0001133228-13-000572.txt : 20130301 0001133228-13-000572.hdr.sgml : 20130301 20130228182021 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001133228-13-000572 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 497 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 20130301 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20130228 EFFECTIVENESS DATE: 20130301 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: JOHN HANCOCK SOVEREIGN BOND FUND CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000045288 IRS NUMBER: 042528977 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MA FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 497 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 002-48925 FILM NUMBER: 13654046 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS STREET 2: 601 CONGRESS STREET CITY: BOSTON STATE: MA ZIP: 02210 BUSINESS PHONE: 617-663-3000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: C/O JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS STREET 2: 601 CONGRESS STREET CITY: BOSTON STATE: MA ZIP: 02210 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HANCOCK JOHN SOVEREIGN BOND FUND DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19930921 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HANCOCK JOHN BONDS DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19930921 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HANCOCK JOHN BOND TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19910704

0000045288 S000000646 Bond Fund

C000001854 Class A JHNBX

C000001855 Class B JHBBX

C000001856 Class C JHCBX

497 1 e336507_497.htm 497

Supplement dated 3–1–13 to the current Class A Shares Prospectus

In the “Your account — Sales charge reductions and waivers” section, under the “Waivers for certain investors” subsection, the following bulleted paragraphs modify and replace the existing corresponding bulleted paragraphs and supersede all prior related disclosure to the contrary:

•

terminating participants in a pension, profit sharing or other plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, or described in Section 457(b) of the Code, that is funded by certain John Hancock group annuity contracts or for which John Hancock Trust Company serves as trustee, rolling over assets (directly or within 60 days after distribution) from such plans to a John Hancock custodial IRA or John Hancock custodial Roth IRA that invests in John Hancock funds, or the subsequent establishment of or any rollover into a new John Hancock fund account through John Hancock’s Personal Financial Services (PFS) Group by such terminating participants and/or their Immediate Family (as defined in the SAI), including subsequent investments into such accounts and which are held directly at John Hancock funds or at the PFS Financial Center

•

participants in a terminating pension, profit sharing or other plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, or described in Section 457(b) of the Code (the assets of which such plan, immediately prior to its termination, were held in certain John Hancock group annuity contracts or in trust by John Hancock Trust Company but have been transferred from such contracts or trust funds and are held either: (i) in trust by a distribution processing organization; or (ii) in a custodial IRA or custodial Roth IRA sponsored by an authorized third party trust company and made available through John Hancock), rolling over assets (directly or within 60 days after distribution) from such plans to a John Hancock custodial IRA or John Hancock custodial Roth IRA that invests in John Hancock funds, or the subsequent establishment of or any rollover into a new John Hancock fund account through John Hancock’s PFS Group by such participants and/or their Immediate Family (as defined in the SAI), including subsequent investments into such accounts and which are held directly at John Hancock funds or at the PFS Financial Center

You should read this Supplement in conjunction with the Prospectus and retain it for future reference.

Supplement dated 3-1-13 to the current Statement of Additional Information for

John Hancock Bond Fund,
a series of John Hancock Sovereign Bond Fund

In the “INITIAL SALES CHARGE ON CLASS A SHARES” section, under the “Without Sales Charges” subsection, the following bulleted paragraphs modify and replace the existing corresponding bulleted paragraphs and supersede all prior related disclosure to the contrary:

Terminating participants in a pension, profit sharing or other plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, or described in Section 457(b) of the Code, that is funded by certain John Hancock group annuity contracts or for which John Hancock Trust Company serves as trustee, rolling over assets (directly or within 60 days after distribution) from such a plan to a John Hancock custodial IRA or John Hancock custodial Roth IRA that invests in John Hancock funds, or the subsequent establishment of or any rollover into a new John Hancock fund account through John Hancock’s Personal Financial Services (PFS) Group by such terminating participants and/or their Immediate Family (as defined in the SAI), including subsequent investments into such accounts and which are held directly at John Hancock funds or at the PFS Financial Center.

Participants in a terminating pension, profit sharing or other plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, or described in Section 457(b) of the Code (the assets of which, immediately prior to such plan’s termination, were held in certain John Hancock group annuity contracts or in trust by John Hancock Trust Company but have been transferred from such contracts or trust funds and are held either: (i) in trust by a distribution processing organization; or (ii) in a custodial IRA or custodial Roth IRA sponsored by an authorized third party trust company and made available through John Hancock), rolling over assets (directly or within 60 days after distribution) from such a plan to a John Hancock custodial IRA or John Hancock custodial Roth IRA that invests in John Hancock funds, or the subsequent establishment of or any rollover into a new John Hancock fund account through John Hancock’s PFS Group by such participants and/or their Immediate Family (as defined in the SAI), including subsequent investments into such accounts and which are held directly at John Hancock funds or at the PFS Financial Center.

You should read this Supplement in conjunction with the Statement of Additional Information and retain it for future reference.