497 1 dec.txt JOHN HANCOCK DECLARATION TRUST Supplement to the John Hancock Declaration Trust Prospectus Dated May 1, 2002 John Hancock V.A. Financial Industries Fund John Hancock V.A. Relative Value Fund John Hancock V.A. Sovereign Investors Fund John Hancock V.A. Strategic Income Fund John Hancock V.A. Technology Fund On February 25, 2003, the Trustees of the John Hancock Declaration Trust (the "Trust") voted to recommend that the shareholders of the following funds approve a tax-free reorganization of the funds, as described below. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acquired Fund* Acquiring Fund** (each an "Acquired Fund") (each an "Acquiring Fund") -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Financial Industries Fund Financial Industries Fund+ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Relative Value Fund Growth & Income Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Sovereign Investors Fund Growth & Income Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Strategic Income Fund Active Bond Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Technology Fund Large Cap Growth Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Each a series of John Hancock Declaration Trust. **Each a series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. +A newly-organized series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. The fund will not commence operations until the reorganization with V.A. Financial Industries Fund occurs. Under the terms of each reorganization, subject to shareholder approval at a shareholder meeting scheduled for April 16, 2003, each Acquired Fund would transfer all of its assets and liabilities to the corresponding Acquiring Fund listed above in a tax-free exchange for shares of equal value of the Acquiring Fund. Effective with each reorganization, shareholders of the Acquired Funds would become shareholders of the corresponding Acquiring Fund, and the Acquired Funds would be terminated. Further information regarding each proposed reorganization will be contained in a proxy statement and prospectus, which is scheduled to be mailed on or about March 24, 2003 to shareholders of record on February 25, 2003. February 25, 2003 2/03 Supplement to the John Hancock Declaration Trust Prospectus Dated May 1, 2002 John Hancock V.A. Financial Industries Fund John Hancock V.A. Relative Value Fund John Hancock V.A. Strategic Income Fund John Hancock V.A. Technology Fund On February 25, 2003, the Trustees of the John Hancock Declaration Trust (the "Trust") voted to recommend that the shareholders of the following funds approve a tax-free reorganization of the funds, as described below. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acquired Fund* Acquiring Fund** (each an "Acquired Fund") (each an "Acquiring Fund") -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Financial Industries Fund Financial Industries Fund+ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Relative Value Fund Growth & Income Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Strategic Income Fund Active Bond Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Technology Fund Large Cap Growth Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Each a series of John Hancock Declaration Trust. **Each a series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. +A newly-organized series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. The fund will not commence operations until the reorganization with V.A. Financial Industries Fund occurs. Under the terms of each reorganization, subject to shareholder approval at a shareholder meeting scheduled for April 16, 2003, each Acquired Fund would transfer all of its assets and liabilities to the corresponding Acquiring Fund listed above in a tax-free exchange for shares of equal value of the Acquiring Fund. Effective with each reorganization, shareholders of the Acquired Funds would become shareholders of the corresponding Acquiring Fund, and the Acquired Funds would be terminated. Further information regarding each proposed reorganization will be contained in a proxy statement and prospectus, which is scheduled to be mailed on or about March 24, 2003 to shareholders of record on February 25, 2003. February 25, 2003 2/03 Supplement to the John Hancock Declaration Trust Prospectus Dated May 1, 2002 John Hancock V.A. Financial Industries Fund John Hancock V.A. Relative Value Fund John Hancock V.A. Sovereign Investors Fund John Hancock V.A. Strategic Income Fund On February 25, 2003, the Trustees of the John Hancock Declaration Trust (the "Trust") voted to recommend that the shareholders of the following funds approve a tax-free reorganization of the funds, as described below. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acquired Fund* Acquiring Fund** (each an "Acquired Fund") (each an "Acquiring Fund") -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Financial Industries Fund Financial Industries Fund+ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Relative Value Fund Growth & Income Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Sovereign Investors Fund Growth & Income Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Strategic Income Fund Active Bond Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Each a series of John Hancock Declaration Trust. **Each a series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. +A newly-organized series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. The fund will not commence operations until the reorganization with V.A. Financial Industries Fund occurs. Under the terms of each reorganization, subject to shareholder approval at a shareholder meeting scheduled for April 16, 2003, each Acquired Fund would transfer all of its assets and liabilities to the corresponding Acquiring Fund listed above in a tax-free exchange for shares of equal value of the Acquiring Fund. Effective with each reorganization, shareholders of the Acquired Funds would become shareholders of the corresponding Acquiring Fund, and the Acquired Funds would be terminated. Further information regarding each proposed reorganization will be contained in a proxy statement and prospectus, which is scheduled to be mailed on or about March 24, 2003 to shareholders of record on February 25, 2003. February 25, 2003 2/03 Supplement to the John Hancock Declaration Trust Prospectus Dated May 1, 2002 John Hancock V.A. Financial Industries Fund John Hancock V.A. Relative Value Fund John Hancock V.A. Strategic Income Fund On February 25, 2003, the Trustees of the John Hancock Declaration Trust (the "Trust") voted to recommend that the shareholders of the following funds approve a tax-free reorganization of the funds, as described below. