualified Organizations"), not hold residual interests in the REMIC.
Consequently, it is expected that in the case of any Trust Fund for which a
REMIC Election is made the transfer, sale, or other disposition of a Residual
Certificate to a Disqualified Organization will be prohibited and the ability
of a Residual Certificate to be transferred will be conditioned on the
Trustee's receipt of a certificate or other document representing that the
proposed transferee is not a Disqualified Organization. The transferor of a
Residual Certificate must not, as of the time of the transfer, have actual
knowledge that such representation is false. The Code further requires that
reasonable arrangements must be made to enable a REMIC to provide the Internal
Revenue Service (the "Service") and certain other parties, including
transferors of residual interests in a REMIC, with the information needed to
compute the tax imposed by Section 860E(e)(1) of the Code if, in spite of the
steps taken to prevent Disqualified Organizations from holding residual
interests, such an organization does, in fact, acquire a residual interest. See
"REMIC Series--Restrictions on Transfer of Residual Certificates" below.
If the Trust Fund fails to comply with one or more of the ongoing
requirements for qualification as a REMIC, the Trust Fund will not be treated
as a REMIC for the year during which such failure occurs and thereafter unless
the Service determines, in its discretion, that such failure was inadvertent
(in which case,
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the Service may require any adjustments which it deems appropriate). If the
ownership interests in the assets of the Trust Fund consist of multiple
classes, failure to treat the Trust Fund as a REMIC may cause the Trust Fund to
be treated as an association taxable as a corporation. Such treatment could
result in income of the Trust Fund being subject to corporate tax in the hands
of the Trust Fund and in a reduced amount being available for distribution to
Certificateholders as a result of the payment of such taxes.
Two-Tier REMIC Structures. For certain series of Certificates, two separate
elections may be made to treat segregated portions of the assets of a single
Trust Fund as REMICs for federal income tax purposes (respectively, the
"Subsidiary REMIC" and the "Master REMIC"). Upon the issuance of any such
series of Certificates, Counsel will have advised the Company, as described
above, that at the initial issuance of the Certificates, the Subsidiary REMIC
and the Master REMIC will each qualify as a REMIC for federal income tax
purposes, and that the Certificates in such a series will be treated either as
Regular Certificates or Residual Certificates of the appropriate REMIC. Only
REMIC Certificates issued by the Master REMIC will be offered hereunder. Solely
for the purpose of determining whether such Regular Certificates will
constitute qualifying real estate or real property assets for certain
categories of financial institutions or real estate investment trusts as
described below, both REMICs in a two-tier REMIC structure will be treated as
one. See the discussion below under "REMIC Series--Taxation of Regular
Interests."
Taxation of Regular Interests. Regular Certificates will be treated as new
debt instruments issued by the REMIC on the Startup Day. If a Regular
Certificate represents an interest in a REMIC that consists of a specified
portion of the interest payments on the REMIC's qualified mortgages, the stated
principal amount with respect to that Regular Certificate may be zero. Such a
specified portion may consist of a fixed number of basis points, a fixed
percentage of interest or a qualified variable rate on some or all of the
qualified mortgages. Stated interest on a Regular Certificate will be taxable
as ordinary income. Holders of Regular Certificates that would otherwise report
income under a cash method of accounting will be required to report income with
respect to such Regular Certificates under the accrual method. Under Temporary
Treasury Regulations, if a Trust Fund, with respect to which a REMIC Election
is made, is considered to be a "single-class REMIC," a portion of the REMIC's
servicing fees, administrative and other non-interest expenses, including
assumption fees and late payment charges retained by the Company, will be
allocated as a separate item of gross income and as a separate item of expense
to those Regular Certificateholders that are "pass-through interest holders."
Generally, a single-class REMIC is defined as a REMIC that would be treated as
a fixed investment trust under applicable law but for its qualification as a
REMIC, or a REMIC that is substantially similar to an investment trust but is
structured with the principal purpose of avoiding this allocation requirement
imposed by the Temporary Treasury Regulations. Generally, a pass-through
interest holder refers to individuals, trusts and estates, certain other pass-
through entities beneficially owned by one or more individuals, trusts or
estates, and regulated investment companies. Such an individual, estate, trust
or pass-through entity that holds a Regular Certificate in such a REMIC will be
allowed to deduct the foregoing separate item of expense under Section 212 of
the Code only to the extent that, in the aggregate and combined with certain
other itemized deductions, it exceeds 2% of the adjusted gross income of the
holder. In addition, Section 68 of the Code provides that the amount of
itemized deductions (including those provided for in Section 212 of the Code)
otherwise allowable for the taxable year for an individual whose adjusted gross
income exceeds a threshold amount specified in the Code ($117,950 for 1996, in
the case of a joint return) will be reduced by the lesser of (i) 3% of the
excess of adjusted gross income over the specified threshold amount or (ii) 80%
of the amount of itemized deductions otherwise allowable for such taxable year.
Furthermore, in determining the alternative minimum taxable income of such an
individual, trust, estate or pass-through entity that is a holder of a Regular
Certificate in such a REMIC, no deduction will be allowed for such holder's
allocable portion of the foregoing expenses, even though an amount equal to the
total of such expenses will be included in such holder's gross income for
alternative minimum tax purposes. Unless otherwise stated in the related
Prospectus Supplement, the foregoing expenses will not be allocated to holders
of a Regular Certificate in a REMIC. If the foregoing limitations apply,
certain holders of Regular Certificates in "single-class REMICs" may not be
entitled to deduct all or any part of the foregoing expenses. Accordingly,
Regular Certificates in such a "single class-REMIC" may not be appropriate
investments for
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individuals, trusts, estates or pass-through entities beneficially owned by one
or more individuals, trusts or estates. Such prospective investors should
carefully consult with their own tax advisors prior to making an investment in
any such Regular Certificates.
Tax Status of REMIC Certificates. In general, (i) Regular Certificates held
by a financial institution as described in Section 593(a) of the Code will
represent interests in "qualifying real property loans" within the meaning of
Section 593(d) of the Code; (ii) Regular Certificates held by a thrift
institution taxed as a "domestic building and loan association" within the
meaning of Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code will constitute "a regular ...
interest in a REMIC" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19)(C)(xi) of the
Code; and (iii) Regular Certificates held by a real estate investment trust
will constitute "real estate assets" within the meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A)
of the Code and interest thereon will be considered "interest on obligations
secured by mortgages on real property" within the meaning of Section
856(c)(3)(B) of the Code. If less than 95% of the average adjusted basis of the
assets comprising the REMIC are assets qualifying under any of the foregoing
Sections of the Code (including assets described in Section 7701(a)(19)(C) of
the Code), then the Regular Certificates will be qualifying assets only to the
extent that the assets comprising the REMIC are qualifying assets. Furthermore,
interest paid with respect to Certificates held by a real estate investment
trust will be considered "interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real
property or on interests in real property" within the meaning of Section
856(c)(3)(B) of the Code to the same extent that the Certificates themselves
are treated as real estate assets. Regular Certificates held by a regulated
investment company or a real estate investment trust will not constitute
"Government securities" within the meaning of Sections 851(b)(4)(A)(i) and
856(c)(5)(A) of the Code, respectively. In addition, the REMIC Regulations
provide that payments on Loans held and reinvested pending distribution to
Certificateholders will be considered to be "qualifying real property loans"
within the meaning of Section 593(d) of the Code and "real estate assets"
within the meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A) of the Code. Entities affected by
the foregoing provisions of the Code that are considering the purchase of
Certificates should consult their own tax advisors regarding these provisions.
Original Issue Discount. Regular Certificates may be issued with "original
issue discount." Rules governing original issue discount are set forth in
Sections 1271-1273 and 1275 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued
thereunder in January 1994 (the "OID Regulations"). The discussion herein is
based in part on the OID Regulations, which generally apply to debt instruments
issued on or after April 4, 1994, but which generally may be relied upon for
debt instruments issued after December 21, 1992. Moreover, although the rules
relating to original issue discount contained in the Code were modified by the
Tax Reform Act of 1986 specifically to address the tax treatment of securities,
such as the Regular Certificates, on which principal is required to be prepaid
based on prepayments of the underlying assets, regulations under that
legislation have not yet been issued. Nonetheless, the Code requires that a
prepayment assumption be used with respect to the underlying assets of a REMIC
in computing the accrual of original issue discount on Regular Certificates,
and that regular adjustments be made in the amount and the rate of accrual to
reflect differences between the actual prepayment rate and the prepayment
assumption. Although regulations have not been issued concerning the use of a
prepayment assumption, the legislative history associated with the Tax Reform
Act of 1986 indicates that such regulations are to provide that the prepayment
assumption used with respect to a Regular Certificate must be the same as that
used in pricing the initial offering of such Regular Certificate. The
prepayment assumption (the "Prepayment Assumption") used in reporting original
issue discount for each series of Regular Certificates will be consistent with
this standard and will be disclosed in the related Prospectus Supplement.
However, no representation is made hereby nor can there be any assurance that
the underlying assets of a REMIC will in fact prepay at a rate conforming to
the prepayment assumption or at any other rate. Certificateholders also should
be aware that the OID Regulations do not address certain issues relevant to, or
are not applicable to, prepayable securities such as the Regular Certificates.
In general, in the hands of the original holder of a Regular Certificate,
original issue discount, if any, is the difference between the "stated
redemption price at maturity" of the Regular Certificate and its "issue price."
The original issue discount with respect to a Regular Certificate will be
considered to be zero if it is
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less than .25% of the Regular Certificate's stated redemption price at maturity
multiplied by the number of complete years from the date of issue of such
Regular Certificate to its maturity date. The OID Regulations, however, provide
a special de minimis rule to apply to obligations such as the Regular
Certificates that have more than one principal payment or that have interest
payments that are not qualified stated interest as defined in the OID
Regulations, payable before maturity ("installment obligations"). Under the
special rule, original issue discount on an installment obligation is generally
considered to be zero if it is less than .25% of the principal amount of the
obligation multiplied by the weighted average maturity of the obligation as
defined in the OID Regulations. Because of the possibility of prepayments, it
is not clear whether or how the de minimis rules will apply to the Regular
Certificates. As described above, it appears that the Prepayment Assumption
will be required to be used in determining the weighted average maturity of the
Regular Certificates. In the absence of authority to the contrary, the Company
expects to apply the de minimis rule applicable to installment obligations by
using the Prepayment Assumption.
