CCO » Topics » Tax Matters Agreement

This excerpt taken from the CCO DEF 14A filed Apr 30, 2009.

Tax Matters Agreement

We and certain of our corporate subsidiaries continue to be included in the affiliated group of corporations that files a consolidated return for U.S. federal income tax purposes of which Clear Channel Communications is the common parent corporation, and in certain cases, we or one or more of our subsidiaries may be included in a combined, consolidated or unitary group with Clear Channel Communications or one or more of its subsidiaries for certain state and local income tax purposes. We and Clear Channel Communications have entered into a tax matters agreement to allocate the responsibility of Clear Channel Communications and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and we and our subsidiaries, on the other, for the payment of taxes resulting from filing tax returns on a combined, consolidated or unitary basis.

With respect to tax returns in which we or any of our subsidiaries are included in a combined, consolidated or unitary group with Clear Channel Communications or any of its subsidiaries for federal, state or local tax purposes, we make payments to Clear Channel Communications pursuant to the Tax Matters Agreement equal to the amount of taxes that would be paid if we and each of our subsidiaries included in such group filed a separate tax return. We also reimburse Clear Channel Communications for the amount of any taxes paid by it on our behalf with respect to tax returns that include only us or any of our subsidiaries for federal, state or local tax purposes, which tax returns are prepared and filed by Clear Channel Communications. With respect to certain tax items, such as foreign

 

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tax credits, alternative minimum tax credits, net operating losses and net capital losses, that are generated by us or our subsidiaries, but are used by Clear Channel Communications or its subsidiaries when a tax return is filed on a combined, consolidated or unitary basis for federal, state or local tax purposes, we are reimbursed by Clear Channel Communications as such tax items are used.

Under the Tax Matters Agreement, Clear Channel Communications is appointed the sole and exclusive agent for us and our subsidiaries in any and all matters relating to federal, state and local income taxes, and has sole and exclusive responsibility for the preparation and filing of all tax returns (or amended returns) related to such taxes and has the power, in its sole discretion, to contest or compromise any asserted tax adjustment or deficiency and to file, litigate or compromise any claim for refund on behalf of us or any of our subsidiaries with respect to such taxes. Additionally, Clear Channel Communications determines the amount of our liability to (or entitlement to payment from) Clear Channel Communications under the Tax Matters Agreement. This arrangement may result in conflicts of interest between Clear Channel Communications and us. For example, under the Tax Matters Agreement, Clear Channel Communications will be able to choose to contest, compromise or settle any adjustment or deficiency proposed by the relevant taxing authority in a manner that may be beneficial to Clear Channel Communications and detrimental to us.

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, each member of an affiliated group of corporations that files a consolidated return is jointly and severally liable for the U.S. federal income tax liability of the entire group. Similar principles may apply with respect to members of a group that file a tax return on a combined, consolidated or unitary group basis for state and local tax purposes. Accordingly, although the Tax Matters Agreement will allocate tax liabilities between Clear Channel Communications and us during the period in which we or any of our subsidiaries are included in the consolidated group of Clear Channel Communications or any of its subsidiaries, we and our subsidiaries included in such consolidated group could be liable for the tax liability of the entire consolidated group in the event any such tax liability is incurred and not discharged by Clear Channel Communications. The Tax Matters Agreement provides, however, that Clear Channel Communications will indemnify us and our subsidiaries to the extent that, as a result of us or any of our subsidiaries being a member of a consolidated group, we or our subsidiaries becomes liable for the tax liability of the entire consolidated group (other than the portion of such liability for which we and our subsidiaries are liable under the Tax Matters Agreement).

Under Section 482 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Internal Revenue Service has the authority in certain instances to redistribute, reapportion or reallocate gross income, deductions, credits or allowances between Clear Channel Communications and us. Other taxing authorities may have similar authority under comparable provisions of foreign, state and local law. The Tax Matters Agreement provides that we or Clear Channel Communications will indemnify the other to the extent that, as a result of the Internal Revenue Service exercising its authority (or any other taxing authority exercising a similar authority), the tax liability of one group is reduced while the tax liability of the other group is increased.

If Clear Channel Communications spins off our Class B common stock to its stockholders in a distribution that is intended to be tax-free under Section 355 of the Code, we have agreed in the Tax Matters Agreement to indemnify Clear Channel Communications and its affiliates against any and all tax-related liabilities if such a spin-off fails to qualify as a tax-free distribution (including as a result of Section 355(e) of the Code) due to actions, events or transactions relating to our stock, assets or business, or a breach of the relevant representations or covenants made by us in the Tax Matters Agreement. If neither we nor Clear Channel Communications is responsible under the Tax Matters Agreement for any such spin-off not being tax-free under Section 355 of the Code, we and Clear Channel Communications have agreed that we will each be responsible for 50% of the tax related liabilities arising from the failure of such a spin-off to so qualify.

At December 31, 2008, the amount of receivable from Clear Channel Communications under the Tax Matters Agreement was $7.1 million.

