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EXHIBIT 10.1


TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT

By and Between

OCWEN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

and

ALTISOURCE SOLUTIONS S.À R.L.

Dated as of August 10, 2009


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITION OF TERMS

 

1

ARTICLE II

 

ALLOCATION OF TAX LIABILITIES

 

8

 

SECTION 2.01

General Rule

8

 

SECTION 2.02

Allocations of Taxes

8

 

SECTION 2.03

Certain Transaction and Other Taxes

9

ARTICLE III

 

PRORATION OF TAX ITEMS

 

9

ARTICLE IV

 

PREPARATION AND FILING OF TAX RETURNS

 

10

 

SECTION 4.01

General

10

 

SECTION 4.02

OFC’s Responsibility

10

 

SECTION 4.03

Altisource’s Responsibility

10

 

SECTION 4.04

Tax Accounting Practices

10

 

SECTION 4.05

Consolidated or Combined Tax Returns

11

 

SECTION 4.06

Right To Review Tax Returns

11

 

SECTION 4.07

Altisource Carrybacks and Claims for Refund

12

 

SECTION 4.08

Apportionment of Earnings and Profits and Tax Attributes

12

ARTICLE V

 

TAX PAYMENTS

 

12

 

SECTION 5.01

Payment of Taxes With Respect to Tax Returns Reflecting Taxes of the Other Company

12

 

SECTION 5.02

Indemnification Payments

13

ARTICLE VI

 

TAX BENEFITS

 

13

 

SECTION 6.01

Tax Refunds in General

13

 

SECTION 6.02

Timing Differences and Reverse Timing Differences

14

 

SECTION 6.03

Altisource Carrybacks

15

ARTICLE VII

 

TAX-FREE STATUS

 

15

 

SECTION 7.01

Tax Opinions and Representation Letters

15

 

SECTION 7.02

Restrictions on Altisource

15

 

SECTION 7.03

Liability for Tax-Related Losses

18

ARTICLE VIII

 

ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION

 

18

 

SECTION 8.01

Assistance and Cooperation

18

 

SECTION 8.02

Income Tax Return Information

19

-i-


TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 8.03

Reliance

19

ARTICLE IX

 

TAX RECORDS

 

20

 

SECTION 9.01

Retention of Tax Records

20

 

SECTION 9.02

Access to Tax Records

20

ARTICLE X

 

TAX CONTESTS

 

20

 

SECTION 10.01

Notice

20

 

SECTION 10.02

Control of Tax Contests

21

ARTICLE XI

 

EFFECTIVE DATE; TERMINATION OF PRIOR INTERCOMPANY TAX ALLOCATION AGREEMENTS

 

21

ARTICLE XII

 

SURVIVAL OF OBLIGATIONS

 

21

ARTICLE XIII

 

TREATMENT OF PAYMENTS; TAX GROSS UP

 

22

 

SECTION 13.01

Treatment of Tax Indemnity and Tax Benefit Payments

22

 

SECTION 13.02

Tax Gross Up

22

 

SECTION 13.03

Interest Under This Agreement

22

ARTICLE XIV

 

DISAGREEMENTS

 

23

ARTICLE XV

 

LATE PAYMENTS

 

23

ARTICLE XVI

 

EXPENSES

 

23

ARTICLE XVII

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

24

 

SECTION 17.01

Addresses and Notices

24

 

SECTION 17.02

Binding Effect

24

 

SECTION 17.03

Waiver

24

 

SECTION 17.04

Severability

24

 

SECTION 17.05

Authority

25

 

SECTION 17.06

Further Action

25

 

SECTION 17.07

Integration

25

 

SECTION 17.08

Construction

25

 

SECTION 17.09

No Double Recovery

25

 

SECTION 17.10

Counterparts

25

 

SECTION 17.11

Governing Law

26

 

SECTION 17.12

Jurisdiction

26

-ii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 17.13

Amendment

26

 

SECTION 17.14

Altisource Subsidiaries

26

 

SECTION 17.15

Successors

26

 

SECTION 17.16

Injunctions

26

-iii-


               TAX MATTERS AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) entered into as of August 10, 2009, by and between OCWEN FINANCIAL CORPORATION, a Florida corporation (“ OFC ”), and ALTISOURCE SOLUTIONS S.À R.L., a private limited liability company organized under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of OFC (“ Altisource ”).

               WHEREAS, the board of directors of OFC has determined that it is in the best interests of OFC and its shareholders to separate the Altisource Business (as defined below) from OFC.

               WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, OFC is the common parent of an affiliated group of corporations, including Altisource, which has elected to file consolidated United States Federal income tax returns;

               WHEREAS, OFC and Altisource have entered into the Separation Agreement (as defined below), pursuant to which OFC agreed to contribute and otherwise transfer to Altisource, and Altisource agreed to receive and assume, the assets and liabilities then associated with the Altisource Business.

               WHEREAS, OFC intends to distribute to shareholders of OFC all the outstanding shares of Altisource Capital Stock;

               WHEREAS, pursuant to the Distribution (as defined in the Separation Agreement), Altisource and its subsidiaries will cease to be members of the affiliated group (as that term is defined in Section 1504 of the Code (as defined below)) of which OFC is the common parent; and

               WHEREAS the Companies (as defined below) desire to provide for and agree upon the allocation between the Companies of liabilities for Taxes (as defined below) arising prior to, as a result of, and subsequent to the Distribution, and to provide for and agree upon other matters relating to Taxes.

               NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein, the Companies hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definition of Terms

               For purposes of this Agreement (including the recitals hereof), the following terms have the following meanings, and capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Separation Agreement:

               “ Accountant ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.02(b).

               “ Accounting Cutoff Date ” means, with respect to Altisource, any date as of the end of which there is a closing of the financial accounting records for Altisource.


               “ Active Trade or Business ” means the active conduct (within the meaning of Section 355(b) of the Code and the regulations thereunder) by Altisource of the Altisource Business.

               “ Adjustment Request ” means any formal or informal claim or request filed with any Tax Authority, or with any administrative agency or court, for the adjustment, refund or credit of Taxes, including (a) any amended Tax Return claiming adjustment to the Taxes as reported on the Tax Return or, if applicable, as previously adjusted, (b) any claim for equitable recoupment or other offset and (c) any claim for refund or credit of Taxes previously paid.

               “ Affiliate ” means any entity that is directly or indirectly “controlled” by either the person in question or an Affiliate of such person. For purposes of the definition of “Affiliate,” “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

               “ Agreement ” shall have the meaning provided in the first sentence of this Agreement.

               “ Altisource ” shall have the meaning provided in the first sentence of this Agreement.

               “ Altisource Affiliated Group ” shall have the meaning provided in the definition of “ Altisource Federal Consolidated Income Tax Return .”

               “ Altisource Business ” means the knowledge process outsourcing business, as defined in the Separation Agreement.

               “ Altisource Capital Stock ” means all classes or series of capital stock of Altisource, including (i) the Altisource Common Stock, (ii) all options, warrants and other rights to acquire such capital stock and (iii) all instruments properly treated as stock in Altisource for U.S. Federal income tax purposes.

               “ Altisource Carryback ” means any net operating loss, net capital loss, excess tax credit or other similar Tax item of any member of the Altisource Group that may or must be carried from one Tax Period to another prior Tax Period under the Code or other applicable Tax Law.

               “ Altisource Common Stock ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

               “ Altisource Federal Consolidated Income Tax Return ” means any United States (or any foreign country) Federal income Tax Return for the affiliated group (as that term is defined in Section 1504 of the Code) of which Altisource (or a subsidiary thereof) is the common parent (the “ Altisource Affiliated Group ”).

               “ Altisource Group ” means Altisource and its Subsidiaries, as determined immediately after the Distribution.

2


               “ Altisource Separate Return ” means any Separate Return of Altisource or any member of the Altisource Group.

               “ Ancillary Agreements ” means the Employee Matters Agreement, the Transition Services Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement, the Intellectual Property Agreement, the Data Center and Disaster Recovery Agreement, the Services Agreements and any instruments, assignments and other documents and agreements executed in connection with the implementation of the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement, including Article II .

               “ Base Rate ” shall be the rate as set forth in Article XV.

               “ Board Certificate ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.02(d).

               “ Closing Date ” means the date of the Distribution.

               “ Code ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

               “ Companies ” means OFC and Altisource, collectively, and “ Company ,” as the context requires, means either OFC or Altisource.

               “ Contribution ” means the contribution of assets and liabilities by OFC itself directly to Altisource itself pursuant to Sections 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, 2.04 and 2.05 of the Separation Agreement.

               “ Distribution ” has the meaning set forth in the Separation Agreement.

               “ Distribution-Related Proceeding ” means any Tax Contest in which the IRS, another Tax Authority or any other party asserts a position that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the Tax-Free Status.

               “ Fifty-Percent or Greater Interest ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term for purposes of Sections 355(d) and (e) of the Code.

               “ Filing Date ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.03(c).

