EX-99.17(D) 4 a2047271zex-99_17d.txt PRELIM SAI SURVIVOR **************************************************************************** The information in this statement of additional information is not complete and may be changed. This statement of additional information and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. **************************************************************************** JPMorgan Funds STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AUGUST , 2001 (SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 11, 2001) JPMORGAN PRIME MONEY MARKET FUND JPMORGAN FEDERAL MONEY MARKET FUND JPMORGAN TREASURY PLUS MONEY MARKET FUND JPMORGAN TAX FREE MONEY MARKET FUND 522 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10036 This Statement of Additional Information sets forth information which may be of interest to investors but which is not necessarily included in the Prospectuses offering shares of the Funds. This Statement of Additional Information should be read in conjunction with the Prospectuses dated August __, 2001 offering shares of JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund, JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund, JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund, and JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund (collectively the "Money Market Funds"). Any reference to a "Prospectus" in this Statement of Additional Information is a reference to one or more of the foregoing Prospectuses, as the context requires. Copies of each Prospectus may be obtained by an investor without charge by contacting J.P. Morgan Fund Distributors, Inc., the Funds' distributor (the "Distributor"), at the above-listed address. THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT A PROSPECTUS AND IS AUTHORIZED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ONLY IF PRECEDED OR ACCOMPANIED BY AN EFFECTIVE PROSPECTUS. For more information about your account, simply call or write the JPMorgan Funds Service Center at: 1-800-622-4273 JPMorgan Funds Service Center P.O. Box 419392 Kansas City, MO 64141 MFT-SAI-401
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Funds..................................................................................................... 3 Investment Policies and Restrictions.......................................................................... 4 Performance Information....................................................................................... 23 Determination of Net Asset Value.............................................................................. 29 Purchases, Redemptions and Exchanges.......................................................................... 30 Distributions; Tax Matters.................................................................................... 34 Management of the Trust and Funds............................................................................. 39 Independent Accountants....................................................................................... 56 Certain Regulatory Matters.................................................................................... 56 General Information........................................................................................... 57 Appendix A--Description of Certain Obligations Issued or Guaranteed by U.S. Government Agencies or Instrumentalities.............................................................................. A-1 Appendix B--Description of Ratings............................................................................. B-1
2 THE FUNDS Mutual Fund Trust (the "Trust") is an open-end management investment company which was organized as a business trust under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on February 4, 1994. The Trust presently consists of separate series (the "Funds"). Certain of the Funds are diversified and other Funds are non-diversified, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). The shares of the Funds are collectively referred to in this Statement of Additional Information as the "Shares." On December 4, 1992, the shareholders of each of the existing classes of Shares of Vista Global Money Market Fund and Vista U.S. Government Money Market Fund approved the reorganization of each of such Funds into newly-created series of Mutual Fund Group, effective January 1, 1993. Prior to such approvals, on December 4, 1992, the shareholders of each of the five existing series of Trinity Assets Trust (Trinity Money Market Fund, Trinity Government Fund, Trinity Bond Fund, Trinity Short-Term Bond Fund and Trinity Equity Fund) (collectively, the "Trinity Funds") approved the reorganization of each of the Trinity Funds into newly-created series of the Trust, effective January 1, 1993. Vista Global Money Market Fund and Trinity Money Market Fund were reorganized into classes of Shares of "Vista Worldwide Money Market Fund", which changed its name to "Vista Global Money Market Fund" as of December 31, 1992. Vista U.S. Government Money Market Fund and Trinity Government Fund were reorganized into classes of Shares of "Vista Government Cash Fund", which changed its name to "Vista U.S. Government Money Market Fund" as of December 31, 1992. On August 25, 1994, the shareholders of each of the existing classes of Shares of the Vista U.S. Government Money Market Fund, Vista Global Money Market Fund, Vista Prime Money Market Fund, Vista Tax Free Money Market Fund, Vista California Money Market Fund, Vista New York Tax Free Money Market Fund, and the Vista California Intermediate Tax Free Fund approved the reorganization of each of such Funds into newly-created series of Mutual Fund Trust, effective October 28, 1994. Prior to such approvals, each of such Funds were series of Mutual Fund Group, an affiliated investment company. On May 3, 1996, The U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund of The Hanover Funds, Inc. ("Hanover") merged into the Vista Shares of Treasury Plus Money Market Fund, The Government Money Market Fund of Hanover merged into the Vista Shares of U.S. Government Money Market Fund, The Tax Free Money Market Fund of Hanover merged into the Vista Shares of Tax Free Money Market Fund, The New York Tax Free Money Market Fund of Hanover merged into the Vista Shares of New York Tax Free Money Market Fund, and The 100% U.S. Treasury Securities Money Market Fund of Hanover merged into the Vista Shares of The 100% U.S. Treasury Securities Money Market Fund. The foregoing mergers are referred to herein as the "Hanover Reorganization." The Board of Trustees of the Trust provides broad supervision over the affairs of the Trust including the Funds. The J.P. Morgan Fleming Asset Management (USA) Inc. is the investment adviser for the Funds. The Chase Manhattan Bank also serves as the Trust's administrator (the "Administrator") and supervises the overall administration of the Trust, including the Funds. A majority of the Trustees of the Trust are not affiliated with the investment adviser or sub-advisers. Effective February 28, 2001, the following Funds were renamed with approval of the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
New Name Former Name -------- ----------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund Chase Vista Prime Money Market Fund JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund Chase Vista Federal Money Market Fund JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund Chase Vista Treasury Plus Money Market Fund JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund Chase Vista Tax Free Money Market Fund
3 INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS INVESTMENT POLICIES The Prospectuses set forth the various investment policies applicable to each Fund. The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the related sections of each Prospectus. As used in this Statement of Additional Information, with respect to those Funds and policies for which they apply, the terms "Municipal Obligations" and "tax-exempt securities" have the meanings given to them in the relevant Fund's Prospectus. For descriptions of the securities ratings of Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Corporation ("S&P") and Fitch Investors Service, Inc. ("Fitch"), see Appendix B. The Money Market Funds invest only in U.S. dollar-denominated high-quality obligations which are determined to present minimal credit risks. This credit determination must be made in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees. The management style used for the Funds emphasizes several key factors. Portfolio managers consider the security quality that is, the ability of the debt issuer to make timely payments of principal and interest. Also important in the analysis is the relationship of a bond's yield and its maturity, in which the managers evaluate the risks of investing in long-term higher-yielding securities. Managers also use a computer model to simulate possible fluctuations in prices and yields if interest rates change. Another step in the analysis is comparing yields on different types of securities to determine relative risk/reward profiles. U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Each Fund may invest in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury. Each Fund other than the Treasury Plus Money Market Fund may also invest in other obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities (collectively, "U.S. Government Securities.") U.S. Government Securities include (1) U.S. Treasury obligations, which generally differ only in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance, including U.S. Treasury bills (maturities of one year or less), U.S. Treasury notes (maturities of one to ten years) and U.S. Treasury bonds (generally maturities of greater than ten years); and (2) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities which are supported by any of the following: (A) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, (B) the right of the issuer to borrow any amount listed to a specific line of credit from the U.S. Treasury, (C) discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the U.S. Government agency or instrumentality or (D) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. Agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government include but are not limited to: Federal Land Banks, Federal Financing Banks, Banks for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Farm Credit Banks, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association, Student Loan Marketing Association, United States Postal Service, Chrysler Corporate Loan Guarantee Board, Small Business Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority and any other enterprise established or sponsored by the U.S. Government. Certain U.S. Government Securities, including U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, Government National Mortgage Association certificates and Federal Housing Administration debentures, are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Other U.S. Government Securities are issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or government sponsored enterprises and are not supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. In the case of securities not backed by the "full faith and credit" of the U.S. Government, the investor must look principally to the agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the U.S. Government itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. These securities include obligations that are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as obligations of Federal 4 Home Loan Banks, and obligations that are supported by the creditworthiness of the particular instrumentality, such as obligations of the Federal National Mortgage Association or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. Vista Federal Money Market Fund generally limits its investments in agency and instrumentality obligations to obligations the interest on which is generally not subject to state and local income taxes by reason of federal law. Agencies and instrumentalities issuing such obligations include the Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, The General Services Administration, Federal Home Loan Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Student Loan Marketing Association. For a description of certain obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities, see Appendix A. In addition, certain U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities issue specialized types of securities, such as guaranteed notes of the Small Business Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Defense, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Private Export Funding Corporation, which often provide higher yields than are available from the more common types of government-backed instruments. However, such specialized instruments may only be available from a few sources, in limited amounts, or only in very large denominations; they may also require specialized capability in portfolio servicing and in legal matters related to government guarantees. While they may frequently offer attractive yields, the limited-activity markets of many of these securities means that, if a Fund were required to liquidate any of them, it might not be able to do so advantageously; accordingly, each Fund investing in such securities intends normally to hold such securities to maturity or pursuant to repurchase agreements, and would treat such securities (including repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days) as illiquid for purposes of its limitation on investment in illiquid securities. BANK OBLIGATIONS. The JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund may invest in bank obligations, when consistent with their overall objectives and policies. The JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund may invest without limitation in Municipal Obligations (as defined below) secured by letters of credit or guarantees from U.S. banks (including their foreign branches) and may also invest in Municipal Obligations backed by foreign institutions. Investments in bank obligations are limited to those of U.S. banks (including their foreign branches) which have total assets at the time of purchase in excess of $1 billion and the deposits of which are insured by either the Bank Insurance Fund or the Savings and