Guarantee



 Exhibit 10.3 
  
 GUARANTEE AGREEMENT 
  
 by and between 
  
 AMERICAN COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC. 
  
 and 
  
 U.S. BANK
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION 
  
 Dated as of December 15, 2003








 GUARANTEE AGREEMENT 
  
 This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “Guarantee”), dated as of December 15, 2003, is executed and delivered by American
Community Bancshares, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Guarantor”), and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, organized under the laws of the United States of America, as trustee (the “Guarantee
Trustee”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Capital Securities (as defined herein) of American Community Capital Trust II, Ltd., a Connecticut statutory trust (the “Issuer”). 
  
 WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the
“Declaration”), dated as of the date hereof among U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as institutional trustee, the administrators of the Issuer named therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the
holders from time to time of undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is issuing on the date hereof those undivided beneficial interests, having an aggregate liquidation amount of $10,000,000 (the “Capital
Securities”); and 
  
 WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders
(as defined herein) to purchase the Capital Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth in this Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of Capital Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein)
and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein; 
  
 NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of the Capital Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee for
the benefit of the Holders. 
  
 ARTICLE I 
  
 DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION 
  
 Section 1.1. Definitions and Interpretation. In this Guarantee,
unless the context otherwise requires: 
  
 (a) capitalized terms
used in this Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them in this Section 1.1; 
  
 (b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee has the same meaning throughout; 
  
 (c) all references to “the Guarantee” or “this Guarantee” are to this Guarantee as modified,
supplemented or amended from time to time; 
  
 (d) all references
in this Guarantee to “Articles” or “Sections” are to Articles or Sections of this Guarantee, unless otherwise specified; 







 (e) terms defined in the Declaration as at the date of execution of this Guarantee have the same meanings
when used in this Guarantee, unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires; and 
  
 (f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa. 
  
 “Affiliate” has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or any successor rule thereunder. 
  
 “Beneficiaries” means any Person to whom the Issuer is or hereafter becomes indebted or liable. 
  
 “Capital Securities” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Guarantee. 
  
 “Common Securities” means the common securities issued by
the Issuer to the Guarantor pursuant to the Declaration. 
  
 “Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Guarantee Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Guarantee Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the date of
execution of this Guarantee is located at 225 Asylum Street, Goodwin Square, Hartford, Connecticut 06103. 
  
 “Covered Person” means any Holder of Capital Securities. 
  
 “Debentures” means the debt securities of the Guarantor designated the Floating Rate Junior Subordinated
Deferrable Interest Debentures due 2033 held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the Issuer. 
  
 “Declaration Event of Default” means an “Event of Default” as defined in the Declaration. 
  
 “Event of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section
2.4(a). 
  
 “Guarantee Payments” means the
following payments or distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent not paid or made by the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined in the Declaration) which are required to be paid on
such Capital Securities to the extent the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, (ii) the Redemption Price to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, with respect to any Capital Securities called for redemption by the Issuer, (iii)
upon a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer (other than in connection with the distribution of Debentures to the Holders of the Capital Securities in exchange therefor as provided in the
Declaration), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Capital Securities to the date of payment, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, and (b) the amount of
assets of the Issuer remaining available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer (in either case, the “Liquidation Distribution”). 







 “Guarantee Trustee” means U.S. Bank National Association, until a Successor Guarantee
Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
  

“Guarantor” means American Community Bancshares, Inc. and each of its successors and assigns. 
  
 “Holder” means any holder, as registered on the books and
records of the Issuer, of any Capital Securities; provided, however, that, in determining whether the Holders of the requisite percentage of Capital Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder,
“Holder” shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor. 
  
 “Indemnified Person” means the Guarantee Trustee, any Affiliate of the Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees, custodians
or agents of the Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 “Indenture” means the Indenture dated as of the date hereof between the Guarantor and U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee, and any indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to
which the Debentures are to be issued to the institutional trustee of the Issuer. 
  
 “Issuer” has the meaning set forth in the opening paragraph to this Guarantee. 
  
 “Liquidation Distribution” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Guarantee Payments” herein. 
  
 “Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities”
means Holder(s) of outstanding Capital Securities, voting together as a class, but separately from the holders of Common Securities, of more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption,
liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all Capital Securities then outstanding. 
  