Generally, the original holder of a Regular Certificate that includes a de
minimis amount of original issue discount (other than de minimis original issue
discount attributable to a so-called "teaser" interest rate or initial interest
rate holiday) includes that original issue discount in income as principal
payments are made. The amount includable in income with respect to each
principal payment equals a pro rata portion of the entire amount of de minimis
original issue discount with respect to that Regular Certificate. Any de
minimis amount of original issue discount includable in income by a holder of a
Regular Certificate is generally treated as a capital gain if the Regular
Certificate is a capital asset in the hands of the holder thereof. Pursuant to
the OID Regulations, a holder of a Regular Certificate that uses the accrual
method of tax accounting or that acquired such Regular Certificate on or after
April 4, 1994, may, however, elect to include in gross income all interest that
accrues on a Regular Certificate, including any de minimis original issue
discount and market discount, by using the constant yield method described
below with respect to original issue discount.
The stated redemption price at maturity of a Regular Certificate generally
will be equal to the sum of all payments, whether denominated as principal or
interest, to be made with respect thereto other than "qualified stated
interest." Pursuant to the OID Regulations, qualified stated interest is stated
interest that is unconditionally payable at least annually at a single fixed
rate of interest (or, under certain circumstances, a variable rate tied to an
objective index) during the entire term of the Regular Certificate (including
short periods). Under the OID Regulations, interest is considered
unconditionally payable only if late payment or nonpayment is expected to be
penalized or reasonable remedies exist to compel payment. It is possible that
interest payable on Regular Certificates may not be considered to be
unconditionally payable under the OID Regulations because Regular
Certificateholders may not have default remedies ordinarily available to
holders of debt instruments or because no penalties are imposed as a result of
any failure to make interest payments on the Regular Certificates. Until
further guidance is issued, however, the REMIC will treat the interest on
Regular Certificates as unconditionally payable under the OID Regulations. In
addition, under the OID Regulations, certain variable interest rates payable on
Regular Certificates, including rates based upon the weighted average interest
rate of a Loan Pool, may not be treated as qualified stated interest. In such
case, the OID Regulations would treat interest under such rates as contingent
interest which generally must be included in income by the Regular
Certificateholder when the interest becomes fixed, as opposed to when it
accrues. Until further guidance is issued concerning the treatment of such
interest payable on Regular Certificates, the REMIC will treat such interest as
being payable at a variable rate tied to a single objective index of market
rates. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the
treatment of such interest under the OID Regulations. In the absence of
authority to the contrary and if otherwise appropriate, the Company expects to
determine the stated redemption price at maturity of a Regular Certificate by
assuming that the anticipated rate of prepayment for all Loans will occur in
such a manner that the initial Pass-Through Rate for a Certificate will not
change. Accordingly, interest at the initial Pass-Through Rate will constitute
qualified stated interest payments for purposes of applying the original issue
discount provisions of the Code. In general, the issue price of a Regular
Certificate is the first price at which a substantial amount of the Regular
Certificates of such class are sold for money to the public (excluding bond
houses, brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of
underwriters, placement agents
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or wholesalers). If a portion of the initial offering price of a Regular
Certificate is allocable to interest that has accrued prior to its date of
issue, the issue price of such a Regular Certificate includes that pre-issuance
accrued interest.
If the Regular Certificates are determined to be issued with original issue
discount, a holder of a Regular Certificate must generally include the original
issue discount in ordinary gross income for federal income tax purposes as it
accrues in advance of the receipt of any cash attributable to such income. The
amount of original issue discount, if any, required to be included in a Regular
Certificateholder's ordinary gross income for federal income tax purposes in
any taxable year will be computed in accordance with Section 1272(a) of the
Code and the OID Regulations. Under such Section and the OID Regulations,
original issue discount accrues on a daily basis under a constant yield method
that takes into account the compounding of interest. The amount of original
issue discount to be included in income by a holder of a debt instrument, such
as a Regular Certificate, under which principal payments may be subject to
acceleration because of prepayments of other debt obligations securing such
instruments, is computed by taking into account the Prepayment Assumption.
The amount of original issue discount includable in income by a holder of a
Regular Certificate is the sum of the "daily portions" of the original issue
discount for each day during the taxable year on which the holder held the
Regular Certificate. The daily portions of original issue discount are
determined by allocating to each day in any "accrual period" a pro rata portion
of the excess, if any, of the sum of (i) the present value of all remaining
payments to be made on the Regular Certificate as of the close of the "accrual
period" and (ii) the payments during the "accrual period" of amounts included
in the stated redemption price of the Regular Certificate over the "adjusted
issue price" of the Regular Certificate at the beginning of the "accrual
period." Generally, the "accrual period" for the Regular Certificates
corresponds to the intervals at which amounts are paid or compounded with
respect to such Regular Certificate, beginning with their date of issuance and
ending with the maturity date. The "adjusted issue price" of a Regular
Certificate at the beginning of any accrual period is the sum of the issue
price and accrued original issue discount for each prior accrual period reduced
by the amount of payments other than payments of qualified stated interest made
during each prior accrual period. The Code requires the present value of the
remaining payments to be determined on the bases of (a) the original yield to
maturity (determined on the basis of compounding at the close of each accrual
period and properly adjusted for the length of the accrual period), (b) events,
including actual prepayments, which have occurred before the close of the
accrual period, and (c) the assumption that the remaining payments will be made
in accordance with the original Prepayment Assumption. The effect of this
method is to increase the portions of original issue discount that a Regular
Certificateholder must include in income to take into account prepayments with
respect to the Loans held by the Trust Fund that occur at a rate that exceeds
the Prepayment Assumption and to decrease (but not below zero for any period)
the portions of original issue discount that a Regular Certificateholder must
include in income to take into account prepayments with respect to the Loans
that occur at a rate that is slower than the Prepayment Assumption. Although
original issue discount will be reported to Regular Certificateholders based on
the Prepayment Assumption, no representation is made to Regular
Certificateholders that the Loans will be prepaid at that rate or at any other
rate.
A subsequent purchaser of a Regular Certificate will also be required to
include in such purchaser's ordinary gross income for federal income tax
purposes the original issue discount, if any, accruing with respect to such
Regular Certificate, unless the price paid equals or exceeds the Regular
Certificate's remaining stated redemption price. If the price paid exceeds the
Regular Certificate's adjusted issue price, but does not equal or exceed the
remaining stated redemption price of the Regular Certificate, the amount of
original issue discount to be accrued will be reduced in accordance with a
formula set forth in Section 1272(a)(7)(B) of the Code. Under this provision,
the daily portions of original issue discount which must be included in gross
income will be reduced by an amount equal to such daily portion multiplied by
the fraction obtained by dividing (i) the excess of the purchase price therefor
over the Regular Certificate's adjusted issue price by (ii) the aggregate
original issue discount remaining to be accrued with respect to such Regular
Certificate.
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The Company believes that the holder of a Regular Certificate determined to
be issued with non-de minimis original issue discount will be required to
include the original issue discount in ordinary gross income for federal income
tax purposes computed in the manner described above. However, the OID
Regulations either do not address or are subject to varying interpretations
with respect to several issues concerning the computation of original issue
discount for obligations such as the Regular Certificates.
Adjustable Rate Regular Certificates. Regular Certificates may bear interest
at an adjustable rate. Under the OID Regulations, if an adjustable rate Regular
Certificate provides for qualified stated interest payments computed on the
basis of certain qualified floating rates or objective rates, then any original
issue discount on such a Regular Certificate may be computed and accrued under
the same methodology that applies to Regular Certificates paying qualified
stated interest at a fixed rate. See the discussion above under "REMIC Series--
Original Issue Discount." If adjustable rate Regular Certificates are issued,
the related Prospectus Supplement will describe the manner in which the
original issue discount rules may be applied with respect thereto and the
method to be used in preparing information returns to the holders of such
adjustable rate Regular Certificates and to the Service.
For purposes of applying the original issue discount provisions of the Code,
all or a portion of the interest payable with respect to adjustable rate
Regular Certificate may not be treated as qualified stated interest in certain
circumstances, including the following: (i) if the adjustable rate of interest
is subject to one or more minimum or maximum rate floors or ceilings which are
not fixed throughout the term of the Regular Certificate and which are
reasonably expected as of the issue date to cause the rate in certain accrual
periods to be significantly higher or lower than the overall expected return on
the Regular Certificate determined without such floor or ceiling; (ii) if it is
reasonably expected that the average value of the adjustable rate during the
first half of the term of the Regular Certificate will be either significantly
less than or significantly greater than the average value of the rate during
the final half of the term of the Regular Certificate; or (iii) if interest is
not payable in all circumstances. In these situations, as well as others, it is
unclear under the OID Regulations whether such interest payments constitute
qualified stated interest payments, or must be treated as part of a Regular
Certificate's stated redemption price at maturity resulting in original issue
discount.
Market Discount. Regular Certificates, whether or not issued with original
issue discount, will be subject to the market discount rules of the Code. A
purchaser of a Regular Certificate who purchases the Regular Certificate at a
market discount (i.e., a discount from its original issue price plus any
accrued original issue discount, if any, as described above) will be required
to recognize accrued market discount as ordinary income as payments of
principal are received on such Regular Certificate or upon the sale or exchange
of the Regular Certificate. In general, the holder of a Regular Certificate may
elect to treat market discount as accruing either (i) under a constant yield
method that is similar to the method for the accrual of original issue discount
or (ii) under a ratable accrual method (pursuant to which the market discount
is treated as accruing in equal daily installments during the period the
Regular Certificate is held by the purchaser), in each case computed taking
into account the Prepayment Assumption. Because the regulations referred to
above have not been issued, it is not possible to predict what effect, if any,
such regulations, when issued, might have on the tax treatment of a Regular
Certificate purchased at a discount in the secondary market.
The Code provides that the market discount in respect of a Regular
Certificate will be considered to be zero if the amount allocable to the
Regular Certificate is less than 0.25% of the Regular Certificate's stated
redemption price at maturity multiplied by the number of complete years
remaining to its maturity after the holder acquired the obligation. If market
discount is treated as de minimis under this rule, the actual discount would be
allocated among a portion of each scheduled distribution representing the
stated redemption price of such Regular Certificate and that portion of the
discount allocable to such distribution would be reported as income when such
distribution occurs or is due.
