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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant To Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant ý    Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o

Check the appropriate box:

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Preliminary Proxy Statement

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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

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Definitive Proxy Statement

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Definitive Additional Materials

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Soliciting Material Pursuant to sec. 240.14a-11(c) or sec. 240.14a-12

 

IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

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No fee required.

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Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

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Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

 
 
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PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION


IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
19500 Jamboree Road
Irvine, California 92612

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held on July 22, 2014
9:00 A.M. (Pacific Daylight Time)

To Our Stockholders:

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Meeting") of IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC. ("IMH," "we," "our," "us," or the "Company"), a Maryland corporation, to be held at 19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California 92612 on July 22, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Daylight Time).

The annual meeting of stockholders is being held for the following purposes:

Only holders of our common stock of record at the close of business on April 25, 2014 will be entitled to vote and participate at the Meeting and any postponements, adjournments or continuations thereof.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to Be Held on July 22, 2014. The 2014 Proxy Statement and the Annual Report to Stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2013 are also available at
http://www.viewproxy.com/impaccompanies/2014

In accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, we are sending a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials to the holders of record and beneficial owners of our capital stock as of the close of business on the record date. The Notice of Internet Availability contains instructions on how to access our materials on the Internet, as well as instructions on obtaining a paper copy of the proxy materials. You are cordially invited to attend the meeting. However, if you do not expect to attend or if you plan to attend but desire the proxy holders to vote your shares, please promptly date and sign your proxy card and return it in the enclosed postage paid envelope or you may also instruct the voting of your shares over the Internet or by telephone by following the instructions on your proxy card. Voting by

written proxy, over the Internet, or by telephone will not affect your right to vote in person in the event you find it convenient to attend.

    By order of the Board of Directors

 
 

SIGNATURE

 
 
Ronald M. Morrison, Secretary

Dated: April        , 2014


IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, CA. 92612
(949) 475-3722

PROXY STATEMENT


FOR ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS MEETING TO BE HELD ON
JULY 22, 2014, AT 9:00 A.M. (PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME)

This proxy statement is being furnished by Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the annual meeting of stockholders to be held on July 22, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) at 19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California 92612 (the "Meeting"). We anticipate that the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials will be sent, and this proxy statement and the form of proxy relating to our Meeting will be made available, to our stockholders commencing on or about                           , 2014.

The purpose of the Meeting is to seek stockholder approval of the following proposals: (1) electing a Board of Directors to serve for the ensuing year; (2) approving an amendment to the Company's 2010 Omnibus Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares of common stock subject to the plan by 300,000 shares; (3) ratifying the appointment of Squar, Milner, Peterson, Miranda & Williamson, LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014; and (4) approving the Company's Tax Benefits Preservation Rights Agreement.

Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials

Pursuant to rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), we are providing access to our proxy materials over the Internet. We are sending a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials to our stockholders of record and our beneficial owners. All stockholders will have the option to access the proxy materials on the website referred to in the Notice of Internet Availability or to request a printed set of the proxy materials. The Notice of Internet Availability will provide you with instructions on how to access the proxy materials over the Internet or to request printed copies of the proxy materials and on how to vote on the proposals.

Solicitation of Proxies

Our Board of Directors is soliciting the enclosed proxy. We will bear the cost of this solicitation of proxies. Solicitations will be made by mail and over the Internet based on our Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. We may also solicit proxies personally or by telephone. We will reimburse banks, brokerage firms, other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for reasonable expenses incurred in sending proxy materials to beneficial owners of our common stock.

Annual Report

Our annual report to stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2013 will be concurrently provided to each stockholder at the time we send this proxy statement and the enclosed proxy and is not to be considered a part of the proxy-soliciting material.

Stockholders may also request a free copy of our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 by writing to Corporate Secretary, Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., 19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California 92612. Alternatively, stockholders may access our 2013 Form 10-K on the Company's website located at www.impaccompanies.com. We will also furnish any exhibit to our 2013 Form 10-K if specifically requested.

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Voting Requirements & Procedures

Your vote is important. If you hold your shares as a record holder, your shares can be voted at the Meeting only if you are present in person at the Meeting or your shares are represented by proxy. Even if you plan to attend the Meeting, we urge you to vote by proxy in advance. You may vote your shares when you view the proxy materials on the Internet following the instructions in the Notice of Internet Availability, or if you request a paper copy of the proxy materials as instructed on the Notice of Internet Availability, by using one of the following three methods: (1) you may vote by mail, by marking your proxy card, and then date, sign and return it in the postage-paid envelope provided; (2) you may direct your vote electronically by accessing the website located at www.cesvote.com and following the on-screen instructions; or (3) you may vote by calling the toll-free number listed on your proxy card. Please have your Notice of Internet Availability or proxy card in hand when going online or calling. If you instruct the voting of your shares electronically or telephonically, you do not need to return your proxy card.

If you hold your shares beneficially in "street name" through a nominee (such as a bank or stock broker), then the proxy materials are being forwarded to you by the nominee and you may be able to vote by telephone or the Internet as well as by mail based on the instructions you receive from your nominee. You should follow the instructions you receive from your nominee to vote these shares in accordance with the voting instructions you receive from your broker, bank or other nominee. If you are a stockholder who owns shares through a broker and you intend to vote at the Meeting, you must obtain a legal proxy from the bank, broker or other holder of record of your shares to be entitled to vote those shares in person at the Meeting.

Quorum; Voting Rights

Holders of our common stock of record at the close of business on April 25, 2014 (the "Record Date") will be entitled to vote at the Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the Meeting. There were 9,160,309 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, outstanding as of the Record Date. Each share of our common stock is entitled to one vote and the presence, in person or by proxy, of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our common stock is necessary to constitute a quorum for the Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be considered present and entitled to vote for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum. Stockholders may not cumulate their votes.

Counting of Votes

If a proxy in the accompanying form is duly executed and returned, the shares represented by the proxy will be voted as directed. All properly executed proxies delivered pursuant to this solicitation, and not revoked, will be voted at the Meeting in accordance with the directions given. If you sign and return your proxy card without giving specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted as follows:

Representatives of our transfer agent will assist us in the tabulation of the votes.

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Abstentions and Broker Non-Votes

An abstention is the voluntary act of not voting by a stockholder who is present at a meeting and entitled to vote.

A broker "non-vote" is a proxy submitted by a broker that does not indicate a vote for some or all of the proposals because the broker does not have discretionary voting authority on certain types of proposals that are non-routine matters and has not received instructions from its customer regarding how to vote on a particular proposal. Brokers that hold shares of common stock in "street name" for customers that are the beneficial owners of those shares may generally vote on routine matters. However, brokers generally do not have discretionary voting power (i.e., they can not vote) on non-routine matters without specific instructions from their customers. Proposals are determined to be routine or non-routine matters based on the rules of the various regional and national exchanges of which the brokerage firm is a member.

Refer to each proposal for a discussion of the effect of abstentions and broker non-votes.

Revocability of Proxy

Any proxy given may be revoked at any time prior to its exercise by notifying the Secretary of Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. in writing of such revocation, by duly executing and delivering another proxy bearing a later date (including an Internet or telephone vote), or by attending the Meeting and voting in person.

Interest of Executive Officers and Directors

None of the Company's executive officers or directors has any interest in any of the matters to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting, except to the extent that the executive officers and directors are eligible to receive awards under the 2010 Omnibus Incentive Plan and, with respect to each director, to the extent that a director is named as a nominee for election to the Board of Directors.

Householding

"Householding" is a program, approved by the SEC, which allows companies and intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for proxy statements and annual reports by delivering only one package of stockholder proxy materials to any household at which two or more stockholders reside. If you and other residents at your mailing address own shares of our common stock in street name, your broker or bank may have notified you that your household will receive only one copy of our proxy materials. Once you have received notice from your broker that they will be "householding" materials to your address, "householding" will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in "householding" and would prefer to receive a separate proxy statement, or if you are receiving multiple copies of the proxy statement and wish to receive only one, please notify your broker if your shares are held in a brokerage account. If you hold shares of our common stock in your own name as a holder of record, "householding" will not apply to your shares.

Postponement or Adjournment of Meeting

If a quorum is not present or represented, our bylaws permit the stockholders entitled to vote at the Meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, to adjourn the Meeting from time to time to a date not more than 120 days after the original record date without notice other than the announcement at the Meeting.

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 PROPOSAL NO. 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Our directors are elected annually to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and thereafter until their successors are elected and qualify. Accordingly, a Board of six directors is to be elected at the Meeting, all of whom have been recommended for nomination by the members of the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee of the Board. Our charter and bylaws currently provide for a variable number of directors with a range of between one and fifteen members. The size of our Board of Directors is set at six. No proxy may vote for more than six nominees for director.

Unless otherwise directed by stockholders within the limits set forth in the bylaws, the proxy holders will vote all shares represented by proxies held by them for the election of the maximum number of the following nominees, all of whom are now members of and constitute our Board of Directors, Joseph R. Tomkinson, William S. Ashmore, James Walsh, Frank P. Filipps, Stephan R. Peers and Leigh J. Abrams. We have been advised that all of the nominees have indicated their availability and willingness to serve if elected. If elected, each such nominee will serve for a term expiring at our annual meeting of stockholders in 2015. You can find information about Messrs. Tomkinson, Ashmore, Walsh, Filipps, Peers and Abrams below under the section "Board of Directors and Executive Officers."

In the event that any nominee becomes unavailable or unable to serve as a director, prior to the voting, the proxy holders will refrain from voting for the unavailable nominee, will vote for a substitute nominee in the exercise of their best judgment or the Board may determine to reduce the size of the Board.

Vote Required

You may vote in favor of any or all of the nominees or you may also withhold your vote as to any or all of the nominees. In order to elect a nominee, the affirmative vote of a plurality of all of the votes cast at the Meeting is necessary for the election of the nominee for director assuming a quorum is present. "Plurality" means that the nominees receiving the largest number of votes cast are elected as directors up to the maximum number of directors to be elected at the meeting. If stockholders do not specify the manner in which their shares represented by a validly executed proxy solicited by the Board of Directors are to be voted on this proposal, such shares will be voted in favor of the nominees. If you hold your shares in "street name" and you do not instruct your broker how to vote in the election of directors a broker non-vote will occur and, no votes will be cast on your behalf. It is therefore critical that you cast your vote if you want it to count in the election of directors. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the result of the vote.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" ALL NOMINEES.


PROPOSAL NO. 2

APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO 2010 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN
TO INCREASE THE SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN BY 300,000 SHARES

In April 2014, our Board of Directors approved an amendment to the Company's 2010 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended (the "2010 Plan"), subject to stockholder approval, to increase the number of shares available under the Plan by 300,000 shares. As of April 25, 2014, there were 740,703 outstanding shares underlying options and 72,000 deferred stock units, which are counted two times against the share reserve, and the total number of shares of common stock available for future awards under the 2010 Plan was 112,352 shares, which the Board believes is inadequate for the purpose of providing future equity incentives. Of the outstanding options, 131,110 are exercisable at $0.53 per share, 114,000 are exercisable at $2.73 per share, 61,759 are exercisable at $2.80 per share, 5,000 are

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exercisable at $6.81 per share, 210,000 are exercisable at $10.65 per share, 214,834 are exercisable at $13.81 per share and 4,000 are exercisable at $217.70 per share.

The 2010 Plan addresses the development of innovative compensation practices involving several alternative forms of equity-based incentives by permitting the grant of stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, performance shares and other stock- and cash-based incentive awards. The Board believes the 2010 Plan provides the Company with a flexible and dynamic long-term incentive compensation structure and is in the best interests of the Company. This amendment is designed to enhance the flexibility of the Compensation Committee in granting stock options and other awards to our officers, employees, non-employee directors and other key persons and to ensure that the Company can continue to grant stock options and other awards to such persons at levels determined to be appropriate by the Compensation Committee.

In approving the amendment to the 2010 Plan that is the subject of this Proposal 2, the Board noted the number of shares currently available under the 2010 Plan, the number of shares available under the 2010 Plan upon its adoption in 2010, and the increase in the number of shares available under the 2010 Plan approved by stockholders in 2012 and 2013. The Company did not engage a consultant to assist in the determination of the proposed increase in the number of shares available under the 2010 Plan in this Proposal 2.

Certain material features of the plan are discussed below, however, the description is subject to, and qualified by the full text of the 2010 Plan attached as Appendix A, and is incorporated herein by reference, which includes the proposed amendment to Section 4.01 as underlined. The closing price for our common stock on                , 2014, as reported on the NYSE MKT, was $             per share. If this proposal is approved, we anticipate filing a Form S-8 registration statement with the SEC shortly after the annual meeting to register the additional shares.

Administration

The 2010 Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors, with participation and approval of the Board of Directors. The Committee has the authority to determine, within the limits of the express provisions of the 2010 Plan, the individuals to whom awards will be granted, the nature, amount and terms of such awards and the objectives and conditions for earning such awards. The Committee generally has discretion to delegate its authority under the 2010 Plan to another committee of the Board or a subcommittee, or to such other party or parties, including officers of the Company, as the Committee deems appropriate. In addition, the Board of Directors may exercise any of the powers and authority of the Committee.

Types of Awards

Awards under the 2010 Plan may include incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), restricted shares of common stock, restricted stock units, performance share or unit awards, other stock-based awards and cash-based incentive awards.

Stock Options.    The Committee may grant to a participant options to purchase Company common stock that qualify as incentive stock options ("incentive stock options") for purposes of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code"), options that do not qualify as incentive stock options ("non-qualified stock options") or a combination thereof. The terms and conditions of stock option grants, including the quantity, price, vesting periods, and other conditions on exercise will be determined by the Committee.

The exercise price for stock options are determined by the Committee in its discretion, but may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of one share of the Company's common stock on the date when the stock option is granted. Additionally, in the case of incentive stock options granted to a holder of more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company on the date of grant, the exercise price may not be less than 110% of the fair market value of one share of common stock on the date the stock option is granted.

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Stock options must be exercised within a period fixed by the Committee that may not exceed ten years from the date of grant, except that in the case of incentive stock options granted to a holder of more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company on the date of grant, the exercise period may not exceed five years. The 2010 Plan provides for earlier termination of stock options upon the participant's termination of service, unless extended by the Committee, but in no event may the options be exercised after the scheduled expiration date of the options.

At the Committee's discretion, payment for shares of common stock on the exercise of stock options may be made in cash, shares of the Company's common stock held by the participant or in any other form of consideration acceptable to the Committee (including one or more forms of "cashless" or "net" exercise). The holder is responsible for the payment and withholdings of any federal, state, or local taxes that may arise in connection with the exercise of stock options.

Stock Appreciation Rights.    The Committee may grant to a participant an award of SARs, which entitles the participant to receive, upon its exercise, a payment equal to (i) the excess of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the exercise date over the SAR exercise price, times (ii) the number of shares of common stock with respect to which the SAR is exercised.

The exercise price for a SAR will be determined by the Committee in its discretion, but may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of one share of the Company's common stock on the date when the SAR is granted. Upon exercise of a SAR, payment may be made in cash, shares of the Company's common stock held by the participant or in any other form of consideration acceptable to the Committee (including one or more forms of "cashless" exercise). SARs must be exercised within a period fixed by the Committee that may not exceed ten years from the date of grant.

Restricted Shares and Restricted Units.    The Committee may award to a participant shares of common stock subject to specified restrictions ("restricted shares"). Restricted shares are subject to forfeiture if the participant does not meet certain conditions such as continued employment over a specified forfeiture period and/or the attainment of specified performance targets over the forfeiture period.

The Committee also may award to a participant units representing the right to receive shares of common stock in the future subject to the achievement of one or more goals relating to the completion of service by the participant and/or the achievement of performance or other objectives ("restricted units"). The terms and conditions of restricted share and restricted unit awards are determined by the Committee.

For participants who are subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, as further described under "Tax Deductibility of Certain Performance-Based Awards Under the 2010 Plan," the performance targets described in the preceding two paragraphs may be established by the Committee, in its discretion, based on one or more of the following measures (the "Performance Goals"):

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"Adjusted Net Earnings" means net earnings (loss) attributable to common stockholders as reported in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, provided that such amount shall be adjusted by reversing the following, to the extent such adjustments were made in calculating such net earnings (loss) attributable to common stockholders:

The Performance Goals may be measured with respect to the Company or any one or more of its subsidiaries, divisions, units or affiliates, either in absolute terms or as compared to another company or companies, or an index established or designated by the Committee. The above terms will have the same meaning as in the Company's financial statements, or if the terms are not used in the Company's financial statements, as applied pursuant to generally accepted accounting principles, or as used in the industry, as applicable.

Performance Awards.    The Committee may grant performance awards to participants under such terms and conditions as the Committee deems appropriate. A performance award entitles a participant to receive a payment from the Company, the amount of which is based upon the attainment of predetermined performance targets over a specified award period. Performance awards may be paid in cash, shares of common stock or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee.

Award periods will be established at the discretion of the Committee. The performance targets will also be determined by the Committee. With respect to participants subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, the applicable performance targets will be established, in the Committee's discretion, based on one or more of the Performance Goals described under the section titled "Restricted Shares and Restricted Units ." To the extent that a participant is not subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, when circumstances occur that cause predetermined performance targets to be an inappropriate measure of achievement, the Committee, at its discretion, may adjust the performance targets or the amount or value of the performance award.

Other Stock-Based Awards.    The Committee may grant equity-based or equity-related awards, referred to as "other stock-based awards," other than options, SARs, restricted shares, restricted units, or performance awards. The terms and conditions of each other stock-based award will be determined by the Committee. Payment under any other stock-based awards will be made in common stock or cash, as determined by the Committee.

Cash-Based Incentive Awards.    The Committee may grant cash-based incentive compensation awards, which would include performance-based annual cash incentive compensation to be paid to covered employees subject to Section 162(m) of the Code. The terms and conditions of each cash-based award will be determined by the Committee. The following material terms will be applicable to performance-based cash awards granted to covered executives subject to Section 162(m):

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Dividend Equivalents.    The Committee may provide for the payment of dividends or dividend equivalents with respect to any shares of common stock subject to an award under the 2010 Plan.

Eligibility and Limitation on Awards

The Committee may grant awards to any employee, director, consultant or other person providing services to the Company or its affiliates. It is presently contemplated that approximately 280 persons will be eligible to receive awards.

The maximum awards that can be granted under the 2010 Plan to a single participant in any calendar year will be 450,000 shares of common stock, whether in the form of options, SARs, restricted shares, restricted units, performance unit or share awards and other stock-based awards, and $5,000,000 in the form of cash-based incentive awards. These amount limitations are solely for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code as further discussed below under "Federal Income Tax Consequences" and are not indicative of the award amounts that would be granted to any participant.

Future Awards under the 2010 Plan

Because future awards under the 2010 Plan is within the discretion of the Compensation Committee, the Company cannot determine the type, dollar value, number, participant, or other terms that will in the future be received by or allocated to any participant in the 2010 Plan. Information regarding our recent practices with respect to stock-based compensation is presented in "Board of Directors and Executive Officers" and "Executive Compensation" including the "Summary Compensation Table" and these related tables: "Option Grants During 2013," "Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2013," and in "Compensation of Board Members" and elsewhere in this Proxy Statement, and in our financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 in the Annual Report that accompanies this Proxy Statement.

While the Company does not have a specific intention for the use of the currently reserved or additional proposed shares of common stock available for grants under the 2010 Plan, the Compensation Committee in its discretion, and consistent with the Company's overall compensation program as described in the Proxy Statement, from time to time makes awards to employees, directors, consultants and other persons providing services to the Company and its affiliates, and the Board has considered the past grants of awards in adopting the proposed increase. In 2012 and 2013, the Company made option awards representing a total of 255,000 shares and 269,500 shares, respectively, and DSU awards representing a total of approximately 18,000 shares and 30,000 shares, respectively. No option awards and 24,000 DSU awards were made in 2011. The average rate at which shares were granted over the

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past three years as a percentage of average shares outstanding in those same years was 3.7%. On that basis, the total number of shares available for grant following the proposed increase is consistent with prior years' practices and would meet the Company's needs for approximately one year.

Shares Subject to the 2010 Plan

The Board of Directors has reviewed the shares currently available under the 2010 Plan and has determined that it is appropriate to increase the maximum number of shares authorized for issuance under the 2010 Plan. As of April 25, 2014, the awards granted and the shares reserved under the 2010 Plan are as follows:

As of April 25, 2014, the total number of shares of common stock available for awards under the 2010 Plan is 112,352, which the Board believes is inadequate for the purpose of providing future equity incentives. The Board has determined that increasing the amount of shares of common stock issuable under the 2010 Plan is necessary in order to be able to grant additional equity awards to continue to attract, retain and motivate key employees. As a result, the Board is asking the stockholders to approve the amendment to the 2010 Plan to increase the number of shares available under the 2010 Plan by 300,000 shares.

With respect to awards made under the 2010 Plan (excluding Assumed Options), shares of common stock underlying awards that are forfeited or canceled (as a result, for example, of the lapse of an option or a forfeiture of restricted stock) will be available for additional grants under the 2010 Plan. Shares to be issued or purchased under the 2010 Plan will be authorized but unissued shares of common stock.