               “ Final Determination ” means the final resolution of liability for any Tax, which resolution may be for a specific issue or adjustment or for a taxable period, (a) by IRS Form 870 or 870-AD (or any successor forms thereto), on the date of acceptance by or on behalf of the taxpayer, or by a comparable form under the laws of a State, local, or foreign taxing jurisdiction, except that a Form 870 or 870-AD or comparable form shall not constitute a Final Determination to the extent that it reserves (whether by its terms or by operation of law) the right of the taxpayer to file a claim for refund or the right of the Tax Authority to assert a further deficiency in respect of such issue or adjustment or for such taxable period (as the case may be); (b) by a decision, judgment, decree or other order by a court of competent jurisdiction, which has become final and unappealable; (c) by a closing agreement or accepted offer in compromise under Sections 7121 or 7122 of the Code, or a comparable agreement under the laws of a State, local or foreign taxing jurisdiction; (d) by any allowance of a refund or credit in respect of an overpayment of Tax, but only after the expiration of all periods during which such refund may be recovered (including by way of offset) by the jurisdiction imposing such Tax; (e) by a final settlement resulting from a treaty-based competent authority determination; or (f) by any other final disposition, including by reason of the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations or by mutual agreement of the parties.

3


               “ Group ” means the OFC Group or the Altisource Group, or both, as the context requires.

               “ High-Level Dispute ” means any dispute or disagreement (a) relating to liability under Section 7.03 of this Agreement or (b) in which the amount of the liability in dispute exceeds $2 million.

               “ Indemnitee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.03.

               “ Indemnitor ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.03.

               “ IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

               “ Joint Return ” means any Tax Return that includes at least one member of the OFC Group and at least one member of the Altisource Group.

               “ Notified Action ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.02(e).

               “ OFC ” shall have the meaning provided in the first sentence of this Agreement.

               “ OFC Affiliated Group ” shall have the meaning provided in the definition of “ OFC Federal Consolidated Income Tax Return .”

               “ OFC Federal Consolidated Income Tax Return ” means any United States Federal income Tax Return for the affiliated group (as that term is defined in Section 1504 of the Code and the regulations thereunder) of which OFC is the common parent (the “ OFC Affiliated Group ”).

               “ OFC Group ” means OFC and its Subsidiaries, excluding any entity that is a member of the Altisource Group.

               “ OFC Separate Return ” means any Separate Return of OFC or any member of the OFC Group.

               “ OFC State Combined Income Tax Return ” means a consolidated, combined or unitary State Income Tax Return that actually includes, by election or otherwise, one or more members of the OFC Group together with one or more members of the Altisource Group.

               “ Past Practices ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.04(a).

               “ Payment Date ” means (i) with respect to any OFC Federal Consolidated Income Tax Return, the due date for any required installment of estimated taxes determined under Section 6655 of the Code, the due date (determined without regard to extensions) for filing the return determined under Section 6072 of the Code, and the date the return is filed, and (ii) with respect to any other Tax Return, the corresponding dates determined under the applicable Tax Law.

4


               “ Person ” means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization and a governmental entity or any department, agency or political subdivision thereof, without regard to whether any entity is treated as disregarded for U.S. Federal income tax purposes.

               “ Post-Closing Period ” means any Tax Period that, to the extent it relates to a member of the Altisource Group, begins after the Closing Date.

               “ Pre-Closing Period ” means any Tax Period that, to the extent it relates to a member of the Altisource Group, ends on or before the Closing Date.

               “ Privilege ” means any privilege that may be asserted under applicable law, including any privilege arising under or relating to the attorney-client relationship (including the attorney-client and work product privileges), the accountant-client privilege and any privilege relating to internal evaluation processes.