Loan Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and foreign banks (including their U.S. branches) having total assets in excess of $10 billion (or the equivalent in other currencies), and such other U.S. and foreign commercial banks which are judged by the advisers to meet comparable credit standing criteria. Bank obligations include negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, fixed time deposits and deposit notes. A certificate of deposit is a short-term negotiable certificate issued by a commercial bank against funds deposited in the bank and is either interest-bearing or purchased on a discount basis. A bankers' acceptance is a short-term draft drawn on a commercial bank by a borrower, usually in connection with an international commercial transaction. The borrower is liable for payment as is the bank, which unconditionally guarantees to pay the draft at its face amount on the maturity date. Fixed time deposits are obligations of branches of United States banks or foreign banks which are payable at a stated maturity date and bear a fixed rate of interest. Although fixed time deposits do not have a market, there are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in the deposit to a third party. Fixed time deposits subject to withdrawal penalties and with respect to which a Fund cannot realize the proceeds thereon within seven days are deemed "illiquid" for the purposes of its restriction on investments in illiquid securities. Deposit notes are notes issued by commercial banks which generally bear fixed rates of interest and typically have original maturities ranging from eighteen months to five years. The dependence on the banking industry may involve certain credit risks, such as defaults or downgrades, if at some future date adverse economic conditions prevail in such industry. Banks are subject to 5 extensive governmental regulations that may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments that may be made and the interest rates and fees that may be charged. The profitability of this industry is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of capital funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. Also, general economic conditions play an important part in the operations of this industry and exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers might affect a bank's ability to meet its obligations. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligations or by government regulation. Investors should also be aware that securities of foreign banks and foreign branches of United States banks may involve foreign investment risks in addition to those relating to domestic bank obligations. These investment risks may involve, among other considerations, risks relating to future political and economic developments, more limited liquidity of foreign obligations than comparable domestic obligations, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on interest income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign assets and the possible establishment of exchange controls or other restrictions. There may be less publicly available information concerning foreign issuers, there may be difficulties in obtaining or enforcing a judgment against a foreign issuer (including branches) and accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices may differ from those applicable to U.S. issuers. In addition, foreign banks are not subject to regulations comparable to U.S. banking regulations. Changes in the credit quality of banks or other financial institutions backing a Fund's securities could cause losses to these Funds and affect their share price. Credit enhancements which are supplied by foreign or domestic banks are not subject to federal deposit insurance. COMMERCIAL PAPER AND OTHER SHORT-TERM OBLIGATIONS. The commercial paper and other short-term obligations of U.S. and foreign corporations which may be purchased by the JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund other than those of bank holding companies, include obligations which are (i) rated Prime-1 by Moody's, A-1 by S&P, or F-1 by Fitch, or comparably rated by another NRO; or (ii) determined by the advisers to be of comparable quality to those rated obligations which may be purchased by the JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund at the date of purchase or which at the date of purchase have an outstanding debt issue rated in the highest rating category by Moody's, S&P, Fitch or another NRO. The commercial paper and other short-term obligations of U.S. banks holding companies which may be purchased by the JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund II include obligations issued or guaranteed by bank holding companies with total assets exceeding $1 billion. For purposes of the size standards with respect to banks and bank holding companies, "total deposits" and "total assets" are determined on an annual basis by reference to an institution's then most recent annual financial statements. REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. Each Fund other than the JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund may enter into agreements to purchase and resell securities at an agreed-upon price and time. A Fund will enter into repurchase agreements only with member banks of the Federal Reserve System and securities dealers believed creditworthy, and only if fully collateralized by securities in which such Fund is permitted to invest. Under the terms of a typical repurchase agreement, a Fund would acquire an underlying debt instrument for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week) subject to an obligation of the seller to repurchase the instrument and the Fund to resell the instrument at a fixed price and time, thereby determining the yield during the Fund's holding period. This procedure results in a fixed rate of return insulated from market fluctuations during such period. A repurchase agreement is subject to the risk that the seller may fail to repurchase the security. Repurchase agreements are considered under the 1940 Act to be loans collateralized by the underlying securities. All repurchase agreements entered into by a Fund will be fully collateralized at all times during the period of the agreement in that the value of the underlying security will be at least equal to 6 100% of the amount of the loan, including the accrued interest thereon, and the Fund or its custodian or sub-custodian will have possession of the collateral, which the Board of Trustees believes will give it a valid, perfected security interest in the collateral. Whether a repurchase agreement is the purchase and sale of a security or a collateralized loan has not been conclusively established. This might become an issue in the event of the bankruptcy of the other party to the transaction. In the event of default by the seller under a repurchase agreement construed to be a collateralized loan, the underlying securities would not be owned by a Fund, but would only constitute collateral for the seller's obligation to pay the repurchase price. Therefore, a Fund may suffer time delays and incur costs in connection with the disposition of the collateral. The Board of Trustees believes that the collateral underlying repurchase agreements may be more susceptible to claims of the seller's creditors than would be the case with securities owned by a Fund. Repurchase agreements will give rise to income which will not qualify as tax-exempt income when distributed by a Tax Free Fund. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are treated as illiquid for purposes of the Funds' restrictions on purchases of illiquid securities. Repurchase agreements are also subject to the risks described below with respect to stand-by commitments. BORROWINGS AND REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. Each Fund may borrow money from banks for temporary or short-term purposes, but will not borrow to buy additional securities, known as "leveraging." Reverse repurchase agreements involve sales of portfolio securities of a Fund to member banks of the Federal Reserve System or securities dealers believed creditworthy, concurrently with an agreement by such Fund to repurchase the same securities at a later date at a fixed price which is generally equal to the original sales price plus interest. A Fund retains record ownership and the right to receive interest and principal payments on the portfolio security involved. A Fund may use this practice to generate cash for shareholder redemptions without selling securities during unfavorable market conditions. Whenever a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will establish a segregated account in which it will maintain liquid assets on a daily basis in an amount at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest.) A Fund would be required to pay interest on amounts obtained through reverse repurchase agreements, which are considered borrowings under federal securities laws. MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS. The JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund may invest in Municipal Obligations. The JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund may invest in high-quality, short-term municipal obligations that carry yields that are competitive with those of other types of money market instruments in which they may invest. Dividends paid by these Funds that are derived from interest on municipal obligations will be taxable to shareholders for federal income tax purposes. "Municipal Obligations" are obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States, and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities and political subdivisions, the interest on which, in the opinion of the bond counsel, is excluded from gross income for federal tax purposes (without regard to whether the interest thereon is exempt from the personal income taxes of any state or whether the interest thereon constitutes a preference item for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax.) Municipal Obligations are issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, such as the construction of public facilities, the payment of general operating expenses or the refunding of outstanding debts. They may also be issued to finance various private activities, including the lending of funds to public or private institutions for the construction of housing, educational or medical facilities, and may include certain types of industrial development bonds, private activity bonds or notes issued by public authorities to finance privately owned or operated facilities, or to fund short-term cash requirements. Short-term Municipal Obligations may be issued as interim financing in anticipation of tax collections, revenue receipts or bond sales to finance 7 various public purposes. The Municipal Obligations in which the Fund invests may consist of municipal notes, municipal commercial paper and municipal bonds maturing or deemed to mature in 397 days or less. The two principal classifications of Municipal Obligations are general obligation and revenue obligation securities. General obligation securities involve a pledge of the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and are payable from the issuer's general unrestricted revenues. Their payment may depend on an appropriation by the issuer's legislative body. The characteristics and methods of enforcement of general obligation securities vary according to the law applicable to the particular issuer. Revenue obligation securities are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities, or a specific revenue source, and generally are not payable from the unrestricted revenues of the issuer. Industrial development bonds and private activity bonds are in most cases revenue obligation securities, the credit quality of which is directly related to the private user of the facilities. The JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund may also invest in industrial development bonds that are backed only by the assets and revenues of the non-governmental issuers such as hospitals or airports, provided, however, that the Funds may not invest more than 25% of the value of their total assets in such bonds if the issuers are in the same industry. Interest on certain Municipal Obligations (including certain industrial development bonds), while exempt from federal income tax, is a preference item for the purpose of the alternative minimum tax. Where a mutual fund receives such interest, a proportionate share of any exempt-interest dividend paid by the mutual fund may be treated as such a preference item to shareholders. Federal tax legislation enacted over the past few years has limited the types and volume of bonds which are not AMT Items and the interest on which is not subject to federal income tax. This legislation may affect the availability of Municipal Obligations for investment by the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund. Investments by the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund will be made in unrated Municipal Obligations only if they are determined to be of comparable quality to permissable rated investments on the basis of the advisers' credit evaluation of the obligor or of the bank issuing a participation certificate, letter of credit or guaranty, or insurance issued in support of the obligation. High Quality instruments may produce a lower yield than would be available from less highly rated instruments. The Board of Trustees has determined that Municipal Obligations which are backed by the credit of the U.S. Government will be considered to have a rating equivalent to Moody's Aaa. If, subsequent to purchase by the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund, (a) an issue of rated Municipal Obligations ceases to be rated in the highest short-term rating category by at least two rating organizations (or one rating organization if the instrument was rated by only one such organization) or the Board of Trustees determines that it is no longer of comparable quality or (b) a Money Market Fund's advisers become aware that any portfolio security not so highly rated or any unrated security has been given a rating by any rating organization below the rating organization's second highest rating category, the Board of Trustees will reassess promptly whether such security presents minimal credit risk and will cause such Money Market Fund to take such action as it determines is in its best interest and that of its shareholders; provided that the reassessment required by clause (b) is not required if the portfolio security is disposed of or matures within five business days of the advisers becoming aware of the new rating and the Fund's Board is subsequently notified of the adviser's actions. To the extent that a rating given by Moody's, S&P or Fitch for Municipal Obligations may change as a result of changes in such organizations or their rating systems, the Funds will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for their investments in accordance with the investment policies contained in the Prospectuses and this Statement of Additional Information. The ratings of Moody's, S&P and Fitch represent their opinions as to the quality of the Municipal Obligations which they undertake to rate. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are relative and subjective and are not absolute standards of quality. Although 8 these ratings may be an initial criterion for selection of portfolio investments, the advisers also will evaluate these securities and the creditworthiness of the issuers of such securities. MUNICIPAL LEASE OBLIGATIONS. The Tax Free Funds may invest in municipal lease obligations. These typically provide a premium interest rate. Municipal lease obligations do not constitute general obligations of the municipality. Certain municipal lease obligations in which the Tax Free Funds may invest contain "non-appropriation" clauses which provide that the municipality has no obligation to make lease or installment payments in future years unless money is later appropriated for such purpose. The Funds will limit their investments in non-appropriation leases to 10% of its assets. Although "non-appropriation" lease obligations are secured by the leased property, disposition of the property in the event of foreclosure might prove difficult. Certain investments in municipal lease obligations may be illiquid. FORWARD COMMITMENTS. Each Fund may purchase securities for delivery at a future date, which may increase its overall investment exposure and involves a risk of loss if the value of the securities declines prior to the settlement date. In order to invest a Fund's assets immediately, while awaiting delivery of securities purchased on a forward commitment basis, short-term obligations that offer same-day settlement and earnings will normally be purchased. Although, with respect to the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund, short-term investments will normally be in tax-exempt securities or Municipal Obligations, short-term taxable securities or obligations may be purchased if suitable short-term tax-exempt securities or Municipal Obligations are not available. When a commitment to purchase a security on a forward commitment basis is made, procedures are established consistent with the General Statement of Policy of the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning such purchases. Since that policy currently recommends that an amount of the respective Fund's assets equal to the amount of the purchase be held aside or segregated to be used to pay for the commitment, a separate account of such Fund consisting of cash, cash equivalents or high quality debt securities equal to the amount of such Fund's commitments will be established at such Fund's custodian bank. For the purpose of determining the adequacy of the securities in the account, the deposited securities will be valued at market value. If the market value of such securities declines, additional cash, cash equivalents or highly liquid securities will be placed in the account daily so that the value of the account will equal the amount of such commitments by the respective Fund. Although it is not intended that such purchases would be made for speculative purposes, purchases of securities on a forward commitment basis may involve more risk than other types of purchases. Securities purchased on a forward commitment basis and the securities held in the respective Fund's portfolio are subject to changes in value based upon the public's perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment basis can involve the risk that the yields available in the market when the delivery takes place may actually be higher or lower than those obtained in the transaction itself. On the settlement date of the forward commitment transaction, the respective Fund will meet its obligations from then available cash flow, sale of securities held in the separate account, sale of other securities or, although it would not normally expect to do so, from sale of the forward commitment securities themselves (which may have a value greater or lesser than such Fund's payment obligations). The sale of securities to meet such obligations may result in the realization of capital gains or losses, which, for consideration by investors in the Tax Free Funds, are not exempt from federal, state or local taxation. Forward commitments involve some risk to a Fund if the other party should default on its obligation and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral in completing the transaction. To the extent a Fund engages in forward commitment transactions, it will do so for the purpose of acquiring securities consistent with its investment objective and policies and not for the purpose of investment leverage, and settlement of such transactions will be within 90 days from the trade date. ILLIQUID SECURITIES. For purposes of its limitation on investments in illiquid securities, each Fund may elect to treat as liquid, in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, certain invest- 9 ments in restricted securities for which there may be a secondary market of qualified institutional buyers as contemplated by Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and commercial obligations issued in reliance on the so-called "private placement" exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act ("Section 4(2) paper"). Rule 144A provides an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for the resale of certain restricted securities to qualified institutional buyers. Section 4(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal securities laws, and generally is sold to institutional investors such as a Fund who agree that they are purchasing the paper for investment and not with a view to public distribution. Any resale of Section 4(2) paper by the purchaser must be in an exempt transaction. One effect of Rule 144A and Section 4(2) is that certain restricted securities may now be liquid, though there is no assurance that a liquid market for Rule 144A securities or Section 4(2) paper will develop or be maintained. The Trustees have adopted policies and procedures for the purpose of determining whether securities that are eligible for resale under Rule 144A and Section 4(2) paper are liquid or illiquid for purposes of the limitation on investment in illiquid securities. Pursuant to those policies and procedures, the Trustees have delegated to the advisers the determination as to whether a particular instrument is liquid or illiquid, requiring that consideration be given to, among other things, the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers willing to sell the security and the number of potential purchasers, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security, the nature of the security and the time needed to dispose of the security. The Trustees will periodically review the Funds' purchases and sales of Rule 144A securities and Section 4(2) paper. STAND-BY COMMITMENTS. When a Fund purchases securities it may also enter into put transactions, including those referred to as stand-by commitments, with respect to such securities. Under a stand-by commitment, a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution agrees to purchase at a Fund's option a specified security at a specified price within a specified period prior to its maturity date. A put transaction will increase the cost of the underlying security and consequently reduce the available yield. The amount payable to a Money Market Fund upon its exercise of a stand-by commitment with respect to a Municipal Obligation normally would be (i) the acquisition cost of the Municipal Obligation (excluding any accrued interest paid by the Fund on the acquisition), less any amortized market premium or plus any amortized market or original issue discount during the period the Fund owned the security, plus (ii) all interest accrued on the security since the last interest payment date during the period the security was owned by the Fund. Absent unusual circumstances relating to a change in market value, a Money Market Fund would value the underlying Municipal Obligation at amortized cost. Accordingly, the amount payable by a bank or dealer during the time a stand-by commitment is exercisable would be substantially the same as the market value of the underlying Municipal Obligation. The Money Market Funds value stand-by commitments at zero for purposes of computing their net asset value per share. The stand-by commitments that may be entered into by the Funds are subject to certain risks, which include the ability of the issuer of the commitment to pay for the securities at the time the commitment is exercised, the fact that the commitment is not marketable by a Fund, and that the maturity of the underlying security will generally be different from that of the commitment. Not more than 10% of the total assets of a Money Market Fund will be invested in Municipal Obligations that are subject to stand-by commitments from the same bank or broker-dealer. FLOATING AND VARIABLE RATE SECURITIES; PARTICIPATION CERTIFICATES. Each Fund other than the JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund may invest in floating and variable rate securities. Floating and variable rate demand instruments permit the holder to demand payment upon a specified number of days' notice of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest either from the issuer or by drawing on a bank letter of credit, a guarantee or insurance issued with respect to such instrument. 10 The floating or variable rate demand instruments in which the Money Market Funds may invest are payable on demand on not more than seven calendar days' notice. The terms of these types of securities provide that interest rates are adjustable at intervals ranging from daily to up to six months and the adjustments are based upon the prime rate of a bank or other short-term rates, such as Treasury Bills or LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate), as provided in the respective instruments. The Funds will decide which floating or variable rate securities to purchase in accordance with procedures prescribed by Board of Trustees of the Trust in order to minimize credit risks. In the case of a Money Market Fund, the Board of Trustees may determine that an unrated floating or variable rate security meets the Fund's high quality criteria if it is backed by a letter of credit or guarantee or is insured by an insurer that meets such quality criteria, or on the basis of a credit evaluation of the underlying obligor. If the credit of the obligor is of "high quality", no credit support from a bank or other financial institution will be necessary. The Board of Trustees will re-evaluate each unrated floating or variable rate security on a quarterly basis to determine that it continues to meet a Money Market Fund's high quality criteria. If an instrument is ever deemed to fall below a Money Market Fund's high quality standards, either it will be sold in the market or the demand feature will be exercised. The securities in which the Tax Free Funds and the JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund may invest include participation certificates, issued by a bank, insurance company or other financial institution, in securities owned by such institutions or affiliated organizations ("Participation Certificates"), and, in the case of the JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund, certificates of indebtedness or safekeeping. Participation Certificates are pro rata interests in securities held by others; certificates of indebtedness or safekeeping are documentary receipts for such original securities held in custody by others. A Participation Certificate gives a Fund an undivided interest in the security in the proportion that the Fund's participation interest bears to the total principal amount of the security and generally provides the demand feature described below. Each Participation Certificate is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guaranty of a bank (which may be the bank issuing the Participation Certificate, a bank issuing a confirming letter of credit to that of the issuing bank, or a bank serving as agent of the issuing bank with respect to the possible repurchase of the certificate of participation) or insurance policy of an insurance company that the Board of Trustees of the Trust has determined meets the prescribed quality standards for a particular Fund. A Fund may have the right to sell the Participation Certificate back to the institution and draw on the letter of credit or insurance on demand after the prescribed notice period, for all or any part of the full principal amount of the Fund's participation interest in the security, plus accrued interest. The institutions issuing the Participation Certificates would retain a service and letter of credit fee and a fee for providing the demand feature, in an amount equal to the excess of the interest paid on the instruments over the negotiated yield at which the Participation Certificates were purchased by a Fund. The total fees would generally range from 5% to 15% of the applicable prime rate or other short-term rate index. With respect to insurance, a Fund will attempt to have the issuer of the Participation Certificate bear the cost of any such insurance, although the Funds retain the option to purchase insurance if deemed appropriate. Obligations that have a demand feature permitting a Fund to tender the obligation to a foreign bank may involve certain risks associated with foreign investment. A Fund's ability to receive payment in such circumstances under the demand feature from such foreign banks may involve certain risks such as future political and economic developments, the possible establishments of laws or restrictions that might adversely