Anti-Dilution Protection

In the event of any corporate event or transaction that results in a change in the capital structure of the Company, including a change resulting from a stock dividend or stock split, or combination or reclassification of shares, the Committee is empowered to make such equitable adjustments with respect to awards or any provisions of the 2010 Plan as it deems necessary and appropriate, including, if necessary, any adjustments in the maximum number of shares of common stock subject to the 2010 Plan, the number of shares of common stock subject to and the exercise price of an outstanding award, or the maximum number of shares that may be subject to one or more awards granted to any one recipient during a calendar year.

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Dilution Analysis

As of April 25, 2014, the Company had outstanding 9,160,309 shares of common stock. If the 300,000 share increase in the number of shares available for issuance under the 2010 Plan is approved by stockholders as requested, approximately 412,352 shares will be available for issuance under the 2010 Plan. The requested increase represents approximately 3.3% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company. The total number of shares available for future issuance under the 2010 Plan and the total amount available including shares underlying outstanding options would be approximately 4.5% and 12.6%, respectively, of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company.

The percentage of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company that will be available for award grants under the 2010 Plan following the proposed increase is consistent with the corresponding percentages at the time of the initial approval of the 2010 Plan and its amendments in 2012 and 2013. Stockholders initially approved the 2010 Plan in July 2010, authorizing 450,000 shares, representing approximately 5.8% of the then issued and outstanding shares of the Company. In July 2012, stockholders approved an increase of 250,000 in the number of shares then available under the 2010 Plan and in July 2013 stockholders approved an increase of 300,000 in the number of shares then available under the 2010 Plan. The number of shares available under the 2010 Plan prior to the 2012 and 2013 increases was 57,569 and 21,033 shares. Following the 2012 and 2013 increases, the 307,569 and 321,033 shares available for future issuance under the 2010 Plan represented approximately 3.9% and 3.7%, respectively, of the then issued and outstanding shares of the Company and the total amount available including shares underlying outstanding options represented approximately 18.7% and 10.6%, respectively, of the then issued and outstanding shares of the Company.

The inclusion of this information in this Proxy Statement should not be regarded as an indication that the assumptions used to determine the number of shares will be predictive of actual future equity grants. These assumptions are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including our ability to attract and retain talent, achievement of performance metrics with respect to certain equity-based awards, the extent of option exercise activity, and others described in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Amendment and Termination

The Board of Directors may at any time amend or terminate the 2010 Plan, provided that no such action may be taken that adversely affects any rights or obligations with respect to any awards theretofore made under the 2010 Plan without the consent of the recipient. No awards may be made under the 2010 Plan after the tenth anniversary of its effective date. Certain provisions of the 2010 Plan relating to performance-based awards under Section 162(m) of the Code will expire on the fifth anniversary of the effective date.

Federal Income Tax Consequences

The federal income tax consequences of the issuance and exercise of awards under the 2010 Plan are as described below. The following information is only a summary of the tax consequences of the awards, and participants should consult with their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences inherent in the ownership or exercise of the awards, and the ownership and disposition of any underlying securities.

Incentive Stock Options.    A participant who is granted an incentive stock option will not recognize any taxable income for federal income tax purposes either on the grant or exercise of the incentive stock option. If the participant disposes of the shares purchased pursuant to the incentive stock option more

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than two years after the date of grant and more than one year after the exercise of the option (the required statutory "holding period"), (a) the participant will recognize long-term capital gain or loss, as the case may be, equal to the difference between the selling price and the option price; and (b) the Company will not be entitled to a deduction with respect to the shares of stock so issued. If the holding period requirements are not met, any gain realized upon disposition will be taxed as ordinary income to the extent of the excess of the lesser of (i) the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of exercise over the option price, and (ii) the gain on the sale. Also in that case, the Company will be entitled to a deduction in the year of disposition in an amount equal to the ordinary income recognized by the participant. Any additional gain will be taxed as short-term or long-term capital gain depending upon the holding period for the stock. A sale for less than the option price results in a capital loss.

The excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise over the option price is, however, includable in the option holder's income for alternative minimum tax purposes.

Nonqualified Stock Options.    A participant who is granted a nonqualified stock option under the 2010 Plan will not recognize any income for federal income tax purposes on the grant of the option. Generally, on the exercise of the option, the participant will recognize taxable ordinary income equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date over the option price for the shares.

The Company generally will be entitled to a tax deduction on the date of exercise in an amount equal to the ordinary income recognized by the participant. Upon disposition of the shares purchased pursuant to the stock option, the participant will recognize long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, as the case may be, equal to the difference between the amount realized on such disposition and the basis for such shares, which basis includes the amount previously recognized by the participant as ordinary income.

Stock Appreciation Rights.    A participant who is granted stock appreciation rights will normally not recognize any taxable income on the receipt of the SARs. Upon the exercise of a SAR, (a) the participant will recognize ordinary income equal to the amount received (the increase in the fair market value of one share of the Company's common stock from the date of grant of the SAR to the date of exercise); and (b) the Company will be entitled to a deduction on the date of exercise in an amount equal to the ordinary income recognized by the participant.

Restricted Shares.    A participant will not be taxed at the date of an award of restricted shares but will be taxed at ordinary income rates on the fair market value of any restricted shares as of the date that the restrictions lapse, unless the participant within 30 days after transfer of such restricted shares to the participant elects under Section 83(b) of the Code to include in income the fair market value of the restricted shares as of the date of such transfer. The Company will be entitled to a corresponding deduction. Any disposition of shares after restrictions lapse will be subject to the regular rules governing long-term and short-term capital gains and losses with the basis for this purpose equal to the fair market value of the shares at the end of the restricted period (or on the date of the transfer of the restricted shares, if the employee elects to be taxed on the fair market value upon such transfer). To the extent dividends are payable during the restricted period under the applicable award agreement, any such dividends will be taxable to the participant at ordinary income tax rates and will be deductible by the Company unless the participant has elected to be taxed on the fair market value of the restricted shares upon transfer, in which case they will thereafter be taxable to the employee as dividends and will not be deductible by the Company.

Restricted Units.    A participant will normally not recognize taxable income upon an award of restricted units, and the Company will not be entitled to a deduction until the lapse of the applicable restrictions. Upon the lapse of the restrictions and the issuance of the earned shares, the participant will recognize ordinary taxable income in an amount equal to the fair market value of the common stock received and the Company will be entitled to a deduction in the same amount.

11

Performance Awards, Other Stock-Based Awards and Cash-Based Awards.    Normally, a participant will not recognize taxable income upon the grant of performance awards, other stock-based awards and cash-based awards. Subsequently, when the conditions and requirements for the grants have been satisfied and the payment determined, any cash received and the fair market value of any common stock received will constitute ordinary income to the participant. The Company also will then be entitled to a deduction in the same amount.

Tax Deductibility of Certain Performance-Based Awards Under the 2010 Plan.    Section 162(m) of the Code limits the deductibility for federal income tax purposes of certain compensation paid to any "covered employee" in excess of $1 million. For purposes of Section 162(m), the term "covered employee" includes the Company's chief executive officer and the three other most highly compensated executive officers who are required to be disclosed in the Company's proxy statement as a "named executive officer" based on the amount of their total compensation. Certain compensation, including compensation paid based on the achievement of pre-established performance goals, is excluded from this deduction limit if the material terms under which the compensation is to be paid, including the performance goals to be used, are approved by our stockholders. Accordingly, in order to maintain the Company's ability to fully deduct certain incentive compensation paid pursuant to the 2010 Plan, approval of the 2010 Plan will qualify as approval of the material terms, including the Performance Goals discussed in the section titled "Restricted Shares and Restricted Units" above, under which qualifying performance-based compensation is to be paid.

Effective Date

The 2010 Plan initially became effective on July 20, 2010.

Vote Required

You may vote in favor or against this proposal or you may abstain from voting. Approval of the amendment to the 2010 Plan will require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Meeting, assuming the presence of a quorum. If stockholders do not specify the manner in which their shares represented by a validly executed proxy solicited by the Board of Directors are to be voted on this proposal, such shares will be voted in favor of the approval of the 2010 Plan. Abstentions will have the same effect as votes against this proposal and broker non-votes will not be counted as shares entitled to vote and will have no effect on the result of the vote. If the stockholders do not approve the amendment to the 2010 Plan, it will not be implemented, but the Company reserves the right to adopt such other compensation plans and programs as it deems appropriate and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR THE
APPROVAL TO AMEND THE 2010 PLAN


PROPOSAL NO. 3

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Audit Committee has recommended the reappointment of Squar, Milner, Peterson, Miranda & Williamson, LLP ("Squar Milner") as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013. Squar Milner became our auditors in 2008. The Company anticipates, and has experienced, costs savings in connection with its engagement of Squar Milner compared to previous auditor engagements. The stockholders are being requested to ratify the reappointment of Squar Milner at the Annual Meeting. If the selection is not ratified, it is contemplated

12

that the appointment of Squar Milner for 2013 may be permitted to stand in view of the difficulty and the expense involved in changing independent auditors on short notice, unless the Audit Committee finds other compelling reasons for making a change. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if they determine that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. The Company anticipates that a representative of Squar Milner will attend the Annual Meeting. The representative will have an opportunity to make a statement and to respond to appropriate stockholder questions.

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed to us by Squar Milner for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.

 
   For the Year Ended
December 31, 		 
 
   2013   2012  

Audit fees

   $ 750,000   $ 741,636  

Audit-related fees (1)

    
32,400		    
32,400		  

Tax fees (2)

    
16,165		    
—		  

All other fees (3)

    
20,000		    
—		  
           
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Total

  
$
819,165		  
$
774,036		  
           
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
           
(1)
Audit-related fees include fees for an examination under section 1122 of Regulation AB for loan servicing as well as a separate examination of certain requirements of our master servicing policies and procedures.
(2)
Tax fees relate to tax planning and consultation services.
(3)
All other fees relate to non-tax related advisory and consulting services.

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures for Audit and Non-Audit Services

The Audit Committee pre-approves all auditing services and permitted non-audit services, including the fees and terms thereof, to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm, subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services described in Section 10A(i)(1)(B) of the Exchange Act which are approved by the Audit Committee prior to the completion of the audit. The Audit Committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees consisting of one or more members of the Audit Committee when appropriate, including the authority to grant pre-approvals of audit and permitted non-audit services, provided that decisions of such subcommittee to grant pre-approvals shall be presented to the full Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. In pre-approving the services in 2013 and 2012 under audit related fees, tax fees or all other fees, the Audit Committee did not rely on the de minimis exception to the SEC pre-approval requirements.


REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors is responsible for providing independent, objective oversight of our accounting functions and internal control over financial reporting. The Audit Committee is currently comprised of four directors. The Audit Committee operates under a written audit committee charter, which was amended and restated by the Board of Directors on February 7, 2012.

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Management is responsible for our internal control over financial reporting and financial reporting process. Squar, Milner, Peterson, Miranda & Williamson, LLP, or Squar Milner, the independent registered public accounting firm, is responsible for performing an independent audit of our consolidated financial statements, as well as the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and to issue separate reports thereon. The Audit Committee's responsibility is to monitor and oversee these management processes and related independent audits.

In connection with these responsibilities, the Audit Committee met with management and Squar Milner to review and discuss the December 31, 2013 financial statements. The Audit Committee also discussed with Squar Milner the matters required by Statement on Auditing Standards ("SAS") No. 61 (Communication with Audit Committees) as may be modified or supplemented.

In addition, the Audit Committee also received written disclosures and the letter from Squar Milner required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding Squar Milner's communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and has discussed with Squar Milner their independence from the Company.

Based on the Audit Committee's discussions with management, review of Squar Milner's letter and discussions with Squar Milner, the Audit Committee has recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements be included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, for filing with the SEC.

    Audit Committee

 
 
Frank P. Filipps
Leigh J. Abrams
Stephan R. Peers
James Walsh

Vote Required

You may vote in favor or against this proposal or you may abstain from voting. The affirmative vote of a majority of all votes cast at the Meeting at which a quorum is present is required to ratify the appointment of Squar Milner as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. If stockholders do not specify the manner in which their shares represented by a validly executed proxy solicited by the Board of Directors are to be voted on this proposal, such shares will be voted in favor of the appointment of Squar Milner as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm.

Abstentions will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the result of the vote, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum. Brokers and other nominees that do not receive instructions are generally entitled to vote on the ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE TO RATIFY
THE REAPPOINTMENT OF SQUAR, MILNER, PETERSON, MIRANDA & WILLIAMSON, LLP.

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 PROPOSAL NO. 4

APPROVAL OF THE TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

Our Board of Directors requests your approval of the Company's Tax Benefits Preservation Rights Agreement, dated September 3, 2013, between us and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as amended by the First Amendment dated September 24, 2013, which we refer to as the "Rights Agreement." The Rights Agreement is designed to preserve our substantial tax assets. However, the Rights (as described below) will expire at the final adjournment of our 2014 Annual Meeting if stockholders fail to approve the Rights Agreement with a majority of the votes cast by holders of shares of common stock. A vote "FOR" the Proposal will constitute approval of the Rights Agreement and provide for continuation of the Rights Agreement in accordance with its terms.

Background and Reasons for Proposal

The Rights Agreement is intended to preserve the value of certain deferred tax benefits, including those generated by net operating losses (collectively, the "Tax Benefits"). In general, we may "carry forward" net operating losses in certain circumstances to offset current and future taxable income, which will reduce federal and state income tax liability, subject to certain requirements and restrictions. The Rights Agreement also has certain ancillary anti-takeover effects.

The Tax Benefits can be valuable to the Company. However, the Company's ability to use these Tax Benefits would be substantially limited and impaired if it were to experience an "ownership change" for purposes of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder. Generally, the Company will experience an "ownership change" if the percentage of the shares of common stock owned by one or more "five-percent shareholders" increases by more than 50 percentage points over the lowest percentage of shares of common stock owned by such stockholder at any time during the prior three year on a rolling basis. The Rights Agreement reduces the likelihood that changes in the Company's investor base have the unintended effect of limiting the Company's use of its Tax Benefits. As such, the Rights Agreement has a 4.99% "trigger" threshold that is intended to act as a deterrent to any person or entity seeking to acquire 4.99% or more of the outstanding common stock without the prior approval of the Board. This would protect the Tax Benefits because changes in ownership by a person owning less than 4.99% of the Company's stock are not included in the calculation of "ownership change" for purposes of Section 382 of the Code.

The Board believes it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders that the Company provide for the protection of the Tax Benefits by adopting the Rights Agreement. The Board has established procedures to consider requests to exempt certain acquisitions of the Company's securities from the Rights Agreement if the Board determines that doing so would not limit or impair the availability of the Tax Benefits or is otherwise in the best interests of the Company.

The description of the Rights Agreement contained in this Proposal 4 is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Rights Agreement and is attached to this Proxy Statement as Appendix B. You are urged to read carefully the Rights Agreement in its entirety as the discussion herein is only a summary.

The Rights.    On September 3, 2013, our Board of Directors authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred stock purchase right, referred to as a Right, for each outstanding share of our common stock to stockholders of record at the close of business on September 16, 2013. Such date is referred to as the "Rights Plan Record Date". Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from us one one-thousandth of one share of our series A-1 junior participating preferred stock, par value $0.01 per

15

share, referred to as the "Preferred Stock", at a purchase price equal to $50.00 per one one-thousandth of a share, subject to adjustment. Such price is referred to as the "Purchase Price". The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in the Rights Agreement. In addition, one Right will be issued with each share of our common stock that becomes outstanding after the Rights Plan Record Date, and prior to the earliest of (i) the Distribution Date (as defined below), (ii) the date the Rights are redeemed, (iii) the date the Rights are exchanged, or (iv) the date the Rights otherwise expire (see "Expiration Date of the Rights" below). The Rights trade automatically with shares of our common stock and separate and become exercisable only under the circumstances described below.

Distribution Date; Separation of Rights.    Until the Distribution Date (as defined below), the Rights will be attached to all certificates representing shares of our common stock then outstanding, and no separate Rights certificates, referred to as Rights Certificates, will be distributed. Subject to certain exceptions specified in the Rights Agreement, the Rights will separate from our common stock and become separately tradable and exercisable only upon the earlier of (i) ten business days (or such later day as the Board of Directors may determine) following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons, collectively referred to as an "Acquiring Person", has acquired beneficial ownership of 4.99% or more of our outstanding common stock or (ii) ten business days (or such later day as our Board of Directors may determine) following the announcement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person. Such earlier date is referred to as the "Distribution Date". The Rights Agreement includes a procedure whereby the Board will consider requests to exempt certain acquisitions of common stock from the applicable ownership trigger if the Board determines that the requested acquisition will not adversely impact in any material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability to the Company of the Tax Benefits, or is in the best interests of the Company despite the fact it may adversely impact in a material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability of the Tax Benefits.

Rights Holders Have No Rights as a Stockholder Until a Right Is Exercised.    Until a Right is exercised, the holder of such Right will have no rights as our stockholder (beyond those possessed as an existing stockholder), including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends with respect to the Right.

Existing Holders.    The Rights Agreement provides that any person or entity who otherwise would be an Acquiring Person on the date the Rights Agreement was adopted, each referred to as an "Existing Holder", shall not be deemed to be an Acquiring Person for purposes of the Rights Agreement unless such Existing Holder increases its beneficial ownership over such Existing Holder's lowest percentage of ownership of the common stock after the adoption of the Rights Agreement, subject to specified exceptions.

Detachment and Transfer of Rights.    Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by our common stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such certificates, (ii) our new common stock certificates issued after the Record Date will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference, and (iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for common stock outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with our common stock represented by such certificate.

As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates will be mailed to holders of record of our common stock as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights Certificates alone will represent the Rights.

Preferred Shares Purchasable Upon Exercise of Right.    After the Distribution Date, each Right will entitle the holder to purchase, for $50.00, known as the "Purchase Price", one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share having economic and other terms similar to that of one share of common stock. This

16

portion of a Preferred Share is intended to give the stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as would one share of common stock, and should approximate the value of one share of common stock. More specifically, each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, if issued, will:

"Flip-in" Rights.    At any time after a Distribution Date has occurred, each holder of a Right, other than the Acquiring Person, will thereafter have the right to receive, upon paying the Purchase Price and in lieu of a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock, our common stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash or other of our securities) having a market value equal to two times the Purchase Price of the Right. For example, assuming a $25.00 market price for our common stock and the current Purchase Price of $50.00, after the Distribution Date each Right would entitle its holder to purchase four shares of our common stock with a market value of $100.00 for an aggregate purchase price of $50.00, or $12.50 per share. All Rights beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person would be null and void.

"Flip-over" Rights.    In the event any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and we merge into or engage in certain other business combinations with an Acquiring Person, or 50% or more of our consolidated assets or earning power are sold to an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right (other than void Rights owned by an Acquiring Person) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price, common stock of the acquiring company that at the time of such transaction will have a market value equal to two times the Purchase Price of the Right.

Exchange of Rights.    At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person, in lieu of allowing the "flip-in" to occur, our Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than void Rights owned by an Acquiring Person), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one share of our common stock, (or, under certain circumstances, cash, property or other of our securities, including fractions of a share of preferred stock) per Right (subject to adjustment). Notwithstanding the foregoing, our Board of Directors may not conduct such an exchange at any time any person (other than with us or certain entities affiliated with us) together with such person's affiliates or associates becomes the beneficial owner of 50% or more of our common stock.

Redemption of Rights.    At any time prior to a Distribution Date, our Board of Directors may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right and on such terms and conditions as our Board of Directors may establish. Immediately upon the action of our Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price. The redemption price will be adjusted if the Company undertakes a stock dividend or a stock split.

Expiration Date of the Rights.    The Rights will expire at 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the earliest of:

17

Anti-Dilution Provisions.    The Board may adjust the Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable and the number of outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a stock dividend, a stock split or a reclassification of the Preferred Stock or common stock. With certain exceptions, no adjustments to the Purchase Price will be made until the cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the current market price of the Preferred Stock.

Tax Consequences.    The Company believes that the distribution of Rights should not be taxable for federal income tax purposes. However, following an event that renders the Rights exercisable or upon redemption of the Rights, stockholders may recognize taxable income.

Amendments.    The terms of the Rights may be amended by a resolution of our Board of Directors without the consent of the holders of the Rights prior to the Distribution Date. Thereafter, the terms of the Rights and the Rights Agreement may be amended without the consent of the holders of Rights in order to (i) cure any ambiguities, (ii) shorten or lengthen any time period pursuant to a Rights Agreement or (iii) make changes that do not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights.

Terms of the Preferred Stock.    In connection with the Rights Agreement, our Board of Directors designated 2,500,000 shares of Preferred Stock as shares of Series A-1 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, as set forth in the Articles Supplementary, filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland on September 4, 2013. A copy of the Articles Supplementary has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to a Form 8-K dated September 3, 2013.

Vote Required

You may vote in favor or against this proposal or you may abstain from voting. Approval of the Tax Benefits Preservation Rights Agreement will require the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast. Abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will not be counted as votes cast and will have no effect on the result of the vote.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" THE APPROVAL OF THE TAX
BENEFITS PRESERVATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT.