The Code further provides that any principal payment with respect to a
Regular Certificate acquired with market discount or any gain on disposition of
such a Regular Certificate shall be treated as ordinary income to the extent it
does not exceed the accrued market discount at the time of such payment. The
amount
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of accrued market discount for purposes of determining the amount of ordinary
income to be recognized with respect to subsequent payments on such a Regular
Certificate is to be reduced by the amount previously treated as ordinary
income.
In general, limitations imposed by the Code that are intended to match
deductions with the taxation of income may require a holder of a Regular
Certificate having market discount to defer a portion of the interest
deductions attributable to any indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase
or carry such Regular Certificate. Alternatively, a holder of a Regular
Certificate may elect to include market discount in gross income as it accrues
and, if he makes such an election, is exempt from this rule. The adjusted basis
of a Regular Certificate subject to such election will be increased to reflect
market discount included in gross income, thereby reducing any gain or
increasing any loss on a sale or taxable disposition.
Amortizable Premium. A holder of a Regular Certificate who holds the Regular
Certificate as a capital asset and who purchased the Regular Certificate at a
cost greater than its stated redemption price will be considered to have
purchased the Regular Certificate at a premium. In general, the Regular
Certificateholder may elect to deduct the amortizable bond premium as it
accrues under a constant yield method. A Regular Certificateholder's tax basis
in the Regular Certificate will be reduced by the amount of the amortizable
bond premium deducted. It appears that the Prepayment Assumption should be
taken into account in determining the term of a Regular Certificate for this
purpose. Amortizable bond premium with respect to a Regular Certificate will be
treated as an offset to interest income on such Regular Certificate, and a
Certificateholder's deduction for amortizable bond premium will be limited in
each year to the amount of interest income derived with respect to such Regular
Certificate for such year. Any election to deduct amortizable bond premium will
apply to all debt instruments (other than instruments the interest on which is
excludable from gross income) held by the Certificateholder at the beginning of
the first taxable year to which the election applies or thereafter acquired,
and may be revoked only with the consent of the Service. Bond premium on a
Regular Certificate held by a Certificateholder who does not elect to deduct
the premium will decrease the gain or increase the loss otherwise recognized on
the disposition of the Regular Certificate. Certificateholders who pay a
premium for a Regular Certificate should consult their tax advisors concerning
such an election and rules for determining the method for amortizing bond
premium.
Realized Losses. Holders of a Regular Certificate acquired in connection with
a trade or business should be allowed to deduct as ordinary losses any losses
sustained during a taxable year in which the Regular Certificates become wholly
or partially worthless as a result of one or more realized losses on the
underlying assets of the REMIC. However, it appears that a noncorporate holder
of a Regular Certificate that does not acquire such certificate in connection
with a trade or business may not be entitled to deduct such a loss until such
holder's certificate becomes wholly worthless, which may not occur until its
outstanding principal balance has been reduced to zero. Any such loss may be
characterized as a short-term capital loss.
At present, the law is unclear with respect to the timing and character of
any loss which may be realized by a holder of a Regular Certificate. Such a
holder may be required to accrue interest and original issue discount with
respect to such Regular Certificate without giving effect to any defaults or
deficiencies on the underlying assets of the REMIC until such holder can
establish that such losses will not be recoverable under any circumstances. As
a result, the holder of a Regular Certificate may be required to report taxable
income in excess of the amount of economic income actually accruing to the
benefit of such holder in a particular period. It is expected, however, that
the holder of such a Regular Certificate would eventually recognize a loss or
reduction in income attributable to such income when such loss is, in fact,
realized for federal income tax purposes.
Gain or Loss on Disposition. If a Regular Certificate is sold, the seller
will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized
from the sale and the seller's adjusted basis in such Regular Certificate. The
adjusted basis generally will equal the cost of such Regular Certificate to the
seller, increased by any original issue discount included in the seller's
ordinary gross income with respect to such Regular Certificate and reduced (but
not below zero) by any payments on the Regular Certificate previously received
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or accrued by the seller (other than qualified stated interest payments) and
any amortizable premium. Similarly, a Regular Certificateholder who receives a
principal payment with respect to a Regular Certificate will recognize gain or
loss equal to the difference between the amount of the payment and the holder's
allocable portion of his or her adjusted basis in the Regular Certificate.
Except as discussed below or with respect to market discount, any gain or loss
recognized upon a sale, exchange, retirement, or other disposition of a Regular
Certificate will be capital gain if the Regular Certificate is held as a
capital asset.
Gain from the disposition of a Regular Certificate that might otherwise be
capital gain, including any gain attributable to de minimis original issue
discount or market discount, will be treated as ordinary income to the extent
of the excess, if any, of (i) the amount that would have been includable in the
holder's income if the yield on such Regular Certificate had equaled 110% of
the applicable federal rate determined as of the beginning of such holder's
holding period, over (ii) the amount of ordinary income actually recognized by
the holder with respect to such Regular Certificate.
Taxation of Residual Interests. Generally, the "daily portions" of the
taxable income or net loss of a REMIC will be includable as ordinary income or
loss in determining the taxable income of holders of Residual Certificates
("Residual Holders"), and will not be taxed separately to the REMIC. The daily
portions are determined by allocating the REMIC's taxable income or net loss
for each calendar quarter ratably to each day in such quarter and by allocating
such daily portion among the Residual Holders in proportion to their respective
holdings of Residual Certificates in the REMIC on such day.
REMIC taxable income is generally determined in the same manner as the
taxable income of an individual using the accrual method of accounting except
that (i) the limitation on deductibility of investment interest expense and
expenses for the production of income do not apply, (ii) all bad loans will be
deductible as business bad debts, and (iii) the limitation on the deductibility
of interest and expenses related to tax-exempt income will apply. REMIC taxable
income generally means a REMIC's gross income, including interest, original
issue discount income, and market discount income, if any, on the Loans, plus
any cancellation of indebtedness income due to realized losses with respect to
Regular Certificates and income on reinvestment of cash flows and reserve
assets, minus deductions, including interest and original issue discount
expense on the Regular Certificates, bad debt losses with respect to the
underlying assets of a REMIC, servicing fees on the Loans, other administrative
expenses of a REMIC, and amortization of premium, if any, with respect to the
Loans.
The taxable income recognized by a Residual Holder in any taxable year will
be affected by, among other factors, the relationship between the timing of
interest, original issue discount or market discount income, or amortization of
premium with respect to the Loans, on the one hand, and the timing of
deductions for interest (including original issue discount) on the Regular
Certificates, on the other hand. In the event that an interest in the Loans is
acquired by a REMIC at a discount, and one or more of such Loans is prepaid,
the Residual Holder may recognize taxable income without being entitled to
receive a corresponding cash distribution because (i) the prepayment may be
used in whole or in part to make distributions on Regular Certificates, and
(ii) the discount on the Loans which is includable in a REMIC's income may
exceed its deduction with respect to the distributions on those Regular
Certificates. When there is more than one class of Regular Certificates that
receive payments sequentially (i.e., a fast-pay, slow-pay structure), this
mismatching of income and deductions is particularly likely to occur in the
early years following issuance of the Regular Certificates, when distributions
are being made in respect of earlier classes of Regular Certificates to the
extent that such classes are not issued with substantial discount. If taxable
income attributable to such a mismatching is realized, in general, losses would
be allowed in later years as distributions on the later classes of Regular
Certificates are made. Taxable income may also be greater in earlier years than
in later years as a result of the fact that interest expense deductions,
expressed as a percentage of the outstanding principal amount of Regular
Certificates, may increase over time as distributions are made on the lower
yielding classes of Regular Certificates, whereas interest income with respect
to any given Loan will remain constant over time as a percentage of the
outstanding principal amount of that loan (assuming it bears interest at a
fixed rate). Consequently, Residual Holders must have sufficient other sources
of cash to pay any federal, state, or
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local income taxes due as a result of such mismatching, or such holders must
have unrelated deductions against which to offset such income, subject to the
discussion of "excess inclusions" below under "REMIC Series--Limitations on
Offset or Exemption of REMIC Income." The mismatching of income and deductions
described in this paragraph, if present with respect to a series of
Certificates, may have a significant adverse effect upon the Residual Holder's
after-tax rate of return.
The amount of any net loss of a REMIC that may be taken into account by the
Residual Holder is limited to the adjusted basis of the Residual Certificate as
of the close of the quarter (or time of disposition of the Residual Certificate
if earlier), determined without taking into account the net loss for the
quarter. The initial adjusted basis of a purchaser of a Residual Certificate is
the amount paid for such Residual Certificate. Such adjusted basis will be
increased by the amount of taxable income of the REMIC reportable by the
Residual Holder and decreased (but not below zero) by the amount of loss of the
REMIC reportable by the Residual Holder. A cash distribution from the REMIC
also will reduce such adjusted basis (but not below zero). Any loss that is
disallowed on account of this limitation may be carried over indefinitely by
the Residual Holder for whom such loss was disallowed and may be used by such
Residual Holder only to offset any income generated by the same REMIC.
If a Residual Certificate has a negative value, it is not clear whether its
issue price would be considered to be zero or such negative amount for purposes
of determining the REMIC's basis in its assets. The REMIC Regulations imply
that residual interests cannot have a negative basis or a negative issue price.
However, the preamble to the REMIC Regulations indicates that, while existing
tax rules do not accommodate such concepts, the Service is considering the tax
treatment of these types of residual interests, including the proper tax
treatment of a payment made by the transferor of such a residual interest to
induce the transferee to acquire that interest. Absent regulations or
administrative guidance to the contrary, the Company does not intend to treat a
class of Residual Certificates as having a value of less than zero for purposes
of determining the basis of the related REMIC in its assets.
Further, to the extent that the initial adjusted basis of a Residual Holder
(other than an original holder) in the Residual Certificate is in excess of the
corresponding portion of the REMIC's basis in the Loans, the Residual Holder
will not recover such excess basis until termination of the REMIC unless
Treasury Regulations yet to be issued provide for periodic adjustments to the
REMIC income otherwise reportable by such holder.
Treatment of Certain Items of REMIC Income and Expense. Generally, a REMIC's
deductions for original issue discount will be determined in the same manner,
and subject to the same uncertainties, as original issue discount income on
Regular Certificates as described above under "REMIC Series--Original Issue
Discount" and "--Adjustable Rate Regular Certificates," without regard to the
de minimis rule described therein.