 “Obligations” means any costs, expenses or liabilities (but not including liabilities related to taxes) of
the Issuer other than obligations of the Issuer to pay to holders of any Trust Securities the amounts due such holders pursuant to the terms of the Trust Securities. 
  
 “Officer’s Certificate” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by one Authorized
Officer of such Person. Any Officer’s Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee shall include: 
  
 (a) a statement that each officer signing the Officer’s Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the
definitions relating thereto; 
  
 (b) a brief statement of the
nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officer’s Certificate; 







 (c) a statement that each such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such
officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and 
  
 (d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

  
 “Person” means a legal person, including any
individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of
whatever nature. 
  
 “Redemption Price” has the
meaning set forth in the Indenture. 
  
 “Responsible
Officer” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Guarantee Trustee including any Vice President, Assistant Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary or any other officer of the
Guarantee Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that
officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject. 
  
 “Special Event” has the meaning set forth in the Indenture. 
  
 “Successor Guarantee Trustee” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section
3.1. 
  
 “Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time, or any successor legislation. 
  
 “Trust Securities” means the Common Securities and the Capital Securities. 
  
 ARTICLE II 
  
 POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF 
  
 GUARANTEE TRUSTEE 
  
 Section
2.1. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (a) This Guarantee shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Capital Securities exercising
his or her rights pursuant to Section 4.4(b) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee 








 
of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor
Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the
Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities. 
  

(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and after curing all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake
to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been waived pursuant to
Section 2.4) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise
thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs. 
  
 (d) No provision of this Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent
failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that: 
  
 (i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred: 
  
 (A) the duties and obligations of the Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee, and the Guarantee Trustee
shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee; and 

 
 (B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, the
Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this
Guarantee; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or
not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee; 
  
 (ii)
the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that such Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee or the Guarantee Trustee was
negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made; 
  
 (iii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the written direction of the Holders 








 
of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any
remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee; and 
  
 (iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in
the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this
Guarantee or security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. 
  
 Section 2.2. Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee. 
  

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.1: 
  
 (i) The Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate,
statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the
proper party or parties. 
  
 (ii) Any direction or act of the
Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate. 
  
 (iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before
taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely upon an Officer’s Certificate of the
Guarantor which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor. 
  
 (iv) The Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument (or any re-recording, refiling or re-registration thereof). 
  
 (v) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and the
advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.
Such counsel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee from any court of
competent jurisdiction. 
  
 (vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall be
under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity, 








 
reasonably satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expenses and the expenses of the Guarantee
Trustee’s agents, nominees or custodians) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; provided,
however, that nothing contained in this Section 2.2(a)(vi) shall relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee. 
  
 (vii) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into
the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Guarantee
Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit. 
  
 (viii) The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents,
nominees, custodians or attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder. 
  
 (ix) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall
bind the Holders of the Capital Securities, and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Guarantee
Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action. 
  
 (x) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee the Guarantee Trustee
shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Capital Securities, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in conclusively relying on or acting in accordance with such instructions.

  
 (xi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any action
taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in good faith, without negligence, and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Guarantee. 
  
 No provision of this Guarantee shall be deemed to impose any duty or
obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it, in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal or in which the Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or
incompetent in accordance with applicable law to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty. 







 Section 2.3. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee. The recitals
contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the statements of the Guarantor, and the Guarantee Trustee does not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Guarantee Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of
this Guarantee. 
  
 Section 2.4. Events of Default;
Waiver. 
  
 (a) An Event of Default under this Guarantee
will occur upon the failure of the Guarantor to perform any of its payment or other obligations hereunder. 
  
 (b) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities may, voting or consenting as a class, on behalf of the Holders of all of the
Capital Securities, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend
to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. 
  
 Section 2.5. Events of Default; Notice. 
  
 (a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders of the Capital Securities and the Guarantor, notices of all
Events of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of such notice, provided, however, that the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding
such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Capital Securities. 
  
 (b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event
of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice from the Guarantor or a Holder of the Capital Securities (except in the case of a payment default as discussed in Section 5.1(a) of the Indenture), or a Responsible Officer
of the Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of this Guarantee shall have obtained actual knowledge thereof. 
  
 ARTICLE III 
  
 GUARANTEE TRUSTEE 
  
 Section 3.1. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility. 
  