18


BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Information Concerning Director Nominees

NAME   AGE   POSITION

Joseph R. Tomkinson

   66   Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

William S. Ashmore

  

64

  

President and Director

James Walsh

  

64

  

Director

Frank P. Filipps

  

66

  

Director

Stephan R. Peers

  

61

  

Director

Leigh J. Abrams

  

71

  

Director

Joseph R. Tomkinson has been Chairman of the Board since April 1998 and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Company since its formation in August 1995. Mr. Tomkinson was also an officer and director of a real estate investment trust investing in commercial mortgage assets and a specialty finance company until its sale. Mr. Tomkinson brings over 35 years of combined experience in real estate, real estate financing and mortgage banking. The Company believes that Mr. Tomkinson's financial and business expertise, including his past senior executive positions and operating experience with real estate and finance companies, give him the qualifications and skills to serve as a director.

William S. Ashmore has been President of the Company since August 1995 and a Director since July 1997. Mr. Ashmore also served as the Chief Operating Officer from August 1995 to May 2006. Mr. Ashmore has over 35 years of combined experience in real estate, asset liability management, risk management, and mortgage banking. Mr. Ashmore received a B.S. degree in Psychology from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1971 and a Master's degree in Social Psychology from California State University at Northridge in 1974. The Company believes that Mr. Ashmore's real estate, financial and business expertise give him the qualifications and skills to serve as a director.

James Walsh has been a Director of IMH since August 1995. Since January 2000, he has been Managing Director of Sherwood Trading and Consulting Corporation. The Company believes that Mr. Walsh's financial and business expertise, including his past senior executive positions and operating experience with large, complex organizations give him the qualifications and skills to serve as a director.

Frank P. Filipps has been a Director of IMH since August 1995. From April 2005 to July 2008, Mr. Filipps was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Clayton Holdings, Inc., a mortgage services company. From June 1999 to April 2005, Mr. Filipps was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Radian Group, Inc. (NYSE: RDN) and its principal subsidiary, Radian Guaranty, Inc., which were formed through a merger of Amerin and Commonwealth Mortgage Assurance Company. Mr. Filipps has been a director of Primus Guaranty, Ltd. (NYSE: PRS), a holding company primarily engaged in selling credit protection against investment grade credit obligations of corporate and sovereign entities, since September 2004, a director of Fortegra Financial Corp (NYSE: FRF), an insurance services company, since December 2010, and a director of Orchid Island Capital (NYSE: ORC), a specialty finance company that invests in residential mortgage-backed securities, since February 2013. Mr. Filipps received a B.A. in Economics in 1969 from Rutgers University and a Master's degree in Corporate Finance and International Business in 1972 from New York University. The Company believes that Mr. Filipps's financial and business expertise, including a diversified background of managing companies and his past senior executive positions and operating experience with real estate-related and mortgage services companies, give him the qualifications and skills to serve as a director.

19

Stephan R. Peers has been a Director of IMH since October 1995. Since January 2005, Mr. Peers has been an independent financial advisor. From September 2001 to January 2005, Mr. Peers was a Managing Director of Sandler O'Neill & Partners, LP practicing corporate finance covering financial institutions. Mr. Peers received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Manhattan College in 1974, a M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University in 1975 and an M.B.A. from Stanford University in 1979. The Company believes that Mr. Peers' financial and business expertise, including his past senior executive positions and operating experience with corporate finance companies, give him the qualifications and skills to serve as a director.

Leigh J. Abrams has been a Director of IMH since April 2001 and lead independent director since June 2004. Mr. Abrams became Chairman of the Board of Drew Industries Incorporated (NYSE: DW), which manufactures a wide variety of components for recreational vehicles and manufactured homes, in January 2009. Prior to that, since August 1979, Mr. Abrams previously served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Drew, from which positions he resigned in May 2008 and December 2008, respectively, to become Chairman of the Board of Drew. Mr. Abrams has served as a director of Drew Industries since August 1979. Mr. Abrams, a CPA, has over 35 years of experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and operations. Mr. Abrams received a B.A. in Accounting from Baruch College in 1964. The Company believes that Mr. Abrams' financial and business expertise, including his past senior executive positions and operating experience with large, complex organizations, give him the qualifications and skills to serve as a director.

Executive Officers

The following table provides certain information regarding the executive officers of IMH, but who do not serve as directors of IMH:

NAME   AGE   POSITION

Todd R. Taylor

   49   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Ronald M. Morrison

  

63

  

General Counsel, Executive Vice President and Secretary

Todd R. Taylor has had the position of Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President since November 2008. From February 2008 until November 2008, Mr. Taylor had the position of Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Taylor joined IMH in October 2004 as the Senior Vice President, Controller and served in this position until he was promoted to Senior Vice President and Director of Accounting in June 2006. Mr. Taylor served as the Senior Vice President and Director of Accounting until October 2007 when he was promoted to Chief Accounting Officer in October 2007 in which he served until he was appointed to the Interim Chief Financial Officer in February 2008. Prior to joining IMH, Mr. Taylor served as the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary for Primal Solutions, Inc. from August 2003 until October 2004. Mr. Taylor earned his B.A. degree in Business from California State University at Fullerton and is a certified public accountant.

Ronald M. Morrison became General Counsel in July 1998 and was promoted to Executive Vice President in August 2001. In July 1998 he was also elected Secretary of IMH and in August 1998 he was elected Secretary of our mortgage operations and our warehouse lending operations. Mr. Morrison received his B.A. degree in History in 1973 from the University of California Los Angeles and his Juris Doctor degree in 1976 from Pepperdine University.

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships between any of the directors or executive officers of IMH.

20

Corporate Governance and Board Matters

Vacancies

All directors are elected at each annual meeting of stockholders for a term of one year and hold office until their successors are elected and qualify. Any vacancy on the Board of Directors for any cause, other than an increase in the number of directors, may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining directors, although such majority is less than a quorum. Replacements for vacancies occurring among the unaffiliated directors will be elected by a majority vote of the remaining directors, including a majority of the unaffiliated directors. Any vacancy in the number of directors created by an increase in the number of directors may be filled by a majority vote of the entire Board of Directors.

Board Member Independence

We are listed on the NYSE MKT and accordingly, we have applied the listing standards of the NYSE MKT in determining the "independence" of the members of our Board of Directors. Based the listing standards of the NYSE MKT and after reviewing the relationships with members of our Board, our Board of Directors has determined, with the assistance of the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee, that James Walsh, Frank P. Filipps, Stephan R. Peers and Leigh J. Abrams as independent members of the Board of Directors. The Governance and Nomination Committee reviews with the Board at least annually the qualifications of new and existing Board members, considering the level of independence of individual members, together with such other factors as the Board may deem appropriate, including overall skills and experience. The Governance and Nomination Committee also evaluates the composition of the Board as a whole and each of its committees to ensure the Company's on-going compliance with the independence standards of the NYSE MKT.

Attendance at Board and Committee Meetings

Our Board of Directors met 14 times during 2013. Each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate of the total number of meetings held by the Board of Directors and the total number of meetings held by those committees of the Board of Directors on which such director served.

We encourage all directors to attend the annual meeting of stockholders. In 2013, all of our directors attended the annual meeting of stockholders.

Committees and Corporate Governance

The current standing committees of our Board of Directors are the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee. Each of these committees has a written charter approved by our Board of Directors. The members of the committees and a description of the principal responsibilities of each committee are described below.

Our Board of Directors has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines. The Corporate Governance Guidelines include items such as criteria for director qualifications, director responsibilities, committees of the Board, director access to officers and employees, director compensation, evaluation of the CEO, annual performance evaluation and management succession. The Board of Directors has chosen not to impose term limits or mandatory retirement age with regard to service on the Board in the belief that continuity of service and the past contributions of the Board members who have developed an in-depth understanding of the Company and its business over time bring a seasoned approach to IMH's governance. Each director is to act on a good faith basis and informed business judgment in a manner such director reasonably believes to be in the best interest of the Company.

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A copy of each committee charter and our Corporate Governance Guidelines can be found on our website at www.impaccompanies.com by clicking "Stockholder Relations" and then "Corporate Governance," and is available in print upon request to the Secretary of Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., 19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California 92612.

The Audit Committee

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors consists of four directors, all of whom are independent pursuant to the Director Independence Standards of the NYSE MKT and other SEC rules and regulations applicable to audit committees. The following directors are currently members of the Audit Committee: Frank P. Filipps, who serves as the chairman, Leigh J. Abrams, Stephan R. Peers and James Walsh. The Board of Directors has determined that Frank P. Filipps qualifies as an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined by Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). During 2013, the Audit Committee met 11 times.

The purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibility relating to: (i) the integrity of the Company's financial statements and financial reporting process and its system of internal accounting and financial controls, (ii) the performance of the independent auditors, which would include an evaluation of the independent auditor's qualifications and independence, (iii) the Company's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, including disclosure controls and procedures, and (iv) the preparation of an Audit Committee report to be included in the Company's annual proxy statement. The Audit Committee is authorized to retain independent legal, accounting or other advisors.

The Compensation Committee

The Compensation Committee is responsible for (1) recommending to our Board of Directors the cash and non-cash compensation of our executive officers as defined in the rules promulgated under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, (2) evaluating the performance of our executive officers, (3) recommending to our Board of Directors the cash and non-cash compensation policies for our non-employee directors, (4) making recommendations to our Board of Directors with respect to incentive compensation and equity-based plans that are subject to Board approval, (5) recommending to the Board of Directors on whether the compensation discussion and analysis should be included in the proxy or Form 10-K, and (6) assisting our Board of Directors in evaluating potential candidates for executive officer positions with the Company. The Committee may consult with the Chief Executive Officer in determining the executive compensation for any executive officer other than the Chief Executive Officer. The Compensation Committee is authorized to retain or to obtain the advice of independent counsel or other advisors. The Compensation Committee consists of James Walsh (Chairman), Leigh J. Abrams and Stephan R. Peers. The Compensation Committee met two times during 2013.

The Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee

The Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee assists the Board of Directors in (1) identifying qualified individuals to become members of the Board of Directors, (2) determining the composition of the Board of Directors and its committees, (3) selecting the director nominees for the next annual meeting of stockholders, (4) monitoring a process to assess board, committee and management effectiveness, (5) aiding and monitoring management succession planning and (6) developing, implementing and monitoring policies and processes related to our corporate governance. The Committee has the authority to retain any search firm engaged to assist in identifying director candidates, and to retain outside counsel and any other advisors. The Corporate Governance and

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Nomination Committee consists of Stephan R. Peers (Chairman) and James Walsh. The committee met one time during 2013.

Board Leadership Structure and Role in Risk Oversight

The Board does not have a policy regarding the separation of the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board as the Board of Directors believes it is in the best interests of the Company to make that determination based on the position and direction of the Company and the membership of the Board. The Board has determined that having the Company's Chief Executive Officer serve as Chairman is in the best interest of the Company's stockholders at this time. This structure makes the best use of the Chief Executive Officer's extensive knowledge of the Company and its industry, as well as fostering greater communication between the Company's management and the Board.

Leigh J. Abrams serves as the Company's Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director advises the Chairman of the Board or otherwise undertakes the following:

Risk Management

The Company faces a variety of operational and market risks, including interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk and prepayment risk. The Board of Directors believes an effective risk management system will (1) timely identify the material risks that the Company faces, (2) communicate necessary information with respect to material risks to senior executives and, as appropriate, to the Board or Audit Committee, (3) implement appropriate and responsive risk management strategies consistent with Company's risk profile, and (4) integrate risk management into Company decision-making.

The Board has designated the Audit Committee to take the lead in overseeing risk management. The Audit Committee discusses with management the Company's major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures, including the Company's risk assessment and risk management policies. The Audit Committee also reviews the significant reports to management, including assessment of the Company's risk management processes and systems of internal controls.

The Board of Directors encourages management to promote a corporate culture that incorporates risk management into the Company's corporate strategy and day-to-day business operations. The Board of Directors also continually works, with the input of the Company's executive officers, to assess and analyze the most likely areas of future risk for the Company.

The Director Nomination Process.

The Governance and Nomination Committee considers nominees from all sources, including stockholders. The Committee has the authority to lead the search for individuals qualified to become members of the Company's Board of Directors and to select or recommend to the Board of Directors director nominees to be presented for stockholder approval. The committee may use its network of

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contacts to compile a list of potential candidates, but may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm.

The board of directors will consist of a majority of directors who (i) qualify as "independent" directors within the meaning of the listing standards of the NYSE MKT, as the same may be amended from time to time; (ii) meet the applicable requirements to be "unaffiliated" as defined in the Company's Bylaws, as may be amended from time to time; and (iii) are affirmatively determined by the Board to have no material relationship with the Company, its parents or its subsidiaries (either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the Company, its parents or its subsidiaries). The committee will select individuals who have high personal and professional integrity, have demonstrated ability and sound judgment, and are effective, in conjunction with other director nominees, in collectively serving the long-term interests of our stockholders, together with such other factors as the board may deem appropriate, including overall skills and experience.

Although the Company does not have a policy regarding diversity, the value of diversity on the Board of Directors is considered and the particular or unique needs of the Company shall be taken into account at the time a nominee is being considered. The Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee seeks a broad range of perspectives and considers both the personal characteristics (gender, ethnicity, age) and experience (industry, professional, public service) of directors and prospective nominees to the Board. The Governance and Nomination Committee will recommend to the Board nominees as appropriate based on these principles.

Director Nominees by Stockholders.    Director nominees provided by stockholders to the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee are evaluated by the same criteria used to evaluate potential nominees from other sources. When making a recommendation for a Board nominee to be evaluated by the Committee, stockholders should include all information about the candidate that is required to be disclosed in a solicitation of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act. The written recommendation should be sent to the Secretary of the Company accompanied by the candidate's written consent to be named in a proxy statement as a nominee, if recommended by the Committee and nominated by the Board, and to serve as a director if appointed or elected. Additional information about the candidate may be requested by the Committee from time to time, either from the recommended person or from the recommending shareholder.

Submission for Consideration at Annual Meeting.    The Company's bylaws provide that stockholders may nominate directors for consideration at an annual meeting provided they comply with the notice procedures set forth in the bylaws, which are further described in this proxy statement under "Stockholder Proposals—Proposals to be Submitted for Annual Meeting" and "Mailing Instructions." The stockholder nominating a director must be a stockholder of record at the time of giving the notice and is entitled to vote at the meeting. If the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by us at least 70 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting, a stockholder's nomination will be deemed timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it is delivered to our Secretary not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is first made by us. Any notice shall include the information regarding the stockholder making the nomination and the nominee as required by the Company's bylaws. Nominations made by stockholders in this manner are eligible to be presented by the stockholder at the meeting, but such nominees will not have been considered by the Nominating Committee as a nominee to be potentially supported by the Company.

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Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.

We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. This code of ethics applies to our directors, executive officers and employees. This code of ethics is publicly available in the corporate governance section of the stockholder relations page of our website located at www.impaccompanies.com and in print upon request to the Secretary at Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., 19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California, 92612. If we make amendments to the code of ethics or grant any waiver that the SEC requires us to disclose, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website.

Stockholder Communication with Our Board of Directors.

Stockholders who wish to contact any of our directors either individually or as a group may do so by writing them c/o Ronald M. Morrison, Secretary, Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., 19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California 92612, by telephone at (949) 475-3942 or by email to rmorrison@impaccompanies.com specifying whether the communication is directed to the entire board or to a particular director. Stockholder letters are screened, which includes filtering out improper or irrelevant topics.

Compensation of Board Members

The compensation of the Company's non-employee directors is described below.

Board Fees.    The Company's non-employee directors are paid the following fees: (i) an annual fee of $40,000; (ii) a meeting fee of $2,500; (iii) for services on the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Corporate Governance Committee, fees of $2,500, $1,000 and $1,000, respectively, per meeting; (iv) an annual fee payable to the chairperson of each of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Corporate Governance Committee of $20,000, $5,000 and $5,000, respectively; and (v) an annual fee payable to the lead independent director of $10,000.

Equity Awards.    Non-employee directors typically receive an annual equity award of options to purchase shares of the Company's common stock (the "Director Stock Options"), or instead, at the election of the individual director, a number of shares of restricted Company common stock equal in value to the number of Director Stock Options (based on the binomial value of the Director Stock Options) not taken by such director. No dividend equivalent rights will be issued with respect to the Director Stock Options granted, although the existing dividend equivalent rights on prior option grants continue to be retained.

Special Services.    From time to time, the Company's non-employee directors may be asked to engage in special director services, whether or not a committee of the Board has been formed for such purpose. Such services have included and may include strategic reviews, strategic transaction oversight, independent major litigation oversight and like matters involving substantially greater commitments of time from the relevant directors. In such circumstances, the directors engaged in such efforts may receive additional fees for the duration of such service. Fees related to a special committee may be paid whether or not the matter concludes in a transaction or other specific result and may be adjusted upward or downward based on the amount of work required and any other criteria the committee and Board deem appropriate. No fees related to special services were paid during 2013.

Set forth below is the compensation earned for our non-employee directors during 2013. Messrs. Tomkinson and Ashmore received no additional compensation for their services as directors.

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 Director Compensation For 2013

Name   Fees Earned or
Paid in Cash
($) 		  Stock
Awards
($)(1)(2) 		  Total
($) 		 

James Walsh

   $ 110,500   $ 79,875   $ 194,375  

Frank P. Filipps

    
118,750		    
79,875		    
198,625		  

Stephan R. Peers

    
114,250		    
79,875		    
194,125		  

Leigh J. Abrams

  
$
114,500		  
$
79,875		  
$
190,375		  
   
(1)
The amounts disclosed reflect the full grant date fair values in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. For assumptions used in calculation of the awards, see note 1- stock-based compensation to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.
(2)
On July 23, 2013, each director was granted 7,500 deferred stock units pursuant to the Non-Employee Director Deferred Stock Unit Award Program. The deferred stock units vest in three equal annual installments, commencing with the first anniversary of the date of grant, subject to the director's continued service on the board of directors. The settlement of the deferred stock units and distribution of shares are further described below. As of December 31, 2013, the following deferred stock units were outstanding:

Name   Vested DSUs   Unvested DSUs  

James Walsh

     9,000     10,500  

Frank P. Filipps

    
9,000		    
10,500		  

Stephan R. Peers

    
9,000		    
10,500		  

Leigh J. Abrams

    
6,000		    
7,500		  
   

Outstanding Stock Options as of December 31, 2013

No stock options were granted to the directors during 2013. As of December 31, 2013, the directors held the following options:

Name   Option Awards:
Number of Securities
Underlying Options (#) 		  Exercise Price of Option
Awards ($) 		  Expiration Date  

James Walsh

     4,000     2.73     12/3/2020  

Frank P. Filipps

    
6,000		    
2.73		    
12/3/2020		  

Stephan R. Peers

    
4,000		    
2.73		    
12/3/2020		  

Leigh J. Abrams

    
6,000		    
2.73		    
12/3/2020		  

   
12,000		    
13.81		    
11/27/2022		  
   

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Non-Employee Director Deferred Stock Unit Award Program

Effective December 1, 2010, the Company adopted the Non-Employee Director Deferred Stock Unit Award Program (the "DSU Program"). The DSU Program provides for the grant of deferred stock units ("DSUs") to non-employee directors pursuant to the 2010 Plan. Each DSU grant vests in substantially equal annual installments, commencing with the first anniversary of the date of grant, subject to the director's continued service on the board of directors. Upon vesting, the DSUs continue to be held in the director's stock account until payment becomes due. In the event a director is no longer a member of the board of directors prior to vesting, all DSUs that remain unvested terminate and are forfeited. Dividends and other distributions on DSUs are credited to the director's stock account as if such DSUs were actual shares of common stock issued and outstanding. No interest is credited on stock amounts. Dividends and distributions are converted, based on fair market value of the common stock, into DSUs and credited to the director's stock account. The board may, in its sole discretion, waive vesting and forfeiture of DSUs. In the event a change in control, all outstanding DSUs are deemed fully vested. Directors receive a distribution of stock within thirty (30) days after the date the director no longer serves on the board. The distribution will consist of one share of common stock for each DSU. Any shares of common stock issued are deemed issued under the 2010 Plan.


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Summary Compensation Table

The following table presents compensation earned by our executive officers for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 (the "Named Executive Officers"). The compensation of Messrs. Tomkinson and Ashmore is based on each of their employment agreements, which are further described below under "Employment Agreements."


