As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 28, 2011.
File Nos.
002-60470
811-02790
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Pre-Effective Amendment No.
Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 (X)
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 38 (X)
FRANKLIN CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
ONE FRANKLIN PARKWAY, SAN MATEO, CA 94403-1906
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code (650) 312-2000
CRAIG S. TYLE, ONE FRANKLIN PARKWAY, SAN MATEO, CA 94403-1906
(Name and Address of Agent for Service of Process)
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
[ ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[X] on August 1, 2011 pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485
If appropriate, check the following box
[ ] This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
August 1, 2011 |
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The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. |
Class A | Class B | Class C | Advisor Class |
FKTFX | FCABX | FRCTX | FCAVX |
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PROSPECTUS |
Franklin California
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Contents |
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FUND SUMMARY |
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE INVESTING |
Investment Goal
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FUND DETAILS |
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MORE INFORMATION ON INVESTMENT POLICIES, PRACTICES AND RISKS/FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Investment Goal
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YOUR ACCOUNT |
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INFORMATION ABOUT SALES CHARGES, QUALIFIED INVESTORS, ACCOUNT TRANSACTIONS AND SERVICES |
Choosing a Share Class
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FOR MORE INFORMATION |
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WHERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FUND |
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FUND SUMMARY
Investment Goal
To provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes, including alternative minimum tax, and exempt from California personal income taxes for California residents as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders capital.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under Your Account on page 25 in the Fund's Prospectus and under Buying and Selling Shares on page 33 of the Funds Statement of Additional Information.
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class A | Class B 1 | Class C |
Advisor
Class |
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as percentage of offering price) | 4.25% | None | None | None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds) | None | 4.00% | 1.00% | None |
1. New or additional investments into Class B are no longer permitted.
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES | (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
Class A | Class B | Class C |
Advisor
Class |
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Management fees | 0.44% | 0.44% | 0.44% | 0.44% |
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees | 0.09% | 0.64% | 0.65% | None |
Other expenses | 0.04% | 0.04% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
Total annual Fund operating expenses | 0.57% | 1.12% | 1.13% | 0.48% |
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Class A | $ 481 | $ 600 | $ 730 | $ 1,108 |
Class B | $ 514 | $ 656 | $ 817 | $ 1,209 |
Class C | $ 215 | $ 359 | $ 622 | $ 1,375 |
Advisor Class | $ 49 | $ 154 | $ 269 | $ 604 |
If you do not sell your shares: | ||||
Class B | $ 114 | $ 356 | $ 617 | $ 1,209 |
Class C | $ 115 | $ 359 | $ 622 | $ 1,375 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 7.41% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in investment grade municipal securities whose interest is free from federal income taxes, including the federal alternative minimum tax, and from California personal income taxes. Although the Fund tries to invest all of its assets in tax-free securities, it is possible that up to 20% of the Fund's total assets may be in securities that pay interest that may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax and, although not anticipated, in securities that pay taxable interest.
The Fund only buys municipal securities rated at the time of purchase in the top four ratings by one or more U.S. nationally recognized rating services (or comparable unrated or short-term rated securities).
The Fund also may invest up to 35% of its total assets in municipal securities issued by U.S. territories.
Although the investment manager will search for investments across a large number of municipal securities that finance different types of projects, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects.
The investment manager selects securities that it believes will provide the best balance between risk and return within the Funds range of allowable investments and typically uses a buy and hold strategy. This means it generally holds securities in the Funds portfolio for income purposes, rather than trading securities for capital gains, although the investment manager may sell a security at any time if it believes it could help the Fund meet its goal.
Principal Risks
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.
California and U.S. Territories Because the Fund invests predominantly in California municipal securities, events in California are likely to affect the Fund's investments and its performance. These events may include economic or political policy changes, tax base erosion, state constitutional limits on tax increases, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, and changes in the credit ratings assigned to municipal issuers of California. As with California municipal securities, events in any of the territories where the Fund is invested may affect the Fund's investments and its performance.
Focus The Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects, such as hospitals, higher education, housing, industrial development, and transportation or pollution control. A change that affects one project, such as proposed legislation on the financing of the project, a shortage of the materials needed for the project, or a declining need for the project, would likely affect all similar projects, thereby increasing market risk.
Interest Rate When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. In general, securities with longer maturities are more sensitive to these interest rate changes.
Credit An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments and repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's credit rating may affect a security's value.
A change in the credit rating of any one or more of the municipal bond insurers that insure securities in the Funds portfolio may affect the value of the securities they insure, the Funds share price and Fund performance. The Fund might also be adversely impacted by the inability of an insurer to meet its insurance obligations.
Tax-Exempt Securities While the Fund endeavors to purchase only bona fide tax-exempt securities, there are risks that: (a) a security issued as tax-exempt may be reclassified as taxable by the Internal Revenue Service or a state tax authority, and/or (b) future legislative, administrative or court actions could adversely impact the qualification of income from a tax-exempt security as tax-free. Such reclassifications or actions could cause interest from a security to become taxable, possible retroactively, subjecting you to increased tax liability.
Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
Market The market value of securities owned by the Fund will go up and down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A securitys market value may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
Income Because the Fund can only distribute what it earns, the Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall or when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds.
Prepayment Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest.
Performance
The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.
Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.
CLASS A ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
Best Quarter: | Q3'09 | 11.00% |
Worst Quarter: | Q4'10 | -5.58% |
As of June 30, 2011, the Fund's year-to-date return was 4.37% for Class A. |
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
(figures reflect sales charges) |
For the periods ended December 31, 2010 |
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A | |||
Return Before Taxes | -2.39% | 2.26% | 3.84% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions | -2.39% | 2.25% | 3.82% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 0.05% | 2.60% | 3.97% |
Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund - Class B | -2.50% | 2.19% | 3.81% |
Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund - Class C | 0.44% | 2.57% | 3.70% |
Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund - Advisor Class | 2.07% | 3.20% | 4.37% |
Barclays Capital Municipal Bond Index (index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 2.38% | 4.09% | 4.83% |
Historical performance for Advisor Class shares prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A shares. Advisor Class performance has been adjusted to reflect differences in sales charges between classes.
The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Investment Manager
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
Portfolio Managers
JOHN WILEY Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 1991.
CHRISTOPHER SPERRY, CFA Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2000.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. The minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $50 under an automatic investment plan).
Taxes
The Funds distributions are primarily exempt from regular federal and state income tax for residents of California. A portion of these distributions, however, may be subject to federal alternative minimum tax. The Fund may also make distributions that are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and
Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
FUND DETAILS
The Fund's investment goal is to provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes, including alternative minimum tax, and exempt from California personal income taxes for California residents as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders' capital.
Principal Investment Policies and Practices
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in investment grade municipal securities whose interest is free from federal income taxes, including the federal alternative minimum tax, and from California personal income taxes. Although the Fund tries to invest all of its assets in tax-free securities, it is possible that up to 20% of its total assets may be invested in securities that pay interest that may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax and, although not anticipated, in securities that pay taxable interest.
The Fund only buys municipal securities rated in one of the top four ratings by one or more U.S. nationally recognized rating service (or comparable unrated or short-term rated securities). This limitation generally is applied at the time of purchase and a downgrade of a particular security below one of the top four ratings categories will not automatically cause the Fund to sell the security. The investment manager will, however, take such downgrade into account when analyzing the portfolio.
Municipal securities are issued by state and local governments, their agencies and authorities, as well as by the District of Columbia and U.S. territories and possessions, to borrow money for various public and private projects. Municipal securities pay a fixed, floating or variable rate of interest, and require that the amount borrowed (principal) be repaid at maturity.
The Fund also may invest in municipal lease obligations. Municipal lease obligations generally are issued to finance the purchase of public property that is leased to a state or local government and the lease payments are used to pay the interest on the obligations. The Fund also may invest up to 35% of its assets in municipal securities issued by U.S. territories.
The Fund may invest in insured municipal securities, which are covered by insurance policies that guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest. When the Fund purchases insured municipal securities, they generally insurance in place so the Fund does not pay insurance premiums directly. The premium costs, however, are reflected in a lower yield and/or higher price for the insured bond. When beneficial, the Fund may purchase insurance for an uninsured bond directly from a qualified municipal bond insurer, in which case the Fund pays the insurance premiums directly to the insurance company. The investment manager may also consider the cost of insurance when selecting securities for the Fund.
It is important to note that insurance does not guarantee the market value of an insured security, or the Fund's share price or distributions, and shares of the Fund are not insured.
The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in zero coupon, delayed interest, convertible zero-coupon, and step coupon bonds. Zero coupon or delayed interest bonds generally are issued and traded at a discount from their face amount or par value and make no interest payments until maturity or a specified date, when they begin paying current interest. Convertible zero-coupon bonds have no coupon until a predetermined date, at which time they convert to a specified coupon. Step coupon bonds have coupons that change periodically during the life of the bond based on predetermined dates chosen when the bond is issued.
Although the investment manager will search for investments across a large number of municipal securities that finance different types of projects, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects.
The investment manager selects securities that it believes will provide the best balance between risk and return within the Fund's range of allowable investments and typically uses a buy and hold strategy. This means it holds securities in the Fund's portfolio for income purposes, rather than trading securities for capital gains, although the investment manager may sell a security at any time if it believes it could help the Fund meet its goal.
Temporary Investments
When the investment manager believes market or economic conditions are unusual or unfavorable for investors, the investment manager may invest up to 100% of the Fund's assets in a temporary defensive manner by holding all or a substantial portion of its assets in cash, cash equivalents or other high quality short-term investments. Temporary defensive investments generally may include securities that pay taxable interest. The investment manager may also invest in these types of securities or hold cash when securities meeting the Fund's investment criteria are unavailable or to maintain liquidity. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to achieve its investment goal.
Principal Risks
California and U.S. Territories
Investment in the Fund may involve more risk than an investment in a fund that does not focus on securities of a single state. Because the Fund invests predominantly in California municipal securities, events in California are likely to affect the Fund's investments and its performance. These events may include economic or political policy changes, man-made or natural disasters, tax base erosion, state constitutional limits on tax increases, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, and changes in the credit ratings assigned to California's municipal issuers. A negative change in any one of these or other areas could affect the ability of California municipal issuers to meet their obligations.
Certain municipal issuers in California have experienced severe financial difficulties. Since 2008, the states economy and fiscal condition have deteriorated significantly, resulting in large budget deficits.
The state's economy has deteriorated as a result of the state's housing crisis and the national economic slowdown. Foreclosures have increased, home prices have dropped and retail sales have been particularly hard hit. After several years of job losses and an increasing unemployment rate, the state is now showing year-over-year job gains. As of March 2011, the year-over-year increase was 188,100 jobs, or 1.4%. The unemployment rate is still high at 12.0% as of March 2011, which is down from 12.4% a year earlier. Personal income taxes, the state's largest and one of its most volatile revenue sources, have dropped precipitously in response to job layoffs but are now starting to see some growth.
In May 2011, the governor released his updated fiscal year 2012 budget proposal. The May Revise estimates that the states budget deficit for fiscal years 2011 and 2012 has been reduced to $9.6 billion from $26.6 billion as outlined in January 2011. The net reduction comes from a combination of budget solutions adopted by the governor and legislature in March 2011 and an improved revenue forecast for 2011 and 2012 netted against several spending increases. The governor has offered a budget package that closes this deficit and allows for a budget reserve of $1.2 billion. The governors deficit package includes $2.3 billion in expenditure reductions, $9.9 billion in revenue increases and $2.2 billion in other measures.
The revenue increases are the result of projected growth in the economy as well as a large package of tax extension for which the governor is seeking voter approval. The tax extension package looks to extend several personal income tax, sales tax and vehicle license fee temporary extensions set to expire on June 30, 2011 for an additional five years. The governor has been looking for legislative approval to put these extensions on a ballot, but has not been able to get bi-partisan support for the plan. The governor could get the measures on the ballot through a signature gathering plan, but details are not clear at this time. If the governor cannot get the extensions on a ballot or voters turn the measure down, the governor and legislature will have to find alternate ways to close the budget gap. Other methods to close the gap include a realignment of certain programs to local governments, elimination of redevelopment agencies and reinstatement of certain tax incentives. Any significant delay in budget passage could cause cash flow issues for the state since it typically does its annual cash flow borrowing, which requires budget passage, in the summer.
As of May 2011, the state was rated A1, stable by Moodys Investors Service (Moody's); A-, negative by Standard & Poor's (S&P ® ); and A-, stable by Fitch.
As with California municipal securities, events in any of the U.S. territories where the Fund is invested may also affect the Fund's investments and its performance.
Focus
The Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects, such as hospitals, higher education, housing, industrial development, and transportation or pollution control. A change that affects one project, such as proposed legislation on the financing of the project, a shortage of the materials needed for the project, or a declining need for the project, would likely affect all similar projects, thereby increasing market risk.
Interest Rate
Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable. Debt securities generally tend to lose market value when interest rates rise and increase in value when interest rates fall. Securities with longer maturities or lower coupons or that make little (or no) interest payments before maturity tend to be more sensitive to these interest rate changes. The longer the Fund's average weighted portfolio maturity, the greater the impact a change in interest rates will have on its share price.
Credit
The Fund could lose money on a debt security if an issuer or borrower is unable or fails to meet its obligations, including failing to make interest payments and/or to repay principal when due. Changes in an issuer's financial strength, the market's perception of the issuer's financial strength or in a security's credit rating, which reflects a third party's assessment of the credit risk presented by a particular issuer, may affect debt securities' value. The Fund may incur substantial losses on debt securities that are inaccurately perceived to present a different amount of credit risk by the market, the investment manager or the rating agencies than such securities actually do.
Many of the Fund's portfolio securities may be supported by credit enhancements, which may be provided by either U.S. or foreign entities. These securities have the credit risk of the entity providing the credit support. Credit support provided by a foreign entity may be less certain because of the possibility of adverse foreign economic, political or legal developments that may affect the ability of that entity to meet its obligations. To the extent the Fund holds insured securities, a change in the credit rating of any one or more of the municipal bond insurers that insure securities in the Fund's portfolio may affect the value of the securities they insure, the Fund's share price and Fund performance. The Fund might also be adversely impacted by the inability of an insurer to meet its insurance obligations. Recent market conditions have weakened the municipal bond insurance industry leading state regulators to require at least two municipal bond insurers to suspend claims payments on outstanding insurance in force. Certain municipal bond insurers have withdrawn from the market. These circumstances have led to a consolidation among municipal bond insurers which might lead to a concentration of the insurance risk on the securities in the Fund's portfolio amongst fewer municipal bond insurers.
Bond Insurers Downgrade Risk
Market conditions or changes to ratings criteria could adversely impact the ratings of municipal bond insurance companies. Rating agencies have lowered their ratings on some municipal bond insurers below BBB. In such cases the insurance is providing little or no enhancement of credit or resale value to the municipal security and the security rating will reflect the higher of the insurer rating or the rating of the underlying security.
Tax-Exempt Securities
While the Fund endeavors to purchase only bona fide tax-exempt securities, there are risks that: (a) a security issued as tax-exempt may be reclassified by the Internal Revenue Service, or a state tax authority, as taxable and/or (b) future legislative, administrative or court actions could adversely impact the qualification of income from a tax-exempt security as tax-free. Such reclassifications or actions could cause interest from a security to become taxable, possibly retroactively, subjecting you to increased tax liability. In addition, such reclassifications or actions could cause the value of the security, and therefore the value of the Fund's shares, to decline.
Management
The Fund is actively managed and could experience losses if the investment manager's judgment about markets, interest rates or the attractiveness, relative values, liquidity, or potential appreciation of particular investments made for the Fund's portfolio prove to be incorrect. There can be no guarantee that these techniques or the investment manager's investment decisions will produce the desired results. Additionally, legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment manager in connection with managing the Fund and may also adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment goal.
Market
The market value of securities owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Securities may decline in value due to factors affecting individual issuers, securities markets generally or particular industries or sectors within the securities markets. The value of a security may go up or down due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for revenues or corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. They may also go up or down due to factors which affect an individual issuer or a particular industry or sector, such as changes in production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. During a general downturn in the securities markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that the Fund's securities will participate in or otherwise benefit from the advance.
Income
Because the Fund can only distribute what it earns, the Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall or when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds. The Fund's income generally declines during periods of falling interest rates because the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives from existing investments (upon their maturity, prepayment, amortization, call, or buy-back) at a lower rate of interest or return.
Prepayment
Debt securities are subject to prepayment risk when the issuer can "call" the security, or repay principal, in whole or in part, prior to the security's maturity. When the Fund reinvests the prepayments of principal it receives, it may receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the existing security, potentially lowering the Fund's income, yield and its distributions to shareholders. Securities subject to prepayment may offer less potential for gains during a declining interest rate environment and have greater price volatility. Prepayment risk is greater in periods of falling interest rates.
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions
Municipal securities may be issued on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, where payment and delivery take place at a future date beyond the normal settlement date. Because the market price of the security may fluctuate during the time before payment and delivery, the Fund assumes the risk that the value of the security at delivery may be more or less than the purchase price.
Municipal Lease Obligations
Municipal lease obligations differ from other municipal securities because the relevant legislative body must appropriate the money each year to make the lease payments. If the money is not appropriated, the lease can be cancelled without penalty and investors who own the lease obligations may not be paid.
Zero coupon and deferred interest securities
These bonds tend to react more sharply to changes in interest rates than traditional bonds. The original discount on zero coupon or delayed interest bonds approximates the total amount of interest the bonds will accumulate over the period until maturity or the first cash payment date and compounds at a rate of interest reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. The discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or the cash payment date, as well as prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the market for the security, and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. The discount typically increases as interest rates rise, the market becomes less liquid or the creditworthiness of the issuer deteriorates. Because investors receive no cash prior to the maturity or cash payment date, an investment in debt securities issued at a discount generally has a greater potential for complete loss of principal and/or return than an investment in debt securities that make periodic interest payments. Such investments are more vulnerable to the creditworthiness of the issuer and any other parties upon which performance relies.
More detailed information about the Fund, its policies and risks and about municipal securities held by the Fund can be found in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
A description of the Fund's policies and procedures regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is also available in the Fund's SAI. Portfolio holdings information can be viewed online at franklintempleton.com.
Management
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers), One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906, is the Fund's investment manager. Together, Advisers and its affiliates manage, as of June 30, 2011, over $734 billion in assets, and have been in the investment management business since 1947.
The Fund is managed by a team of dedicated professionals focused on investments in tax-free municipal securities. The portfolio managers of the team are as follows:
JOHN WILEY Senior Vice President of Advisers
Mr. Wiley has been an analyst or portfolio manager of the Fund since 1991. He joined Franklin Templeton Investments in 1989.
CHRISTOPHER SPERRY, CFA Vice President of Advisers
Mr. Sperry has been an analyst or portfolio manager of the Fund since 2000. He joined Franklin Templeton Investments in 1996.
CFA ® and Chartered Financial Analyst ® are trademarks owned by CFA Institute.
The portfolio managers of the Fund have equal authority over all aspects of the Fund's investment portfolio, including, but not limited to, purchases and sales of individual securities, portfolio risk assessment, and the management of daily cash balances in accordance with anticipated management requirements. The degree to which each portfolio manager may perform these functions, and the nature of these functions, may change from time to time.The Funds SAI provides additional information about portfolio manager compensation, other accounts that they manage and their ownership of Fund shares.
The Fund pays Advisers a fee for managing the Fund's assets. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, the Fund paid 0.44% of its average monthly net assets to the manager for its services.
A discussion regarding the basis for the board of trustees approving the investment management contract of the Fund is available in the Fund's annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended March 31.Legal Proceedings
In 2003 and 2004, multiple lawsuits were filed against Franklin Resources, Inc., and certain of its investment advisor subsidiaries, among other defendants, alleging violations of federal securities and state laws and seeking, among other relief, monetary damages, restitution, removal of fund trustees, directors, investment managers, administrators and distributors, rescission of management contracts and 12b-1 plans, and/or attorneys fees and costs. Specifically, the lawsuits claim breach of duty with respect to alleged arrangements to permit market timing and/or late trading activity, or breach of duty with respect to the valuation of the portfolio securities of certain Templeton funds managed by Franklin Resources, Inc. subsidiaries, allegedly resulting in market timing activity. The lawsuits are styled as class actions, or derivative actions on behalf of either the named funds or Franklin Resources, Inc., and have been consolidated for pretrial purposes, along with hundreds of other similar lawsuits against other mutual fund companies. All of the Franklin Templeton Investments mutual funds and the independent trustees to those funds that were named in the litigation have since been dismissed as defendants.
Franklin Resources, Inc. previously disclosed these private lawsuits in its regulatory filings and on its public website. Any material updates regarding these matters will be disclosed in Franklin Resources, Inc.s Form 10-Q or Form 10-K filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Distributions and Taxes
Income and Capital Gain Distributions
As a regulated investment company, the Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and gains it distributes to you. The Fund intends to pay income dividends monthly from its net investment income. Capital gains, if any, may be paid at least annually. The amount of any distribution will vary, and there is no guarantee the Fund will pay either income dividends or capital gain distributions. Your income dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares at net asset value (NAV) unless you elect to receive them in cash.
Annual statements. After the close of each calendar year, you will receive a statement from the Fund that shows the federal income tax treatment of the distributions you received during the prior calendar year. If the Fund finds it necessary to reclassify income after it issues your tax statement, the Fund will send you a revised statement. Distributions declared in December to shareholders of record in such month and paid in January are treated as if they were paid in December. Additional tax information about the Funds distributions is available at franklintempleton.com.
Avoid "buying a dividend" At the time you purchase your Fund shares, the Funds net asset value may reflect undistributed taxable income, undistributed capital gains, or net unrealized appreciation in the value of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. For taxable investors, a subsequent distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment, would be taxable. Buying shares in the Fund just before it declares a distribution of taxable income or capital gains is sometimes known as buying a dividend.
Tax Considerations
The Funds distributions are primarily exempt from regular federal and state income tax for residents of California. A portion of these distributions, however, may be subject to federal alternative minimum tax. The Fund may also make distributions that are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains. This is the case whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash.
Reclassification Risk. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that holders of tax-exempt bonds such as the Fund have certain risks if the bonds were issued in connection with abusive transactions, refinancing irregularities, or the misuse of proceeds from the bond offering. While the Fund endeavors to purchase only bona fide tax-exempt bonds, there is a risk that a bond may be reclassified by the IRS as a taxable bond creating taxable income for the Fund and its shareholders. In this case, the Fund might be required to send to you and file with the IRS information returns for prior calendar years reclassifying some of its exempt-interest dividends as taxable dividends.
Sales of Fund shares. When you sell your shares in the Fund, or exchange them for shares of a different Franklin Templeton fund, you will generally realize a taxable capital gain or loss for federal and state income tax purposes. If you have owned your Fund shares for more than one year, any net long-term capital gains will qualify for the reduced rates of federal income taxation on long-term capital gains. An exchange of your shares in one class of the Fund for shares of another class of the same Fund is not taxable and no gain or loss will be reported on the transaction.
Backup withholding. If you do not provide the Fund your taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications you may be subject to federal backup withholding at 28% on any Fund distributions, including exempt-interest dividends, and proceeds from the sale of your Fund shares. State backup withholding may also apply.
Non-U.S. investors. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at 30% or a lower treaty rate on Fund dividends of ordinary income. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. estate tax on the value of their shares. They are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding, claim any exemptions from withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for exempt-interest dividends, capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from long-term capital gains and, with respect to taxable years of the Fund that begin before January 1, 2012 (sunset date), interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income from U.S. sources and short-term capital gain dividends.
Other tax information. This discussion of "Distributions and Taxes" is for general information only and is not tax advice. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding your particular circumstances, and about any federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences before making an investment in the Fund. Additional information about the tax consequences of investing in the Fund may be found in the Statement of Additional Information.
Financial Highlights
The Financial Highlights present the Fund's financial performance for the past five years or since its inception. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends and capital gains. This information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the annual report, which is available upon request.
CLASS A | Year Ended March 31, | ||||
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |
Per share operating performance
(for a share outstanding throughout the year) |
|||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ 6.99 | $ 6.42 | $ 6.99 | $ 7.35 | $ 7.26 |
Income from investment operations: a | |||||
Net investment income b | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.33 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) | -0.44 | 0.57 | -0.57 | -0.37 | 0.10 |
Total from investment operations | -0.11 | 0.90 | -0.24 | -0.04 | 0.43 |
Less distributions from: | |||||
Net investment income | -0.33 | -0.33 | -0.33 | -0.32 | -0.33 |
Net realized gains | | | | | -0.01 |
Total distributions | -0.33 | -0.33 | -0.33 | -0.32 | -0.34 |
Redemption fees c | | | d | d | d |
Net asset value, end of year | $ 6.55 | $ 6.99 | $ 6.42 | $ 6.99 | $ 7.35 |
Total return e | -1.82% | 14.35% | -3.56% | -0.53% | 6.01% |
Ratios to average net assets | |||||
Expenses | 0.57% | 0.57% | 0.57% | 0.57% | 0.58% |
Net investment income | 4.73% | 4.84% | 4.92% | 4.53% | 4.52% |
Supplemental data | |||||
Net assets, end of year (000s) | $ 11,238,491 | $ 12,789,616 | $ 11,631,656 | $ 12,803,225 | $ 12,949,083 |
Portfolio turnover rate | 7.41% | 7.20% | 11.01% | 14.13% | 8.02% |
a. The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations in the annual report for the period due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund shares in relation to income earned and/or fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.
b. Based on average daily shares outstanding.
c. Effective September 1, 2008, the redemption fee was eliminated.
d. Amount rounds to less than $0.01 per share.
e. Total return does not reflect sales commissions or contingent deferred sales charges, if applicable.
CLASS B | Year Ended March 31, | ||||
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |
Per share operating performance
(for a share outstanding throughout the year) |
|||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ 6.99 | $ 6.41 | $ 6.98 | $ 7.34 | $ 7.26 |
Income from investment operations: a | |||||
Net investment income b | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.29 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) | -0.44 | 0.58 | -0.57 | -0.37 | 0.09 |
Total from investment operations | -0.15 | 0.87 | -0.28 | -0.08 | 0.38 |
Less distributions from: | |||||
Net investment income | -0.29 | -0.29 | -0.29 | -0.28 | -0.29 |
Net realized gains | | | | | -0.01 |
Total distributions | -0.29 | -0.29 | -0.29 | -0.28 | -0.30 |
Redemption fees c | | | d | d | d |
Net asset value, end of year | $ 6.55 | $ 6.99 | $ 6.41 | $ 6.98 | $ 7.34 |
Total return e | -2.37% | 13.87% | -4.12% | -1.10% | 5.28% |
Ratios to average net assets | |||||
Expenses | 1.12% | 1.13% | 1.13% | 1.13% | 1.14% |
Net investment income | 4.18% | 4.28% | 4.36% | 3.97% | 3.96% |
Supplemental data | |||||
Net assets, end of year (000s) | $ 26,559 | $ 75,559 | $ 135,450 | $ 205,192 | $ 289,147 |
Portfolio turnover rate | 7.41% | 7.20% | 11.01% | 14.13% | 8.02% |
a. The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations in the annual report for the period due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund shares in relation to income earned and/or fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.
b. Based on average daily shares outstanding.
c. Effective September 1, 2008, the redemption fee was eliminated.
d. Amount rounds to less than $0.01 per share.
e. Total return does not reflect sales commissions or contingent deferred sales charges, if applicable.
CLASS C | Year Ended March 31, | ||||
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |
Per share operating performance
(for a share outstanding throughout the year) |
|||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ 6.98 | $ 6.41 | $ 6.98 | $ 7.34 | $ 7.25 |
Income from investment operations: a | |||||
Net investment income b | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.29 | 0.29 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) | -0.44 | 0.57 | -0.57 | -0.37 | 0.10 |
Total from investment operations | -0.15 | 0.86 | -0.28 | -0.08 | 0.39 |
Less distributions from: | |||||
Net investment income | -0.29 | -0.29 | -0.29 | -0.28 | -0.29 |
Net realized gains | | | | | -0.01 |
Total distributions | -0.29 | -0.29 | -0.29 | -0.28 | -0.30 |
Redemption fees c | | | d | d | d |
Net asset value, end of year | $ 6.54 | $ 6.98 | $ 6.41 | $ 6.98 | $ 7.34 |
Total return e | -2.37% | 13.74% | -4.11% | -1.09% | 5.43% |
Ratios to average net assets | |||||
Expenses | 1.13% | 1.13% | 1.13% | 1.13% | 1.14% |
Net investment income | 4.17% | 4.28% | 4.36% | 3.97% | 3.96% |
Supplemental data | |||||
Net assets, end of year (000s) | $ 1,013,615 | $ 1,113,728 | $ 819,803 | $ 750,678 | $ 631,184 |
Portfolio turnover rate | 7.41% | 7.20% | 11.01% | 14.13% | 8.02% |
a. The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations in the annual report for the period due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund shares in relation to income earned and/or fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.
b. Based on average daily shares outstanding.
c. Effective September 1, 2008, the redemption fee was eliminated.
d. Amount rounds to less than $0.01 per share.
e. Total return does not reflect sales commissions or contingent deferred sales charges, if applicable.
ADVISOR CLASS | Year Ended March 31, | ||||
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |
Per share operating performance
(for a share outstanding throughout the year) |
|||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $ 6.98 | $ 6.41 | $ 6.98 | $ 7.34 | $ 7.25 |
Income from investment operations: a | |||||
Net investment income b | 0.33 | 0.34 | 0.34 | 0.33 | 0.34 |
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) | -0.44 | 0.57 | -0.58 | -0.36 | 0.10 |
Total from investment operations | -0.11 | 0.91 | -0.24 | -0.03 | 0.44 |
Less distributions from: | |||||
Net investment income | -0.33 | -0.34 | -0.33 | -0.33 | -0.34 |
Net realized gains | | | | | -0.01 |
Total distributions | -0.33 | -0.34 | -0.33 | -0.33 | -0.35 |
Redemption fees c | | | d | d | d |
Net asset value, end of year | $ 6.54 | $ 6.98 | $ 6.41 | $ 6.98 | $ 7.34 |
Total return | -1.73% | 14.47% | -3.49% | -0.44% | 6.11% |
Ratios to average net assets | |||||
Expenses | 0.48% | 0.48% | 0.48% | 0.48% | 0.49% |
Net investment income | 4.82% | 4.93% | 5.01% | 4.62% | 4.61% |
Supplemental data | |||||
Net assets, end of year (000s) | $ 446,360 | $ 393,057 | $ 223,502 | $ 178,796 | $ 122,456 |
Portfolio turnover rate | 7.41% | 7.20% | 11.01% | 14.13% | 8.02% |
a. The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations in the annual report for the period due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund shares in relation to income earned and/or fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.
b. Based on average daily shares outstanding.
c. Effective September 1, 2008, the redemption fee was eliminated.
d. Amount rounds to less than $0.01 per share.
YOUR ACCOUNT
The board of trustees has approved the termination of offering Class B shares. Existing shareholders of Class B shares may continue as Class B shareholders, continue to reinvest dividends into Class B shares and exchange their Class B shares for Class B shares of other Franklin Templeton funds as permitted by the current exchange privileges. New or additional investments into Class B are not permitted. For Class B shares outstanding on February 28, 2005 and Class B shares acquired upon reinvestment of dividends, all Class B share attributes, including the associated Rule 12b-1 fee, contingent deferred sales charge and conversion features, will continue.Choosing a Share Class
Each class has its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your situation. Your investment representative can help you decide. Investors may purchase Class C shares only for Fund accounts on which they have appointed an investment representative (financial advisor) of record. Investors who have not appointed an investment representative (financial advisor) to existing Class C share Fund accounts, may not make additional purchases to those accounts but may exchange their shares to a Franklin Templeton fund that offers Class C shares. Dividend and capital gain distributions may continue to be reinvested in existing Class B or Class C share Fund accounts.
Class A | Class C | Advisor Class |
Initial sales charge of 4.25% or less | No initial sales charge | See "Qualified Investors - Advisor Class" below |
Deferred sales charge of 0.75% on purchases of $1 million or more sold within 18 months | Deferred sales charge of 1% on shares you sell within 12 months | |
Lower annual expenses than Class C due to lower distribution fees | Higher annual expenses than Class A due to higher distribution fees |
Class A, B & C
SALES CHARGES - Class A | ||
when you invest this amount | the sales charge makes up this % of the offering price 1 | which equals this % of your net investment 1 |
Under $100,000 | 4.25 | 4.44 |
$100,000 but under $250,000 | 3.50 | 3.63 |
$250,000 but under $500,000 | 2.50 | 2.56 |
$500,000 but under $1 million | 2.00 | 2.04 |
1. The dollar amount of the sales charge is the difference between the offering price of the shares purchased (which factors in the applicable sales charge in this table) and the net asset value of those shares. Since the offering price is calculated to two decimal places using standard rounding criteria, the number of shares purchased and the dollar amount of the sales charge as a percentage of the offering price and of your net investment may be higher or lower depending on whether there was a downward or upward rounding.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers
Quantity discounts. We offer two ways for you to combine your current purchase of Class A Fund shares with other existing Franklin Templeton fund share holdings that might enable you to qualify for a lower sales charge with your current purchase. You can qualify for a lower sales charge when you reach certain "sales charge breakpoints." This quantity discount information is also available free of charge at franklintempleton.com/retail/jsp_cm/fund_perf/pub/quantity_discount.jsp. This web page can also be reached at franklintempleton.com by clicking the "Funds" tab and then choosing "Quantity Discounts."
1. Cumulative quantity discount - lets you combine certain existing holdings of Franklin Templeton fund shares - referred to as "cumulative quantity discount eligible shares" - with your current purchase of Class A shares to determine if you qualify for a sales charge breakpoint.
Cumulative quantity discount eligible shares are Franklin Templeton fund shares registered to (or held by a financial intermediary for):
If you believe there are cumulative quantity discount eligible shares that can be combined with your current purchase to achieve a sales charge breakpoint (for example, shares held in a different broker-dealers brokerage account or with a bank or an investment advisor), it is your responsibility to specifically identify those shares to your financial advisor at the time of your purchase (including at the time of any future purchase). If you have not designated a financial advisor associated with your Franklin Templeton fund shares , it is your responsibility to specifically identify any cumulative quantity discount eligible shares to the Funds transfer agent at the time of any purchase.
If there are cumulative quantity discount eligible shares that would qualify for combining with your current purchase and you do not tell your financial advisor or the Franklin Templeton funds transfer agent at the time of any purchase, you may not receive the benefit of a reduced sales charge that might otherwise be available since your financial advisor and the Fund generally will not have that information.
The value of cumulative quantity discount eligible shares equals the cost or current value of those shares, whichever is higher. The current value of shares is determined by multiplying the number of shares by their highest current public offering price. It is your responsibility to retain any records necessary to substantiate historical share costs because neither your current financial advisor nor the Franklin Templeton funds may have or maintain this information.
2. Letter of intent (LOI) - expresses your intent to buy a stated dollar amount of "cumulative quantity discount eligible shares" (as defined in the "Cumulative quantity discount" section above) over a 13-month period and lets you receive the same sales charge as if all shares had been purchased at one time. We will reserve 5% of your total intended purchase in Class A shares registered in your name until you fulfill your LOI to cover any additional sales charge that may apply if you do not buy the amount stated in your LOI. It is your responsibility to tell your financial advisor when you believe you have fulfilled your LOI with sufficient cumulative quantity discount eligible shares. If you have not designated a financial advisor associated with your Franklin Templeton fund shares, it is your responsibility to tell the Funds transfer agent when you believe you have fulfilled your LOI with sufficient cumulative quantity discount eligible shares. Please refer to the SAI for more LOI details.
To sign up for these programs, complete the appropriate section of your account application.
Franklin Templeton funds include all of the U.S. registered mutual funds of Franklin Templeton Investments and the Franklin Mutual Recovery Fund. They do not include the funds in the Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust.
Sales charge waivers. Class A shares may be purchased without an initial sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) by certain investors or for certain payments. If you would like information about available sales charge waivers, call your investment representative or call Shareholder Services at (800) 632-2301. A list of available sales charge waivers also may be found in the SAI.
Investments of $1 Million or More
If you invest $1 million or more, either as a lump sum or through our cumulative quantity discount or letter of intent programs, you can buy Class A shares without an initial sales charge. However, there is a 0.75% CDSC on any shares you sell within 18 months of purchase. The way we calculate the CDSC is the same for each class (please see Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) - Class A, B & C).
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
Class A has a distribution plan, sometimes known as a Rule 12b-1 plan, that allows the Fund to pay distribution fees of up to 0.10% per year to those who sell and distribute Class A shares and provide other services to shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of Class A's assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
SALES CHARGES - Class B | |
if you sell your shares within this
many years after buying them |
this % is deducted from
your proceeds as a CDSC |
1 Year | 4 |
2 Years | 4 |
3 Years | 3 |
4 Years | 3 |
5 Years | 2 |
6 Years | 1 |
7 Years | 0 |
There is a CDSC if you sell your shares within six years, as described in the table above. The way we calculate the CDSC is the same for each class (please see "Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) - Class A, B & C"). After eight years, your Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares, lowering your annual expenses from that time on.
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
Class B has a distribution plan, sometimes known as a Rule 12b-1 plan, that allows the Fund to pay distribution and other fees of up to 0.65% per year for the sale of Class B shares and for services provided to shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of Class B's assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
SALES CHARGES - Class C |
With Class C shares, there is no initial sales charge. |
We place any investment of $1 million or more in Class A shares, since Class A's annual expenses are lower.
CDSC
There is a 1% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The way we calculate the CDSC is the same for each class (please see "Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) - Class A, B & C").
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
Class C has a distribution plan, sometimes known as a Rule 12b-1 plan, that allows the Fund to pay distribution and other fees of up to 0.65% per year for the sale of Class C shares and for services provided to shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of Class C's assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) - Class A, B & C
The CDSC for each class is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their net asset value when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gain distributions.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you place a request to sell shares we will first sell any shares in your account that are not subject to a CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your request, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased. We will use this same method if you exchange your shares into another Franklin Templeton fund (please see Exchanging Shares).
The holding period for the CDSC begins on the day you buy your shares. Your shares will age one month on that same date the next month and each following month. For example, if you buy shares on the 18th of the month, they will age one month on the 18th day of the next month and each following month.
Reinstatement Privilege
If you sell shares of a Franklin Templeton fund that were held indirectly for your benefit in an account with your investment representatives firm or your banks trust department or that were registered to you directly by the Fund's transfer agent (or, to an affiliated custodian or trustee of the Funds transfer agent), you may reinvest all or a portion of the proceeds from that sale within 90 days of the sale without an initial sales charge. This Reinstatement Privilege does not apply to: (i) a purchase of Fund shares made through a regularly scheduled automatic investment plan such as a purchase by a regularly scheduled payroll deduction or transfer from a bank account, or (ii) a purchase of Fund shares with proceeds from the sale of Franklin Templeton fund shares that were held indirectly through a non-Franklin Templeton individual or employer sponsored IRA.
In order to take advantage of this Reinstatement Privilege, you must inform your investment representative or the Fund's transfer agent of this privilege at the time of your investment. The proceeds from the earlier sale must also be invested within the same share class as that of the sold shares, except proceeds will be reinvested in Class A shares if the proceeds are from the sale of (i) Class B (or Class B1) shares; or (ii) Class C (or Class C1) shares or Class R shares if at the time of investment you have not appointed an investment representative (financial advisor) of record for the Fund account(s) in which the purchased shares will be held. Proceeds from the earlier sale of Class Z shares may also be invested in Class A shares under this Reinstatement Privilege.
If you paid a CDSC when you sold your Class A, C or C1 shares, Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors) will credit back to you the CDSC paid on the amount you are reinvesting within 90 days of the sale by adding it to the amount of your reinvestment (for example, if you are reinvesting $10,000 within 90 days of an earlier $10,000 sale on which you paid a $100 CDSC, the amount of your reinvestment will equal $10,100). The new shares issued with your reinvestment WILL BE subject to any otherwise applicable CDSC. If, however, you (except Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans) paid a CDSC when you sold (1) Class B (or Class B1) shares; or (2) Class C (or Class C1) shares held at the time of sale in a Franklin Templeton fund account without an investment representative (financial advisor) appointed by you and invest the proceeds from that sale in Class A shares within 90 days of the sale, you will not be credited with any CDSC paid at the time of sale. In this case, the new Class A shares issued with your reinvestment WILL NOT BE subject to any otherwise applicable CDSC.
Proceeds immediately placed in a Franklin Templeton Bank Certificate of Deposit (CD) also may be reinvested without an initial sales charge if you reinvest them within 90 days from the date the CD matures, including any rollover.
This privilege does not apply to shares you buy and sell under our exchange program. Shares purchased with the proceeds from a money fund may be subject to a sales charge.
