(a) Claimants whose claims are secured shall receive their security. To the extent their respective claims exceed the value of the security for those claims, as determined to the satisfaction of the liquidating agent, they shall each have an unsecured claim against the credit union having priority as provided in paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Unsecured claims against the liquidation estate that are proved to the satisfaction of the liquidating agent shall have priority in the following order:

(1) Administrative costs and expenses of liquidation;

(2) Claims for wages and salaries, including vacation, severance, and sick leave pay; provided, however, that, in accordance with §750.7 of this chapter, no claim for vacation, severance, or sick leave pay is provable unless entitlement to the benefit is provided for in the credit union employee handbook or other written credit union record, is calculable in accordance with an objective formula, and is available to all employees who meet applicable eligibility requirements, such as minimum length of service, or if such payment is required by applicable state or local law;

(3) Taxes legally due and owing to the United States or any state or subdivision thereof;

(4) Debts due and owing the United States, including the National Credit Union Administration;

(5) General creditors, and secured creditors (to the extent that their respective claims exceed the value of the security for those claims);

(6) Shareholders to the extent of their respective uninsured shares and the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund to the extent of its payment of share insurance;

(7) in a case involving liquidation of a corporate credit union, holders of then-outstanding membership capital accounts and nonperpetual capital accounts or instruments to the extent not depleted in a calendar year prior to the date of liquidation and also subject to the capital priority option described in appendix A of part 704 of this chapter;

(8) In a case involving liquidation of a low-income designated credit union, any outstanding secondary capital accounts issued pursuant to the authority of §701.34 or §741.204(c) of this chapter; and

(9) in a case involving liquidation of a corporate credit union, holders of then-outstanding paid in capital or perpetual contributed capital instruments to the extent not depleted in a calendar year prior to the date of liquidation and also subject to the capital priority option described in appendix A of part 704 of this chapter;

(c) Priorities are to be based on the circumstances that exist on the date of liquidation.

(d) If the repudiation or disaffirmance of any contract or lease gives rise to a claim for damages, such claim shall be considered a general creditor claim under paragraph (b)(5) of this section and not a cost or expense of liquidation under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(e) All unsecured claims of any category or class or priority described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(7) of this section shall be paid in full, or provisions made for such payment, before any claims of lesser priority are paid. If there are insufficient funds to pay all claims of a category or class, payment shall be made pro rata. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the liquidating agent may, at any time, and from time to time, prior to the payment in full of all claims of a category or class with higher priority, make such distributions to claimants in priority categories described in paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(4), and (b)(5) of this section as the liquidating agent believes are reasonably necessary to conduct the liquidation, provided that the liquidating agent determines that adequate funds exist or will be recovered during the liquidation to pay in full all claims of any higher priority. If a surplus remains after making distribution in full on all allowed claims described in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(9) of this section, such surplus shall be distributed pro rata to the credit union's shareholders.

[56 FR 56825, Nov. 7, 1991, as amended at 61 FR 3791, Feb. 2, 1996; 62 FR 12949, Mar. 19, 1997; 64 FR 57365, Oct. 25, 1999; 75 FR 64859, Oct. 20, 2010; 83 FR 24652, May 30, 2018]