-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, FtPV+3K5PFxJroTV7Q4IZar+tUZa22vYioC0I/CELnfvx4RIVyn8CYViLRcDI1B1 1heMu1QhFz92CspsKgxsag== 0000717316-03-000012.txt : 20031001 0000717316-03-000012.hdr.sgml : 20031001 20030930174140 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000717316-03-000012 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: DEFA14A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 20031001 EFFECTIVENESS DATE: 20031001 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AMERICAN CENTURY CALIFORNIA TAX FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000717316 IRS NUMBER: 946562826 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MA FISCAL YEAR END: 0831 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: DEFA14A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 811-03706 FILM NUMBER: 03918528 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1665 CHARLESTON RD CITY: MOUNTAIN VIEW STATE: CA ZIP: 94043 BUSINESS PHONE: 8003218321 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1665 CHARLESTON RD CITY: MOUNTAIN VIEW STATE: CA ZIP: 94043 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE TRUST / DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19960815 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE & MUNICIPAL FUNDS DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BENHAM CALIFORNIA TAX FREE TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19910218 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AMERICAN CENTURY MUNICIPAL TRUST CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000746458 IRS NUMBER: 776009794 FISCAL YEAR END: 0531 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: DEFA14A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 811-04025 FILM NUMBER: 03918529 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4500 MAIN STREET STREET 2: 9TH FLOOR SAN CITY: KANSAS CITY STATE: MO ZIP: 64111 BUSINESS PHONE: 4159658300 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4500 MAIN STREET STREET 2: 9TH FLOOR SAN CITY: KANSAS CITY STATE: MO ZIP: 64111 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BENHAM MUNICIPAL TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19940202 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BENHAM NATIONAL TAX FREE TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AMERICAN CENTURY GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000773674 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MA FISCAL YEAR END: 0331 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: DEFA14A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 811-04363 FILM NUMBER: 03918526 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4500 MAIN STREET CITY: KANSAS CITY STATE: MO ZIP: 64111 BUSINESS PHONE: 8165315575 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4500 MAIN STREET CITY: KANSASA CITY STATE: MO ZIP: 64111 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BENHAM GOVERNMENT INCOME TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AMERICAN CENTURY INVESTMENT TRUST CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000908406 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MA FISCAL YEAR END: 0228 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: DEFA14A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 811-07822 FILM NUMBER: 03918530 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4500 MAIN STREET STREET 2: 9TH FLOOR SAN CITY: KANSAS CITY STATE: MO ZIP: 64111 BUSINESS PHONE: 8003218321 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4500 MAIN STREET STREET 2: 9TH FLOOR SAN CITY: KANSAS CITY STATE: CO ZIP: 64111 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BENHAM INVESTMENT TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19930629 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AMERICAN CENTURY TARGET MATURITIES TRUST CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000757928 IRS NUMBER: 431920414 STATE OF INCORPORATION: MA FISCAL YEAR END: 0330 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: DEFA14A SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 811-04165 FILM NUMBER: 03918527 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4500 MAIN STREET CITY: KANSAS CITY STATE: MO ZIP: 64111 BUSINESS PHONE: 8165315575 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4500 MAIN STREET CITY: KANSAS CITY STATE: MO ZIP: 64111 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: BENHAM TARGET MATURITIES TRUST DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 DEFA14A 1 talkingpoints.htm PROXY - TALKING POINTS 10/03 Proxy



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                    American Century Government Income Trust
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            American Century California Tax-Free and Municipal Funds
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                        American Century Municipal Trust

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American Century (reg.sm) Investments C CLASS SHARES PROXY TALKING POINTS Summary American Century is asking shareholders to approve an increase in the 12b-1 distribution fee on its variable-priced fixed income C Class shares to 0.75% from 0.50% for a total 12b-1 fee of 1.00% (i.e., distribution and service) effective January 1, 2004. The 12b-1 fee is used as a trailing commission to compensate financial advisors for the ongoing oversight and advice that they provide to their clients. Affected funds include: Fund Name CUSIP Ticker - ------------------------------------------------------ CA High-Yield Municipal 025075805 CAYCX Diversified Bond 024932824 CDBCX Ginnie Mae 025081811 AGMCX High-Yield 024932873 AHDCX High-Yield Municipal 024934879 AYMCX Target 2030 024935827 ATGCX Why is American Century increasing the 12b-1 fee? The overwhelming majority of mutual fund companies have structured their 12b-1 fees to enable them to pay such fees to financial professionals at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net asset value of a fund's C Class shares. American Century's C Class, however, enables a payment equivalent to an annual rate of only 0.75%, rather than 1.00%. In an increasingly competitive environment for the sale of fund shares, the 12b-1 fee must be increased so that the American Century funds can meet the increasing costs of distribution and shareholder service and provide competitive compensation to financial professionals. Are any changes being proposed for American Century's C class share equity funds? No. C Class shares of American Century's equity funds are competitively priced at the industry standard of 1.00% for traditional C Class shares, so changes are not required. Only C Class shares of American Century variable-priced fixed income funds will be changed if approved by shareholders. FOR VENDOR USE ONLY - NOT FOR PUBLIC USE AMERICAN CENTURY LOGO How does an increase in the 12b-1 fee benefit investors? The proposed increase will contribute to the long-term viability of each fund's C Class shares. We believe that the lower fees paid to financial professionals in connection with the sale of the funds' C Class shares will hamper growth of the C Class considerably. In this environment, we have little confidence that the funds' C Classes will grow sufficiently to cover their cost of operation. Without the proposed 12b-1 fee increase, we believe that the funds' C Classes may ultimately require liquidation. We believe that an investment vehicle with long-term viability is a benefit to all long-term investors. American Century also firmly believes that its C Class share investors place value in the sound investment advice provided by their financial professionals. The proposed 12b-1 fee increase will enable the funds to pay for this advice at the industry-standard rate, which ultimately benefits the shareholder. Finally, the proposed fee increase will stimulate additional sales of C Class shares of the funds, thus increasing fund assets. Additional assets will ultimately benefit fund shareholders, as portfolio managers have greater access to investment opportunities and ability to trade securities more efficiently, and shareholders may be able to benefit from breakpoints in management fees when fund assets increase. Why are the Trustees recommending a vote "FOR" the Proposal? The Trustees reviewed this Proposal with investor interests in mind. They believe that the proposed 12b-1 fee increase will serve investors well in the long term by providing the benefits outlined above. In addition to these benefits, the Trustees also considered that the entire amount of the increase would be used to finance payments to financial professionals and therefore would not be retained by American Century Investment Management, Inc. or its affiliates. 48530308 American Century Investment Services, Inc. ©2003 American Century Services Corporation
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