Note 15. Employee Benefits Plans

Management Security Plan

The management security plan (“MSP”) was a nonqualified, noncontributory defined supplemental deferred retirement benefit plan for a select group of management personnel. The MSP was set up to provide a fixed supplemental retirement benefit for 180 months. The MSP was frozen as of September 30, 2017. As a result, no new participants were being added to the MSP and no further benefits were accumulating. The MSP was fully settled in fiscal year 2020.

The MSP benefit expense and the projected management security plan benefit obligation were determined using assumptions as of the end of the respective year. The weighted-average discount rate used to compute the obligation was 4.08% in fiscal year 2019.

Actuarial gains or losses were recognized when incurred; therefore, the end of year benefit obligation was the same as the accrued benefit costs recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Effective September 30, 2018, the Company terminated the MSP. Under the MSP termination, payout for benefits covered utilizing the applicable Internal Revenue Code regulations were not able to be commenced until at least twelve months following plan termination decision and needed to be fully paid out within twenty-four (24) months following plan termination. During August 2020, the Company caused the MSP to pay the lump sum termination benefits of approximately $5,175,000 to all MSP beneficiaries.

During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019, the Company determined to pay out a lump sum under the equivalent annuity approach, whereby the payout under this approach was designed to mitigate participants tax burden. Under this approach, the Company would cover the amount needed to purchase an annuity providing the same after-tax benefit as if the plan was never terminated. As a result, the Company recorded an additional liability of approximately $720,000.

The Company had established a “Rabbi Trust” to provide for the potential funding of accrued benefits under the MSP. According to the terms of the Rabbi Trust, funding was voluntary until a change of control of the Company as defined in the Management Security Plan Trust Agreement occurs. Upon a change of control, funding would be triggered. As of September 30, 2018, date the Company terminated the MSP, the Rabbi Trust had no assets, and no change of control had occurred, and no funding had been triggered.

Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plans

The Company maintains a 401(k) employee savings plan for eligible employees, which provides up to a 4% matching contribution payable on employee payroll deferrals. The Company’s matching funds vest to the employee immediately, pursuant to a safe harbor election effective in October 2012. The Company’s contributions to the plan were approximately $398,000, $401,000 and $397,000 for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

The Company also maintains a Profit Sharing Plan (“Plan”) that is fully funded by contributions from the Company. Contributions to the Plan are discretionary and determined annually by the Company’s Board of Directors. Contributions to employee accounts are based on the participant’s compensation. The Company did not contribute to the Plan for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.