affect the payment of the bank's obligations under the demand feature and the difficulty of obtaining or enforcing a judgment against the bank. 11 The advisers have been instructed by the Board of Trustees to monitor on an ongoing basis the pricing, quality and liquidity of the floating and variable rate securities held by the Funds, including Participation Certificates, on the basis of published financial information and reports of the rating agencies and other bank analytical services to which the Funds may subscribe. Although these instruments may be sold by a Fund, it is intended that they be held until maturity. The Internal Revenue Service has not ruled on whether interest on participations in floating or variable rate Municipal Obligations is tax exempt. Participation Certificates will only be purchased by the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund if, in the opinion of counsel to the issuer, interest income on such instruments will be tax-exempt when distributed as dividends to shareholders of such Fund. Past periods of high inflation, together with the fiscal measures adopted to attempt to deal with it, have seen wide fluctuations in interest rates, particularly "prime rates" charged by banks. While the value of the underlying floating or variable rate securities may change with changes in interest rates generally, the floating or variable rate nature of the underlying floating or variable rate securities should minimize changes in value of the instruments. Accordingly, as interest rates decrease or increase, the potential for capital appreciation and the risk of potential capital depreciation is less than would be the case with a portfolio of fixed rate securities. A Fund's portfolio may contain floating or variable rate securities on which stated minimum or maximum rates, or maximum rates set by state law, limit the degree to which interest on such floating or variable rate securities may fluctuate; to the extent it does, increases or decreases in value may be somewhat greater than would be the case without such limits. Because the adjustment of interest rates on the floating or variable rate securities is made in relation to movements of the applicable banks' "prime rates" or other short-term rate adjustment indices, the floating or variable rate securities are not comparable to long-term fixed rate securities. Accordingly, interest rates on the floating or variable rate securities may be higher or lower than current market rates for fixed rate obligations of comparable quality with similar maturities. The maturity of variable rate securities is deemed to be the longer of (i) the notice period required before a Fund is entitled to receive payment of the principal amount of the security upon demand or (ii) the period remaining until the security's next interest rate adjustment. With respect to a Money Market Fund, the maturity of a variable rate demand instrument will be determined in the same manner for purposes of computing the Fund's dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity. With respect to the Income Funds, if variable rate securities are not redeemed through the demand feature, they mature on a specified date which may range up to thirty years from the date of issuance. TENDER OPTION FLOATING OR VARIABLE RATE CERTIFICATES. The Money Market Funds may invest in tender option bonds. A tender option bond is a synthetic floating or variable rate security issued when long term bonds are purchased in the secondary market and are then deposited into a trust. Custodial receipts are then issued to investors, such as the Funds, evidencing ownership interests in the trust. The trust sets a floating or variable rate on a daily or weekly basis which is established through a remarketing agent. These types of instruments, to be money market eligible under Rule 2a-7, must have a liquidity facility in place which provides additional comfort to the investors in case the remarketing fails. The sponsor of the trust keeps the difference between the rate on the long term bond and the rate on the short term floating or variable rate security. SECURITIES OF FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS AND SUPRANATIONAL AGENCIES. The Prime Money Market Fund may invest a portion of its assets from time to time in securities of foreign governments and supranational agencies. The Funds will limit their investments in foreign government obligations to commercial paper and other short-term notes issued or guaranteed by the governments of Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Canada. Supranational agencies include organizations such as The World Bank, which was chartered to finance development projects in developing member countries; the European Community, which is a twelve-nation organization engaged in cooperative economic activities; and the Asian Development Bank, which is an international development bank established to lend funds, promote investment and 12 provide technical assistance to member nations of the Asian and Pacific regions. Obligations of supranational agencies are supported by subscribed, but unpaid, commitments of member countries. There is no assurance that these commitments will be undertaken or complied with in the future, and foreign and supranational securities are subject to certain risks associated with foreign investing. SECURITIES LOANS. Each Fund other than JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund is permitted to lend its securities to broker-dealers and other institutional investors in order to generate additional income. Such loans of portfolio securities may not exceed 30% of the value of a Fund's total assets. In connection with such loans, a Fund will receive collateral consisting of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. Government securities or irrevocable letters of credit issued by financial institutions. Such collateral will be maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value plus accrued interest of the securities loaned. A Fund can increase its income through the investment of such collateral. A Fund continues to be entitled to the interest payable or any dividend-equivalent payments received on a loaned security and, in addition, to receive interest on the amount of the loan. However, the receipt of any dividend-equivalent payments by a Fund on a loaned security from the borrower will not qualify for the dividends-received deduction. Such loans will be terminable at any time upon specified notice. A Fund might experience risk of loss if the institutions with which it has engaged in portfolio loan transactions breach their agreements with such Fund. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of secured credit, consist of possible delays in receiving additional collateral or in the recovery of the securities or the possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower experience financial difficulty. Loans will be made only to firms deemed by the advisers to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the judgment of the advisers, the consideration to be earned from such loans justifies the risk. ZERO COUPON AND STRIPPED OBLIGATIONS. Each Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in such stripped obligations. The principal and interest components of United States Treasury bonds with remaining maturities of longer than ten years are eligible to be traded independently under the Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities ("STRIPS") program. Under the STRIPS program, the principal and interest components are separately issued by the United States Treasury at the request of depository financial institutions, which then trade the component parts separately. The interest component of STRIPS may be more volatile than that of United States Treasury bills with comparable maturities. JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund and JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund may also invest in zero coupon obligations. Zero coupon obligations are sold at a substantial discount from their value at maturity and, when held to maturity, their entire return, which consists of the amortization of discount, comes from the difference between their purchase price and maturity value. Because interest on a zero coupon obligation is not distributed on a current basis, the obligation tends to be subject to greater price fluctuations in response to changes in interest rates than are ordinary interest-paying securities with similar maturities. As with STRIPS, the risk is greater when the period to maturity is longer. The value of zero coupon obligations appreciates more than such ordinary interest-paying securities during periods of declining interest rates and depreciates more than such ordinary interest-paying securities during periods of rising interest rates. Under the stripped bond rules of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, investments in zero coupon obligations will result in the accrual of interest income on such investments in advance of the receipt of the cash corresponding to such income. Zero coupon securities may be created when a dealer deposits a U.S. Treasury or federal agency security with a custodian and then sells the coupon payments and principal payment that will be generated by this security separately. Proprietary receipts, such as Certificates of Accrual on Treasury Securities, Treasury Investment Growth Receipts and generic Treasury Receipts, are examples of stripped U.S. Treasury securities separated into their component parts through such custodial arrangements. 13 CUSTODIAL RECEIPTS. The JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund may acquire securities in the form of custodial receipts that evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on certain U.S. Treasury notes or bonds in connection with programs sponsored by banks and brokerage firms. These are not deemed U.S. Government securities. These notes and bonds are held in custody by a bank on behalf of the owners of the receipts. FUNDING AGREEMENTS. Each Fund may invest in short-term funding agreements. A funding agreement is a contract between an issuer and a purchaser that obligates the issuer to pay a guaranteed rate of interest on a principal sum deposited by a purchaser. Funding agreements generally will also guarantee the return of principal and may guarantee a stream of payments over time. A funding agreement has a fixed maturity date and may have either a fixed or variable interest rate that is based on an index and guaranteed for a set time period. Because there generally is no active secondary market for these investments, a funding agreement may be deemed to be illiquid. TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS. For temporary defensive purposes, each Tax Free Fund may invest without limitation in high quality money market instruments and repurchase agreements, the interest income from which may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES. In lieu of investing directly, each Fund is authorized to seek to achieve its objectives by investing all of its investable assets in an investment company having substantially the same investment objective and policies as the applicable Fund. Each Money Market Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in shares of other money market funds when consistent with its investment objective and policies, subject to applicable regulatory limitations. ADDITIONAL POLICIES REGARDING DERIVATIVE AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS INTRODUCTION. As explained more fully below, the Funds may employ derivative and related instruments as tools in the management of portfolio assets. Put briefly, a "derivative" instrument may be considered a security or other instrument which derives its value from the value or performance of other instruments or assets, interest or currency exchange rates, or indexes. For instance, derivatives include futures, options, forward contracts, structured notes and various other over-the-counter instruments. Like other investment tools or techniques, the impact of using derivatives strategies or similar instruments depends to a great extent on how they are used. Derivatives are generally used by portfolio managers in three ways: First, to reduce risk by hedging (offsetting) an investment position. Second, to substitute for another security particularly where it is quicker, easier and less expensive to invest in derivatives. Lastly, to speculate or enhance portfolio performance. When used prudently, derivatives can offer several benefits, including easier and more effective hedging, lower transaction costs, quicker investment and more profitable use of portfolio assets. However, derivatives also have the potential to significantly magnify risks, thereby leading to potentially greater losses for a Fund. Each Fund may invest its assets in derivative and related instruments subject only to the Fund's investment objective and policies and the requirement that the Fund maintain segregated accounts consisting of liquid assets, such as cash, U.S. Government securities, or other high-grade debt obligations (or, as permitted by applicable regulation, enter into certain offsetting positions) to cover its obligations under such instruments with respect to positions where there is no underlying portfolio asset so as to avoid leveraging the Fund. 14 The value of some derivative or similar instruments in which the Funds invest may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates or other economic factors, and like other investments of the Funds the ability of a Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the advisers to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the advisers accurately forecast such factors and has taken positions in derivative or similar instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Funds could be exposed to the risk of a loss. The Funds might not employ any or all of the strategies described herein, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. Set forth below is an explanation of the various derivatives strategies and related instruments the Funds may employ along with risks or special attributes associated with them. This discussion is intended to supplement the Funds' current prospectuses as well as provide useful information to prospective investors. RISK FACTORS. As explained more fully below and in the discussions of particular strategies or instruments, there are a number of risks associated with the use of derivatives and related instruments. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in a hedging vehicle and in the portfolio assets being hedged. An incorrect correlation could result in a loss on both the hedged assets in a Fund and the hedging vehicle so that the portfolio return might have been greater had hedging not been attempted. The advisers may accurately forecast interest rates, market values or other economic factors in utilizing a derivatives strategy. In such a case, the Fund may have been in a better position had it not entered into such strategy. Hedging strategies, while reducing risk of loss, can also reduce the opportunity for gain. In other words, hedging usually limits both potential losses as well as potential gains. Strategies not involving hedging may increase the risk to a Fund. Certain strategies, such as yield enhancement, can have speculative characteristics, involve leverage and may result in losses that exceed the original investment of the fund. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when a Fund seeks to close out an option, futures contract or other derivative or related position. Many exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in option or futures contract prices during a single day; once the daily limit has been reached on particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit. In addition, certain instruments are relatively new and without a significant trading history. As a result, there is no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist. Finally, over-the-counter instruments typically do not have a liquid market. Lack of a liquid market for any reason may prevent a Fund from liquidating an unfavorable position. Activities of large traders in the futures and securities markets involving arbitrage, "program trading," and other investment strategies may cause price distortions in these markets. In certain instances, particularly those involving over-the-counter transactions on forward contracts, there is a greater potential that a counterparty or broker may default or be unable to perform on its commitments. In the event of such a default, a Fund may experience a loss. SPECIFIC USES AND STRATEGIES. Set forth below are explanations various strategies involving derivatives and related instruments which may be used by the Funds. OPTIONS ON SECURITIES AND SECURITIES INDEXES. The Funds may PURCHASE, SELL or EXERCISE call and put options on (i) securities, (ii) securities indexes, and (iii) debt instruments. Although in most cases these options will be exchange-traded, the Funds may also purchase, sell or exercise over-the-counter options. Over-the-counter options differ from exchange-traded options in that they are two-party contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller. As such, over-the-counter options generally have much less market liquidity and carry the risk of default or nonperformance by the other party. One purpose of purchasing put options is to protect holdings in an underlying or related security against a substantial decline in market value. One purpose of purchasing call options is to protect against substantial increases in prices of securities a Fund intends to purchase pending its ability to invest in such securities in an orderly manner. A Fund may also use combinations of options to minimize costs, gain expo- 15 sure to markets or take advantage of price disparities or market movements. For example, a Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased or purchase put or call options it has previously sold. These transactions may result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. A Fund may write a call or put option in order to earn the related premium from such transactions. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of a similar option. In addition to the general risk factors noted above, the purchase and writing of options involve certain special risks. During the option period, a fund writing a covered call (i.e., where the underlying securities are held by the fund) has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying securities above the exercise price, but has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying securities decline. The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying securities at the exercise price. The Funds will not write uncovered options. If a put or call option purchased by a Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security, in the case of a put, remains equal to or greater than the exercise price or, in the case of a call, remains less than or equal to the exercise price, such Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when a Fund seeks to close out an option position. Furthermore, if trading restrictions or suspensions are imposed on the options markets, a Fund may be unable to close out a position. FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS. The Funds may purchase or sell (i) interest-rate futures contracts, (ii) futures contracts on specified instruments or indices, and (iii) options on these futures contracts ("futures options"). The futures contracts and futures options may be based on various instruments or indices in which the Funds may invest such as foreign currencies, certificates of deposit, Eurodollar time deposits, securities indices, economic indices (such as the Consumer Price Indices compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor). Futures contracts and futures options may be used to hedge portfolio positions and transactions as well as to gain exposure to markets. For example, a Fund may sell a futures contract or buy a futures option to protect against a decline in value, or reduce the duration, of portfolio holdings. Likewise, these instruments may be used where a Fund intends to acquire an instrument or enter into a position. For example, a Fund may purchase a futures contract or buy a futures option to gain immediate exposure in a market or otherwise offset increases in the purchase price of securities or currencies to be acquired in the future. Futures options may also be written to earn the related premiums. When writing or purchasing options, the Funds may simultaneously enter into other transactions involving futures contracts or futures options in order to minimize costs, gain exposure to markets, or take advantage of price disparities or market movements. Such strategies may entail additional risks in certain instances. Funds may engage in cross-hedging by purchasing or selling futures or options on a security different from the security position being hedged to take advantage of relationships between the two securities. Investments in futures contracts and options thereon involve risks similar to those associated with options transactions discussed above. The Funds will only enter into futures contracts or options on futures contracts which are traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange or board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system. 16 FORWARD CONTRACTS. A Fund may also use forward contracts to hedge against changes in interest-rates, increase exposure to a market or otherwise take advantage of such changes. An interest-rate forward contract involves the obligation to purchase or sell a specific debt instrument at a fixed price at a future date. INTEREST RATE TRANSACTIONS. The Funds may employ interest rate management techniques, including transactions in options (including yield curve options), futures, options on futures, forward exchange contracts, and interest rate swaps. A Fund will only enter into interest rate swaps on a net basis, i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Interest rate swaps do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to and interest rate swap defaults, a Fund's risk of loss consists of the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. Since interest rate swaps are individually negotiated, each Fund expects to achieve an acceptable degree of correlation between its portfolio investments and its interest rate swap position. A Fund may enter into interest rate swaps to the maximum allowed limits under applicable law. A Fund will typically use interest rate swaps to shorten the effective duration of its portfolio. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, such as an exchange of fixed rate payments for floating rate payments. ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES. The JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund may also invest in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, a stream of payments generated by particular assets, most often a pool of assets similar to one another, such as motor vehicle receivables or credit card receivables. STRUCTURED PRODUCTS. The Funds may invest in interests in entities organized and operated solely for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of certain debt obligations. This type of restructuring involves the deposit with or purchase by an entity, such as a corporation or trust, or specified instruments (such as commercial bank loans) and the issuance by that entity of one or more classes of securities ("structured products") backed by, or representing interests in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow on the underlying instruments may be apportioned among the newly issued structured products to create securities with different investment characteristics such as varying maturities, payment priorities and interest rate provisions, and the extent of the payments made with respect to structured products is dependent on the extent of the cash flow on the underlying instruments. A Fund may invest in structured products which represent derived investment positions based on relationships among different markets or asset classes. The Funds may also invest in other types of structured products, including, among others, inverse floaters, spread trades and notes linked by a formula to the price of an underlying instrument. Inverse floaters have coupon rates that vary inversely at a multiple of a designated floating rate (which typically is determined by reference to an index rate, but may also be determined through a dutch auction or a remarketing agent or by reference to another security) (the "reference rate"). As an example, inverse floaters may constitute a class of CMOs with a coupon rate that moves inversely to a designated index, such as LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) or the cost of Funds Index. Any rise in the reference rate of an inverse floater (as a consequence of an increase in interest rates) causes a drop in the coupon rate while any drop in the reference rate of an inverse floater causes an increase in the coupon rate. A spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities. When a Fund invests in notes linked to the price of an underlying instrument, the price of the underlying security is determined by a multiple (based 17 on a formula) of the price of such underlying security. A structured product may be considered to be leveraged to the extent its interest rate varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the change in the index rate of interest. Because they are linked to their underlying markets or securities, investments in structured products generally are subject to greater volatility than an investment directly in the underlying market or security. Total return on the structured product is derived by linking return to one or more characteristics of the underlying instrument. Because certain structured products of the type in which the Fund anticipates it will invest may involve no credit enhancement, the credit risk of those structured products generally would be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments. A Fund is permitted to invest in a class of structured products that is either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated structured products typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated structured products. Although a Fund's purchase of subordinated structured products would have similar economic effect to that of borrowing against the underlying securities, the purchase will not be deemed to be leverage for purposes of a Fund's fundamental investment limitation related to borrowing and leverage. Certain issuers of structured products may be deemed to be "investment companies" as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, a Fund's investments in these structured products may be limited by the restrictions contained in the 1940 Act. Structured products are typically sold in private placement transactions, and there currently is no active trading market for structured products. As a result, certain structured products in which the Funds invest may be deemed illiquid and subject to their limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in structured products generally are subject to greater volatility than an investment directly in the underlying market or security. In addition, because structured products are typically sold in private placement transactions, there currently is no active trading market for structured products. ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF FUTURES AND OPTION CONTRACTS. None of the Funds is a "commodity pool" (i.e., a pooled investment vehicle which trades in commodity futures contracts and options thereon and the operator of which is registered with the CFTC and futures contracts and futures options will be purchased, sold or entered into only for bona fide hedging purposes, provided that a Fund may enter into such transactions for purposes other than bona fide hedging if, immediately thereafter, the sum of the amount of its initial margin and premiums on open contracts and options would not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio, provided, further, that, in the case of an option that is in-the-money, the in-the-money amount may be excluded in calculating the 5% limitation. When a Fund purchases a futures contract, an amount of cash or cash equivalents or high quality debt securities will be deposited in a segregated account with such Fund's custodian so that the amount so segregated, plus the initial deposit and variation margin held in the account of its broker, will at all times equal the value of the futures contract, thereby insuring that the use of such futures is unleveraged. The Funds' ability to engage in the transactions described herein may be limited by the current federal income tax requirement that a Fund derive less than 30% of its gross income from the sale or other disposition of securities held for less than three months. In addition to the foregoing requirements, the Board of Trustees has adopted an additional restriction on the use of futures contracts and options thereon, requiring that the aggregate market value of the futures contracts held by a Fund not exceed 50% of the market value of its total assets. Neither this restriction nor any policy with respect to the above-referenced restrictions, would be changed by the Board of Trustees without considering the policies and concerns of the various federal and state regulatory agencies. 