This excerpt taken from the CCO DEF 14A filed Apr 7, 2008.

Tax Matters Agreement

We and certain of our corporate subsidiaries continue to be included in the affiliated group of corporations that files a consolidated return for U.S. federal income tax purposes of which Clear Channel Communications is the common parent corporation, and in certain cases, we or one or more of our subsidiaries may be included in a combined, consolidated or unitary group with Clear Channel Communications or one or more of its subsidiaries for certain state and local income tax purposes. We and Clear Channel Communications have entered into a tax matters agreement to allocate the responsibility of Clear Channel Communications and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and we and our subsidiaries, on the other, for the payment of taxes resulting from filing tax returns on a combined, consolidated or unitary basis.

With respect to tax returns in which we or any of our subsidiaries are included in a combined, consolidated or unitary group with Clear Channel Communications or any of its subsidiaries for federal, state or local tax purposes, we make payments to Clear Channel Communications pursuant to the Tax Matters Agreement equal to the amount of taxes that would be paid if we and each of our subsidiaries included in such group filed a separate tax return. We also reimburse Clear Channel Communications for the amount of any taxes paid by it on our behalf with respect to tax returns that include only us or any of our subsidiaries for federal, state or local tax purposes, which tax returns are prepared and filed by Clear Channel Communications. With respect to certain tax items, such as foreign tax credits, alternative minimum tax credits, net operating losses and net capital losses, that are generated by us or our subsidiaries, but are used by Clear Channel Communications or its subsidiaries when a tax return is filed on a combined, consolidated or unitary basis for federal, state or local tax purposes, we are reimbursed by Clear Channel Communications as such tax items are used.

Under the Tax Matters Agreement, Clear Channel Communications is appointed the sole and exclusive agent for us and our subsidiaries in any and all matters relating to federal, state and local income taxes, and has sole and exclusive responsibility for the preparation and filing of all tax returns (or amended returns) related to such taxes and has the power, in its sole discretion, to contest or compromise any asserted tax adjustment or deficiency and to file, litigate or compromise any claim for refund on behalf of us or any of our subsidiaries with respect to such taxes. Additionally, Clear Channel Communications determines the amount of our liability to (or entitlement to

 

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payment from) Clear Channel Communications under the Tax Matters Agreement. This arrangement may result in conflicts of interest between Clear Channel Communications and us. For example, under the Tax Matters Agreement, Clear Channel Communications will be able to choose to contest, compromise or settle any adjustment or deficiency proposed by the relevant taxing authority in a manner that may be beneficial to Clear Channel Communications and detrimental to us.

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, each member of an affiliated group of corporations that files a consolidated return is jointly and severally liable for the U.S. federal income tax liability of the entire group. Similar principles may apply with respect to members of a group that file a tax return on a combined, consolidated or unitary group basis for state and local tax purposes. Accordingly, although the Tax Matters Agreement will allocate tax liabilities between Clear Channel Communications and us during the period in which we or any of our subsidiaries are included in the consolidated group of Clear Channel Communications or any of its subsidiaries, we and our subsidiaries included in such consolidated group could be liable for the tax liability of the entire consolidated group in the event any such tax liability is incurred and not discharged by Clear Channel Communications. The Tax Matters Agreement provides, however, that Clear Channel Communications will indemnify us and our subsidiaries to the extent that, as a result of us or any of our subsidiaries being a member of a consolidated group, we or our subsidiaries becomes liable for the tax liability of the entire consolidated group (other than the portion of such liability for which we and our subsidiaries are liable under the Tax Matters Agreement).

Under Section 482 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Internal Revenue Service has the authority in certain instances to redistribute, reapportion or reallocate gross income, deductions, credits or allowances between Clear Channel Communications and us. Other taxing authorities may have similar authority under comparable provisions of foreign, state and local law. The Tax Matters Agreement provides that we or Clear Channel Communications will indemnify the other to the extent that, as a result of the Internal Revenue Service exercising its authority (or any other taxing authority exercising a similar authority), the tax liability of one group is reduced while the tax liability of the other group is increased.

If Clear Channel Communications spins off our Class B common stock to its stockholders in a distribution that is intended to be tax-free under Section 355 of the Code, we have agreed in the Tax Matters Agreement to indemnify Clear Channel Communications and its affiliates against any and all tax-related liabilities if such a spin-off fails to qualify as a tax-free distribution (including as a result of Section 355(e) of the Code) due to actions, events or transactions relating to our stock, assets or business, or a breach of the relevant representations or covenants made by us in the Tax Matters Agreement. If neither we nor Clear Channel Communications is responsible under the Tax Matters Agreement for any such spin-off not being tax-free under Section 355 of the Code, we and Clear Channel Communications have agreed that we will each be responsible for 50% of the tax related liabilities arising from the failure of such a spin-off to so qualify.

For the year ended December 31, 2007, the amount of our liability to Clear Channel Communications under the Tax Matters Agreement was $19.0 million.

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