§ 316.5 Limitation on holdings.

(a) General limitation. The amount of Series E bonds, originally issued during any one calendar year, that could be held by any one person, computed in accordance with the governing regulations, ranged from $5,000 (face amount) to $20,000 (face amount), depending upon the issue date.

(b) Special limitation for employee savings plans. A special limitation for employee savings plans was provided, which was $2,000 (face amount) multiplied by the highest number of participants in any employee savings plan, as defined in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, at any time during the year in which the bonds were issued. The plan had to be established, as set forth below.

(1) Definition of plan and conditions of eligibility.

(i) The employee savings plan must have been established by the employer for the exclusive and irrevocable benefit of employees or their beneficiaries, afforded employees the means of making regular savings from their wages through payroll deduction, and provided for employer contributions to be added to such savings.

(ii) The entire assets thereof must have been credited to the individual accounts of participating employees and the assets so credited could be distributed only to the employees or their beneficiaries, except as otherwise provided herein.

(iii) Series E bonds were to be purchased only with assets credited to the accounts of participating employees and only if the amount taken from any account at any time for that purpose was equal to the purchase price of a bond or bonds in an authorized denomination or denominations, and shares therein were credited to the accounts of the individuals from whom the purchase price thereof was derived, in amounts corresponding with such shares. For example, if $37.50 credited to the account of John Jones was commingled with funds credited to the accounts of other employees to make a total of $7,500, with which a Series E bond in the denomination of $10,000 (face amount) was purchased in December 1978 and registered in the name and title of the trustee, the plan must have provided, in effect, that John Jones' account would be credited to show that he was the owner of a Series E bond in the denomination of $50 (face amount) bearing the issue date of December 1, 1978.

(iv) Each participating employee has an irrevocable right at any time to demand and receive from the trustee all assets credited to his or her account or the value thereof, if he or she so prefers, without regard to any condition other than the loss or suspension of the privilege of participating further in the plan. However, a plan was not deemed to be inconsistent herewith if it limited or modified the exercise of any such right by providing that the employer's contribution did not vest absolutely until the employee had made contributions under the plan in each of not more than 60 calendar months succeeding the month for which the employer's contribution was made.

(v) Upon the death of an employee, his or her beneficiary has the absolute and unconditional right to demand and receive from the trustee all assets credited to the account of the employee, or the value thereof, if he or she so prefers.

(vi) When settlement is made with an employee, or his or her beneficiary, with respect to any bond registered in the name and title of the trustee in which the employee has a share (see paragraphs (b)(1) (ii) and (iii) of this section), the bond must be submitted for redemption or reissue to the extent of such share. If an employee or his or her beneficiary is to receive distribution in kind, bonds bearing the same issue dates as those credited to the employee's account will be reissued in the name of the distributee to the extent to which he or she is entitled, in any authorized form of registration, upon the request and certification of the trustee, in accordance with the governing reguations.

(2) Definitions of terms used in paragraph (b)—related provisions.

(i) The term savings plan includes any regulations issued under the plan with regard to Series E bonds. A trustee desiring to purchase bonds in excess of the general limitation in any calendar year should have submitted to the Federal Reserve Bank of the district a copy of the plan, any such regulations, and the trust agreement, all certified to be true copies, in order to establish eligibility.

(ii) The term assets means all funds, including the employee contributions and employer contributions and assets purchased therewith, as well as accretions thereto, such as dividends on stock, the increment in value on bonds and all other income; but, notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, the right to demand and receive all assets credited to the account of an employee shall not be construed to require the distribution of assets in kind when it would not be possible or practicable to make such distribution; for example, Series E bonds may not be reissued in unauthorized denominations, and fractional shares of stock are not readily distributable in kind.

(iii) The term beneficiary means the person or persons, if any, designated by the employee in accordance with the terms of the plan to receive the benefits of the trust upon his or her death, or the estate of the employee, and the term distributee means the employee, or his or her beneficiary.