18 INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS The Funds have adopted the following investment restrictions which may not be changed without approval by a "majority of the outstanding shares" of a Fund which, as used in this Statement of Additional Information, means the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares of a Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of a Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of a Fund. Each Fund: (1) May make loans to other persons, in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies and to the extent permitted by applicable law. (2) May not make loans, except that each Fund may: (i) purchase and hold debt instruments (including without limitation, bonds, notes, debentures or other obligations and certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits) in accordance with its investment objectives and policies; (ii) enter into repurchase agreements with respect to portfolio securities; and (iii) lend portfolio securities with a value not in excess of one-third of the value of its total assets; (3) May not purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or repurchase agreements secured thereby) if, as a result, more than 25% of the Fund's total assets would be invested in the securities of companies whose principal business activities are in the same industry. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) with respect to a Fund's permissible futures and options transactions in U.S. Government securities, positions in options and futures shall not be subject to this restriction; (ii) the Money Market Funds may invest more than 25% of their total assets in obligations issued by banks, including U. S. banks; JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund may invest more than 25% of its respective assets in municipal obligations secured by bank letters of credit or guarantees, including participation certificates; (4) May not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments but this shall not prevent a Fund from (i) purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities or (ii) engaging in forward purchases or sales of foreign currencies or securities; (5) May not purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent a Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business). Investments by a Fund in securities backed by mortgages on real estate or in marketable securities of companies engaged in such activities are not hereby precluded; (6) May not issue any senior security (as defined in the 1940 Act), except that (a) a Fund may engage in transactions that may result in the issuance of senior securities to the extent permitted under applicable regulations and interpretations of the 1940 Act or an exemptive order; (b) a Fund may acquire other securities, the acquisition of which may result in the issuance of a senior security, to the extent permitted under applicable regulations or interpretations of the 1940 Act; and (c) subject to the restrictions set forth above, a Fund may borrow money as authorized by the 1940 Act. For purposes 19 of this restriction, collateral arrangements with respect to a Fund's permissible options and futures transactions, including deposits of initial and variation margin, are not considered to be the issuance of a senior security; or (7) underwrite securities issued by other persons except insofar as a Fund may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933 in selling a portfolio security. In addition, as a matter of fundamental policy, notwithstanding any other investment policy or restriction, a Fund may seek to achieve its investment objective by investing all of its investable assets in another investment company having substantially the same investment objective and policies as the Fund. For purposes of investment restriction (5) above, real estate includes Real Estate Limited Partnerships. For purposes of investment restriction (3) above, industrial development bonds, where the payment of principal and interest is the ultimate responsibility of companies within the same industry, are grouped together as an "industry." Investment restriction (3) above, however, is not applicable to investments by a Fund in municipal obligations where the issuer is regarded as a state, city, municipality or other public authority since such entities are not members of any "industry." Supranational organizations are collectively considered to be members of a single "industry" for purposes of restriction (3) above. In addition, each Fund is subject to the following nonfundamental investment restrictions which may be changed without shareholder approval: (1) Each Fund other than the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund may not, with respect to 75% of its assets, hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer or invest more than 5% of its assets in the securities of any one issuer (other than obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities); each Tax Free Fund may not, with respect to 50% of its assets, hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer. (2) Each Fund may not make short sales of securities, other than short sales "against the box," or purchase securities on margin except for short-term credits necessary for clearance of portfolio transactions, provided that this restriction will not be applied to limit the use of options, futures contracts and related options, in the manner otherwise permitted by the investment restrictions, policies and investment program of a Fund. The Funds have no current intention of making short sales against the box. (3) Each Fund may not purchase or sell interests in oil, gas or mineral leases. (4) Each Money Market Fund may not invest more than 10% of its net assets in illiquid securities. (5) Each Fund may not write, purchase or sell any put or call option or any combination thereof, provided that this shall not prevent (i) the writing, purchasing or selling of puts, calls or combinations thereof with respect to portfolio securities or (ii) with respect to a Fund's permissible futures and options transactions, the writing, purchasing, ownership, holding or selling of futures and options positions or of puts, calls or combinations thereof with respect to futures. (6) Each Fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company, but may not own more than 3% of the securities of any one investment company or invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies. 20 For purposes of investment restriction (4) above, illiquid securities includes securities restricted as to resale unless they are determined to be readily marketable in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees. The investment objective of each Fund is nonfundamental. For purposes of the Funds' investment restrictions, the issuer of a tax-exempt security is deemed to be the entity (public or private) ultimately responsible for the payment of the principal of and interest on the security. As a nonfundamental operating policy, the Money Market Funds will not invest more than 25% of their respective total assets in obligations issued by foreign banks (other than foreign branches of U.S. banks). As a nonfundamental operating policy, the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund will not invest in obligations secured by letters of credit or guarantees from foreign banks (other than foreign branches of U.S. banks) if, after giving effect to such investment, the value attributable to such letters of credit or guarantees, as determined by the respective Funds' advisers, would exceed 25% of the respective Funds' total assets. If a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in a Prospectus is adhered to at the time, later changes in percentage or ratings resulting from any cause other than actions by a Fund will not be considered a violation. If the value of a Fund's holdings of illiquid securities at any time exceeds the percentage limitation applicable at the time of acquisition due to subsequent fluctuations in value or other reasons, the Board of Trustees will consider what actions, if any, are appropriate to maintain adequate liquidity. 21 22 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION From time to time, a Fund may use hypothetical investment examples and performance information in advertisements, shareholder reports or other communications to shareholders. Performance is calculated separately for each class of shares. Because such performance information is based on past investment results, it should not be considered as an indication or representation of the performance of any classes of a Fund in the future. From time to time, the performance and yield of classes of a Fund may be quoted and compared to those of other mutual funds with similar investment objectives, unmanaged investment accounts, including savings accounts, or other similar products and to stock or other relevant indices or to rankings prepared by independent services or other financial or industry publications that monitor the performance of mutual funds. For example, the performance of a Fund or its classes may be compared to data prepared by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. or Morningstar Mutual Funds on Disc, widely recognized independent services which monitor the performance of mutual funds. Performance and yield data as reported in national financial publications including, but not limited to, Money Magazine, Forbes, Barron's, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, or in local or regional publications, may also be used in comparing the performance and yield of a Fund or its classes. A Fund's performance may be compared with indices such as the Lehman Brothers Government/Credit Bond Index, the Lehman Brothers Government Bond Index, the Lehman Government Bond 1-3 Year Index and the Lehman Aggregate Bond Index; the S&P 500 Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average or any other commonly quoted index of common stock prices; and the Russell 2000 Index and the NASDAQ Composite Index. Additionally, a Fund may, with proper authorization, reprint articles written about such Fund and provide them to prospective shareholders. A Fund may provide period and average annual "total rates of return." The "total rate of return" refers to the change in the value of an investment in a Fund over a period (which period shall be stated in any advertisement or communication with a shareholder) based on any change in net asset value per share including the value of any shares purchased through the reinvestment of any dividends or capital gains distributions declared during such period. For Class A shares, the average annual total rate of return figures will assume payment of the maximum initial sales load at the time of purchase. For Class B and Class C shares, the average annual total rate of return figures will assume deduction of the applicable contingent deferred sales charge imposed on a total redemption of shares held for the period. One-, five-, and ten-year periods will be shown, unless the class has been in existence for a shorter-period. Unlike some bank deposits or other investments which pay a fixed yield for a stated period of time, the yields and the net asset values (in the case of the Income Funds) of the classes of shares of a Fund will vary based on market conditions, the current market value of the securities held by a Fund and changes in the Fund's expenses. The adviser, Shareholder Servicing Agents, the Administrator, the Distributor and other service providers may voluntarily waive a portion of their fees on a month-to-month basis. In addition, the Distributor may assume a portion of a Fund's operating expenses on a month-to-month basis. These actions would have the effect of increasing the net income (and therefore the yield and total rate of return) of the classes of shares of a Fund during the period such waivers are in effect. These factors and possible 23 differences in the methods used to calculate the yields and total rates of return should be considered when comparing the yields or total rates of return of the classes of shares of a Fund to yields and total rates of return published for other investment companies and other investment vehicles (including different classes of shares). The Trust is advised that certain Shareholder Servicing Agents may credit to the accounts of their customers from whom they are already receiving other fees amounts not exceeding the Shareholder Servicing Agent fees received, which will have the effect of increasing the net return on the investment of customers of those Shareholder Servicing Agents. Such customers may be able to obtain through their Shareholder Servicing Agents quotations reflecting such increased return. Each Fund presents performance information for each class thereof since the commencement of operations of that Fund, rather than the date such class was introduced. Performance information for each class introduced after the commencement of operations of the related Fund is therefore based on the performance history of a predecessor class or classes. Performance information is restated to reflect the current maximum front-end sales charge (in the case of Class A Shares) or the maximum contingent deferred sales charge (in the case of Class B Shares) when presented inclusive of sales charges. Additional performance information may be presented which does not reflect the deduction or sales charges. Historical expenses reflected in performance information are based upon the distribution, shareholder servicing fees and other expenses actually incurred during the period presented and have not been restated, for periods during which the performance information for a particular class is based upon the performancehistory of a predecessor class, to reflect the ongoing expenses currently borne by the particular class. Advertising or communications to shareholders may contain the views of the advisers as to current market, economic, trade and interest rate trends, as well as legislative, regulatory and monetary developments, and may include investment strategies and related matters believed to be of relevance to a Fund. Advertisements for JPMorgan Funds may include references to the asset size of other financial products made available by JPMC, such as the offshore assets of other funds. TOTAL RATE OF RETURN A Fund's or class's total rate of return for any period will be calculated by (a) dividing (i) the sum of the net asset value per share on the last day of the period and the net asset value per share on the last day of the period of shares purchasable with dividends and capital gains declared during such period with respect to a share held at the beginning of such period and with respect to shares purchased with such dividends and capital gains distributions, by (ii) the public offering price per share on the first day of such period, and (b) subtracting 1 from the result. The average annual rate of return quotation will be calculated by (x) adding 1 to the period total rate of return quotation as calculated above, (y) raising such sum to a power which is equal to 365 divided by the number of days in such period, and (z) subtracting 1 from the result. 24 AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS* (EXCLUDING SALES CHARGES) The average annual total rate of return figures for the following Funds, reflecting the initial investment and assuming the reinvestment of all distributions (but excluding the effects of any applicable sales charges) for, where applicable, the one, five and ten year periods ended August 31, 2000 were as follows:
DATE OF DATE OF ONE FIVE TEN SINCE FUND CLASS FUND YEAR YEARS YEARS INCEPTION INCEPTION INCEPTION --- ---- ----- ----- --------- --------- --------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund
------------- * The ongoing fees and expenses borne by Class B Shares are greater than those borne by Class A Shares. As indicated above, the performance information for each class introduced after the commencement of operations of the related Fund is based on the performance history of a predecessor class or classes and historical expenses have not been restated, for periods during which the performance information for a particular class is based upon the performance history of a predecessor class, to reflect the ongoing expenses currently borne by the particular class. Accordingly, the performance information presented in the table above and in each table that follows may be used in assessing each Fund's performance history but does note reflect how the distinct classes would have performed on a relative basis prior to the introduction of those classes which would require an adjustment to the ongoing expenses. The performance quoted reflects fee waivers that subsidize and reduce the total operating expenses of certain Funds (or classes thereof). Returns on these Funds (or classes) would have been lower if there were no such waivers. With respect to certain Funds, Chase and/or other service providers are obligated to waive certain fees and/or reimburse expenses. Each Fund's Prospectus discloses the extent of any agreements to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses. 25 AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS* (INCLUDING SALES CHARGES) With the current maximum sales charge for Class A shares (4.50%) reflected and the currently applicable CDSC for Class B shares for each period length, the average annual total rate of return figures for the same periods would be as follows:
ONE FIVE TEN SINCE FUND YEAR YEARS YEARS INCEPTION ---- ---- ----- ----- --------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund
------------- * See the notes to the preceding table. The Funds may also from time to time include in advertisements or other communications a total return figure that is not calculated according to the formula set forth above in order to compare more accurately the performance of a Fund with other measures of investment return. YIELD QUOTATIONS Any current "yield" quotation for a class of shares of an Income Fund shall consist of an annualized hypothetical yield, carried at least to the nearest hundredth of one percent, based on a thirty calendar day period and shall be calculated by (a) raising to the sixth power the sum of 1 plus the quotient obtained by dividing the Fund's net investment income earned during the period by the product of the average daily number of shares outstanding during the period that were entitled to receive dividends and the maximum offering price per share on the last day of the period, (b) subtracting 1 from the result, and (c) multiplying the result by 2. Any current "yield" for a class of shares of a Money Market Fund which is used in such a manner as to be subject to the provisions of Rule 482(d) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, shall consist of an annualized historical yield, carried at least to the nearest hundredth of one percent, based on a specific seven calendar day period and shall be calculated by dividing the net change in the value of an account having a balance of one Share at the beginning of the period by the value of the account at the beginning of the period and multiplying the quotient by 365/7. For this purpose, the net change in account value would reflect the value of additional Shares purchased with dividends declared on the original Share and dividends declared on both the original Share and any such additional Shares, but would not reflect any realized gains or losses from the sale of securities or any unrealized appreciation or depreciation on portfolio securities. In addition, any effective yield quotation for a class of shares of a Money Market Fund so used shall be calculated by compounding the current yield quotation for such period by multiplying such quotation by 7/365, adding 1 to the product, raising the sum to a power equal to 365/7, and subtracting 1 from the result. A portion of the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund's income used in calculating such yields may be taxable. Any taxable equivalent yield quotation of a class of shares of the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund shall be calculated as follows. If the entire current yield quotation for such period is tax-exempt, the tax equivalent yield will be the current yield quotation (as determined in accordance with the appropriate calculation described above) divided by 1 minus a stated income tax rate or rates. If a portion of the current yield quotation is not tax-exempt, the tax equivalent yield will be the sum of (a) that portion of 26 the yield which is tax-exempt divided by 1 minus a stated income tax rate or rates and (b) the portion of the yield which is not tax-exempt.
CURRENT EFFECTIVE COMPOUND ANNUALIZED YIELD ANNUALIZED YIELD AS OF 8/31/00 AS OF 8/31/00 ---------------- ------------------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund B Shares 5.46% 5.61% C Shares 5.46% 5.61% Reserve Shares 5.90% 6.07% Morgan Shares 6.11% 6.29% Premier Shares 6.24% 6.44% Institutional Shares 6.43% 6.64% JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund Reserve Shares 5.71% 5.87% Morgan Shares 5.80% 5.97% Premier Shares 6.02% 6.20% Institutional Shares 6.24% 6.43% JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund Morgan Shares 5.97% 6.15% Premier Shares 6.11% 6.30% Institutional Shares 6.31% 6.51%
CURRENT EFFECTIVE ANNUALIZED ANNUALIZED COMPOUND TAX EQUIVALENT YIELD ANNUALIZED YIELD YIELD* AS OF 8/31/00 AS OF 8/31/00 AS OF 8/31/00 ------------- ---------------- --------------- JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund Reserve Shares 3.52% 3.58% 5.83% Morgan Shares 3.73% 3.80% 6.18% Premier Shares 3.80% 3.87% 6.29% Institutional Shares 4.06% 4.14% 6.72%
27
THIRTY-DAY TAX EQUIVALENT YIELD THIRTY-DAY YIELD* AS OF 8/31/00 AS OF 8/31/00 ------------- ------------------
--------------- * The tax equivalent yields assume a federal income tax rate of 39.6% for the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund. NON-STANDARDIZED PERFORMANCE RESULTS* (EXCLUDING SALES CHARGES) The table below reflects the net change in the value of an assumed initial investment of $10,000 in the following Funds (excluding the effects of any applicable sales charges) for the ten year period ending August 31, 2000. The values reflect an assumption that capital gain distributions and income dividends, if any, have been invested in additional shares of the same class. From time to time, the Funds may provide these performance results in addition to the total rate of return quotations required by the Securities and Exchange Commission. As discussed more fully in the Prospectuses, neither these performance results, nor total rate of return quotations, should be considered as representative of the performance of the Funds in the future. These factors and the possible differences in the methods used to calculate performance results and total rates of return should be considered when comparing such performance results and total rate of return quotations of the Funds with those published for other investment companies and other investment vehicles.
TOTAL VALUE -------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund
---------------- * See the notes to the table captioned "Average Annual Total Return (excluding sales charges)" above. 28 NON-STANDARDIZED PERFORMANCE RESULTS* (INCLUDES SALES CHARGES) With the current maximum sales charge of 4.50% for Class A shares, and the currently applicable CDSC for Class B shares for each period length, reflected, the figures for the same periods would be as follows:
TOTAL VALUE ------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market JPMorgan Federal Money Market JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund
------------ * See the notes to the table captioned "Average Annual Total Return (excluding sales charges)" above. DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE As of the date of this Statement of Additional Information, the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading every weekday except for the following holidays: New Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. In addition,to the days listed above (other than Good Friday), the Funds are closed for business on the following holidays: Martin Luther King Day, Columbus Day, and Veteran's Day. Each Fund calculates its NAV once each day at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The Money Market Funds' portfolio securities are valued at their amortized cost. Amortized cost valuation involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter accrediting discounts and amortizing premiums at a constant rate to maturity. This method increases stability in valuation, but may result in periods during which the stated value of a portfolio security is higher or lower than the price a Fund would receive if the instrument were sold. Pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Board of Trustees has established procedures to stabilize the net asset value of each Money Market Fund at $1.00 per share. However, no assurance can be given that the Money Market Funds will be able to do so on a continuous basis. These procedures include a review of the extent of any deviation of net asset value per share, based on available market rates (and appropriate substitutes which reflect current market conditions), from the $1.00 amortized cost price per share. If fluctuating interest rates cause the market value of a Money Market Fund's portfolio to approach a deviation of more than 1/2 of 1% from the value determined on the basis of amortized cost, the Board of Trustees will consider what action, if any, should be initiated. Such action may include redemption of shares in kind (as described in greater detail below), selling portfolio securities prior to maturity, reducing or withholding dividends and utilizing a net asset value per share as determined by using available market quotations. The Money Market Funds have established procedures designed to ensure that their portfolio securities meet their high quality criteria. Bonds and other fixed income securities (other than short-term obligations) in a Fund's portfolio are valued on the basis of valuations furnished by a pricing service, the use of which has been approved by the Board of Trustees. In making such valuations, the pricing service utilizes both dealer-supplied valuations and electronic data processing techniques that take into account appropriate factors such as institutional-size trading in similar groups of securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other market data, without exclusive reliance upon quoted prices or exchange or over-the-counter prices, since such valuations are believed to reflect more accurately the fair value of such securities. Short-term 29 obligations which mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which constitutes fair value as determined by the Board of Trustees. Futures and option contracts that are traded on commodities or securities exchanges are normally valued at the settlement price on the exchange on which they are traded. Portfolio securities (other than short-term obligations) for which there are no such quotations or valuations are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees. Interest income on long-term obligations in a Fund's portfolio is determined on the basis of coupon interest accrued plus amortization of discount (the difference between acquisition price and stated redemption price at maturity) and premiums (the excess of purchase price over stated redemption price at maturity). Interest income on short-term obligations is determined on the basis of interest and discount accrued less amortization of premium. PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS AND EXCHANGES The Fund has established certain procedures and restrictions, subject to change from time to time, for purchase, redemption, and exchange orders, including procedures for accepting telephone instructions and effecting automatic investments