Qualified Investors - Advisor Class
The following investors or investments may qualify to buy Advisor Class shares of the Fund:
Buying Shares
MINIMUM INVESTMENTS - CLASS A & C
Initial | |
Regular accounts | $ 1,000 |
Automatic investment plans | $ 50 |
UGMA/UTMA accounts | $ 100 |
Broker-dealer sponsored wrap account programs | no minimum |
Current and former full-time employees, officers, trustees and directors of Franklin Templeton entities, and their family members | $ 100 |
Please note that you may only buy shares of a fund eligible for sale in your state or jurisdiction.
Account Application
If you are opening a new account, please complete and sign the enclosed account application. Make sure you indicate the share class you have chosen. If you do not indicate a class, we will place your purchase in Class A shares. To save time, you can sign up now for services you may want on your account by completing the appropriate sections of the application (see "Investor Services"). For example, if you would like to link one of your bank accounts to your Fund account so that you may use electronic funds transfer to and from your bank account to buy and sell shares, please complete the bank information section of the application. We will keep your bank information on file for future purchases and redemptions. We do not accept cash, credit card convenience checks, non-bank money orders or travelers checks as forms of payment to purchase shares.
Franklin Templeton Investor Services
P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151
Call toll-free: (800) 632-2301
(Monday through Friday
5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific time)
or visit us online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
at franklintempleton.com
Investor Services
Automatic Investment Plan
This plan offers a convenient way for you to invest in the Fund by automatically transferring money from your checking or savings account each month to buy shares. To sign up, visit us online at franklintempleton.com or complete the appropriate section of your account application and mail it to Investor Services. If you are opening a new account, please include your minimum initial investment with your application.
Automated Telephone System
Our automated system offers around-the-clock access to information about your account or any Franklin Templeton fund. This service is available by dialing any of the following numbers from a touch-tone phone:
Shareholder Services | (800) 632-2301 |
Advisor Services | (800) 524-4040 |
Distribution Options
You may reinvest distributions you receive from the Fund in an existing account in the same share class* of the Fund or another Franklin Templeton fund. Initial sales charges and CDSCs will not apply to reinvested distributions. You also can have your distributions deposited in a bank account, or mailed by check. Deposits to a bank account may be made by electronic funds transfer.
* Class B and C shareholders may reinvest their distributions in Class A shares of any Franklin Templeton money fund. Advisor Class shareholders may reinvest in Advisor Class or Class A shares of another Franklin Templeton fund. To reinvest your distributions in Advisor Class shares of another Franklin Templeton fund, you must be a current shareholder in Advisor Class or otherwise qualify to buy that fund's Advisor Class shares.
If you received a distribution and chose to return it to purchase additional shares in Class A shares of another Franklin Templeton fund, you will not be charged an initial sales charge if you invest the distribution within 90 days of the distribution date.
Telephone/Online Privileges
You will automatically receive telephone/online privileges when you open your account, allowing you to obtain or view your account information, and conduct a number of transactions by phone or online, including: buy, sell, or exchange shares of most funds; use electronic funds transfer to buy or sell shares of most funds; change your address; and, add or change account services (including distribution options, systematic withdrawal plans and automatic investment plans).
To view your account information or request online transactions, you will first need to register for these services at the shareholder section of our website at franklintempleton.com. You will be asked to accept the terms of an online agreement(s) and establish a password for online services. If you are registered for online services, you may enroll online in Franklin Templetons electronic delivery program for your shareholder documents. This will allow you to receive electronic delivery (through our website) of most funds prospectuses, annual/semiannual reports to shareholders, and proxy statements, as well as your account(s) statements and trade confirmations, and discontinue receiving your paper copies through the U.S. mail. Using our shareholder website means you are consenting to sending and receiving personal financial information over the Internet, so you should be sure you are comfortable with the risks.
As long as we follow reasonable security procedures and act on instructions we reasonably believe are genuine, we will not be responsible for any losses that may occur from unauthorized requests. We will request passwords or other information, and also may record calls. To help safeguard your account, keep your password confidential, and verify the accuracy of your confirmation statements immediately after you receive them. Contact us immediately if you believe someone has obtained unauthorized access to your account or password. For transactions done over the Internet, we recommend the use of an Internet browser with 128-bit encryption. Certain methods of contacting us (such as by phone or by Internet) may be unavailable or delayed during periods of unusual market activity. Of course, you can decline telephone buy, sell, or exchange privileges on your account application, or choose not to register for online privileges. If you have telephone/online privileges on your account and want to discontinue them, please contact us for instructions. You may reinstate these privileges at any time in writing, including online registration with respect to online privileges.
Note: We discourage you from including confidential or sensitive information in any Internet communication to us. If you do choose to send email (encrypted or not) to us over the Internet, you are accepting the associated risks of lack of confidentiality.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
This plan allows you to automatically sell your shares and receive regular payments from your account. A CDSC may apply to withdrawals that exceed certain amounts. Certain terms and minimums apply. To sign up, visit us online at franklintempleton.com or complete the appropriate section of your application.
Franklin Templeton VIP Services ®
You may be eligible for Franklin Templeton VIP Services ® if you are currently eligible for the $250,000 sales charge breakpoint based solely on shares registered directly with the Franklin Templeton funds' transfer agent and excluding shares held indirectly through brokerage accounts. Franklin Templeton VIP Services ® shareholders enjoy enhanced service and transaction capabilities. Please contact Shareholder Services at (800) 632-2301 for additional information on this program.
Selling Shares
You can sell your shares at any time. Please keep in mind that a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) may apply.
Selling Shares in Writing
Generally, requests to sell $100,000 or less can be made over the phone, online, or with a simple letter. Sometimes, however, to protect you and the Fund we will need written instructions signed by all registered owners, with a signature guarantee for each owner, if:
We also may require a signature guarantee on instructions we receive from an agent, not the registered owners, or when we believe it would protect the Fund against potential claims based on the instructions received.
The amount may be higher for members of Franklin Templeton VIP Services ® . Please see Franklin Templeton VIP Services ® above for more information regarding eligibility.
A signature guarantee helps protect your account against fraud. You can obtain a signature guarantee at most banks and securities dealers.
A notary public CANNOT provide a signature guarantee.
Selling Recently Purchased Shares
If you sell shares recently purchased, we may delay sending you the proceeds until your check, draft or wire/electronic funds transfer has cleared, which may take seven business days.
Redemption Proceeds
Your redemption check will be sent within seven days after we receive your request in proper form. We are not able to receive or pay out cash in the form of currency.
Selling Shares
To sell some or all of your shares |
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Through your investment representative
Contact your investment representative By Mail
Send written instructions and endorsed share certificates (if you hold share certificates) to Investor Services. Corporate, partnership or trust accounts may need to send additional documents.
Specify the Fund, the account number and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell. If you own both Class A and B shares, also specify the class of shares, otherwise we will sell your Class A shares first. Be sure to include all necessary signatures and any additional documents, as well as signature guarantees if required.
A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address on the account, or otherwise according to your written instructions. By Phone/Online (800) 632-2301franklintempleton.com
As long as your transaction is for $100,000 or less, you do not hold share certificates and you have not changed your address by phone or online within the last 15 days, you can sell your shares by phone or online. The amount may be higher for members of Franklin Templeton VIP Services ® . Please see Franklin Templeton VIP Services ® above for more information regarding eligibility.
A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address on the account, or a pre-authorized secondary address. Written instructions, with a signature guarantee, are required to send the check to another address or to make it payable to another person. |
By Electronic Funds Transfer (ACH)
You can call, write, or visit us online to have redemption proceeds sent to a bank account. See the policies at left for selling shares by mail, phone, or online.
Before requesting to have redemption proceeds sent to a bank account, please make sure we have your bank account information on file. If we do not have this information, you will need to send written instructions with your bank's name and a voided check or savings account deposit slip. If the bank and Fund accounts do not have at least one common owner, you must provide written instructions signed by all fund and bank account owners, and each individual must have his or her signature guaranteed.
If we receive your request in proper form by 1:00 p.m. Pacific time, proceeds sent by ACH generally will be available within two to three business days. By Exchange
Obtain a current prospectus for the fund you are considering. Prospectuses are available online at franklintempleton.com.
Call Shareholder Services at the number below or send signed written instructions. You also may place an exchange order online. See the policies at left for selling shares by mail, phone, or online.
If you hold share certificates, you will need to return them to the Fund before your exchange can be processed. |
Franklin Templeton Investor Services
P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151
Call toll-free: (800) 632-2301
(Monday through Friday 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific time)
or visit us online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
at franklintempleton.com
Exchanging Shares
Exchange Privilege
Class A, B & C
You can exchange shares between most Franklin Templeton funds within the same class,* generally without paying any additional sales charges. If you exchange shares from a money fund and those shares were not charged a sales charge previously, however, a sales charge may apply.
* Class Z shareholders of Franklin Mutual Series Funds may exchange into Class A without any sales charge. Advisor Class shareholders of another Franklin Templeton fund also may exchange into Class A without any sales charge. Advisor Class shareholders who exchange their shares for Class A shares and later decide they would like to exchange into another fund that offers Advisor Class may do so.
Any CDSC will continue to be calculated from the date of your initial investment and will not be charged at the time of the exchange. The purchase price for determining a CDSC on exchanged shares will be the price you paid for the original shares. If you exchange shares subject to a CDSC into a Class A money fund, the time your shares are held in the money fund will not count towards the CDSC holding period.
If you exchange your Class B shares for the same class of shares of another Franklin Templeton fund, the time your shares are held in that fund will count towards the eight-year period for automatic conversion to Class A shares.
Advisor Class
You can exchange your Advisor Class shares for Advisor Class shares of other Franklin Templeton funds. You also may exchange your Advisor Class shares for Class A shares of a fund that does not currently offer an Advisor Class (without any sales charge)* or for Class Z shares of Franklin Mutual Series Funds.
* If you exchange into Class A shares and you later decide you would like to exchange into a fund that offers an Advisor Class, you may exchange your Class A shares for Advisor Class shares if you are a current shareholder in Advisor Class or you otherwise qualify to buy the fund's Advisor Class shares.
All Classes
The remainder of the Exchanging Shares section applies to all classes.
Generally exchanges may only be made between identically registered accounts, unless you send written instructions with a signature guarantee.
An exchange is really two transactions: a sale of one fund and the purchase of another. In general, the same policies that apply to purchases and sales also apply to exchanges, including minimum investment amounts (except exchanges of an entire account balance). Exchanges also generally have the same tax consequences as ordinary sales and purchases.
Rejected exchanges. If the Fund rejects an exchange request involving the sale of Fund shares, the rejected exchange request will also mean rejection of the request to purchase shares of another fund with the proceeds of the sale. Of course, you may generally redeem shares of the Fund at any time.
Exchanges through financial intermediaries. If you are investing indirectly in the Fund through a financial intermediary such as a broker-dealer, a bank, an insurance company separate account, an investment advisor, an administrator or trustee of an IRS-recognized tax-deferred savings plan such as a 401(k) retirement plan and a 529 college savings plan that maintains a master account (an Omnibus Account) with the Fund for trading on behalf of its customers, different exchange and/or transfer limit guidelines and restrictions may apply. The financial intermediary through whom you are investing may choose to adopt different trading restrictions designed to discourage short-term or excessive trading. Consult with your financial intermediary (or, in the case of a 401(k) retirement plan, your plan sponsor) to determine what trading restrictions, including exchange/transfer limitations, may be applicable to you.
Fund exchange privilege changes/waiver. The Fund may terminate or modify (temporarily or permanently) this exchange privilege in the future. You will receive 60 days' notice of any material changes, unless otherwise provided by law.
Other funds' exchange privileges. If there is a conflict between the exchange privileges of two funds involved in an exchange transaction, the stricter policy will apply to the transaction. Other Franklin Templeton funds may have different exchange restrictions. Check each fund's prospectus for details.
Frequent Trading Policy
The Fund's board of trustees has adopted the following policies and procedures with respect to frequent trading in Fund shares (Frequent Trading Policy).
The Fund does not intend to accommodate short-term or frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares that may be detrimental to the Fund. For example, this type of trading activity could interfere with the efficient management of the Fund's portfolio or materially increase the Fund's transaction costs, administrative costs or taxes.
Through its transfer agent, the Fund performs ongoing monitoring of shareholder trading in shares of the Fund and other Franklin Templeton funds in order to try and identify shareholder trading patterns that suggest an ongoing short-term trading strategy. If shareholder trading patterns identified by the transfer agent through monitoring or from other information regarding the shareholders trading activity in non-Franklin Templeton funds leads the transfer agent to reasonably conclude that such trading may be detrimental to the Fund as described in this Frequent Trading Policy, the transfer agent, on behalf of the Fund, may temporarily or permanently bar future purchases into the Fund or, alternatively, may limit the amount, number or frequency of any future purchases and/or the method by which you may request future purchases and redemptions (including purchases and/or redemptions by an exchange or transfer between the Fund and any other mutual fund).
In considering an investors trading patterns, the Fund may consider, among other factors, the investors trading history both directly and, if known, through financial intermediaries, in the Fund, in other Franklin Templeton funds, in non-Franklin Templeton mutual funds, or in accounts under common control or ownership (see, for example, Investment by asset allocators in the SAI). The transfer agent may also reject any purchase or redemption request, whether or not it represents part of any ongoing trading pattern, if the Fund's investment manager or transfer agent reasonably concludes that the amount of the requested transaction may disrupt or otherwise interfere with the efficient management of the Funds portfolio.
Frequent trading through financial intermediaries. You are an investor subject to this Frequent Trading Policy whether you are a direct shareholder of the Fund or you are investing indirectly in the Fund through a financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer, bank, trust company, insurance company product such as an annuity contract, investment advisor, or an administrator or trustee of an IRS-recognized tax-deferred savings plan such as a 401(k) retirement plan and a 529 college savings plan.
Some financial intermediaries maintain master accounts with the Fund on behalf of their customers (omnibus accounts). The Fund has entered into information sharing agreements with these financial intermediaries, which permit the Fund to obtain, upon request, information about the trading activity of the intermediarys customers that invest in the Fund. If the Funds transfer agent identifies omnibus account level trading patterns that have the potential to be detrimental to the Fund, the transfer agent may, in its sole discretion, request from the financial intermediary information concerning the trading activity of its customers. Based upon its review of the information, if the transfer agent determines that the trading activity of any customer may be detrimental to the Fund, it may, in its sole discretion, request the financial intermediary to restrict or limit further trading in the Fund by that customer. There can be no assurance that the transfer agents monitoring of omnibus account level trading patterns will enable it to identify all short-term trading by a financial intermediarys customers.
Revocation of trades. While the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order for any reason, the Fund may also revoke executed purchase orders that the transfer agent reasonably concludes in its sole discretion may have been contrary to the objectives of the Fund's Frequent Trading Policy.
Account Policies
Calculating Share Price
Class A, B & C
When you buy shares, you pay the "offering price" for the shares. The "offering price" is determined by dividing the NAV per share by an amount equal to 1 minus the sales charge applicable to the purchase (expressed in decimals), calculated to two decimal places using standard rounding criteria. The number of Fund shares you will be issued will equal the amount invested divided by the applicable offering price for those shares, calculated to three decimal places using standard rounding criteria. For example, if the NAV per share is $10.25 and the applicable sales charge for the purchase is 5.75%, the offering price would be calculated as follows: 10.25 divided by 1.00 minus 0.0575 [10.25/0.9425] equals 10.87533, which, when rounded to two decimal points, equals 10.88. The offering price per share would be $10.88.
When you sell shares, you receive the NAV minus any applicable CDSC.
All Classes
The value of a mutual fund is determined by deducting the funds liabilities from the total assets of the portfolio. The NAV per share is determined by dividing the total net asset value of each funds share class by the applicable number of shares outstanding per share class.
The Fund calculates the NAV per share each business day at the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) (normally 1:00 p.m. Pacific time). The Fund does not calculate the NAV on days the NYSE is closed for trading, which include New Years Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
When determining its NAV, the Fund values cash and receivables at their realizable amounts, and records interest as accrued and dividends on the ex-dividend date. The Fund generally utilizes two independent pricing services to assist in determining a current market value for each security. If market quotations are readily available for portfolio securities listed on a securities exchange, the Fund values those securities at the last quoted sale price or the official closing price of the day, respectively, or, if there is no reported sale, within the range of the most recent quoted bid and ask prices. The Fund values over-the-counter portfolio securities within the range of the most recent bid and ask prices. If portfolio securities trade both in the over-the-counter market and on a stock exchange, the Fund values them according to the broadest and most representative market.
Requests to buy and sell shares are processed at the NAV next calculated after we or an approved financial intermediary receive your request in proper form.
Generally, trading in corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments is substantially completed each day at various times before the close of the NYSE. The value of these securities used in computing the NAV is determined as of such times. Occasionally, events affecting the values of these securities may occur between the times at which they are determined and the close of the NYSE that will not be reflected in the computation of the NAV. The Fund relies on third-party pricing vendors to monitor for events materially affecting the value of these securities during this period. If an event occurs, the third-party pricing vendors will provide revised values to the Fund.
Fair Valuation Individual Securities
The Fund has procedures, approved by the board of trustees, to determine the fair value of individual securities and other assets for which market prices are not readily available (such as certain restricted or unlisted securities and private placements) or which may not be reliably priced (such as in the case of trade suspensions or halts, price movement limits set by certain foreign markets, and thinly traded or illiquid securities). Some methods for valuing these securities may include: fundamental analysis (earnings multiple, etc.), matrix pricing, discounts from market prices of similar securities, or discounts applied due to the nature and duration of restrictions on the disposition of the securities. The board of trustees oversees the application of fair value pricing procedures.
The application of fair value pricing procedures represents a good faith determination based upon specifically applied procedures. There can be no assurance that the Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were able to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Fund determines its NAV per share.
Security Valuation Municipal Securities Matrix Pricing (Fair Valuation)
Municipal securities generally trade in the over-the-counter market rather than on a securities exchange. The Funds pricing services use valuation models or matrix pricing to determine current value. In general, they use information with respect to comparable bond and note transactions, quotations from bond dealers or by reference to other securities that are considered comparable in such characteristics as rating, interest rate and maturity date. Matrix pricing is considered a form of fair value pricing.
Accounts with Low Balances
If your account has been open for more than one year and its value falls below $500 ($50 for employee and UGMA/UTMA accounts), we will mail you a notice asking you to bring the account back up to its applicable minimum investment amount. If you choose not to do so within 30 days, we will close your account and mail the proceeds to the address of record. You will not be charged a CDSC if your account is closed for this reason. This policy does not apply to: (1) certain broker-controlled accounts established through the National Securities Clearing Corporations Networking system; (2) accounts in Class B and Class A accounts established pursuant to a conversion from Class B; (3) tax-deferred retirement plan accounts; (4) active automatic investment plan accounts; (5) broker-dealer sponsored separately managed accounts (wrap accounts); (6) accounts held through a 529 college savings program; and, (7) Coverdell Education Savings Plan accounts.
Statements, Reports and Prospectuses
You will receive quarterly account statements that show all your account transactions during the quarter. You also will receive written notification after each transaction affecting your account (except for distributions and transactions made through automatic investment or withdrawal programs, which will be reported on your quarterly statement).
You also will receive the Fund's financial reports every six months as well as an annual updated prospectus. To reduce Fund expenses, we try to identify related shareholders in a household and send only one copy of the financial reports and prospectus. This process, called "householding," will continue indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. If you prefer not to have these documents householded, please call us at (800) 632-2301. At any time you may view current prospectuses and financial reports on our website.
If you choose, you may receive your statements, financial reports and prospectuses through electronic delivery (please see "Investor Services - Telephone/Online Privileges").
Investment Representative Account Access
If there is a dealer or other investment representative of record on your account, he or she will be able to obtain your account information, conduct transactions for your account, and also will receive copies of all notifications and statements and other information about your account directly from the Fund.
Street or Nominee Accounts
You may transfer your shares from the street or nominee name account of one dealer to another, as long as both dealers have an agreement with Distributors. We will process the transfer after we receive authorization in proper form from your delivering securities dealer.
Joint Accounts
Unless you specify a different registration, shares issued to two or more owners are registered as "joint tenants with rights of survivorship" (shown as "Jt Ten" on your account statement). To make any ownership changes to jointly owned shares, or to sever a joint tenancy in jointly owned shares, all owners must agree in writing.
Joint Account Risk with Telephone/Online Privileges
You will automatically receive telephone/online privileges when you open your account. If your account has more than one registered owner, telephone/online privileges allow the Fund to accept online registration for online services (including electronic delivery of shareholder documents) and transaction instructions online or by telephone from only one registered owner. This means that any one registered owner on your account, acting alone and without the consent of any other registered owner , may give the Fund instructions by telephone, online or in writing (subject to any limitations in telephone or online privileges) to:
If you do NOT want another registered owner on your account to be able to issue these kinds of instructions to the Fund without your consent, you must instruct the Fund to deny/terminate online privileges and the ability to issue such instructions by telephone so that these types of instructions will only be accepted in writing signed by all account owners. This decision will apply to any other fund into which you may exchange your jointly owned Fund shares. Any later decision to permit these types of instructions by telephone and/or online will need to be given to the Fund in a written instruction signed by all registered owners.
Additional Policies
Please note that the Fund maintains additional policies and reserves certain rights, including:
Dealer Compensation
Class A, B & C
Qualifying dealers who sell Fund shares may receive sales commissions and other payments. These are paid by Distributors from sales charges received from purchasing or redeeming shareholders, from distribution and service (12b-1) fees from the Fund and from Distributors' other financial resources. Dealers may also receive shareholder servicing fees for servicing investors who indirectly hold Franklin Templeton fund shares through dealer-maintained brokerage accounts as more fully described under "Shareholder servicing and transfer agent" in the SAI. These fees are paid by the Fund's transfer agent from payments it receives under its agreement with the Fund.
If any dealer commissions are paid in connection with a purchase which is subsequently rejected or results in any trading restriction placed on the purchaser as a result of a determination by the Fund's investment manager or transfer agent that the purchase may be connected with trading activity that may be detrimental to the Fund as described in the Fund's "Frequent Trading Policy," the dealer shall, upon demand, refund such commissions to Distributors.
Class A | Class B | Class C | |
Commission (%) | | | 1.00 1 |
Investment under $100,000 | 4.00 | | |
$100,000 but under $250,000 | 2.80 | | |
$250,000 but under $500,000 | 2.00 | | |
$500,000 but under $1 million | 1.60 | | |
$1 million or more | up to 0.75 2 | | |
12b-1 fee to dealer | 0.10 2 | 0.15 3 | 0.65 4 |
1. Commission includes advance of the first year's 0.15% 12b-1 service fee. Distributors may pay a prepaid commission.
2. For purchases at NAV where Distributors paid a prepaid commission, dealers may start to receive the 12b-1 fee in the 13th month after purchase. For purchases at NAV where Distributors did not pay a prepaid commission, dealers may start to receive the 12b-1 fee at the time of purchase.
3. After eight years, Class B shares convert to Class A shares and dealers may then receive the 12b-1 fee applicable to Class A.
4. Dealers may be eligible to receive up to 0.15% at the time of purchase and may be eligible to receive 0.65% starting in the 13th month. During the first 12 months, the full 12b-1 fee will be paid to Distributors to partially offset the commission and the prepaid service fee paid at the time of purchase. For purchases at NAV where Distributors did not pay a prepaid commission, dealers may start to receive the 12b-1 fee at the time of purchase.
Other dealer and financial intermediary compensation. Distributors may make payments (a portion of which may be reimbursable under the terms of the Fund's Rule 12b-1 distribution plans) to certain dealers who have sold shares of the Franklin Templeton mutual funds. In the case of any one dealer, marketing support payments will not exceed the sum of 0.08% of that dealer's current year's total sales of Franklin Templeton mutual funds, and 0.05% (or 0.03%) of the total assets of equity (or fixed income) funds attributable to that dealer, on an annual basis. Marketing support payments made to organizations located outside the U.S., with respect to investments in the Fund by non-U.S. persons, may exceed this limitation. Distributors makes these payments in connection with the qualifying dealers' efforts to educate financial advisors about the Franklin Templeton funds. Any current year sales to, or assets held on behalf of, Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans for which payment is made to a financial intermediary pursuant to the following paragraph will be excluded from the calculation of marketing support payments pursuant to this paragraph.
Distributors and/or its affiliates may also make payments (a portion of which may be reimbursable under the terms of the Fund's Rule 12b-1 distribution plans) to certain financial intermediaries in connection with their activities that are intended to assist in the sale of shares of the Franklin Templeton mutual funds, directly or indirectly, to certain Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans. In the case of any one financial intermediary, such payments will not exceed 0.10% of the total assets of Franklin Templeton mutual funds held, directly or indirectly, by such Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans, on an annual basis.
A number of factors will be considered in determining these payments, including the qualifying dealer or financial intermediary's sales, assets and redemption rates, the nature and quality of any servicing provided by the financial intermediary, and the quality of the dealer or financial intermediary's relationship with Distributors. Distributors will, on an annual basis, determine the advisability of continuing these payments. These payments may be in addition to any shareholder servicing fees paid by the Fund's transfer agent from payments it receives under its agreement with the Fund.
To the extent permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, Distributors may pay or allow other promotional incentives or payments to dealers.
Sale of Fund shares, as well as shares of other funds in Franklin Templeton Investments, is not considered a factor in the selection of broker-dealers to execute the Fund's portfolio transactions. Accordingly, the allocation of portfolio transactions for execution by broker-dealers that sell Fund shares is not considered marketing support payments to such broker-dealers.
You can find further details in the SAI about the payments made by Distributors and the services provided by your financial advisor. Your financial advisor may charge you additional fees or commissions other than those disclosed in this prospectus. You should ask your financial advisor for information about any payments it receives from Distributors and any services it provides, as well as about fees and/or commissions it charges.
Questions
If you have any questions about the Fund or your account, you can write to us at P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151. You also can call us at one of the following numbers. For your protection and to help ensure we provide you with quality service, all calls may be monitored or recorded.
Department Name | Telephone Number |
Hours (Pacific time,
Monday through Friday) |
Shareholder Services | (800) 632-2301 | 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
Fund Information |
(800) DIAL BEN
(800) 342-5236 |
5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
Retirement Services | (800) 527-2020 | 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
Advisor Services | (800) 524-4040 | 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
TDD (hearing impaired) | (800) 851-0637 | 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
Automated Telephone System |
(800) 632-2301
(800) 524-4040 (800) 527-2020 |
(around-the-clock access) |
FOR MORE INFORMATION
You can learn more about the Fund in the following documents:
Annual/Semiannual Report to Shareholders
Includes a discussion of recent market conditions and Fund strategies that significantly affected Fund performance during its last fiscal year, financial statements, detailed performance information, portfolio holdings and, in the annual report only, the independent registered public accounting firms report.
Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
Contains more information about the Fund, its investments and policies. It is incorporated by reference (is legally a part of this prospectus).
For a free copy of the current annual/semiannual report or the SAI, please contact your investment representative or call us at the number below. You also can view the current annual/semiannual report and the SAI online through franklintempleton.com.
You also can obtain information about the Fund by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC (phone (202) 551-8090) or the EDGAR Database on the SEC's Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. You can obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102 or by electronic request at the following email address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
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One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
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Investment Company Act file #811-02790 |
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© 2011 Franklin Templeton Investments. All rights reserved. |
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2230 |
112 P 08/11 |
Franklin
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P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151
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Class A | Class B | Class C | Advisor Class |
FKTFX | FCABX | FRCTX | FCAVX |
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION August 1, 2011 This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus. It contains information in addition to the information in the Fund's prospectus. The Fund's prospectus, dated August 1, 2011, which we may amend from time to time, contains the basic information you should know before investing in the Fund. You should read this SAI together with the Fund's prospectus. The audited financial statements and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm in the Fund's Annual Report to Shareholders, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, are incorporated by reference (are legally a part of this SAI). For a free copy of the current prospectus or annual report, contact your investment representative or call (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236. |
CONTENTS
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112 SAI 08/11 |
The following information provided with respect to the Fund is in addition to that included in the Funds prospectus.
In addition to the main types of investments and strategies undertaken by the Fund as described in the prospectus, the Fund also may invest in other types of securities and engage in and pursue other investment strategies, which are described in this SAI. Investments and investment strategies with respect to the Fund are discussed in greater detail in the section below entitled "Glossary of Investments, Techniques, Strategies and Their Risks.
Generally, the policies and restrictions discussed in this SAI and in the prospectus apply when the Fund makes an investment. In most cases, the Fund is not required to sell a security because circumstances change and the security no longer meets one or more of the Fund's policies or restrictions. If a percentage restriction or limitation is met at the time of investment, a later increase or decrease in the percentage due to a change in the value or liquidity of portfolio securities will not be considered a violation of the restriction or limitation.
If a bankruptcy or other extraordinary event occurs concerning a particular security the Fund owns, the Fund may receive stock, real estate or other investments that the Fund would not, or could not, buy. If this happens, the Fund intends to sell such investments as soon as practicable while trying to maximize the return to shareholders.
The Fund has adopted certain investment restrictions as fundamental and non-fundamental policies. A fundamental policy may only be changed if the change is approved by (i) more than 50% of the Fund's outstanding shares or (ii) 67% or more of the Fund's shares present at a shareholder meeting if more than 50% of the Fund's outstanding shares are represented at the meeting in person or by proxy, whichever is less. A non-fundamental policy may be changed without the approval of shareholders.
Fundamental Investment Policies
The Fund's investment goal is to provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes, including alternative minimum tax, and exempt from California personal income taxes for California residents as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders' capital.
The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in investment grade municipal securities whose interest is free from federal income taxes, including the federal alternative minimum tax, and from California personal income taxes.
The Fund may not:
1. Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (1940 Act), or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
2. Act as an underwriter, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter when disposing of securities it owns or when selling its own shares.
3. Make loans if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other persons, including other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC. This limitation does not apply to (i) the lending of portfolio securities, (ii) the purchase of debt securities, other debt instruments, loan participations and/or engaging in direct corporate loans in accordance with its investment goals and policies, and (iii) repurchase agreements to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan.
4. Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from (i) purchasing or selling securities or instruments secured by real estate or interests therein, securities or instruments representing interests in real estate or securities or instruments of issuers that invest, deal or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or interests therein, and (ii) making, purchasing or selling real estate mortgage loans.
5. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund from (i) engaging in transactions involving currencies and futures contracts and options thereon or (ii) investing in securities or other instruments that are secured by physical commodities.
6. Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC.
7. Invest more than 25% of the Fund's net assets in securities of issuers in any one industry (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies). 1
8. Purchase the securities of any one issuer (other than the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies, whether registered or excluded from registration under Section 3(c) of the 1940 Act) if immediately after such investment (i) more than 5% of the value of the Funds total assets would be invested in such issuer or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be owned by the Fund, except that up to 25% of the value of the Funds total assets may be invested without regard to such 5% and 10% limitations.
1. Although not part of the Fund's fundamental investment restriction, consistent with SEC Staff interpretations and guidance, governments or their political subdivisions that issue tax-exempt municipal securities are not considered by the Fund to be members of any industry.
Non-Fundamental Investment Policies
Municipal securities issued by California or its counties, municipalities, authorities, agencies, or other subdivisions, as well as qualifying municipal securities issued by U.S. territories such as Guam, Puerto Rico, the Mariana Islands, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, generally pay interest free from federal income tax and from California personal income taxes for California residents.
Although the Fund must, under normal market conditions, invest at least 80% of its total assets in investment grade municipal securities whose interest is free from federal income taxes, including the federal alternative minimum tax, and California personal income taxes, the Fund seeks to invest all of its assets in tax-free municipal securities. The issuer's bond counsel generally gives the issuer an opinion on the tax-exempt status of a municipal security when the security is issued.
Additional StrategiesThe Fund may invest up to 15% of its assets in illiquid securities.
At times a sizable part of the Funds portfolio may consist of insured municipal securities, though the Funds portfolio may not always include such securities.
Glossary of Investments, Techniques, Strategies and Their Risks
Certain words or phrases may be used in descriptions of Fund investment policies and strategies to give investors a general sense of the Fund's levels of investment. They are broadly identified with, but not limited to, the following percentages of Fund total assets:
"small portion" | less than 10% |
"portion" | 10% to 25% |
"significant" | 25% to 50% |
"substantial" | 50% to 66% |
"primary" | 66% to 80% |
"predominant" | 80% or more |
If the Fund intends to limit particular investments or strategies to no more than specific percentages of Fund assets, the prospectus or SAI will clearly identify such limitations. The percentages above are not limitations unless specifically stated as such in the Fund's prospectus or elsewhere in this SAI.
The Fund may invest in securities that are rated by various rating services such as Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) and Standard & Poor's (S&P ® ).
The value of your shares will increase as the value of the investments owned by the Fund increases and will decrease as the value of the Fund's investments decreases. In this way, you participate in any change in the value of the securities owned by the Fund. In addition to the factors that affect the value of any particular investment that the Fund owns, the value of the Fund's shares may also change with movements in the stock and bond markets as a whole.
The following is a description of various types of securities, instruments and techniques that may be purchased and/or used by the Fund. Other types of municipal securities or strategies, not specifically described below, may become available or attractive that are similar to those described below and in which the Fund also may invest, if consistent with its investment goal and policies.
Municipal securities general description Municipal securities are issued by a state or that state's counties, municipalities, authorities, agencies, or other subdivisions, as well as by the District of Columbia. These municipal securities generally pay interest free from federal income tax and from state personal income taxes, if any, for residents of that state. In addition, U.S. territories such as Guam, Puerto Rico, the Mariana Islands or the U.S. Virgin Islands also issue qualifying municipal securities that generally pay interest free from federal income tax and from state personal income taxes. Generally for all municipal securities, the issuer pays a fixed, floating or variable rate of interest, and must repay the amount borrowed (the "principal") at maturity. Municipal securities are issued to raise money for a variety of public or private purposes, including financing state or local government, specific projects or public facilities. Municipal securities generally are classified as general or revenue obligations.
The value of the municipal securities may be highly sensitive to events affecting the fiscal stability of the municipalities, agencies, authorities and other instrumentalities that issue securities. In particular, economic, legislative, regulatory or political developments affecting the ability of the issuers to pay interest or repay principal may significantly affect the value of the Fund's investments. These developments can include or arise from, for example, insolvency of an issuer, uncertainties related to the tax status of municipal securities, tax base erosion, state or federal constitutional limits on tax increases or other actions, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, or changes in the credit ratings assigned to municipal issuers. There could be a limited market for certain municipal securities, and the Fund could face illiquidity risks.
General obligation bonds. Issuers of general obligation bonds include states, counties, cities, towns and regional districts. The proceeds of these obligations are used to fund a wide range of public projects, including construction or improvement of schools, highways and roads. The basic security behind general obligation bonds is the issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. The taxes that can be levied for the payment of debt service may be limited or unlimited as to the rate or amount of special assessments.
Revenue bonds. The full faith, credit and taxing power of the issuer do not secure revenue bonds. Instead, the principal security for a revenue bond generally is the net revenue derived from a particular facility, group of facilities, or, in some cases, the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue source. Revenue bonds are issued to finance a wide variety of capital projects, including: electric, gas, water and sewer systems; highways, bridges and tunnels; port and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. The principal security behind these bonds may vary. For example, housing finance authorities have a wide range of security, including partially or fully insured mortgages, rent subsidized and/or collateralized mortgages, and/or the net revenues from housing or other public projects. Many bonds provide additional security in the form of a debt service reserve fund that may be used to make principal and interest payments. Some authorities have further security in the form of state assurances (although without obligation) to make up deficiencies in the debt service reserve fund. As a result, an investment in revenue obligations is subject to greater risk of delay or non-payment if revenue does not accrue as expected or if other conditions are not met for reasons outside the control of the Fund. Conversely, if revenue accrues more quickly than anticipated, the Fund may receive payment before expected and have difficulty re-investing the proceeds on equally favorable terms.
Anticipation notes Anticipation notes are issued to provide interim financing of various municipal needs in anticipation of the receipt of other sources of money for repayment of the notes.
Bond anticipation notes are normally issued to provide interim financing until a long-term bond financing can be arranged which provides the money for the repayment of the notes.
Revenue anticipation notes are issued in expectation of the receipt of revenue sources, other than tax receipts, such as anticipated revenues from a source such as turnpike tolls.
Tax anticipation notes are issued to finance the short-term working capital needs of municipalities in anticipation of the receipt of various seasonal tax revenues that are used to repay the notes. They are usually general obligations of the issuer and are secured by the taxing power for the payment of principal and interest.
Borrowing The 1940 Act and the SEC's current rules, exemptions and interpretations thereunder, permit the Fund to borrow up to one-third of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed, but less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities) from banks. The Fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage of at least 300% with respect to such borrowings and to reduce the amount of its borrowings (within three days) to restore such coverage if it should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or otherwise. In the event that the Fund is required to reduce its borrowings, it may have to sell portfolio holdings, even if such sale of the Fund's holdings would be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint.
If the Fund makes additional investments while borrowings are outstanding, this may be considered a form of leverage. Leveraging by means of borrowing may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of portfolio securities on the Fund's net asset value, and money borrowed will be subject to interest and other costs (which may include commitment fees and/or the cost of maintaining minimum average balances), which may or may not exceed the income or gains received from the securities purchased with borrowed funds.
In addition to borrowings that are subject to 300% asset coverage, the Fund is also permitted under the 1940 Act to borrow for temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of its total assets at the time when the loan is made. A loan will be presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed.
Callable securities Callable securities give the issuer the right to redeem the security on a given date or dates (known as the call dates) prior to maturity. In return, the call feature is factored into the price of the debt security, and callable debt securities typically offer a higher yield than comparable non-callable securities. Certain securities may be called only in whole (the entire security is redeemed), while others may be called in part (a portion of the total face value is redeemed) and possibly from time to time as determined by the issuer. There is no guarantee that the Fund will receive higher yields or a call premium on an investment in callable securities.
The period of time between the time of issue and the first call date, known as call protection, varies from security to security. Call protection provides the investor holding the security with assurance that the security will not be called before a specified date. As a result, securities with call protection generally cost more than similar securities without call protection. Call protection will make a callable security more similar to a long-term debt security, resulting in an associated increase in the callable security's interest rate sensitivity.
Documentation for callable securities usually requires that investors be notified of a call within a prescribed period of time. If a security is called, the Fund will receive the principal amount and accrued interest, and may receive a small additional payment as a call premium. Issuers are more likely to exercise call options in periods when interest rates are below the rate at which the original security was issued, because the issuer can issue new securities with lower interest payments. Callable securities are subject to the risks of other debt securities in general, including prepayment risk, especially in falling interest rate environments.
Commercial paper Commercial paper is an unsecured, short-term loan to a corporation, typically for financing accounts receivable and inventory with maturities of up to 270 days. The Fund may invest in taxable commercial paper only for temporary defensive purposes.
Convertible zero-coupon and step coupon bonds The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in convertible zero-coupon and step coupon bonds. Convertible zero-coupon securities have no coupon until a predetermined date, at which time they convert to a specified coupon security. The coupon on step coupon bonds changes periodically during the life of the security based on predetermined dates chosen when the security is issued. Zero-coupon bonds tend to react more sharply to changes in interest rates than traditional bonds.
Distressed and defaulted debt securities Investments in securities of issuers that are, or are about to be, involved in reorganizations, financial restructurings, or bankruptcy (generally referred to as "distressed debt") typically involve the purchase of lower-rated or defaulted debt securities, comparable unrated debt securities, or other indebtedness of such issuers. By purchasing all or a part of an issuer's direct indebtedness, the Fund, in effect, steps into the shoes of the lender. If the loan is secured, the Fund will have a priority claim to the assets of the issuer ahead of unsecured creditors and stockholders. The risk that the Fund may lose its entire investment in defaulted bonds is greater in comparison to investing in non-defaulted bonds.
If the issuer of a debt security in the Fund's portfolio defaults, the Fund may have unrealized losses on the security, which may lower the Fund's net asset value. Defaulted securities tend to lose much of their value before they default. Thus, the Fund's net asset value may be adversely affected before an issuer defaults. The Fund will incur additional expenses if it tries to recover principal or interest payments on a defaulted security. Defaulted debt securities often are illiquid.
The Fund is not required to sell a debt security that has defaulted if the investment manager believes it is advantageous to continue holding the security.
The Fund may be required under the Internal Revenue Code and U.S. Treasury Regulations to accrue income for income tax purposes on defaulted debt securities and to distribute such income to the Fund's shareholders even though the Fund is not currently receiving interest payments on such obligations. To generate cash for distributions, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities that it otherwise would have continued to hold or use cash flows from other sources, such as the sale of Fund shares.
Illiquid securities Generally, an "illiquid security" is any security that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued the instrument. Illiquid securities generally include securities for which no market exists or which are legally restricted as to their transfer.