The REMIC will have market discount income in respect of the Loans if, in
general, the basis of the REMIC in such Loans is exceeded by their unpaid
principal balances. The REMIC's basis in such Loans is generally the fair
market value of the Loans immediately after the transfer thereof to the REMIC
(which will equal the aggregate issue prices of the REMIC Certificates which
are sold to investors and the estimated fair market value of any classes of
Certificates which are retained). In respect of the Loans that have market
discount to which Code Section 1276 applies, the accrued portion of such market
discount would be recognized currently as an item of ordinary income. Market
discount income generally should accrue in the manner described above under
"REMIC Series--Market Discount."
Generally, if the basis of a REMIC in the Loans exceeds the unpaid principal
balances thereof, the REMIC will be considered to have acquired such Loans at a
premium equal to the amount of such excess. As stated above, the REMIC's basis
in the Loans is the fair market value of the Loans immediately after the
transfer thereof to the REMIC. Generally, a REMIC that holds a Loan as a
capital asset will elect to amortize premium on the Loans under a constant
interest method. See the discussion under "REMIC Series--Amortizable Premium."
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Limitations on Offset or Exemption of REMIC Income. Subject to an exception
described below, which applies only if the aggregate value of the Residual
Certificates relative to the aggregate value of the Regular Certificates and
Residual Certificates is considered to be "significant," as described below, a
portion (or all) of the REMIC taxable income includable in determining the
federal income tax liability of a Residual Holder will be subject to special
treatment. That portion, referred to as the "excess inclusion," is equal to the
excess of REMIC taxable income for the calendar quarter allocable to a Residual
Certificate over the daily accruals for such quarterly period of (i) 120% of
the long-term applicable Federal rate that would have applied to the Residual
Certificate (if it were a debt instrument) on the Startup Day under Section
1274(d) of the Code, multiplied by (ii) the adjusted issue price of such
Residual Certificate at the beginning of such quarterly period. For this
purpose, the adjusted issue price of a Residual Certificate at the beginning of
a quarter is the issue price of the Residual Certificate, plus the amount of
such daily accruals of REMIC income described in this paragraph for all prior
quarters, decreased by any distributions made with respect to such Residual
Certificate prior to the beginning of such quarterly period. The value of the
Residual Certificates would be considered significant in cases where the
aggregate issue price of the Residual Certificates is at least 2% of the
aggregate issue price of the Regular Certificates and Residual Certificates,
and the anticipated weighted average life of the Residual Certificates is at
least 20% of the anticipated weighted average life of the REMIC.
The portion of a Residual Holder's REMIC taxable income consisting of the
excess inclusions generally may not be offset by other deductions on such
Residual Holder's tax return, including net operating loss carry forwards.
Further, if the Residual Holder is an organization subject to the tax on
unrelated business income imposed by Section 511 of the Code, the Residual
Holder's excess inclusions will be treated as unrelated business taxable income
of such Residual Holder for purposes of Section 511. In addition, if the
Residual Holder is not a U.S. person, such Residual Holder's excess inclusions
generally would be ineligible for exemption from or reduction in the rate of
United States withholding tax. Finally, if a real estate investment trust or
regulated investment company owns a Residual Certificate, a portion (allocated
under Treasury Regulations yet to be issued) of dividends paid by such real
estate investment trust or regulated investment company could not be offset by
net operating losses of its shareholders and would constitute unrelated
business taxable income for tax-exempt shareholders.
An exception to the inability of a Residual Holder to offset excess
inclusions with unrelated deductions and net operating losses applies to
certain financial institutions described in Section 593 of the Code ("thrift
institutions"). For purposes of applying this rule, all members of an
affiliated group filing a consolidated return are treated as one taxpayer,
except that thrift institutions to which Section 593 applies and each of their
subsidiaries formed to issue REMICs are treated as separate corporations.
Furthermore, the Code provides that regulations may be issued to disallow the
ability of a thrift institution to use deductions to offset excess inclusions
if necessary or appropriate to prevent the avoidance of tax. A thrift
institution may not so offset its excess inclusions unless the Residual
Certificates have "significant value," which requires that (i) the Residual
Certificates have an issue price that is at least equal to 2% of the aggregate
of the issue prices of all Residual Certificates and Regular Certificates with
respect to the REMIC, and (ii) the anticipated weighted average life of the
Residual Certificates is at least 20% of the anticipated weighted average life
of the REMIC. The anticipated weighted average life of the Residual
Certificates is based on all anticipated payments to be received with respect
thereto (using the Prepayment Assumption). The anticipated weighted average
life of the REMIC is the weighted average of the anticipated weighted average
lives of all classes of Certificates in the REMIC (computed using all
anticipated payments on a Regular Certificate with nominal or no principal).
Finally, an ordering rule under the REMIC Regulations provides that a thrift
institution may only offset its excess inclusion income with deductions after
it has first applied its deductions against income that is not excess inclusion
income. If this exception may be applicable, the Prospectus Supplement with
respect to a series will state that the Residual Certificates are expected to
have "significant value."
Restrictions on Transfer of Residual Certificates. As described above under
"REMIC Series--Qualification as a REMIC," an interest in a Residual Certificate
may not be transferred to a Disqualified Organization. If any legal or
beneficial interest in a Residual Certificate is, nonetheless, transferred to a
Disqualified Organization, a tax would be imposed in an amount equal to the
product of (i) the present value
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of the total anticipated excess inclusions with respect to such Residual
Certificate for periods after the transfer, and (ii) the highest marginal
federal income tax rate applicable to corporations. The anticipated excess
inclusions are based on actual prepayment experience to the date of the
transfer and projected payments based on the Prepayment Assumption. The present
value rate equals the applicable federal rate under Section 1274(d) of the Code
as of the date of the transfer for a term ending on the close of the last
quarter in which excess inclusions are expected to accrue. Such rate is applied
to the anticipated excess inclusions from the end of the remaining calendar
quarters in which they arise to the date of the transfer. Such a tax generally
would be imposed on the transferor of the Residual Certificate, except that
where such transfer is through an agent (including a broker, nominee, or other
middleman) for a Disqualified Organization, the tax would instead be imposed on
such agent. However, a transferor of a Residual Certificate would in no event
be liable for such tax with respect to a transfer if the transferee furnishes
to the transferor an affidavit, under penalties of perjury, that the transferee
is not a Disqualified Organization and, as of the time of the transfer, the
transferor does not have actual knowledge that such affidavit is false. The tax
also may be waived by the Treasury Department if the Disqualified Organization
promptly disposes of the residual interest and the transferor pays such amount
of tax as the Treasury Department may require (presumably, a corporate tax on
the excess inclusion for the period the residual interest is actually held by
the Disqualified Organization).
In addition, if a "Pass-Through Entity" (as defined below) has excess
inclusion income with respect to a Residual Certificate during a taxable year
and a Disqualified Organization is the record holder of an equity interest in
such entity, then a tax is imposed on such entity equal to the product of (i)
the amount of excess inclusions on the Residual Certificate that are allocable
to the interest in the Pass-Through Entity during the period such interest is
held by such Disqualified Organization, and (ii) the highest marginal federal
income tax rate imposed on corporations. Such tax would be deductible from the
ordinary gross income of the Pass-Through Entity for the taxable year. The
Pass-Through Entity would not be liable for such tax if it has received an
affidavit from such record holder that it is not a Disqualified Organization
and, during the period such person is the record holder of the Residual
Certificate, the Pass-Through Entity does not have actual knowledge that such
affidavit is false.
For these purposes, a "Pass-Through Entity" means any regulated investment
company, real estate investment trust, common trust fund, partnership, trust or
estate and certain corporations operating on a cooperative basis. Except as may
be provided in Treasury Regulations, any person holding an interest in a Pass-
Through Entity as a nominee for another will, with respect to such interest, be
treated as a Pass-Through Entity.
Noneconomic Residual Interests. The REMIC Regulations would disregard certain
transfers of Residual Certificates, in which case the transferor would continue
to be treated as the owner of the Residual Certificates and thus would continue
to be subject to tax on its allocable portion of the net income of the REMIC.
Under the REMIC Regulations, a transfer of a "noneconomic residual interest"
(as defined below) to a Residual Holder is disregarded for all federal income
tax purposes if a significant purpose of the transfer is to enable the
transferor to impede the assessment or collection of tax. A residual interest
in a REMIC (including a residual interest with a positive value at issuance) is
a "noneconomic residual interest" unless, at the time of transfer, (i) the
present value of the expected future distributions on the residual interest at
least equals the product of the present value of the anticipated excess
inclusions and the highest corporate income tax rate in effect for the year in
which the transfer occurs, and (ii) the transferor reasonably expects that the
transferee will receive distributions from the REMIC at or after the time at
which taxes accrue on the anticipated excess inclusions in an amount sufficient
to satisfy the accrued taxes. The anticipated excess inclusions and the present
value rate are determined in the same manner as set forth above. The REMIC
Regulations explain that a significant purpose to impede the assessment or
collection of tax exists if the transferor, at the time of the transfer, either
knew or should have known that the transferee would be unwilling or unable to
pay taxes due on its share of the taxable income of the REMIC. A safe harbor is
provided if (i) the transferor conducted, at the time of the transfer, a
reasonable investigation of the financial condition of the transferee and found
that the transferee historically had paid its debts as they came due and found
no significant evidence to
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indicate that the transferee would not continue to pay its debts as they came
due in the future, and (ii) the transferee represents to the transferor that it
understands that, as the holder of a non-economic residual interest, the
transferee may incur tax liabilities in excess of any cash flows generated by
the interest and that the transferee intends to pay taxes associated with
holding the residual interest as they become due. The Agreement with respect to
each series of REMIC Certificates will require the transferee of a Residual
Certificate to certify to the statements in clause (ii) of the preceding
sentence as part of the affidavit described above under "Restrictions on
Transfer of Residual Certificates."
Sale or Exchange of a Residual Certificate. Upon the sale or exchange of a
Residual Certificate, the Residual Holder will recognize gain or loss equal to
the excess, if any, of the amount realized over the adjusted basis as described
above of such Residual Holder in such Residual Certificate at the time of the
sale or exchange. In addition to reporting the taxable income of the REMIC, a
Residual Holder will have taxable income to the extent that any cash
distribution to him from the REMIC exceeds such adjusted basis on that
Distribution Date. Such income will be treated as gain from the sale or
exchange of the Residual Certificate. It is possible that the termination of
the REMIC may be treated as a sale or exchange of a Residual Holder's Residual
Certificate, in which case, if the Residual Holder has an adjusted basis in his
Residual Certificate remaining when his interest in the REMIC terminates, and
if he holds such Residual Certificate as a capital asset, then he will
recognize a capital loss at that time in the amount of such remaining adjusted
basis.
