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For the most recent prospectuses of the following funds (as supplemented
to date):
AMCAP Fund® (AMCAP) American Balanced Fund® (AMBAL) American Funds® Developing World Growth and Income Fund (DWGI) American Funds Emerging Markets Bond Fund® (EMBF) American Funds® Global Balanced Fund (GBAL) American Funds® Global Insight Fund (GIF) American Funds Inflation Linked Bond Fund® (ILBF) American Funds Mortgage Fund® (AFMF) American Funds® Multi-Sector Income Fund (MSI) American Funds® Strategic Bond Fund (SBF) American Mutual Fund® (AMF) |
The Bond Fund of America® (BFA) Capital Income Builder® (CIB) Capital World Bond Fund® (WBF) Capital World Growth and Income Fund® (WGI) EuroPacific Growth Fund® (EUPAC) Fundamental Investors® (FI) The Growth Fund of America® (GFA) The Income Fund of America® (IFA) Intermediate Bond Fund of America® (IBFA) International Growth and Income Fund (IGI) The Investment Company of America® (ICA) The New Economy Fund® (NEF) New Perspective Fund® (NPF) New World Fund® (NWF) Short-Term Bond Fund of America® (STBF) SMALLCAP World Fund® (SCWF) U.S. Government Securities Fund® (GVT) Washington Mutual Investors Fund (WMIF) |
Changes apply to all funds unless otherwise noted below.
1. The fourth paragraph under the heading “Purchase minimums and maximums” in the “Purchase, exchange and sale of shares” section of the prospectus for all of the funds listed above except for IBFA, ILBF, MMF and STBF is amended to read as follows:
If you have significant American Funds holdings, you may not be eligible to invest in Class C or 529-C shares. Specifically, you may not purchase Class C or 529-C shares if you are eligible to purchase Class A or 529-A shares at net asset value. See “Sales charge reductions and waivers” in this prospectus and the statement of additional information for more details regarding sales charge discounts
2. The information under the heading ”Rollovers from CollegeAmerica to Roth IRAs” in the “Sales charge reductions and waivers” section of the prospectus for all the funds listed above except for AMBAL, BFA, DWGI, EMBF, FI, ICA, ILBF, MMF, MSI, NEF, SBF, WBF and WGI is amended to read as follows:
Rollovers from CollegeAmerica to Roth IRAs Proceeds of a CollegeAmerica plan account may be rolled over in a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer to the plan beneficiary’s Capital Bank and Trust Roth IRA and invested in Class A shares without a sales charge, provided that such rollover is intended to satisfy the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. If you hold CollegeAmerica or Roth IRA accounts through a financial intermediary its policies may differ.
3. The information under the heading “Rollovers from CollegeAmerica to Roth IRAs” in the “Sales charge waivers” section of the prospectus for American Funds U.S. Government Money Market Fund is amended to read as follows:
Rollovers from CollegeAmerica to Roth IRAs Proceeds of a CollegeAmerica plan account may be rolled over in a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer to the plan beneficiary’s Capital Bank and Trust Roth IRA and invested in Class A shares without a sales charge, provided that such rollover is intended to satisfy the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. If you hold CollegeAmerica or Roth IRA accounts through a financial intermediary its policies may differ.
4. The information under “Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith (“Merrill Lynch”)” in the “Appendix” section of the prospectus is amended to read as follows:
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith (“Merrill Lynch”)
Purchases or sales of front-end (i.e. Class A) or level-load (i.e. Class C) mutual fund shares through a Merrill Lynch platform or account will be eligible only for the following sales load waivers (front-end, contingent deferred, or back-end waivers) and discounts, which differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s prospectus. Purchasers will have to buy mutual fund shares directly from the mutual fund company or through another intermediary to be eligible for waivers or discounts not listed below.
It is the client’s responsibility to notify Merrill Lynch at the time of purchase or sale of any relationship or other facts that qualify the transaction for a waiver or discount. A Merrill Lynch representative may ask for reasonable documentation of such facts and Merrill Lynch may condition the granting of a waiver or discount on the timely receipt of such documentation.
Additional information on waivers and discounts is available in the Merrill Lynch Sales Load Waiver and Discounts Supplement (the “Merrill Lynch SLWD Supplement") and in the Mutual Fund Investing at Merrill Lynch pamphlet at ml.com/funds. Clients are encouraged to review these documents and speak with their financial advisor to determine whether a transaction is eligible for a waiver or discount.