The risk to the Fund in holding illiquid securities is that they may be more difficult to sell if the Fund wants to dispose of the security in response to adverse developments or in order to raise money for redemptions or other investment opportunities. Illiquid trading conditions may also make it more difficult for the Fund to realize a security's fair value.
Insurance The Fund may also invest in insured municipal securities. Normally, the underlying rating of an insured security is one of the top three ratings of Fitch, Moody's or S&P ® . An insurer may insure municipal securities that are rated below the top three ratings or that are unrated if the securities otherwise meet the insurer's quality standards.
The Fund will only enter into a contract to buy an insured municipal security if either permanent insurance or an irrevocable commitment to insure the municipal security by a qualified municipal bond insurer is in place. The insurance feature guarantees the scheduled payment of principal and interest, but does not guarantee (i) the market value of the insured municipal security, (ii) the value of the Fund's shares, or (iii) the Fund's distributions.
Types of insurance. There are three types of insurance: new issue, secondary and portfolio. A new issue insurance policy is purchased by the issuer when the security is issued. A secondary insurance policy may be purchased by the Fund after a security is issued. With both new issue and secondary policies, the insurance continues in force for the life of the security and, thus, may increase the credit rating of the security, as well as its resale value. However, in response to recent market conditions rating agencies have lowered their ratings on some municipal bond insurers below BBB or withdrawn ratings. In such cases the insurance is providing little or no enhancement of credit or resale value to the municipal security and the security's rating will reflect the higher of the insurer rating or the underlying rating of the security.
The Fund may buy a secondary insurance policy at any time, if the investment manager believes the insurance would be in the best interest of the Fund. The Fund is likely to buy a secondary insurance policy if, in the investment manager's opinion, the Fund could sell a security at a price that exceeds the current value of the security, without insurance, plus the cost of the insurance. The purchase of a secondary policy, if available, may enable the Fund to sell a defaulted security at a price similar to that of comparable securities that are not in default. The Fund would value a defaulted security covered by a secondary insurance policy at its market value.
The Fund also may buy a portfolio insurance policy. Unlike new issue and secondary insurance, which continue in force for the life of the security, portfolio insurance only covers securities while they are held by the Fund. If the Fund sells a security covered by portfolio insurance, the insurance protection on that security ends and, thus, cannot affect the resale value of the security. As a result, the Fund may continue to hold any security insured under a portfolio insurance policy that is in default or in significant risk of default and, absent any unusual or unforeseen circumstances as a result of the portfolio insurance policy, would likely value the defaulted security, or security for which there is a significant risk of default, at the same price as comparable securities that are not in default. While a defaulted security is held in the Fund's portfolio, the Fund continues to pay the insurance premium on the security but also collects interest payments from the insurer and retains the right to collect the full amount of principal from the insurer when the security comes due.
The insurance premium the Fund pays for a portfolio insurance policy is a Fund expense. The premium is payable monthly and is adjusted for purchases and sales of covered securities during the month. If the Fund fails to pay its premium, the insurer may take action against the Fund to recover any premium payments that are due. The insurer may not change premium rates for securities covered by a portfolio insurance policy, regardless of the issuer's ability or willingness to meet its obligations.
Qualified municipal bond insurers. Insurance policies may be issued by any one of several qualified municipal bond insurers. The bond insurance industry is a regulated industry. All bond insurers must be licensed in each state in order to write financial guarantees in that jurisdiction. Regulations vary from state to state. Most regulators, however, require minimum standards of solvency and limitations on leverage and investment of assets. Regulators also place restrictions on the amount an insurer can guarantee in relation to the insurer's capital base. Neither the Fund nor the investment manager makes any representations as to the ability of any insurance company to meet its obligation to the Fund if called upon to do so.
If an insurer is called upon to pay the principal or interest on an insured security that is due for payment but that has not been paid by the issuer, the terms of payment would be governed by the provisions of the insurance policy. After payment, the insurer becomes the owner of the security, appurtenant coupon, or right to payment of principal or interest on the security and is fully subrogated to all of the Fund's rights with respect to the security, including the right to payment. The insurer's rights to the security or to payment of principal or interest are limited, however, to the amount the insurer has paid.
As a result of recent market conditions, state regulators have required at least two municipal bond insurers to suspend claims payments on outstanding insurance in force. Certain municipal bond insurers have withdrawn from the market. Consequently, there may be insufficient qualified bond insurers (rated BBB or better) offering insurance on new issues of municipal securities so that the Fund may be unable to find sufficient insured municipal securities meeting the Fund's investment guidelines. These circumstances have led to a consolidation among municipal bond insurers concentrating the insurance risk on securities in the Fund's portfolio amongst fewer municipal bond insurers.
Mandatory tender (mandatory put) municipal securities Mandatory tender (mandatory put) municipal securities may be sold with a requirement that a holder of a security surrender the security to the issuer or its agent for cash at a date prior to the stated maturity. On the predetermined tender date, the holder receives principal and accrued interest.
Maturity Municipal securities are issued with a specific maturity date--the date when the issuer must repay the amount borrowed. Maturities typically range from less than one year (short term) to 30 years (long term). In general, securities with longer maturities are more sensitive to price changes, although they may provide higher yields.
Mello-Roos bonds are issued under the California Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act to finance the building of roads, sewage treatment plants and other projects designed to improve the infrastructure of a community. They may not be rated and are not considered obligations of the municipality.
Mello-Roos bonds are primarily secured by real estate taxes levied on property located in the community. The timely payment of principal and interest on the bonds depends on the property owner's continuing ability to pay the real estate taxes. Various factors could negatively affect this ability, including a decline in the economy or in the real estate market of California.
Municipal lease obligations Municipal lease obligations are created to finance the purchase of property for public use. The property is then leased to the state or a local government and these leases secure the municipal lease obligations. The lease payments are used to pay the interest on the obligations. However, municipal lease obligations differ from other municipal securities because each year the lessee's governing body must appropriate (set aside) the money to make the lease payments. If the money is not appropriated, the issuer or the lessee can end the lease without penalty. If the lease is cancelled, investors who own the municipal lease obligations may not be paid.
The Fund may invest in municipal lease obligations, including certificates of participation.
Because annual appropriations are required to make lease payments, municipal lease obligations generally are not subject to constitutional limitations on the issuance of debt, and may allow an issuer to increase government liabilities beyond constitutional debt limits. When faced with increasingly tight budgets, local governments have more discretion to curtail lease payments under a municipal lease obligation than they do to curtail payments on other municipal securities. If not enough money is appropriated to make the lease payments, the leased property may be repossessed as security for holders of the municipal lease obligations. If this happens, there is no assurance that the property's private sector or re-leasing value will be enough to make all outstanding payments on the municipal lease obligations or that the payments will continue to be tax-free.
While cancellation risk is inherent to municipal lease obligations, the Fund believes that this risk may be reduced, although not eliminated, by its policies on the quality of municipal lease securities in which it may invest.
Refunded bonds Refunded bonds, also known as pre-refunded or escrow-secured bonds, are outstanding debt securities that may not be callable (redeemable) by the issuer but have been "pre-refunded" by the issuer. The issuer "pre-refunds" the bonds by setting aside in advance all or a portion of the amount to be paid to the bondholders when the bond is called. Generally, an issuer uses the proceeds from a new bond issue to buy high grade, interest bearing debt securities, including direct obligations of the U.S. government, which are then deposited in an irrevocable escrow account held by a trustee bank to secure all future payments of principal and interest on the refunded bonds. Due to the substantial "collateral" held in escrow, refunded bonds often are rated Aaa by Moody's or AAA by S&P, or some equivalent rating. Because refunded bonds still bear the same interest rate as when they were originally issued and are of very high credit quality, their market value may increase. However, as the refunded bond approaches its call or ultimate maturity date, the bond's market value will tend to fall to its call or par price.
Stripped securities Stripped securities are debt securities that have been transformed from a principal amount with periodic interest coupons into a series of zero coupon bonds, each with a different maturity date corresponding to one of the payment dates for interest coupon payments or the redemption date for the principal amount. Stripped securities are subject to all the risks applicable to zero coupon bonds as well as certain additional risks.
Like zero coupon bonds, stripped securities do not provide for periodic payments of interest prior to maturity. Rather they are offered at a discount from their face amount that will be paid at maturity. This results in the security being subject to greater fluctuations in response to changing interest rates than interest-paying securities of similar maturities.
Tax-exempt commercial paper Tax-exempt commercial paper typically represents an unsecured short-term obligation (270 days or less) issued by a municipality.
Tax-exempt industrial development revenue bonds Tax-exempt industrial development revenue bonds are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to finance various privately operated facilities which are expected to benefit the municipality and its residents, such as business, manufacturing, housing, sports and pollution control, as well as public facilities such as airports, mass transit systems, ports and parking. The payment of principal and interest is solely dependent on the ability of the facility's user to meet its financial obligations and the pledge, if any, of the facility or other property as security for payment.
Temporary Investments When the investment manager believes market or economic conditions are unusual or unfavorable for investors, the investment manager may invest up to 100% of the Fund's assets in temporary defensive investments, including cash, cash equivalents or other high quality short-term investments, such as short-term debt instruments, including U.S. government securities, high grade commercial paper, repurchase agreements, negotiable certificates of deposit, non-negotiable fixed time deposits, bankers acceptances, and other money market equivalents. To the extent allowed by exemptions from and rules under the 1940 Act and the Fund's other investment policies and restrictions, the investment manager also may invest the Fund's assets in shares of one or more money market funds managed by the investment manager or its affiliates. Unfavorable market or economic conditions may include excessive volatility or a prolonged general decline in the securities markets, the securities in which the Fund normally invests, or the economies of the states and territories where the Fund invests. Temporary defensive investments can and do experience default. The likelihood of default on a temporary defensive investment may increase in the market or economic conditions which are likely to trigger the Fund's investment therein.
Temporary defensive investments generally may include securities that pay taxable interest, including (i) municipal securities issued by a state or local government other than the Fund's state; (ii) high quality commercial paper; or (iii) securities issued by or guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The Fund also may invest all of its assets in municipal securities issued by a U.S. territory such as Guam, Puerto Rico, the Mariana Islands or the U.S. Virgin Islands. The investment manager also may invest in these types of securities or hold cash when securities meeting the Fund's investment criteria are unavailable or to maintain liquidity. When the Fund's assets are invested in temporary investments, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment goal.
Unrated debt securities Not all debt securities or their issuers are rated by rating agencies, sometimes due to the size of or manner of the securities offering, the decision by one or more rating agencies not to rate certain securities or issuers as a matter of policy, or the unwillingness or inability of the issuer to provide the prerequisite information and fee to the rating agencies. Some debt securities markets may have a disproportionately large number of unrated issuers.
In evaluating unrated securities, the investment manager may consider, among other things, the issuer's financial resources, its sensitivity to economic conditions and trends, its operating history, the quality of the issuer's management and regulatory matters. Although unrated debt securities may be considered to be of investment grade quality, issuers typically pay a higher interest rate on unrated than on investment grade rated debt securities. Less information is typically available to the market on unrated securities and obligors, which may increase the potential for credit and valuation risk.
U.S. government securities U.S. government securities include obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. federal government, its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. Some U.S. government securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. These include U.S. Treasury obligations and securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA). Others are supported by the right of the agency, instrumentality or sponsored enterprise to borrow from the U.S. government to meet its obligations. These include securities issued by Federal Home Loan Banks.
A third category of U.S. government securities are those supported by only the credit of the issuing agency, instrumentality or sponsored enterprise. These include securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC). In the event of a default, an investor like the Fund would only have legal recourse to the issuer, not the U.S. government. Although the U.S. government has provided support for these securities in the past, there can be no assurance that it will do so in the future. The U.S. government has also made available additional guarantees for limited periods to stabilize or restore a market in the wake of an economic, political or natural crisis. Such guarantees, and the economic opportunities they present, are likely to be temporary and cannot be relied upon by the Fund.
Variable or floating rate securities The Fund may invest in variable or floating rate securities, including variable rate demand notes, municipal inflation protected securities, index-based floating rate securities, and auction rate securities, which have interest rates that change either at specific intervals from daily up to semiannually, or whenever a benchmark rate changes. The interest rate adjustments are designed to help stabilize the security's price or maintain a fixed spread to a predetermined benchmark. While this feature may protect against a decline in the security's market price when interest rates or benchmark rates rise, it lowers the Fund's income when interest rates or benchmark rates fall. Of course, the Fund's income from its variable and floating rate investments also may increase if interest rates rise.
Variable or floating rate securities may include a demand feature, which may be unconditional. The demand feature allows the holder to demand prepayment of the principal amount before maturity, generally on one to 30 days' notice. The holder receives the principal amount plus any accrued interest either from the issuer or by drawing on a bank letter of credit, a guarantee or insurance issued with respect to the security. The Fund generally uses variable or floating rate securities as short-term investments while waiting for long-term investment opportunities.
Movements in the relevant index or benchmark on which adjustments are based will affect the interest paid on these securities and, therefore, the current income earned by the Fund and the securities' market value. The degree of volatility in the market value of the variable rate securities held by the Fund will generally increase along with the length of time between adjustments, the degree of volatility in the applicable index, benchmark or base lending rate and whether the index, benchmark or base lending rate to which it resets or floats approximates short-term or other prevailing interest rates. It will also be a function of the maximum increase or decrease of the interest rate adjustment on any one adjustment date, in any one year, and over the life of the security.
The income earned by the Fund and distributed to shareholders will generally increase or decrease along with movements in the relevant index, benchmark or base lending rate. Thus the Fund's income will be more unpredictable than the income earned on similar investments with a fixed rate of interest.
When-issued transactions Municipal securities may be offered on a "when-issued" basis. When so offered, the price, which is generally expressed in yield terms, is fixed at the time the commitment to buy is made, but delivery and payment take place at a later date. During the time between purchase and settlement, no payment is made by the Fund to the issuer and no interest accrues to the Fund. If the other party to the transaction fails to deliver or pay for the security, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity, or could experience a loss.
When the Fund makes the commitment to buy a municipal security on a when-issued basis, it records the transaction and includes the value of the security in the calculation of its net asset value. The Fund does not believe that its net asset value or income will be negatively affected by its purchase of municipal securities on a when-issued basis. The Fund will not engage in when-issued transactions for investment leverage purposes.
Although the Fund generally will buy municipal securities on a when-issued basis with the intention of acquiring the securities, it may sell the securities before the settlement date if it is considered advisable. When the Fund is the buyer, it will set aside on its books cash or liquid securities, with an aggregate value equal to the amount of its purchase commitments, until payment is made. If assets of the Fund are held in cash pending the settlement of a purchase of securities, the Fund will not earn income on those assets.
Zero coupon and deferred interest securities Zero coupon or deferred interest bonds are debt securities that make no periodic interest payments until maturity or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest (the "cash payment date"). Zero coupon and deferred interest bonds generally are issued and traded at a discount from their face amount or par value.
The original discount on zero coupon or deferred interest bonds approximates the total amount of interest the bonds will accumulate over the period until maturity or the first cash payment date and compounds at a rate of interest reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. The discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or the cash payment date, as well as prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the market for the security, and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. The discount, in the absence of financial difficulties of the issuer, typically decreases as the final maturity or cash payment date approaches. The discount typically increases as interest rates rise, the market becomes less liquid or the creditworthiness of the issuer deteriorates.
For accounting and federal tax purposes, holders of bonds issued at a discount, such as the Fund, are deemed to receive interest income over the life of the bonds even though the bonds do not pay out cash to their holders before maturity or the cash payment date. That income is distributable to Fund shareholders even though no cash is received by the Fund at the time of accrual, which may require the liquidation of other portfolio securities to satisfy the Fund's distribution obligations.
As a result, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities that it would otherwise continue to hold in order to obtain sufficient cash to make the distributions to shareholders required under U.S. tax law.
Because investors receive no cash prior to the maturity or cash payment date, an investment in debt securities issued at a discount generally has a greater potential for complete loss of principal and/or return than an investment in debt securities that make periodic interest payments. Such investments are more vulnerable to the creditworthiness of the issuer and any other parties upon which performance relies.
The following is a description of the general risks associated with the Fund's investments in municipal securities.
Credit quality All things being equal, the lower a security's credit quality, the higher the risk and the higher the yield the security generally must pay as compensation to investors for the higher risk.
A security's credit quality depends on the issuer's ability to pay interest on the security and, ultimately, to repay the principal. Independent rating agencies, such as Moody's and S&P ® , often rate municipal securities based on their analysis of the issuer's credit quality. Most rating agencies use a descending alphabet scale to rate long-term securities, and a descending numerical scale to rate short-term securities. Securities in the top four long term ratings (or comparable short-term rated or unrated securities) are "investment grade," although securities in the fourth highest rating may have some speculative features. These ratings are described at the end of this SAI under "Description of Ratings." Lower-rated securities may be subject to all the risks applicable to high-yield debt securities and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than is the case with higher grade debt securities.
A number of risks associated with rating organizations apply to the purchase or sale of investment grade debt securities.
An insurance company, bank or other foreign or domestic entity may provide credit support for a municipal security and enhance its credit quality. For example, some municipal securities are insured, which means they are covered by an insurance policy that guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest. Other municipal securities may be backed by letters of credit, guarantees, or escrow or trust accounts that contain high quality securities, including securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government to secure the payment of principal and interest.
Any limitations on the credit quality of the securities the Fund may buy generally are applied when the Fund makes an investment so that the Fund is not required to sell a security because of a later change in circumstances.
In addition to considering ratings in its selection of the Fund's portfolio securities, the investment manager may consider, among other things, information about the financial history and condition of the issuer, revenue and expense prospects and, in the case of revenue bonds, the financial history and condition of the source of revenue to service the bonds. Securities that depend on the credit of the U.S. government are regarded as having an AAA or equivalent rating.
Credit risk Debt securities are subject to the risk of an issuer's (or other party's) failure or inability to meet its obligations under the security. Multiple parties may have obligations under a debt security. An issuer or borrower may fail to pay principal and interest when due. A guarantor, insurer or credit support provider may fail to provide the agreed upon protection. A counterparty to a transaction may fail to perform its side of the bargain. An intermediary or agent interposed between the investor and other parties may fail to perform the terms of its service. Also, performance under a debt security may be linked to the obligations of other persons who may fail to meet their obligations. The credit risk associated with a debt security could increase to the extent that the Fund's ability to benefit fully from its investment in the security depends on the performance by multiple parties of their respective contractual or other obligations. The market value of a debt security is also affected by the market's perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer.
The Fund may incur substantial losses on debt securities that are inaccurately perceived to present a different amount of credit risk than they actually do by the market, the investment manager or the rating agencies. Credit risk is generally greater where less information is publicly available, where fewer covenants safeguard the investors' interests, where collateral may be impaired or inadequate, where little legal redress or regulatory protection is available, or where a party's ability to meet obligations is speculative.
Obligations under debt securities held by the Fund may never be satisfied or, if satisfied, only satisfied in part.
A change in the credit rating of any one or more of the municipal bond insurers that insure securities in the Fund's portfolio may affect the value of the securities they insure, the Fund's share price and Fund performance. The Fund might also be adversely impacted by the inability of an insurer to meet its insurance obligations.
Debt securities ratings The investment manager may perform its own independent investment analysis of securities being considered for the Fund's portfolio. The investment manager also considers the ratings assigned by various investment services and independent rating organizations, such as Moody's and S&P, that publish ratings based upon their assessment of the relative creditworthiness of the rated debt securities. Generally, a lower rating indicates higher credit risk. Higher yields are ordinarily available from debt securities in the lower rating categories. These ratings are described at the end of this SAI under "Description of Ratings."
Using credit ratings to evaluate debt securities can involve certain risks. For example, ratings assigned by the rating agencies are based upon an analysis completed at the time of the rating of the obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal, typically relying to a large extent on historical data. Rating agencies typically rely to a large extent on historical data which may not accurately represent present or future circumstances. Ratings do not purport to reflect the risk of fluctuations in market value of the debt security and are not absolute standards of quality and only express the rating agency's current opinion of an obligor's overall financial capacity to pay its financial obligations. A credit rating is not a statement of fact or a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a debt obligation. Also, credit quality can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and credit ratings may not reflect the issuer's current financial condition or events since the security was last rated. Rating agencies may have a financial interest in generating business, including from the arranger or issuer of the security that normally pays for that rating, and providing a low rating might affect the rating agency's prospects for future business. While rating agencies have policies and procedures to address this potential conflict of interest, there is a risk that these policies will fail to prevent a conflict of interest from impacting the rating. Additionally, legislation has recently been enacted in an effort to reform rating agencies. Rules have also recently been adopted by the SEC to require rating agencies to provide additional disclosure and reduce conflicts of interest, and further reform has been proposed. It is uncertain how such legislation or additional regulation might impact the ratings agency business and the investment manager's use of ratings in its investment process.
Extension risk The market value of some debt securities may be adversely affected when bond calls or prepayments on underlying assets are less or slower than anticipated. This risk is extension risk. Extension risk may result from, for example, rising interest rates or unexpected developments in the markets for the underlying assets. As a consequence, the security's effective maturity will be extended, resulting in an increase in interest rate sensitivity to that of a longer-term instrument. Extension risk generally increases as interest rates rise. This is because, in a rising interest rate environment, the rate of prepayment and exercise of call or buy-back rights generally falls and the rate of default and delayed payment generally rises. When the maturity of an investment is extended in a rising interest rate environment, a below-market interest rate is usually locked-in and the value of the security reduced. This risk is greater for fixed-rate than variable-rate debt securities.
Focus Because the Fund predominantly invests in the municipal securities of California, its performance is closely tied to the ability of issuers of municipal securities in California to continue to make principal and interest payments on their securities. The issuers' ability to do this is in turn dependent on economic, political and other conditions within the state. The ability of issuers of municipal securities to continue to make principal and interest payments is dependent in large part on their ability to raise revenues, primarily through taxes, and to control spending. Many factors can affect a state's revenues including the rate of population growth, unemployment rates, personal income growth, federal aid, and the ability to attract and keep successful businesses. A number of factors can also affect a state's spending including the need for infrastructure improvements, increased costs for education and other services, current debt levels, and the existence of accumulated budget deficits.
The Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects, such as hospitals, higher education, housing, industrial development, and transportation or pollution control. A change that affects one project, such as proposed legislation on the financing of the project, a shortage of the materials needed for the project, or a declining need for the project, would likely affect all similar projects, thereby increasing market risk.
The Fund may be required under the Internal Revenue Code and U.S. Treasury Regulations to accrue income for income tax purposes on defaulted debt securities and to distribute such income to the Fund's shareholders even though the Fund is not currently receiving interest payments on such obligations. To generate cash for distributions, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities that it otherwise would have continued to hold or use cash flows from other sources, such as the sale of Fund shares.
Income risk The Fund is subject to income risk, which is the risk that the Fund's income will decline during periods of falling interest rates or when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds. The Fund's income declines when interest rates fall because, as the Fund's higher-yielding debt securities mature or are prepaid, the Fund must re-invest the proceeds in debt securities that have lower, prevailing interest rates. The amount and rate of distributions that the Fund's shareholders receive are affected by the income that the Fund receives from its portfolio holdings. If the income is reduced, distributions by the Fund to shareholders may be less. Fluctuations in income paid to the Fund are generally greater for variable rate debt securities. The Fund will be deemed to receive taxable income on certain securities which pay no cash payments until maturity, such as zero-coupon securities. The Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities that it would otherwise continue to hold in order to obtain sufficient cash to make the distribution to shareholders required for U.S. tax purposes.
Inflation risk The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Inside information risk The investment manager (through its representatives or otherwise) may receive information that restricts the investment manager's ability to cause the Fund to buy or sell securities of an issuer for substantial periods of time when the Fund otherwise could realize profit or avoid loss. This may adversely affect the Fund's flexibility with respect to buying or selling securities.
Interest rate risk The market value of debt securities generally varies in response to changes in prevailing interest rates. Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable. During periods of declining interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally increases. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the market value of debt securities generally declines. This occurs because new debt securities are likely to be issued with higher interest rates as interest rates increase, making the old or outstanding debt securities less attractive. In general, the market prices of long-term debt securities or securities that make little (or no) interest payments are more sensitive to interest rate fluctuations than shorter-term debt securities. The longer the Fund's average weighted portfolio maturity, the greater the impact a change in interest rates will have on its share price.
Liquidity Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are or become difficult to purchase or sell at the price at which the Fund has valued the security, whether because of current market conditions or the specific type of investment. If the market for a particular security becomes illiquid (for example, due to changes in the issuer's financial condition), the Fund may be unable to sell such security at an advantageous time or price due to the difficulty in selling such securities. Additionally, the market for certain debt securities may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Liquidity risk generally increases (meaning that securities become more illiquid) as the number, or relative need, of investors seeking to liquidate in a given market increases.
The Fund may also need to sell some of the Fund's more liquid securities when it otherwise would not do so in order to increase liquidity, even if such sale of the liquid holdings would be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint. Reduced liquidity may also have an adverse impact on a security's market value and the sale of such securities often results in higher brokerage charges or dealer discounts and other selling expenses. Reduced liquidity in the secondary market for certain securities will also make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain market quotations based on actual trades for purposes of valuing the Fund's portfolio and thus pricing may be prone to error when market quotations are volatile, infrequent and/or subject to large spreads between bid and ask prices.
Management The investment manager's judgments about markets, interest rates or the attractiveness, relative values or potential appreciation of particular investment strategies or sectors or securities purchased for the Fund's portfolio may prove to be incorrect, all of which could cause the Fund to perform less favorably and may result in a decline in the Fund's share price.
The investment manager selects investments for the Fund based in part on information and data that the issuers of such securities file with various government agencies or make directly available to the investment manager or that the investment manager obtains from other sources. The investment manager is not in a position to confirm the completeness, genuineness or accuracy of such information and data, and in some cases, complete and accurate information is not readily available. Additionally, legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment manager in connection with managing the Fund and may also adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment goal. Management risk is greater when less qualitative information is available to the investment manager about an investment.
Market risk The market value of securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably due to general market conditions which are not specifically related to a single security issuer. These general market conditions include real or perceived adverse economic or regulatory conditions, changes in interest or rates or adverse investor sentiment generally. Market values may also decline due to factors which affect a particular industry or sector, or a particular segment, such as municipal or government securities. During a general downturn in the securities markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value simultaneously. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that the Fund's securities will participate in or otherwise benefit from the advance.
Portfolio turnover Portfolio turnover is a measure of how frequently the Fund's portfolio securities are bought and sold. High portfolio turnover rates generally increase transaction costs, which are Fund expenses. Such portfolio transactions may also result in the realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains, which are generally taxable at ordinary income tax rates for federal income tax purposes for shareholders subject to income tax and who hold their shares in a taxable account. Higher transaction costs reduce the Fund's returns.
The SEC requires annual portfolio turnover to be calculated generally as the lesser of a fund's purchases or sales of portfolio securities during a given fiscal year, divided by the monthly average value of the Fund's portfolio securities owned during that year (excluding securities with a maturity or expiration date that, at the time of acquisition, was less than one year). For example, a fund reporting a 100% portfolio turnover rate would have purchased and sold securities worth as much as the monthly average value of its portfolio securities during the year. The portfolio turnover rates for the Fund are disclosed in the sections entitled "Portfolio Turnover" and "Financial Highlights" of the Fund's prospectus.
Portfolio turnover is affected by factors within and outside the control of the Fund and its investment manager. The investment manager's investment outlook for the type of securities in which the Fund invests may change as a result of unexpected developments in domestic or international securities markets, or in economic, monetary or political relationships. High market volatility may result in the investment manager using a more active trading strategy than it might have otherwise pursued. The Fund's investment manager will consider the economic effects of portfolio turnover but generally will not treat portfolio turnover as a limiting factor in making investment decisions. Investment decisions affecting turnover may include changes in investment policies or management personnel, as well as individual portfolio transactions.
Prepayment risk Debt securities, especially bonds that are subject to "calls," are subject to prepayment risk if their terms allow the payment of principal and other amounts due before their stated maturity. Amounts invested in a debt security that has been "called" or "prepaid" will be returned to an investor holding that security before expected by the investor. In such circumstances, the investor, such as a fund, may be required to re-invest the proceeds it receives from the called or prepaid security in a new security which, in periods of declining interest rates, will typically have a lower interest rate. Prepayment risk is especially prevalent in periods of declining interest rates.
Securities subject to prepayment risk are often called during a declining interest rate environment and generally offer less potential for gains and greater price volatility than other income-bearing securities of comparable maturity.
Call risk is similar to prepayment risk and results from the ability of an issuer to call, or prepay, a debt security early. If interest rates decline enough, the debt security's issuer can save money by repaying its callable debt securities and issuing new debt securities at lower interest rates.
State and U.S. Territory Risks
In addition to the risk factors discussed in the prospectus, the following risks should be considered.
California Since the Fund mainly invests in California municipal securities, its performance is closely tied to the ability of issuers of California municipal securities to continue to make principal and interest payments on their securities. The issuers' ability to do this is in turn dependent on economic, political and other conditions within California. Below is a discussion of certain conditions that may affect California municipal issuers. It is not a complete analysis of every material fact that may affect the ability of issuers of California municipal securities to meet their debt obligations or the economic or political conditions within California and is subject to change. The information below is based on data available to the Fund from historically reliable sources, but the Fund has not independently verified it.
The ability of issuers of municipal securities to continue to make principal and interest payments is dependent in large part on their ability to raise revenues, primarily through taxes, and to control spending. Many factors can affect the state's revenues including the rate of population growth, man-made or natural disasters, unemployment rates, personal income growth, federal aid, and the ability to attract and retain successful businesses. A number of factors can also affect the state's spending including current debt levels, and the existence of accumulated budget deficits. The following provides some information on these and other factors.
Economy:
The California economy has slowed precipitously in the last few years as a result of the national economic slowdown and housing crisis.
The Inland Empire, Central Valley and Sacramento area are being hardest hit by the housing crisis, although all regions are feeling some effects of it. Foreclosures have increased, home prices have dropped and as a result, construction and mortgage related employment have declined along with retail sales. Home building permits, which had been declining since 2006, appear to have bottomed out in 2009 and are actually showing year-over-year gains since January 2010. As of March 2011, permits were up 9.9% on a year-over-year basis, but are still off the peak in 2005.
California saw significant job losses during between the last half of 2008 and mid-2009. During this period, the state lost one million jobs. Since mid-2009, the losses have been moderating on a year-over-year basis. California saw job growth on a year-over-year basis as of March 2011 as non-farm payrolls grew by 188,100 jobs or 1.4%. There were eight industry divisions showing growth over the year. Professional and business services recorded the largest increase with its 83,800 jobs resulting in a 4.1% increase. Government employment showed the biggest year-over-year decline down 42,500 jobs or 1.7%. The unemployment rate is still high at 12.0% as of March 2011, but it is down from 12.4% a year earlier, which is the largest year-over-year decline since before the recession in November 2006. It is also higher than the national unemployment rate, which was 8.8% in March 2011. California's recovery is expected to be long.
The state's diverse employment, as represented by employment mix, is as follows: manufacturing at 9.1% of employment (based on 2009 state figures), trade 18.7%, services 44.2%, and government 17.8%. California's per capita personal income has consistently been above that of the nation as a whole. During the 1990s, per capita income as a percent of the nation's increased to 110.1% in 2000. Since 2000, the ratio declined but rebounded since the middle of the decade until a slight downturn to 108.5% as of 2008.
Financial:
Beginning in fiscal year 2001, the state started to see a slowdown in revenue growth with an increase in expenditures. The state generated deficits in fiscal year 2001, fiscal year 2002 and fiscal year 2003, leaving the state with an accumulated deficit in its General Fund. In May and June 2004, the state issued $11.3 billion in economic recovery bonds, part of which was used to help erase the accumulated deficit. As a result, the state posted a surplus for fiscal year 2004 helping erase the accumulated deficit to just $1.5 billion. The state's improving fiscal condition continued into 2005 with a $1.7 billion surplus and in 2006 with a $2.5 billion surplus. In fiscal year 2007, while the state posted balanced operations, after transfers it posted a deficit of $4.6 billion. In fiscal year 2008, the state again posted a deficit ($2.3 billion) bringing its fund balance to a negative $4.2 billion. Fiscal year 2009 saw another deficit, negative $11.9 billion, further reducing its General Fund balance to a negative $16.1 billion. In fiscal year 2010, the state continued to see the General Fund budget underperform with a general fund deficit of $3.5 billion. The state expects to end fiscal year 2011 with another deficit.
In May 2011, the governor released his updated fiscal year 2012 budget proposal. The May Revise estimates that the states budget deficit for fiscal years 2011 and 2012 has been reduced to $9.6 billion from $26.6 billion as outlined in January 2011. The net reduction comes from a combination of budget solutions adopted by the governor and legislature in March 2011 and an improved revenue forecast for 2011 and 2012 netted against several spending increases. The governor has offered a budget package that closes this deficit and allows for a budget reserve of $1.2 billion. The governors deficit package includes $2.3 billion in expenditure reductions, $9.9 billion in revenue increases and $2.2 billion in other measures.
The revenue increases are the result of projected growth in the economy as well as a large package of tax extension for which the governor is seeking voter approval. The tax extension package looks to extend several personal income tax, sales tax and vehicle license fee temporary extensions set to expire on June 30, 2011 for an additional five years. The governor has been looking for legislative approval to put these extensions on a ballot, but has not been able to get bi-partisan support for the plan. The governor could get the measures on the ballot through a signature gathering plan, but details are not clear at this time. If the governor cannot get the extensions on a ballot or voters turn the measure down, the governor and legislature will have to find alternate ways to close the budget gap. Other methods to close the gap include a realignment of certain programs to local governments, elimination of redevelopment agencies and reinstatement of certain tax incentives. Any significant delay in budget passage could cause cash flow issues for the state since it typically does its annual cash flow borrowing, which requires budget passage, in the summer.
California's debt levels have grown in recent years as the state has been upgrading its infrastructure and financing new facilities resulting from its large population growth. In 1990, the state's net tax-supported debt per capita was below the median for all states as calculated by Moodys Investors Service. By 2010, it was $2,362, above the $936 median for all states, and it ranks 7th nationally. In November 2006, voters approved close to $43 billion in debt for infrastructure needs which will further increase debt levels. The debt won't be issued all at once, but rather phased in. However, due to the states fiscal problems, California has reduced the amount of debt issued in fiscal 2011 and proposed a similar reduction in fiscal 2012 to reduce interest costs. Total outstanding general obligation and lease purchase debt was $79.9 billion as of April 1, 2011 (including Economic Recovery Bonds).
The State of California has never defaulted on any state debt. Under the California State Constitution, the only spending item that is paid ahead of debt service on the state's general obligation bonds is public education.
As of May 2011, the state was rated A1, stable by Moodys Investors Service; A-, negative by Standard and Poors; and A-, stable by Fitch.
U.S. Territories Since the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in municipal securities issued by U.S. territories, the ability of municipal issuers in U.S. territories to continue to make principal and interest payments also may affect the Fund's performance. As with municipal issuers, the ability to make these payments is dependent on economic, political and other conditions. Below is a discussion of certain conditions within some of the territories where the Fund may invest. It is not a complete analysis of every material fact that may affect the ability of issuers of U.S. territory municipal securities to meet their debt obligations or the economic or political conditions within the territories and is subject to change. It is based on data available to the Fund from historically reliable sources, but it has not been independently verified by the Fund.
Guam. The island of Guam has an estimated population of 180,865. Its economy is driven by tourism and U.S. military activity. The government of Guam also receives significant support from the U.S. Treasury. Japan accounts for a substantial amount of Guam's tourism (78% of visitors), which makes the island's economy very sensitive to fluctuations in the Japanese economy. Economic weakness in Japan and other parts of Asia has had a negative impact on Guam tourism. Combined with a typhoon in 1997, a super-typhoon in 2002, the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks ("9/11"), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the war in Iraq, tourism declined in the early to mid-part of this decade. However, tourism has seen improvement in recent years, helped by favorable weather and a steadying Japanese economy. In August 2007, visitor arrivals hit the highest mark since 9/11 and calendar year 2007 arrivals increased 1.1% from 2006. However, since then, arrivals have dropped off which Guam attributes to the global recession. In 2008, visitors declined 6.8% and in 2009, visitors declined 7.8%. Guam started seeing improvement in 2010 with year-over-year growth of 4.4% as of July 2010. The largest segment of Guams tourist base comes from Japan and there could be some declines in the number of Japanese tourists to Guam as Japan continues to recover from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Employment has been quite volatile on Guam since 1998. Total employment reached a peak of 62,350 in March of 1999. Small increases followed in 2000 and 2001, but then employment fell by nearly 10% in early 2002. Employment slowly increased, reaching 60,840 in December 2008 and 61,220 in December 2009. Through June 2010, employment showed year-over-year increase of 1,900 jobs. Guam believes job growth will be up for 2010 as tourism has picked up which combined with construction increases should result in improvement. The unemployment rate remains high and was 9.3% in September 2009, the last time it was calculated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The U.S. military presence on Guam has always been a positive contributor to the economy. Its strategic location close to Asia has increased its importance in the overall military strategy of the U.S. As a result, the U.S. government is in the process of a significant buildup of personnel and facilities on Guam. The Marines are planning to relocate some 8,000 Marines and their 9,000 dependents to Guam from Okinawa, Japan by 2014, and the U.S. Navy has stationed several submarines and carrier strike forces on the island. This planned growth would require a substantial amount of new facilities, upgrades to existing facilities and infrastructure improvements, possibly totaling as much as $10 billion. The short- and long-term implications of this growth are expected to be positive.
Guam's overall financial condition has deteriorated due to a slew of misfortunes and mismanagement. Natural disasters, the economic crisis in Japan, and the events of 9/11 have all contributed to Guam's financial hardship. Guam has seen negative financial results for most of the past decade. As a result, its fiscal year 2007 accumulated deficit had grown to almost $523 million. Guam has seen some recent improvement in its financial condition. Guam was able to post a small surplus in fiscal year 2007 followed by larger ones in fiscal year 2008 and 2009. This is a step in the right direction for Guam, but its accumulated deficit is still huge. It is also worth noting that the surpluses are partially the result of bonding out portions of its deficit fund balance. Guams original budget for fiscal year 2010 projected a $132 million surplus. But after a tax credit revenue deferral of $29.2 million, it expected a $16 million deficit. It has a large unfunded liability in its pension fund and a large liability to its residents for unpaid tax refunds. The government issued debt in 2007 to fund some of these liabilities, restructure debt and pay debt service on current obligations for which cash was not available. Guam has identified several steps that can be taken to improve its financial condition, but successful implementation is uncertain. The expected economic boost from the military buildup could also improve the territory's financial picture, but it is unclear whether Guam will be able to erase this deficit in the foreseeable future. A new governor was elected in 2010 and took office in January 2011.
As of April 2011, S&P has assigned a rating of B+ to Guam's general obligation debt with a stable outlook.
Mariana Islands. The Mariana Islands became a U.S. territory in 1975. At that time, the U.S. government agreed to exempt the islands from federal minimum wage and immigration laws in an effort to help stimulate industry and the economy. As a result, the islands were able to build a large garment industry which at one time encompassed 40% of the economy, and its rapid growth from 1980-1995 helped put the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) at the top of the list of economic growth worldwide. Critical to this growth was duty-free access to U.S. markets and local authority over immigration and the minimum wage. However, in 2005 when the World Trade Organization (WTO) eliminated quotas on apparel imports from other textile producing countries, the CNMI lost their main competitive advantage. In 2007, the CNMI's immigration and minimum wage laws were federalized. The CNMI must now follow all U.S. immigration and minimum wage laws. The minimum wage which was $3.05 will be increased by $0.50 each year until 2015 when it reaches the current U.S. minimum wage. This has raised the production costs to a level that renders the garment industry uncompetitive. Also, under new immigration laws, all non-U.S. born residents must leave the CNMI by 2012 unless they qualify for a working visa. As a result of these changes, the garment industry started a rapid decline which has affected jobs, population, income and government revenues.
Tourism, now the main economic driver other than government, continues to weaken. The CNMI continues its heavy dependence on Asian markets for tourism. In 2008, 51% of visitors were from Japan, 26% from Korea and 12% from Russia and China. Tourism hit its high in 2004 with 589,000 visitors. However, arrivals dropped by 30% by 2008 to 408,000 largely due to the loss of direct flights from Japan. To diversify its visitor base, the CNMI has been targeting Russia and China. Tourism is showing some signs of improvement. Arrivals as of November 2010 were up 18% compared to a year earlier, but it is important to note that this is still 14% below what it was in November 2008. Tourists from Japan are a significant part of the tourism base in the CNMI, and the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami and tourist numbers could decline as Japan continues to recover.