 (a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall: 
  
 (i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor, and 
  
 (ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, or 








 
Person authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least 50 million U.S. dollars
($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination by Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the
supervising or examining authority referred to above, then, for the purposes of this Section 3.1(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published. 
  
 (b) If at any time the
Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 3.1(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 3.2(c). 
  
 (c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within the meaning of Section 310(b)
of the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to this Guarantee. 
  
 Section 3.2. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (a) Subject to Section 3.2(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or
removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor except during an Event of Default. 
  
 (b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 3.2(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such
Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor. 
  
 (c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or
subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
an instrument in writing executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 3.2 within 60 days after delivery of
an instrument of removal or resignation, the Guarantee Trustee resigning or being removed may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if
any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor Guarantee Trustee. 
  
 (e) No Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts or omissions to act of any Successor Guarantee Trustee. 







 (f) Upon termination of this Guarantee or removal or resignation of the Guarantee Trustee pursuant to
this Section 3.2, the Guarantor shall pay to the Guarantee Trustee all amounts owing to the Guarantee Trustee under Sections 7.2 and 7.3 accrued to the date of such termination, removal or resignation. 
  
 ARTICLE IV 
  
 GUARANTEE 
  
 Section 4.1. Guarantee. 
  
 (a) The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore
paid by the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense (except the defense of payment by the Issuer), right of set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer may have or assert. The Guarantor’s obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be
satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay such amounts to the Holders. 
  
 (b) The Guarantor hereby also agrees to assume any and all Obligations of the Issuer and in the event any such Obligation is not so assumed, subject to
the terms and conditions hereof, the Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Beneficiary the full payment, when and as due, of any and all Obligations to such Beneficiaries. This Guarantee is intended to be for the
benefit of, and to be enforceable by, all such Beneficiaries, whether or not such Beneficiaries have received notice hereof. 
  
 Section 4.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee and of any liability to which
it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption
and all other notices and demands. 
  
 Section 4.3.
Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:

  
 (a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise,
of the performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Capital Securities to be performed or observed by the Issuer; 
  
 (b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any portion
of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Special Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms of the Capital Securities or the extension of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of
or in connection with, the Capital Securities (other than an extension of time for payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Special Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other sum payable that results from the extension of any interest
payment period on the Debentures or any extension of the maturity date of the Debentures permitted by the Indenture); 







 (c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce, assert or
exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Capital Securities, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind; 
  
 (d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement. composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;

  
 (e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Capital
Securities; 
  
 (f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation
guaranteed hereby or hereby incurred; or 
  
 (g) any other
circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 4.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any
and all circumstances. 
  
 There shall be no obligation of the
Holders to give notice to, or obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing. 
  
 Section 4.4. Rights of Holders. 
  
 (a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee; provided, however, that (subject to Section
2.1) the Guarantee Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Guarantee Trustee being advised by counsel determines that the action or proceeding so directed may not lawfully be taken or if the Guarantee Trustee in
good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive committees or a trust committee of directors or trustees and/or Responsible Officers shall determine that the action or proceedings so directed would involve the Guarantee Trustee in
personal liability. 
  
 (b) Any Holder of Capital Securities may
institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee Trustee’s rights under this Guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Issuer, the Guarantee Trustee or any other Person. The
Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any such action be brought first against the Issuer, the Guarantee Trustee or any other Person before so proceeding directly against the Guarantor. 







 Section 4.5. Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of
collection. 
  
 Section 4.6. Subrogation. The
Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the Holders of Capital Securities against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not
(except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this
Guarantee, if, after giving effect to any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee. If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for
the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders. 
  
 Section 4.7. Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Capital Securities and that the Guarantor shall be liable as
principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 4.3 hereof. 
  
 Section 4.8. Enforcement by a Beneficiary. A Beneficiary may
enforce the obligations of the Guarantor contained in Section 4.1(b) directly against the Guarantor and the Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action be brought against the Issuer or any other person or entity before proceeding
against the Guarantor. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights (if any) of any Beneficiary against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to the Beneficiaries by the Guarantor under this Guarantee, provided, however, that the
Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result
of payment under this Guarantee, if at the time of any such payment, and after giving effect to such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee. 