The Conference Committee Report to the Tax Reform Act of 1986 provides that,
except as provided in Treasury Regulations, the wash sale rules of Code Section
1091 will apply to dispositions of Residual Certificates where the seller of
the Residual Certificate, during the period beginning six months before the
sale or disposition of the Residual Certificate and ending six months after
such sale or disposition, acquires (or enters into any other transaction that
results in the application of Code Section 1091) any residual interest in any
REMIC or any interest in a "taxable mortgage pool" that is economically
comparable to a Residual Certificate.
Certain Other Taxes on the REMIC. The REMIC provisions of the Code impose a
100% tax on any net income derived by a REMIC from certain prohibited
transactions. Such transactions are: (i) any disposition of a qualified
mortgage, other than pursuant to the substitution of a qualified replacement
mortgage for a qualified mortgage (or the repurchase in lieu of substitution of
a defective obligation), a disposition incident to the foreclosure, default, or
imminent default of a mortgage, the bankruptcy or insolvency of the REMIC, or a
qualified liquidation of the REMIC; (ii) the receipt of income from assets
other than qualified mortgages and permitted investments; (iii) the receipt of
compensation for services; and (iv) the receipt of gain from the dispositions
of cash flow investments. The REMIC Regulations provide that the modification
of the terms of a Loan occasioned by default or a reasonably foreseeable
default of the Loan, the assumption of the Loan, the waiver of a due-on-sale
clause or the conversion of an interest rate by an Obligor pursuant to the
terms of a convertible adjustable-rate Loan will not be treated as a
disposition of the Loan. In the event that a REMIC holds Convertible ARM Loans
which are convertible at the option of the Obligor into fixed-rate, fully
amortizing, level payment Loans, a sale of such Loans by the REMIC pursuant to
a purchase agreement or other CONTRACT with the Company or other party, if and
when the Obligor elects to so convert the terms of the Loan, will not result in
a prohibited transaction for the REMIC. The Code also imposes a 100% tax on
contributions to a REMIC made after the Startup Day, unless such contributions
are payments made to facilitate a cleanup call or a qualified liquidation of
the REMIC, payments in the nature of a guaranty, contributions during the
three-month period beginning on the Startup Day or contributions to a qualified
reserve fund of the REMIC by a holder of a residual interest in the REMIC. The
Code also imposes a tax on a REMIC at the highest corporate rate on certain net
income from foreclosure property that the REMIC derives from the management,
sale, or disposition of any real property, or any personal property incident
thereto, acquired by the REMIC in connection with the default or imminent
default of a loan. Generally, it is not anticipated that a REMIC will incur a
significant amount of such taxes or any material amount of state or local
income or franchise taxes. However, if any such taxes are imposed on a REMIC
they will be paid by the Company or the Trustee, if due to the breach of the
Company's or the Trustee's obligations, as the case may be, under the related
Pooling and Servicing Agreement or in other cases, such taxes shall be
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borne by the related Trust Fund resulting in a reduction in amounts otherwise
payable to holders of the related Regular or Residual Certificates.
Liquidation of the REMIC. A REMIC may liquidate without the imposition of
entity-level tax only in a "qualified liquidation." A liquidation is considered
qualified if a REMIC adopts a plan of complete liquidation (which may be
accomplished by designating in the REMIC's final tax return a date on which
such adoption is deemed to occur) and sells all of its assets (other than cash)
within the ninety-day period beginning on the date of the adoption of the plan
of liquidation, provided that it distributes to holders of Regular or Residual
Certificates, on or before the last day of the ninety-day liquidation period,
all the proceeds of the liquidation (including all cash), less amounts retained
to meet claims.
Taxation of Certain Foreign Investors. For purposes of this discussion, a
"Foreign Holder" is a Certificateholder who holds a Regular Certificate and who
is not (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation,
partnership, or other entity organized in or under the laws of the United
States or a political subdivision thereof or (iii) an estate or trust the
income of which is includible in gross income for United States tax purposes
regardless of its source. Unless the interest on a Regular Certificate is
effectively connected with the conduct by the Foreign Holder of a trade or
business within the United States, the Foreign Holder is not subject to federal
income or withholding tax on interest (or original issue discount, if any) on a
Regular Certificate (subject to possible backup withholding of tax, discussed
below). To qualify for this tax exemption, the Foreign Holder will be required
to provide periodically a statement signed under penalties of perjury
certifying that the Foreign Holder meets the requirements for treatment as a
Foreign Holder and providing the Foreign Holder's name and address. The
statement, which may be made on a Form W-8 or substantially similar substitute
form, generally must be provided in the year a payment occurs or in either of
the two preceding years. The statement must be provided, either directly or
through clearing organization or financial institution intermediaries, to the
person that otherwise would withhold tax. This exemption may not apply to a
Foreign Holder that owns both Regular Certificates and Residual Certificates.
If the interest on a Regular Certificate is effectively connected with the
conduct by a Foreign Holder of a trade or business within the United States,
then the Foreign Holder will be subject to tax at regular graduated rates. In
addition, the foregoing rules will not apply to exempt a U.S. shareholder of a
controlled foreign corporation from taxation on such U.S. shareholder's
allocable portion of the interest income received by such controlled foreign
corporation. Foreign Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding
the specific tax consequences of their owning a Regular Certificate.
Any gain recognized by a Foreign Holder upon a sale, retirement or other
taxable disposition of a Regular Certificate generally will not be subject to
United States federal income tax unless either (i) the Foreign Holder is a
nonresident alien individual who holds the Regular Certificate as a capital
asset and who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the
taxable year of the disposition and either the gain is attributable to an
office or other fixed place of business maintained in the U.S. by the
individual or the individual has a "tax home" in the United States, or (ii) the
gain is effectively connected with the conduct by the Foreign Holder of a trade
or business within the United States.
It appears that a Regular Certificate will not be included in the estate of a
Foreign Holder and will not be subject to United States estate taxes. However,
Foreign Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding estate tax
consequences.
Unless otherwise stated in the related Prospectus Supplement, transfers of
Residual Certificates to Foreign Holders will be prohibited by the related
Agreement.
Backup Withholding. Under certain circumstances, a REMIC Certificateholder
may be subject to "backup withholding" at a 31% rate. Backup withholding may
apply to a REMIC Certificateholder who is a United States person if the holder,
among other circumstances, fails to furnish his Social Security number or other
taxpayer identification number to the Trustee. Backup withholding may apply,
under certain circumstances, to a REMIC Certificateholder who is a foreign
person if the REMIC Certificateholder fails to
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provide the Trustee or the REMIC Certificateholder's securities broker with the
statement necessary to establish the exemption from federal income and
withholding tax on interest on the REMIC Certificate. Backup withholding,
however, does not apply to payments on a Certificate made to certain exempt
recipients, such as corporations and tax-exempt organizations, and to certain
foreign persons. REMIC Certificateholders should consult their tax advisors for
additional information concerning the potential application of backup
withholding to payments received by them with respect to a Certificate.
Reporting Requirements and Tax Administration. The Company will report
annually to the Service, holders of record of the Regular Certificates that are
not excepted from the reporting requirements and, to the extent required by the
Code, other interested parties, information with respect to the interest paid
or accrued on the Regular Certificates, original issue discount, if any,
accruing on the Regular Certificates and information necessary to compute the
accrual of any market discount or the amortization of any premium on the
Regular Certificates.
The Treasury Department has issued temporary regulations concerning certain
aspects of REMIC tax administration. Under those regulations, a Residual
Certificateholder must be designated as the REMIC's "tax matters person." The
tax matters person, generally, has responsibility for overseeing and providing
notice to the other Residual Certificateholders of certain administrative and
judicial proceedings regarding the REMIC's tax affairs. Unless otherwise
indicated in the related Prospectus Supplement, the Company will be designated
as tax matters person for each REMIC, and in conjunction with the Trustee will
act as the agent of the Residual Certificateholders in the preparation and
filing of the REMIC's federal and state income tax and other information
returns.
NON-REMIC SERIES
Tax Status of the Trust Fund. In the case of a Trust Fund evidenced by a
series of Certificates, or a segregated portion thereof, with respect to which
a REMIC Election is not made ("Non-REMIC Certificates"), Counsel will, unless
otherwise specified in the related Prospectus Supplement, have advised the
Company that, in their opinion, each Loan Pool and the arrangement to be
administered by the Company under which the Trustee will hold and the Company
will be obligated to service the Loans and pursuant to which Non-REMIC
Certificates will be issued to Non-REMIC Certificateholders will not be
classified as an association taxable as a corporation or a "taxable mortgage
pool", within the meaning of Code Section 7701(i), but rather will be
classified as a grantor trust under Subpart E, Part 1 of Subchapter J of the
Code. In such event, each Non-REMIC Certificateholder will be treated as the
owner of a pro rata undivided interest in the ordinary income and corpus
portions of the trust attributable to the Loan Pool in which its Certificate
evidences an ownership interest and will be considered the equitable owner of a
pro rata undivided interest in each of the Loans included therein. The
following discussion assumes the Trust Fund will be so classified as a grantor
trust.
Tax Status of Non-REMIC Certificates. In general, (i) Certificates held by a
financial institution taxed as described in Section 593(a) of the Code may
represent interests in "qualifying real property loans" within the meaning of
Section 593(d) of the Code; (ii) Certificates held by a "domestic building and
loan association" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19) of the Code may be
considered to represent "loans secured by an interest in real property" within
the meaning of Section 7701(a)(19)(C)(v) of the Code; and (iii) Certificates
held by a real estate investment trust may constitute "real estate assets"
within the meaning of Section 856(c)(5)(A) of the Code and interest thereon may
be considered "interest on obligations secured by mortgages on real property"
within the meaning of Section 856(c)(3)(B) of the Code. See the discussions of
such Code provisions above under "REMIC Series Tax Status of REMIC
Certificates." Investors should review the related Prospectus Supplement for a
discussion of the treatment of Non-REMIC Certificates and Loans under these
Code sections and should, in addition, consult with their own tax advisors with
respect to these matters.