The CNMI financials have been in a deficit position since 1994. At the end of fiscal year 2009, the commonwealth had an accumulated deficit of $273 million. In fiscal year 2009, revenues were under budget by 11.8% as a result of economic weakness. The large accumulated deficit was created from years of deficit operations resulting from both incorrect revenue and expenditure assumptions and the consequences from not adopting a budget. The CNMI has a history of not adopting budgets which means it spends at the prior budget's levels, which in some cases were four years old. As a result it was spending more than it collected in revenue. As a result of the significant deficits, the CNMI is often forced to forego funding its retirement to meet cash obligations. The elimination of retirement funding has also left the pension fund grossly underfunded.
The population of all the islands combined was estimated at 59,220 in 2007, a 16% decrease from the 2004 high.
As of April 2011, Moody's rated the Commonwealth B2 and S&P rated it B+.
Puerto Rico. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the fourth largest island in the Caribbean and an estimated 3.9 million people call it home. Puerto Rico's economy has traditionally tracked that of the U.S. mainland. However, Puerto Rico entered its own recession about two years prior to the mainland entering its recession. Tourism, an important component of the Puerto Rican economy, had improved in late 2007 and early 2008. However, with the U.S. in recession, tourism has slowed down and had a negative effect on the economy and tax revenues. Hotel occupancy rates dropped from 64% in December 2007 to 59% in December 2008, but they rose to 64.7% in November 2009. Since 2002, the Commonwealth reports its economy has been expanding at a moderate annual rate of 2.3%, but over the past several years, several key economic indicators have begun to indicate a significant slowing of activity. In 2009, the Planning Board twice lowered its real gross national product forecast. It is possible this will be further revised downward despite the receipt of fiscal stimulus moneys.
The island's unemployment rate dropped from 13.6% in 1998 down to an average of 10.6% as of 2005 after which it rose annually to 16.3% as of August 2010. Private sector job losses have slowed since December 2009, but still show year-over-year job losses. As of February 2011, job losses declined 0.6% from February 2010 which is the lowest year-over-year job loss since 2007. This is an improvement over the past several years, but the Commonwealth has far to go to create more jobs than it is losing. The largest employment sectors include government (33%), services (33%), trade (17%) and manufacturing (11%). The manufacturing sector has undergone some major changes as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and technology became growth areas in the 1990s. However, this trend has reversed in the last several years. Pharmaceutical manufacturing employment declined 18% from fiscal years 2006 to 2008.
The Commonwealth has had deficit financial results for ten years. Its financial situation reached a critical point in May 2006, when the government disclosed a significant budget gap of $738 million for that fiscal year. After a political impasse, the Governor ordered the closing of certain non-essential government offices and schools due to the lack of money available for operations. A four-person commission of non-elected citizens was charged with resolving the fiscal crisis, the largest resolution of which was implementation of a sales tax.
A new administration took over in January 2009, with the challenge of dealing with a $3.2 billion deficit for fiscal year 2009. The Governor announced and has begun implementing a Fiscal Stabilization and Economic Reconstruction Plan which is a comprehensive overhaul of the government, both financially and organizationally. The main components of the fiscal year 2010 plan included job cuts, several temporary tax increases, increased tax enforcement, a reorganization of the government and a combination of the federal and a local stimulus plan. The Commonwealth was unable to realize all of its goals, but did make notable progress. Through the first nine months of fiscal year 2011, the government was seeing reduced revenues as compared to the same period in fiscal year 2010 and a small underperformance as compared to budget. The Commonwealth attributes this to the implementation of tax reform. The Commonwealths fiscal year 2011 budget projects revenues of $7.69 billion and expenditures of $9.13 billion. To close the gap, the Commonwealth will use additional revenues from sales tax compliance measures, casino revenues, revenues from a property tax appraisal plan and deficit borrowing. Puerto Rico projects its structural deficit at year end will be approximately $1 billion as compared to $3.3 billion for fiscal year 2009. A goal of the plan is a structurally balanced budget by 2013 which may not happen on schedule.
While Puerto Rico's debt per capita levels are at the higher end of the spectrum compared to U.S. states, this is partly explained by the fact that Puerto Rico generally centralizes the majority of its debt issuance at the territory level. These debt levels have increased as Puerto Rico financed significant capital and infrastructure improvements. Puerto Rico continues to maintain a large unfunded pension liability of almost $17 billion that risks running out of money as early as 2014. It also has an unfunded other postemployment benefits (OPEB) liability of $1.6 billion. The Commonwealth issued pension obligation bonds in early 2008, which helped, but will not solve the pension issues. The bonds are secured by future employer contributions.
S&P ® rated Puerto Rico's general obligation debt at BBB-, with a stable outlook. Moody's rated the island's general obligation debt A3 with a negative outlook. Fitch, which just began rating Puerto Rico assigned a BBB+ rating with a stable outlook.
Puerto Rico will continue to face challenges from the 1996 passage of a bill eliminating Section 936 of the Internal Revenue Code. This section had given certain U.S. corporations operating in Puerto Rico significant tax advantages. These incentives had helped drive Puerto Rico's economic growth, especially with the development of its manufacturing sector. U.S. firms that had benefited from these incentives provided a significant portion of Puerto Rico's revenues, employment and deposits in local financial institutions. The Section 936 incentives were phased out over a 10-year period ending in 2006. In fiscal year 2009, manufacturing provided 46% of Puerto Rico's gross domestic product and 9.7% of non-farm payroll employment.
Outstanding issues relating to the potential for a transition to statehood may also have broad implications for Puerto Rico and its financial and credit position. The U.S. House of Representatives has considered legislation that would allow the residents of Puerto Rico to vote on its political status. If approved by Congress, Puerto Ricans would first hold a referendum asking residents if they prefer to be a self-governing commonwealth or to change the island's status. If a majority votes for a different status, the island would then hold a second election to decide what status they want. One of these options is statehood.
U.S. Virgin Islands. Approximately 117,000 people reside in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which include 70 small islands and cays. In 2009, the U.S. Virgin Islands saw unemployment of 7.7% which was slightly lower than the 2008 level of 8.0%. Wealth levels remain significantly below those realized in the United States, although per capita income has been increasing steadily. The economy of the U.S. Virgin Islands is driven by tourism, which typically accounts for approximately 80% of gross domestic product and a significant share of employment. The local tourism industry was hit hard after the events of 9/11, but tourism activity experienced a modest recovery beginning in 2004. Recovery halted in 2009 due to the global financial crisis, and total visitor arrivals decreased by 7.9% during the year. Visitor arrivals have seen some recovery and through May 2010 visitor arrivals had increased 14.1% over 2009. The majority of the islands' visitors arrive via cruise ships, and total cruise ship arrivals decreased by 9.9% in 2009. Hotel occupancy rates had been above 60% since 2004, including average rates of 60.0% in 2008 and 64.6% in 2007. In 2009, hotel occupancy declined to 56.2%. Private sector jobs comprise approximately 70% of all non-farm jobs, led by leisure & hospitality services and trade. Manufacturing represents approximately 5.0% of employment, and construction represents approximately 5.5%.
The U.S. Virgin Islands government carries a large public sector payroll and taxes continue to account for a huge share of General Fund revenues. In fiscal year 2008, taxes represented 91.6% of revenues. Recent financial performance has improved significantly following numerous years of budget imbalances. In fiscal year 2007 the General Fund balance declined by $218.6 million and again declined in fiscal year 2008 by 63.9 million to 154.7 million. This ending fund balance equaled 18.9% of expenditures. Expenditures remain extremely high, but after years of significant growth, total expenditures declined by 2.9%. Securitized tax revenues have been sufficient to cover debt service and supplement the General Fund, and the fund balance should remain strong under these conditions. Financial results for fiscal years 2009 and 2010 are not available at this time.
In October 1999, the government and the U.S. Department of Interior entered into a Memorandum of Understanding stipulating that federal grants would be awarded contingent on several financial performance and accountability standards being met that demonstrate improvement in the economic and financial condition of the islands. In recent years, the government has tried to improve its financial profile by implementing several cost-cutting measures, including renegotiating debt obligations, consolidating departments, cutting health care costs, hiring freezes, and a reduction in overtime.
Policies and Procedures Regarding the Release of Portfolio Holdings The Fund's overall policy with respect to the release of portfolio holdings is to release such information consistent with applicable legal requirements and the fiduciary duties owed to shareholders. Subject to the limited exceptions described below, the Fund will not make available to anyone non-public information with respect to its portfolio holdings, until such time as the information is made available to all shareholders or the general public.
For purposes of this policy, portfolio holdings information does not include aggregate, composite or descriptive information that does not present risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading for the Fund. Information excluded from the definition of portfolio holdings information generally includes, without limitation: (1) descriptions of allocations among asset classes, regions, countries or industries/sectors; (2) aggregated data such as average or median ratios, market capitalization, credit quality or duration; (3) performance attributions by industry, sector or country; or (4) aggregated risk statistics. Such information, if made available to anyone, will be made available to any person upon request, but, because such information is generally not material to investors, it may or may not be posted on the Fund's website. In addition, other information may also be deemed to not be portfolio holdings information if, in the reasonable belief of the Fund's Chief Compliance Officer (or his/her designee), the release of such information would not present risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading for the Fund.
Consistent with current law, the Fund releases complete portfolio holdings information each fiscal quarter through regulatory filings with no more than a 60-day lag.
In addition, a complete list of the Fund's portfolio holdings is generally released no sooner than 20 calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter. Commentaries and other materials that may reference specific holdings information of the Fund as of the most recent calendar quarter end are also subject to the same 20-day lag requirement. Other descriptive information, such as the Fund's top 10 holdings, may be released monthly, no sooner than five days after the end of each month. Released portfolio holdings information can be viewed on franklintempleton.com.
To the extent that this policy would permit the release of portfolio holdings information regarding a particular portfolio holding for the Fund that is the subject of ongoing purchase or sale orders/programs, or if the release of such portfolio holdings information would otherwise be sensitive or inappropriate, the portfolio manager for the Fund may request that the release of such information be withheld.
Exceptions to the portfolio holdings release policy will be made only when: (1) the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for releasing portfolio holdings information in advance of release to all shareholders or the general public; (2) the recipient is subject to a duty of confidentiality pursuant to a signed non-disclosure agreement; and (3) the release of such information would not otherwise violate the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws or fiduciary duties owed to Fund shareholders. The determination of whether to grant an exception, which includes the determination of whether the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for releasing portfolio holdings information in advance of release to all shareholders or the general public shall be made by the Fund's Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee, following a request submitted in writing.
The eligible third parties to whom portfolio holdings information may be released in advance of general release fall into the following categories: data consolidators (including rating agencies), fund rating/ranking services and other data providers, service providers to the Fund, and municipal securities brokers using the Investor Tools product which brings together buyers and sellers of municipal securities in the normal operation of the municipal securities markets. In addition, should the Fund process a shareholders redemption request in-kind, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, provide portfolio holdings information to such shareholder to the extent necessary to allow the shareholder to prepare for receipt of such portfolio securities.
The specific entities to whom the Fund may provide portfolio holdings in advance of their release to the general public are:
In all cases, eligible third parties are required to execute a non-disclosure agreement. Non-disclosure agreements include the following provisions:
In no case does the Fund receive any compensation in connection with the arrangements to release portfolio holdings information to any of the above-described recipients of the information.
Several investment managers within Franklin Templeton Investments (F-T Managers) serve as investment managers to offshore funds that are registered or otherwise authorized for sale with foreign regulatory authorities. The release of portfolio holdings information for such offshore funds is excluded from the Fund's portfolio holdings release policy if such information is given to offshore banks, broker-dealers, insurance companies, registered investment managers and other financial institutions (offshore investment managers) with discretionary authority to select offshore funds on behalf of their clients. Because such offshore funds may from time to time invest in securities substantially similar to those of the Fund, there is the risk that such portfolio holdings information may be used to trade inappropriately against the Fund. To mitigate such risks, such information may only be disclosed for portfolio analytics, such as risk analysis/asset allocation, and the offshore investment manager will be required to execute a non-disclosure agreement, whereby such offshore investment manager: (1) agrees to maintain such information as confidential, including limiting the dissemination of such information, (2) is prohibited from trading on the information received, including (a) purchasing or selling any portfolio securities based on any information received; (b) trading against any U.S. registered Franklin or Templeton fund, including the Fund; (c) knowingly engaging in any trading practices that are adverse to any such fund; and (d) trading in shares of any such fund that is substantially similar to the offshore fund, and (3) agrees to refresh its representation as to confidentiality and abstention from trading upon request from Franklin Templeton. In addition, an offshore fund may release information regarding the top contributors and detractors to such funds portfolio performance monthly to those recipients who have executed a non-disclosure agreement containing the provisions described above, or who have confirmed electronically its agreement to such provisions. Country-specific offshore funds that are not, in the aggregate, substantially similar to the holdings of a U.S. registered Franklin or Templeton fund, are not subject to the restrictions imposed by the policy.
Certain F-T Managers serve as investment advisers to privately placed funds that are exempt from registration, including Canadian institutional pooled funds and commingled trusts maintained by a Franklin Templeton trust company. In certain circumstances, such unregistered private funds may have portfolio holdings that are not, in the aggregate, substantially similar to the holdings of a U.S. registered fund, as determined by the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. Under such circumstances the release of portfolio holdings information to a client or potential client of the unregistered private fund may be permissible. In circumstances where an unregistered private fund invests in portfolio securities that, in the aggregate, are substantially similar to the holdings of a U.S. registered Fund, such private funds are subject to the restrictions imposed by the policy, except that the release of holdings information to a current investor in the private fund is permissible conditioned upon such investors execution of a non-disclosure agreement to mitigate the risk that portfolio holdings information may be used to trade inappropriately against a fund. Such non-disclosure agreement must provide that the investor: (1) agrees to maintain such information as confidential, including limiting the dissemination of such information (except that the investor may be permitted to disseminate such information to an agent as necessary to allow the performance of portfolio analytics with respect to the investors investment in the private fund), and (2) is prohibited from trading on the information received, including (a) trading against any U.S. registered Franklin or Templeton fund, including the Fund; (b) knowingly engaging in any trading practices that are adverse to any such fund; and (c) trading in shares of any U.S. registered Franklin or Templeton fund that is managed in a style substantially similar to that of the private fund.
Some F-T Managers serve as sub-advisers to other mutual funds not within the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex ("other funds"), which may be managed in a style substantially similar to that of a U.S. registered Franklin or Templeton fund. Such other funds are not subject to the Fund's portfolio holdings release policy. The sponsors of such funds may disclose the portfolio holdings of such funds at different times than the Fund discloses its portfolio holdings.
In addition, some F-T Managers also serve as investment managers to separate accounts, which are subject to the Funds policy with respect to the release of the separate accounts holdings to consultants and potential clients. Separate accounts that are not, in the aggregate, substantially similar to the holdings of a U.S. registered Franklin or Templeton fund, however, are not subject to the restrictions imposed by the policy.
The Fund's portfolio holdings release policy and all subsequent amendments have been reviewed and approved by the Fund's board, and any other material amendments shall also be reviewed and approved by the board. The investment manager's compliance staff conducts periodic reviews of compliance with the policy and provides at least annually a report to the board regarding the operation of the policy and any material changes recommended as a result of such review. The investment manager's compliance staff also will supply the board yearly with a list of exceptions granted to the policy, along with an explanation of the legitimate business purpose of the Fund that is served as a result of the exception.
The Fund has a board of trustees. Each trustee will serve until that person resigns and/or a successor is elected and qualified. The board is responsible for the overall management of the Fund, including general supervision and review of the Fund's investment activities. The board, in turn, elects the officers of the Fund who are responsible for administering the Fund's day-to-day operations. The board also monitors the Fund to ensure that no material conflicts exist among share classes. While none are expected, the board will act appropriately to resolve any material conflict that may arise.
The name, year of birth and address of the officers and board members, as well as their affiliations, positions held with the Fund, principal occupations during the past five years and number of portfolios overseen in the Franklin Templeton fund complex are shown below.
1. We base the number of portfolios on each separate series of the U.S. registered investment companies within the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex. These portfolios have a common investment manager or affiliated investment managers.
2. Charles B. Johnson and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. are considered to be interested persons of the Fund under the federal securities laws due to their positions as officers and directors and major shareholders of Franklin Resources, Inc., which is the parent company of the Fund's investment manager and distributor.
The Fund's independent board members constitute the sole independent board members of 27 investment companies in the Franklin Templeton Investments complex for which each independent board member currently is paid a $232,000 annual retainer fee, together with a $7,000 per meeting fee for attendance at regularly scheduled board meetings, a portion of which is allocated to the Fund. To the extent held, compensation may also be paid for attendance at specially held Board meetings. The Fund's lead independent trustee is paid an annual supplemental retainer of $25,000 for services to such investment companies, a portion of which is allocated to the Fund. Board members who serve on the Audit Committee of the Fund and such other funds receive a flat fee of $3,000 per Committee meeting attended in person and $2,000 per telephonic meeting, a portion of which is allocated to the Fund. John B. Wilson, who serves as chairman of the Audit Committee of the Fund and such other funds receives an additional fee of $40,000 per year, a portion of which is allocated to the Fund. Members of the Committee are not separately compensated for any committee meeting held on the day of a regularly scheduled board meeting. The following table provides the total fees paid to independent board members by the Fund and by other funds in Franklin Templeton Investments.
Name |
Total Fees
Received from the Fund ($) 1 |
Total Fees
Received from Franklin Templeton Investments ($) 2 |
Number
of Boards in Franklin Templeton Investments on which Each Serves 3 |
Harris J. Ashton | 17,950 | 470,000 | 41 |
Sam Ginn | 17,950 | 288,000 | 27 |
Edith E. Holiday | 20,345 | 505,000 | 41 |
Frank W.T. LaHaye 4 | 1,681 | 100,333 | N/A |
J. Michael Luttig | 20,295 | 492,000 | 41 |
Frank A. Olson | 20,295 | 492,000 | 41 |
Larry D. Thompson | 17,950 | 589,000 | 43 |
John B. Wilson | 24,534 | 375,000 | 27 |
1. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011.
2. For the calendar year ended December 31, 2010.
3. We base the number of boards on the number of U.S. registered investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments. This number does not include the total number of series or portfolios within each investment company for which the board members are responsible.
4. Retired April 30, 2010.
Independent board members are reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with attending board meetings and are paid pro rata by each fund in Franklin Templeton Investments for which they serve as director or trustee. No officer or board member received any other compensation, including pension or retirement benefits, directly or indirectly from the Trust or other funds in Franklin Templeton Investments. Certain officers or board members who are shareholders of Franklin Resources, Inc. (Resources) may be deemed to receive indirect remuneration by virtue of their participation, if any, in the fees paid to its subsidiaries.
Board members historically have followed a policy of having substantial investments in one or more of the Franklin Templeton funds, as is consistent with their individual financial goals. In February 1998, this policy was formalized through the adoption of a requirement that each board member invest one-third of fees received for serving as a director or trustee of a Templeton fund (excluding committee fees) in shares of one or more Templeton funds and one-third of fees received for serving as a director or trustee of a Franklin fund (excluding committee fees) in shares of one or more Franklin funds until the value of such investments equals or exceeds five times the annual retainer and regular board meeting fees paid to such board member. Investments in the name of family members or entities controlled by a board member constitute fund holdings of such board member for purposes of this policy, and a three-year phase-in period applies to such investment requirements for newly elected board members. In implementing such policy, a board member's fund holdings existing on February 27, 1998, are valued as of such date with subsequent investments valued at cost.
The following tables provide the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the board members of the Fund on December 31, 2010.
Independent Board Members
Name of
Board Member |
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Funds Overseen by the Board Member in the Franklin Templeton Fund Complex |
Harris J. Ashton | None | Over $100,000 |
Sam Ginn | None | Over $100,000 |
Edith E. Holiday | None | Over $100,000 |
J. Michael Luttig | None | Over $100,000 |
Frank A. Olson | None | Over $100,000 |
Larry D. Thompson | None | Over $100,000 |
John B. Wilson | None | Over $100,000 |
Name of
Board Member |
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in the Fund |
Aggregate
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Funds Overseen by the Board Member in the Franklin Templeton Fund Complex |
Charles B. Johnson | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 |
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 |
Board committees The board maintains two standing committees: the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee. The Audit Committee is generally responsible for recommending the selection of the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm (auditors), including evaluating their independence and meeting with such auditors to consider and review matters relating to the Trust's financial reports and internal controls. The Audit Committee is comprised of the following independent trustees of the Trust: Edith E. Holiday, J. Michael Luttig, Frank A. Olson and John B. Wilson. The Nominating Committee is comprised of the following independent trustees of the Trust: Harris J. Ashton, Sam Ginn, Edith E. Holiday, J. Michael Luttig, Frank A. Olson, Larry D. Thompson and John B. Wilson.
The Nominating Committee is responsible for selecting candidates to serve as board members and recommending such candidates (a) for selection and nomination as independent board members by the incumbent independent board member and the full board; and (b) for selection and nomination as interested board members by the full board.
When the board has or expects to have a vacancy, the Nominating Committee receives and reviews information on individuals qualified to be recommended to the full board as nominees for election as board members, including any recommendations by Qualifying Fund Shareholders (as defined below). To date, the Nominating Committee has been able to identify, and expects to continue to be able to identify, from its own resources an ample number of qualified candidates. The Nominating Committee, however, will review recommendations from Qualifying Fund Shareholders to fill vacancies on the board if these recommendations are submitted in writing and addressed to the Nominating Committee at the Fund's offices at P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151 and are presented with appropriate background material concerning the candidate that demonstrates his or her ability to serve as a board member, including as an independent board member, of the Fund. A Qualifying Fund Shareholder is a shareholder who (i) has continuously owned of record, or beneficially through a financial intermediary, shares of the Fund having a net asset value of not less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) during the 24-month period prior to submitting the recommendation; and (ii) provides a written notice to the Nominating Committee containing the following information: (a) the name and address of the Qualifying Fund Shareholder making the recommendation; (b) the number of shares of the Fund which are owned of record and beneficially by such Qualifying Fund Shareholder and the length of time that such shares have been so owned by the Qualifying Fund Shareholder; (c) a description of all arrangements and understandings between such Qualifying Fund Shareholder and any other person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the recommendation is being made; (d) the name, age, date of birth, business address and residence address of the person or persons being recommended; (e) such other information regarding each person recommended by such Qualifying Fund Shareholder as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the SEC had the nominee been nominated by the board; (f) whether the shareholder making the recommendation believes the person recommended would or would not be an interested person of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act; and (g) the written consent of each person recommended to serve as a board member of the Fund if so nominated and elected/appointed.
The Nominating Committee may amend these procedures from time to time, including the procedures relating to the evaluation of nominees and the process for submitting recommendations to the Nominating Committee.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, the Audit Committee met three times; the Nominating Committee met twice.
Board role in risk oversight The board, as a whole, considers risk management issues as part of its general oversight responsibilities throughout the year at regular board meetings, through regular reports that have been developed by management, in consultation with the board and its counsel. These reports address certain investment, valuation and compliance matters. The board also may receive special written reports or presentations on a variety of risk issues, either upon the boards request or upon the investment managers initiative. In addition, the Audit Committee of the board meets regularly with the investment managers internal audit group to review reports on their examinations of functions and processes within Franklin Templeton Investments that affect the Fund.
With respect to investment risk, the board receives regular written reports describing and analyzing the investment performance of the Fund. In addition, the portfolio managers of the Fund meet regularly with the boards to discuss portfolio performance, including investment risk. To the extent that the Fund changes a particular investment strategy that could have a material impact on the Funds risk profile, the board generally is consulted with respect to such change. To the extent that the Fund invests in certain complex securities, including derivatives, the board receives periodic reports containing information about exposure of the Fund to such instruments. In addition, the investment managers investment risk personnel meet regularly with the board to discuss a variety of issues, including the impact on the Fund of the investment in particular securities or instruments, such as derivatives.
With respect to valuation, the Funds administrator provides regular written reports to the board that enable the board to monitor the number of fair valued securities in a particular portfolio, the reasons for the fair valuation and the methodology used to arrive at the fair value. Such reports also include information concerning illiquid securities within the Funds portfolio. The board also reviews dispositional analysis information on the sale of securities that require special valuation considerations such as illiquid or fair valued securities. In addition, the Funds Audit Committee reviews valuation procedures and results with the Funds auditors in connection with such Committees review of the results of the audit of the Funds year end financial statement.
With respect to compliance risks, the board receives regular compliance reports prepared by the investment managers compliance group and meets regularly with the Funds Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) to discuss compliance issues, including compliance risks. In accordance with SEC requirements, the independent trustees meet regularly in executive session with the CCO, and the Funds CCO prepares and presents an annual written compliance report to the board. The Funds board adopts compliance policies and procedures for the Fund and approves such procedures for the Funds service providers. The compliance policies and procedures are specifically designed to detect and prevent violations of the federal securities laws.
The investment manager periodically provides an enterprise risk management presentation to the board to describe the way in which risk is managed on a complex-wide level. Such presentation covers such areas as investment risk, reputational risk, personnel risk, and business continuity risk.
Board structure Seventy-five percent or more of board members consist of independent trustees who are not deemed to be interested persons by reason of their relationship with the Funds management or otherwise as provided under the Investment Company Act of 1940. While the Chairman of the Board is an interested person, the board is also served by a lead independent trustee. The lead independent trustee, together with independent counsel, reviews proposed agendas for board meetings and generally acts as a liaison with management with respect to questions and issues raised by the independent trustees. The lead independent trustee also presides at separate meetings of independent trustees held in advance of each scheduled board meeting where various matters, including those being considered at such board meeting are discussed. It is believed such structure and activities assure that proper consideration is given at board meetings to matters deemed important to the Fund and its shareholders.
Trustee qualifications Information on the Funds officers and trustees appears above including information on the business activities of trustees during the past five years and beyond. In addition to personal qualities, such as integrity, the role of an effective Fund trustee inherently requires the ability to comprehend, discuss and critically analyze materials and issues presented in exercising judgments and reaching informed conclusions relevant to his or her duties and fiduciary obligations. It is believed that the specific background of each trustee evidences such ability and is appropriate to his or her serving on the Funds board of trustees. As indicated, Harris J. Ashton, Frank A. Olson and Sam Ginn have each served as chief executive officers of New York Stock Exchange listed public corporations; Larry D. Thompson and Edith E. Holiday, have legal backgrounds, including high level legal positions with departments of the U.S. government; John Wilson has served as chief operating officer of a New York Stock Exchange listed public corporation, as well as chief financial officer of a NASDAQ listed public corporation; J. Michael Luttig has fifteen years of judicial experience as a Federal Appeals Court Judge; and Charles B. Johnson and Rupert H. Johnson are both high ranking executive officers of Franklin Templeton Investments.
The Fund's board of trustees has delegated to the investment manager the task of ensuring that regulatory guidelines governing the fair valuation for securities are applied to the Fund and that the required level of liquidity is maintained. The investment manager has formed a Valuation & Liquidity Oversight Committee (VLOC) to oversee these obligations. The VLOC oversees and administers the policies and procedures governing fair valuation and liquidity determination of securities. The VLOC meets monthly to review and approve fair value and liquidity reports and conduct other business, and meets whenever necessary to review potential significant market events and take appropriate steps to adjust valuations in accordance with established policies. The VLOC provides regular reports that document its activities to the board of trustees for its review and approval of pricing determinations at scheduled meetings. VLOC meeting minutes are regularly submitted to the board of trustees for their review.
The Fund's policies and procedures governing fair valuation and liquidity determination of securities have been initially reviewed and approved by the board of trustees and any material amendments will also be reviewed and approved by the board. The investment manager's compliance staff conducts periodic reviews of compliance with the policies and provides at least annually a report to the board of trustees regarding the operation of the policies and any material changes recommended as a result of such review.
Investment manager and services provided The Fund's investment manager is Franklin Advisers, Inc. The investment manager is a wholly owned subsidiary of Resources, a publicly owned company engaged in the financial services industry through its subsidiaries. Charles B. Johnson and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. are the principal shareholders of Resources.
The investment manager provides investment research and portfolio management services, and selects the securities for the Fund to buy, hold or sell. The investment manager's extensive research activities include, as appropriate, traveling to meet with issuers and to review project sites. The investment manager also selects the brokers who execute the Fund's portfolio transactions. The investment manager provides periodic reports to the board, which reviews and supervises the investment manager's investment activities. To protect the Fund, the investment manager and its officers, directors and employees are covered by fidelity insurance.
The investment manager and its affiliates manage numerous other investment companies and accounts. The investment manager may give advice and take action with respect to any of the other funds it manages, or for its own account, that may differ from action taken by the investment manager on behalf of the Fund. Similarly, with respect to the Fund, the investment manager is not obligated to recommend, buy or sell, or to refrain from recommending, buying or selling any security that the investment manager and access persons, as defined by applicable federal securities laws, may buy or sell for its or their own account or for the accounts of any other fund. The investment manager is not obligated to refrain from investing in securities held by the Fund or other funds it manages. Because the investment manager is a subsidiary of a financial holding company (FHC) under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, federal regulations applicable to FHCs may limit or restrict the Fund's ability to acquire or hold a position in a given security when it might otherwise be advantageous for the Fund to acquire or hold that security.
The Fund, its investment manager and principal underwriter have each adopted a code of ethics, as required by federal securities laws. Under the code of ethics, employees who are designated as access persons may engage in personal securities transactions, including transactions involving securities that are being considered for the Fund or that are currently held by the Fund, subject to certain general restrictions and procedures. The personal securities transactions of access persons of the Fund, its investment manager and principal underwriter will be governed by the code of ethics. The code of ethics is on file with, and available from, the SEC.
Management fees The Fund pays the investment manager a fee equal to an annual rate of:
The fee is calculated daily and paid monthly according to the terms of the management agreement. Each class of the Fund's shares pays its proportionate share of the fee.
For the last three fiscal years ended March 31, the Fund paid the following management fees:
Management
Fees Paid ($) |
|
2011 | 62,751,098 |
2010 | 61,719,014 |
2009 | 62,564,865 |
Portfolio managers This section reflects information about the portfolio managers as of March 31, 2011.
The following table shows the number of other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and the total assets in the accounts managed within each category:
Name |
Number of Other
Registered Investment Companies Managed |
Assets of Other
Registered Investment Companies Managed (x $1 million) |
Number of Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles Managed |
Assets of Other
Pooled Investment Vehicles Managed (x $1 million) |
Number of Other
Accounts Managed 1 |
Assets of Other
Accounts Managed (x $1 million) 1 |
Christopher Sperry | 4 | 5,185.7 | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
John Wiley | 7 | 12,780.2 | 0 | N/A | 3 | 210.8 |
1. The various pooled investment vehicles and accounts listed are managed by a team of investment professionals. Accordingly, the portfolio manager listed would not be solely responsible for managing such listed amounts.
Portfolio managers that provide investment services to the Fund may also provide services to a variety of other investment products, including other funds, institutional accounts and private accounts. The advisory fees for some of such other products and accounts may be different than that charged to the Fund and may include performance based compensation. This may result in fees that are higher (or lower) than the advisory fees paid by the Fund. As a matter of policy, each fund or account is managed solely for the benefit of the beneficial owners thereof. As discussed below, the separation of the trading execution function from the portfolio management function and the application of objectively based trade allocation procedures help to mitigate potential conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the portfolio managers managing accounts with different advisory fees.
Conflicts. The management of multiple funds, including the Fund, and accounts may also give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and other accounts have different objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by having portfolio managers focus on a particular investment discipline. Most other accounts managed by a portfolio manager are managed using the same investment strategies that are used in connection with the management of the Fund. Accordingly, portfolio holdings, position sizes, and industry and sector exposures tend to be similar across similar portfolios, which may minimize the potential for conflicts of interest. As noted above, the separate management of the trade execution and valuation functions from the portfolio management process also helps to reduce potential conflicts of interest. However, securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund. Moreover, if a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one fund or other account, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of that opportunity across all eligible funds and other accounts. The investment manager seeks to manage such potential conflicts by using procedures intended to provide a fair allocation of buy and sell opportunities among funds and other accounts.
The structure of a portfolio managers compensation may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. A portfolio managers base pay and bonus tend to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include increased assets under management. As such, there may be an indirect relationship between a portfolio managers marketing or sales efforts and his or her bonus.
Finally, the management of personal accounts by a portfolio manager may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. While the funds and the investment manager have adopted a code of ethics which they believe contains provisions reasonably necessary to prevent a wide range of prohibited activities by portfolio managers and others with respect to their personal trading activities, there can be no assurance that the code of ethics addresses all individual conduct that could result in conflicts of interest.
The investment manager and the Fund have adopted certain compliance procedures that are designed to address these, and other, types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation where a conflict arises.
Compensation. The investment manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals. Portfolio managers receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of compensation is based on individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio managers level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to favor one fund or account over another. Each portfolio managers compensation consists of the following three elements:
Base salary Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.
Annual bonus Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Funds shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus. Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and mutual fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Resources and mutual funds advised by the investment manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment Officer of the investment manager and/or other officers of the investment manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:
Additional long-term equity-based compensation Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more mutual funds. Awards of such deferred equity-based compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.
Portfolio managers also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees of the investment manager.
Ownership of Fund shares. The investment manager has a policy of encouraging portfolio managers to invest in the funds they manage. Exceptions arise when, for example, a fund is closed to new investors or when tax considerations or jurisdictional constraints cause such an investment to be inappropriate for the portfolio manager. The following is the dollar range of Fund shares beneficially owned by the portfolio manager (such amounts may change from time to time):
Portfolio Manager |
Dollar Range
of Fund Shares Beneficially Owned |
Christopher Sperry | $50,001 - $100,000 |
John Wiley | $10,001 - $50,000 |
Administrator and services provided Franklin Templeton Services, LLC (FT Services) has an agreement with the investment manager to provide certain administrative services and facilities for the Fund. FT Services is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Resources and is an affiliate of the Fund's investment manager and principal underwriter.
The administrative services FT Services provides include preparing and maintaining books, records, and tax and financial reports, and monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Administration fees The investment manager pays FT Services a monthly fee equal to an annual rate of:
For the last three fiscal years ended March 31, the investment manager paid FT Services the following administration fees:
Administration
Fees Paid ($) |
|
2011 | 11,008,658 |
2010 | 11,015,895 |
2009 | 10,725,479 |
Shareholder servicing and transfer agent Franklin Templeton Investor Services, LLC (Investor Services) is the Fund's shareholder servicing agent and acts as the Fund's transfer agent and dividend-paying agent. Investor Services is located at 3344 Quality Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670-7313. Please send all correspondence to Investor Services at P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151.
Investor Services receives a fee for servicing Fund shareholder accounts. The Fund also will reimburse Investor Services for certain out-of-pocket expenses necessarily incurred in servicing the shareholder accounts in accordance with the terms of its servicing contract with the Fund.
Investor Services may also pay servicing fees, that will be reimbursed by the Fund, in varying amounts to certain financial institutions (primarily to help offset their costs associated with client account maintenance support, statement preparation and transaction processing) that (i) maintain omnibus accounts with the Fund in the institution's name on behalf of numerous beneficial owners of Fund shares who are either direct clients of the institution or are participants in an IRS-recognized tax-deferred savings plan (including Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans and Section 529 Plans) for which the institution, or its affiliate, provides participant level recordkeeping services (called "Beneficial Owners"); or (ii) provide support for Fund shareholder accounts by sharing account data with Investor Services through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) networking system. In addition to servicing fees received from the Fund, these financial institutions also may charge a fee for their services directly to their clients. Investor Services will also receive a fee from the Fund for services provided in support of Beneficial Owners and NSCC networking system accounts.
Custodian The Bank of New York Mellon, Mutual Funds Division, 100 Church Street, New York, NY 10286, acts as custodian of the Fund's securities and other assets.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Three Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA 94111-4004, is the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm. The Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm audits the financial statements included in the Fund's Annual Report to Shareholders.
Since most purchases by the Fund are principal transactions at net prices, the Fund incurs little or no brokerage costs. The Fund deals directly with the selling or buying principal or market maker without incurring charges for the services of a broker on its behalf, unless it is determined that a better price or execution may be obtained by using the services of a broker. Purchases of portfolio securities from underwriters will include a commission or concession paid to the underwriter, and purchases from dealers will include a spread between the bid and ask price. The Fund seeks to obtain prompt execution of orders at the most favorable net price. Transactions may be directed to dealers in return for research and statistical information, as well as for special services provided by the dealers in the execution of orders.
It is not possible to place an accurate dollar value on the special execution or on the research services the investment manager receives from dealers effecting transactions in portfolio securities. The allocation of transactions to obtain additional research services allows the investment manager to supplement its own research and analysis activities and to receive the views and information of individuals and research staffs from many securities firms. The receipt of these products and services does not reduce the investment manager's research activities in providing investment advice to the Fund.
As long as it is lawful and appropriate to do so, the investment manager and its affiliates may use this research and data in their investment advisory capacities with other clients.
If purchases or sales of securities of the Fund and one or more other investment companies or clients supervised by the investment manager are considered at or about the same time, transactions in these securities will be allocated among the several investment companies and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all by the investment manager, taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount of securities to be purchased or sold. In some cases this procedure could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security so far as the Fund is concerned. In other cases it is possible that the ability to participate in volume transactions may improve execution and reduce transaction costs to the Fund.
For the last three fiscal years ended March 31, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions.
As of March 31, 2011, the Fund did not own securities of its regular broker-dealers.
References to "the Code" and other references to the U.S. Federal income tax law, refer to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.
Multiclass distributions The Fund calculates income dividends and capital gain distributions the same way for each class. The amount of any income dividends per share will differ, however, generally due to any differences in the distribution and service (Rule 12b-1) fees applicable to the classes.
Distributions of net investment income The Fund receives income generally in the form of interest on its investments. This income, less expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund, constitutes the Fund's net investment income from which dividends may be paid to you. This net investment income may either be tax-exempt or taxable when distributed to you.
Exempt-interest dividends. By meeting certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code (Code), the Fund qualifies to pay exempt-interest dividends to you. These dividends are derived from interest income exempt from regular federal income tax, and are not subject to regular federal income tax when they are paid to you.
In addition, to the extent that exempt-interest dividends are derived from interest on obligations of the state of California or its political subdivisions, or from interest on qualifying U.S. territorial obligations (including qualifying obligations of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam), these dividends also may be exempt from California's personal income tax. Income from municipal securities of other states generally does not qualify as tax-free in California. Because of these tax exemptions, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors, or for residents of states other than California.
Taxable income dividends. The Fund may earn taxable income from many sources, including temporary investments, the discount on stripped obligations or their coupons, income from securities loans or other taxable transactions, and ordinary income on the sale of market discount bonds. If you are a taxable investor, any income dividends the Fund pays from this income are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the Fund invests primarily in tax-exempt debt securities, it does not anticipate that any of its dividends will be treated as qualified dividends subject to reduced rates of federal taxation for individuals.
Distributions of capital gains The Fund may realize capital gains and losses on the sale of its portfolio securities.
Distributions of short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions of long-term capital gains are taxable to you as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have owned your shares in the Fund. Any net capital gains realized by the Fund (in excess of any available capital loss carryovers) generally are distributed once each year, and may be distributed more frequently, if necessary, to reduce or eliminate excise or income taxes on the Fund.
Capital gain dividends and any net long-term capital gains you realize from the sale of Fund shares are subject to a maximum rate of tax of 15% for individuals (0% for individuals in the 10% and 15% federal income tax brackets). These reduced rates of taxation of capital gain dividends and net long-term capital gains are scheduled to sunset on December 31, 2012, unless extended or made permanent before that date. If these rates do sunset at the end of 2012, the rates for taxation of net capital gains that were in effect prior to these changes, including provisions for the taxation of five-year gains, will again be effective for 2013 and later years.
Returns of capital If the Fund's distributions exceed its earnings and profits (i.e., its taxable income and realized capital gains) for a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in that taxable year may be characterized as a return of capital to you. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, but will reduce the cost basis in your Fund shares and will result in a higher capital gain or in a lower capital loss when you sell your shares. Any return of capital in excess of the basis in your Fund shares, however, will be taxable as a capital gain. In the case of a non-calendar year fund, earnings and profits are first allocated to distributions made on or before December 31 of its taxable year and then to distributions made thereafter, effective for taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010. The effect of this provision is to push returns of capital into the next calendar year.
Corporate shareholders should be advised that these personal income tax rules may not apply to them and that these exempt-interest dividends may be taxable for state franchise or income tax reporting. They should consult with their tax advisor concerning the application of these rules to their state tax reporting.