Summary Compensation Table

Name and Principal Position   Year   Salary
($) 		  Bonus
($) 		  Option
Awards
($)(1) 		  Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(5) 		  All Other
Compensation
($)(6) 		  Total
($) 		 

Joseph R. Tomkinson

     2013     600,000     —     266,250     —     14,400     880,650  

Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Director

     2012     600,000     —     395,168     1,007,500  (2)   14,400     2,017,068  

William S. Ashmore

    
2013		    
600,000		    
—		    
266,250		    
—		    
14,400		    
880,650		  

President

     2012     600,000     —     395,168     1,007,500  (3)   14,400     2,017,068  

Todd R. Taylor

    
2013		    
357,500		    
—		    
234,300		    
221,000
 (4)		  
6,000		    
818,800		  

Chief Financial Officer

                                            
   
(1)
The amounts disclosed reflect the full grant date fair values in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. For assumptions used in calculation of the option awards, see "Note 19—Share Based Payments and Employee Benefit Plans" to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. See "Option Grants During 2013" below for a further description of the terms of the options.
(2)
Mr. Tomkinson's annual incentive bonus is based on 7.5% of the Company's adjusted net earnings. In 2013, Mr. Tomkinson did not earn an incentive bonus, and in 2012 he earned $1,007,500 of which approximately $254,170 was paid during 2013 and $100,000 during 2014. On March 17, 2014, Mr. Tomkinson agreed to waive $150,000 of his 2012 annual incentive bonus earned pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement during the year ended December 31, 2012. In 2011, Mr. Tomkinson earned an incentive bonus of which $145,829 was paid in 2013. Based on the waiver, the amount due to Mr. Tomkinson for his 2012 annual incentive bonus is now $503,329.

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(3)
Mr. Ashmore's annual incentive bonus is based on 7.5% of the Company's adjusted net earnings. In 2013, Mr. Ashmore did not earn an incentive bonus, and in 2012 he earned $1,007,500 which was paid during 2013.
(4)
During 2013, Mr. Taylor was eligible to receive a quarterly incentive bonus of up to 65% of his bases salary based upon the achievement of mutually agreed management objectives. In 2013, Mr. Taylor earned an incentive bonus of $221,000 of which $104,000 was paid in 2013 and $58,500 was paid in 2014. The remaining amount due to Mr. Taylor for his 2013 bonus is $58,500.
(5)
Amounts set forth in this column are based on the terms of the incentive bonuses set forth in the employment agreements as described below under "Employment Agreements."
(6)
Consists of an annual car allowance.

Option Grants During 2013

The following table presents option awards granted to the Named Executive Officers during the year ended December 31, 2013 pursuant to the Company's 2010 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended. All of the options expire on July 23, 2023 and vest annually in one-third increments beginning on the one year anniversary of the date of grant.

Name   Grant Date   Option Awards:
Number of Securities
Underlying Options (#) 		  Exercise
Price of Option
Awards ($/Sh) 		 

Joseph R. Tomkinson
Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer

     7/23/2013     25,000     10.65  

William S. Ashmore
President

    
7/23/2013		    
25,000		    
10.65		  

Todd R. Taylor
Chief Financial Officer

    
7/23/2013		    
22,000		    
10.65		  
   

Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2013

The following table sets forth the outstanding stock options for each of our Named Executive Officers as of December 31, 2013.

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 OUTSTANDING OPTION AWARDS AT DECEMBER 31, 2013

 
   OPTION AWARDS  
Name   Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Exercisable 		  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable 		  Option
Exercise
Price ($) 		  Option
Expiration
Date 		 

Joseph R. Tomkinson

     105,660     —     0.53     6/9/2019  

    48,000     —     2.73     12/3/2020  

    14,625     14,625     13.81     11/27/2022  

    —     25,000     10.65     7/23/2023  

William S. Ashmore

    
16,000		    
—		    
2.73		    
12/3/2020		  

    14,625     14,625     13.81     11/27/2022  

    —     25,000     10.65     7/23/2023  

Todd R. Taylor

    
10,000		    
—		    
0.53		    
6/9/2019		  

    20,000     —     2.73     12/3/2020  

    12,000     12,000     13.81     11/27/2022  

          22,000     10.65     7/23/2023  
   

Employment Agreements

Joseph R. Tomkinson and William S. Ashmore

On May 7 and May 3, 2013, Joseph R. Tomkinson, Chief Executive Officer, and William S. Ashmore, President, executed, respectively, new employment agreements with the Company. The agreements were effective as of January 1, 2013 and continue through December 31, 2015, unless terminated earlier, and may be extended by mutual written agreement of the officer and the Company.

Base Salary, Annual Bonus and Other Compensation.    The base salary for each of Messrs. Tomkinson and Ashmore is $600,000 per year and each is eligible to receive an annual bonus in an amount equal to 7.5% of the Company's adjusted net earnings (the "Annual Bonus"). The Annual Bonus is subject to a cap in any calendar year in an amount equal to 2.5 times annual base salary; provided that there will be no cap on the Annual Bonus if the officer pre-elects on or before December 31 of the prior year to receive 5.0% of adjusted net earnings during a year. The officers may elect to defer any portion of his base salary, bonuses or incentive compensation into an approved Company-sponsored deferred compensation plan.

An amount equal to 80% of the estimated Annual Bonus will be paid within 10 days after the Company has determined its adjusted net earnings for the year for which the annual bonus is to be paid and the remaining amount will be finally calculated and paid within 10 days after the release of the Company's audited financial statements for the year. The Annual Bonus is required to be paid by the Company by December 31 of the calendar year immediately following the year for which adjusted net earnings is determined for purposes of the Annual Bonus. If it is determined that any bonus or incentive compensation is underpaid or overpaid to the officer, then the Company will either pay the amount owed within 15 days after the determination is made by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors or offset an overpayment against the officer's next bonus or incentive compensation payments or require the officer to repay such amounts, as applicable.

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For purposes of the Annual Bonus, "adjusted net earnings" means the net earnings (loss) attributable to common stockholders excluding (1) any adjustment relating to change in fair value of net trust assets, change in fair value of long-term debt (including preferred stock) and noncash level yield long-term debt, (ii) any accrual already made with respect to the officer's bonus compensation, (iii) any charge relating to amortization of deferred charges, and (iv) any adjustment relating to lower of cost or market and repurchase liability of the discontinued operations.

Messrs. Tomkinson and Ashmore are also eligible to receive paid vacation, an annual car allowance of $1,200 per month, participate in the Company's health and other benefit plans, be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary business and entertainment expenses, and receive other benefits at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Each officer is prohibited, without approval from the Board of Directors, from receiving compensation, directly or indirectly, from any company with whom the Company or any of its affiliates has any financial, business, or affiliated relationship. Any amounts paid to the officer are subject to any claw back policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to listing standards of any national securities exchange or as otherwise required under applicable law.

Severance Compensation.    If either Mr. Tomkinson's or Mr. Ashmore's employment is terminated (a) by the Company for cause, (b) voluntarily by such officer, (c) as a result of such officer's death, (d) by mutual agreement of the parties, or (e) such officer is declared legally incompetent or he has a mental or physical condition that can reasonably be expected to prevent him from carrying out his essential duties for more than six months, then such officer will be entitled to receive the following:

If either officer is terminated (a) without cause or (b) resigns with good reason, such officer will also receive the following severance payments:

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Each officer has agreed that if he is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, he will not compete with the Company during the 18 months after termination, provided that the agreement not to compete will be waived if the officer foregoes the severance compensation.

Termination with cause, which will be determined only by an affirmative majority vote of the Board of Directors (not including the officer if he is a director), includes (a) conviction of, or entry of plea of nolo contendere to, a crime of dishonesty or a felony leading to incarceration of more than 90 days or a penalty or fine of $100,000 or more, (b) material and substantial failure by the officer to perform his duties after notice (and given a reasonable time to correct any failures, if possible), (c) willful misconduct or gross negligence that causes material harm, or (d) material breach by the officer of the terms of the employment agreement or any other obligation.

Good reason includes (a) material changes to employee's duties without his prior written consent, (b) relocation, without his prior written consent, of the place of principal performance of such officer's responsibilities and duties to a location more than 65 miles away, (c) a material breach by the Company of the terms of the employment agreement, including a material reduction of the officer's base salary, or (d) failure by the Company to obtain from any acquirer of the Company an agreement to assume the employment agreement prior to an acquisition. Each of Messrs. Tomkinson and Ashmore may terminate his employment for good reason upon providing the Company at least 90 days prior written notice and the Company ahs a reasonable time to cure.

Change of Control.    The employment agreements will not be terminated by merger, an acquisition by another entity, or by transferring of all or substantially all of the Company's assets. In the event of any such change of control, the surviving entity or transferee would be bound by the employment agreements.

Ron Morrison and Todd R. Taylor

On February 25, and March 11, 2014, the Company entered into employment agreements with Todd Taylor, Chief Financial Officer, and Ron Morrison, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, respectively. Each employment agreement is effective January 1, 2014 and continues through December 31, 2014, unless terminated earlier, and may be extended by mutual written consent.

Base Salary, Annual Bonus, and Other Compensation.    The base salary for Mr. Taylor and Mr. Morrison is $360,000 and $390,000 per year, respectively. Each are eligible to receive a bonus of up to 65%, in the case of Mr. Taylor, and up to 50%, in the case of Mr. Morrison, of their respective base salary if mutually agreed management objectives are achieved (the "Incentive Bonus"). The Incentive Bonus will be paid quarterly within 30 days of each calendar year quarter end. Each officer (a) may elect to defer any portion of his base salary, bonuses, or incentive compensation into an approved Company-sponsored deferred compensation plan, (b) is eligible to receive stock options, paid vacation, an automobile allowance of $500 per month, and to be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary business and entertainment expenses, (c) may participate in the Company's health and other benefit plans, and (d) may receive other benefits at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

Each officer is prohibited, without approval from the Board of Directors, from receiving compensation, directly or indirectly, from any company with whom the Company or any of its affiliates has any financial, business, or affiliated relationship. Any amounts paid under the employment agreements are subject to any claw back policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to listing standards of any national securities exchange or as otherwise required under applicable law.

Severance Compensation.    If either officer's employment is terminated (a) by the Company for cause, (b) voluntarily by the officer, (c) as a result of death, (d) by mutual agreement of the parties, or (e) because

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the officer is declared legally incompetent or he has a mental or physical condition that can reasonably be expected to prevent him from carrying out his essential duties for more than six months, then such officer will be entitled to receive the following:

If either officer is terminated (a) without cause or (b) resigns with good reason, in addition to the foregoing compensation, such officer will receive the following severance payments:

Each officer has agreed that if he is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, he will not compete with the Company during the 12 months after termination or the balance of the employment contract term, if shorter, provided that the agreement not to compete will be waived if the officer foregoes the severance compensation.

Termination with cause, which will be determined only by an affirmative majority vote of the Board of Directors (not including the officer if he is a director), includes (a) conviction of, or entry of plea of nolo contendere to a crime of dishonesty or a felony leading to incarceration of more than 90 days or a penalty or fine of $100,000 or more, (b) material and substantial failure by such officer to perform his duties after notice (and given a reasonable time to correct any failures, if possible), (c) willful misconduct or gross negligence that causes material harm, or (d) material breach of the terms of the employment agreement or any other obligation.

Good reason includes (a) material changes to such officer's duties without his prior written consent, (b) relocation, without his prior written consent, of the place of principal performance of his responsibilities and duties to a location more than 65 miles away, (c) a material breach by the Company of the terms of the employment agreement, including a material reduction in base salary, without such officer's consent, or (d) failure by the Company to obtain from any acquirer of the Company an agreement to assume the employment agreement prior to an acquisition. Each officer may terminate his employment for good reason upon providing the Company at least 90 days prior written notice and the Company has a reasonable time to cure any event constituting good reason.

Change of Control.    The employment agreements will not be terminated by merger, an acquisition by another entity, or by transferring of all or substantially all of the Company's assets. In the event of any

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such change of control, the surviving entity or transferee would be bound by the employment agreements.

As a Smaller Reporting Company, a compensation discussion and analysis is not required.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

Our current stock plan is the Company's 2010 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "2010 Plan"), which was approved by our stockholders and became effective on July 20, 2010. The 2010 Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors, with participation and approval of the Board of Directors. Awards under the Plan may include incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted shares of common stock, restricted stock units, performance share or unit awards, other stock-based awards and cash-based incentive awards.

As a result of the approval of the 2010 Plan by the Company's stockholders, the Company's 2001 Stock Plan was frozen and no further grants or awards are under such plan. Further, all outstanding awards under the 2001 Stock Option, Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Plan, as well as the Company's 1995 Stock Option, Deferred Stock and the 2010 Plan and are deemed to be awards granted and outstanding under the 2010 Plan (the "Assumed Options"). To the extent any of the Assumed Options are forfeited or canceled, shares of common stock underlying those options will not be available for new awards under the 2010 Plan.

The following table summarizes our equity compensation plan information as of December 31, 2013 with respect to outstanding awards and shares remaining available for issuance under our Plan.

Plan Category   Number of securities to
be issued upon exercise
of outstanding options
(A) 		  Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options
(B) 		  Number of securities remaining
available for future issuance
(excluding securities in column (A) 		 

2010 Omnibus Incentive Plan approved by stockholders

     931,132   $ 9.03     77,322  

Equity compensation plans not approved by stockholders

    
—		    
—		    
—		  

Total

    
931,132		  
$
9.03		    
77,322		  

401(k) Plan

We maintain the Impac Companies 401(k) Savings Plan for all full time employees with at least six months of service, which is designed to be tax deferred in accordance with the provisions of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. The 401(k) Plan provides that each participant may contribute from 1% to 25% of his or her salary pursuant to certain restrictions or up to $17,500 annually for 2013. We will contribute to the participant's plan account at the end of each plan year 50% of the first 4% of salary contributed by a participant. Under the 401(k) Plan, employees may elect to enroll on the first day of any month, provided that they have been employed for at least six months. Subject to the rules for maintaining the tax status of the 401(k) Plan, an additional company contribution may be made at our discretion, as determined by the Board of Directors. The discretionary contributions made to the plan vest over a three year period. We recorded approximately $473,000 for matching contributions and no discretionary contributions during 2013.

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 SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors, executive officers, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities, to file reports of ownership of such securities with the SEC. Directors, executive officers and greater than 10% beneficial owners are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. To our knowledge, based solely on review of the copies of such reports furnished to us during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to our executive officers, directors and greater than 10% stockholders were satisfied by such persons except for the following: each of Leigh Abrams, Frank Filipps, Stephan Peers, James Walsh, Todd Taylor, Ron Morrison, William Ashmore and Joseph Tomkinson filed a late Form 4 report each for one transaction; Richard H. Pickup filed three late Form 4 reports with a total of 36 transactions; RHP Trust filed a two late Form 4 reports with a total of 4 transactions; and Todd M. Pickup filed a late Form 4 report with a total of two transactions.


CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

Except as disclosed herein, no director, executive officer, shareholder holding at least 5% of shares of our common stock, or any immediate family member thereof, had any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction, or proposed transaction since the beginning of our last fiscal year, in which the amount involved in the transaction exceeded or exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or one percent of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last two completed fiscal years.

On April 29, 2013, the Company entered into a Note Purchase Agreement with trusts related to Richard H. Pickup and Todd M. Pickup, each of which beneficially own more than 5% of the Company's common stock. Pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement, each stockholder (through their respective related entities) purchased $5,700,000 and $9,775,000, respectively, in outstanding principal balance of the Company's Convertible Promissory Notes Due 2018 (the "Notes"). The Notes mature on or before April 30, 2018 and accrue interest at a rate of 7.5% per annum, to be paid quarterly. The Notes carry an additional penalty interest rate of 2% per annum upon an event of default. The Notes have an initial conversion price of $10.875 per share, subject to adjustment for stock splits and dividends. This transaction was reported by the Company in its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on April 30, 2013.

On March 17, 2014, Joseph Tomkinson, the Company's CEO, agreed to waive $150,000 of his annual incentive bonus earned pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement during the year ended December 31, 2012. The total annual incentive bonus for 2012 earned by Mr. Tomkinson was $1,007,500, was deferred for an indeterminate period of time. Based on the waiver, the amount due to Mr. Tomkinson for his 2012 annual incentive bonus is now $857,500.

During 2013, the Company incurred an expense of $132,000 from a vendor partially owned by Joseph Tomkinson. Services were at arms-length and performed at prevailing market rates.


SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth certain information known to us with respect to beneficial ownership of our common stock as of April 25, 2014 by (i) each director, (ii) each Named Executive Officer, (iii) each person known to us to beneficially own more than five percent of our common stock, and (iv) all directors and executive officers as a group. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage of ownership of that person, shares of common stock subject to options held by that person that are currently exercisable or become exercisable within 60 days of April 25, 2014 are deemed outstanding even if they have not actually been exercised. Those shares, however, are not deemed outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Unless

34

otherwise indicated in the footnotes to the table, the beneficial owners named have, to our knowledge, sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares beneficially owned, subject to community property laws where applicable.

Name of Beneficial Owner(1)   Number of Shares
Beneficially Owned 		  Percentage of Shares
Beneficially Owned 		 

Richard H. Pickup (2)

     1,827,627     18.9 %

Todd M. Pickup (3)

     1,633,651     16.2 %

Joseph R Tomkinson (4)

     297,200     3.2 %

William S Ashmore (5)

     160,087     1.7 %

Todd R. Taylor (6)

     47,358     *  

James Walsh (7)

     19,377     *  

Leigh J Abrams (8)

     34,710     *  

Stephan R Peers (9)

     26,943     *  

Frank P Filipps (10)

     18,810     *  

Directors and executive officers as a group (8 persons) (11)

     642,377     6.8 %
   
*
Indicates less than 1%
(1)
Except as otherwise noted, all named beneficial owners can be contacted at 19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California 92612.
(2)
According to a Schedule 13G/A filed with the SEC on February 14, 2014 and subsequent filings pursuant to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, (i) 885,587 shares are owned directly by RHP Trust, dated May 31, 2011 (the "Trust"), 100,000 shares are owned by Mr. Pickup and held in an individual retirement account, and the Trust has the right to acquire 524,138 shares at any time by converting into such shares the outstanding principal balance of Convertible Promissory Notes Due 2018 issued to the Trust, at the initial conversion price of $10.875 per share, over all of which shares Mr. Pickup exercises sole investment and voting power, and (ii) 120,000 shares are owned directly by Dito Caree LP, and 197,902 shares are owned directly by Dito Devcar LP, over all of which shares Mr. Pickup shares investment and voting power. The stockholder's and the Trust's address is 2532 Dupont Drive, Irvine, California 92612.
(3)
According to a Schedule 13G/A filed on February 14, 2014, the share amount consists of (A) (i) 71,800 shares owned directly by Mr. Pickup; (ii) 213,000 shares owned by Pickup Grandchildren's Trust; (iii) 50,000 shares owned directly by Pickup Living Trust; (iv) 300,000 shares owned directly by Vintage Trust II, dated July 19, 2007, (the "Trust"); and (v) 898,851 shares that the Trust has the right to acquire at any time by converting into such shares the outstanding principal balance of Convertible Promissory Notes Due 2018 issued to the Trust, at the initial conversion price of $10.875 per share, over all of which shares Mr. Pickup exercises sole investment and voting power, and (B) 100,000 shares owned directly by Plus Four Equity Partners, L.P., over all of which shares Mr. Pickup shares investment and voting power. The stockholder's address is 2532 Dupont Drive, Irvine, California 92612.
(4)
Represents (i) 7,854 shares of common stock, (ii) options to purchase an aggregate of 168,285 shares and (iii) 121,061 shares held in trust with Mr. Tomkinson as trustee.
(5)
Represents (i) 6,495 shares of common stock, (ii) 122,967 shares held in trust with Mr. Ashmore as trustee, and (iii) options to purchase an aggregate of 30,625 shares.
(6)
Represents (i) 5,358 shares of common stock and (ii) options to purchase an aggregate of 42,000 shares.
(7)
Represents (i) 6,377 shares of common stock, (ii) options to purchase an aggregate of 4,000 shares, and (iii) 9,000 shares with respect to vested deferred stock units.
(8)
Represents (i) 16,710 shares of common stock, (ii) options to purchase an aggregate of 12,000 shares, and (iii) 6,000 shares with respect to vested deferred stock units.

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(9)
Represents (i) 13,943 shares of common stock, (i) options to purchase an aggregate of 4,000 shares, and (ii) 9,000 shares with respect to vested deferred stock units.
(10)
Represents (i) 3,810 shares of common stock, (ii) options to purchase an aggregate of 6,000 shares, and (iii) 9,000 shares with respect to vested deferred stock units.
(11)
Includes (i) options to purchase an aggregate of 289,910 shares and (ii) an aggregate of 33,000 shares with respect to vested deferred stock units.

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 STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

Proposals to be Included in Proxy Statement

If a stockholder would like us to consider including a proposal in our proxy statement and form of proxy relating to our 2014 annual meeting of stockholders pursuant Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), a written copy of the proposal must be delivered no later than                           (the date that is 120 calendar days before the one year anniversary of the date of the proxy statement relating to this year's annual meeting of stockholders). If the date of next year's annual meeting is changed by more than 30 days from the anniversary date of this year's meeting, then the deadline is a reasonable time before we begin to print and mail proxy materials. Proposals must comply with the proxy rules relating to stockholder proposals, in particular Rule 14a-8 under Exchange Act, in order to be included in our proxy materials.