 ARTICLE V 
  
 LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION 
  
 Section 5.1. Limitation of Transactions. So long as any Capital Securities remain outstanding, if (a) there shall have occurred and be
continuing an Event of Default or a Declaration Event of Default or (b) the Guarantor shall have selected an Extension Period as provided in the Declaration and such period, or any extension thereof, shall have commenced and be continuing, then the
Guarantor shall not and shall not permit any Affiliate to (x) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire, or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Guarantor’s or such Affiliate’s capital
stock (other than payments of dividends or distributions to the Guarantor) or make any guarantee payments with respect to the foregoing or (y) make any payment of principal of or interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any
debt securities of the Guarantor or any Affiliate that rank pari passu in all respects with or junior in interest to the Debentures (other than, with respect to clauses (x) and (y) above, (i) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of
shares of capital stock of the Guarantor in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of one or more employees, officers, directors or consultants, in connection with a dividend
reinvestment or stockholder stock purchase plan or in connection with the issuance of capital stock of the Guarantor (or securities convertible into or exercisable for such capital stock) as consideration in an acquisition transaction entered into
prior to the occurrence of the Event of Default, Declaration Event of Default or Extension Period, as applicable, (ii) as a result of any exchange or conversion of any class or series of the Guarantor’s capital stock (or any capital stock of a
subsidiary of the Guarantor) for any class or series of the Guarantor’s capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor’s indebtedness for any class or series of the Guarantor’s capital stock, (iii) the purchase of fractional
interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (iv) any declaration of a dividend in connection with any
stockholders’ rights plan, or the issuance of rights, stock or other property under any stockholders’ rights plan, or the redemption or repurchase of rights pursuant thereto, (v) any dividend in the form of stock, warrants, options or
other rights where the dividend stock or the stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants, options or other rights is the same stock as that on which the dividend is being paid or ranks pari passu with or junior to such stock and any cash
payments in lieu of fractional shares issued in connection therewith, or (vi) payments under this Guarantee). 
  
 Section 5.2. Ranking. This Guarantee will constitute an unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank subordinate and junior in right
of payment to all present and future Senior Indebtedness (as defined in the Indenture) of the Guarantor. By their acceptance thereof, each Holder of Capital Securities agrees to the foregoing provisions of this Guarantee and the other terms set
forth herein. 
  
 The right of the Guarantor to participate in any
distribution of assets of any of its subsidiaries upon any such subsidiary’s liquidation or reorganization or otherwise is subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary, except to the extent the Guarantor may itself be recognized
as a creditor of that subsidiary. Accordingly, the Guarantor’s obligations under this 








 
Guarantee will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of the Guarantor’s subsidiaries, and claimants should look only to the
assets of the Guarantor for payments hereunder. This Guarantee does not limit the incurrence or issuance of other secured or unsecured debt of the Guarantor, including Senior Indebtedness of the Guarantor, under any indenture that the Guarantor may
enter into in the future or otherwise. 
  
 ARTICLE VI 

 
 TERMINATION 
  
 Section 6.1. Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate upon the later of (i) full payment of the Redemption
Price of all Capital Securities then outstanding, (ii) upon the distribution of all of the Debentures to the Holders of all of the Capital Securities, and (iii) upon full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Declaration upon
dissolution of the Issuer. This Guarantee will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder of Capital Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the Capital Securities or under this
Guarantee. 
  
 ARTICLE VII 
  
 INDEMNIFICATION 
  
 Section 7.1. Exculpation. 
  
 (a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any
Covered Person for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person reasonably believed
to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Guarantee or by law, except that an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person’s
negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions. 
  
 (b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Issuer or the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Issuer or the
Guarantor by any Person as to matters the Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person’s professional or expert competence and who, if selected by such Indemnified Person, has been selected with reasonable care by such
Indemnified Person, including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits, losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from which Distributions to Holders
of Capital Securities might properly be paid. 







 Section 7.2. Indemnification. 
  
 (a) The Guarantor agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person for, and to
hold each Indemnified Person harmless against, any and all loss, liability, damage, claim or expense incurred without negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Indemnified Person, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or
administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including, but not limited to, the costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of the Indemnified Person defending itself against, or investigating, any claim or liability in
connection with the exercise or performance of any of the Indemnified Person’s powers or duties hereunder. The obligation to indemnify as set forth in this Section 7.2 shall survive the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee and the
termination of this Guarantee. 
  