Information on the amount and tax character of distributions The Fund will inform you of the amount of your income dividends and capital gain distributions at the time they are paid, and will advise you of their tax status for federal income tax purposes shortly after the close of each calendar year. This information will include the portion of the distributions that on average are comprised of taxable or tax-exempt income, or interest income that is a tax preference item when determining your federal alternative minimum tax. If you have not owned your Fund shares for a full year, the Fund may report to shareholders and distribute to you, as taxable, tax-exempt or tax preference income, a percentage of income that may not be equal to the actual amount of each type of income earned during the period of your investment in the Fund. Taxable distributions declared in December to shareholders of record in such month but paid in January are taxable to you as if paid in December.
Avoid "buying a dividend" At the time you purchase your Fund shares, the Funds net asset value may reflect undistributed taxable income, undistributed capital gains, or net unrealized appreciation in the value of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. For taxable investors, a subsequent distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment, would be taxable. This tax treatment is required even if you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares. Buying shares in the Fund just before it declares a distribution of taxable income or capital gains is sometimes known as buying a dividend. For example, if you buy 500 shares in a fund on December 10th at the fund's net asset value (NAV) of $10 per share, and the fund makes a capital gain distribution on December 15th of $1 per share, your shares will then have an NAV of $9 per share (disregarding any change in the fund's market value), and you will have to pay a tax on what is essentially a return of your investment of $1 per share.
Election to be taxed as a regulated investment company The Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Code. It has qualified as a regulated investment company for its most recent fiscal year, and intends to continue to qualify during the current fiscal year. As a regulated investment company, the Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and gains it distributes to you. Failure to qualify as a regulated investment company, subject to savings provisions for certain qualification failures, which in general, are limited to those due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, would thus have a negative impact on the Fund's income and performance. In that case, the Fund would be liable for federal, and possibly state, corporate taxes on its taxable income and gains, and distributions to you would be taxed as dividend income to the extent of the Fund's earnings and profits. Even if such savings provisions apply, the Fund may be subject to a monetary sanction of $50,000 or more. Moreover, The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company if it determines such a course of action to be beneficial to shareholders.
Capital loss carryovers The capital losses of the Fund, if any, do not flow through to shareholders. Rather, the Fund may use its capital losses, subject to applicable limitations, to offset its capital gains without being required to pay taxes on or distribute to shareholders such gains that are offset by the losses. If the Fund has a "net capital loss" (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) for a taxable year beginning after December 22, 2010, the excess (if any) of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. Any such net capital losses of the Fund that are not used to offset capital gains may be carried forward indefinitely to reduce any future capital gains realized by the Fund in succeeding taxable years. However, for any net capital losses realized in taxable years of the Fund beginning on or before December 22, 2010, the Fund is only permitted to carry forward such capital losses for eight years as a short-term capital loss. Under a transition rule, capital losses arising in a taxable year beginning after December 22, 2010 must be used before capital losses realized in a prior taxable year.
Excise tax distribution requirements To avoid federal excise taxes, the Code requires the Fund to distribute to you by December 31 of each year, at a minimum, the following amounts:
The Fund intends to declare and pay these distributions in December (or to pay them in January, in which case you must treat them as received in December), but can give no assurances that its distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all taxes.
Sales of Fund shares. Sales and exchanges of Fund shares are taxable transactions for federal and state income tax purposes. If you sell your Fund shares, or exchange them for shares of a different Franklin Templeton fund, the IRS requires you to report any gain or loss on your sale or exchange. If you owned your shares as a capital asset, any gain or loss that you realize is a capital gain or loss, and is long-term or short-term, depending on how long you owned your shares.
The conversion of shares of one class into another class of the same fund is not taxable for federal income tax purposes. Thus, the automatic conversion of Class B shares into Class A shares in the same Fund is not taxable for federal income tax purposes.
Sales at a loss within six months of purchase. If you sell or exchange Fund shares that you owned for six months or less:
Wash sales. All or a portion of any loss that you realize on the sale of your Fund shares is disallowed to the extent that you buy other shares in the Fund within 30 days before or after your sale. Any loss disallowed under these rules is added to your tax basis in the new shares.
Deferral of basis. (Class A only) In reporting gain or loss on the sale of your Fund shares, you may be required to adjust your basis in the shares you sell under the following circumstances:
IF:
THEN: In reporting any gain or loss on your sale, all or a portion of the sales charge that you paid for your original shares is excluded from your tax basis in the shares sold and added to your tax basis in the new shares. For taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010, this provision will only apply if the new shares are acquired by January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the disposition of the original shares occurred.
Cost basis reporting. Under the provisions of the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008, the Funds administrative agent will be required to provide you cost basis information on the sale of your Fund shares, subject to certain exceptions. This new cost basis reporting requirement is effective for Fund shares purchased on or after January 1, 2012. Information about cost basis reporting for Franklin Templeton funds is available at franklintempleton.com (under the Funds Tax Information) or through a Customer Service Representative at Franklin Templeton Investments at (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.
Tax certification and backup withholding Tax laws require that you certify your tax information when you become an investor in the Fund. For U.S. citizens and resident aliens, this certification is made on IRS Form W-9. Under these laws, the Fund must withhold a portion of your distributions and sales proceeds unless you:
If you fail to meet any of these certification requirements, you will be subject to federal backup withholding at a rate of 28% on any reportable payments that you receive from the Fund, including any exempt-interest dividends (even though this income is not subject to regular federal income tax), taxable ordinary and capital gain dividends, and any redemption proceeds on the sale of your Fund shares. State backup withholding may also apply.
The Fund must also withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any reportable payments that you receive from the Fund.
Reclassification Risk The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that holders of tax-exempt bonds have risks that their tax-exempt income may be reclassified as taxable if the bonds that they own were issued in an abusive transaction or become taxable by reason of refinancing irregularities or the misuse of proceeds from the bond offering. While the Fund endeavors to purchase only bona fide tax-exempt securities, there is a risk that a bond issued as tax-exempt may be reclassified by the IRS as taxable, creating taxable rather than tax-exempt income for the Fund. In this case, the Fund might be required to send to you and file with the IRS information returns for the current or prior calendar years classifying (or reclassifying) some of its exempt-interest dividends as taxable dividends. On prior year dividends, you might need to file amended income tax returns and pay additional tax and interest to avoid additional penalties and to limit interest charges on these taxable dividends
Dividends-received deduction for corporations For corporate shareholders, a portion of the dividends paid by a fund may qualify for the dividends-received deduction. This deduction generally is available to corporations for dividends paid by a fund out of income earned on its investments in domestic corporations. Because the Fund's income primarily is derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none of its income dividends will be eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction.
Qualified dividend income for individuals For the same reason, none of its distributions are expected to be qualified dividends eligible for federal taxation of individuals at long-term capital gain rates.
Investment in complex securities The Fund may invest in securities issued or purchased at a discount, such as zero-coupon, step-up or payment-in-kind (PIK) bonds, that could require it to accrue and distribute income not yet received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make these distributions, the Fund could be required to sell securities in its portfolio that it otherwise might have continued to hold. These rules could affect the amount, timing and/or tax character of income distributed to you by the Fund.
Treatment of private activity bond interest Interest on certain private activity bonds, while exempt from regular federal income tax, is a tax preference item for taxpayers when determining their alternative minimum tax under the Code. Private activity bond interest could subject you to or increase your liability under the federal alternative minimum tax, depending on your personal or corporate tax position. Persons defined in the Code as substantial users (or persons related to such users) of facilities financed by private activity bonds should consult their tax advisors before buying Fund shares.
Prior to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), interest on all tax-exempt private activity bonds (other than certain tax-exempt housing bonds issued after July 30, 2008) was considered an item of tax preference, and a portion of the interest earned on tax-exempt obligations was includable in the alternative minimum taxable income of corporations. Under the Recovery Act, for bonds issued between December 31, 2008 and January 1, 2011 (i) the interest on tax-exempt private activity bonds is not an item of tax preference, and (ii) the interest on any tax-exempt bonds is not included in adjusted gross earnings in determining the alternative minimum taxable income of corporations.
State income taxes Some state tax codes adopt the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) through a certain date. In general, the California Revenue and Taxation Code currently conforms to the IRC as of January 1, 2009. As a result, such conforming states may not have adopted the version of the IRC that contains either the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, or other federal tax laws enacted after the applicable conformity date. Other states may have adopted an income or other basis of tax that differs from the IRC.
The information furnished by the Fund to shareholders and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) annually with respect to the amount and character of dividends paid, and records maintained by the Fund with respect to any corresponding adjustments to the cost basis of a shareholders Fund shares, will be prepared on the basis of current federal income tax law to comply with the information reporting requirements of the Code, and not on the basis of the law of any state in which a shareholder is resident or otherwise subject to tax. Under the current California Revenue and Taxation Code, certain funds are required to report federal tax information to the California Franchise Tax Board annually.
Accordingly, the amount and character of income, gain or loss realized by a shareholder with respect to his or her investment in Fund shares for state income tax purposes may differ from that for federal income tax purposes. Franklin Templeton Investments provides tax information on franklintempleton.com (under the Tax Center) regarding tax-exempt income by jurisdiction and U.S. government interest to assist shareholders with the preparation of their state income tax returns. Shareholders are solely responsible for determining the amount and character of income, gain or loss to report on their state income tax returns each year as a result of their purchase, holding and sale of Fund shares.
Non-U.S. investors Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax, and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements.
In general. The United States imposes a flat 30% withholding tax (or a tax at a lower treaty rate) on U.S. source dividends. An exemption from this withholding tax is provided for exempt-interest dividends and capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from its net long-term capital gains. An exemption from withholding is also provided for short-term capital gain dividends and interest-related dividends as described below, to the extent that these gains and dividends are paid with respect to taxable years of the Fund beginning before January 1, 2012. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at the source, any distributions of exempt-interest dividends, capital gain dividends, short-term capital gain dividends, interest-related dividends, and other taxable ordinary income, and, the proceeds from the sale of your Fund shares, will be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 28% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
Capital gain distributions and short-term capital gain dividends. Dividends reported by the Fund to shareholders as either (i) a distribution from net long-term capital gains (a capital gain dividend), or (ii) a distribution from net short-term capital gains (a short-term capital gain dividend) paid out of income earned within the Fund prior to the sunset date described above are not subject to U.S. withholding tax unless you are a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the calendar year.
Interest-related dividends. Interest-related dividends reported by the Fund to shareholders as paid from qualified net interest income earned prior to the sunset date described above are not subject to U.S. withholding tax. The Fund's qualified net interest income equals its qualified interest income less allocable expenses. "Qualified interest income" includes, in general, the sum of the Fund's U.S. source: i) bank deposit interest, ii) short-term original issue discount, iii) portfolio interest, and iv) any interest-related dividend passed through from another regulated investment company. On any payment date, the amount of an income dividend that is reported by the Fund as an interest-related dividend may be more or less than the amount that is so qualified. This is because the amount reported is based on an estimate of the Fund's qualified interest income for its entire fiscal year, which can only be determined with exactness at fiscal year end. As a consequence, the Fund may over withhold a small amount of U.S. tax from a dividend payment. In this case, the non-U.S. investor's only recourse may be to either forgo recovery of the excess withholding, or to file a United States nonresident income tax return to recover the excess withholding.
Limitations on tax reporting for interest-related dividends and short-term capital gains dividends for non-U.S. investors. It may not be practical in every case for the Fund to report to shareholders, and the Fund reserves the right in these cases to not report, small amounts of interest-related or short-term capital gain dividends. Additionally, the Fund's reporting of interest-related or short-term capital gain dividends may not, in turn, be passed through to shareholders by intermediaries who have assumed tax reporting responsibilities for this income in managed or omnibus accounts due to systems limitations or operational constraints. When the Fund has reported interest-related or short-term capital gain dividends, this information will be available online at franklintempleton.com, under the Funds Tax Information, or through a Customer Service Representative at Franklin Templeton Investments at (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236. If you are a shareholder of an institutional fund, you may obtain this information by calling Institutional Services at (800) 321-8563, or through a Customer Service Representative at Franklin Templeton Investments at (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.
Effectively connected income. Taxable ordinary income dividends paid by the Fund to non-U.S. investors on portfolio investments are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax at 30% or a lower treaty rate. However, if you hold your Fund shares in connection with a U.S. trade or business, your income and gains may be considered effectively connected income and taxed in the U.S. on a net basis at graduated income tax rates in which case you may be required to file a nonresident U.S. income tax return.
U.S. estate tax. As of the date of this Registration Statement, the U.S. federal estate tax has been reinstated. An individual who is a non-U.S. investor will be subject to U.S. federal estate tax on all or a portion of the value of Fund shares owned at the time of death, unless a treaty exemption applies between the country of residence of the non-U.S. investor and the U.S. Even if a treaty exemption is available, a decedents estate may nevertheless be required to file a U.S. estate tax return to claim the exemption, as well as to obtain a U.S. federal transfer certificate. The transfer certificate will identify the property (i.e., Fund shares) on which a U.S. federal tax lien has been released, and is required before the Fund can release a nonresident alien decedents investment in the Fund to his or her estate. For estates with U.S. situs assets of not more than $60,000 (there is a statutory estate tax credit for this amount of property), the Fund may accept, in lieu of a federal transfer certificate, an affidavit from the executor of the estate or other authorized individual evidencing that the U.S. situs assets (excluding any exempt assets as noted below) are at or below this threshold amount. Transfers by gift of shares of the Fund by a non-U.S. investor who is a nonresident alien individual will not be subject to U.S. federal gift tax. The tax consequences to a non-U.S. investor entitled to claim the benefits of a treaty between the country of residence of the non-U.S. investor and the U.S. may be different from the consequences described above. Non-U.S. investors should consult with their tax advisors on the estate tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.
For estates of decedents dying before January 1, 2012, the Code also provides for a partial exemption from U.S. estate tax for Fund shares held by an estate of a nonresident decedent. The amount treated as exempt is based on the proportion of the assets held by the Fund at the end of the quarter immediately preceding the decedents death that are treated as qualifying assets. In general, qualifying assets include U.S. bank deposits, U.S. debt obligations that pay portfolio interest and other property not within the United States.
Sunsetting of provisions. The provisions dealing with interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends that are discussed above are scheduled to sunset with respect to taxable years of the Fund ending on December 31, 2011 (calendar year Funds) or in 2012 (fiscal year Funds). The provisions creating a partial exemption from U.S. estate tax are scheduled to sunset on December 31, 2011. Unless these rules are extended, or made permanent, non-U.S. investors will again be subject to nonresident withholding taxes on any ordinary dividends (including short-term capital gain dividends) that they receive, and will no longer be eligible for a reduction in their U.S. estate tax.
Tax certification and backup withholding as applied to non-U.S. investors. Non-U.S. investors have special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding (at a rate of 28%), and if applicable, to obtain the benefit of any income tax treaty between the non-U.S. investor's country of residence and the United States. To claim these tax benefits, the non-U.S. investor must provide a properly completed Form W-8BEN (or other Form W-8, where applicable, or their substitute forms) to establish his or her status as a non-U.S. investor, to claim beneficial ownership over the assets in the account, and to claim, if applicable, a reduced rate of or exemption from withholding tax under the applicable treaty. A Form W-8BEN provided without a U.S. taxpayer identification number remains in effect for a period of three years beginning on the date that it is signed and ending on the last day of the third succeeding calendar year. However, non-U.S. investors must advise the Fund of any changes of circumstances that would render the information given on the form incorrect, and must then provide a new W-8BEN to avoid the prospective application of backup withholding. Forms W-8BEN with U.S. taxpayer identification numbers remain valid indefinitely, or until the investor has a change of circumstances that renders the form incorrect and necessitates a new form and tax certification.
Other Tax Information This discussion of Distributions and Taxes is not written to provide you with tax advice, and does not purport to deal with all of the tax consequences that may be applicable to your investment in the Fund. You should consult your tax advisor regarding your particular circumstances before making an investment in the Fund, or about the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of your investment in the Fund.
Organization, Voting Rights and Principal Holders
The Fund is a diversified, open-end management investment company, commonly called a mutual fund. The Fund was originally organized as a Maryland corporation on November 28, 1977, was converted to a Delaware statutory trust effective August 1, 2007, and is registered with the SEC.
The Fund currently offers four classes of shares: Class A, Class B, Class C, and Advisor Class. New or additional investments into Class B are no longer permitted. Existing shareholders of Class B shares may continue as Class B shareholders, continue to reinvest dividends into Class B shares and exchange their Class B shares for Class B shares of other Franklin Templeton funds as permitted by the current exchange privileges. The Fund may offer additional classes of shares in the future. The full title of each class is:
Shares of each class represent proportionate interests in the Fund's assets. On matters that affect the Fund as a whole, each class has the same voting and other rights and preferences as any other class. On matters that affect only one class, only shareholders of that class may vote. Each class votes separately on matters affecting only that class, or expressly required to be voted on separately by state or federal law.
The Fund has noncumulative voting rights. For board member elections, this gives holders of more than 50% of the shares voting the ability to elect all of the members of the board. If this happens, holders of the remaining shares voting will not be able to elect anyone to the board.
The Fund does not intend to hold annual shareholder meetings. The Fund may hold special meetings, however, for matters requiring shareholder approval.
From time to time, the number of Fund shares held in the "street name" accounts of various securities dealers for the benefit of their clients or in centralized securities depositories may exceed 5% of the total shares outstanding. To the best knowledge of the Fund, no other person holds beneficially or of record more than 5% of the outstanding shares of any class.
As of June 30, 2011, the officers and board members, as a group, owned of record and beneficially 3.6% of the Advisor Class, and less than 1% of the outstanding shares of other classes. The board members may own shares in other funds in Franklin Templeton Investments.The Fund continuously offers its shares through securities dealers who have an agreement with Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors). A securities dealer includes any financial institution that, either directly or through affiliates, has an agreement with Distributors to handle customer orders and accounts with the Fund. This reference is for convenience only and does not indicate a legal conclusion of capacity. Banks and financial institutions that sell shares of the Fund may be required by state law to register as securities dealers. If you buy or sell shares through your securities dealer, you may be charged a transaction processing fee by your securities dealer. Your securities dealer will provide you with specific information about any transaction processing fees you will be charged.
For investors outside the U.S., the offering of Fund shares may be limited in many jurisdictions. An investor who wishes to buy shares of the Fund should determine, or have a broker-dealer determine, the applicable laws and regulations of the relevant jurisdiction. Investors are responsible for compliance with tax, currency exchange or other regulations applicable to redemption and purchase transactions in any jurisdiction to which they may be subject. Investors should consult appropriate tax and legal advisors to obtain information on the rules applicable to these transactions.
All checks, drafts, wires and other payment mediums used to buy or sell shares of the Fund must be denominated in U.S. dollars. We may, in our sole discretion, either (a) reject any order to buy or sell shares denominated in any other currency or (b) honor the transaction or make adjustments to your account for the transaction as of a date and with a foreign currency exchange factor determined by the drawee bank. We may deduct any applicable banking charges imposed by the bank from your account.
When you buy shares, if you submit a check or a draft that is returned unpaid to the Fund we may impose a $10 charge against your account for each returned item.
If you buy shares through the reinvestment of dividends, the shares will be purchased at the net asset value determined on the business day following the dividend record date (sometimes known as the "ex-dividend date"). The processing date for the reinvestment of dividends may vary and does not affect the amount or value of the shares acquired.
Investment by asset allocators The Fund permits investment in the Fund by asset allocators (Asset Allocators) who represent underlying clients that have granted a power of attorney to the Asset Allocators to invest on their behalf. The Asset Allocators typically make asset allocation decisions across similarly situated underlying accounts that are invested in the Fund. As a result of adjustments in such asset allocation decisions, the Fund may experience relatively large purchases and redemptions when the Asset Allocators implement their asset allocation adjustment decisions. In such circumstances, the Fund may nevertheless restrict or reject trading activity by Asset Allocators in accordance with the Frequent Trading Policy of the Fund as set forth in the Funds Prospectus. Neither the Fund, nor its investment manager nor any other affiliated party receives any compensation or other consideration in return for permitting Fund investments by Asset Allocators.
Initial sales charges The maximum initial sales charge is 4.25% for Class A. There is no initial sales charge for Class C and Advisor Class.
The initial sales charge for Class A shares may be reduced for certain large purchases, as described in the prospectus. We offer several ways for you to combine your purchases in Franklin Templeton funds to take advantage of the lower sales charges for large purchases.
Letter of intent (LOI). You may buy Class A shares at a reduced sales charge by completing the LOI section of your account application. An LOI is a commitment by you to invest a specified dollar amount during a 13-month period. The amount you agree to invest determines the sales charge you pay. By completing the LOI section of the application, you acknowledge and agree to the following:
After you file your LOI with the Fund, you may buy Class A shares at the sales charge applicable to the amount specified in your LOI. Sales charge reductions based on purchases in more than one Franklin Templeton fund will be effective only after notification to Distributors that the investment qualifies for a discount. If you file your LOI with the Fund before a change in the Fund's sales charge, you may complete the LOI at the lower of the new sales charge or the sales charge in effect when the LOI was filed.
Your holdings in Franklin Templeton funds acquired before you filed your LOI will be counted towards the completion of the LOI.
If the terms of your LOI are met, the reserved shares will be deposited to an account in your name or delivered to you or as you direct.
If the amount of your total purchases is less than the amount specified in your LOI, the sales charge will be adjusted upward, depending on the actual amount purchased during the period. You will need to send Distributors an amount equal to the difference in the actual dollar amount of sales charge paid and the amount of sales charge that would have applied to the total purchases if the total of the purchases had been made at one time. Upon payment of this amount, the reserved shares held for your account will be deposited to an account in your name or delivered to you or as you direct. If within 20 days after written request the difference in sales charge is not paid, we will redeem an appropriate number of reserved shares to realize the difference. If you redeem the total amount in your account before you fulfill your LOI, we will deduct the additional sales charge due from the sale proceeds and forward the balance to you.
Waivers for investments from certain payments. Class A shares may be purchased without an initial sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) by investors who reinvest within 90 days:
If you paid a CDSC when you redeemed your Class A shares from a Franklin Templeton Investment Fund, a new CDSC will apply to your purchase of Fund shares and the CDSC holding period will begin again. We will, however, credit your Fund account with additional shares based on the CDSC you previously paid and the amount of the redemption proceeds that you reinvest.
If you immediately placed your redemption proceeds in a Franklin Templeton money fund, you may reinvest them as described above. The proceeds must be reinvested within 90 days from the date they are redeemed from the money fund.
Waivers for certain investors. The following investors or investments may qualify to buy Class A shares without an initial sales charge or CDSC due to anticipated economies in sales efforts and expenses, including:
Dealer and financial intermediary compensation Securities dealers may at times receive the entire sales charge. A securities dealer who receives 90% or more of the sales charge may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Financial institutions or their affiliated brokers may receive an agency transaction fee in the percentages indicated in the dealer compensation table in the Fund's prospectus.
Distributors may pay the following commissions to securities dealers who initiate and are responsible for purchases of Class A shares of $1 million or more: 1% (for funds with a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%) and 0.75% (for funds with a maximum initial sales charge less than 5.75%) on sales of $1 million or more but less than $4 million, plus 0.50% on sales of $4 million or more but less than $50 million, plus 0.25% on sales of $50 million or more. Consistent with the provisions and limitations set forth in its Class A Rule 12b-1 distribution plan, the Fund may reimburse Distributors for the cost of these commission payments.
These payments may be made in the form of contingent advance payments, which may be recovered from the securities dealer or set off against other payments due to the dealer if shares are sold within 18 months of the calendar month of purchase. Other conditions may apply. Other terms and conditions may be imposed by an agreement between Distributors, or one of its affiliates, and the securities dealer.
In addition to the sales charge payments described above and the distribution and service (12b-1) fees described below under "The Underwriter - Distribution and service (12b-1) fees," Distributors and/or its non-fund affiliates may make the following additional payments to securities dealers that sell shares of Franklin Templeton funds:
Marketing support payments. Distributors may make payments to certain dealers who are holders or dealers of record for accounts in one or more of the Franklin Templeton funds. A dealer's marketing support services may include business planning assistance, advertising, educating dealer personnel about the Franklin Templeton funds and shareholder financial planning needs, placement on the dealer's list of offered funds, and access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the dealer. Distributors compensates dealers differently depending upon, among other factors, sales and assets levels, redemption rates and the level and/or type of marketing and educational activities provided by the dealer. Such compensation may include financial assistance to dealers that enable Distributors to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events and other dealer-sponsored events. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event. Distributors will, on an annual basis, determine whether to continue such payments. In the case of any one dealer, marketing support payments will not exceed the sum of 0.08% of that dealer's current year's total sales of Franklin Templeton mutual funds and 0.05% (or 0.03%) of the total assets respectively, of equity or fixed income funds attributable to that dealer, on an annual basis.
Distributors and/or its non-fund affiliates may also make marketing support payments to financial intermediaries in connection with their activities that are intended to assist in the sale of shares of Franklin Templeton funds, directly or indirectly, to certain Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans that have retained such financial intermediaries as plan service providers. Payments may be made on account of activities that may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: business planning assistance for financial intermediary personnel, educating financial intermediary personnel about the Franklin Templeton funds, access to sales meetings, sales representatives, wholesalers, and management representatives of the financial intermediary, and detailed sales reporting. A financial intermediary may perform the services itself or may arrange with a third party to perform the services. In the case of any one financial intermediary, such payments will not exceed 0.10% of the total assets of Franklin Templeton equity or fixed income mutual funds held, directly or indirectly, by such Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans, on an annual basis. Distributors will, on an annual basis, determine whether to continue such payments. Any current year sales to, or assets held on behalf of, Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans for which payment is made to a financial intermediary pursuant to this paragraph will be excluded from the calculation of marketing support payments pursuant to the preceding paragraph.
Consistent with the provisions and limitations set forth in its Rule 12b-1 distribution plans, the Fund may reimburse Distributors for the cost of a portion of these marketing support payments.
Marketing support payments may be in addition to any servicing fees paid by Investor Services and reimbursed by the Fund, as described further under Shareholder servicing and transfer agent above.
As noted below, Distributors may provide additional compensation to dealers and financial intermediaries, including dealers and financial intermediaries not listed below, related to transaction support and various dealer-sponsored events intended to educate financial advisers and their clients about the Franklin Templeton funds. The following is a list of FINRA member broker-dealers and financial intermediaries (including their respective affiliates) that Distributors anticipates will receive marketing support payments as of March 31, 2011. In addition to member firms of FINRA, Distributors and/or its non-fund affiliates also makes marketing support and/or administrative services payments to certain other financial intermediaries that sell fund shares or provide services to Franklin Templeton funds and shareholders, such as banks, insurance companies, and plan administrators. These firms are not included in this list. You should ask your financial intermediary if it receives such payments.
ADP Retirement Services, American Portfolios Financial Services, Inc., American United Life Insurance Company, Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Ascensus, Inc., AXA Advisors, LLC, BBVA Compass Investment Solutions, Inc., Benjamin F. Edwards & Company, Inc., Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc., Cambridge Investment Research Inc., CCO Investment Services Corp., Chase Investment Services Corp., Commonwealth Financial Network, CPI Qualified Plan Consultants, Inc., CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc., CUSO Financial Services, L.P., Daily Access Corporation, Diversified Investment Advisors, Edward Jones, ExpertPlan, Inc., Fidelity Investments Institutional Services Company, Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Financial Network Investment Corporation, First Command Financial Planning, Inc., FSC Securities Corporation, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Great-West Retirement Services, Hartford Life, IFC Holdings, Inc. D/B/A INVEST Financial Corporation, ING Financial Partners, Inc., ING Institutional Plan Services, LLP, Investment Centers of America, Inc., J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc., Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC, John Hancock Distributors, LLC, Legend Equities Corporation, Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation, Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation, Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc., Lincoln Retirement Services Company, LLC, LPL Financial Corporation, M&T Securities, Inc., Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc., Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC, Multi-Financial Securities Corporation, National Planning Corporation, New York Life Retirement Plan Services, Newport Retirement Services, Inc., Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, PFS Investments, Inc., Pinellas County Schools, PNC Investments, LLC, PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc., Principal Financial Group, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., RBC Capital Markets Corporation, Richard D. Schubert, Inc., Robert W. Baird & Co., Inc., Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., SagePoint Financial, Inc., Securities America, Inc., Signator Investors, Inc., SII Investments, Inc., Sorrento Pacific Financial, LLC, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, SunTrust Investment Services, Inc., TFS Securities, Inc., The Huntington Investment Company, The Investment Center, Inc., TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Transamerica Advisors Life Insurance Company, UBS Financial Services, Inc., UBS Global Asset Management (US) Inc., UnionBanc Investment Services, LLC, U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., USI Consulting Group, UVEST Financial Services Group, Inc. and Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC.
Marketing support payments made to organizations located outside the U.S., with respect to investments in the Fund by non-U.S. persons, may exceed the above-stated limitation.
Transaction support payments. The types of payments that Distributors may make under this category include, among others, payment of ticket charges of up to $20 per purchase or exchange order placed by a dealer or one time payments for ancillary services such as setting up funds on a dealer's mutual fund trading system.
Other payments. From time to time, Distributors, at its expense, may make additional payments to dealers that sell or arrange for the sale of shares of the Fund. Such compensation may include financial assistance to dealers that enable Distributors to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events, co-operative advertising, newsletters, and other dealer-sponsored events. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event, and can include travel expenses, such as lodging incurred by registered representatives and other employees in connection with training and educational meetings, client prospecting and due diligence trips.
Distributors routinely sponsors due diligence meetings for registered representatives during which they receive updates on various Franklin Templeton funds and are afforded the opportunity to speak with portfolio managers. Invitation to these meetings is not conditioned on selling a specific number of shares. Those who have shown an interest in Franklin Templeton funds, however, are more likely to be considered. To the extent permitted by their firm's policies and procedures, registered representatives' expenses in attending these meetings may be covered by Distributors.
Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by federal or state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA. Distributors makes payments for events it deems appropriate, subject to Distributors' guidelines and applicable law.
You should ask your dealer for information about any payments it receives from Distributors and any services provided.
Contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) - Class A, B and C If you invest any amount in Class C shares or $1 million or more in Class A shares, either as a lump sum or through our cumulative quantity discount or letter of intent programs, a CDSC may apply on any Class A shares you sell within 18 months and any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is 1% for Class C and 0.75% for Class A of the value of the shares sold or the net asset value at the time of purchase, whichever is less.
For Class B shares, there is a CDSC if you sell your shares within six years, as described in the table below. The charge is based on the value of the shares sold or the net asset value at the time of purchase, whichever is less.
if you sell your Class B shares within
this many years after buying them |
this % is deducted from
your proceeds as a CDSC |
1 Year | 4 |
2 Years | 4 |
3 Years | 3 |
4 Years | 3 |
5 Years | 2 |
6 Years | 1 |
7 Years | 0 |
CDSC waivers. The CDSC for any share class generally will be waived for:
Exchange privilege If you request the exchange of the total value of your account, declared but unpaid income dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in the Fund and exchanged into the new fund at net asset value when paid. Backup withholding and information reporting may apply.
If a substantial number of shareholders should, within a short period, sell their Fund shares under the exchange privilege, the Fund might have to sell portfolio securities it might otherwise hold and incur the additional costs related to such transactions. On the other hand, increased use of the exchange privilege may result in periodic large inflows of money. If this occurs, it is the Fund's general policy to initially invest this money in short-term, tax-exempt municipal securities, unless it is believed that attractive investment opportunities consistent with the Fund's investment goals exist immediately. This money will then be withdrawn from the short-term, tax-exempt municipal securities and invested in portfolio securities in as orderly a manner as is possible when attractive investment opportunities arise.
The proceeds from the sale of shares of an investment company generally are not available until the seventh day following the sale. The funds you are seeking to exchange into may delay issuing shares pursuant to an exchange until that seventh day. The sale of Fund shares to complete an exchange will be effected at net asset value at the close of business on the day the request for exchange is received in proper form.
In certain comprehensive fee or advisory programs that hold Class A shares, at the discretion of the financial intermediary, you may exchange to Advisor Class shares or Class Z shares.
Class C shares of a Fund may be exchanged for Advisor Class or Class Z shares of the same Fund, if offered by the Fund, provided you meet the Funds eligibility requirements for purchasing Advisor Class or Class Z shares. The Class C shares that you wish to exchange must not currently be subject to any CDSC.
Systematic withdrawal plan Our systematic withdrawal plan allows you to sell your shares and receive regular payments from your account on a monthly, quarterly, semiannual or annual basis. The value of your account must be at least $5,000 and the minimum payment amount for each withdrawal must be at least $50. There are no service charges for establishing or maintaining a systematic withdrawal plan.
Each month in which a payment is scheduled, we will redeem an equivalent amount of shares in your account on the day of the month you have indicated on your account application or, if no day is indicated, on the 20th day of the month. If that day falls on a weekend or holiday, we will process the redemption on the next business day. For plans set up before June 1, 2000, we will continue to process redemptions on the 25th day of the month (or the next business day) unless you instruct us to change the processing date. Available processing dates currently are the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th and 25th days of the month. When you sell your shares under a systematic withdrawal plan, it is a taxable transaction.
To avoid paying sales charges on money you plan to withdraw within a short period of time, you may not want to set up a systematic withdrawal plan if you plan to buy shares on a regular basis. Shares sold under the plan also may be subject to a CDSC.
Redeeming shares through a systematic withdrawal plan may reduce or exhaust the shares in your account if payments exceed distributions received from the Fund. This is especially likely to occur if there is a market decline. If a withdrawal amount exceeds the value of your account, your account will be closed and the remaining balance in your account will be sent to you. Because the amount withdrawn under the plan may be more than your actual yield or income, part of the payment may be a return of your investment.
To discontinue a systematic withdrawal plan, change the amount and schedule of withdrawal payments, or suspend one payment, we must receive instructions from you at least three business days before a scheduled payment. The Fund may discontinue a systematic withdrawal plan by notifying you in writing and will discontinue a systematic withdrawal plan automatically if all shares in your account are withdrawn, if the Fund receives notification of the shareholder's death or incapacity, or if mail is returned to the Fund marked unable to forward by the postal service.
Redemptions in kind The Fund has committed itself to pay in cash (by check) all requests for redemption by any shareholder of record, limited in amount, however, during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the value of the Fund's net assets at the beginning of the 90-day period. This commitment is irrevocable without the prior approval of the SEC. In the case of redemption requests in excess of these amounts, the board reserves the right to make payments in whole or in part in securities or other assets of the Fund, in case of an emergency, or if the payment of such a redemption in cash would be detrimental to the existing shareholders of the Fund. In these circumstances, the securities distributed would be valued at the price used to compute the Fund's net assets and you may incur brokerage fees in converting the securities to cash. The Fund does not intend to redeem illiquid securities in kind. If this happens, however, you may not be able to recover your investment in a timely manner.
Share certificates We will credit your shares to your Fund account. We do not issue share certificates unless you specifically request them. This eliminates the costly problem of replacing lost, stolen or destroyed certificates. If a certificate is lost, stolen or destroyed, you may have to pay an insurance premium of up to 2% of the value of the certificate to replace it.
Any outstanding share certificates must be returned to the Fund if you want to sell or exchange those shares or if you would like to start a systematic withdrawal plan. The certificates should be properly endorsed. You can do this either by signing the back of the certificate or by completing a share assignment form. For your protection, you may prefer to complete a share assignment form and to send the certificate and assignment form in separate envelopes.
General information If dividend checks are returned to the Fund marked "unable to forward" by the postal service, we will consider this a request by you to change your dividend option to reinvest all distributions. The proceeds will be reinvested in additional shares at net asset value until we receive new instructions.
Distribution or redemption checks sent to you do not earn interest or any other income during the time the checks remain uncashed. Neither the Fund nor its affiliates will be liable for any loss caused by your failure to cash such checks. The Fund is not responsible for tracking down uncashed checks, unless a check is returned as undeliverable.
In most cases, if mail is returned as undeliverable we are required to take certain steps to try to find you free of charge. If these attempts are unsuccessful, however, we may deduct the costs of any additional efforts to find you from your account. These costs may include a percentage of the account when a search company charges a percentage fee in exchange for its location services.
Sending redemption proceeds by wire or electronic funds transfer (ACH) is a special service that we make available whenever possible. By offering this service to you, the Fund is not bound to meet any redemption request in less than the seven-day period prescribed by law. Neither the Fund nor its agents shall be liable to you or any other person if, for any reason, a redemption request by wire or ACH is not processed as described in the prospectus.
There are special procedures for banks and other institutions that wish to open multiple accounts. An institution may open a single master account by filing one application form with the Fund, signed by personnel authorized to act for the institution. Individual sub-accounts may be opened when the master account is opened by listing them on the application, or by providing instructions to the Fund at a later date. These sub-accounts may be registered either by name or number. The Fund's investment minimums apply to each sub-account. The Fund will send confirmation and account statements for the sub-accounts to the institution.
If you buy or sell shares through your securities dealer, we use the net asset value next calculated after your securities dealer receives your request, which is promptly transmitted to the Fund. If you sell shares through your securities dealer, it is your dealer's responsibility to transmit the order to the Fund in a timely fashion. Your redemption proceeds will not earn interest between the time we receive the order from your dealer and the time we receive any required documents. Any loss to you resulting from your dealer's failure to transmit your redemption order to the Fund in a timely fashion must be settled between you and your securities dealer.
Certain shareholder servicing agents may be authorized to accept your transaction request.
For institutional and bank trust accounts, there may be additional methods of buying or selling Fund shares than those described in this SAI or in the prospectus. Institutional and bank trust accounts include accounts opened by or in the name of a person (includes a legal entity or an individual) that has signed an Institutional Account Application or Bank Trust Account Application accepted by Franklin Templeton Institutional, LLC or entered into a selling agreement and/or servicing agreement with Distributors or Investor Services. For example, the Fund permits the owner of an institutional account to make a same day wire purchase if a good order purchase request is received (a) before the close of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or (b) through the National Securities Clearing Corporations automated system for processing purchase orders (Fund/SERV), even though funds are delivered by wire after the close of the NYSE. If funds to be wired are not received as scheduled, the purchase order may be cancelled or reversed and the institutional account owner could be liable for any losses or fees the Fund, Distributors and/or Investor Services may incur.
In the event of disputes involving conflicting claims of ownership or authority to control your shares, the Fund has the right (but has no obligation) to: (i) restrict the shares and require the written agreement of all persons deemed by the Fund to have a potential interest in the shares before executing instructions regarding the shares; or (ii) interplead disputed shares or the proceeds from the court-ordered sale thereof with a court of competent jurisdiction.
Should the Fund be required to defend against joint or multiple shareholders in any action relating to an ownership dispute, you expressly grant the Fund the right to obtain reimbursement for costs and expenses including, but not limited to, attorneys fees and court costs, by unilaterally redeeming shares from your account.
The Fund may be required (i) pursuant to a validly issued levy, to turn your shares over to a levying officer who may, in turn, sell your shares at a public sale; or (ii) pursuant to a final order of forfeiture to sell your shares and remit the proceeds to the U.S. or state government as directed.
Using good faith efforts, the investment manager attempts to identify class action litigation settlements and regulatory or governmental recovery funds involving securities presently or formerly held by the Fund or issuers of such securities or related parties (Claims) in which the Fund may be eligible to participate. When such Claims are identified, the investment manager will cause the Fund to file proofs of claim. Currently, such Claim opportunities predominate in the U.S. and in Canada; the investment managers efforts are therefore focused on Claim opportunities in those jurisdictions. The investment manager may learn of such class action lawsuit or victim fund recovery opportunities in jurisdictions outside of North America (Foreign Actions), in which case the investment manager has complete discretion to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether to cause the Fund to file proofs of claim in such Foreign Actions. In addition, the investment manager may participate in bankruptcy proceedings relating to securities held by the Fund and join creditors committees on behalf of the Fund.
Further, the investment manager may on occasion initiate and/or recommend, and the board of trustees of the Fund may approve, pursuit of separate litigation against an issuer or related parties in connection with securities presently or formerly held by the Fund (whether by opting out of an existing class action lawsuit or otherwise).
Clients of financial advisors whose firms have a Selling Agreement with Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc., and who are eligible for the Financial Advisor Service Team (FAST) may be eligible for Franklin Templeton VIP Services ® which offers enhanced service and transaction capabilities. Please contact Shareholder Services at (800) 632-2301 for additional information on this program.
Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors) acts as the principal underwriter in the continuous public offering of the Fund's shares. Distributors is located at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906.
Distributors does not receive compensation from the Fund for acting as underwriter of the Fund's Advisor Class shares.
The table below shows the aggregate underwriting commissions Distributors received in connection with the offering of the Fund's Class A, B and C shares, the net underwriting discounts and commissions Distributors retained after allowances to dealers, and the amounts Distributors received in connection with redemptions or repurchases of shares for the last three fiscal years ended March 31:
Total Commissions
Received ($) |
Amount
Retained by Distributors ($) |
Amount
Received in Connection with Redemptions and Repurchases ($) |
|
2011 | 13,233,024 | 2,124,374 | 452,600 |
2010 | 18,859,343 | 3,048,368 | 433,533 |
2009 | 18,519,467 | 2,995,622 | 894,780 |
Distributors may be entitled to payments from the Fund under the Rule 12b-1 plans, as discussed below. Except as noted, Distributors received no other compensation from the Fund for acting as underwriter.