Proposals to be Submitted for Annual Meeting

Stockholders who wish to submit a proposal for consideration at our 2014 annual meeting of stockholders, but who do not wish to submit the proposal for inclusion in our proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, must, in accordance with our bylaws, deliver a copy of their proposal no later than the close of business on the 60th day prior to the first anniversary of this annual meeting, nor earlier than the 90th day prior to the first anniversary of this annual meeting. The proposal must comply with the notice procedures and information requirements set forth in our bylaws, and the stockholder making the proposal must be a stockholder of record at the time of giving the notice and is entitled to vote at the meeting. Any stockholder proposal that is not submitted pursuant to the procedures set forth in our bylaws will not be eligible for presentation or consideration at the next annual meeting.

In the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than 30 days or delayed by more than 60 days from the first anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting, then notice must be delivered not earlier than the 90th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 60th day prior to such annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Public announcement means disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable news service or in a document publicly filed by the company with the SEC pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

Mailing Instructions

In each case, proposals should be delivered to 19500 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California 92612, Attention: Ronald M. Morrison, Secretary. To avoid controversy and establish timely receipt by us, it is suggested that stockholders send their proposals by certified mail return receipt requested.

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 OTHER BUSINESS

The Board of Directors does not know of any other matter to be acted upon at the Meeting. However, if any other matter shall properly come before the Meeting, the proxy holders named in the proxy accompanying this proxy statement will have authority to vote all proxies in accordance with their discretion.

    By order of the Board of Directors

 
 

GRAPHIC

 
 
Ronald M. Morrison, Secretary

Dated: April     , 2014
Irvine, California

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 Appendix A

IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

Effective July 20, 2010

(as amended as of [July 22, 2014])


IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.
OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN


ARTICLE I

PURPOSE AND ADOPTION OF THE PLAN

1.01    Purpose.    The purpose of the Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the "Plan") is to assist in attracting and retaining highly competent employees, directors and consultants, to act as an incentive in motivating selected employees, directors and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates to achieve long-term corporate objectives and to enable stock-based and cash-based incentive awards to qualify as performance-based compensation for purposes of the tax deduction limitations under Section 162(m) of the Code.

1.02    Adoption and Term.    The Plan shall be effective on July 20, 2010 upon and otherwise subject to approval of the stockholders of the Company (the "Effective Date"). The Plan shall remain in effect until the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, or until terminated by action of the Board, whichever occurs sooner.

1.03    Assumption of Outstanding Awards under Prior Plans.    As of the Effective Date, the Prior Plans of the Company shall be frozen and no new awards shall be made under such Prior Plans. Further, all awards outstanding under the Prior Plans as of the Effective Date shall be assumed by this Plan and thereafter deemed to be Awards granted and outstanding under this Plan; provided, that such assumed awards shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, except that references in such Award Agreements to the "Plan" shall be deemed to refer to this Plan and references to "Deferred Stock" shall be deemed to refer to Restricted Stock Units.


ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this Plan, capitalized terms shall have the following meanings:

2.01    Affiliate means an entity in which, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, the Company has at least a fifty percent (50%) ownership interest or, where permissible under Section 409A of the Code, at least a twenty percent (20%) ownership interest; provided, however, for purposes of any grant of an Incentive Stock Option, "Affiliate" means a corporation which, for purposes of Section 424 of the Code, is a parent or subsidiary of the Company, directly or indirectly.

2.02    Award means any one or a combination of Non-Qualified Stock Options or Incentive Stock Options described in Article VI, Stock Appreciation Rights described in Article VI, Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units described in Article VII, Performance Awards described in Article VIII, other stock-based Awards described in Article IX, short-term cash incentive Awards described in Article X or any other award made under the terms of the Plan.

2.03    Award Agreement means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant or a written acknowledgment from the Company to a Participant specifically setting forth the terms and conditions of an Award granted under the Plan.

2.04    Award Period means, with respect to an Award, the period of time, if any, set forth in the Award Agreement during which specified target performance goals must be achieved or other conditions set forth in the Award Agreement must be satisfied.

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2.05    Beneficiary means an individual, trust or estate who or which, by a written designation of the Participant filed with the Company, or if no such written designation is filed, by operation of law, succeeds to the rights and obligations of the Participant under the Plan and the Award Agreement upon the Participant's death.

2.06    Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.07    Change in Control means, and shall be deemed to have occurred upon the occurrence of, any one of the following events, unless an Award Agreement specifically provides for a different definition of Change in Control:

2.08    Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. References to a section of the Code shall include that section and any comparable section or sections of any future legislation that amends, supplements or supersedes said section.

2.09    Committee means the Compensation Committee of the Board.

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2.10    Common Stock means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share.

2.11    Company means Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., a Maryland corporation, and its successors.

2.12    Date of Grant means the date designated by the Committee as the date as of which it grants an Award, which shall not be earlier than the date on which the Committee approves the granting of such Award.

2.13    Disability means permanent and total disability as determined under the Company's disability program or policy, or if no disability program or policy exists, then any physical or mental disability that renders a Participant unable perform services for the Company in the capacity for which the Participant served immediately prior to such disability and such disability is reasonably expected to last for at least twelve (12) months.

2.14    Dividend Equivalent Account means a bookkeeping account in accordance with Section 11.17 and related to an Award that is credited with the amount of any cash dividends or stock distributions that would be payable with respect to the shares of Common Stock subject to such Awards had such shares been outstanding shares of Common Stock.

2.15    Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

2.16    Exercise Price with respect to Options, the amount established by the Committee in the Award Agreement in accordance with Section 6.01(b) which is required to purchase each share of Common Stock upon exercise of the Option, or with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right, the amount established by the Committee in the Award Agreement in accordance with Section 6.02(b) which is to be subtracted from the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise in order to determine the amount of the payment to be made to the Participant.

2.17    Fair Market Value of the Common Stock means: the closing sales price of the Common Stock on the applicable date, or if no sale of stock has been recorded on such day, then on the next preceding day on which a sale was so made. In the event the Common Stock is not admitted to trade on a securities exchange, the Fair Market Value as of any applicable date shall be as determined in good faith by the Committee (but in any event not less than "fair market value" within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, and any regulations and other guidance thereunder). For purposes of this definition, when determining the Fair Market Value for the grant of an Award, "applicable date" means the date of grant of the Award.

2.18    Incentive Stock Option means a stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

2.19    Merger means any merger, reorganization, consolidation, exchange, transfer of assets or other transaction having similar effect involving the Company.

2.20    Non-Qualified Stock Option means a stock option which is not an Incentive Stock Option.

2.21    Non-Vested Share means shares of Common Stock issued to a Participant in respect of the non-vested portion of an Option in the event of the early exercise of such Participant's Options pursuant to such Participant's Award Agreement, as permitted in Section 6.06 below.

2.22    Options means all Non-Qualified Stock Options and Incentive Stock Options granted at any time under the Plan.

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2.23    Outstanding Common Stock means, at any time, the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock.

2.24    Participant means a person designated to receive an Award under the Plan in accordance with Section 5.01.

2.25    Performance Awards means Awards granted in accordance with Article VIII.

2.26    Performance Goals means operating income, operating profit (earnings from continuing operations before interest and taxes), earnings per share, return on investment or working capital, return on stockholders' equity, economic value added (the amount, if any, by which net operating profit after tax exceeds a reference cost of capital), Adjusted Net Earnings (as defined below), net earnings (loss) attributable to common stockholders, stock price any one of which may be measured with respect to the Company or any one or more of its Affiliates, divisions, units and either in absolute terms or as compared to another company or companies, and quantifiable, objective measures of individual performance relevant to the particular individual's job responsibilities

"Adjusted Net Earnings" means net earnings (loss) attributable to common stockholders as reported in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, provided that such amount shall be adjusted by reversing the following, to the extent such adjustments were made in calculating such net earnings (loss) attributable to common stockholders:

2.27    Plan has the meaning given to such term in Section 1.01.

2.28    Prior Plans means the Company's 1995 Stock Option, Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Plan, as amended, and the Company's 2001 Stock Option, Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Plan, as amended.

2.29    Restricted Shares means Common Stock subject to restrictions imposed in connection with Awards granted under Article VII.

2.30    Restricted Stock Unit means a unit representing the right to receive Common Stock or the value thereof in the future subject to restrictions imposed in connection with Awards granted under Article VII.

2.31    Rule 16b-3 means Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 16 of the Exchange Act, as the same may be amended from time to time, and any successor rule.

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2.32    Stock Appreciation Rights means awards granted in accordance with Article VI.

2.33    Termination of Service means the voluntary or involuntary termination of a Participant's service as an employee, director or consultant with the Company or an Affiliate for any reason, including death, disability, retirement or as the result of the divestiture of the Participant's employer or any similar transaction in which the Participant's employer ceases to be the Company or one of its Affiliates. Whether entering military or other government service shall constitute Termination of Service, or whether and when a Termination of Service shall occur as a result of disability, shall be determined in each case by the Committee in its sole discretion.


ARTICLE III

ADMINISTRATION

3.01    Committee.    

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 ARTICLE IV

SHARES

4.01    Number of Shares Issuable.    The total number of shares of Common Stock authorized to be issued under the Plan shall be 2,580,585 which consists of (i) 1,280,585 shares allocated to outstanding Options granted under the Prior Plans and being assumed by this Plan (the "Assumed Option Shares"), and (ii) 1,300,000 shares(1)of Common Stock reserved for future grants under this Plan. Shares of Common Stock underlying Awards issued under Articles VII, VIII and IX of this Plan shall be charged as 2.0 shares against the number of shares of Common Stock available for the grant of Awards hereunder. The foregoing share limits shall be subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11.07. The shares to be offered under the Plan shall be authorized and unissued Common Stock, or issued Common Stock that shall have been reacquired by the Company.

4.02    Shares Subject to Terminated Awards.    The Assumed Option Shares shall only be available for issuance upon exercise of an Option granted under the Prior Plans and assumed by this Plan and none of the Assumed Option Shares shall be available for grants of new Options or other Awards under this Plan, even if the assumed Options are forfeited, canceled or otherwise terminated without issuance of any shares of Common Stock. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, Common Stock covered by any unexercised portions of terminated or forfeited Options (including canceled Options) granted under the Plan or any predecessor employee stock plan of the Company, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units (whether granted under this Plan or any predecessor employee stock plan) that are forfeited or terminated for any reason prior to the date that the restrictions on such Awards would otherwise have lapsed, other stock-based Awards that are forfeited or terminated for any reason as provided under the Plan, and Common Stock subject to any Awards that are otherwise surrendered by the Participant may again be subject to new Awards under the Plan. Further, any Award settled in cash shall not be counted as shares of Common Stock for any purpose under the Plan.


ARTICLE V

PARTICIPATION

5.01    Eligible Participants.    Participants in the Plan shall be such employees, directors and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may designate from time to time. The Committee's designation of a Participant in any year shall not require the Committee to designate such person to receive Awards or grants in any other year. The designation of a Participant to receive Awards or grants under one portion of the Plan does not require the Committee to include such Participant under other portions of the Plan. The Committee shall consider such factors as it deems pertinent in selecting Participants and in determining the type and amount of their respective Awards. Subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11.07, no Participant shall be granted Awards in any calendar year in respect of more than 450,000 shares of Common Stock (whether through grants of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or other Awards of Common Stock or rights with respect thereto) or cash-based Awards for more than $5,000,000; provided, the Committee may grant Awards to a Participant in excess of these annual limits if the Committee expressly determines that a particular Award shall not be designed to qualify as "performance-based compensation" as defined under Section 162(m) of the Code and the applicable treasury regulations thereunder.

   

(1)
On July 20, 2010, the stockholders approved the Plan initially authorizing 450,000 shares. On July 23, 2012 and July 23, 2013, the stockholders approved an increase of the authorized shares by 250,000 and 300,000 shares, respectively. On April     , 2014, the Board of Directors approved an increase of the authorized shares by 300,000 shares, subject to stockholder approval.

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 ARTICLE VI

STOCK OPTIONS AND STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

6.01    Option Awards.    

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6.02    Stock Appreciation Rights.    

6.03    Terms of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights.    

A-8

6.04    Exercise Procedures.    Each Option and Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan shall be exercised under such procedures and by such methods as the Committee may establish or approve from time to time. The Exercise Price of shares purchased upon exercise of an Option granted under the Plan shall be paid in full in cash by the Participant pursuant to the Award Agreement; provided, however, that the Committee may (but shall not be required to) permit payment to be made (a) by delivery to the Company of shares of Common Stock held by the Participant, (b) by a "net exercise" method under which the Company reduces the number of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate Exercise Price, or (c) such other consideration as the Committee deems appropriate and in compliance with applicable law (including payment under an arrangement constituting a brokerage transaction as permitted under the provisions of Regulation T applicable to cashless exercises promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board, unless prohibited by Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002). In the event that any Common Stock shall be transferred to the Company to satisfy all or any part of the Exercise Price, the part of the Exercise Price deemed to have been satisfied by such transfer of Common Stock shall be equal to the product derived by multiplying the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise times the number of shares of Common Stock transferred to the Company. The Participant may not transfer to the Company in satisfaction of the Exercise Price any fractional share of Common Stock. Any part of the Exercise Price paid in cash upon the exercise of any Option shall be added to the general funds of the Company and may be used for any proper corporate purpose. Unless the Committee shall otherwise determine, any Common Stock transferred to the Company as payment of all or part of the Exercise Price upon the exercise of any Option shall be held as treasury shares.

6.05    Change in Control.    With respect to each Award of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, the Committee shall determine whether and to what extent such Options or Stock Appreciation Rights shall become immediately and fully exercisable in the event of a Change in Control or upon the occurrence of

A-9

one or more specified conditions following a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, no Change in Control of the Company shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of determining a Participant's rights under this Plan if (a) the Participant is a member of a group that first announces a proposal which, if successful, would result in a Change in Control, which proposal (including any modifications thereof) is ultimately successful, or (b) the Participant acquires a two percent (2%) or more equity interest in the entity that ultimately acquires the Company pursuant to the transaction described in clause (a) of this Section 6.05.

6.06    Early Exercise.    An Option may, but need not, include a provision by which the Participant may elect to exercise the Option in whole or in part prior to the date the Option is fully vested. The provision may be included in the Award Agreement at the time of grant of the Option or may be added to the Award Agreement by amendment at a later time. In the event of an early exercise of an Option, any shares of Common Stock received shall be subject to a special repurchase right in favor of the Company with terms established by the Committee. The Committee shall determine the time and/or the event that causes the repurchase right to terminate and fully vest the Common Stock in the Participant.


ARTICLE VII

RESTRICTED SHARES AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

7.01    Award of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.    The Committee may grant to any Participant an Award of Restricted Shares consisting of a specified number of shares of Common Stock issued to the Participant subject to such terms, conditions and forfeiture and transfer restrictions, whether based on performance standards, periods of service, retention by the Participant of ownership of specified shares of Common Stock or other criteria, as the Committee shall establish. The Committee may also grant Restricted Stock Units representing the right to receive shares of Common Stock in the future subject to such terms, conditions and restrictions, whether based on performance standards, periods of service, retention by the Participant of ownership of specified shares of Common Stock or other criteria, as the Committee shall establish. With respect to performance-based Awards of Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units intended to qualify as "performance-based" compensation for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code, performance targets will consist of specified levels of one or more of the Performance Goals. The terms of any Restricted Share and Restricted Stock Unit Awards granted under this Plan shall be set forth in an Award Agreement which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with this Plan.

7.02    Restricted Shares.    

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7.03    Restricted Stock Units.    

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7.04    Change in Control.    With respect to each Award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, the Committee shall determine whether and to what extent such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall become immediately and fully exercisable in the event of a Change in Control or upon the occurrence of one or more specified conditions following a Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, no Change in Control of the Company shall be deemed to have occurred for purposes of determining a Participant's rights under this Plan if (a) the Participant is a member of a group that first announces a proposal which, if successful, would result in a Change in Control, which proposal (including any modifications thereof) is ultimately successful, or (b) the Participant acquires a two percent (2%) or more equity interest in the entity that ultimately acquires the Company pursuant to the transaction described in clause (a) of this Section 7.04.


ARTICLE VIII

PERFORMANCE AWARDS

8.01    Performance Awards.    

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8.02    Termination of Service or Change in Control.    The Award Agreement with respect to any Performance Award shall contain provisions dealing with the disposition of such Award in the event of a Change in Control or in the event of a Termination of Services prior to the exercise, realization or payment of such Award, with such provisions to take account of the specific nature and purpose of the Award.


ARTICLE IX

OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

9.01    Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards.    Other stock-based awards, consisting of stock purchase rights (with or without loans to Participants by the Company containing such terms as the Committee shall determine), Awards of Common Stock, or Awards valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, Common Stock, may be granted either alone or in addition to or in conjunction with other Awards under the Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and complete authority to determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which such Awards shall be made, the number of shares of Common Stock to be granted pursuant to such Awards, and all other conditions of the Awards. Any such Award shall be confirmed by an Award Agreement executed by the Committee and the Participant, which Award Agreement shall contain such provisions as the Committee determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out the intent of this Plan with respect to such Award.

9.02    Terms of Other Stock-Based Awards.    In addition to the terms and conditions specified in the Award Agreement, Awards made pursuant to this Article IX shall be subject to the following:

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 ARTICLE X

SHORT-TERM CASH INCENTIVE AWARDS

10.01    Eligibility.    Executive officers of the Company who are from time to time determined by the Committee to be "covered employees" for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code will be eligible to receive short-term cash incentive awards under this Article X.

10.02    Awards.    


 ARTICLE XI

TERMS APPLICABLE GENERALLY TO AWARDS
GRANTED UNDER THE PLAN

11.01    Plan Provisions Control Award Terms.    Except as provided in Section 11.16, the terms of the Plan shall govern all Awards granted under the Plan, and in no event shall the Committee have the power to grant any Award under the Plan which is contrary to any of the provisions of the Plan. In the event any provision of any Award granted under the Plan shall conflict with any term in the Plan as constituted on the Date of Grant of such Award, the term in the Plan as constituted on the Date of Grant of such Award shall control. Except as provided in Section 11.03 and Section 11.07, the terms of any Award granted

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under the Plan may not be changed after the Date of Grant of such Award so as to materially decrease the value of the Award without the express written approval of the holder.

11.02    Award Agreement.    No person shall have any rights under any Award granted under the Plan unless and until the Company and the Participant to whom such Award shall have been granted shall have executed and delivered an Award Agreement or received any other Award acknowledgment authorized by the Committee expressly granting the Award to such person and containing provisions setting forth the terms of the Award.

11.03    Modification of Award After Grant.    No Award granted under the Plan to a Participant may be modified (unless such modification does not materially decrease the value of the Award) after the Date of Grant except by express written agreement between the Company and the Participant, provided that any such change (a) shall not be inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, and (b) shall be approved by the Committee.

11.04    Limitation on Transfer.    Except as provided in Section 7.02(c) in the case of Restricted Shares, a Participant's rights and interest under the Plan may not be assigned or transferred other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and during the lifetime of a Participant, only the Participant personally (or the Participant's personal representative) may exercise rights under the Plan. The Participant's Beneficiary may exercise the Participant's rights to the extent they are exercisable under the Plan following the death of the Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent permitted under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act with respect to Participants subject to such Section, the Committee may grant Non-Qualified Stock Options that are transferable, without payment of consideration, to immediate family members of the Participant or to trusts or partnerships for such family members, and the Committee may also amend outstanding Non-Qualified Stock Options to provide for such transferability.

11.05    Taxes.    The Company shall be entitled, if the Committee deems it necessary or desirable, to withhold (or secure payment from the Participant in lieu of withholding) the amount of any withholding or other tax required by law to be withheld or paid by the Company with respect to any amount payable and/or shares issuable under such Participant's Award, and the Company may defer payment or issuance of the cash or shares upon exercise or vesting of an Award unless indemnified to its satisfaction against any liability for any such tax. The amount of such withholding or tax payment shall be determined by the Committee and shall be payable by the Participant at such time as the Committee determines in accordance with the following rules:

11.06    Surrender of Awards.    Any Award granted under the Plan may be surrendered to the Company for cancellation on such terms as the Committee and the holder approve. With the consent of the Participant, the Committee may substitute a new Award under this Plan in connection with the surrender by the Participant of an equity compensation award previously granted under this Plan or any other plan sponsored by the Company.

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11.07    Adjustments to Reflect Capital Changes.    

11.08    No Right to Continued Service.    No person shall have any claim of right to be granted an Award under this Plan. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the service of the Company or any of its Affiliates.

11.09    Awards Not Includable for Benefit Purposes.    Payments received by a Participant pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall not be included in the determination of benefits under any pension, group insurance or other benefit plan applicable to the Participant which is maintained by the Company or any of its Affiliates, except as may be provided under the terms of such plans or determined by the Committee.

11.10    Governing Law.    All determinations made and actions taken pursuant to the Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State of California and construed in accordance therewith.

11.11    No Strict Construction.    No rule of strict construction shall be implied against the Company, the Committee, or any other person in the interpretation of any of the terms of the Plan, any Award granted under the Plan or any rule or procedure established by the Committee.

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11.12    Compliance with Rule 16b-3.    It is intended that, unless the Committee determines otherwise, Awards under the Plan be eligible for exemption under Rule 16b-3. The Board is authorized to amend the Plan and to make any such modifications to Award Agreements to comply with Rule 16b-3, as it may be amended from time to time, and to make any other such amendments or modifications as it deems necessary or appropriate to better accomplish the purposes of the Plan in light of any amendments made to Rule 16b-3.