 (b) Promptly after receipt by
an Indemnified Person under this Section 7.2 of notice of the commencement of any action, such Indemnified Person will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Guarantor under this Section 7.2, notify the Guarantor in writing of the
commencement thereof, but the failure so to notify the Guarantor (i) will not relieve the Guarantor from liability under paragraph (a) above unless and to the extent that the Guarantor did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results
in the forfeiture by the Guarantor of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the Guarantor from any obligations to any Indemnified Person other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph(a) above. The
Guarantor shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the Guarantor’s choice at the Guarantor’s expense to represent the Indemnified Person in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the Guarantor shall not thereafter be
responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the Indemnified Person or Persons except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person.
Notwithstanding the Guarantor’s election to appoint counsel to represent the Guarantor in an action, the Indemnified Person shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the Guarantor shall bear the reasonable
fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the Guarantor to represent the Indemnified Person would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets
of, any such action include both the Indemnified Person and the Guarantor and the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other Indemnified Person(s) which are different from or
additional to those available to the Guarantor, (iii) the Guarantor shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or
(iv) the Guarantor shall authorize the Indemnified Person to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Guarantor. The Guarantor will not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Persons, settle or compromise or consent to the entry
of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the Indemnified Persons are actual or potential parties to such
claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Person from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding. 








 Section 7.3. Compensation, Reimbursement of Expenses. The Guarantor agrees: 
  
 (a) to pay to the Guarantee Trustee from time to time such compensation for
all services rendered by it hereunder as the parties shall agree to from time to time (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust); and 
  
 (b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Guarantee
Trustee upon request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by it in accordance with any provision of this Guarantee (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and
counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or willful misconduct. 
  
 The provisions of this Section 7.3 shall survive the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee and the termination of this Guarantee. 
  
 ARTICLE VIII 
  
 MISCELLANEOUS 
  
 Section 8.1. Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee shall bind the successors, assigns,
receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities then outstanding. Except in connection with any merger or consolidation of the Guarantor with or into another entity or
any sale, transfer or lease of the Guarantor’s assets to another entity, in each case, to the extent permitted under the Indenture, the Guarantor may not assign its rights or delegate its obligations under this Guarantee without the prior
approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities. 
  
 Section 8.2. Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders of the Capital Securities in
any material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required), this Guarantee may be amended only with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities. The provisions of the
Declaration with respect to amendments thereof apply to the giving of such approval. 
  
 Section 8.3. Notices. All notices provided for in this Guarantee shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail,
as follows: 
  
 (a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the
Guarantee Trustee’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the Capital Securities and the Guarantor): 
  
 U.S. Bank National Association 







 225 Asylum Street, Goodwin Square 
 Hartford, Connecticut 06103 
 Attention:    Corporate Trust Department 
 Telecopy:    860-244-1889 
  
 With a copy to: 
  
 U.S. Bank National Association 
 P.O. Box 778 
 Boston, Massachusetts
02102-0778 
 Attention:    Earl W. Dennison, Jr. Corporate Trust Department 
 Telecopy:    617-603-6667 
  
 (b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the
Holders of the Capital Securities and to the Guarantee Trustee): 
  
 American Community Bancshares, Inc. 
 4500 Cameron Valley Parkway, Suite 150 
 Charlotte, North Carolina 28211 
 Attention:    Randy P. Helton 
 Telecopy:    704-291-2196 
  
 (c) If given to any Holder of the Capital Securities, at the address set
forth on the books and records of the Issuer. 
  
 All such notices
shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed
address of which no notice was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver. 
  

Section 8.4. Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities and, subject to Section 2.1(a),
is not separately transferable from the Capital Securities. 
  
 Section 8.5. Governing Laws. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF, NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF (OTHER THAN SECTION
5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW). 
  
 Section
8.6. Counterparts. This Guarantee may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. 







 Section 8.7. Separability. In case one or more of the provisions contained in this
Guarantee shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Guarantee, but this Guarantee shall be construed as if such
invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein. 
  
 Signatures appear on the following page 







 THIS GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year first above written. 
  

	 AMERICAN COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.,

	 as Guarantor

		
	 By:
	 	         /s/Randy P. Helton


	 	 	     Name: Randy P. Helton

	 	 	     Title: President and CEO

	
	 U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

	 as Guarantee Trustee

		
	 By:
	 	         /s/ Earl W. Dennison, Jr.


	 	 	     Name: Earl W. Dennison, Jr.

	 	 	     Title: Vice President