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees - Class A, B and C The board has adopted a separate plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 for each class. Although the plans differ in some ways for each class, each plan is designed to benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The plans are expected to, among other things, increase advertising of the Fund, encourage purchases of Fund shares and service to its shareholders, and increase or maintain assets of the Fund so that certain fixed expenses may be spread over a broader asset base, with a positive impact on per share expense ratios. In addition, a positive cash flow into the Fund is useful in managing the Fund because the investment manager has more flexibility in taking advantage of new investment opportunities and handling shareholder redemptions.
Under each plan, the Fund pays Distributors or others for the expenses of activities that are primarily intended to sell shares of the class. These expenses also may include service fees paid to securities dealers or others who have executed a servicing agreement with the Fund, Distributors or its affiliates and who provide service or account maintenance to shareholders (service fees); and the expenses of printing prospectuses and reports used for sales purposes, of marketing support and of preparing and distributing sales literature and advertisements. Together, these expenses, including the service fees, are "eligible expenses." The 12b-1 fees charged to each class are based only on the fees attributable to that particular class. Because Class B is currently closed to new investors, the amounts paid by the Fund under its plan are primarily to pay for ongoing shareholder servicing and to pay Distributors in connection with the advancing of commissions to securities broker-dealers who sold Class B shares.
The Class A, B and C plans. The Fund may pay up to 0.10% per year of Class A's average daily net assets.
The Fund pays Distributors up to 0.65% per year of Class B and Class C's average daily net assets, out of which 0.15% may be paid for services to the shareholders (service fees). The Class B and C plans also may be used to pay Distributors for advancing commissions to securities dealers with respect to the initial sale of Class B and C shares. Class B plan fees payable to Distributors are used by Distributors to pay for ongoing shareholder servicing and to pay Distributors in connection with advancing commissions to securities dealers.
In implementing the Class A plan, the board has determined that the annual fees payable under the plan will be equal to the sum of: (i) the amount obtained by multiplying 0.10% by the average daily net assets represented by the Fund's Class A shares that were acquired by investors on or after May 1, 1994, the effective date of the plan (new assets), and (ii) the amount obtained by multiplying 0.05% by the average daily net assets represented by the Fund's Class A shares that were acquired before May 1, 1994 (old assets). These fees will be paid to the current securities dealer of record on the account. In addition, until such time as the maximum payment of 0.10% is reached on a yearly basis, up to an additional 0.02% will be paid to Distributors under the plan. When the Fund reaches $4 billion in assets, the amount to be paid to Distributors will be reduced from 0.02% to 0.01%. The payments made to Distributors will be used by Distributors to defray other marketing expenses that have been incurred in accordance with the plan, such as advertising.
The fee is a Class A expense. This means that all Class A shareholders, regardless of when they purchased their shares, will bear Rule 12b-1 expenses at the same rate. The initial rate will be at least 0.06% (0.05% plus 0.01%) of the average daily net assets of Class A and, as Class A shares are sold on or after May 1, 1994, will increase over time. Thus, as the proportion of Class A shares purchased on or after May 1, 1994, increases in relation to outstanding Class A shares, the expenses attributable to payments under the plan also will increase (but will not exceed 0.10% of average daily net assets). While this is the currently anticipated calculation for fees payable under the Class A plan, the plan permits the board to allow the Fund to pay a full 0.10% on all assets at any time. The approval of the board would be required to change the calculation of the payments to be made under the Class A plan.
The Class A plan is a reimbursement plan. It allows the Fund to reimburse Distributors for eligible expenses that Distributors has shown it has incurred. The Fund will not reimburse more than the maximum amount allowed under the plan. Any unreimbursed expenses from one year may not be carried over to or reimbursed in later years.
The Class B and C plans are compensation plans. They allow the Fund to pay a fee to Distributors that may be more than the eligible expenses Distributors has incurred at the time of the payment. Distributors must, however, demonstrate to the board that it has spent or has near-term plans to spend the amount received on eligible expenses. The Fund will not pay more than the maximum amount allowed under the plans.
Under the Class A plan, the amounts paid by the Fund pursuant to the plan for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, were:
($) | |
Advertising | 767,162 |
Printing and mailing of prospectuses other than to
current shareholders |
10,082 |
Payments to underwriters | 121,683 |
Payments to broker-dealers | 10,997,061 |
Other | |
Total | 11,895,988 |
Under the Class B plan, the amounts paid by the Fund pursuant to the plan for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, were:
($) | |
Advertising | |
Printing and mailing prospectuses other than to current shareholders | |
Payments to underwriters | |
Payments to broker-dealers | 84,724 |
Other | 289,781 |
Total | 374,505 |
Under the Class C plan, the amounts paid by the Fund pursuant to the plan for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, were:
($) | |
Advertising | 333,299 |
Printing and mailing prospectuses other than to
current shareholders |
2,397 |
Payments to underwriters | 91,104 |
Payments to broker-dealers | 7,101,462 |
Other | |
Total | 7,528,262 |
In addition to the payments that Distributors or others are entitled to under each plan, each plan also provides that to the extent the Fund, the investment manager or Distributors or other parties on behalf of the Fund, the investment manager or Distributors make payments that are deemed to be for the financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares within the context of Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, then such payments shall be deemed to have been made pursuant to the plan.
To the extent fees are for distribution or marketing functions, as distinguished from administrative servicing or agency transactions, certain banks may not participate in the plans because of applicable federal law prohibiting certain banks from engaging in the distribution of mutual fund shares. These banks, however, are allowed to receive fees under the plans for administrative servicing or for agency transactions.
Distributors must provide written reports to the board at least quarterly on the amounts and purpose of any payment made under the plans and any related agreements, and furnish the board with such other information as the board may reasonably request to enable it to make an informed determination of whether the plans should be continued.
Each plan has been approved according to the provisions of Rule 12b-1. The terms and provisions of each plan also are consistent with Rule 12b-1.
Performance quotations are subject to SEC rules. These rules require the use of standardized performance quotations or, alternatively, that every non-standardized performance quotation furnished by the Fund be accompanied by certain standardized performance information computed as required by the SEC. Average annual total return before taxes, average annual total return after taxes on distributions, average annual total return after taxes on distributions and sale of shares and current yield quotations used by the Fund are based on the standardized methods of computing performance mandated by the SEC. An explanation of these and other methods used by the Fund to compute or express performance follows. Regardless of the method used, past performance does not guarantee future results, and is an indication of the return to shareholders only for the limited historical period used.
Average annual total return before taxes Average annual total return before taxes is determined by finding the average annual rates of return over certain periods that would equate an initial hypothetical $1,000 investment to its ending redeemable value. The calculation assumes that the maximum initial sales charge, if applicable, is deducted from the initial $1,000 purchase, and income dividends and capital gain distributions are reinvested at net asset value. The quotation assumes the account was completely redeemed at the end of each period and the deduction of all applicable charges and fees. If a change is made to the sales charge structure, historical performance information will be restated to reflect the maximum initial sales charge currently in effect.
When considering the average annual total return before taxes quotations for Class A shares, you should keep in mind that the maximum initial sales charge reflected in each quotation is a one-time fee charged on all direct purchases, which will have its greatest impact during the early stages of your investment. This charge will affect actual performance less the longer you retain your investment in the Fund.
The following SEC formula is used to calculate these figures:
where:
P = a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000
T = average annual total return
n = number of years
ERV = ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of each period at the end of each period
Average annual total return after taxes on distributions Average annual total return after taxes on distributions is determined by finding the average annual rates of return over certain periods that would equate an initial hypothetical $1,000 investment to its ending redeemable value, after taxes on distributions. The calculation assumes that the maximum initial sales charge, if applicable, is deducted from the initial $1,000 purchase, and income dividends and capital gain distributions, less the taxes due on such distributions, are reinvested at net asset value. The quotation assumes the account was completely redeemed at the end of each period and the deduction of all applicable charges and fees, but assumes that the redemption itself had no tax consequences. If a change is made to the sales charge structure, historical performance information will be restated to reflect the maximum initial sales charge currently in effect.
Taxes due on distributions are calculated by applying the highest individual marginal federal income tax rates in effect on the reinvestment date, using the rates that correspond to the tax character of each component of the distributions (e.g., the ordinary income rate for distributions of ordinary income and net short-term capital gains, and the long-term capital gain rate for distributions of net long-term capital gains). The taxable amount and tax character of a distribution may be adjusted to reflect any recharacterization of the distribution since its original date. Distributions are adjusted to reflect the federal tax impact the distribution would have on an individual taxpayer on the reinvestment date; for example, no taxes are assumed to be due on the portion of any distribution that would not result in federal income tax on an individual (e.g., tax-exempt interest or non-taxable returns of capital). The effect of applicable tax credits, such as the foreign tax credit, is taken into account in accordance with federal tax law. Any potential tax liabilities other than federal tax liabilities (e.g., state and local taxes) are disregarded, as are the effects of phaseouts of certain exemptions, deductions, and credits at various income levels, and the impact of the federal alternative minimum tax. Any redemptions of shares required to pay recurring fees charged to shareholder accounts are assumed to result in no additional taxes or tax credits.
The Funds sales literature and advertising commonly refer to this calculation as the Funds after-tax average annual total return (pre-liquidation). When considering the average annual total return after taxes on distributions quotations for Class A shares, you should keep in mind that the maximum initial sales charge reflected in each quotation is a one-time fee charged on all direct purchases, which will have its greatest impact during the early stages of your investment. This charge will affect actual performance less the longer you retain your investment in the Fund.
The following SEC formula is used to calculate these figures:
where:
P = a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000
T = average annual total return (after taxes on distributions)
n = number of years
ATV D = ending value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of each period at the end of each period, after taxes on fund distributions but not after taxes on redemption
Average annual total return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares Average annual total return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares is determined by finding the average annual rates of return over certain periods that would equate an initial hypothetical $1,000 investment to its ending redeemable value, after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares. The calculation assumes that the maximum initial sales charge, if applicable, is deducted from the initial $1,000 purchase, and income dividends and capital gain distributions are reinvested at net asset value. The quotation assumes the account was completely redeemed at the end of each period and the deduction of all applicable charges and fees, including taxes upon sale of fund shares. If a change is made to the sales charge structure, historical performance information will be restated to reflect the maximum initial sales charge currently in effect.
Taxes due on distributions are calculated by applying the highest individual marginal federal income tax rates in effect on the reinvestment date, using the rates that correspond to the tax character of each component of the distributions (e.g., the ordinary income rate for distributions of ordinary income and net short-term capital gains, and the long-term capital gain rate for distributions of net long-term capital gains). The taxable amount and tax character of a distribution may be adjusted to reflect any recharacterization of the distribution since its original date. Distributions are adjusted to reflect the federal tax impact the distribution would have on an individual taxpayer on the reinvestment date; for example, no taxes are assumed to be due on the portion of any distribution that would not result in federal income tax on an individual (e.g., tax-exempt interest or non-taxable returns of capital). The effect of applicable tax credits, such as the foreign tax credit, is taken into account in accordance with federal tax law. Any potential tax liabilities other than federal tax liabilities (e.g., state and local taxes) are disregarded, as are the effects of phaseouts of certain exemptions, deductions, and credits at various income levels, and the impact of the federal alternative minimum tax. Any redemptions of shares required to pay recurring fees charged to shareholder accounts are assumed to result in no additional taxes or tax credits.
The capital gain or loss upon redemption is calculated by subtracting the tax basis from the redemption proceeds, after deducting any nonrecurring charges assessed at the end of the period, subtracting capital gains taxes resulting from the redemption, or adding the tax benefit from capital losses resulting from the redemption. In determining the basis for a reinvested distribution, the distribution is included net of taxes assumed paid from the distribution, but not net of any sales loads imposed upon reinvestment. Tax basis is adjusted for any distributions representing returns of capital and any other tax basis adjustments that would apply to an individual taxpayer, as permitted by applicable federal law. The amount and character (e.g., short-term or long-term) of capital gain or loss upon redemption are separately determined for shares acquired through the initial investment and each subsequent purchase through reinvested distributions. Shares acquired through reinvestment of distributions are not assumed to have the same holding period as the initial investment. The tax character of such reinvestments is determined by the length of the period between reinvestment and the end of the measurement period in the case of reinvested distributions. Capital gains taxes (or the benefit resulting from tax losses) are calculated using the highest federal individual capital gains tax rate for gains of the appropriate character in effect on the redemption date and in accordance with federal law applicable on the redemption date. Shareholders are assumed to have sufficient capital gains of the same character from other investments to offset any capital losses from the redemption, so that the taxpayer may deduct the capital losses in full.
The Funds sales literature and advertising commonly refer to this calculation as the Funds after-tax average annual total return (post-liquidation). When considering the average annual total return after taxes on distributions quotations for Class A shares, you should keep in mind that the maximum initial sales charge reflected in each quotation is a one-time fee charged on all direct purchases, which will have its greatest impact during the early stages of your investment. This charge will affect actual performance less the longer you retain your investment in the Fund.
The following SEC formula is used to calculate these figures:
where:
P = a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000
T = average annual total return (after taxes on distributions and redemptions)
n = number of years
ATV DR = ending value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of each period at the end of each period, after taxes on fund distributions and redemption
Cumulative total return Like average annual total return, cumulative total return assumes that the maximum initial sales charge, if applicable, is deducted from the initial $1,000 purchase, income dividends and capital gain distributions are reinvested at net asset value, the account was completely redeemed at the end of each period and the deduction of all applicable charges and fees. Cumulative total return, however, is based on the actual return for a specified period rather than on the average return.
Current yield Current yield shows the income per share earned by the Fund. It is calculated by dividing the net investment income per share earned during a 30-day base period by the applicable maximum offering price per share on the last day of the period and annualizing the result. Expenses accrued for the period include any fees charged to all shareholders of the class during the base period.
This SEC standardized yield reflects an estimated yield to maturity for each obligation held by the Fund which takes into account the current market value of the obligation and may reflect some judgments as to the ultimate realizable value of the obligation. This SEC standardized yield should be regarded as an estimate of the Fund's current rate of investment income, and it may not equal the Fund's actual income dividend distribution rate, the income paid to a shareholder's account or the income reported in the Fund's financial statements.
The following SEC formula is used to calculate these figures:
where:
a = dividends and interest earned during the period
b = expenses accrued for the period (net of reimbursements)
c = the average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were entitled to receive dividends
d = the maximum offering price per share on the last day of the period
Taxable-equivalent yield The Fund also may quote a taxable-equivalent yield that shows the before-tax yield that would have to be earned from a taxable investment to equal the yield. Taxable-equivalent yield is computed by dividing the portion of the yield that is tax-exempt by one minus the highest applicable combined federal and state income tax rate and adding the product to the portion of the yield that is not tax-exempt, if any.
From time to time, as any changes to the rates become effective, taxable-equivalent yield quotations advertised by the Fund will be updated to reflect these changes. The Fund expects updates may be necessary as tax rates are changed by federal and state governments. The advantage of tax-free investments, like the Fund, will be enhanced by any tax rate increases. Therefore, the details of specific tax increases may be used in sales material for the Fund.
Current distribution rate Current yield and taxable-equivalent yield, which are calculated according to a formula prescribed by the SEC, are not indicative of the amounts that were or will be paid to shareholders. Amounts paid to shareholders are reflected in the quoted current distribution rate or taxable-equivalent distribution rate. The current distribution rate is usually computed by annualizing the dividends paid per share by a class during a certain period and dividing that amount by the current maximum offering price. The current distribution rate differs from the current yield computation because it may include distributions to shareholders from sources other than interest, if any, and is calculated over a different period of time.
A taxable-equivalent distribution rate shows the taxable distribution rate equivalent to the current distribution rate. The advertised taxable-equivalent distribution rate will reflect the most current federal and state tax rates available to the Fund.
Volatility Occasionally statistics may be used to show the Fund's volatility or risk. Measures of volatility or risk are generally used to compare the Fund's net asset value or performance to a market index. One measure of volatility is beta. Beta is the volatility of a fund relative to the total market, as represented by an index considered representative of the types of securities in which the fund invests. A beta of more than 1.00 indicates volatility greater than the market and a beta of less than 1.00 indicates volatility less than the market. Another measure of volatility or risk is standard deviation. Standard deviation is used to measure variability of net asset value or total return around an average over a specified period of time. The idea is that greater volatility means greater risk undertaken in achieving performance.
Other performance quotations The Fund also may quote the performance of Class A shares without a sales charge. Sales literature and advertising may quote a cumulative total return, average annual total return and other measures of performance with the substitution of net asset value for the public offering price.
The Fund may include in its advertising or sales material information relating to investment goals and performance results of funds belonging to Franklin Templeton Investments. Resources is the parent company of the advisors and underwriter of Franklin Templeton funds.
The Fund may help you achieve various investment goals such as accumulating money for retirement, saving for a down payment on a home, college costs and other long-term goals. The Franklin College Savings Planner may help you in determining how much money must be invested on a monthly basis to have a projected amount available in the future to fund a child's college education. (Projected college cost estimates are based upon current costs published by the College Board.) The Franklin Retirement Savings Planner leads you through the steps to start a retirement savings program. Of course, an investment in the Fund cannot guarantee that these goals will be met.
The Fund is a member of Franklin Templeton Investments, one of the largest mutual fund organizations in the U.S., and may be considered in a program for diversification of assets. Founded in 1947, Franklin is one of the oldest mutual fund organizations and now services more than 2 million shareholder accounts. In 1992, Franklin, a leader in managing fixed-income mutual funds and an innovator in creating domestic equity funds, joined forces with Templeton, a pioneer in international investing. The Mutual Series team, known for its value-driven approach to domestic equity investing, became part of the organization four years later. In 2001, the Fiduciary Trust team, known for providing global investment management to institutions and high net worth clients worldwide, joined the organization. Together, Franklin Templeton Investments has, as of June 30, 2011, over $734 billion in assets under management for more than 4 million U.S. based mutual fund shareholder and other accounts. Franklin Templeton Investments offers 107 U.S. based open-end investment companies to the public. The Fund may identify itself by its NASDAQ symbol or CUSIP number.
Under current federal and state income tax laws, municipal securities remain one of the few investments offering the potential for tax-free income. In 2011, the tax cost of a fully taxable investment could reach $42.91 on every $100 of investment earnings. This is based on the highest federal personal income tax rate of 35.00% and the highest combined state and local personal income tax rate of 12.17%. The combined tax rate of 42.91% assumes a federal income tax deduction for the full amount of the state and local income taxes. Federal and state income tax rates are as of December 28, 2010, and are subject to change as federal and state legislatures search for new revenue to meet expected budget shortfalls. Franklin tax-free funds, however, offer tax relief through a professionally managed portfolio of tax-free securities selected based on their yield, quality and maturity. An investment in a Franklin tax-free fund may provide you with the potential to earn income free from regular federal income tax and, depending on the fund and your state of residence, state and local tax as well, while supporting state and local public projects. A portion, or a small portion, of the tax-free funds income dividends may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. Franklin tax-free funds may also provide tax-free compounding when tax-free income is reinvested. An investment in Franklin's tax-free funds can grow more rapidly than similar taxable investments. Shareholders should also be aware that many states are experiencing budget shortfalls in their annual budgets and these states may raise taxes on investment income to generate additional revenue to cover these shortfalls. Tax-free compounding may create one more reason why investors should consider an investment in a tax-free fund as an investment opportunity at this time.
Municipal securities are generally considered to be creditworthy, second in quality only to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government and its agencies. The market price of municipal securities, however, may fluctuate. This fluctuation will have a direct impact on the net asset value of the Fund's shares.
Currently, there are more mutual funds than there are stocks listed on the NYSE. While many of them have similar investment goals, no two are exactly alike. Shares of the Fund are generally sold through securities dealers, whose investment representatives are experienced professionals who can offer advice on the type of investments suitable to your unique goals and needs, as well as the risks associated with such investments.
Municipal Bond Ratings
Moody's
Municipal Ratings are the opinions of the investment quality of issuers and issues in the U.S. municipal and tax-exempt markets. As such, these ratings incorporate Moody's assessment of the default probability and loss severity of these issuers and issues. The default and loss content for Moody's municipal long-term rating scale differs from Moody's general long-term rating scale. It is important that users of Moody's ratings understand these differences when making rating comparisons between the Municipal and Global Scales.
Municipal Ratings are based upon the analysis of five primary factors related to municipal finance: market position, financial position, debt levels, finances, governance and covenants. Each of the factors is evaluated individually and for its effect on the other factors in the context of the municipality's ability to repay its debt.
INVESTMENT GRADE
Aaa: Issues or issuers rated Aaa demonstrate the strongest creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issues or issuers.
Aa: Issues or issuers rated Aa demonstrate very strong creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issues or issuers.
A: Issues or issuers rated A present above-average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issues or issuers.
Baa: Issues or issuers rated Baa represent average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issues or issuers.
BELOW INVESTMENT GRADE
Ba: Issues or issuers rated Ba demonstrate below-average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issues or issuers.
B: Issues or issuers rated B demonstrate weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issues or issuers.
Caa: Issues or issuers rated Caa demonstrate very weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issues or issuers.
Ca: Issues or issuers rated Ca demonstrate extremely weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issues or issuers.
C: Issues or issuers demonstrate the weakest creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issues or issuers.
Con.(*): Municipal bonds for which the security depends upon the completion of some act or the fulfillment of some condition are rated conditionally. These are bonds secured by (a) earnings of projects under construction, (b) earnings of projects unseasoned in operation experience, (c) rentals that begin when facilities are completed, or (d) payments to which some other limiting condition attaches. Parenthetical rating denotes probable credit stature upon the completion of construction or the elimination of the basis of the condition.
Note: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the issue or issuer ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and modifier 3 indicates that the issue or issuer ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category.
S&P ®
S&P's issue credit rating is a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion evaluates the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default. The issue credit rating is not a statement of fact or recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a financial obligation or make any investment decisions. Nor is it a comment regarding an issue's market price or suitability for a particular investor.
Issue credit ratings are based on current information furnished by the obligors or obtained by S&P from other sources it considers reliable. S&P does not perform an audit in connection with any credit rating and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. Credit ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in, or unavailability of, such information, or based on other circumstances.
INVESTMENT GRADE
AAA: An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA: An obligation rated AA differs from AAA issues only in a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
A: An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than an obligation in the higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment is considered still strong.
BBB: An obligation rated BBB normally exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
BELOW INVESTMENT GRADE
BB, B, CCC, CC, C: Obligations rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest degree of speculation. While these obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
BB: An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CCC: An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CC: An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
C: A C rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default.
D: An obligation rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating is also used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on the obligation are jeopardized.
Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings from "AA" to "CCC" may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
pr: The designation "pr" indicates that the rating is provisional. Such a rating assumes the successful completion of the project financed by the debt being rated and also indicates that payment of the debt service is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful and timely completion of the project. This rating addresses credit quality subsequent to the completion of the project, but makes no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion.
Municipal Note Ratings
Moody's
Moody's ratings for municipal short-term investment grade obligations are designated Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and are divided into three levels -- MIG 1 through MIG 3. In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated SG, or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation. Symbols used will be as follows:
INVESTMENT GRADE
MIG 1: This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2: This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not so large as in the preceding group.
MIG 3: This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well established.
BELOW INVESTMENT GRADE
SG: This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
S&P ®
New municipal note issues due in three years or less, will usually be assigned the ratings below. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a bond rating of the type recited above.
SP-1: Issues carrying this designation have a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Issues determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service are given a "plus" (+) designation.
SP-2: Issues carrying this designation have a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the terms of the notes.
SP-3: Issues carrying this designation have a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
Short-Term Debt Ratings
Moody's
Moody's short-term debt ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs and to individual short-term debt instruments. These obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding 13 months, unless explicitly noted. Moody's employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment capacity of rated issuers:
P-1 (Prime-1): Issuers (or supporting institutions) so rated have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-2 (Prime-2): Issuers (or supporting institutions) so rated have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-3 (Prime-3): Issuers (or supporting institutions) so rated have an acceptable ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
NP: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
S&P ®
S&P's ratings are a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days -- including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating.
A-1: This designation indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2: Issues carrying this designation are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations carrying the higher designations. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.
A-3: Issues carrying this designation exhibit adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: Issues carrying this designation are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
C: Issues carrying this designation are currently vulnerable to nonpayment and are dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
D: Issues carrying this designation are in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the due date even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
The following information on the state income tax treatment of dividends from the Fund is based upon correspondence and sources believed to be reliable. Except where otherwise noted, the information pertains to individual state income taxation only. You may be subject to local taxes on dividends or the value of your shares. Corporations, trusts, estates and other entities may be subject to other taxes and should consult with their tax advisors or their state department of revenue. For some investors, a portion of the dividend income may be subject to the federal and/or state alternative minimum tax.
California Distributions of exempt-interest dividends will be exempt from California's personal income tax to the extent that they are derived from interest on obligations of the state of California or its political subdivisions, or from interest on qualifying U.S. territorial obligations (including qualifying obligations of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam) (California exempt-interest dividends), provided that (i) the dividends do not exceed the amount of interest (reduced by certain non-deductible expenses) received by the Fund during its taxable year on obligations that, when held by an individual, the interest therefrom is exempt from taxation by California, (ii) the Fund properly designates the dividends as California exempt-interest dividends in a written notice mailed to shareholders, and (iii) at the close of each quarter of the Funds taxable year, at least 50% of the value of its total assets consists of obligations which, when held by an individual, the interest therefrom is exempt from taxation by California. To the extent the Funds distributions are derived from interest on taxable investments or from gain from the sale of investments or are attributable to the portion of the Funds tax-exempt interest that is not derived from obligations of the state of California or its political subdivisions, or from interest on qualifying U.S. territorial obligations, they will constitute taxable income for California personal income tax purposes. Capital gain dividends paid by the Fund are treated as capital gains which are taxed at ordinary income tax rates for California personal income tax purposes. Effective January 1, 2010, residents of California may be subject to backup withholding at 7% on the proceeds from the sale of Fund shares. Because of these tax exemptions, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors, or for residents of states other than California.
Distributions from the Fund, including distributions of California exempt-interest dividends, will generally be taxable to shareholders that are subject to the California franchise tax on business corporations. Shareholders that are subject to other California state or local taxes should consult their tax advisers regarding the application of such taxes to their investment.
FRANKLIN CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
File Nos. 002-60470 &
811-2790
FORM N-1A
PART C
Other Information
Item 28. Exhibits. The following exhibits are incorporated by reference to the previously filed document indicated below, except as noted: |
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(a) Agreement and Declaration of Trust |
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(i) Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Franklin |
California Tax-Free Income Fund, a Delaware |
Statutory Trust, dated October 18, 2006 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 27, 2007 |
|
(ii) Certificate of Trust of Franklin California |
Tax-Free Income |
Fund dated October 18, 2006 |
Filing: Pose-Effective Amendment No. 35 to |
Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 27, 2007 |
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(b) By-Laws |
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(i) By-Laws of Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund, a Delaware Statutory Trust effective as of October 18, 2006 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 27, 2007 |
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(c) Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders |
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Not Applicable |
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(d) Investment Advisory Contracts |
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(i) Investment Management Agreement between Registrant and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated August 1, 2007 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 29, 2008 |
|
(ii) Addendum dated January 1, 2008 to the Investment Management Agreement between Registrant and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated August 1, 2007 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 29, 2008 |
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(e) Underwriting Contracts |
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(i) Distribution Agreement between Registrant |
and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. |
dated January 1, 2011 |
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(ii) Forms of Selling Agreements between Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. and Securities Dealers dated May 1, 2010 |
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(f) Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts |
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Not Applicable |
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(g) Custodian Agreements |
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(i) Master Custody Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 21 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 19, 1996 |
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(ii) Amendment dated May 7, 1997 to Master Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: May 21, 1998 |
|
(iii) Amendment dated February 27, 1998, to the Master Custody Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: October 30, 1998 |
|
(iv) Amendment dated January 14, 2011 to Exhibit A of the Master Custody Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
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(v) Terminal Link Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 21 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 19, 1996 |
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(h) Other Material Contracts |
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(i) Subcontract for Fund Administrative Services between Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Franklin Templeton Services, LLC dated March 1, 2008 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 29, 2008 |
|
(i) Legal Opinion |
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(i) Legal Opinion dated July 27, 2007 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 27, 2007 |
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(j) Other Opinions |
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(i) Consent of Independent Registered Public |
Accounting Firm |
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(k) Omitted Financial Statements |
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Not Applicable |
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(l) Initial Capital Agreements |
|
Letter of Understanding for Class C shares dated April 12, 1995 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: June 1, 1995 |
|
(m) Rule 12b-1 Plan |
|
(i) Amended and Restated Class A Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 between Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. dated February 1, 2009 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 37 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 29, 2009 |
|
|
(ii) Amended and Restated Class B Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 between Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc., dated July 9, 2009 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 28, 2010 |
|
|
(iii) Amended and Restated Class C Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 between Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc., dated July 9, 2009 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 28, 2010 |
|
(n) Rule 18f-3 Plan |
|
(i) Multiple Class Plan dated October 17, 2006 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 29, 2008 |
|
(p) Code of Ethics |
|
(i) Code of Ethics dated May, 2010 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 28, 2010 |
|
(q) Power of Attorney |
(i) Power of Attorney dated July 15, 2010 |
Filing: Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registration Statement on Form N-1A |
File No. 002-60470 |
Filing Date: July 28, 2010 |
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Fund
None
Item 30. Indemnification
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”) provides that any person who is or was a Trustee, officer, employee or other agent, including the underwriter, of such Trust shall be liable to such Trust and its shareholders only for (1) any act or omission that constitutes a bad faith violation of the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing, or (2) the person’s own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person (such conduct referred to herein as Disqualifying Conduct) and for nothing else. Except in these instances, these persons shall not be responsible or liable for any act or omission of any other agent of such Trust or its investment adviser or principal underwriter to the fullest extent that limitations of liability are permitted by the Delaware Statutory Trust Act (the “Delaware Act”). Moreover, except in these instances, none of these persons, when acting in their respective capacity as such, shall be personally liable to any other person, other than such Trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission or obligation of such Trust or any trustee thereof.
The Trust shall indemnify, out of its assets, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, any of these persons who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any Proceeding (as defined in the Declaration) because the person is or was an agent of such Trust. These persons shall be indemnified against any expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the Proceeding if the person acted in good faith or, in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful. The termination of any proceeding by judgment, settlement or its equivalent shall not in itself create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith or that the person had reasonable cause to believe that the person’s conduct was unlawful. There shall nonetheless be no indemnification for a person’s own Disqualifying Conduct.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to Trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Fund pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Fund has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Fund of expenses incurred or paid by a Trustee, officer or controlling person of the Fund in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such Trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with securities being registered, the Fund may be required, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court or appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
The officers and directors of Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers), the Registrant's manager, also serve as officers and/or directors/trustees for (1) Advisers' corporate parent, Franklin Resources, Inc., and/or (2) other investment companies in
Franklin Templeton Investments. For additional information please see Part B and Schedules A and D of Form ADV of Advisers (SEC File 801-26292), incorporated herein by reference, which sets forth the officers and directors of Advisers and information as to any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by those officers and directors during the past two years.
Item 32. Principal Underwriters
a) Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. (Distributors) also acts as principal underwriter of shares of:
Franklin California Tax-Free Trust
Franklin Custodian Funds
Franklin Federal Money Fund
Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund
Franklin Global Trust
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund
Franklin High Income Trust
Franklin Investors Securities Trust
Franklin Managed Trust
Franklin Money Fund
Franklin Municipal Securities Trust
Franklin Mutual Series Funds
Franklin Mutual Recovery Fund
Franklin New York Tax-Free Income Fund
Franklin New York Tax-Free Trust
Franklin Real Estate Securities Trust
Franklin Strategic Mortgage Portfolio
Franklin Strategic Series
Franklin Tax-Exempt Money Fund
Franklin Tax-Free Trust
Franklin Templeton Fund Allocator Series
Franklin Templeton Global Trust
Franklin Templeton International Trust
Franklin Templeton Money Fund Trust
Franklin Value Investors Trust
Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust
Institutional Fiduciary Trust
Templeton China World Fund
Templeton Developing Markets Trust
Templeton Funds
Templeton Global Investment Trust
Templeton Global Opportunities Trust
Templeton Global Smaller Companies Fund
Templeton Growth Fund, Inc.
Templeton Income Trust
Templeton Institutional Funds
b) The information required by this Item 32 with respect to each director and officer of Distributors is incorporated by reference to Part B of this N-1A and Schedule A of Form BD filed by Distributors with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1934 (SEC File No. 8-5889):
c) Not Applicable. Registrant's principal underwriter is an affiliated person of an affiliated person of the Registrant.
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
The accounts, books or other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are kept by the Fund at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906 or its shareholder service agent, Franklin Templeton Investor Services, LLC, at 3344 Quality Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670-7313 .
Item 34. Management Services
There are no management-related service contracts not discussed in Part A or Part B.
Item 35. Undertakings
Not Applicable
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of San Mateo and the State of California, on the 27th day of July, 2011.
FRANKLIN CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
(Registrant)
By: /s/ David P. Goss
Vice President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Christopher J. Molumphy*Christopher J. Molumphy |
President Chief Executive Officer – Investment Management |
|
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
Laura F. Fergerson* Laura F. Fergerson |
Chief Executive Officer – Finance and Administration |
|
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
Gaston Gardey* Gaston Gardey |
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer |
|
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
Harris J. Ashton* |
Trustee |
Harris J. Ashton |
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
Sam Ginn* |
Trustee |
Sam Ginn |
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
Edith E. Holiday* |
Trustee |
Edith E. Holiday |
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
Charles B. Johnson* |
Trustee |
Charles B. Johnson |
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr.* |
Trustee |
Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. |
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
J. Michael Luttig* |
Trustee |
J. Michael Luttig |
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
Frank A. Olson* |
Trustee |
Frank A. Olson |
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
Larry D. Thompson |
Trustee |
Larry D. Thompson |
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
John B. Wilson* |
Trustee |
John B. Wilson |
Dated: July 27, 2011 |
|
|
FRANKLIN CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT NO. |
DESCRIPTION |
LOCATION |
|
|
|
EX-99.(a)(i) |
Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund, a Delaware Statutory Trust, dated October 18, 2006 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(a)(ii) |
Certificate of Trust of Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund, a Delaware Statutory Trust, dated October 18, 2006 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(b)(i) |
By-Laws |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(d)(i) |
Investment Management Agreement between Registrant and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated August 1, 2007 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(d)(ii) |
Addendum dated January 1, 2008 to the Investment Management Agreement between Registrant and Franklin Advisers, Inc. dated August 1, 2007 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(e)(i) |
Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. dated January 1, 2011 |
Attached |
|
|
|
EX-99.(e)(ii) |
Forms of Selling Agreements between Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. and Securities Dealers dated May 1, 2010 |
Attached |
|
|
|
EX-99.(g)(i) |
Master Custody Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(g)(ii) |
Amendment dated May 7, 1997 to Master Custody Agreement between the Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(g)(iii) |
Amendment dated February 27, 1998, to the Master Custody Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(g)(iv) |
Amendment dated January 14, 2011 to Exhibit A of the Master Custody Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
Attached |
|
|
|
EX-99.(g)(v) |
Terminal Link Agreement between Registrant and Bank of New York dated February 16, 1996 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(h)(i) |
Subcontract for Fund Administrative Services between Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Franklin Templeton Services, LLC dated March 1, 2008 |
* |
|
|
|
EX - 99.(i)(i) |
Legal Opinion dated July 27, 2007 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(j)(i) |
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm |
Attached |
|
|
|
EX-99.(l)(i) |
Letter of Understanding for Class C shares dated April 12, 1995 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(m)(i) |
Amended and Restated Class A Distribution Plan pursuant to 12b-1 Rule between Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. dated February 1, 2009 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(m)(ii) |
Amended and Restated Class B Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 between Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. dated July 9, 2009 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(m)(iii) |
Amended and Restated Class C Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 between Registrant and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. dated July 9, 2009 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(n)(i) |
Multiple Class Plan dated October 17, 2006 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(p)(i) |
Code of Ethics dated May, 2010 |
* |
|
|
|
EX-99.(q)(i) |
Power of Attorney dated July 15, 2010 |
* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, California 94403-1906
Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc.
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
Re: Distribution Agreement
Gentlemen:
We, Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund, (the “Fund”), are a Delaware statutory trust operating as an open-end management investment company or “mutual fund”, which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and whose shares are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). We desire to issue one or more series or classes of our authorized but unissued shares of capital stock or beneficial interest (the “Shares”) to authorized persons in accordance with applicable Federal and State securities laws. The Fund’s Shares may be made available in one or more separate series, each of which may have one or more classes.
You have informed us that your company is registered as a broker-dealer under the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and that your company is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. You have indicated your desire to act as the exclusive selling agent and distributor for the Shares. We have been authorized to execute and deliver this Distribution Agreement (“Agreement”) to you by a resolution of our Board of Trustees (“Board”) passed at a meeting at which a majority of Board members, including a majority who are not otherwise interested persons of the Fund and who are not interested persons of our investment adviser, its related organizations or with you or your related organizations, were present and voted in favor of the said resolution approving this Agreement.
FCTFIF Distribution Agreement Jan 2011
1 |
1. Appointment of Underwriter. Upon the execution of this Agreement and in consideration of the agreements on your part herein expressed and upon the terms and conditions set forth herein, we hereby appoint you as the exclusive sales agent for our Shares and agree that we will deliver such Shares as you may sell. You agree to use your best efforts to promote the sale of Shares, but are not obligated to sell any specific number of Shares.
However, the Fund and each series retain the right to make direct sales of its Shares without sales charges consistent with the terms of the then current prospectus and statement of additional information and applicable law, and to engage in other legally authorized transactions in its Shares which do not involve the sale of Shares to the general public. Such other transactions may include, without limitation, transactions between the Fund or any series or class and its shareholders only, transactions involving the reorganization of the Fund or any series, and transactions involving the merger or combination of the Fund or any series with another corporation or trust.
2. Independent Contractor. You will undertake and discharge your obligations hereunder as an independent contractor and shall have no authority or power to obligate or bind us by your actions, conduct or contracts except that you are authorized to promote the sale of Shares. You may appoint sub-agents or distribute through dealers or otherwise as you may determine from time to time, but this Agreement shall not be construed as authorizing any dealer or other person to accept orders for sale or repurchase on our behalf or otherwise act as our agent for any purpose.
3. Offering Price. Shares shall be offered for sale at a price equivalent to the net asset value per share of that series and class plus any applicable percentage of the public offering price as sales commission or as otherwise set forth in our then current prospectus. On each business day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for business, we will furnish you with the net asset value of the Shares of each available series and class which shall be determined in accordance with our then effective prospectus. All Shares will be sold in the manner set forth in our then effective prospectus and statement of additional information, and in compliance with applicable law.
4. Compensation.
A. Sales Commission. You shall be entitled to charge a sales commission on the sale or redemption, as appropriate, of each series and class of each Fund’s Shares in the amount of any initial, deferred or contingent deferred sales charge as set forth in our then effective prospectus. You may allow any sub-agents or dealers such commissions or discounts from and not exceeding the total sales commission as you shall deem advisable, so long as any such commissions or discounts are set forth in our current prospectus to the extent required by the applicable Federal and State securities laws. You may also make payments to sub-agents or dealers from your own resources, subject to the following conditions: (a) any such payments shall not create any obligation for or recourse against the Fund or any series or class, and (b) the terms and conditions of any such payments are consistent with our prospectus and applicable Federal and State securities laws and are disclosed in our prospectus or statement of additional information to the extent such laws may require.
FCTFIF Distribution Agreement Jan 2011
2 |
B. Distribution Plans. You shall also be entitled to compensation for your services as provided in any Distribution Plan adopted as to any series and class of any Fund’s Shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. The compensation provided in any such Distribution Plan (a “12b-1 Plan”) may be divided into a distribution fee and a service fee, as set forth in such Plan and the Fund’s then current prospectus and statement of additional information (“SAI”), each of which is compensation for different services to be rendered to the Fund. Subject to the termination provisions in a 12b-1 Plan, any distribution fee with respect to the sale of a Share subject to such Plan shall be earned when such Share is sold and shall be payable from time to time as provided in the 12b-1 Plan. The distribution fee payable to you as provided in any 12b-1 Plan shall be payable without offset, defense or counterclaim (it being understood by the parties hereto that nothing in this sentence shall be deemed a waiver by the Fund of any claim the Fund may have against you).