11.13    Captions.    The captions (i.e., all Section headings) used in the Plan are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Plan, and shall not be deemed to limit, characterize or affect in any way any provisions of the Plan, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed as if no captions have been used in the Plan.

11.14    Severability.    Whenever possible, each provision in the Plan and every Award at any time granted under the Plan shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of the Plan or any Award at any time granted under the Plan shall be held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, then (a) such provision shall be deemed amended to accomplish the objectives of the provision as originally written to the fullest extent permitted by law and (b) all other provisions of the Plan and every other Award at any time granted under the Plan shall remain in full force and effect.

11.15    Amendment and Termination.    

11.16    Foreign Qualified Awards.    Awards under the Plan may be granted to such employees, directors and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates who are residing in foreign jurisdictions as the Committee in its sole discretion may determine from time to time. The Committee may adopt such supplements to the Plan as may be necessary or appropriate to comply with the applicable laws of such foreign jurisdictions and to afford Participants favorable treatment under such laws.

11.17    Dividend Equivalents.    For any Award granted under the Plan, the Committee shall have the discretion, upon the Date of Grant or thereafter, to establish a Dividend Equivalent Account with respect to the Award, and the applicable Award Agreement or an amendment thereto shall confirm such establishment. If a Dividend Equivalent Account is established, the following terms shall apply:

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11.18    Adjustment of Performance Goals and Targets.    Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Committee shall have the authority to adjust any Performance Goal, performance target or other performance-based criteria established with respect to any Award under the Plan if circumstances occur (including, but not limited to, unusual or nonrecurring events, changes in tax laws or accounting principles or practices or changed business or economic conditions) that cause any such Performance Goal, performance target or performance-based criteria to be inappropriate in the judgment of the Committee; provided, that with respect to any Award that is intended to qualify for the "performance-based compensation" exception under Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder, any adjustment by the Committee shall be consistent with the requirements of Section 162(m) and the regulations thereunder.

11.19    Legality of Issuance.    Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan or any applicable Award Agreement to the contrary, the Committee shall have the sole discretion to impose such conditions, restrictions and limitations (including suspending exercises of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights and the tolling of any applicable exercise period during such suspension) on the issuance of Common Stock with respect to any Award unless and until the Committee determines that such issuance complies with (a) any applicable registration requirements under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Committee has determined that an exemption therefrom is available, (b) any applicable listing requirement of any stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed, (c) any applicable Company policy or administrative rules, and (d) any other applicable provision of state, federal or foreign law, including foreign securities laws where applicable.

11.20    Restrictions on Transfer.    Regardless of whether the offering and sale of Common Stock under the Plan have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or have been registered or qualified under the securities laws of any state, the Company may impose restrictions upon the sale, pledge, or other transfer of such Common Stock (including the placement of appropriate legends on stock certificates) if, in the judgment of the Company and its counsel, such restrictions are necessary or desirable to achieve compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, the securities laws of any state, the United States or any other applicable foreign law.

11.21    Further Assurances.    As a condition to receipt of any Award under the Plan, a Participant shall agree, upon demand of the Company, to do all acts and execute, deliver and perform all additional documents, instruments and agreements which may be reasonably required by the Company, to implement the provisions and purposes of the Plan.

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 Appendix B

IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

dated September 3, 2013

and

FIRST AMENDMENT

dated September 24, 2013


TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 3, 2013

BY AND BETWEEN

IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

AND

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC

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 Table of Contents

 
    
   Page  

Section 1.

  

Certain Definitions

     B-3  

Section 2.

  

Appointment of Rights Agent

     B-10  

Section 3.

  

Issuance of Rights Certificates

     B-10  

Section 4.

  

Form of Rights Certificates

     B-12  

Section 5.

  

Countersignature and Registration

     B-13  

Section 6.

  

Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates

     B-13  

Section 7.

  

Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights

     B-14  

Section 8.

  

Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates

     B-17  

Section 9.

  

Reservation and Availability of Preferred Stock

     B-17  

Section 10.

  

Record Date for Securities Issued

     B-18  

Section 11.

  

Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights

     B-19  

Section 12.

  

Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares

     B-26  

Section 13.

  

Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power

     B-26  

Section 14.

  

Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares

     B-30  

Section 15.

  

Rights of Action

     B-31  

Section 16.

  

Agreement of Rights Holders

     B-31  

Section 17.

  

Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder

     B-32  

Section 18.

  

Concerning the Rights Agent

     B-32  

Section 19.

  

Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent

     B-33  

Section 20.

  

Duties of Rights Agent

     B-33  

Section 21.

  

Change of Rights Agent

     B-35  

Section 22.

  

Issuance of New Rights Certificates

     B-36  

Section 23.

  

Redemption

     B-36  

Section 24.

  

Exchange

     B-37  

Section 25.

  

Process to Seek Exemption

     B-39  

Section 26.

  

Notice of Certain Events

     B-40  

Section 27.

  

Notices

     B-41  

Section 28.

  

Supplements and Amendments

     B-42  

Section 29.

  

Successors

     B-42  

Section 30.

  

Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors

     B-42  

Section 31.

  

Benefits of this Agreement

     B-43  

Section 32.

  

Severability

     B-43  

Section 33.

  

Governing Law

     B-43  

Section 34.

  

Counterparts

     B-44  

Section 35.

  

Descriptive Headings

     B-44  

Section 36.

  

Force Majeure

     B-44  

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 TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This Tax Benefits Preservation Rights Agreement, dated as of September 3, 2013 (as it may be amended from time to time as provided herein, the "Agreement"), is entered into by and between Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, a New York limited liability trust company (the "Rights Agent" which term shall include any successor Rights Agent hereunder). Capitalized terms contained herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in Section 1.


W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, the Company has generated Tax Benefits (as defined in Section 1) for United States federal income tax purposes, and as such Tax Benefits may potentially provide valuable tax benefits to the Company, the Company desires to avoid an "ownership change" within the meaning of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, and thereby preserve the ability to utilize fully such Tax Benefits and, in furtherance of such objective, the Company desires to enter into this Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company ("Board of Directors") has authorized, and the Company declared, a dividend distribution of one Rights (as defined below) for each share of Common Stock outstanding as of the Close of Business on September 16, 2013 (the "Record Date"), and authorized the issuance of one Right for each share of Common Stock of the Company issued between the Record Date and the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, each Right initially representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth of a share (as such number may be adjusted pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) of Series A-1 Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Company having the rights, powers and preferences set forth on Exhibit A hereto, upon the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth (the "Rights");

WHEREAS, the Company views the Tax Benefits as highly valuable assets of the Company that are likely to inure to the benefit of the Company and its stockholders, and the Company believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders that the Company provide for the protection of the Tax Benefits on the terms and conditions set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint the Rights Agent to act as rights agent hereunder, in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

Section 1.    Certain Definitions.     For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

"Acquiring Person" means any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, but shall not include (i) any Exempt Person or (ii) any Existing Holder, unless and until such time as such Existing Holder becomes the Beneficial Owner of a percentage of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding equal to or exceeding such Existing Holder's Existing Holder Percentage (at which such time such Existing Holder shall be deemed an "Acquiring Person").

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an "Acquiring Person" (i) as the result of an acquisition by the Company of Common Stock of the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares Beneficially Owned by such Person to 4.99% (or in the case of an Existing Holder, the Existing Holder Percentage applicable to such Existing

B-3

Holder) or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% (or in the case of an Existing Holder, the Existing Holder Percentage applicable to such Existing Holder) or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding by reason of share purchases by the Company and shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of any additional shares (other than pursuant to a stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction) of Common Stock of the Company and immediately thereafter be the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% (or in the case of an Existing Holder, the Existing Holder Percentage applicable to such Existing Holder) or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person," and (ii) who becomes the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock as a result of the acquisition of shares of Common Stock directly from the Company, as long as, prior to the acquisition of shares of Common Stock directly from the Company, the Company has been apprised in writing by any such Person of the number of shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned by such Person immediately prior to any such acquisition; provided, however, that if a Person shall become the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding as a result of a direct purchase from the Company and shall, after that date, acquire one or more additional shares of the Company's Common Stock without the prior written consent of the Company and shall then Beneficially Own more than 4.99% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding, then such Person shall be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person." For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, will be calculated in accordance with Section 382 and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided in this Agreement including without limitation in Sections 1, 3(a) or 27, a Person shall not be an "Acquiring Person" if the Board of Directors determines in good faith at any time that a Person who would otherwise be an "Acquiring Person," has become such inadvertently without intending to become an "Acquiring Person," and such Person divests (including by entering into an agreement with the Company, which agreement is satisfactory to the Board in its sole discretion, to divest and subsequently divests in accordance with the terms of such agreement, without exercising or retaining any power, including voting power, with respect to such shares of Common Stock) as promptly as practicable (or within such period of time as the Board of Directors determines is reasonable) a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock of the Company so that such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person."

"Adjustment Shares" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii).

"Affiliate" and "Associate" have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the date of this Agreement; and to the extent not included within the foregoing, shall also include with respect to any Person, any other Person whose shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (i) would be deemed to be constructively owned by such Person for purposes of Section 382 of the Code, (ii) would be deemed owned by a "single entity" as defined in Section 1.382-3(a)(1) of the Treasury Regulations, or (iii) otherwise aggregated with shares owned by such first Person, pursuant to the provisions of Section 382 of the Code, or any successor or replacement provision, and the Treasury Regulations thereunder; provided , however , that a Person shall not be deemed to be the Affiliate or Associate of another Person solely because either or both Persons are or were directors of the Company.

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A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial Owner" of, and shall be deemed to "Beneficially Own" and have "Beneficial Ownership" of (or any derivative of such phrases), any securities:

B-5

Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent not within the foregoing provisions of this definition, a Person will be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of, and will be deemed to Beneficially Own or have Beneficial Ownership of, Stock held by any other Person that such Person would be deemed to own constructively or indirectly or otherwise would be aggregated with Stock owned by such Person pursuant to Section 382, or any successor provision or replacement provision and Treasury Regulations thereunder.

"Agreement" has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

"Board of Directors" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

"Book Entry Shares" has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

"Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

"Charter" when used in reference to the Company means the charter of the Company, as may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

"Close of Business" on any given date means 5:00 p.m., New York, New York time, on such date; provided, however , that if such date is not a Business Day it means 5:00 p.m., New York, New York time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

"Code" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

"Common Stock" when used in reference to the Company means the Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company or any other shares of capital stock of the Company into which such stock shall be reclassified or changed. "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person other than the Company organized in corporate form means (i) the capital stock or other equity interest of such Person with the greatest voting power, (ii) the equity securities or other equity interest having power to control or direct the management of such Person or (iii) if such Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person and which have issued any such outstanding capital stock, equity securities or equity interest. "Common Stock" when used with reference to any Person not organized in corporate form shall mean units of beneficial interest which (x) shall represent the right to participate generally in the profits and losses of such Person (including without limitation any flow-through tax benefits resulting from an ownership interest in such Person) and

B-6

(y) shall be entitled to exercise the greatest voting power of such Person or, in the case of a limited partnership, shall have the power to remove or otherwise replace the general partner or partners.

"Common Stock Equivalents" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).

"Company" has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

"Current Exchange Value" has the meaning set forth in Section 24(d).

"Current Value" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).

"Depositary Agent" has the meaning set forth in Section 7(c).

"Distribution Date" means the earlier of (i) the Close of Business on the 10th Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by action of the Board of Directors, which action must be taken prior to the Distribution Date that otherwise would have occurred) after the Stock Acquisition Date (or, if the 10th Business Day after the Stock Acquisition Date occurs before the Record Date, then the Record Date); or (ii) the Close of Business on the 10 th Business Day (or such later date as may be determined by the Board of Directors) after the date that a tender or exchange offer by any Person (other than an Exempt Person) is first published, sent or given within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act if, assuming the successful consummation thereof, such Person would be an Acquiring Person (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights); provided, however, that if any tender or exchange offer referred to in clause (ii) is cancelled, terminated or otherwise withdrawn prior to the Distribution Date without the purchase or exchange of any shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, then such offer will be deemed, for purposes of this paragraph, never to have been made.

"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

"Exchange Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 7(a).

"Exchange Ratio" has the meaning set forth in Section 24(a).

"Exempt Person" means (i) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, in each case including the officers and members of the board of directors thereof acting in their fiduciary capacities, (ii) any employee benefit plan or compensation arrangement of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iv) any Person holding (or acting in a fiduciary capacity in respect of) shares of Common Stock of the Company organized, appointed or established by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for or pursuant to the terms of any such employee benefit plan or compensation arrangement, and (v) any Person deemed to be an "Exempt Person" in accordance with Section 25.

"Exemption Request" has the meaning set forth in Section 25(a).

"Existing Holder Percentage" means, with respect to any Existing Holder, the percentage of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company that such Existing Holder, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Existing Holder, Beneficially Owns (including any Convertible Promissory Notes Due 2018 held by such Existing Holder) immediately prior to the first public announcement of the adoption of this Plan; provided, however, that, in the event any Existing Holder shall sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of any outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company after the first public announcement of the adoption of this Plan, the Existing Holder Percentage shall, subsequent to such sale, transfer or disposition, mean, with respect to such Existing Holder, the lesser of (i) the Existing Holder Percentage as in effect immediately prior to such sale, transfer or disposition or

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(ii) the percentage of outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company that such Existing Holder Beneficially Owns immediately following such sale, transfer or disposition.

"Existing Holder" means any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, is, immediately prior to the first public announcement of the adoption of this Plan, the Beneficial Owner of 4.99% or more of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding, including (i) EJF Capital LLC and Emanual J. Friedman and together with all their Affiliates and Associates, (ii) IsZo Capital LP, IsZoCapital GP LLC, IsZo Capital Management LP and Brian L. Sheehy and together with all their Affiliates and Associates, (iii) Todd M. Pickup and Vintage Trust II, dated July 19, 2007 and together with all their Affiliates and Associates, and (iv) Richard H. Pickup and RHP Trust, dated May 31, 2011 and together with all their Affiliates and Associates. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided in this Agreement, any Existing Holder who becomes the Beneficial Owner of less than 4.99% of the shares of Common Stock of the Company then outstanding shall cease to be an Existing Holder and shall be subject to all of the provisions of this Agreement in the same manner as any Person who is not and was not an Existing Holder.

"Expiration Date" and "Final Expiration Date" have the meanings set forth in Section 7(a).

"Fair Market Value" of any securities or other property shall be as determined in accordance with Section 11(d).

"Force Majeure Condition" has the meanings set forth in Section 36.

"Group" has the meaning set forth in clause (b) of the definition of "Person."

"Maryland Courts" has the meaning set forth in Section 33.

"Original Rights" has the meaning set forth in the definition of "Beneficial Owner."

"Person" means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, business trust, trust, association, syndicate, group (as such term is used in Rule 13d-5 of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act, as in effect on the Rights Dividend Declaration Date), other entity or any group of Persons making a "coordinated acquisition" of shares of Common Stock within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.382-3(a)(1) or who are otherwise treated as an "entity" within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.382-3(a)(1), and, in each case, will include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of any such Person, but will not include a Public Group (as defined in Section 1.382-2T(f)(13) of the Treasury Regulations.

"Preferred Stock" means shares of Series A-1 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the form of the articles supplementary attached hereto as Exhibit A, and, to the extent that there are not a sufficient number of shares of shares of Preferred Stock authorized to permit the full exercise of the Rights, any other series of preferred stock of the Company designated for such purpose containing terms substantially similar to the terms of the Preferred Stock .

"Preferred Stock Equivalents" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(b).

"Principal Party" has the meaning set forth in Section 13(b).

"Purchase Price" means, as of any date, the price at which a holder may purchase securities issuable upon exercise of one whole Right. Until adjustment thereof in accordance with the terms hereof, the Purchase Price shall equal $50.00.

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"Record Date" has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

"Redemption Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 7(a).

"Redemption Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 23.

"Registered Common Stock" has the meaning set forth in Section 13(b).

"Requesting Person" has the meaning set forth in Section 25(a).

"Rights" has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

"Rights Agent" has the meaning set forth in the Preamble of this Agreement.

"Rights Certificate" has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

"Section 11(a)(ii) Event" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(ii).

"Section 11(a)(ii) Trigger Date" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).

"Section 13 Event" means any event described in clauses (x), (y) or (z) of Section 13(a).

"Section 382" means Section 382 of the Code or any successor or replacement provision and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

"Spread" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).

"Stock Acquisition Date" means the first date of public announcement (which, for purposes of this definition, includes the filing or amending of a report pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act or pursuant to a comparable successor statute) by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such or that discloses information that reveals the existence of an Acquiring Person.

"Subsidiary" means, with reference to any Person, any corporation or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power sufficient to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions of such corporation or other entity or a majority of the equity or ownership interests, is Beneficially Owned, directly or indirectly or otherwise controlled by such Person either alone or together with one or more Affiliates of such Person.

"Substitution Period" has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(iii).

"Tax Benefits" means the net operating losses, capital loss carryovers, general business credit carryovers, alternative minimum tax credit carryovers, foreign tax credit carryovers, any loss or deduction attributable to a "net unrealized built-in loss" within the meaning of Section 382 of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, in each case of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and any other tax attribute the benefit of which is subject to possible limitation pursuant to Section 382 of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

"Trading Day" means a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which a referenced security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if a referenced security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

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"Treasury Regulations" means the final, temporary and proposed income tax regulations promulgated by the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to the Code, as amended or superseded from time to time.

"Triggering Event" means any Section 11(a)(ii) Event or any Section 13 Event.

Section 2.    Appointment of Rights Agent.     

The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as rights agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3, will prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of shares of Common Stock) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable. In the event the Company appoints one or more Co-Rights Agents, the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any Co-Rights Agents shall be as the Company shall determine. The Company shall give ten (10) days' prior written notice to the Rights Agent of the appointment of one or more Co-Rights Agents and the respective duties of the Rights Agent and any such Co-Rights Agents. The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise, and shall in no event be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such Co-Rights Agent.

Section 3.    Issuance of Rights Certificates.     

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THIS CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER HEREOF TO CERTAIN RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN A TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC. (THE "COMPANY") AND AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC (OR ANY SUCCESSOR THERETO), AS RIGHTS AGENT, DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 AS AMENDED, RESTATED, RENEWED, SUPPLEMENTED OR EXTENDED FROM TIME TO TIME (THE "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE HEREBY INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICES OF THE COMPANY AND THE STOCK TRANSFER ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF THE RIGHTS AGENT. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE EVIDENCED BY SEPARATE CERTIFICATES AND WILL NO LONGER BE EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE. THE COMPANY MAY REDEEM THE RIGHTS AT A REDEMPTION PRICE OF $0.001 PER RIGHT, SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT, UNDER THE TERMS OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT. THE COMPANY WILL MAIL TO THE HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, AS IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF MAILING, WITHOUT CHARGE PROMPTLY AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHTS ISSUED TO OR HELD BY ACQUIRING PERSONS OR ANY AFFILIATES OR ASSOCIATES THEREOF (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT), AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS, MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID. THE RIGHTS SHALL NOT BE EXERCISABLE, AND SHALL BE VOID SO LONG AS HELD, BY A HOLDER IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE REQUISITE QUALIFICATION, IF ANY, TO THE ISSUANCE TO SUCH HOLDER, OR THE EXERCISE BY SUCH HOLDER, OF THE RIGHTS IN SUCH JURISDICTION SHALL NOT HAVE BEEN OBTAINED OR BE OBTAINABLE.

With respect to any Book Entry Shares, a legend in substantially similar form will be included in a notice to the record holder of such shares in accordance with applicable law. With respect to such certificates or Book Entry Shares, as applicable, containing the foregoing legend, the Rights associated with the Common Stock of the Company represented by such certificates or Book Entry Shares shall be evidenced by such certificates or Book Entry Shares alone until the earlier of the Distribution Date or the Expiration Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock will also be registered holders of the

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associated Rights, and the surrender or transfer of any of such certificates or Book Entry Shares shall also constitute the surrender or transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Stock of the Company represented by such certificates or Book Entry Shares. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any shares of Common Stock of the Company after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Stock of the Company shall be deemed canceled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the shares of Common Stock of the Company which are no longer outstanding. The failure to print the foregoing legend on any such certificate representing Common Stock of the Company or any defect therein or the failure to provide notice thereof shall not affect the enforceability of any part of the Agreement or the rights of any holder of Rights.

Section 4.    Form of Rights Certificates.     

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The Company shall give notice to the Rights Agent promptly after it becomes aware of the existence and identity of any Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof. The Company shall instruct the Rights Agent in writing of the Rights which should be so legended. The failure to print the foregoing legend on any such Rights Certificate or any defect therein shall not affect in any manner whatsoever the application or interpretation of the provisions of Section 7(e).

Section 5.    Countersignature and Registration.     

Section 6.    Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Rights Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Rights Certificates.     

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Section 7.    Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date of Rights.     

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Section 8.    Cancellation and Destruction of Rights Certificates.     