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acquired Fund* Acquiring Fund** (each an "Acquired Fund") (each an "Acquiring Fund") -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Financial Industries Fund Financial Industries Fund+ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Relative Value Fund Growth & Income Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Strategic Income Fund Active Bond Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Each a series of John Hancock Declaration Trust. **Each a series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. +A newly-organized series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. The fund will not commence operations until the reorganization with V.A. Financial Industries Fund occurs. Under the terms of each reorganization, subject to shareholder approval at a shareholder meeting scheduled for April 16, 2003, each Acquired Fund would transfer all of its assets and liabilities to the corresponding Acquiring Fund listed above in a tax-free exchange for shares of equal value of the Acquiring Fund. Effective with each reorganization, shareholders of the Acquired Funds would become shareholders of the corresponding Acquiring Fund, and the Acquired Funds would be terminated. Further information regarding each proposed reorganization will be contained in a proxy statement and prospectus, which is scheduled to be mailed on or about March 24, 2003 to shareholders of record on February 25, 2003. February 25, 2003 2/03 Supplement to the John Hancock Declaration Trust Prospectus Dated May 1, 2002 John Hancock V.A. Financial Industries Fund John Hancock V.A. Strategic Income Fund On February 25, 2003, the Trustees of the John Hancock Declaration Trust (the "Trust") voted to recommend that the shareholders of the following funds approve a tax-free reorganization of the funds, as described below. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acquired Fund* Acquiring Fund** (each an "Acquired Fund") (each an "Acquiring Fund") -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Financial Industries Fund Financial Industries Fund+ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V.A. Strategic Income Fund Active Bond Fund -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Each a series of John Hancock Declaration Trust. **Each a series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. +A newly-organized series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I. The fund will not commence operations until the reorganization with V.A. Financial Industries Fund occurs. Under the terms of each reorganization, subject to shareholder approval at a shareholder meeting scheduled for April 16, 2003, each Acquired Fund would transfer all of its assets and liabilities to the corresponding Acquiring Fund listed above in a tax-free exchange for shares of equal value of the Acquiring Fund. Effective with each reorganization, shareholders of the Acquired Funds would become shareholders of the corresponding Acquiring Fund, and the Acquired Funds would be terminated. Further information regarding each proposed reorganization will be contained in a proxy statement and prospectus, which is scheduled to be mailed on or about March 24, 2003 to shareholders of record on February 25, 2003. February 25, 2003 2/03 Supplement to the John Hancock Declaration Trust Prospectus Dated May 1, 2002 John Hancock V.A. Relative Value Fund On February 25, 2003, the Trustees of the John Hancock Declaration Trust (the "Trust") voted to recommend that the shareholders of John Hancock V.A. Relative Value Fund approve a tax-free reorganization of the fund, as described below. Under the terms of the reorganization, subject to shareholder approval at a shareholder meeting scheduled for April 16, 2003, V.A. Relative Value Fund would transfer all of its assets and liabilities to John Hancock Growth & Income Fund ("Growth & Income Fund"), a series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I, in a tax-free exchange for shares of equal value of Growth & Income Fund. Effective with the reorganization, shareholders of V. A. Relative Value Fund would become shareholders of Growth & Income Fund, and V.A. Relative Value Fund would be terminated. Further information regarding the proposed reorganization will be contained in a proxy statement and prospectus, which is scheduled to be mailed on or about March 24, 2003 to shareholders of record on February 25, 2003. February 25, 2003 2/03 Supplement to the John Hancock Declaration Trust Prospectus Dated May 1, 2002 John Hancock V.A. Sovereign Investors Fund On February 25, 2003, the Trustees of the John Hancock Declaration Trust (the "Trust") voted to recommend that the shareholders of John Hancock V.A. Sovereign Investors Fund approve a tax-free reorganization of the fund, as described below. Under the terms of the reorganization, subject to shareholder approval at a shareholder meeting scheduled for April 16, 2003, V.A. Sovereign Investors Fund would transfer all of its assets and liabilities to John Hancock Growth & Income Fund ("Growth & Income Fund"), a series of John Hancock Variable Series Trust I, in a tax-free exchange for shares of equal value of Growth & Income Fund. Effective with the reorganization, shareholders of V. A. Sovereign Investors Fund would become shareholders of Growth & Income Fund, and V.A. Sovereign Investors Fund would be terminated. Further information regarding the proposed reorganization will be contained in a proxy statement and prospectus, which is scheduled to be mailed on or about March 24, 2003 to shareholders of record on February 25, 2003. February 25, 2003 2/03