Tax Treatment of Non-REMIC Certificates. Subject to the discussion below of
the "stripped bond" rules of the Code, Non-REMIC Certificateholders will be
required to report on their federal income tax returns,
49
<PAGE>
and in a manner consistent with their respective methods of accounting, their
pro rata share of the entire income arising from the Loans comprising such Loan
Pool, including interest, market or original issue discount, if any, prepayment
fees, assumption fees, and late payment charges received by the Company, and
any gain upon disposition of such Loans. (For purposes of this discussion, the
term "disposition," when used with respect to the Loans, includes scheduled or
prepaid collections with respect to the Loans, as well as the sale or exchange
of a Non-REMIC Certificate.) Subject to the discussion below of certain
limitations on itemized deductions, Non-REMIC Certificateholders will be
entitled under Section 162 or 212 of the Code to deduct their pro rata share of
related servicing fees, administrative and other non-interest expenses,
including assumption fees and late payment charges retained by the Company. An
individual, an estate, or a trust that holds a Non-REMIC Certificate either
directly or through a pass-through entity will be allowed to deduct such
expenses under Section 212 of the Code only to the extent that, in the
aggregate and combined with certain other itemized deductions, they exceed 2%
of the adjusted gross income of the holder. In addition, Section 68 of the Code
provides that the amount of itemized deductions (including those provided for
in Section 212 of the Code) otherwise allowable for the taxable year for an
individual whose adjusted gross income exceeds a threshold amount specified in
the Code ($117,950 for 1996, in the case of a joint return) will be reduced by
the lesser of (i) 3% of the excess of adjusted gross income over the specified
threshold amount or (ii) 80% of the amount of itemized deductions otherwise
allowable for such taxable year. Furthermore, in determining the alternative
minimum taxable income of an individual, trust, estate or pass-through entity
that is a holder of a Non-REMIC Certificate, no deduction will be allowed for
such holder's allocable portion of the foregoing expenses, even though an
amount equal to the total of such expenses will be included in such holder's
gross income for alternative minimum tax purposes. To the extent that a Non-
REMIC Certificateholder is not permitted to deduct servicing fees allocable to
a Non-REMIC Certificate, the taxable income of the Non-REMIC Certificateholder
attributable to that Non-REMIC Certificate will exceed the net cash
distributions related to such income. Non-REMIC Certificateholders may deduct
any loss on disposition of the Loans to the extent permitted under the Code.
To the extent that any of the Loans comprising a Loan Pool were originated on
or after March 2, 1984 and under circumstances giving rise to original issue
discount, Certificateholders will be required to report annually an amount of
additional interest income attributable to such discount in such Loans prior to
receipt of cash related to such discount. See the discussion above under "REMIC
Series--Original Issue Discount." Similarly, Code provisions concerning market
discount and amortizable premium will apply to the Loans comprising a Loan Pool
to the extent that the loans were originated after July 18, 1984 and September
27, 1985, respectively. See the discussions above under "REMIC Series--Market
Discount" and "REMIC Series--Amortizable Premium." However, it is unclear
whether a prepayment assumption should be used in accruing or amortizing any
such discount or premium.
Stripped Non-REMIC Certificates. Certain classes of Non-REMIC Certificates
may be subject to the stripped bond rules of Section 1286 of the Code and for
purposes of this discussion will be referred to as "Stripped Certificates." In
general, a Stripped Certificate will be subject to the stripped bond rules
where there has been a separation of ownership of the right to receive some or
all of the principal payments on a Loan from ownership of the right to receive
some or all of the related interest payments. Non-REMIC Certificates will
constitute Stripped Certificates and will be subject to these rules under
various circumstances, including the following: (i) if any servicing
compensation is deemed to exceed a reasonable amount; (ii) if the Company or
any other party retains a Retained Yield with respect to the Loans comprising a
Loan Pool; (iii) if two or more classes of Non-REMIC Certificates are issued
representing the right to non-pro rata percentages of the interest or principal
payments on the Loans; or (iv) if Non-REMIC Certificates are issued which
represent the right to interest only payments or principal only payments.
Although not entirely clear, each Stripped Certificate should be considered
to be a single debt instrument issued on the day it is purchased for purposes
of calculating any original issue discount. Original issue discount with
respect to a Stripped Certificate, if any, must be included in ordinary gross
income for federal income tax purposes as it accrues in accordance with the
constant-yield method that takes into account the compounding of interest and
such accrual of income may be in advance of the receipt of any cash
attributable
50
<PAGE>
to such income. See "REMIC Series--Original Issue Discount" above. For purposes
of applying the original issue discount provisions of the Code, the issue price
of a Stripped Certificate will be the purchase price paid by each holder
thereof and the stated redemption price at maturity may include the aggregate
amount of all payments to be made with respect to the Stripped Certificate
whether or not denominated as interest. The amount of original issue discount
with respect to a Stripped Certificate may be treated as zero under the
original issue discount de minimis rules described above. A purchaser of a
Stripped Certificate will be required to account for any discount on the
certificate as market discount rather than original issue discount if either
(i) the amount of original issue discount with respect to the certificate was
treated as zero under the original issue discount de minimis rule when the
certificate was stripped or (ii) no more than 100 basis points (including any
amount of servicing in excess of reasonable servicing) is stripped off of the
Loans. See "REMIC Series--Market Discount" above.
Although the OID Regulations suggest that a prepayment assumption is not to
be used in computing the yield on the underlying assets of a Trust Fund with
respect to which a REMIC election is not made, the Code appears to require that
such a prepayment assumption be used in computing yield with respect to
Stripped Certificates. In the absence of authority to the contrary, the Company
intends to base information reports and returns to the Service and the holders
of Stripped Certificates taking into account an appropriate prepayment
assumption. Holders of Stripped Certificates should refer to the related
Prospectus Supplement to determine whether and in what manner the original
issue discount rules will apply thereto.
When an investor purchases more than one class of Stripped Certificates it is
currently unclear whether for federal income tax purposes such classes of
Stripped Certificates should be treated separately or aggregated for purposes
of applying the original issue discount rules described above.
It is possible that the Service may take a contrary position with respect to
some or all of the foregoing tax consequences. For example, a holder of a
Stripped Certificate may be treated as the owner of (i) as many stripped bonds
or stripped coupons as there are scheduled payments of principal and/or
interest on each Loan or (ii) a separate installment obligation for each Loan
representing the Stripped Certificate's pro rata share of principal and/or
interest payments to be made with respect thereto. As a result of these
possible alternative characterizations, investors should consult their own tax
advisors regarding the proper treatment of Stripped Certificates for federal
income tax purposes.
The servicing compensation to be received by the Company and the fee for
credit enhancement, if any, may be questioned by the Service with respect to
certain Certificates or Loans as exceeding a reasonable fee for the services
being performed in exchange therefor, and a portion of such servicing
compensation could be recharacterized as an ownership interest retained by the
Company or other party in a portion of the interest payments to be made
pursuant to the Loans. In this event, a Certificate might be treated as a
Stripped Certificate subject to the stripped bond rules of Section 1286 of the
Code and the original issue discount provisions rather than to the market
discount and premium rules.
Gain or Loss on Disposition. Upon sale or exchange of a Non-REMIC
Certificate, a Non-REMIC Certificateholder will recognize gain or loss equal to
the difference between the amount realized in the sale and its aggregate
adjusted basis in the Loans represented by the Non-REMIC Certificate.
Generally, the aggregate adjusted basis will equal the Non-REMIC
Certificateholder's cost for the Non-REMIC Certificate increased by the amount
of any previously reported income or gain with respect to the Non-REMIC
Certificate and decreased by the amount of any losses previously reported with
respect to the Non-REMIC Certificate and the amount of any distributions
received thereon. Except as provided above with respect to the original issue
discount and market discount rules, any such gain or loss would be capital gain
or loss if the Non-REMIC Certificate was held as a capital asset.
Tax Treatment of Certain Foreign Investors. Generally, interest or original
issue discount paid to or accruing for the benefit of a Non-REMIC
Certificateholder who is a Foreign Holder (as defined above under "REMIC
Series--Taxation of Certain Foreign Investors") will be treated as "portfolio
interest" and therefore
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<PAGE>
will be exempt from the 30% withholding tax. Such Non-REMIC Certificateholder
will be entitled to receive interest payments and original issue discount on
the Non-REMIC Certificates free of United States federal income tax, but only
to the extent the Loans were originated after July 18, 1984 and provided that
such Non-REMIC Certificateholder periodically provides the Trustee (or other
person who would otherwise be required to withhold tax) with a statement
certifying under penalty of perjury that such Non-REMIC Certificateholder is
not a United States person and providing the name and address of such Non-REMIC
Certificateholder. For additional information concerning interest or original
issue discount paid by the Company to a Foreign Holder and the treatment of a
sale or exchange of a Non-REMIC Certificate by a Foreign Holder, which will
generally have the same tax consequences as the sale of a Regular Certificate,
see the discussion above under "REMIC Series--Taxation of Certain Foreign
Investors."
Tax Administration and Reporting. The Company will furnish to each Non-REMIC
Certificateholder with each distribution a statement setting forth the amount
of such distribution allocable to principal and to interest. In addition, the
Company will furnish, within a reasonable time after the end of each calendar
year, to each Non-REMIC Certificateholder who was a Certificateholder at any
time during such year, information regarding the amount of servicing
compensation received by the Company and any sub-servicer and such other
customary factual information as the Company deems necessary or desirable to
enable Certificateholders to prepare their tax returns. Reports will be made
annually to the Service and to holders of record that are not excepted from the
reporting requirements regarding information as may be required with respect to
interest and original issue discount, if any, with respect to the Non-REMIC
Certificates.
OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES
No advice has been received as to local income, franchise, personal property,
or other taxation in any state or locality, or as to the tax effect of
ownership of Certificates in any state or locality. Certificateholders are
advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to any state or local
income, franchise, personal property, or other tax consequences arising out of
their ownership of Certificates.
LEGAL INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, any
Certificates offered hereby are not expected to constitute "mortgage related
securities" for purposes of the Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement Act of
1984 ("SMMEA") because there will be a substantial number of Loans that are
secured by liens on real estate that are not first liens, as required by SMMEA.
Accordingly, many institutions with legal authority to invest in "mortgage
related securities" may not be legally authorized to invest in the
Certificates.
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, The Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency and the National Credit Union Administration have
proposed or adopted guidelines regarding investment in various types of
mortgage-backed securities. In addition, certain state regulators have taken
positions that may prohibit regulated institutions subject to their
jurisdiction from holding securities representing residual interests, including
securities previously purchased. There may be other restrictions on the ability
of certain investors, including depository institutions, either to purchase
Certificates or to purchase Certificates representing more than a specified
percentage of the investor's assets. Investors should consult their own legal
advisors in determining whether and to what extent the Certificates constitute
legal investments for such investors.
