Related Party Transactions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions

10. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Certain officers and directors of the Company also serve as officers and directors of Winmill & Co. Incorporated (“Winco”), Bexil Corporation (“Bexil”), Tuxis Corporation (“Tuxis”), and their affiliates (collectively with the Company, the “Affiliates”). As of December 31, 2023, certain of the Affiliates and the Company's directors and employees may be deemed to own, in aggregate, approximately 8.1% of the Company’s outstanding common stock.

Pursuant to an arrangement between a professional employer organization (“PEO”) and the Affiliates, the PEO provides payroll, benefits, compliance, and related services for employees of the Affiliates in accordance with applicable rules and regulations under the Code and, in connection therewith, Midas Management Corporation (“MMC”), a subsidiary of Winco, acts as a conduit payer of compensation and benefits to the Affiliates’ employees including those who are concurrently employed by the Company and its Affiliates. The aggregate compensation and benefits accrued and paid by the Company to MMC were $2,883,067 and $2,465,326 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Expenses for various concurrently used administrative and support functions incurred by the Affiliates are allocated at cost among them. The aggregate administrative and support function expenses accrued and paid by the Company to Winco were $31,243 and $24,183 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The Affiliates participate in a 401(k) retirement savings plan for substantially all qualified employees. A matching expense based upon a percentage of contributions to the plan by eligible employees is incurred and allocated among the Affiliates. The matching expense is accrued and funded on a current basis and may not exceed the amount permitted as a deductible expense under the Code. The Company's allocated matching expense was $102,219 and $87,238 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had reimbursements payable to MMC and Winco for compensation, benefits, and administrative and support function expenses of $23,523 and $16,835, respectively.

The Company currently reimburses monthly automobile expenses of $1,000 per month to its President, Mark C. Winmill. To the extent that the monthly payment under the Company’s automobile lease exceeds the current monthly reimbursement amount, Mr. Winmill voluntarily reimburses the Company for the excess amount. In this regard, Mr. Winmill has reimbursed the Company $8,198 and $1,878 for the automobile payments paid and due in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The Company leases office space and storage to certain Affiliates under rental agreements. The terms of occupancy are month to month and automatically renew unless terminated by either party on thirty days’ written notice. The Company earned rental income of $4,800 and $18,000 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

During 2020, MMC (the “Borrower”) entered into a Paycheck Protection Program Term Note (“PPP Note”) with Customers Bank on behalf of itself and the Affiliates under the Paycheck Protection Program of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (the “SBA”). The Borrower received total proceeds of $486,602 from the PPP Note of which $307,210 was attributable to the Company under the SBA’s loan determination formula. In accordance with the requirements of the CARES Act, the Affiliates used the proceeds from the PPP Note primarily for payroll and other eligible costs. On April 5, 2022, the Borrower was granted forgiveness of the entire PPP Note and any accrued interest. Upon forgiveness, the Company received $307,210 in cash from the borrower, which was the amount attributable to the Company under the SBA's loan determination formula, and recorded a gain for such amount, in its consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income.