All Rights Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination, redemption or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Rights Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Rights Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all canceled Rights Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of the Company, destroy such cancelled Rights Certificates, and in such case shall deliver a certificate evidencing the destruction thereof to the Company (or, at the Company's option, appropriate copies of the electronic or physical evidence relating to he Rights Certificates so canceled or destroyed by the Rights Agent).

Section 9.    Reservation and Availability of Preferred Stock.     

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Section 10.    Record Date for Securities Issued.     

Each Person in whose name any certificate for a number of one one-thousandths of Preferred Stock or other securities (including any fraction of a share of Preferred Stock or such other securities) is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares of Preferred Stock or such other securities represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated (or registration on the transfer books of the Company or the applicable transfer agent effected), the date upon which the Rights Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of

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the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however , that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the transfer books of the Company for the Preferred Stock or such other securities, as applicable, are closed, such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares of Preferred Stock or such other securities on, and such certificate shall be dated (or registration on the transfer books of the Company or the applicable transfer agent effected), the next succeeding Business Day on which the transfer books of the Company are open; and further provided, however , that if delivery of shares of Preferred Stock or such other securities is delayed pursuant to Section 9(c), such Person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares of Preferred Stock or such other securities only when such shares or such other securities first become deliverable. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Rights Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to shares for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

Section 11.    Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number and Kind of Shares or Number of Rights.     The Purchase Price, the number and kind of shares or other property covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 11.

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Section 12.    Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares.     

Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or Section 13, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Preferred Stock and the Common Stock of the Company a copy of such certificate and (c) if a Distribution Date has occurred, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Rights Certificate (or, if prior to the Distribution Date, to each holder of a certificate representing shares of Common Stock of the Company) in accordance with Section 26. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of the Company to make or provide such certification or notice will not affect the validity of such adjustment or the force or effect of the requirement for such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment contained therein and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

Section 13.    Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power.     

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provided, however, that in any such case described in clauses (i) or (ii) of Section 13(b), (1) if the Common Stock of such Person is not at such time and has not been continuously over the preceding 12-month period registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act ("Registered Common Stock") or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary or Affiliate of another Person who has Registered Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to such other Person; (2) if the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person but is not a direct or indirect Subsidiary of another Person which has Registered Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to the ultimate parent entity of such first-mentioned Person; (3) if the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than one Person, and one or more of such other Persons has Registered Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever of such other Persons is the issuer of the Registered Common Stock having the highest aggregate Fair Market Value (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)); and (4) if the Common Stock of such Person is not Registered Common Stock or such Person is not a corporation, and such Person is directly or indirectly controlled by more than one Person, and none of such other Persons has Registered Common Stock outstanding, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the corporation having the greatest stockholders' equity or, if no such ultimate parent entity is a corporation, "Principal Party" shall refer to whichever ultimate parent entity is the entity having the greatest net assets.

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Section 14.    Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.     

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Section 15.    Rights of Action.     

All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, other than rights of action vested in the Rights Agent pursuant to Sections 18 and 20, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Rights Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Stock of the Company); and any registered holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock of the Company), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Stock of the Company), may, in such registered holder's own behalf and for such registered holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate in the manner provided in such Rights Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and shall be entitled to specific performance of the obligations hereunder and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of the obligations hereunder of any Person subject to this Agreement.

Section 16.    Agreement of Rights Holders.     Every holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Rights that:

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Section 17.    Rights Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.     

No holder, as such, of any Rights Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the shares of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise or exchange of the Rights represented thereby, nor shall anything contained herein or in any Rights Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Rights Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in Section 26), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Rights or Rights evidenced by such Rights Certificate shall have been exercised or exchanged in accordance with the provisions hereof.

Section 18.    Concerning the Rights Agent.     

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Section 19.    Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent.     

Section 20.    Duties of Rights Agent.     The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations expressly imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Rights Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

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Section 21.    Change of Rights Agent.     

The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon thirty (30) days' notice in writing mailed to the Company by first class mail, provided, however, that in the event the transfer agency relationship in effect between the Company and the Rights Agent with respect to the Common Stock of the Company terminates, the Rights Agent will be deemed to have resigned automatically on the effective date of such termination. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent (with or without cause), effective immediately or on a specified date, by written notice given to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock of the Company and Preferred Stock, and by giving notice to the holders of the Rights Certificates by any means reasonably determined by the Company to inform such holders of such removal (including without limitation, by including such information in one or more of the Company's reports to stockholders or reports or filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission). If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Rights Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Rights Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the incumbent Rights Agent or the registered holder of any Rights Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be (a) a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, the State of Maryland or the State of New York (or of any other state of the United States so long as such corporation is authorized to do business as a banking institution in the State of Maryland or the State of New York), in good standing, which is authorized under such laws to exercise stock transfer or corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 or (b) an Affiliate of a Person described in clause (a) of this sentence. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date

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of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock of the Company and the Preferred Stock, and give notice to the holders of the Rights Certificates by any means reasonably determined by the Company to inform such holders of such appointment (including without limitation, by including such information in one or more of the Company's reports to stockholders or reports or filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission). Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

Section 22.    Issuance of New Rights Certificates.     

Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Rights Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price per share and the number or kind or class of shares of stock or other securities or property purchasable under the Rights Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, in connection with the issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock of the Company following the Distribution Date and prior to the redemption or expiration of the Rights, the Company (a) shall, with respect to shares of Common Stock of the Company so issued or sold pursuant to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereafter issued by the Company, and (b) may, in any other case, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors, issue Rights Certificates representing the appropriate number of Rights in connection with such issuance or sale; provided, however, that (i) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, the Company shall be advised by counsel that such issuance would create a significant risk of material adverse tax consequences to the Company or the Person to whom such Rights Certificate would be issued, and (ii) no such Rights Certificate shall be issued if, and to the extent that, appropriate adjustments shall otherwise have been made in lieu of the issuance thereof.

Section 23.    Redemption.     

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Section 24.    Exchange.     

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Section 25.    Process to Seek Exemption.     

Any Person who desires to effect any acquisition of Common Stock that would, if consummated, result in such Person beneficially owning 4.99% or more of the then outstanding Common Stock (or, in the case of an Existing Holder, additional shares of Common Stock) (a "Requesting Person") may, prior to the Stock Acquisition Date and in accordance with this Section 25, request that the Board of Directors grant an exemption with respect to such acquisition under this Plan so that such Person would be deemed to be an "Exempt Person" under subsection (v) of the definition thereof in Section 1 for purposes of this Agreement (an "Exemption Request"). An Exemption Request shall be in proper form and shall be delivered by overnight delivery service or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the Secretary of the Company at the principal executive office of the Company. The Exemption Request shall be deemed made upon receipt by the Secretary of the Company. To be in proper form, an Exemption Request shall set forth (i) the name and address of the Requesting Person, (ii) the number and percentage of shares of Common Stock then Beneficially Owned by the Requesting Person, together with all Affiliates and Associates of the Requesting Person, and (iii) a reasonably detailed description of the transaction or transactions by which the Requesting Person would propose to acquire Beneficial Ownership of Common Stock aggregating 4.99% or more of the then outstanding Common

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Stock (or in the case of an Existing Holder, additional shares of Common Stock) and the maximum number and percentage of shares of Common Stock that the Requesting Person proposes to acquire. The Board of Directors shall make a determination whether to grant an exemption in response to an Exemption Request as promptly as practicable (and, in any event, within ten (10) Business Days) after receipt thereof; provided, that the failure of the Board of Directors to make a determination within such period shall be deemed to constitute the denial by the Board of Directors of the Exemption Request. The Requesting Person shall respond promptly to reasonable and appropriate requests for additional information from the Board of Directors and its advisors to assist the Board of Directors in making its determination. For purposes of considering the Exemption Request, any calculation of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding Common Stock of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made pursuant to and in accordance with Section 382 of the Code. The Board of Directors shall only grant an exemption in response to an Exemption Request if the Board of Directors determines in its sole discretion that the acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock by the Requesting Person (A) will not adversely impact in any material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability to the Company of the Tax Benefits or (B) is in the best interests of the Company despite the fact that it may adversely impact in a material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability to the Company of the Tax Benefits. Any exemption granted hereunder may be granted in whole or in part, and may be subject to limitations or conditions (including a requirement that the Requesting Person agree that it will not acquire Beneficial Ownership of shares of Common Stock in excess of the maximum number and percentage of shares approved by the Board of Directors), in each case as and to the extent the Board of Directors shall determine necessary or desirable to provide for the protection of the Company's Tax Benefits. Any Exemption Request may be submitted on a confidential basis and, except to the extent required by applicable law, the Company shall maintain the confidentiality of such Exemption Request and the Board of Directors' determination with respect thereto, unless the information contained in the Exemption Request or the Board of Directors' determination with respect thereto otherwise becomes publicly available. The Exemption Request shall be considered and evaluated by directors serving on the Board of Directors, or a duly constituted committee thereof, who are independent of the Company and the Requesting Person and disinterested with respect to the Exemption Request, and the action of a majority of such independent and disinterested directors shall be deemed to be the determination of the Board of Directors for purposes of such Exemption Request.

Section 26.    Notice of Certain Events.     

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Section 27.    Notices.     Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if in writing sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, by facsimile transmission (when such fax is transmitted to the fax number set forth below and confirmation of transmission is received) or by nationally-recognized overnight courier addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

Subject to the provisions of Section 21, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Rights Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, by facsimile transmission (when such fax is transmitted to the fax number set forth below and confirmation of transmission is received) or by nationally-recognized overnight courier addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

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Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Rights Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, to the holder of any certificate representing shares of Common Stock of the Company) shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by recognized national overnight delivery service or first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company. Any notice that is sent or mailed in the manner herein provided will be deemed given whether or not the holder receives the notice. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, prior to the Distribution Date, the issuance of a press release or the making of a publicly-available filing by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission will constitute sufficient notice by the Rights Agent or the Company to the holders of securities of the Company, including the Rights, for all purposes of this Agreement and no other notice need be given.

Section 28.    Supplements and Amendments.     

Prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date, the Company may in its sole discretion and the Rights Agent shall, if the Board of Directors so directs, supplement or amend any provision of this Agreement as the Board of Directors may deem necessary or desirable without the approval of any holders of certificates representing shares of Common Stock of the Company. From and after the occurrence of a Distribution Date, the Company and the Rights Agent shall, if the Board of Directors so directs, supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holder of Rights Certificates in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein or otherwise defective, including any change in order to satisfy any applicable law, rule or regulation, (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or (iv) to change or supplement the provisions hereof in any manner which the Company may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights Certificates (other than an Acquiring Person or any Affiliate or Associate of an Acquiring Person or Any Person described in Section 7(e)); provided, however, that this Agreement may not be supplemented or amended to lengthen, pursuant to clause (iii) of this sentence, a time period relating to when the Rights may be redeemed at such time as the Rights are not then redeemable, provided further, however, that the right of the Board of Directors to extend the Distribution Date does not require any amendment or supplement hereunder. Upon the delivery of such certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company which states that the proposed supplement or amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 28, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment, and any failure of the Rights Agent to so execute such supplement or amendment shall not affect the validity of the actions taken by the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 28; provided, that any supplement or amendment that does not amend Section 18, Section 19, Section 20 or Section 21 or this Section 28 or any other Section of this Plan in a manner that is adverse to the Rights Agent will become effective immediately upon execution by the Company, whether or not also executed by the Rights Agent. Prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date, the interests of the holders of Rights shall be deemed coincident with the interests of the holders of Common Stock of the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, the Rights Agent's consent must be obtained regarding any amendment or supplement pursuant to this Section 28 which alters the Rights Agent's rights or duties.

Section 29.    Successors.     

All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

Section 30.    Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors.     

The Board of Directors shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors or to the Company, or as

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may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations and computations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing) which are done or made by the Board of Directors in good faith shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights and all other Persons, and (y) not subject any member of the Board of Directors to any liability to any Person, including the Rights Agent and the holders of the Rights. In administering this Agreement, and exercising the right and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors and to the Company hereunder, and in interpreting this Agreement and making any determination hereunder, the Board of Directors (or an authorized committee thereof) may consider any and all facts, circumstances or information that it deems to be necessary, useful or appropriate.

Section 31.    Benefits of this Agreement.     

Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any Person other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Stock of the Company) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, registered holders of the Common Stock of the Company).

Section 32.    Severability.     

If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated; provided, however, that notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any such term, provision, covenant or restriction is held by such court or authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable and the Board of Directors determines in good faith that severing the invalid language from the Agreement would adversely affect the purpose or effect of the Agreement, the right of redemption set forth in Section 23 shall be reinstated and shall not expire until the Close of Business on the tenth day following the date of such determination by the Board of Directors.

Section 33.    Governing Law.     

This Agreement and the Rights issued hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of Maryland without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws; provided, however, that all provisions regarding the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Rights Agent shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. The courts of the State of Maryland and of the United States of America located in the State of Maryland (the "Maryland Courts") shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to or concerning this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, and any Person commencing or otherwise involved in any such litigation shall waive any objection to the laying of venue of such litigation in the Maryland Courts and shall not plead or claim in any Maryland Court that such litigation brought therein has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company and the registered holders of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of Common Stock) each hereby waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection that they now or hereafter have to personal jurisdiction or to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any court referred to in this Section 33 (or the appellate courts thereof). The Company and the registered holders of Rights Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of

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Shares of Common Stock) each hereby agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, a final and non-appealable judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court will be conclusive and binding upon such Persons. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and the Rights Agent may mutually agree to a jurisdiction other than Maryland for any litigation directly between the Company and the Rights Agent arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

Section 34.    Counterparts.     

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. A signature to this Agreement transmitted electronically (including by fax and .pdf) will have the same authority, effect and enforceability as an original signature. No party hereto may raise the use of such electronic transmission to deliver a signature, or the fact that any signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through such electronic transmission, as a defense to the formation of a contract, and each party forever waives any such defense, except to the extent such defense relates to lack of authenticity.

Section 35.    Descriptive Headings.     

Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

Section 36.    Force Majeure.     

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be liable for any delay or failure in performance resulting directly from any act or event beyond its reasonable control and without the fault or gross negligence of the delayed or non-performing party that causes a sudden, substantial or widespread disruption in business activities, including, without limitation, fire, flood, natural disaster or act of God, strike or other industrial disturbance, war (declared or undeclared), embargo, blockade, legal restriction, riot, insurrection, act of terrorism, disruption in transportation, communications, electric power or other utilities, or other vital infrastructure or any means of disrupting or damaging internet or other computer networks or facilities (each, a "Force Majeure Condition"); provided, that such delayed or non-performing party shall use reasonable commercial efforts to resume performance as soon as practicable. If any Force Majeure Condition occurs, the party delayed or unable to perform shall give prompt written notice to the other party, stating the nature of the Force Majeure Condition and any action being taken to avoid or minimize its effect.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as an instrument under seal and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

ATTEST:     IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

By:
 
/s/ R. MORRISON
 
By:
 
/s/ WILLIAM S. ASHMORE  
    Name:   R. Morrison       Name:   William S. Ashmore
    Title:   EVP       Title:   President

ATTEST:     AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Rights Agent

By:
 
/s/ CINDY ARMENIA
 
By:
 
/s/ JENNIFER DONOVAN
    Name:   Cindy Armenia       Name:   Jennifer Donovan
    Title   Relationship Manager       Title   SVP


Exhibit A

IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY

SERIES A-1 JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK


IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY

SERIES A-1 JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Corporation"), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

FIRST: Under a power contained in Article VI of the charter of the Corporation (the "Charter"), the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board"), by duly adopted resolutions, reclassified and designated 2,500,000 shares of the authorized but unissued shares of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Corporation, $0.01 par value per share, as shares of Series A-1 Junior Participating Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value per share, with the following preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption, which, upon any restatement of the Charter, shall become part of Article VI of the Charter, with any necessary or appropriate renumbering or relettering of the sections or subsections hereof:

Section 1.    Designation and Amount.    The shares of such series shall be designated as "Series A-1 Junior Participating Preferred Stock" (the "Series A-1 Preferred Stock") and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 2,500,000. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board in accordance with the Charter; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A-1 Preferred Stock.

Section 2.    Dividends and Distributions.    

(A)(i)  Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any class or series of preferred stock of the Corporation, $0.01 par value per share (the "Preferred Stock") (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the Series A-1 Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of shares of Common Stock of the Corporation, par value $0.01 per share ("Common Stock") and of any other class or series of stock ranking junior to the Series A-1 Preferred Stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if authorized by the Board and declared by the Corporation out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the first day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a "Quarterly Dividend Payment Date"), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A-1 Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $0.01 or (b) subject to the provisions for adjustment hereinafter set forth, 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and 1,000 times the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A-1 Preferred Stock. The multiple of cash and non-cash dividends declared on the Common Stock to which holders of the Series A-1 Preferred Stock are entitled, which shall be 1,000 initially but which shall be adjusted from time to time as hereinafter provided, is hereinafter referred to as the "Dividend Multiple." In the event the Corporation shall at any time after September 3, 2013 (the "Rights Declaration Date") (i) declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or

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otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the Dividend Multiple thereafter applicable to the determination of the amount of dividends which holders of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive shall be the Dividend Multiple applicable immediately prior to such event multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 (B)  Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix in accordance with applicable law a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not more than such 90 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

Section 3.    Voting Rights.    The holders of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

 (A)  Subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, each share of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Corporation. The number of votes which a holder of a share of Series A-1 Preferred Stock is entitled to cast, which shall initially be 1,000 but which may be adjusted from time to time as hereinafter provided, is hereinafter referred to as the "Vote Multiple." In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the Vote Multiple thereafter applicable to the determination of the number of votes per share to which holders of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall be entitled shall be the Vote Multiple immediately prior to such event multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

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 (B)  Except as otherwise provided in the Charter or by law, the holders of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and the holders of shares of any other stock of this Corporation having general voting rights, shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

(C)(i)  Whenever, at any time or times, dividends payable on any shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall be in arrears in an amount equal to at least six full quarter dividends (whether or not declared and whether or not consecutive), the holders of record of the outstanding shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall have the exclusive right, voting separately as a single class, to elect two directors of the Corporation at a special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation or at the Corporation's next annual meeting of stockholders, and at each subsequent annual meeting of stockholders, as provided below.

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 (D)  Except as set forth herein, holders of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall have no voting rights and their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled to vote with holders of Common Stock as set forth herein) for taking any corporate action.

Section 4.    Certain Restrictions.    

 (A)  Whenever dividends or distributions payable on the Series A-1 Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

 (B)  The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under subsection (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

Section 5.    Reacquired Shares.    Any shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall become authorized but unissued shares of

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Preferred Stock without designation as to Series A-1 and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board, subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth in the Charter or otherwise required by law.

Section 6.    Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up.    Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation (voluntary or otherwise), no distribution shall be made (x) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A-1 Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall have received an amount (the "Series A-1 Liquidation Preference") equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, plus an amount equal to the greater of (1) $1,000.00 per share or (2) an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of all cash or other property to be distributed per share to holders of Common Stock upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, or (y) to the holders of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A-1 Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A-1 Preferred Stock and all other such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount per share to which holders of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (x) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

In the event, however, that there are not sufficient assets available to permit payment in full of the Series A-1 Liquidation Preference and the liquidation preferences of all other classes and series of stock of the Corporation, if any, that rank on a parity with the Series A-1 Preferred Stock in respect thereof, then the assets available for such distribution shall be distributed ratably to the holders of the Series A-1 Preferred Stock and the holders of such parity shares in proportion to their respective liquidation preferences.

Neither the consolidation of nor merging of the Corporation with or into any other entity or entities, nor the sale or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, shall be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation within the meaning of this Section 6.

Section 7.    Consolidation, Merger, etc.    In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the outstanding shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed in an amount per share (subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth) equal to 1,000 times the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged, plus accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, payable with respect to the Series A-1 Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time after the Rights Declaration Date (i) declare or pay any dividend on Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or (ii) effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common

A-5

Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

Section 8.    Redemption.    The shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the ability of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise deal in such shares to the extent otherwise permitted by the Charter (including this Articles Supplementary) or by law.

Section 9.    Ranking.    Any class or series of shares of stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to rank: (A) prior to the Series A-1 Preferred Stock, as to the payment of dividends and as to distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, if the holders of such class or series shall be entitled to the receipt of dividends or of amounts distributable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, as the case may be, in preference or priority to the holders of Series A-1 Preferred Stock, or they are the Corporation's 9.375% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock or 9.125% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock; (B) on a parity with the Series A-1 Preferred Stock, as to the payment of dividends and as to distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, whether or not the dividend rates, dividend payment dates or redemption or liquidation prices per share thereof be different from those of the Series A-1 Preferred Stock, if the holders of such class or series and the Series A-1 Preferred Stock shall be entitled to the receipt of dividends and of amounts distributable upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up in proportion to their respective amounts of accrued and unpaid dividends per share or liquidation preferences, without preference or priority one over the other; or (C) junior to the Series A-1 Preferred Stock, as to the payment of dividends or as to the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

Section 10.    Fractional Shares.    Series A-1 Preferred Stock may be issued in whole shares or in any fraction of a share that is one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of a share or any integral multiple of such fraction, which shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder's fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, receive dividends, participate in distributions and to have the benefit of all other rights of holders of Series A-1 Preferred Stock. In lieu of fractional shares, the Corporation may elect to make a cash payment as provided in the Rights Agreement for fractions of a share other than one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of a share or any integral multiple thereof.