RATINGS
It is a condition precedent to the issuance of any Class of Certificates sold
under this Prospectus that they be rated by at least one nationally recognized
statistical rating organization in one of its four highest
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<PAGE>
rating categories (within which there may be sub-categories or gradations
indicating relative standing). A security rating is not a recommendation to
buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at
any time by the assigning rating agency. The security rating of any Series of
Certificates should be evaluated independently of similar security ratings
assigned to other kinds of securities.
UNDERWRITING
The Company may sell Certificates of each Series to or through underwriters
(the "Underwriters") by a negotiated firm commitment underwriting and public
reoffering by the Underwriters, and also may sell and place Certificates
directly to other purchasers or through agents. The Company intends that
Certificates will be offered through such various methods from time to time and
that offerings may be made concurrently through more than one of these methods
or that an offering of a particular Series of Certificates may be made through
a combination of such methods.
The distribution of the Certificates may be effected from time to time in one
or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at
market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such
prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices.
If so specified in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a Series of
Certificates, the Company or any affiliate thereof may purchase some or all of
one or more Classes of Certificates of such Series from the Underwriter or
Underwriters at a price specified in such Prospectus Supplement. Such purchaser
may thereafter from time to time offer and sell, pursuant to this Prospectus,
some or all of such Certificates so purchased directly, through one or more
Underwriters to be designated at the time of the offering of such Certificates
or through broker-dealers acting as agent and/or principal. Such offering may
be restricted in the manner specified in such Prospectus Supplement. Such
transactions may be effected at market prices prevailing at the time of sale,
at negotiated prices or at fixed prices.
In connection with the sale of the Certificates, Underwriters may receive
compensation from the Company or from purchasers of Certificates for whom they
may act as agents in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions.
Underwriters may sell the Certificates of a Series to or through dealers and
such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or
commissions from the Underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for
whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate
in the distribution of the Certificates of a Series may be deemed to be
Underwriters, and any discounts or commissions received by them from the
Company and any profit on the resale of the Certificates by them may be deemed
to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Securities Act"). Any such Underwriters or agents will be
identified, and any such compensation received from the Company will be
described, in the Prospectus Supplement.
Under agreements which may be entered into by the Company, Underwriters and
agents who participate in the distribution of the Certificates may be entitled
to indemnification by the Company against certain liabilities, including
liabilities under the Securities Act.
If so indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, the Company will authorize
Underwriters or other persons acting as the Company's agents to solicit offers
by certain institutions to purchase the Certificates from the Company pursuant
to contracts providing for payment and delivery on a future date. Institutions
with which such contracts may be made include commercial and savings banks,
insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational
charitable institutions and others, but in all cases such institutions must be
approved by the Company. The obligation of any purchaser under any such
contract will be subject to the condition that the purchaser of the offered
Certificates shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of
the jurisdiction to which such purchaser is subject from purchasing such
Certificates. The Underwriters and such other agents will not have
responsibility in respect of the validity or performance of such contracts.
53
<PAGE>
The Underwriters may, from time to time, buy and sell Certificates, but there
can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop and there is
no assurance that any such market, if established, will continue.
Certain of the Underwriters and their associates may engage in transactions
with and perform services for the Company in the ordinary course of business.
LEGAL MATTERS
The legality and material federal income tax consequences of the Certificates
will be passed upon for the Company by the counsel to the Company identified in
the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 1995
and 1994 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31,
1995 incorporated by reference herein have been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP, independent accountants, as stated in their report given upon their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
54
<PAGE>
PART II.
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
ITEM 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
SEC registration fee........................................... $ 689,655.17
Blue Sky fees and expenses..................................... 10,000.00
Accountant's fee and expenses.................................. 40,000.00
Attorneys' fees and expenses................................... 160,000.00
Trustee's fees and expenses.................................... 20,000.00
Printing and engraving expenses................................ 100,000.00
Rating Agency fee.............................................. 180,000.00
Miscellaneous.................................................. 40,000.00
-------------
Total...................................................... $1,239,655.17
=============
</TABLE>
ITEM 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Green Tree Financial Corporation is incorporated under the laws of Delaware.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a Delaware
corporation may indemnify any persons, including officers and directors, who
are, or are threatened to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or
completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of such corporation,
by reason of the fact that such person was an officer, director, employee or
agent of such corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such
corporation as a director, employee or agent of such corporation, or is or was
serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation or enterprise). The indemnity may include expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement
actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action,
suit or proceeding, provided such person acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation's best interests
and, for criminal proceedings, had no reasonable cause to believe that his
conduct was illegal. A Delaware corporation may indemnify officers and
directors in an action by or in the right of the corporation under the same
conditions, except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial
approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the
corporation. Where and officer or director is successful on the merits or
otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must
indemnify him against the expenses which such officer or director actually and
reasonably incurred.
The Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of Green Tree Financial
Corporation provide, in effect, that, subject to certain limited exceptions,
such corporation will indemnify its officers and directors to the extent
permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.
The Company maintains a directors' and officers' insurance policy.
Pursuant to the form of Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriters will agree,
subject to certain conditions, to indemnify the Company, its directors, certain
of their officers and any persons who control the Company, within the meaning
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), against
certain liabilities.
Pursuant to the form of Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is
incorporated by reference as Exhibit 1.1 hereto, the Underwriters will agree,
subject to certain conditions, to indemnify the Company, its directors, certain
of its officers and persons who control the Company within the meaning of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), against certain
liabilities.
II-1
<PAGE>
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS
<TABLE>
<C> <S>
*1.1 Proposed form of Underwriting Agreement
**4.1 Form of Pooling and Servicing Agreement
5.1 Opinion and consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP as to legality
8.1 Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney as to tax matters
***12.1 Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
23.1 Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
23.2 Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)
24.1 Power of attorney from officers and directors of the Registrant
signed by an attorney-in-fact (included on page II-4)
****99.1 Form of Prospectus Supplement Relating to Secured Contracts
*****99.2 Form of Prospectus Supplement Relating to Unsecured Contracts
</TABLE>
- --------
* Incorporated by reference to the similarly numbered exhibit (unless
otherwise indicated) to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (File No. 33-55853), as amended, which became effective on November
10, 1994.
** Incorporated by reference to the similarly numbered exhibit (unless
otherwise indicated) to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K
dated December 27, 1996.
*** Incorporated by reference to the similarly numbered exhibit (unless
otherwise indicated) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 1995 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
for the Quarter ended September 30, 1996.
**** Incorporated by reference herein is the Registrant's Prospectus
Supplement to the Registrant's Prospectus dated December 18, 1996
relating to Certificates for Home Improvement Loans Series 1996-F as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 23, 1996
pursuant to Rule 424(b) and relating to the Registrant's Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33-64183).
***** Incorporated by reference herein is the Registrant's Prospectus
Supplement to the Registrant's Prospectus dated September 17, 1996
relating to Certificates for Home Improvement Loans Series 1996-E as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 19, 1996
pursuant to Rule 424(b) and relating to the Registrant's Registration
Statements on Form S-3 (File No. 33-64183).
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant
of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of
the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its
counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court
of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
(1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of
1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as a part
of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in
a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or
(4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this
registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
II-2
<PAGE>
(2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act
of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall
be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
aggregate, represent a fundamental change to such information in the
registration statement;
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
any material change in the information set forth in the registration
statement;
Provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if
the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by
those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the
registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
registration statement;
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to deliver or cause to be
delivered with the prospectus, to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or
given, the latest annual report to security holders that is incorporated by
reference in the prospectus and furnished pursuant to and meeting the
requirements of Rule 14a-3 or rule 14c-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934; and, where interim financial information required to be presented by
Article 3 of Regulation S-X are not set forth in the prospectus, to deliver, or
cause to be delivered to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or given,
the latest quarterly report that is specifically incorporated by reference in
the prospectus to provide such interim financial information.
II-3
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THE REGISTRANT
CERTIFIES THAT IT HAS REASONABLE GROUNDS TO BELIEVE THAT IT MEETS ALL OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING ON FORM S-3 AND HAS DULY CAUSED THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT TO BE SIGNED ON ITS BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED, THEREUNTO DULY
AUTHORIZED, IN THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL, STATE OF MINNESOTA, ON THE 22ND DAY OF
JANUARY, 1997.
GREEN TREE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
/s/ Scott T. Young
By: _________________________________
Scott T. Young
Vice President and Controller
POWER OF ATTORNEY
PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN THE CAPACITIES AND ON THE
DATE INDICATED. EACH PERSON WHOSE SIGNATURE TO THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT
APPEARS BELOW HEREBY CONSTITUTES AND APPOINTS JOEL H. GOTTESMANN AND SCOTT T.
YOUNG AND EACH OF THEM, AS HIS TRUE AND LAWFUL ATTORNEY-IN-FACT AND AGENT, WITH
FULL POWER OF SUBSTITUTION, TO SIGN ON HIS BEHALF INDIVIDUALLY AND IN THE
CAPACITY STATED BELOW AND TO PERFORM ANY ACTS NECESSARY TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO
FILE ALL AMENDMENTS AND POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENTS TO THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT, AND ANY AND ALL INSTRUMENTS OR DOCUMENTS FILED AS PART OF OR IN
CONNECTION WITH THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT OR THE AMENDMENTS THERETO AND EACH
OF THE UNDERSIGNED DOES HEREBY RATIFY AND CONFORM ALL THAT SAID ATTORNEY-IN-
FACT AND AGENT, OR HIS SUBSTITUTES, SHALL DO OR CAUSE TO BE DONE BY VIRTUE
HEREOF.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE
--------- ----- ----
<S> <C> <C>
/s/ Lawrence M. Coss
- ------------------------------------
Lawrence M. Coss Chairman of the Board and January 22, 1997
Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive
Officer and Director)
/s/ Edward L. Finn
- ------------------------------------
Edward L. Finn Executive Vice President and January 22, 1997
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial
Officer)
/s/ Scott T. Young
- ------------------------------------
Scott T. Young Vice President and January 22, 1997
Controller (Principal
Accounting Officer)
/s/ Richard G. Evans
- ------------------------------------
Richard G. Evans Director January 22, 1997
/s/ W. Max McGee
- ------------------------------------
W. Max McGee Director January 22, 1997
/s/ Robert S. Nickoloff
- ------------------------------------
Robert S. Nickoloff Director January 22, 1997
/s/ Robert D. Potts
- ------------------------------------
Robert D. Potts Director January 22, 1997
</TABLE>
II-4
<PAGE>
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS
<TABLE>
<C> <S>
*1.1 Proposed form of Underwriting Agreement
**4.1 Form of Pooling and Servicing Agreement
5.1 Opinion and consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP as to legality
8.1 Opinion of Dorsey & Whitney as to tax matters
***12.1 Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
23.1 Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
23.2 Consent of Dorsey & Whitney LLP (included as part of Exhibit 5.1)
24.1 Power of attorney from officers and directors of the Registrant
signed by an attorney-in-fact (included on page II-4)
****99.1 Form of Prospectus Supplement Relating to Secured Contracts
*****99.2 Form of Prospectus Supplement Relating to Unsecured Contracts
</TABLE>
- --------
* Incorporated by reference to the similarly numbered exhibit (unless
otherwise indicated) to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (File No. 33-55853), as amended, which became effective on November
10, 1994.
