Participant Accounts
Each participant’s account is credited with
(a) participant contributions and employer contributions, and
(b) the allocation of Plan earnings and expenses, based on
participant earnings or account balances, as defined. The benefit
to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be
provided from the participant’s vested account. All amounts in
participant accounts are participant-directed. Participants may
invest in various instruments including common stock and mutual
funds.
Vesting
Participants are fully vested in Plan accounts at
all times.
Distributions
Active participants may take a withdrawal from the
Plan in the event of a financial hardship. A hardship withdrawal is
limited to pre-tax and
catch-up contribution
accounts. A hardship withdrawal will generally result in a
twelve-month suspension of pre-tax and after-tax contributions to the
Plan.
After reaching age 59 1⁄2, active participants may withdraw
all, or any portion, of the balance in their accounts, including
withdrawals from their rollover and after-tax account types within the
Plan, without meeting one of the hardship criteria.
In April 2020, the Plan was amended to allow
financial hardship in-service withdrawals of up to $50,000
from the participant’s vested balance by reason of the January 2020
earthquake and COVID-19
pandemic as provided in the Puerto Rico Treasury Department
(“PRTD”) Circular Letter No. 20-09, No. 20-23, and No. 20-29 (the “Circular
Letters”). The eligible period for the financial hardship
in-service withdrawals
ended on December 31, 2020. During 2020, in-service withdrawals related to the
amendment were $505,947, of which $14,645 were tax withholdings
directly remitted to the PRTD.
Distributions, in full or any portion, may also
occur if the participant terminates employment, retires, becomes
permanently disabled, or dies. Distributions of investments are in
the form of cash and are normally made in a lump-sum, unless periodic payments are
elected (monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual installments of
substantially equal amounts over a period not to exceed 10 years).
There were no participants who elected to withdraw from the Plan
that had not yet been paid as of December 31, 2021 or
2020.
Administrative Expenses
Plan administrative expenses are paid by the
Sponsors to the extent not paid or offset by the Plan, as provided
in the Plan document. Participants are responsible for fees
associated with certain transactions such as loan originations and
maintenance.
Plan Amendment and Termination
The Sponsors have the right to amend or terminate
the Plan. If the Plan is terminated, all account balances will be
distributed in the form and manner determined by the Plan
Administrator.
Risks and Uncertainties
The Plan utilizes various investment instruments,
including common stock and mutual funds. Investment securities, in
general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate risk,
credit risk, and overall market volatility. Due to the level of
risk associated with certain investment securities, including
systemic market disruptions, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical
events, it is reasonably possible that changes in the values of
investment securities will occur in the near term and that such
changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the
financial statements.
6