               “ Proposed Acquisition Transaction ” means a transaction or series of transactions (or any agreement, understanding or arrangement, within the meaning of Section 355(e) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7, or any other regulations promulgated thereunder, to enter into a transaction or series of transactions), whether such transaction is supported by Altisource management or shareholders, is a hostile acquisition, or otherwise, as a result of which Altisource would merge or consolidate with any other Person or as a result of which one or more Persons would (directly or indirectly) acquire, or have the right to acquire, from Altisource and/or one or more holders of outstanding shares of Altisource Capital Stock, a number of shares of Altisource Capital Stock that would, when combined with any other changes in ownership of Altisource Capital Stock pertinent for purposes of Section 355(e) of the Code, comprise 40% or more of (A) the value of all outstanding shares of stock of Altisource as of the date of such transaction, or in the case of a series of transactions, the date of the last transaction of such series, or (B) the total combined voting power of all outstanding shares of voting stock of Altisource as of the date of such transaction or, in the case of a series of transactions, the date of the last transaction of such series. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Proposed Acquisition Transaction shall not include (A) the adoption by Altisource of a shareholder rights plan or (B) issuances by Altisource that satisfy Safe Harbor VIII (relating to acquisitions in connection with a person’s performance of services) or Safe Harbor IX (relating to acquisitions by a retirement plan of an employer) of Treasury Regulation Section 1.355-7(d). For purposes of determining whether a transaction constitutes an indirect acquisition, any recapitalization resulting in a shift of voting power or any redemption of shares of stock shall be treated as an indirect acquisition of shares of stock by the non-exchanging shareholders. This definition and the application thereof is intended to monitor compliance with Section 355(e) of the Code and shall be interpreted accordingly. Any clarification of, or change in, the statute or regulations promulgated under Section 355(e) of the Code shall be incorporated in this definition and its interpretation.

5


               “ Representation Letters ” means the representation letters and any other materials delivered or deliverable by OFC, Altisource or others in connection with the rendering by Tax Advisors of any opinions in connection with the Transactions.

               “ Responsible Company ” means, with respect to any Tax Return, the Company having responsibility for preparing and filing such Tax Return under this Agreement.

               “ Ruling ” means any private letter ruling issued by the IRS in connection with the Transactions or any similar ruling (including any supplemental ruling) issued by any Tax Authority other than the IRS in connection with the Transactions.

               “ Section 7.02(d) Acquisition Transaction ” means any transaction or series of transactions that is not a Proposed Acquisition Transaction but would be a Proposed Acquisition Transaction if the percentage reflected in the definition of Proposed Acquisition Transaction were 25% instead of 40%.

               “ Separate Return ” means (a) in the case of any Tax Return of any member of the Altisource Group (including any consolidated, combined or unitary return), any such Tax Return that does not include any member of the OFC Group and (b) in the case of any Tax Return of any member of the OFC Group (including any consolidated, combined or unitary return), any such Tax Return that does not include any member of the Altisource Group.

               “ Separation Agreement ” means the Separation and Distribution Agreement, as amended from time to time, by and between OFC and Altisource dated as of August 10, 2009.

               “ Signing Group ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.03.

               “ State Income Tax ” means any Tax imposed by any State of the United States or by any political subdivision of any such State (or by the District of Columbia) that is imposed on or measured by net income, including state and local franchise or similar Taxes measured by net income, and any interest, penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts in respect of the foregoing.

               “ Supplier Group ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.03.

               “ Tax ” or “ Taxes ” means any income, gross income, gross receipts, profits, capital stock, franchise, withholding, payroll, social security, workers compensation, unemployment, disability, property, ad valorem, stamp, excise, severance, occupation, service, sales, use, license, lease, transfer, import, export, value added, alternative minimum, estimated or other tax (including any fee, assessment or other charge in the nature of or in lieu of any tax) imposed by any governmental entity or political subdivision thereof, and any interest, penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts in respect of the foregoing.

               “ Tax Advisor ” means a United States tax counsel or accountant of recognized national standing.

               “ Tax Arbitrator ” shall have the meaning set forth in Article XIV.

6


               “ Tax Arbitrator Dispute ” shall have the meaning set forth in Article XIV.

               “ Tax Attribute ” or “ Attribute ” means a net operating loss, net capital loss, unused investment credit, unused foreign tax credit, excess charitable contribution, general business credit, Tax basis or any other Tax Item that could reduce a Tax.

               “ Tax Authority ” means, with respect to any Tax, the governmental entity or political subdivision thereof that imposes such Tax, and the agency (if any) charged with the collection of such Tax for such entity or subdivision.

               “ Tax Benefit ” means any refund, credit or other reduction in otherwise required Tax payments.

               “ Tax Contest ” means an audit, review, examination or other administrative or judicial proceeding with the purpose or effect of redetermining Taxes (including any administrative or judicial review of any claim for refund).

               “ Tax Detriment ” means any increase in required Tax payments (or, without duplication, the reduction in any refund or credit).

               “ Tax-Free Status ” means the qualifications of (i) the Distribution and Contribution, taken together, as a reorganization described in Sections 355(a) and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code, and (ii) the Transactions in which OFC, Altisource and the shareholders of OFC recognize no income or gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes, other than in the case of the shareholders of OFC, to the extent of any cash received in exchange for fractional shares, and in the case of OFC, taxation under Section 367 of the Code.

               “ Tax Item ” means, with respect to any income Tax


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