Because the income from U.S. Treasury securities is exempt
from state and local income taxes, the fund generally expects that the majority of the dividends it pays will be exempt from those taxes as well. (Dividends still will be subject to federal income tax.) However, the fund may invest up to 20% of its
net assets in non-U.S Treasury investments that are not exempt from state and local income taxes. Further, during unusual market conditions, the fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in investments that are not exempt from state and local
income taxes as a temporary defensive measure. When the fund engages in such activities, it may not achieve its investment goal.
As a government money market fund, the fund’s Board of
Trustees (the Board) has determined not to subject the fund to a liquidity fee and/or a redemption gate on fund redemptions. Please note that the Board has reserved its ability to change this determination with respect to liquidity fees and/or
redemption gates, but only after providing appropriate prior notice to shareholders.
Principal Risks
The fund is subject to risks, any of which could cause an
investor to lose money. The fund’s principal risks include:
Investment Risk. You
could lose money by investing in the fund. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the fund at any
time.
Interest Rate Risk. Interest rates rise and fall over time. As with any investment whose yield reflects current interest rates, the fund’s yield will change over time. During periods when interest rates are low, the fund’s
yield (and total return) also will be low or may even be negative, which may make it difficult for the fund to pay expenses out of fund assets or maintain a stable $1.00 share price. Because interest rates in the United States are near
historically low levels, a change in a central bank’s monetary policy or improving economic conditions may result in an increase in interest rates. A sudden or unpredictable rise in interest rates may cause volatility in the market
and may decrease liquidity in the money market securities markets, making it more difficult for the fund to sell its money market investments at a time when the investment adviser might wish to sell such investments. Decreased market liquidity also
may make it more difficult to value some or all of the fund’s money market securities holdings.
Stable Net Asset Value Risk.
If the fund or another money market fund fails to maintain a stable net asset value (or such perception exists in the market place), the fund could experience increased redemptions, which may adversely impact the fund’s share price. The
fund is permitted, among other things, to reduce or withhold any income and/or gains generated from its portfolio to maintain a stable $1.00 share price.
Credit Risk. The fund is
subject to the risk that a decline in the credit quality of a portfolio investment could cause the fund to lose
money or underperform. The fund could lose money if the issuer of a
portfolio investment fails to make timely principal or interest payments or if a guarantor, liquidity provider or counterparty of a portfolio investment fails to honor its obligations. Negative perceptions of the ability of an
issuer, guarantor, liquidity provider or counterparty to make payments or otherwise honor its obligations, as applicable, could also cause the price of that investment to decline. The credit quality of the fund’s portfolio
holdings can change rapidly in certain market environments and any downgrade or default on the part of a single portfolio investment could cause the fund’s share price or yield to fall.
Many of the U.S. government securities that the
fund invests in are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, which means they are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. Although maintained in conservatorship by the Federal Housing Finance Agency since
September 2008, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac maintain only lines of credit with the U.S. Treasury. The Federal Home Loan Banks maintain limited access to credit lines from the U.S. Treasury. Other securities, such as obligations
issued by the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation, are supported solely by the credit of the issuer. There can be no assurance that the U.S. government will provide financial support to securities of its agencies and instrumentalities if
it is not obligated to do so under law. Also, any government guarantees on securities the fund owns do not extend to the shares of the fund itself.
Management Risk. Any
actively managed mutual fund is subject to the risk that its investment adviser will select investments or allocate assets in a manner that could cause the fund to underperform or otherwise not meet its objective. The fund’s investment
adviser applies its own investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the fund, but there can be no guarantee that they will produce the desired results. The investment adviser’s maturity decisions will also affect
the fund’s yield, and potentially could affect its share price. To the extent that the investment adviser anticipates interest rate trends imprecisely, the fund’s yield at times could lag the yields of other money market
funds.
Redemption Risk. The fund may experience periods of heavy redemptions that could cause the fund to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, particularly during periods of declining or illiquid markets.
Redemptions by a few large investors in the fund may have a significant adverse effect on the fund’s ability to maintain a stable $1.00 share price. In the event any money market fund fails to maintain a stable net asset value, other money
market funds, including the fund, could face a market-wide risk of increased redemption pressures, potentially jeopardizing the stability of their $1.00 share prices.
Money Market Fund
Risk. The fund is not designed to offer capital appreciation. In exchange for their emphasis on stability and liquidity, money market investments may offer lower long-term performance than stock or bond
investments.