Front-end load waivers available at Merrill Lynch
· | Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan. Except as provided below, Class A shares are not currently available to new plans described in this waiver. Plans that invested in Class A shares of any of the funds without any sales charge before April 1, 2004, and that continue to meet the eligibility requirements in effect as of that date for purchasing Class A shares at net asset value, may continue to purchase American Funds Class A shares without any initial or contingent deferred sales charge |
· | Shares purchased through a Merrill Lynch investment advisory program. Class A shares are not currently available in the programs described in this waiver |
· | Brokerage class shares exchanged from advisory class shares due to the holdings moving from a Merrill Lynch investment advisory program to a Merrill Lynch brokerage account |
· | Shares purchased through the systematic reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same mutual fund in the same account |
· | Shares exchanged from level-load shares to front-end load shares of the same mutual fund in accordance with the description in the Merrill Lynch SLWD Supplement |
· | Shares purchased by eligible employees of Merrill Lynch or its affiliates and their family members who purchase shares in accounts within the employee’s Merrill Lynch Household (as defined in the Merrill Lynch SLWD Supplement) |
· | Shares purchased by eligible persons associated with the fund as defined in this prospectus (e.g. the fund’s officers or trustees) |
· | Shares purchased from the proceeds of a mutual fund redemption in front-end load shares provided (1) the repurchase is in a mutual fund within the same fund family; (2) the repurchase occurs within 90 calendar days from the redemption trade date; and (3) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account (known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions (i.e. systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are automatically sold to pay Merrill Lynch’s account maintenance fees are not eligible for Rights of Reinstatement |
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (“CDSC”) waivers on front-end, back-end, and level load shares available at Merrill Lynch
· | Shares sold due to the client’s death or disability (as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 22e(3)) |
· | Shares sold pursuant to a systematic withdrawal program subject to Merrill Lynch’s maximum systematic withdrawal limits as described in the Merrill Lynch SLWD Supplement |
· | Shares sold due to return of excess contributions from an IRA account |
· | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the investor reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulation |
· | Front-end or level-load shares held in commission-based, non-taxable retirement brokerage accounts (e.g. traditional, Roth, rollover, SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SARSEPs or Keogh plans) that are transferred to fee-based accounts or platforms and exchanged for a lower cost share class of the same mutual fund |
Front-end load discounts available at Merrill Lynch: breakpoints, rights of accumulation & letters of intent
· | Breakpoint discounts, as described in this prospectus, where the sales load is at or below the maximum sales load that Merrill Lynch permits to be assessed to a front-end load purchase, as described in the Merrill Lynch SLWD Supplement |
· | Rights of Accumulation (ROA), as described in the Merrill Lynch SLWD Supplement, which entitle clients to breakpoint discounts based on the aggregated holdings of mutual fund family assets held in accounts in their Merrill Lynch Household |
· | Letters of Intent (LOI), which allow for breakpoint discounts on eligible new purchases based on anticipated future eligible purchases within a fund family at Merrill Lynch, in accounts within your Merrill Lynch Household, as further described in the Merrill Lynch SLWD Supplement |
CollegeAmerica accounts
If clients establish or hold their CollegeAmerica 529 Plan (Plan) accounts on the Merrill Lynch omnibus platform, the features and policies related to share class sales charges (including contingent deferred sales charges (CDSC), if any), share class sales charge waivers or discounts, letters of intent (LOI) and reinstatement privileges, and Class 529-C share conversion period will be different than referenced in this document and will be governed by the Merrill Lynch 529 Account Unit Class Disclosure and Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) provided to clients by Merrill Lynch prior to establishing their Plan account.
Except as described in this Merrill Lynch specific section of this document and the T&Cs, Merrill Lynch does not offer any initial sales charge discounts, CDSC waivers, LOI or reinstatement privileges in the 529 plans offered on the Merrill Lynch omnibus platform (the “529 Discounts, Waivers and Privileges”). To receive the 529 Discounts, Waivers, and Privileges not offered by Merrill Lynch, clients will have to invest in the Plan directly or through another intermediary.
Before investing in the Plan through Merrill Lynch, clients should consider the potential benefits and importance to them of such 529 Discounts, Waivers, and Privileges.
For additional information on the Discounts, Waivers, and Privileges and Merrill Lynch’s policies, clients are encouraged to contact their financial advisor or refer to the T&C.
If clients establish or hold their Plan accounts on the Merrill Lynch omnibus platform, then the share class (described as unit class in the T&Cs) their account will purchase will generally be based on their eligible assets or meeting other eligibility criteria as set forth in the T&Cs. The Plan offered by Merrill Lynch on its omnibus platform will have two share classes – Class 529-A share and Class 529-C share–each with its own fee and expense structure. Each account will purchase a specific share class when an initial or subsequent contribution is credited to the account. The share class will be automatically determined at the time of the contribution based on the participant’s eligible assets and/or meeting other eligibility criteria. Clients will not be able to select the share class. Among other things, Class 529-C shares will be automatically converted to Class 529-A shares (not subject to an initial sales charge) after four years from their respective dates of purchase. If the Plan permits Class 529-C shares’ conversion sooner than four years, such earlier conversion date will automatically apply.
5. The information under “Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., and each entity’s affiliates (“Raymond James”) Class A share front-end sales charge waiver” in the “Appendix” section of the prospectus is amended to read as follows:
Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., and each entity’s affiliates (“Raymond James”)
Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account, or through an introducing broker-dealer or independent registered investment adviser for which Raymond James provides trade execution, clearance, and/or custody services, will be eligible only for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this fund’s prospectus or SAI.
Front-end sales charge waivers on Classes A and 529-A shares available at Raymond James
· | Shares purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains and dividend distributions |
· | Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James |
· | Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as Rights of Reinstatement) |
· | A shareholder in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James |
· | Purchases of Class 529-A shares through a rollover from another 529 plan |
CDSC waivers on Classes A and C shares available at Raymond James
· | Death or disability of the shareholder |
· | Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the fund’s prospectus |
· | Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account |
· | Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the fund’s prospectus |
· | Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James |
· | Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement |
Front-end sales charge discounts available at Raymond James: breakpoints, rights of accumulation and/or letters of intent
· | Breakpoints as described in this prospectus |
· | Rights of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
· | Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets |
Keep this supplement with your prospectus.
Lit. No. MFGEBS-576-0424P CGD/AFD/10039-S99508
THE FUND MAKES AVAILABLE A SPANISH TRANSLATION OF THE ABOVE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLIC OFFERING AND SALE OF ITS SHARES. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT ABOVE IS A FAIR AND ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF THE SPANISH EQUIVALENT.
/s/ | JENNIFER L. BUTLER |
JENNIFER L. BUTLER | |
SECRETARY | |
/s/ | JULIE E. LAWTON |
JULIE E. LAWTON | |
SECRETARY | |
/s/ | COURTNEY R. TAYLOR |
COURTNEY R. TAYLOR | |
SECRETARY |
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