** Incorporated by reference to the similarly numbered exhibit (unless
otherwise indicated) to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K
dated December 27, 1996.
*** Incorporated by reference to the similarly numbered exhibit (unless
otherwise indicated) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 1995 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
for the Quarter ended September 30, 1996.
**** Incorporated by reference herein is the Registrant's Prospectus
Supplement to the Registrant's Prospectus dated December 18, 1996
relating to Certificates for Home Improvement Loans Series 1996-F as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 23, 1996
pursuant to Rule 424(b) and relating to the Registrant's Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 33-64183).
***** Incorporated by reference herein is the Registrant's Prospectus
Supplement to the Registrant's Prospectus dated September 17, 1996
relating to Certificates for Home Improvement Loans Series 1996-E as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 19, 1996
pursuant to Rule 424(b) and relating to the Registrant's Registration
Statements on Form S-3 (File No. 33-64183).
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 5.1
-----------
DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP
220 South Sixth Street
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402
(612) 340-2600
TELEX 29-0605
TELECOPIER (612) 340-2868
Green Tree Financial Corporation
1100 Landmark Towers
345 St. Peter Street
St. Paul, Minnesota 55102-1639
Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Green Tree Financial Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation of a
Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on January 24, 1997, (the "Registration
Statement"), relating to the registration by the Company of $2,000,000,000 of
Certificates for Home Improvement Loans (the "Certificates"). The Certificates
are proposed to be issued from time to time in series under separate Pooling and
Servicing Agreements, each in substantially the form incorporated by reference
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (each such agreement, a "Pooling and
Servicing Agreement"), between the Company, as seller and servicer, and a bank
or trust company, as trustee (the "Trustee"). The Company may provide a Limited
Guaranty (the "Limited Guaranty") with respect to one or more classes of any
series of Certificates.
We have examined the Registration Statement, and such other
documents, and have reviewed such questions of law, as we have considered
necessary and appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. Based on the
foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. Each Pooling and Servicing Agreement, when it has been duly
authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company (or the Executive
Committee thereof), and duly executed and delivered by the Company and the
Trustee, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company and
the Limited Guaranty, if any, provided for therein will constitute the valid
and binding obligation of the Company.
2. Each series of Certificates, when duly executed and delivered
in accordance with the terms of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement relating
to that series, will be legally and validly issued, and the holders of such
Certificates will be entitled to the benefits of that Pooling and Servicing
Agreement.
<PAGE>
DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP
Green Tree Financial Corporation
January 24, 1997
Page 2
The opinions set forth above are subject to the following
qualifications and exceptions:
(a) In rendering the opinions set forth above, we have assumed
that, at the time of the execution of the applicable Pooling and
Servicing Agreement and the execution and delivery of the related series
of Certificates, there will not have occurred any change in the law
affecting the authorization, execution, delivery, validity or
enforceability of the Certificates or any Limited Guaranty, the
Registration Statement will have been declared effective by the
Commission and will continue to be effective, none of the particular
terms of a series of Certificates will violate any applicable law and
neither the issuance and sale thereof nor the compliance by the Company
with the terms thereof will result in a violation of any agreement or
instrument then binding upon the Company or any order of any court or
governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company.
(b) Our opinion in paragraph 1 above is subject to the effect of
any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
similar law of general application affecting creditors' rights.
(c) Our opinion in paragraph 1 above is subject to the effect of
general principles of equity, including (without limitation) concepts of
materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and other
similar doctrines affecting the enforceability of agreements generally
(regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(d) Minnesota Statutes Section 290.371, Subd. 4, provides that any
corporation required to file a Notice of Business Activities Report does
not have a cause of action upon which it may bring suit under Minnesota
law unless the corporation has filed a Notice of Business Activities
Report and provides that the use of the courts of the State of Minnesota
for all contracts executed and all causes of action that arose before the
end of any period for which a corporation failed to file a required
report is precluded. Insofar as our opinion may relate to the valid,
binding and enforceable character of any agreement under Minnesota law or
in a Minnesota court, we have assumed that any party seeking to enforce
such agreement has at all times been, and will continue at all times to
be, exempt from the requirement of filing a Notice of Business Activities
Report or, if not exempt, has duly filed, and will continue to duly file,
all Notice of Business Activities Reports.
Our opinions expressed above are limited to the laws of the State of
Minnesota.
<PAGE>
DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP
Green Tree Financial Corporation
January 24, 1997
Page 3
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement, and to the reference to our firm under the heading
"Legal Matters" in the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement
comprising part of the Registration Statement.
Dated: January 24, 1997
Very truly yours,
/s/ Dorsey & Whitney LLP
CFS
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 8.1
-----------
DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP
220 South Sixth Street
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402
(612) 340-2600
TELEX 29-0605
TELECOPIER (612) 340-2868
Green Tree Financial Corporation
1100 Landmark Towers
345 St. Peter Street
St. Paul, MN 55102-1639
Re: Federal Income Tax Consequences of Certificates for Home
Improvement Loans
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Green Tree Financial Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the proposed
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, by the Company of
$2,000,000,000 of Certificates for Home Improvement Loans (the "Certificates"),
and the related preparation and filing of a registration statement on Form S-3,
filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 24,
1997, (the "Registration Statement"). The Certificates are proposed to be issued
in series under separate Pooling and Servicing Agreements (each, an "Agreement")
between the Company, as seller and servicer, and a bank or trust company, as
trustee (the "Trustee"). The Certificates are described in the prospectus
constituting Part I of the Registration Statement (the "Prospectus"). Each
series of Certificates will be more particularly described in a supplement to
the Prospectus (each a "Supplement").
You have requested our opinion with respect to certain federal
income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the
Certificates. For purposes of rendering our opinion we have examined the
Registration Statement. Each Supplement and Agreement pertaining to a specific
series is to be completed subsequent to the date of this opinion. Accordingly,
we have not examined any Supplement or Agreement relating to any specific
series to be issued, and our opinion does not address the contents of any such
Supplement or Agreement except as and to the extent that the provisions of
same may be described in the Prospectus. We understand that each Supplement
will contain a discussion of any material federal income tax consequences
pertaining to the series to be offered thereunder which are not addressed in
the Prospectus.
As set forth in the Prospectus, for federal income tax purposes each
series of Certificates will be issued as either a grantor trust ("Grantor
Trust") or a real estate mortgage investment conduit ("REMIC") under the
Internal Revenue Code of
<PAGE>
DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP
Green Tree Financial Corporation
January 24, 1997
Page 2
1986, as amended (the "Code"), unless otherwise specified in the related
Supplement. Each series' status as a Grantor Trust or a REMIC, or alternative
arrangement for federal income tax purposes, is to be set forth in the
Supplement related thereto.
Our opinion is based upon existing law and currently applicable
Treasury Department regulations, current published administrative positions of
the Internal Revenue Service contained in revenue rulings and revenue
procedures, and judicial decisions, all of which are subject to change, either
prospectively or retroactively, and to possibly differing interpretations, and
is also based on the representations and warranties set forth in the applicable
Agreement and the assumptions that the Company and the Trustee will at all
times comply with the requirements of the applicable Agreement, including,
without limitation, in the case of each REMIC series of Certificates, the
requirement that a proper election to be taxed as a REMIC is made in
accordance with the applicable Agreement and the Code and that the certificates
of such series will be issued as described in the related Supplement and any
other prospectus relating to other classes of certificates of such series.
Based upon the foregoing, as of the date hereof it is our opinion that:
(1) With respect to each Grantor Trust series of Certificates, each
pool of home improvement loan contracts and the arrangement to be
administered by the Company under which the Trustee will hold and the
Company will be obligated to service the home improvement loan contracts
and pursuant to which Certificates will be issued to certificateholders,
all as described in the Prospectus, will not be classified as an
association taxable as a corporation or as a "taxable mortgage pool,"
within the meaning of Section 7701(i) of the Code, but rather will be
classified as a grantor trust under Subpart E, Part I of Subchapter J of
the Code.
(2) With respect to each Grantor Trust series of Certificates, under
Section 671 of the Code, each holder of a Certificate will be treated as
the owner of a pro rata undivided interest in the ordinary income and
corpus portions of the trust attributable to the pool of home improvement
loan contracts in which such Certificate evidences an ownership interest
and will be considered the equitable owner of a pro rata undivided
interest in each of the home improvement contracts comprising that
pool.
(3) With respect to each REMIC series of Certificates, those assets
constituting the trust fund created pursuant to the related Agreement and
designated as comprising the "real estate mortgage investment conduit"
thereunder will qualify as a REMIC under the Code.
<PAGE>
DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP
Green Tree Financial Corporation
January 24, 1997
Page 3
We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the heading "Certain
Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the Prospectus, and we hereby confirm
that, insofar as they constitute statements of law or legal conclusions as to
the likely outcome of material issues under the federal income tax laws, the
discussion under such heading accurately sets forth our advice.
Dated: January 24, 1997
Very truly yours,
/s/ Dorsey & Whitney LLP
CFS
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
Board of Directors
Green Tree Financial Corporation:
We consent to the use of our report incorporated herein by reference and to
the reference to our firm under the heading "EXPERTS" in the Registration
Statement.
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
Minneapolis, Minnesota
January 24, 1997