C. With respect to the sales commission on the redemption of Shares of each series and class of Fund as provided in Subsection 4.A. above, we will cause our shareholder services agent (the “Transfer Agent”) to withhold from redemption proceeds payable to holders of the Shares all contingent deferred sales charges properly payable by such holders in accordance with the terms of our then current prospectuses and statements of additional information (each such sales charge, a “CDSC”). Upon receipt of an order for redemption, the Transfer Agent shall direct our custodian to transfer such redemption proceeds to a general trust account. We shall then cause the Transfer Agent to pay over to you or your assigns from the general trust account such CDSCs properly payable by such holders as promptly as possible after the settlement date for each such redemption of Shares. CDSCs shall be payable without offset, defense or counterclaim (it being understood that nothing in this sentence shall be deemed a waiver by us of any claim we may have against you.) You may direct that the CDSCs payable to you be paid to any other person.
5. Terms and Conditions of Sales. Shares shall be offered for sale only in those jurisdictions where they have been properly registered or are exempt from registration or for which appropriate notice filings have been made , and only to those groups of people which the Board may from time to time determine to be eligible to purchase such shares.
6. Orders and Payment for Shares. Orders for Shares shall be directed to the Fund’s shareholder services agent, for acceptance on behalf of the Fund. At or prior to the time of delivery of any of our Shares you will pay or cause to be paid to the custodian of the Fund’s assets, for our account, an amount in cash or other consideration as described from time to time in any then effective Fund prospectus equal to the net asset value of such Shares. Sales of Shares shall be deemed to be made when and where accepted by the Fund’s shareholder services agent. The Fund’s custodian and shareholder services agent shall be identified in its prospectus or SAI .
7. Purchases for Your Own Account. You shall not purchase our Shares for your own account for purposes of resale to the public, but you may purchase Shares for your own investment account upon your assurance , which may be in writing, that the purchase is for investment purposes and that the Shares will not be resold except through redemption by us.
FCTFIF Distribution Agreement Jan 2011
3 |
8. Sale of Shares to Affiliates. You may sell our Shares at net asset value to certain of your and our affiliated persons pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal securities statutes and rules or regulations thereunder (the “Rules and Regulations”), including Rule 22d-1 under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time.
9. Allocation of Expenses. We will pay (or enter into arrangements providing that persons other than us shall pay) the expenses:
(a) Of the preparation and typesetting of our audited and certified financial statements to be included in any Post-Effective Amendments (“Amendments”) to our Registration Statement under the 1933 Act or 1940 Act, including the prospectus , the summary prospectus and SAI included therein;
(b) Of the preparation, including legal fees, and typesetting of all Amendments or supplements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the copies of the prospectuses , summary prospectuses and SAIs included in the Amendments, other than those necessitated by your (including your affiliates’ ) activities or Rules and Regulations related to your activities where such Amendments or supplements result in expenses which we would not otherwise have incurred;
(c) Of the preparation, printing , mailing and distribution of any reports or communications which we send to our existing shareholders , including expenses associated with printing, mailing and distributing annually any updated prospectus, summary prospectus, report or SAI to existing shareholders, other than those necessitated by your (including your affiliates’) activities or Rules and Regulations related to your activities where such communications result in expenses which we would not otherwise have incurred;
(d) Of printing, mailing and distribution of any prospectus or summary prospectus included with the confirmation of any purchase order of Fund shares;
(e) Of reimbursing the reasonable costs of dealers that elect to “print on demand” any prospectus or summary prospectus included with the confirmation of any purchase order of Fund shares; and
(f) Of filing and other fees to Federal and State securities regulatory authorities necessary to continue offering our Shares.
FCTFIF Distribution Agreement Jan 2011
4 |
You will pay (or enter into arrangements providing that persons other than you shall pay) the expenses:
(a) Of the preparation, including legal fees, typesetting, printing , and distributing (including mailing) of all Amendments and supplements to our prospectuses , summary prospectuses and SAIs if the Amendment or supplement arises from your (including your affiliates’ ) activities or Rules and Regulations related to your activities and those expenses would not otherwise have been incurred by us;
( b ) Of printing and distributing (including mailing) additional copies, for use by you as sales literature or for other marketing or offering purposes , of reports , prospectuses, summary prospectuses, SAIs, supplements or other communications, which we have prepared for distribution to our existing shareholders; and
(c) Incurred by you in advertising, promoting and selling our Shares.
We acknowledge that some of the expenses to be borne by you under (b) and (c) as set forth above, may be paid from Rule 12b-1 fees that you receive from the applicable class of the Fund from time to time.
10. Furnishing of Information. We will furnish to you such information with respect to each series and class of Shares, in such form and signed by such of our officers as you may reasonably request, and we warrant that the statements therein contained, when so signed, will be true and correct. We will also furnish you with such information and will take such action as you may reasonably request in order to qualify our Shares for sale to the public under the Blue Sky Laws of jurisdictions in which you may wish to offer them. We will furnish you with annual audited financial statements of our books and accounts certified by independent public accountants, with semi-annual financial statements prepared by us, with registration statements and, from time to time, with such additional information regarding our financial condition as you may reasonably request.
11. Conduct of Business. Other than our currently effective prospectus, you will not issue any sales material or statements except literature or advertising which conforms to the requirements of Federal and State securities laws and regulations and which have been filed, where necessary, with the appropriate regulatory authorities. You will furnish us with copies of all such materials prior to their use and no such material shall be published if we shall reasonably and promptly object.
You shall comply with the applicable Federal and State laws and regulations where our Shares are offered for sale and conduct your affairs with us and with dealers, brokers or investors in accordance with the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
FCTFIF Distribution Agreement Jan 2011
5 |
12. Redemption or Repurchase Within Seven Days. If Shares are tendered to us for redemption or repurchase by us within seven business days after your acceptance of the original purchase order for such Shares, you will immediately refund to us the full sales commission (net of allowances to dealers or brokers) allowed to you on the original sale, and will promptly, upon receipt thereof, pay to us any refunds from dealers or brokers of the balance of sales commissions reallowed by you. We shall notify you of such tender for redemption within 10 days of the day on which notice of such tender for redemption is received by us.
13. Other Activities. Your services pursuant to this Agreement shall not be deemed to be exclusive, and you may render similar services and act as an underwriter, distributor or dealer for other investment companies in the offering of their shares.
14. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective on the date of its execution, and shall remain in effect for a period of two (2) years. The Agreement is renewable annually thereafter, with respect to the Fund or, if the Fund has more than one series, with respect to each series, for successive periods not to exceed one year (i) by a vote of (a) a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or, if the Fund has more than one series, of each series, or (b) by a vote of the Board, and (ii) by a vote of a majority of the members of the Board who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons of any parties to the Agreement (other than as members of the Board), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Agreement.
This Agreement may at any time be terminated by the Fund or by any series without the payment of any penalty, (i) either by vote of the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or any series on 90 days’ written notice to you; or (ii) by you on 90 days’ written notice to the Fund; and shall immediately terminate with respect to the Fund and each series in the event of its assignment.
15. Suspension of Sales. We reserve the right at all times to suspend or limit the public offering of Shares upon two days’ written notice to you.
16. Miscellaneous. This Agreement shall be subject to the laws of the State of California and shall be interpreted and construed to further promote the operation of the Fund as an open-end investment company. This Agreement shall supersede all Distribution Agreements and Amendments previously in effect between the parties. As used herein, the terms “net asset value,” “offering price,” “investment company,” “open-end management investment company,” “assignment,” “principal underwriter,” “interested person,” “affiliated person,” and “majority of the outstanding voting securities” shall have the meanings set forth in the 1933 Act or the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations thereunder and the term “assignment” shall have the meaning as set forth in the 1940 Act and the Rules and Regulations thereunder.
FCTFIF Distribution Agreement Jan 2011
6 |
Nothing herein shall be deemed to protect you against any liability to us or to our securities holders to which you would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of your duties hereunder, or by reason of your reckless disregard of your obligations and duties hereunder.
If the foregoing meets with your approval, please acknowledge your acceptance by signing each of the enclosed copies, whereupon this will become a binding agreement as of the date set forth below.
Very truly yours,
Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund
By: s/s Steven J. Gray
Steven J. Gray
Vice President & Assistant Secretary
Accepted:
Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc.
By: s/s Peter D. Jones
Peter D. Jones
President
Dated: January 1, 2011
FCTFIF Distribution Agreement Jan 2011
7 |
FORM OF
Selling
Agreement
May 1, 2010
Dear Securities Dealer:
Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (“we” or “us”) invites you to participate in the distribution of shares of the Franklin Templeton investment companies (the “Funds”) for which we now or in the future serve as principal underwriter, subject to the terms of this Agreement. We will notify you from time to time of the Funds that are eligible for distribution and the terms of compensation under this Agreement. This Agreement supersedes any prior dealer or selling agreements between us, as stated in Section 21, below.
1. Licensing.
(a) ‑You represent that you are (i) a broker or dealer validly registered with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a member in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and are presently licensed to the extent necessary by the appropriate regulatory agency of each jurisdiction in which you will offer and sell shares of the Funds, or (ii) a broker, dealer or other company licensed, registered or otherwise qualified to effect transactions in securities in a country (a “foreign country”) other than the United States of America (the “U.S.”) where you will offer or sell shares of the Funds. You agree that termination or suspension of such membership with FINRA, or of your license to do business by any regulatory agency having jurisdiction, at any time shall terminate or suspend this Agreement forthwith and shall require you to notify us in writing of such action. If you are not a member of FINRA but are a broker, dealer or other company subject to the laws of a foreign country, you agree to conform to the Conduct Rules of FINRA. This Agreement is in all respects subject to the Conduct Rules of FINRA, particularly Conduct Rule 2830 of FINRA, which shall control any provision to the contrary in this Agreement.
(b) ‑You agree to notify us immediately in writing if at any time you are not a member in good standing of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”).
2. Sales of Fund Shares. You may offer and sell shares of each Fund and class of each Fund only at the public offering price which shall be applicable to, and in effect at the time of, each transaction. The procedures relating to all orders and the handling of them shall be subject to the terms of the applicable then current prospectus and statement of additional information (hereafter, the “Prospectus”) and new account application, including amendments, for each such Fund and each class of such Fund, and our written instructions from time to time. This Agreement is not exclusive, and either party may enter into similar agreements with third parties.
3. Duties of Dealer. You agree:
(a) ‑Except as otherwise provided herein, to act as principal, or as agent on behalf of your customers, in all transactions in shares of the Funds. Except as otherwise provided, you shall not have any authority to act as agent for the issuer (the Funds), for the Principal Underwriter, or for any other dealer in any respect, nor will you represent to any third party that you have such authority or are acting in such capacity.
(b) ‑To purchase shares of the Funds only from us or from your customers.
(c) ‑To enter orders for the purchase of shares of the Funds only from us and only for the purpose of covering purchase orders you have already received from your customers or for your own bona fide investment.
(d) ‑To maintain records of all sales, redemptions and repurchases of shares made through you and to furnish us with copies of such records on request.
(e) ‑To distribute Prospectuses and reports to your customers in compliance with applicable legal requirements, except to the extent that we expressly undertake to do so on your behalf.
(f) ‑That you will not withhold placing customers’ orders for shares so as to profit yourself as a result of such withholding or place orders for shares in amounts just below the point at which sales charges are reduced so as to benefit from a higher sales charge applicable to an amount below the breakpoint.
(g) ‑That if any shares confirmed to you or your customer hereunder are repurchased or redeemed by any of the Funds within seven (7) business days after such confirmation of the original order, you shall forthwith refund to us the full concession, allowed to you on such orders, including any payments we made to you from our own resources as provided in Section 6(b) hereof with respect to such orders. We shall notify you of such repurchase or redemption within a reasonable time after settlement. Termination or suspension of this Agreement shall not relieve you or us from the requirements of this subsection.
(h) ‑That if payment for the shares purchased is not received within the time customary or the time required by law for such payment, the sale may be canceled without notice or demand and without any responsibility or liability on our part or on the part of the Funds, or at our option, we may sell the shares which you ordered back to the Funds, in which latter case we may hold you responsible for any loss to the Funds or loss of profit suffered by us resulting from your failure to make payment as aforesaid. We shall have no liability for any check or other item returned unpaid to you after you have paid us on behalf of a purchaser. We may refuse to liquidate the investment unless we receive the purchaser’s signed authorization for the liquidation.
(i) ‑That you shall assume responsibility for any loss to the Funds caused by a correction made subsequent to trade date, provided such correction was not based on any error, omission or negligence on our part, and that you will immediately pay such loss to the Funds upon notification.
(j) ‑That if on a redemption which you have ordered, instructions in proper form, including outstanding certificates, are not received within the time customary or the time required by law, the redemption may be canceled forthwith without any responsibility or liability on our part or on the part of any Fund, or at our option, we may buy the shares redeemed on behalf of the Fund, in which latter case we may hold you responsible for any loss to the Fund or loss of profit suffered by us resulting from your failure to settle the redemption.
(k) ‑To obtain from your customers all consents required by applicable privacy laws (1) to permit us, any of our affiliates or the Funds to provide you either directly or through a service established for that purpose with confirmations, account statements and other information about your customers’ investments in the Funds and (2) to permit you and your registered representatives, agents, independent contractors and/or employees to transmit and receive confidential information concerning such customers to or from us and through our websites at franklintempleton.com, AdvisorCentral.com, dstvision.com and such other URL(s) through which we may permit you to conduct business concerning the Funds from time to time (referred to collectively as the “Sites”).
(l) ‑That orders for the purchase of Fund shares shall be placed by you only for customers for whom you have appropriate identification as required by applicable anti-money laundering laws or policies in your jurisdiction.
(m) ‑To the extent you are a “financial intermediary” with respect to the Funds, as that term is defined in Appendix A and Rule 22c-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), to comply with the additional terms and conditions set forth on Appendix A.
4. Duties of Dealer: Retirement Accounts. In connection with orders for the purchase of shares on behalf of an individual retirement account, self-employed retirement plan or other retirement accounts, by mail, telephone, wire or through the Sites you shall act as agent for the custodian or trustee of such plans and you shall not place such an order until you have received from your customer payment for such purchase and, if such purchase represents the first contribution to such a plan, the completed documents necessary to establish the plan and enrollment in the plan. You agree to indemnify us and Franklin Templeton Bank & Trust, F.S.B. and/or Fiduciary Trust International of the South as applicable for any claim, loss, or liability resulting from incorrect investment instructions received from you which cause a tax liability or other tax penalty.
5. Conditional Orders; Certificates. We will not accept from you any conditional orders for shares of any of the Funds. Delivery of certificates or confirmations for shares purchased shall be made by the Funds only against constructive receipt of the purchase price, subject to deduction for your concession and our portion of the sales charge, if any, on such sale. No certificates for shares of the Funds will be issued unless specifically requested.
6. Dealer Compensation.
(a) ‑On each purchase of shares by you from us, the total sales charges and your dealer concessions shall be as stated in each Fund’s then current Prospectus, subject to FINRA rules and applicable laws. Such sales charges and dealer concessions are subject to reductions under a variety of circumstances as described in the Funds’ Prospectuses. For an investor to obtain these reductions, we must be notified at the time of the sale that the sale qualifies for the reduced charge. If you fail to notify us of the applicability of a reduction in the sales charge at the time the trade is placed, neither we nor any of the Funds will be liable for amounts necessary to reimburse any investor for the reduction which should have been effected.
(b) ‑In accordance with the Funds’ Prospectuses, we or our affiliates may, but are not obligated to, make payments to you from our own resources as compensation for certain sales which are made at net asset value (“Qualifying Sales”). If you notify us of a Qualifying Sale, we may make a contingent advance payment up to the maximum amount available for payment on the sale. If any of the shares purchased in a Qualifying Sale are repurchased or redeemed within twelve (12) months of the month of purchase, we shall be entitled to recover any advance payment attributable to the repurchased or redeemed shares by reducing any account payable or other monetary obligation we may owe to you or by making demand upon you for repayment in cash. We reserve the right to withhold advances to you, if for any reason we believe that we may not be able to recover unearned advances from you. Termination or suspension of this Agreement shall not relieve you or us from the requirements of this subsection.
(c) ‑You agree to waive payment of any dealer concessions payable to you by us until such time as we are in receipt of such dealer concessions.
7. Redemptions or Repurchases. Redemptions or repurchases of shares of the Funds will be made at the net asset value of such shares, less any applicable deferred sales or redemption charges, in accordance with the applicable Prospectuses of the Funds. Except as permitted by applicable law, you agree not to purchase any shares from your customers at a price lower than the net asset value of such shares next computed by the Funds after the purchase is made by you (the “Redemption/Repurchase Price”). You shall, however, be permitted to sell shares of the Funds for the account of the record owner to the Funds at the Redemption/Repurchase Price for such shares.
8. Exchanges. Exchange orders will be effective only for uncertificated shares or for which share certificates have been previously deposited and may be subject to any fees or other restrictions set forth in the applicable Prospectuses. Exchanges from a Fund sold with no sales charge to a Fund which carries a sales charge, and exchanges from a Fund sold with a sales charge to a Fund which carries a higher sales charge may be subject to a sales charge in accordance with the terms of the applicable Fund’s Prospectus. You will be obligated to comply with any additional exchange policies described in the applicable Fund’s Prospectus, including without limitation any policy restricting or prohibiting excessive and/or short term trading activity, the collection of redemption fees associated with such trading activity and the prohibition of “market timing,” as defined in the Prospectus.
9. Transaction Processing. All orders are subject to acceptance by us and by the Fund or its transfer agent, and become effective only upon confirmation by us. If required by law, each transaction shall be confirmed in writing on a fully disclosed basis and if confirmed by us, a copy of each confirmation shall be sent to you if you so request. All sales are made subject to receipt of shares by us from the Funds. We reserve the right in our discretion, without notice, to suspend the sale of shares of the Funds or withdraw the offering of shares of the Funds entirely. Orders will be effected at the price(s) next computed on the day they are received if, as set forth in the applicable Fund’s current Prospectus, the orders are received by us or an agent appointed by us or the Fund prior to the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. eastern time (“Close of Trading”). Orders received after that time will be effected at the price(s) computed on the next business day. All orders must be accompanied by payment in U.S. Dollars. Orders payable by check must be drawn payable in U.S. Dollars on a U.S. bank, for the full amount of the investment.
If you have entered into a FundSERV Agreement with us to effect transactions in Fund shares through FundSERV, you are hereby authorized to act on our behalf for the limited purpose of receiving purchase, exchange and redemption orders for Fund shares executed through FundSERV. You represent and warrant that all orders for the purchase, exchange or redemption of Fund shares transmitted to FundSERV for processing on or as of a given business day (Day 1) shall have been received by you prior to the Close of Trading on Day 1. Such orders shall receive the share price next calculated following the Close of Trading on Day 1 .You represent and warrant that orders received by you after the Close of Trading on Day 1 shall be treated by you and transmitted to FundSERV as if received on the next business day (Day 2). Such orders shall receive the share price next calculated following the Close of Trading on Day 2. You represent that you have systems in place reasonably designed to prevent orders received after the Close of Trading on Day 1 from being executed with orders received before the Close of Trading on Day 1.
10. Multiple Classes. We may from time to time provide to you written compliance guidelines or standards relating to the sale or distribution of Funds offering multiple classes of shares (each, a “Class”) with different sales charges and distribution related operating expenses. In addition, you will be bound by any applicable rules or regulations of government agencies or self-regulatory organizations generally affecting the sale or distribution of shares of investment companies offering multiple classes of shares.
11. Rule 12b-1 Plans. You are invited to participate in all distribution plans (each, a “Plan”) adopted for a Class of a Fund or for a Fund that has only a single Class (each, a “Plan Class”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
To the extent you provide administrative and other services, including, but not limited to, furnishing personal and other services and assistance to your customers who own shares of a Plan Class, answering routine inquiries regarding a Fund or Class, assisting in changing account designations and addresses, maintaining such accounts or such other services as a Fund may require, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes, rules, or regulations, we shall pay you a Rule 12b-1 servicing fee. To the extent that you participate in the distribution of Fund shares that are eligible for a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee, we shall also pay you a Rule 12b-1distribution fee. All Rule 12b-1 servicing and distribution fees shall be based on the value of shares attributable to customers of your firm and eligible for such payment, and shall be calculated on the basis and at the rates set forth in the compensation schedule then in effect for the applicable Plan (the “Schedule”). Without prior approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of a particular Class of a Fund which has a Plan, the aggregate annual fees paid to you pursuant to such Plan shall not exceed the amounts stated as the “annual maximums” in such Plan Class’ Prospectus, which amount shall be a specified percent of the value of such Plan Class’ net assets held in your customers’ accounts which are eligible for payment pursuant to this Agreement (determined in the same manner as such Plan Class uses to compute its net assets as set forth in its effective Prospectus).
You shall furnish us and each Fund that has a Plan Class (each, a “Plan Fund”) with such information as shall reasonably be requested by the Board of Directors, Trustees or Managing General Partners (hereinafter referred to as “Directors”) of such Plan Fund with respect to the fees paid to you pursuant to the Schedule of such Plan Fund. We shall furnish to the Directors of the Plan Funds, for their review on a quarterly basis, a written report of the amounts expended under the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.
Each Plan and the provisions of any agreement relating to such Plan must be approved annually by a vote of the Directors of the Fund that has such Plan, including such persons who are not interested persons of such Plan Fund and who have no financial interest in such Plan or any related agreement (“Rule 12b-1 Directors”). Each Plan or the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan may be terminated at any time by the vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Class that has such Plan, on sixty (60) days’ written notice, without payment of any penalty. A Plan or the provisions of this Agreement may also be terminated by any act that terminates the underwriting agreement between us and the Fund that has such Plan, and/or the management or administration agreement between Franklin Advisers, Inc. or Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC or their affiliates and such Plan Fund. In the event of the termination of a Plan for any reason, the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan will also terminate.
Continuation of a Plan and provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan are conditioned on Rule 12b-1 Directors being ultimately responsible for selecting and nominating any new Rule 12b-1 Directors. Under Rule 12b-1, Directors of any of the Plan Funds have a duty to request and evaluate, and persons who are party to any agreement related to a Plan have a duty to furnish, such information as may reasonably be necessary to an informed determination of whether the Plan or any agreement should be implemented or continued. Under Rule 12b-1, a Plan Fund is permitted to implement or continue a Plan or the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan from year to year only if, based on certain legal considerations, the Directors of such Plan Fund are able to conclude that such Plan will benefit the Plan Class. Absent such yearly determination, such Plan and the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan must be terminated as set forth above. In addition, any obligation assumed by a Fund pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in all cases to the assets of such Fund and no person shall seek satisfaction thereof from shareholders of a Fund. You agree to waive payment of any amounts payable to you by us under a Fund’s Plan until such time as we are in receipt of such fee from the Fund.
The provisions of the Plans between the Plan Funds and us shall have control over the provisions of this Agreement in the event of any inconsistency.
12. Registration of Shares.
Upon
request, we shall notify you of the states or other jurisdictions in which each
Fund’s shares are currently noticed, registered or qualified for offer or sale
to the public. We shall have no obligation to make notice filings of, register
or qualify, or to maintain notice filings of, registration of or qualification
of, Fund shares in any particular state or other jurisdiction.
We shall have no responsibility, under the laws regulating the sale of
securities in any U.S. or foreign jurisdiction, for the registration,
qualification or licensed status of persons offering or selling Fund shares or
for the manner of offering or sale of Fund shares. If it is necessary to file
notice of, register or qualify Fund shares in any foreign jurisdictions in
which you intend to offer the shares of any Funds, it will be your
responsibility to arrange for and to pay the costs of such notice filing,
registration or qualification; prior to any such notice filing, registration or
qualification, you will notify us of your intent and of any limitations that
might be imposed on the Funds, and you agree not to proceed with such notice
filing, registration or qualification without the written consent of the
applicable Funds and of ourselves. Except as stated in this section, we
shall not, in any event, be liable or responsible for the
issue, form, validity, enforceability and value of such shares or for any
matter in connection therewith, and no obligation not expressly assumed by us
in this Agreement shall be implied. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed
to be a condition, stipulation or provision binding any person acquiring any
security to waive compliance with any provision of the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “1934 Act”), the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations of the SEC, or any
applicable laws or regulations of any government or authorized agency in the
U.S. or any other country having jurisdiction over the offer or sale of shares
of the Funds, or to relieve the parties hereto from any liability arising under
such laws, rules and regulations.
13. Continuously Offered Closed-End Funds. This Section 13 relates solely to shares of Funds that represent a beneficial interest in shares issued by a fund that is a closed-end investment company registered under the 1940 Act that makes a continuous offering of its shares, for which we or an affiliate of ours serve as principal underwriter, and that periodically repurchases its shares (each, a “Trust”). Shares of a Trust that are offered to the public will be registered under the 1933 Act, and are expected to be offered during an offering period that may continue indefinitely (“Continuous Offering Period”). There is no guarantee that such a continuous offering will be maintained by a Trust. The Continuous Offering Period, shares of a Trust and certain of the terms on which such shares are offered shall be as described in the Prospectus of the Trust.
As set forth in a Trust’s then current Prospectus, we may, but are not obligated to, provide you with appropriate compensation for selling shares of the Trust. In addition, you may be entitled to a fee for servicing your clients who are shareholders in a Trust, subject to applicable law and FINRA Conduct Rules. You agree that any repurchases of shares of a Trust that were originally purchased as Qualifying Sales shall be subject to Subsection 6(b) hereof.
You expressly acknowledge and understand that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement:
(a) ‑No Trust has a Rule 12b-1 Plan and in no event will a Trust pay, or have any obligation to pay, any compensation directly or indirectly to you.
(b) ‑Shares of a Trust will not be repurchased by either the Trust (other than through repurchase offers by the Trust from time to time, if any) or by us and no secondary market for such shares exists currently, or is expected to develop. Any representation as to a repurchase or tender offer by a Trust, other than that set forth in the Trust’s then current Prospectus, notification letters, reports or other related material provided by the Trust, is expressly prohibited.
(c) ‑An early withdrawal charge payable by shareholders of a Trust to us may be imposed on shares accepted for repurchase by the Trust that have been held for less than a stated period, as set forth in the Trust’s then current Prospectus.
(d) ‑In the event your customer cancels his or her order for shares of a Trust after confirmation, such shares will not be repurchased, remarketed or otherwise disposed of by or through us.
14. Fund Information. You are not authorized to give any information or make any representations concerning shares of a Fund except those contained in the Fund’s then current Prospectus, Summary Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information or in other materials produced by us or by the Fund nor may you present or create any information or materials that are contrary to or inconsistent with the materials so provided to you. We will supply reasonable quantities of, and/or reasonable electronic access to, Prospectuses (and/or any applicable Summary Prospectuses), sales or other marketing materials, and additional information as issued by the Fund or by us. We will not be responsible for reimbursing you for any costs or expenses you may incur for accessing or printing such materials. You are not authorized to modify or translate any materials we have provided to you.
You agree, represent and warrant that you are solely responsible for any materials prepared by you that are based upon information concerning shares of a Fund produced by us or the Fund and that such materials will (a) conform to all requirements of any applicable laws or regulations of any government or authorized agency in the U.S. or any other country having jurisdiction over the offering or sale of shares of the Funds, (b) not be contrary to or inconsistent with the information or materials provided to you by us or a Fund, and (c) be made available to us upon request. You agree to file any advertising or sales material relating to the Funds prepared by you with FINRA, or other applicable legal or regulatory authority, within the timeframes that may be required from time to time by FINRA or such other legal or regulatory authority. Unless otherwise expressly agreed to in writing, it is understood that we will neither review nor approve for use any materials prepared by you and will have no involvement in the preparation of, or responsibility for, any such materials prepared by you. Notwithstanding the above, you may not use our Franklin Templeton Investments name or logo in materials prepared by you without our prior written consent.
15. Use of Site.
Each of
your registered representatives, agents, independent contractors and employees
will have access to the Sites as provided herein, (a) upon registration by such
individual on a Site (including providing certain data and codes identifying
you),
(b) if you cause an MOS Site Access Request Form (an “Access Form”) to be
signed by your authorized supervisory personnel and submitted to us, as a
Schedule to, and legally a part of, this Agreement, or (c) if you provide such
individual with the necessary access codes or other information necessary to
access the Sites through any generic or firm-wide authorization we may grant
you from time to time. Upon receipt by us of a completed registration submitted
by an individual through the Sites or a signed Access Form referencing such
individual, we shall be entitled to rely upon the representations contained
therein as if you had made them directly hereunder and we will issue a user
identification, express number and/or password (collectively, “Access Code”).
Any person to whom we issue an Access Code or to whom you provide the necessary
Access Codes or other information necessary to access the Sites through any
generic or firm-wide authorization we may grant you from time to time shall be
an “Authorized User.” We shall be entitled to assume that such person validly
represents you and that all instructions received from such person are
authorized, in which case such person will have access to the Site, including
all services and information to which you are authorized to access on the Site.
All inquiries and transactions initiated by you (including your Authorized
Users) are your responsibility, are at your risk and are subject to our review
and approval (which could cause a delay in processing).You agree that we do not
have a duty to question information or instructions you (including Authorized
Users) give to us under this Agreement, and that we are entitled to treat as
authorized, and act upon, any such instructions and information you submit to
us. You agree to take all
reasonable measures to
prevent any individual other than an Authorized User from obtaining access to
the Site. You agree to inform us if you wish to restrict or revoke the access
of any individual Access Code. If you become aware of any loss or theft or unauthorized
use of any Access Code, you agree to contact us immediately. You also agree to
monitor your (including Authorized Users’) use of the Site to ensure the terms
of this Agreement are followed. You acknowledge that the Sites are transmitted
over the Internet on a reasonable efforts basis and we do not warrant or
guarantee their accuracy, timeliness, completeness, reliability or
non-infringement. Moreover, you acknowledge that the Sites are provided for
informational purposes only, and are not intended to comply with any
requirements established by any regulatory or governmental agency.
16. Dealer Representation. You represent and warrant that you will comply with all applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws and regulations in performing your obligations hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, you agree that in recommending to a customer the purchase, sale or exchange of any shares, or class of shares, of a Fund, you shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the recommendation is suitable for such customer. You also agree that you will comply with all policies and agreements concerning Site usage, including without limitation the Terms of Use Agreement(s) posted on the Sites (“Site Terms”), as may be revised and reposted on the Sites from time to time, and those Site Terms (as in effect from time to time) are a part of this Agreement.
17. Indemnification; Defense of Claims; Attorneys’ Fees. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless us and the Funds, as well as our and the Funds’ respective officers, directors and employees (collectively, “indemnitees”), from any and all actual and/or alleged losses, claims, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) (collectively “Losses”) arising from or as the result of (1) any actual or alleged violation of any statute or regulation (including without limitation U.S. and state securities laws and regulations and consumer protection laws, as well as the laws of any foreign country where you offer or sell shares of the Funds) and/or any actual or alleged violation of common law (including without limitation all tort and/or contract claims), which in any way relate to any offer, sale, redemption, transfer or exchange of shares of the Funds (including any actual and/or alleged mishandling of the transaction and/or misappropriation of the proceeds in connection therewith) by you and/or by or through any of your officers, directors, employees, independent contractors or agents, (2) the breach by you or any of your officers, directors, employees, independent contractors or agents of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement and/or (3) any use, including unauthorized access obtained through you, of the Sites by you or your officers, directors, employees or agents, provided, however, that an Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification hereunder to the extent the actual and proximate cause of any such Losses is attributed to such Indemnitee’s own negligence, willful misconduct or breach.
In addition, you agree that in the event that the Indemnitees are named in any legal proceedings (including, but not limited to lawsuits filed in court and statements of claim filed in an arbitration forum) which involve claims and/or liabilities that are the subject of this indemnification agreement, we and the Fund(s) may, following notice to you, retain attorneys of our choice to represent us and/or the Fund(s) in such legal proceedings at your expense, and you will promptly reimburse us and/or the Fund(s) for the attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred in connection with the defense of any such legal proceedings. This Section 17 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
18. Termination; Succession; Assignment; Amendment. Each party to this Agreement may terminate its participation in this Agreement by giving written notice to the other parties. Such notice shall be deemed to have been given and to be effective on the date on which it was either delivered personally to the other parties or any officer or member thereof, or was mailed postpaid or delivered by electronic transmission to the other parties’ chief legal officers at the addresses shown herein or the address listed with FINRA. This Agreement shall terminate immediately upon the appointment of a Trustee under the Securities Investor Protection Act or any other act of insolvency by you. The termination of this Agreement by any of the foregoing means shall have no effect upon transactions entered into prior to the effective date of termination. A trade placed by you subsequent to your voluntary termination of this Agreement will not serve to reinstate the Agreement. Reinstatement, except in the case of a temporary suspension of a dealer, will be effective only upon written notification by us to you. This Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment by us. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the word “assignment” shall have the meaning given to it in the 1940 Act. This Agreement may not be assigned by you without our prior written consent. This Agreement may be amended by us at any time by written notice to you at the address given below (or such other address as specified in writing by you) or the address listed with FINRA and your placing of an order for shares of a Fund or acceptance of payments of any kind after the effective date and receipt of notice of any such Amendment shall constitute your acceptance of such Amendment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Site Terms may be separately amended as provided therein and as so amended and in effect from time to time shall be a part of this Agreement.
19. Privacy; Anti-Money Laundering .
(a) ‑Each party to this Agreement agrees to limit the disclosure of nonpublic personal information of shareholders and customers consistent with its policies on privacy with respect to such information and Regulation S-P of the SEC. Each party hereby agrees that it will comply with all applicable requirements under the regulations implementing Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and any other applicable federal and state consumer privacy acts, rules and regulations. Each party further represents that it has in place, and agrees that it will maintain, information security policies and procedures for protecting nonpublic personal customer information adequate to conform to applicable legal requirements.
(b) ‑Each party to this Agreement acknowledges that it is a financial institution subject to the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the Bank Secrecy Act and their corresponding implementing regulations (collectively, the “AML Laws”), which require, among other things, that financial institutions adopt compliance programs to guard against money laundering. Each party represents and warrants that it has established policies and procedures reasonably designed to detect and prevent money laundering and to comply with the AML Laws, including FINRA Rule 3011, in all relevant aspects. Each party agrees that it will take such further steps and cooperate with the other party as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate compliance with the AML Laws. Each party also certifies that it complies with the economic sanction programs administered by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
20. Setoff; Dispute Resolution. Should any of your concession accounts with us have a debit balance, we may offset and recover the amount owed to us or the Funds from any other account you have with us, without notice or demand to you. In the event of a dispute concerning any provision of this Agreement, either party may require the dispute to be submitted to binding arbitration under the commercial arbitration rules of FINRA or the American Arbitration Association. Judgment upon any arbitration award may be entered by any court having jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, not including any provision that would require the general application of the law of another jurisdiction.
21. Acceptance; Cumulative Effect. This Agreement is cumulative and supersedes any similar agreement previously in effect. It shall be binding upon the parties hereto when signed by us and accepted by you. If you have a current dealer or selling agreement with us, your first trade or acceptance of payments from us after your receipt of this Agreement, as it may be amended pursuant to Section 18, above, shall constitute your acceptance of its terms. Otherwise, your signature below shall constitute your acceptance of its terms.
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By _______________________________________
Peter D. Jones, President
One
Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
Attention: Chief Legal Officer (for legal notices only)
(650) 312-2000
100 Fountain Parkway
St. Petersburg, Florida 33716-1205
(727) 299-8712
DEALER: If you have not previously signed a dealer or selling agreement with us, please complete and sign this section and return the original to us.
Dealer Name
Date
By:
(Signature)
Name Title
Address City State ZIP
NASD CRD # Telephone
( )
(Internal Use Only)
Franklin Templeton dealer number
Appendix A - Additional Terms and Conditions Regarding Rule 22c-2
To the extent you are a “financial intermediary” with respect to the Funds, you agree as follows:
1.1 Agreement to Provide Information. You agree to provide Distributors, upon written request, the taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) of any or all Shareholder(s) of the account and the amount, date, name or other identifier of any investment professional(s) associated with the Shareholder(s) or account (if known), and transaction type (purchase, redemption, transfer, or exchange) of every purchase, redemption, transfer, or exchange of Fund Shares held through an account maintained by you during the period covered by the request.
‑ 1.1.1 Period Covered by Request. Requests must set forth a specific period, not to exceed ninety (90) days from the date of the request, for which transaction information is sought. Distributors may request transaction information older than ninety (90) days from the date of the request as it deems necessary to investigate compliance with policies established by it for the purpose of eliminating or reducing any dilution of the value of the outstanding Shares issued by the Funds.
‑ 1.1.2 Form and timing of Response. You agree to transmit the requested information that is on your books and records to Distributors or its designee promptly, but in any event not later than five (5) business days, after receipt of a request. If the requested information is not on your books and records, you agree to: (i) provide or arrange to provide Distributors or its designee the requested information regarding Shareholders who hold an account with an indirect intermediary; or (ii) prohibit further purchases of Fund Shares by such indirect intermediary on behalf of itself or other persons. Responses required by this paragraph must be communicated in writing and in a format mutually agreed upon by the parties. To the extent practicable, the format for any transaction information provided to Distributors should be consistent with the NSCC Standardized Data Reporting Format.
‑ 1.1.3 Limitations on Use of Information. Distributors agrees not to use the information received for marketing or any other similar purpose without your prior written consent.
1.2 Agreement to Restrict Trading. You agree to execute written instructions from Distributors or its designee to restrict or prohibit further purchases or exchanges of Shares by a Shareholder who has been identified by Distributors or its designee as having engaged in transactions in Shares (directly or indirectly through an account established by you) that violate policies established by the Funds for the purpose of eliminating or reducing any dilution of the value of the outstanding Shares issued by the Funds.
‑ 1.2.1 Form of Instructions. Instructions must include the TIN and the specific restriction(s) to be executed. If the TIN is not known, the instructions must include an equivalent identifying number of the Shareholder(s) or account(s) or other agreed upon information to which the instruction relates.
‑ 1.2.2 Timing of Response. You agree to execute instructions as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than five (5) business days after your receipt of the instructions.
‑ 1.2.3 Confirmation. You must provide written confirmation to Distributors or its designee that instructions have been executed. You agree to provide confirmation as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than ten (10) business days after the instructions have been executed.
1.3 Excepted Funds. These terms and conditions shall not apply to any “excepted fund” as defined in Section 1.4.
1.4 Definitions
“Distributors” means Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc.
“Funds” or a “Fund” means certain registered investment companies, and separate series of such companies, for which Distributors serves as the principal underwriter.
“Financial Intermediary” means:
(i) ‑any broker, dealer, bank, or other person that holds securities issued by a Fund, in nominee name;
‑(ii) ‑a unit investment trust or fund that invests in a Fund in reliance on section 12(d)(l)(E) of the 1940 Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-12(d)(l)(E)); and
‑(iii) ‑in the case of a participant-directed employee benefit plan that owns the securities issued by a Fund, a retirement plan's administrator under section 3(16)(A) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1002 (16)(A)) or any person that maintains the plan's participant records.
‑Notwithstanding the above, “financial intermediary” does not include any person that the Fund treats as an individual investor with respect to the Fund's policies established for the purpose of eliminating or reducing any dilution of the value of the outstanding securities issued by the Fund.
“Excepted Fund” means:
‑(i) ‑any Fund that is regulated as a money market fund under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act;
‑(ii) ‑any Fund that issues securities that are listed on a national securities exchange; and
‑(iii) ‑any Fund that affirmatively permits short-term trading of its securities, if its prospectus clearly and prominently discloses that the Fund permits short-term trading of its securities and that such trading may result in additional costs for the Fund.
“Shareholder” means:
‑(i) ‑a beneficial owner of securities held in nominee name;
‑(ii) ‑a participant in a participant-directed employee benefit plan;
‑(iii) ‑a holder of interests in a fund or unit investment trust that has invested in a Fund in reliance on section 12(d)(l)(E) of the 1940 Act; and
‑(iv) ‑a holder of interests in a variable annuity or variable life insurance contract issued by a financial intermediary and for which one or more Funds serve as underlying investments.
‑“Shareholder” does not include a fund investing pursuant to section 12(d)(l)(G) of the 1940 Act, a trust established pursuant to section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 529), or a holder of an interest in such a trust.
“Shares” means the interests of Fund Shareholders corresponding to the redeemable securities of record issued by the Fund under the 1940 Act that are held by a financial intermediary.
FORM OF
BANK Selling Agreement
May 1, 2010
1. Introduction. The parties to this Agreement are the undersigned bank or trust company (“Bank”) and Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. (“FTDI”). This Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions under which FTDI will execute purchases and redemptions of shares of the Franklin or Templeton investment companies or series of such investment companies for which FTDI now or in the future serves as principal underwriter (each, a “Fund”), at the request of Bank upon the order and for the account of Bank’s customers (“Customers”). In this Agreement, “Customer” shall include the beneficial owners of an account and any agent or attorney in fact duly authorized or appointed to act on the owner’s behalf with respect to the account; and “redemptions” shall include redemptions of shares of Funds that are open-end management investment companies and repurchases of shares of Funds that are closed-end investment companies by the Fund that is the issuer of such shares. FTDI will notify Bank from time to time of the Funds that are eligible for distribution and the terms of compensation under this Agreement. This Agreement is not exclusive, and either party may enter into similar agreements with third parties.