Section 11.    Amendment.    At any time any shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Charter and the foregoing Sections 1 through 10, inclusive, and this Section 11 shall not be amended in any manner, including by merger, consolidation or otherwise, which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A-1 Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds or more of the outstanding shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock, voting separately as a class.

SECOND: The Series A-1 Preferred Stock has been classified and designated by the Board of Directors under the authority contained in the Charter.

THIRD: These Articles Supplementary have been approved by the Board of Directors in the manner and by the vote required by law.

FOURTH: The undersigned officer of the Corporation acknowledges these Articles Supplementary to be the corporate act of the Corporation and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned officer acknowledges that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties of perjury.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused these Articles Supplementary to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its President and attested to by its Secretary as of the 3rd day of September, 2013.

Attested:    IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

By:
 
  
 
By:
 
    
    Name:   Ronald M. Morrison       Name:   William S. Ashmore
    Title:   Executive Vice President & General Counsel       Title:   President

A-7


 Exhibit B

FORM OF RIGHTS CERTIFICATE

Certificate No. R-             Rights

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 OR EARLIER IF NOTICE OF REDEMPTION IS GIVEN OR THE RIGHTS ARE TERMINATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 7(a) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT (DEFINED BELOW). THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION, AT THE OPTION OF IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC., AT $0.001 PER RIGHT, ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC. AND AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, AS RIGHTS AGENT, DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 3, 2013 (THE "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"). UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIED IN SECTION 7(e) OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR AN ASSOCIATE OR AFFILIATE OF AN ACQUIRING PERSON (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT) AND ANY SUBSEQUENT HOLDER OF SUCH RIGHTS MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.


Rights Certificate

IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

This certifies that           , or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Tax Benefits Preservation Rights Agreement dated as of September 3, 2013 (the "Rights Agreement") between Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, a New York limited liability trust company, as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agent"), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to the close of business on September 16, 2016 at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, or its successors as Rights Agent, one one-thousandth of a fully paid, non-assessable share of the Series A-1 Junior Participating Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") of the Company, at a purchase price of $50.00 per one one-thousandth of a share (the "Purchase Price"), upon presentation and surrender of this Rights Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase and the related Certificate duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate (and the number of shares which may be purchased upon exercise thereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price per share set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of         , based on the Preferred Stock as constituted at such date.

Upon the occurrence of a Section 11(a)(ii) Event (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement), if the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are beneficially owned by (i) an Acquiring Person or any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person, (ii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) who becomes a transferee after the Acquiring Person becomes such or (iii) a transferee of an Acquiring Person (or of any Associate or Affiliate of an Acquiring Person) who becomes a transferee prior to or concurrently with the Acquiring Person becoming such and receives such Rights pursuant to either (A) a transfer (whether or not for consideration) from the Acquiring Person to holders of equity interests in such Acquiring Person or to any Person with whom the Acquiring Person has any continuing agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether or not in writing) regarding the transferred Rights, the shares of Common Stock of the Company associated with such Rights or the Company, or (B) a transfer which the Board of Directors has determined is part of a plan, arrangement or understanding which has as a primary purpose or effect the avoidance of Section 7(e) of the Rights Agreement, (iv) any subsequent transferee receiving transferred Rights as described in subsections (ii) or (iii) above, either directly or through one or more intermediate transferees, or (v) any nominee of any of

B-1

the foregoing, such Rights shall become null and void and no holder hereof shall have any right with respect to such Rights from and after the occurrence of such Section 11(a)(ii) Event.

As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of shares of Preferred Stock or other securities which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

This Rights Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Rights Certificates, which limitations of rights include the temporary suspension of the exercisability of such Rights under the specific circumstances set forth in the Rights Agreement. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal office of the Company and the designated office of the Rights Agent and are also available upon written request to the Company or the Rights Agent.

This Rights Certificate, with or without other Rights Certificates, upon surrender at the office or offices of the Rights Agent designated for such purpose, may be exchanged for another Rights Certificate or Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of shares of Preferred Stock as the Rights evidenced by the Rights Certificate or Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Rights Certificate or Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised. If this Rights Certificate shall be exercised in whole or in part pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement, the holder shall be entitled to receive this Rights Certificate duly marked to indicate that such exercise has occurred as set forth in the Rights Agreement.

Under certain circumstances, subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Board of Directors at its option may cause the Company to exchange all or any part of the Rights evidenced by this Certificate for shares of the Company's Common Stock or Preferred Stock at an exchange ratio (subject to adjustment) specified in the Rights Agreement.

Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Board of Directors at its option at a redemption price of $0.001 per Right (payable in cash, Common Stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors).

The Company is not obligated to issue fractional shares of stock upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, which may, at the election of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts). If the Company elects not to issue such fractional shares, in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Rights Agreement. The Company, at its election, may require that a number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock would be issued.

No holder of this Rights Certificate, as such, shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the number of one one thousandths of shares of Preferred Stock, Common Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or

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otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

This Rights Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Rights Agent.

WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company as a document under corporate seal.

ATTESTED:   IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

By:
 
 
 Name:
 
By:
 
  
 Name:
    Title       Title

Countersigned:

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC

By:
 
 
Name:
 
 
 
 
    Title:        

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 [Form of Reverse Side of Rights Certificate]

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

(To be executed by the registered holder if such
holder desires to transfer the Rights Certificate.)

FOR VALUE RECEIVED                hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto                                         (Please print name and address of transferee)              this Rights Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint             Attorney, to transfer the within Rights Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

Dated:                                    ,

Signature

Signature Guaranteed: *

*
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level satisfactory to the Rights Agent. a notary public is not sufficient.


CERTIFICATE

The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

Dated:                                    ,

  

Signature


NOTICE

The signature to the foregoing Assignment and Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

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 FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

(To be executed if holder desires to
exercise the Rights Certificate.)

To IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.:

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise           Rights represented by this Rights Certificate to purchase the shares of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights (or such other securities of the Company or of any other person which may be issuable upon the exercise of the Rights) and requests that certificates for such shares be issued in the name of:

Please insert social security or other identifying taxpayer number:    

  

  
 (Please print name and address)

If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Rights Certificate or if the Rights are being exercised pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) of the Rights Agreement, a new Rights Certificate for the balance of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security or other identifying taxpayer number:    

  

  
 (Please print name and address)

 

Dated:                           ,       Signature

Signature Guaranteed:*
 
  
 
 
*
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level satisfactory to the Rights Agent. a notary public is not sufficient.

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CERTIFICATE

The undersigned hereby certifies by checking the appropriate boxes that:

Dated:                           ,       Signature

Signature Guaranteed:*
 
  
 
 
*
Signatures must be guaranteed by a participant in a Medallion Signature Guarantee Program at a guarantee level satisfactory to the Rights Agent. a notary public is not sufficient.


NOTICE

The signature to the foregoing Election to Purchase and Certificate must correspond to the name as written upon the face of this Rights Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

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 Exhibit C

FORM OF
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS

SUMMARY OF
TAX BENEFIT PRESERVATION PLAN
OF
IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

On September 3, 2013, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") authorized and declared a dividend distribution of one right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 16, 2013 (the "Record Date"). Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth of a share of Series A-1 Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), of the Company at an exercise price of $50.00 per one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price"). The complete terms of the Rights are set forth in a Tax Benefits Preservation Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement"), dated as of September 3, 2013, between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as rights agent.

By adopting the Rights Agreement, the Board is helping to preserve the value of certain deferred tax benefits, including those generated by net operating losses (collectively, the "Tax Benefits"). In general, the Company may "carry forward" net operating losses in certain circumstances to offset current and future taxable income, which will reduce federal and state income tax liability, subject to certain requirements and restrictions. The Rights Agreement also has certain ancillary anti-takeover effects.

The Tax Benefits can be valuable to the Company. However, the Company's ability to use these Tax Benefits would be substantially limited and impaired if it were to experience an "ownership change" for purposes of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder. Generally, the Company will experience an "ownership change" if the percentage of the shares of Common Stock owned by one or more "five-percent shareholders" increases by more than 50 percentage points over the lowest percentage of shares of Common Stock owned by such stockholder at any time during the prior three year on a rolling basis. The Rights Agreement reduces the likelihood that changes in the Company's investor base have the unintended effect of limiting the Company's use of its Tax Benefits. As such, the Rights Agreement has a 4.99% "trigger" threshold that is intended to act as a deterrent to any person or entity seeking to acquire 4.99% or more of the outstanding Common Stock without the prior approval of the Board. This would protect the Tax Benefits because changes in ownership by a person owning less than 4.99% of the Company's stock are not included in the calculation of "ownership change" for purposes of Section 382 of the Code. The Board believes it is in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders that the Company provide for the protection of the Tax Benefits by adopting the Rights Agreement. The Board has established procedures to consider requests to exempt certain acquisitions of the Company's securities from the Rights Agreement if the Board determines that doing so would not limit or impair the availability of the Tax Benefits or is otherwise in the best interests of the Company.

For those interested in the specific terms of the Rights Agreement, the following is a summary description. Please note, however, that this description is only a summary and is not complete, and should be read together with the entire Rights Agreement, which will be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A and a Current Report on Form 8-K. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company.

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Issuance and Transfer of Rights; Rights Certificates

The Board has declared a dividend of one Right for each outstanding share of Common Stock. Until the Distribution Date (as defined below):

Distribution Date; Separation of Rights

Subject to certain exceptions specified in the Rights Agreement, the Rights will separate from the Common Stock and become separately tradable and exercisable only upon the earlier of:

(i)
ten business days (or such later day as the Board may determine) following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (collectively, an "Acquiring Person") has acquired beneficial ownership of 4.99% or more of the outstanding Common Stock; or

(ii)
ten business days (or such later day as the Board may determine) following the announcement of a tender offer or exchange offer that would result in a person or group becoming an Acquiring Person.

The date on which the Rights separate from the Common Stock and become exercisable is referred to as the "Distribution Date."

As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will mail Rights certificates to the Company's stockholders as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and the Rights will become transferable apart from the Common Stock. Thereafter, such Rights certificates alone will represent the Rights.

The Rights Agreement includes a procedure whereby the Board will consider requests to exempt certain acquisitions of Common Stock from the applicable ownership trigger if the Board determines that the requested acquisition will not adversely impact in any material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability to the Company of the Tax Benefits, or is in the best interests of the Company despite the fact it may adversely impact in a material respect the time period in which the Company could use the Tax Benefits or limit or impair the availability of the Tax Benefits.

Rights Holders Have No Rights as Stockholder Until Right Is Exercised

Until a Right is exercised, the holder of such Right will have no rights as a stockholder of the Company (beyond those possessed as an existing stockholder), including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends with respect to the Right.

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Existing Holders

The Rights Agreement provides that any person or entity who otherwise would be an Acquiring Person on the date the Rights Agreement was adopted (each, an "Existing Holder") will not be deemed to be an "Acquiring Person" for purposes of the Rights Agreement unless such Existing Holder increases its beneficial ownership over such Existing Holder's lowest percentage of ownership of the Common Stock after the adoption of the Rights Agreement, subject to specified exceptions.

Preferred Shares Purchasable Upon Exercise of Right

After the Distribution Date, each Right will entitle the holder to purchase, for $50.00 (the "Purchase Price"), one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share having economic and other terms similar to that of one Share of Common Stock. This portion of a Preferred Share is intended to give the stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as would one Share of Common Stock, and should approximate the value of one Share of Common Stock.

More specifically, each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, if issued, will:

"Flip-in" Rights

At any time after a Distribution Date has occurred, each holder of a Right, other than the Acquiring Person, will thereafter have the right to receive, upon paying the Purchase Price and in lieu of a number of one one-thousandths of a share of Preferred Stock, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash or other of our securities) having a market value equal to two times the Purchase Price of the Right. However, the Rights are not exercisable following the occurrence of the foregoing event until such time as the Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company, as further described below. Following the occurrence of an event set forth above, all Rights that are or, under certain circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement, were beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or certain of its transferees will be null and void.

"Flip-over" Rights

In the event any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and the Company merges into or engages in certain other business combinations with an Acquiring Person, or 50% or more of the Company's consolidated assets or earning power are sold to an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right (other than void Rights owned by an Acquiring Person) will thereafter have the right to receive, upon payment of the Purchase Price, common stock of the acquiring company that at the time of such transaction will have a market value equal to two times the Purchase Price of the Right.

Exchange of Rights

At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person, in lieu of allowing the "flip-in" to occur, the Board may exchange the Rights (other than void Rights owned by an Acquiring Person), in whole or in

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part, at an exchange ratio of one share of the Common Stock (or, under certain circumstances, cash, property or other securities of the Company, including fractions of a share of preferred stock) per Right (subject to adjustment). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may not conduct such an exchange at any time any person (other than the Company or certain entities affiliated with the Company) together with such person's affiliates or associates becomes the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the Common Stock.

Redemption of Rights

At any time prior to a Distribution Date, the Board may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per Right and on such terms and conditions as the Board may establish. Immediately upon the action of the Board ordering redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price. The redemption price will be adjusted if the Company undertakes a stock dividend or a stock split.

Expiration Date of the Rights

The Rights will expire on the earliest of:

Amendment of Rights

The terms of the Rights may be amended by a resolution of the Board without the consent of the holders of the Rights prior to the Distribution Date. Thereafter, the terms of the Rights and the Rights Agreement may be amended without the consent of the holders of Rights in order to (i) cure any ambiguities, (ii) shorten or lengthen any time period pursuant to the Rights Agreement or (iii) make changes that do not adversely affect the interests of holders of the Rights.

Anti-Dilution Provisions

The Board may adjust the Purchase Price, the number of shares of Preferred Stock issuable and the number of outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a stock dividend, a stock split or a reclassification of the Preferred Stock or Common Stock.

With certain exceptions, no adjustments to the Purchase Price will be made until the cumulative adjustments amount to at least 1% of the Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock will be issued and, in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the current market price of the Preferred Stock.

Taxes

The distribution of Rights should not be taxable for federal income tax purposes. However, following an event that renders the Rights exercisable or upon redemption of the Rights, stockholders may recognize taxable income.

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 FIRST AMENDMENT
TO
TAX BENEFITS PRESERVATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This FIRST AMENDMENT, dated as of September 24, 2013 (the "First Amendment"), to the Tax Benefits Preservation Rights Agreement, dated as of September 3, 2013 (as it may be amended from time to time as provided herein, the "Rights Agreement"), is entered into by and between Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, a New York limited liability trust company (the "Rights Agent" which term shall include any successor Rights Agent hereunder). Capitalized terms contained herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Rights Agreement.

WHEREAS, Richard H. Pickup and RHP Trust, dated May 31, 2011 ("Pickup") acquired additional shares of the Company's Common Stock as reported on Form 4 filings filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 18 and 20, 2013 (the "Richard Pickup Reported Purchases"), which resulted in Pickup exceeding its applicable Existing Holder Percentage;

WHEREAS, the Company desires to amend the Rights Agreement so that the Richard Pickup Reported Purchases do not affect any rights under the Rights Agreement;

WHEREAS, the Company desires to amend the Rights Agreement pursuant to Section 28 thereof;

WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, a Distribution Date (as defined in the Rights Agreement) has not occurred, and the Company has satisfied all requirements to effect an amendment to the Agreement without the approval of any holders of the Rights (as defined in the Rights Agreement); and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 28 of the Rights Agreement, any supplement or amendment that does not amend Sections 18, 19, 20, 21 or 28 or any other section of the Rights Agreement in a manner that is adverse to the Rights Agent will become effective immediately upon execution by the Company, whether or not also executed by the Rights Agent.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual agreements set forth in the Rights Agreement and this First Amendment, and for other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.    Amendments of Section 1.    

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2.    Amendment of Section 3.    Section 3(a) of the Rights Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the following sentence at the end thereof:

3.    Amendment of Section 7(a).    Section 7(a) of the Rights Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the following sentence at the end thereof:

4.    Amendments of Section 11(a).    

5.    Amendment of Section 13.    Section 13 of the Rights Agreement is hereby amended to add the following sentence at the end thereof:

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6.    Amendment of Section 26(a).    Section 26(a) of the Rights Agreement is hereby amended to add the following sentence at the end thereof:

7.    Amendment of Exhibit C: Form of Summary of Rights.    The last sentence f the first paragraph is hereby amended by deleting such sentence in its entirety and replacing it with the following sentence:

8.    Effectiveness.    This First Amendment shall be deemed effective as of the date first written above, as if executed on such date. Except as amended hereby, the Rights Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall be otherwise unaffected hereby.

9.    Miscellaneous.    This First Amendment shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Maryland and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such state applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such state. This First Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. If any provision, covenant or restriction of this First Amendment is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this First Amendment shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be effected, impaired or invalidated.

[Signature Page to Follow]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First Amendment to be duly executed as an instrument under seal and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

ATTEST:     IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC.

By:
 
/s/ TODD R . TAYLOR
 
By:
 
/s/ WILLIAM S. ASHMORE  
    Name:   Todd R . Taylor       Name:   William S. Ashmore
    Title:   Chief Financial Officer       Title:   President

CERTIFICATION AND INSTRUCTION TO RIGHTS AGENT: The officer of the Company whose duly authorized signature appears above certifies that this First Amendment is in compliance with the terms of Section 28 of the Rights Agreement and, on behalf of the Company, instructs the Rights Agent to enter into this First Amendment.

[Signature Page to First Amendment to Rights Agreement]

ATTEST:     AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Rights Agent

By:
 
/s/ CINDY ARMENIA
 
By:
 
/s/ JENNIFER DONOVAN  
    Name:   Cindy Armenia       Name:   Jennifer Donovan
    Title   Relationship Manager       Title   SVP

[Signature Page to First Amendment to Rights Agreement]

 

PRELIMINARY PROXY CARD SUBJECT TO COMPLETION IMPAC MORTGAGE HOLDINGS, INC. Annual Meeting of Stockholders July 22, 2014 9:00 AM This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors The undersigned stockholder(s) of Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc., a Maryland corporation, hereby acknowledges receipt of the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement dated April 30, 2014, and hereby appoints Todd R. Taylor and Ronald M. Morrison, or either of them acting singly in the absence of the other, with full power of substitution, as attorneys-in-fact and proxies for, and in the name and place of, the undersigned, and hereby authorizes each of them to represent and to vote all of the shares which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. to be held on July 22, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time, and at any adjournments thereof, upon the matters as set forth in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged. THIS PROXY, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED AND RETURNED IN A TIMELY MANNER, WILL BE VOTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND AT ANY ADJOURNMENTS THEREOF IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN BY THE UNDERSIGNED STOCKHOLDER(S). IF NO SPECIFICATION IS MADE, THE PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDATIONS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JUDGMENT OF THE PERSONS NAMED AS PROXIES HEREIN ON ANY OTHER MATTERS THAT MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE ANNUAL MEETING. THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED . DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY (Continued, and to be marked, dated and signed, on the other side) tt PLEASE DETACH ALONG PERFORATED LINE AND MAIL IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED. Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held July 22, 2014. The Proxy Statement and our 2013 Annual Report to Stockholders are available at: http://www.viewproxy.com/impaccompanies/2014.

 

DO NOT PRINT IN THIS AREA (Shareholder Name & Address Data) The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposals 2, 3 and 4. 2. Approval of amendment to 2010 Omnibus Incentive Plan to increase the shares subject to the plan by 300,000 shares. FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN 3. Ratify the appointment of Squar, Milner, Peterson, Miranda & Williamson, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2014. FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN 4. Approval of the Tax BenefitS Preservation Rights Agreement. FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN NOTE: Such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof. For address change/comments, mark here. o(see reverse for instructions) I plan on attending the meeting Please mark your votes like this The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR the following: 1. Election of Directors Nominees FOR WITH-HOLD FOR ALL ALL ALL EXCEPT 01 Joseph R. Tomkinson 04 Frank P. Filipps  02 William S. Ashmore 05 Stephan R. Peers 03 James Walsh 06 Leigh J. Abrams To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark "For All Except" and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line line below. Signature Signature (if held jointly) Date , 2014 Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name, by authorized officer. tt PLEASE DETACH ALONG PERFORATED LINE AND MAIL IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED.

 

CONTROL NUMBER PROXY VOTING INSTRUCTIONS Please have your 11 digit control number ready when voting by Internet or Telephone INTERNET Vote Your Proxy on the Internet: Go to www.cesvote.com Have your proxy card available when you access the above website. Follow the prompts to vote your shares. TELEPHONE Vote Your Proxy by Phone: Call 1 (888) 693-8683 Use any touchtone telephone to vote your proxy. Have your proxy card available when you call. Follow the voting instructions to vote your shares. MAIL Vote Your Proxy by Mail: Mark, sign, and date your proxy card, then detach it, and return it in the postageepaid envelope provided.