2. Representations and Warranties of Bank. Bank warrants and represents to FTDI and the Funds that:
(a) ‑Bank is a “bank” as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”);
(b) ‑Bank is authorized to enter into this Agreement as agent for Customers, and Bank’s performance of its obligations and receipt of consideration under this Agreement will not violate any law, regulation, charter, agreement or regulatory restriction to which Bank is subject;
(c) ‑Bank has received all regulatory agency approvals and taken all legal and other steps necessary for offering the services Bank will provide to Customers and receiving any applicable compensation in connection with this Agreement; and
(d) ‑Bank will comply with all applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws and regulations in performing its obligations hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, Bank agrees that in recommending to a customer the purchase, sale or exchange of any shares, or class of shares, of a Fund, Bank shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the recommendation is suitable for such customer. Bank also agrees that it will comply with all policies and agreements concerning Site (as defined in Paragraph 4(b)(4) below) usage, including, without limitation, the Terms of Use Agreement(s) posted on the Sites (“Site Terms”) as may be revised and reposted on the Sites from time to time, and those Site Terms (as in effect from time to time) are part of this Agreement.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Principal Underwriter. FTDI warrants and represents to Bank that:
(a) FTDI is a broker/dealer registered under the 1934 Act; and
(b) FTDI is the principal underwriter of the Funds.
4. Covenants of Bank.
(a) For each purchase, redemption or exchange transaction under this Agreement (each, a “Transaction”), Bank will:
1) be authorized to engage in the Transaction;
2) except as otherwise provided herein, act as agent for Customer, unless Bank is the Customer;
3) act solely for the account of Customer, unless Bank is the Customer;
4) not submit an order unless Bank has already received the order from Customer, unless Bank is the Customer;
5) ‑not withhold placing any Customer’s order for the purpose of profiting from the delay or place orders for Fund shares in amounts just below the point at which sales charges are reduced so as to benefit from a higher Fee (as defined in Paragraph 5(e) below) applicable to a Transaction in an amount below the breakpoint;
6) ‑have no beneficial ownership of the securities in any purchase Transaction (Customer will have the full beneficial ownership), unless Bank is the Customer (in which case, Bank will not engage in the Transaction unless the Transaction is legally permissible for Bank);
7) ‑not accept or withhold any Fee (as defined in Paragraph 5(e) of this Agreement) otherwise allowed under Paragraphs 5(d) and (e) of this Agreement, if prohibited by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or trust or similar laws to which Bank is subject, in the case of Transactions of Fund shares involving retirement plans, trusts, or similar accounts;
8) ‑maintain records of all Transactions of Fund shares made through Bank and furnish FTDI with copies of such records upon request; and
9) ‑distribute Prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports to Customers in compliance with applicable legal requirements, except to the extent that FTDI expressly undertakes to do so on behalf of Bank.
(b) While this Agreement is in effect, Bank will:
1) ‑not purchase any Fund shares from any person at a price lower than the redemption or repurchase price, as applicable, next determined by the applicable Fund;
2) ‑repay FTDI the full Fee received by Bank under Paragraphs 5(d) and (e) of this Agreement, and any payments FTDI or its affiliates made to Bank from their own resources under Paragraph 5(e) of this Agreement (“FTDI Payments”), for any Fund shares purchased under this Agreement which are redeemed or repurchased by the Fund within seven (7) business days after the purchase; in turn, FTDI shall pay to the Fund the amount repaid by Bank (other than any portion of such repayment that is a repayment of FTDI Payments) and will notify Bank of any such redemption within a reasonable time (termination or suspension of this Agreement shall not relieve Bank or FTDI from the requirements of this subparagraph);
3) ‑in connection with orders for the purchase of Fund shares on behalf of an individual retirement account, self employed retirement plan or other retirement accounts, by mail, telephone, wire or through the Sites, act as agent for the custodian or trustee of such plans and shall not place such an order until Bank has received from its Customer payment for such purchase and, if such purchase represents the first contribution to such a plan, the completed documents necessary to establish the plan and enrollment in the plan (Bank agrees to indemnify FTDI and Franklin Templeton Bank & Trust, F.S.B. and/or Fiduciary Trust International of the South, as applicable, for any claim, loss, or liability resulting from incorrect investment instructions received from Bank which cause a tax liability or other tax penalty);
4) ‑obtain from its Customers any consents required by applicable federal and/or state privacy laws to (a) permit FTDI, any of its affiliates or the Funds to provide Bank with confirmations, account statements and other information about Customers’ investments in the Funds, and (b) permit Bank and its registered representatives, agents, independent contractors and/or employees to transmit and receive confidential information concerning such Customers to or from FTDI and through its websites at franklintempleton.com, AdvisorCentral.com, dstvision.com and such other URL(s) through which FTDI may permit Bank to conduct business concerning the Funds from time to time (referred to collectively as the “Sites”);
5) ‑place orders for the purchase of Fund shares by Bank only for Customers for whom Bank has appropriate identification as required by applicable anti-money laundering laws or policies in Bank’s jurisdiction; and
6) ‑to the extent Bank is a “financial intermediary” with respect to the Funds, as that term is defined in Appendix A and Rule 22c-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), comply with the additional terms and conditions set forth in Appendix A.
5. Terms and Conditions for Transactions.
(a) ‑Price Purchase orders for Fund shares received from Bank will be accepted only at the public offering price and in compliance with procedures applicable to each purchase order as set forth in the then current prospectus and statement of additional information (hereinafter, collectively, “Prospectus”) for the applicable Fund. All purchase orders must be accompanied by payment in U.S. Dollars. Orders payable by check must be drawn payable in U.S. Dollars on a U.S. bank, for the full amount of the investment. All sales are made subject to receipt of shares by FTDI from the Funds. FTDI reserves the right in its discretion, without notice, to suspend the sale of shares or withdraw the offering of shares entirely.
(b) ‑ Orders and Confirmations Except as otherwise provided, Bank shall not have any authority to act as agent for the Funds, FTDI, or any other dealer in any respect, nor will Bank represent to any third party that it has such authority or is acting in such capacity. All orders are subject to acceptance or rejection by FTDI and by the Fund or its transfer agent at their sole discretion, and become effective only upon confirmation by one of them. Transaction orders shall be made using the procedures and forms provided by FTDI from time to time. Orders will be effected at the price(s) next computed on the day they are received if, as set forth in the applicable Fund’s current Prospectus, the orders are received by FTDI or an agent appointed by FTDI or the Funds prior to the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. eastern time (“Close of Trading”). Orders received after that time will be effected at the price determined on the next business day. No order will be accepted unless Bank or Customer shall have provided FTDI with Customer’s full name, address and other information normally required by FTDI to open a customer account, and FTDI shall be entitled to rely on the accuracy of the information provided by Bank. A written confirming statement will be sent to the shareholder of record upon settlement of each Transaction.
‑If Bank has entered into a FundSERV Agreement with FTDI to effect Transactions in Fund shares through FundSERV, Bank is hereby authorized to act on FTDI’s behalf for the limited purpose of receiving purchase, exchange and redemption orders for Fund shares executed through FundSERV. Bank represents and warrants that all orders for the purchase, exchange or redemption of Fund shares transmitted to FundSERV for processing on or as of a given business day (Day 1) shall have been received by Bank prior to the Close of Trading on Day 1. Such orders shall receive the share price next calculated following the Close of Trading on Day 1. Bank represents and warrants that orders received by Bank after the Close of Trading on Day 1 shall be treated by Bank and transmitted to FundSERV as if received on the next business day (Day 2). Such orders shall receive the share price next calculated following the Close of Trading on Day 2. Bank represents that it has systems in place reasonably designed to prevent orders received after the Close of Trading on Day 1 from being executed with orders received before the Close of Trading on Day 1.
(c) ‑ Multiple Class Guidelines FTDI may from time to time provide to Bank written compliance guidelines or standards relating to the sale or distribution of Funds offering multiple classes of shares (each, a “Class”) with different sales charges and distribution related operating expenses. Bank will comply with FTDI’s written compliance guidelines and standards, as well as with any applicable rules or regulations of government agencies or self regulatory organizations generally affecting the sale or distribution of investment companies offering multiple classes of shares, whether or not Bank deems itself otherwise subject to such rules or regulations.
(d) ‑
Payments by Bank for
Purchases
On
the settlement date for each purchase, Bank shall either (i) remit the full
purchase price by wire transfer to an account designated by FTDI, or (ii)
following FTDI’s procedures, wire the purchase price less the Fee allowed by
Paragraph 5(e) of this Agreement. Twice monthly, FTDI will pay Bank Fees not
previously paid to or withheld
by Bank. Each calendar month, FTDI, as applicable, will prepare and mail an
activity statement summarizing all Transactions.
(e) ‑ Fees and Payments Where permitted by the Prospectus for a Fund, a charge, concession, or fee (each of the foregoing forms of compensation, a “Fee”) may be paid to Bank, related to services provided by Bank in connection with Transactions in shares of such Fund. The amount of the Fee, if any, is set by the relevant Prospectus. Adjustments in the Fee are available for certain purchases, and Bank is solely responsible for notifying FTDI when any purchase or redemption order is qualified for such an adjustment. If Bank fails to notify FTDI of the applicability of a reduction in the sales charge at the time the trade is placed, neither FTDI nor any of the Funds will be liable for amounts necessary to reimburse any Customer for the reduction which should have been effected.
‑In accordance with the Funds’ Prospectuses, FTDI or its affiliates may, but are not obligated to, make payments from their own resources to Bank as compensation for certain sales that are made at net asset value (“Qualifying Sales”). If Bank notifies FTDI of a Qualifying Sale, FTDI may make a contingent advance payment up to the maximum amount available for payment on the sale. If any of the shares purchased in a Qualifying Sale are redeemed or repurchased within twelve (12) months of the month of purchase, FTDI shall be entitled to recover any advance payment attributable to the redeemed or repurchased shares by reducing any account payable or other monetary obligation FTDI may owe to Bank or by making demand upon Bank for repayment in cash. FTDI reserves the right to withhold any one or more advances, if for any reason FTDI believes that FTDI may not be able to recover unearned advances. Termination or suspension of this Agreement does not relieve Bank from the requirements of this paragraph. Bank agrees to waive payment of any amounts of dealer concessions payable to Bank by FTDI until such time as FTDI is in receipt of such dealer concessions.
(f) ‑ Rule 12b-1 Plans Bank is also invited to participate in all distribution plans (each, a “Plan”) adopted for a Class of a Fund or for a Fund that has only a single Class (each, a “Plan Class”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
‑To the extent Bank provides administrative and other services, including, but not limited to, furnishing personal and other services and assistance to Customers who own shares of a Plan Class, answering routine inquiries regarding a Fund or Class, assisting in changing account designations and addresses, maintaining such accounts or such other services as a Fund may require, to the extent permitted by applicable statutes, rules, or regulations, FTDI shall pay Bank a Rule 12b-1 servicing fee. To the extent that Bank participates in the distribution of Fund shares that are eligible for a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee, FTDI shall also pay Bank a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee. All Rule 12b-1 servicing and distribution fees shall be based on the value of shares attributable to Customers and eligible for such payment, and shall be calculated on the basis and at the rates set forth in the compensation schedule then in effect for the applicable Plan (the “Schedule”). Without prior approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of a particular Class of a Fund, the aggregate annual fees paid to Bank pursuant to such Plan shall not exceed the amounts stated as the “annual maximums” in such Plan Class’ Prospectus, which amount shall be a specified percent of the value of such Plan Class’ net assets held in Customers’ accounts which are eligible for payment pursuant to this Agreement (determined in the same manner as such Plan Class uses to compute its net assets, as set forth in its effective Prospectus).
‑Bank shall furnish FTDI and each Fund that has a Plan Class (each, a “Plan Fund”) with such information as shall reasonably be requested by the Board of Directors, Trustees or Managing General Partners (hereinafter referred to as “Directors”) of such Plan Fund with respect to the fees paid to Bank pursuant to the Schedule of such Plan Fund. FTDI shall furnish to the Directors of the Plan Funds, for their review on a quarterly basis, a written report of the amounts expended under the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.
‑Each Plan and the provisions of any agreement relating to such Plan must be approved annually by a vote of the Directors of the Fund that has such Plan, including such persons who are not interested persons of such Plan Fund and who have no financial interest in such Plan or any related agreement (“Rule 12b-1 Directors”). Each Plan or the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan may be terminated at any time by the vote of a majority of Rule 12b-1 Directors of the Fund that has such Plan, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Class that has such Plan on sixty (60) days’ written notice, without payment of any penalty. A Plan or the provisions of this Agreement may also be terminated by any act that terminates the underwriting agreement between FTDI and the Fund that has such Plan, and/or the management or administration agreement between Franklin Advisers, Inc. or Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC or their affiliates and such Plan Fund. In the event of the termination of a Plan for any reason, the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan will also terminate.
‑Continuation of a Plan and the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan are conditioned on Rule 12b-1 Directors being ultimately responsible for selecting and nominating any new Rule 12b-1 Directors. Under Rule 12b-1, Directors of any of the Plan Funds have a duty to request and evaluate, and persons who are party to any agreement related to a Plan have a duty to furnish, such information as may reasonably be necessary to an informed determination of whether the Plan or any agreement should be implemented or continued. Under Rule 12b-1, a Plan Fund is permitted to implement or continue a Plan or the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan from year to year only if, based on certain legal considerations, the Board of Directors of such Plan Fund is able to conclude that the Plan will benefit the Plan Class. Absent such yearly determination, a Plan and the provisions of this Agreement relating to such Plan must be terminated as set forth above. In addition, any obligation assumed by a Fund pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in all cases to the assets of such Fund and no person shall seek satisfaction thereof from shareholders of a Fund. Bank agrees to waive payment of any amounts payable to Bank by FTDI under a Fund’s Plan until such time as FTDI is in receipt of such fee from the Fund.
‑In the event of any inconsistency, the provisions of the Plans between the Plan Funds and FTDI shall control over the provisions of this Agreement.
(g) ‑ Other Distribution Services From time to time, FTDI may offer telephone and other augmented services in connection with Transactions under this Agreement. If Bank uses any such service, Bank will be subject to the procedures applicable to the service, whether or not Bank has executed any agreement required for the service.
(h) ‑ Conditional Orders; Certificates FTDI will not accept any conditional Transaction orders. Delivery of certificates or confirmations for shares purchased shall be made by a Fund only against constructive receipt of the purchase price, subject to deduction of any Fee and FTDI’s portion of the sales charge, if any, on such sale. No certificates for shares of the Funds will be issued unless specifically requested.
(i) ‑ Cancellation of Orders If payment for shares purchased is not received within the time customary or the time required by law for such payment, the sale may be canceled without notice or demand, and neither FTDI nor the Fund(s) shall have any responsibility or liability for such a cancellation; alternatively, at FTDI’s option, the unpaid shares may be sold back to the Fund, and Bank shall be liable for any resulting loss to FTDI or to the Fund(s). FTDI shall have no liability for any check or other item returned unpaid to Bank after Bank has paid FTDI on behalf of a purchaser. FTDI may refuse to liquidate the investment unless FTDI receives the purchaser’s signed authorization for the liquidation.
(j) ‑ Order Corrections Bank shall assume responsibility for any loss to a Fund(s) caused by a correction made subsequent to the trade date, provided such correction was not based on any error, omission or negligence on FTDI’s part, and Bank will immediately pay such loss to the Fund(s) upon notification.
(k) ‑ Redemptions; Cancellation Redemptions or repurchases of shares will be made at the net asset value of such shares, less any applicable deferred sales or redemption charges, in accordance with the applicable Fund Prospectuses. If Bank sells shares for the account of the record owner to the Fund(s), Bank shall be deemed to represent to FTDI that Bank is doing so as agent for Customer and that Bank is authorized to do so in such capacity. Such sales to the Fund(s) shall be at the redemption or repurchase price then currently in effect for such shares. If on a redemption which Bank has ordered, instructions in proper form, including outstanding certificates, are not received within the time customary or the time required by law, the redemption may be canceled forthwith without any responsibility or liability on the part of FTDI or any Fund, or at the option of FTDI, FTDI may buy the shares redeemed on behalf of the Fund(s), in which latter case, FTDI may hold Bank responsible for any loss to the Fund(s) or loss of profit suffered by FTDI resulting from Bank’s failure to settle the redemption.
(l) ‑Exchanges Exchange orders will be effective only for uncertificated shares or for which share certificates have been previously deposited and may be subject to any fees or other restrictions set forth in the applicable Prospectuses. Exchanges from a Fund sold with no sales charge to a Fund which carries a sales charge, and exchanges from a Fund sold with a sales charge to a Fund which carries a higher sales charge may be subject to a sales charge in accordance with the terms of the applicable Fund’s Prospectus. Bank will be obligated to comply with any additional exchange policies described in the applicable Fund’s Prospectus, including without limitation any policy restricting or prohibiting excessive and/or short term trading activity, the collection of redemption fees associated with such trading activity and the prohibition of “market timing,” as defined in the Prospectus.
(m) ‑ Qualification of Shares Upon request, FTDI shall notify Bank of the states or other jurisdictions in which each Fund’s shares are currently noticed, registered or qualified for offer or sale to the public. FTDI shall have no obligation to make notice filings of, register or qualify, or to maintain notice filings of, registration of or qualification of, Fund shares in any particular state or other jurisdiction. FTDI shall have no responsibility, under the laws regulating the sale of securities in any U.S. or foreign jurisdiction, for the registration, qualification or licensed status of Bank or any of its agents or sub agents in connection with the purchase or sale of Fund shares or for the manner of offering, sale or purchase of Fund shares. Except as stated in this paragraph, FTDI shall not, in any event, be liable or responsible for the issue, form, validity, enforceability and value of such shares or for any matter in connection therewith, and no obligation not expressly assumed by FTDI in this Agreement shall be implied. If it is necessary to file notice, register or qualify shares of any Fund in any country, state or other jurisdiction having authority over the purchase or sale of Fund shares that are purchased by a Customer, it will be Bank’s responsibility to arrange for and to pay the costs of such notice filing, registration or qualification; prior to any such notice filing, registration or qualification, Bank will notify FTDI of its intent and of any limitations that might be imposed on the Funds, and Bank agrees not to proceed with such notice filing, registration or qualification without the written consent of the applicable Fund(s) and of FTDI. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to be a condition, stipulation, or provision binding any person acquiring any security to waive compliance with any provision of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), or any applicable laws or regulations of any government or authorized agency in the U.S. or any other country having jurisdiction over the offer or sale of shares of the Funds, or to relieve the parties hereto from any liability arising under such laws, rules or regulations.
(n) ‑Indemnification Bank agrees to indemnify, and hold harmless FTDI, and the Funds, as well as FTDI’s and the Funds’ respective officers, directors and employees (collectively “Indemnitees”), from any and all actual or alleged losses, claims, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) arising from or as the result of (1) any actual or alleged violation of any statute or regulation (including without limitation U.S. and state securities laws and regulations and consumer protection laws, as well as the laws of any foreign country where Bank offers or sells shares of the Funds) and/or any actual and/or alleged violation of common law (including without limitation all tort and/or contract claims), which in any way relate to any offer, sale, redemption, transfer or exchange of shares of the Funds (including any actual and/or alleged mishandling of the Transaction and/or misappropriation of the proceeds in connection therewith) by Bank and/or by or through any of Bank’s registered representatives, agents, independent contractors and/or employees; (2) the breach by Bank or any of Bank’s registered representatives, agents, independent contractors and/or employees of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and/or (3) any use of, including unauthorized access obtained through Bank, of the Sites by Bank or Bank’s officers, directors, employees or agents; provided, however, that an Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification hereunder to the extent the actual and proximate cause of any such Losses is attributed to such Indemnitee’s own negligence, willful misconduct or breach of this Agreement.
‑In addition, Bank agrees that in the event that Indemnitees are named in any legal proceedings (including, but not limited to, lawsuits filed in court and statements of claim filed in an arbitration forum) which involve claims and/or liabilities that are the subject of this indemnification agreement, FTDI and the Funds may, following notice to Bank, retain attorneys of FTDI’s choice to represent FTDI and/or the Funds in such legal proceedings at Bank’s expense, and Bank will promptly reimburse FTDI and/or the Funds for the attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred in connection with the defense of any such legal proceedings. This Paragraph 5(n) shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
(o) ‑Prospectus and Sales Materials; Limit on Advertising Bank is not authorized to give any information or make any representations concerning shares of a Fund except those contained in the Fund’s then current Prospectus, Summary Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information or in other materials produced by FTDI or by the Fund nor may Bank present or create any information or materials that are contrary to or inconsistent with the materials so provided to Bank. FTDI will supply reasonable quantities of, and/or reasonable electronic access to, Prospectuses (and/or any applicable Summary Prospectuses), sales or other marketing materials, and additional information as issued by the Fund or by FTDI. FTDI will not be responsible for reimbursing Bank for any costs or expenses Bank may incur for accessing or printing such materials. Bank is not authorized to modify or translate any materials FTDI has provided to Bank.
‑Bank agrees, represents and warrants that it is solely responsible for any materials prepared by Bank that are based upon information concerning shares of a Fund produced by FTDI or the Fund and that such materials will (a) conform to all requirements of any applicable laws or regulations of any government or authorized agency in the U.S. or any other country having jurisdiction over the offering or sale of shares of the Funds, (b) not be contrary to or inconsistent with the information or materials provided to Bank by FTDI or a Fund, and (c) be made available to FTDI upon request. Bank agrees to file any advertising or sales material relating to the Funds prepared by Bank with any applicable legal or regulatory authority, within the timeframes that may be required from time to time by such legal or regulatory authority. Unless otherwise expressly agreed to in writing, it is understood that FTDI will neither review nor approve for use any materials prepared by Bank and will have no involvement in the preparation of, or responsibility for, any such materials prepared by Bank. Notwithstanding the above, Bank may not use the Franklin Templeton Investments name or logo in materials prepared by Bank without FTDI’s prior written consent.
(p) ‑ Customer Information Each party to this Agreement agrees to limit the disclosure of non-public personal information of shareholders and customers consistent with its policies on privacy with respect to such information and Regulation S-P of the SEC. Each party hereby agrees that it will comply with all applicable requirements under the regulations implementing Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and any other applicable federal and state consumer privacy acts, rules and regulations. Each party further represents that it has in place, and agrees that it will maintain, information security policies and procedures for protecting nonpublic personal customer information adequate to conform to applicable legal requirements.
(q) ‑ Use of Site Each of Bank’s representatives, agents, independent contractors and employees will have access to the Sites as provided herein, (a) upon registration by such individual on a Site (including providing certain data and codes identifying Bank), (b) if Bank causes an MOS Site Access Request Form (an “Access Form”) to be signed by Bank’s authorized supervisory personnel and submitted to FTDI, as a Schedule to, and legally a part of, this Agreement, or (c) if Bank provides such individual with the necessary access codes or other information necessary to access the Sites through any generic or firm-wide authorization FTDI may grant Bank from time to time. Upon receipt by FTDI of a completed registration submitted by an individual through the Sites or a signed Access Form referencing such individual, FTDI shall be entitled to rely upon the representations contained therein as if Bank had made them directly hereunder and FTDI will issue a user identification, express number and/or password (collectively, “Access Code”). Any person to whom FTDI issues an Access Code or to whom Bank provides the necessary Access Codes or other information necessary to access the Sites through any generic or firm-wide authorization FTDI may grant Bank from time to time shall be an “Authorized User.” FTDI shall be entitled to assume that such person validly represents Bank and that all instructions received from such person are authorized, in which case such person will have access to the Site, including all services and information to which Bank is authorized to access on the Site. All inquiries and Transactions initiated by Bank (including Bank’s Authorized Users) are Bank’s responsibility, are at Bank’s risk and are subject to FTDI’s review and approval (which could cause a delay in processing). Bank agrees that FTDI does not have a duty to question information or instructions Bank (including Authorized Users) gives to FTDI under this Agreement, and that FTDI is entitled to treat as authorized, and act upon, any such instructions and information Bank submits to FTDI. Bank agrees to take all reasonable measures to prevent any individual other than an Authorized User from obtaining access to the Site. Bank agrees to inform FTDI if Bank wishes to restrict or revoke the access of any individual Access Code. If Bank becomes aware of any loss or theft or unauthorized use of any Access Code, Bank agrees to contact FTDI immediately. Bank also agrees to monitor its (including Authorized Users’) use of the Site to ensure the terms of this Agreement are followed. Bank acknowledges that the Sites are transmitted over the Internet on a reasonable efforts basis and FTDI does not warrant or guarantee their accuracy, timeliness, completeness, reliability or non-infringement. Moreover, Bank acknowledges that the Sites are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended to comply with any requirements established by any regulatory or governmental agency.
(r) ‑ Anti-Money Laundering Each party to this Agreement acknowledges that it is a financial institution subject to the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the Bank Secrecy Act and their corresponding implementing regulations (collectively, the “AML Laws”), which require, among other things, that financial institutions adopt compliance programs to guard against money laundering. Each party represents and warrants that it has established policies and procedures reasonably designed to detect and prevent money laundering and to comply with the AML Laws, in all relevant aspects. Each party agrees that it will take such further steps and cooperate with the other party as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate compliance with the AML Laws. Each party also certifies that it complies with the economic sanction programs administered by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
6. Continuously Offered Closed-End Funds. This Paragraph 6 relates solely to shares of Funds that represent a beneficial interest in shares that are issued by a Fund that is a closed end investment company registered under the 1940 Act that makes a continuous offering of it shares, for which FTDI or an affiliate of FTDI serves as principal underwriter and that periodically repurchases its shares (each, a “Trust”). Shares of a Trust being offered to the public will be registered under the 1933 Act and are expected to be offered during an offering period that may continue indefinitely (“Continuous Offering Period”). There is no guarantee that such a continuous offering will be maintained by the Trust. The Continuous Offering Period, shares of a Trust and certain of the terms on which such shares are being offered are more fully described in the Prospectus of the Trust.
As set forth in a Trust’s then current Prospectus, FTDI shall provide Bank with appropriate compensation for purchases of shares of the Trust made by Bank for the account of Customers or by Customers. In addition, Bank may be entitled to a fee for servicing Customers who are shareholders in a Trust, subject to applicable law. Bank agrees that any repurchases of shares of a Trust that were originally purchased as Qualifying Sales shall be subject to Paragraph 5(e) hereof.
Bank expressly acknowledges and understands that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement:
(a) ‑No Trust has a Rule-12b 1 Plan and in no event will a Trust pay, or have any obligation to pay, any compensation directly or indirectly to Bank.
(b) ‑Shares of a Trust will not be repurchased by either the Trust (other than through repurchase offers by the Trust from time to time, if any) or by FTDI and no secondary market for such shares exists currently, or is expected to develop. Any representation as to a repurchase or tender offer by the Trust, other than that set forth in the Trust’s then current Prospectus, notification letters, reports or other related material provided by the Trust, is expressly prohibited.
(c) ‑An early withdrawal charge payable by shareholders of a Trust to FTDI may be imposed on shares accepted for repurchase by the Trust that have been held for less than a stated period, as set forth in the Trust’s then current Prospectus.
(d) ‑In the event a Customer cancels his or her order for shares of a Trust after confirmation, such shares will not be repurchased, remarketed or otherwise disposed of by or through FTDI.
7. General.
(a) ‑ Successors and Assignments This Agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided that this Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment by FTDI. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the word “assignment” shall have the meaning given to it in the 1940 Act. Bank may not assign this Agreement without the advance written consent of FTDI.
(b) ‑ Paragraph Headings The paragraph headings of this Agreement are for convenience only, and shall not be deemed to define, limit, or describe the scope or intent of this Agreement.
(c) ‑Severability Should any provision of this Agreement be determined to be invalid or unenforceable under any law, rule, or regulation, that determination shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement.
(d) ‑Waivers There shall be no waiver of any provision of this Agreement except a written waiver signed by Bank and FTDI. No written waiver shall be deemed a continuing waiver or a waiver of any other provision, unless such written waiver expresses such intention.
(e) ‑ Sole Agreement This Agreement is the entire agreement of Bank and FTDI and supersedes all oral negotiations and prior writings, including any prior bank selling agreements.
(f) ‑ Governing Law This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, not including any provision which would require the general application of the law of another jurisdiction, and shall be binding upon the parties hereto when signed by FTDI and accepted by Bank, either by Bank’s signature in the space provided below or by Bank’s first trade entered after receipt of this Agreement.
(g) ‑ Setoff; Arbitration Should Bank owe any sum of money to FTDI under or in relation to this Agreement for the purchase, sale, redemption or repurchase of any Fund shares, FTDI may offset and recover the amount owed by Bank to FTDI or the Funds from any amount owed by FTDI to Bank or from any other account Bank has with FTDI, without notice or demand to Bank. Either party may submit any dispute under this Agreement to binding arbitration under the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association. Judgment upon any arbitration award may be entered by any court having jurisdiction.
(h) ‑Amendments FTDI may amend this Agreement at any time by depositing a written notice of the amendment in the U.S. mail, first class postage pre paid, addressed to Bank’s address given below (or such other address as specified in writing by Bank). Bank’s placement of any Transaction order for shares of a Fund or acceptance of any payments after the effective date and receipt of notice of any such amendment shall constitute Bank’s acceptance of the amendment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Site Terms may be separately amended as provided therein and as so amended and in effect from time to time shall be a part of this Agreement.
(i) ‑ Term and Termination This Agreement shall continue in effect until terminated and shall terminate automatically in the event that Bank ceases to be a “bank” as set forth in paragraph 2(a) of this Agreement. FTDI or Bank may terminate this Agreement at any time by written notice to the other, but such termination shall not affect the payment or repayment of Fees on Transactions prior to the termination date. Termination also will not affect the indemnities given under this Agreement.
(j) ‑ Acceptance; Cumulative Effect This Agreement is cumulative and supersedes any similar agreement previously in effect. It shall be binding upon the parties hereto when signed by FTDI and accepted by Bank. If Bank has a current selling agreement with FTDI, Bank’s first trade or acceptance of payments from FTDI after receipt of this Agreement, as it may be amended pursuant to paragraph 7(h), above, shall constitute Bank’s acceptance of the terms of this Agreement.
Otherwise, Bank’s signature below shall constitute Bank’s acceptance of these terms.
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By _______________________________________
Peter D. Jones, President
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403-1906
Attention: Chief Legal Officer (for legal notices only)
(650) 312-2000
100
Fountain Parkway
St. Petersburg, Florida 33716-1205
(727) 299-8712
To
the Bank or Trust Company:
If you have
not
previously signed an agreement with FTDI for
the sale of mutual fund shares to your
customers, please complete and sign this section and return the original to us.
BANK or TRUST COMPANY:
Bank’s Name
Date
By:
(Signature)
Name Title
Appendix A - Additional Terms and Conditions Regarding Rule 22c-2
To the extent Bank is a “financial intermediary” with respect to the Funds, Bank agrees as follows:
1.1 Agreement to Provide Information. Bank agrees to provide Distributors, upon written request, the taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) of any or all Shareholder(s) of the account and the amount, date, name or other identifier of any investment professional(s) associated with the Shareholder(s) or account (if known), and transaction type (purchase, redemption, transfer, or exchange) of every purchase, redemption, transfer, or exchange of Fund Shares held through an account maintained by Bank during the period covered by the request.
‑ 1.1.1 Period Covered by Request. Requests must set forth a specific period, not to exceed ninety (90) days from the date of the request, for which transaction information is sought. Distributors may request transaction information older than ninety (90) days from the date of the request as it deems necessary to investigate compliance with policies established by it for the purpose of eliminating or reducing any dilution of the value of the outstanding Shares issued by the Funds.
‑ 1.1.2 Form and timing of Response. Bank agrees to transmit the requested information that is on Bank’s books and records to Distributors or its designee promptly, but in any event not later than five (5) business days, after receipt of a request. If the requested information is not on Bank’s books and records, Bank agrees to: (i) provide or arrange to provide Distributors or its designee the requested information regarding Shareholders who hold an account with an indirect intermediary; or (ii) prohibit further purchases of Fund Shares by such indirect intermediary on behalf of itself or other persons. Responses required by this paragraph must be communicated in writing and in a format mutually agreed upon by the parties. To the extent practicable, the format for any transaction information provided to Distributors should be consistent with the NSCC Standardized Data Reporting Format.
‑ 1.1.3 Limitations on Use of Information. Distributors agrees not to use the information received for marketing or any other similar purpose without Bank’s prior written consent.
1.2 Agreement to Restrict Trading.
Bank agrees to execute written instructions from
Distributors or its designee to restrict or prohibit further purchases or
exchanges of Shares by a Shareholder who has been identified by Distributors or
its designee as having engaged in transactions in Shares (directly or
indirectly through an account established by Bank) that violate policies
established by the Funds for the purpose of eliminating
or reducing any dilution of the value of the outstanding Shares issued by the
Funds.
‑ 1.2.1 Form of Instructions. Instructions must include the TIN and the specific restriction(s) to be executed. If the TIN is not known, the instructions must include an equivalent identifying number of the Shareholder(s) or account(s) or other agreed upon information to which the instruction relates.
‑ 1.2.2 Timing of Response. Bank agrees to execute instructions as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than five (5) business days after Bank’s receipt of the instructions.
‑ 1.2.3 Confirmation. Bank must provide written confirmation to Distributors or its designee that instructions have been executed. Bank agrees to provide confirmation as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than ten (10) business days after the instructions have been executed.
1.3 Excepted Funds. These terms and conditions shall not apply to any “Excepted Fund” as defined in Section 1.4.
1.4 Definitions.
“Distributors” means Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc.
“Funds” or a “Fund” means certain registered investment companies, and separate series of such companies, for which Distributors serves as the principal underwriter.
“Financial Intermediary” means:
(i) ‑any broker, dealer, bank, or other person that holds securities issued by a Fund, in nominee name;
‑(ii) ‑a unit investment trust or fund that invests in a Fund in reliance on section 12(d)(l)(E) of the 1940 Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-12(d)(l)(E)); and
‑(iii) ‑in the case of a participant-directed employee benefit plan that owns the securities issued by a Fund, a retirement plan’s administrator under section 3(16)(A) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1002 (16)(A)) or any person that maintains the plan’s participant records.
‑Notwithstanding the above, “financial intermediary” does not include any person that the Fund treats as an individual investor with respect to the Fund’s policies established for the purpose of eliminating or reducing any dilution of the value of the outstanding securities issued by the Fund.
“Excepted Fund” means:
‑(i) ‑any Fund that is regulated as a money market fund under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act;
‑(ii) ‑any Fund that issues securities that are listed on a national securities exchange; and
‑(iii) ‑any Fund that affirmatively permits short-term trading of its securities, if its prospectus clearly and prominently discloses that the Fund permits short-term trading of its securities and that such trading may result in additional costs for the Fund.
“Shareholder” means:
‑(i) ‑a beneficial owner of securities held in nominee name;
‑(ii) ‑a participant in a participant-directed employee benefit plan;
‑(iii) ‑a holder of interests in a fund or unit investment trust that has invested in a Fund in reliance on section 12(d)(l)(E) of the 1940 Act; and
‑(iv) ‑a holder of interests in a variable annuity or variable life insurance contract issued by a financial intermediary and for which one or more Funds serve as underlying investments.
‑“Shareholder” does not include a fund investing pursuant to section 12(d)(l)(G) of the 1940 Act, a trust established pursuant to section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 529), or a holder of an interest in such a trust.
“Shares” means the interests of Fund Shareholders corresponding to the redeemable securities of record issued by the Fund under the 1940 Act that are held by a financial intermediary.
MASTER CUSTODY AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT A
The following is a list of the Investment Companies and their respective Series for which the Custodian shall serve under the Master Custody Agreement dated as of February 16, 1996.
BONY Master Custody Exhibit A 1 Revised as of 1-14-11
INVESTMENT COMPANY |
ORGANIZATION |
SERIES --- (if applicable) |
|
|
|
Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund |
Delaware Statutory Trust
|
|
Franklin High Income Trust |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Franklin High Income Fund
|
Franklin Investors Securities Trust |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Franklin Adjustable U.S. Government Securities Fund Franklin Balanced Fund Franklin Convertible Securities Fund Franklin Equity Income Fund Franklin Floating Rate Daily Access Fund Franklin Limited Maturity U.S. Govt Securities Fund Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund Franklin Real Return Fund Franklin Total Return Fund
|
Franklin Managed Trust |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Franklin Rising Dividends Fund
|
Franklin Money Fund |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
|
|
|
|
Franklin Municipal Securities Trust |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Franklin California High Yield Municipal Fund Franklin Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund |
|
|
|
Franklin Mutual Series Funds |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Mutual Beacon Fund Mutual European Fund Mutual Financial Services Fund Mutual Global Discovery Fund Mutual International Fund Mutual Quest Fund Mutual Shares Fund
|
BONY Master Custody Exhibit A 2 Revised as of 1-14-11
BONY Master Custody Exhibit A 3 Revised as of 1-14-11
INVESTMENT COMPANY |
ORGANIZATION |
SERIES --- (if applicable) |
|
|
|
Franklin Tax-Free Trust |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Franklin Alabama Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Arizona Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Colorado Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Connecticut Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Double Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Federal Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Federal Limited-Term Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Florida Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Georgia Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin High Yield Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Insured Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Kentucky Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Louisiana Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Maryland Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Massachusetts Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Michigan Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Minnesota Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Missouri Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin New Jersey Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin North Carolina Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Ohio Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Oregon Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Pennsylvania Tax-Free Income Fund Franklin Virginia Tax-Free Income Fund
|
BONY Master Custody Exhibit A 4 Revised as of 1-14-11
INVESTMENT COMPANY |
ORGANIZATION |
SERIES --- (if applicable) |
|
|
|
Franklin Templeton Fund Allocator Series |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Franklin Templeton Conservative Allocation Fund Franklin Templeton Corefolio Allocation Fund Franklin Templeton Founding Funds Allocation Fund Franklin Templeton Growth Allocation Fund Franklin Templeton Moderate Allocation Fund Franklin Templeton 2015 Retirement Target Fund Franklin Templeton 2025 Retirement Target Fund Franklin Templeton 2035 Retirement Target Fund Franklin Templeton 2045 Retirement Target Fund |
|
|
|
Franklin Templeton International Trust |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Franklin India Growth Fund Franklin World Perspectives Fund |
|
|
|
Franklin Templeton Money Fund Trust |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Franklin Templeton Money Fund
|
Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Franklin Flex Cap Growth Securities Fund Franklin Global Real Estate Securities Fund Franklin Growth and Income Securities Fund Franklin High Income Securities Fund Franklin Income Securities Fund Franklin Large Cap Growth Securities Fund Franklin Large Cap Value Securities Fund Franklin Rising Dividends Securities Fund Franklin Small-Mid Cap Growth Securities Fund Franklin Small Cap Value Securities Fund Franklin Strategic Income Securities Fund Franklin Templeton VIP Founding Funds Allocation Fund Franklin U.S. Government Fund
|
BONY Master Custody Exhibit A 5 Revised as of 1-14-11
INVESTMENT COMPANY |
ORGANIZATION |
SERIES --- (if applicable) |
|
|
|
Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust (continued) |
|
Mutual Global Discovery Securities Fund Mutual International Securities Fund Mutual Shares Securities Fund Templeton Global Bond Securities Fund |
|
|
|
Franklin Value Investors Trust |
Massachusetts Business Trust |
Franklin All Cap Value Fund Franklin Balance Sheet Investment Fund Franklin Large Cap Value Fund Franklin MicroCap Value Fund Franklin MidCap Value Fund Franklin Small Cap Value Fund
|
Institutional Fiduciary Trust |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Money Market Portfolio
|
The Money Market Portfolios |
Delaware Statutory Trust |
The Money Market Portfolio
|
Templeton Global Investment Trust
|
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Templeton Income Fund
|
Templeton Income Trust
|
Delaware Statutory Trust |
Templeton Global Total Return Fund Templeton International Bond Fund |
CLOSED END FUNDS:
|
|
|
Franklin Mutual Recovery Fund
|
Delaware Statutory Trust
|
|
Franklin Templeton Limited Duration Income Trust
|
Delaware Statutory Trust |
|
Franklin Universal Trust |
Massachusetts Business Trust |
|
BONY Master Custody Exhibit A 6 Revised as of 1-14-11
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated May 18, 2011, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights which appears in the March 31, 2011 Annual Report to Shareholders of Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund, which is also incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement. We also consent to the references to us under the headings "Financial Highlights" and "Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm" in such Registration Statement.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
San Francisco, California
July 27, 2011