and redemptions. The Funds' Transfer Agent may defer acting on a shareholder's instructions until it has received them in proper form. In addition, the privileges described in the Prospectuses are not available until a completed and signed account application has been received by the Transfer Agent. Telephone transaction privileges are made available to shareholders automatically upon opening an account unless the privilege is declined in Section 6 of the Account Application. The Telephone Exchange Privilege is not available if you were issued certificates for shares that remain outstanding. Upon receipt of any instructions or inquiries by telephone from a shareholder or, if held in a joint account, from either party, or from any person claiming to be the shareholder, a Fund or its agent is authorized, without notifying the shareholder or joint account parties, to carry out the instructions or to respond to the inquiries, consistent with the service options chosen by the shareholder or joint shareholders in his or their latest account application or other written request for services, including purchasing, exchanging, or redeeming shares of such Fund and depositing and withdrawing monies from the bank account specified in the Bank Account Registration section of the shareholder's latest account application or as otherwise properly specified to such Fund in writing. Subject to compliance with applicable regulations, each Fund has reserved the right to pay the redemption price of its Shares, either totally or partially, by a distribution in kind of readily marketable portfolio securities (instead of cash). The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amount as that assigned to them in calculating the net asset value for the shares being sold. If a shareholder received a distribution in kind, the shareholder could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash. The Trust has filed an election under Rule 18f-1 committing to pay in cash all redemptions by a shareholder of record up to amounts specified by the rule (approximately $250,000). Investors in Class A shares may qualify for reduced initial sales charges by signing a statement of intention (the "Statement"). This enables the investor to aggregate purchases of Class A shares in the Fund with purchases of Class A shares of any other Fund in the Trust (or if a Fund has only one class, shares of such Fund) excluding shares of any JPMorgan Money Market fund, during a 13-month period. The sales charge is based on the total amount to be invested in Class A shares during the 13-month period. All Class A or other qualifying shares of these funds currently owned by the investor will be credited as purchases (at their current offering prices on the date the Statement is signed) toward completion of the Statement. A 90-day back-dating period can be used to include earlier purchases at the investor's cost. The 13-month period would then begin on the date of the first purchase during the 90-day period. No retroactive adjustment will be made if purchases exceed the amount indicated in the Statement. A shareholder must notify the Transfer Agent or Distributor whenever a purchase is being made pursuant to a Statement. 30 The Statement is not a binding obligation on the investor to purchase the full amount indicated; however, on the initial purchase, if required (or subsequent purchases if necessary), 5% of the dollar amount specified in the Statement will be held in escrow by the Transfer Agent in Class A shares (or if a Fund has only one class and is subject to an initial sales charge, shares of such Fund) registered in the shareholder's name in order to assure payment of the proper sales charge. If total purchases pursuant to the Statement (less any dispositions and exclusive of any distributions on such shares automatically reinvested) are less than the amount specified, the investor will be requested to remit to the Transfer Agent an amount equal to the difference between the sales charge paid and the sales charge applicable to the aggregate purchases actually made. If not remitted within 20 days after written request, an appropriate number of escrowed shares will be redeemed in order to realize the difference. This privilege is subject to modification or discontinuance at any time with respect to all shares purchased thereunder. Reinvested dividend and capital gain distributions are not counted toward satisfying the Statement. Class A shares of a Fund may also be purchased by any person at a reduced initial sales charge which is determined by (a) aggregating the dollar amount of the new purchase and the greater of the purchaser's total (i) net asset value or (ii) cost of any shares acquired and still held in the Fund, or any other JPMorgan fund excluding any Money Market Fund, and (b) applying the initial sales charge applicable to such aggregate dollar value (the "Cumulative Quantity Discount"). The privilege of the Cumulative Quality Discount is subject to modification or discontinuance at any time with respect to all Class A shares (or if a Fund has only one class and is subject to an initial sales charge, shares of such Fund) purchased thereafter. An individual who is a member of a qualified group (as hereinafter defined) may also purchase Class A shares of a Fund (or if a Fund has only one class and is subject to an initial sales charge, shares of such Fund) at the reduced sales charge applicable to the group taken as a whole. The reduced initial sales charge is based upon the aggregate dollar value of Class A shares (or if a Fund has only one class and is subject to an initial sales charge, shares of such Fund) previously purchased and still owned by the group plus the securities currently being purchased and is determined as stated in the preceding paragraph. In order to obtain such discount, the purchaser or investment dealer must provide the Transfer Agent with sufficient information, including the purchaser's total cost, at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchaser qualifies for a cumulative quantity discount, and confirmation of the order is subject to such verification. Information concerning the current initial sales charge applicable to a group may be obtained by contacting the Transfer Agent. A "qualified group" is one which (i) has been in existence for more than six months, (ii) has a purpose other than acquiring Class A shares (or if a Fund has only one class and is subject to an initial sales charge, shares of such Fund) at a discount and (iii) satisfies uniform criteria which enables the Distributor to realize economies of scale in its costs of distributing Class A shares (or if a Fund has only one class and is subject to an initial sales charge, shares of such Fund). A qualified group must have more than 10 members, must be available to arrange for group meetings between representatives of the Fund and the members, must agree to include sales and other materials related to the Fund in its publications and mailings to members at reduced or no cost to the Distributor, and must seek to arrange for payroll deduction or other bulk transmission of investments in the Fund. This privilege is subject to modification or discontinuance at any time with respect to all Class A shares (or if a Fund has only one class and is subject to an initial sales charge, shares of such Fund) purchased thereafter. Investors may be eligible to buy Class A shares at reduced sales charges. One's investment representative or the JPMorgan Funds Service Center should be consulted for details about JPMorgan's combined purchase privilege, cumulative quantity discount, statement of intention, group sales plan, employee benefit plans and other plans. Sales charges are waived if an investor is using redemption proceeds received within the prior ninety days from non-JPMorgan mutual funds to buy the shares, and on which he or she paid a front-end or contingent deferred sales charge. 31 Some participant-directed employee benefit plans participate in a "multi-fund" program which offers both JPMorgan and non-JPMorgan mutual funds. The money that is invested in JPMorgan Funds may be combined with the other mutual funds in the same program when determining the plan's eligibility to buy Class A shares for purposes of the discount privileges and programs described above. No initial sales charge will apply to the purchase of a Fund's Class A shares if (i) one is investing proceeds from a qualified retirement plan where a portion of the plan was invested in the JPMorgan Funds, (ii) one is investing through any qualified retirement plan with 50 or more participants or (iii) the investor is a participant in certain qualified retirement plans and is investing (or reinvesting) the proceeds from the repayment of a plan loan made to him or her. Purchases of a Fund's Class A shares may be made with no initial sales charge through an investment adviser or financial planner that charges a fee for its services. Purchases of a Fund's Class A shares may be made with no initial sales charge (i) by an investment adviser, broker or financial planner, provided arrangements are preapproved and purchases are placed through an omnibus account with the Fund or (ii) by clients of such investment adviser or financial planner who place trades for their own accounts, if such accounts are linked to a master account of such investment adviser or financial planner on the books and records of the broker or agent. Such purchases may also be made for retirement and deferred compensation plans and trusts used to fund those plans. Purchases of a Fund's Class A shares may be made with no initial sales charge in accounts opened by a bank, trust company or thrift institution which is acting as a fiduciary exercising investment discretion, provided that appropriate notification of such fiduciary relationship is reported at the time of the investment to the Fund, the Fund's distributor or the JPMorgan Funds Service Center. A Fund may sell Class A shares without an initial sales charge to the current and retired Trustees (and their immediate families), current and retired employees (and their immediate families) of JPMC, the Distributor and transfer agent or any affiliates or subsidiaries thereof, registered representatives and other employees (and their immediate families) of broker-dealers having selected dealer agreements with the Distributor, employees (and their immediate families) of financial institutions having selected dealer agreements with the Distributor (or otherwise having an arrangement with a broker-dealer or financial institution with respect to sales of JPMorgan Fund shares) and financial institution trust departments investing an aggregate of $1 million or more in the JPMorgan Funds. Shareholders of record of any JPMorgan fund as of November 30, 1990 and certain immediate family members may purchase a Fund's Class A shares with no initial sales charge for as long as they continue to own Class A shares of any JPMorgan fund, provided there is no change in account registration. Shareholders of other JPMorgan Funds may be entitled to exchange their shares for, or reinvest distributions from their funds in, shares of the Fund at net asset value. The Funds reserve the right to change any of these policies at any time and may reject any request to purchase shares at a reduced sales charge. Investors may incur a fee if they effect transactions through a broker or agent. 32 Class B shareholders of the JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund, who have redeemed their shares and paid a CDSC with such redemption may purchase Class A shares with no initial sales charge (in an amount not in excess of their redemption proceeds) if the purchase occurs within 90 days of the redemption of the Class B (or C) shares. Under the Exchange Privilege, shares may be exchanged for shares of tanother fund only if shares of the fund exchanged into are registered in the state where the exchange is to be made. Shares of a Fund may only be exchanged into another fund if the account registrations are identical. With respect to exchanges from any Money Market Fund, shareholders must have acquired their shares in such money market fund by exchange from one of the other JPMorgan Funds or the exchange will be done at relative net asset value plus the appropriate sales charge. Any such exchange may create a gain or loss to be recognized for federal income tax purposes. Normally, shares of the fund to be acquired are purchased on the redemption date, but such purchase may be delayed by either fund for up to five business days if a fund determines that it would be disadvantaged by an immediate transfer of the proceeds. The contingent deferred sales charge for Class B shares will be waived for certain exchanges and for redemptions in connection with a Fund's systematic withdrawal plan, subject to the conditions described in the Prospectuses. In addition, subject to confirmation of a shareholder's status, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived for: (i) a total or partial redemption made within one year of the shareholder's death or initial qualification for Social Security disability payments; (ii) a redemption in connection with a Minimum Required Distribution form an IRA, Keogh or custodial account under section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code or a mandatory distribution from a qualified plan; (iii) redemptions made from an IRA, Keogh or custodial account under section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code through an established Systematic Redemption Plan; (iv) a redemption resulting from an over-contribution to an IRA; (v) distributions from a qualified plan upon retirement; and (vi) an involuntary redemption of an account balance under $500. Up to 12% of the value of Class B shares subject to a systematic withdrawal plan may also be redeemed each year without a CDSC, provided that the Class B account had a minimum balance of $20,000 at the time the systematic withdrawal plan was established. Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares (and thus are then subject to the lower expenses borne by Class A shares) after a period of time specified below has elapsed since the date of purchase (the "CDSC Period"), together with the pro rata portion of all Class B shares representing dividends and other distributions paid in additional Class B shares attributable to the Class B shares then converting. The conversion of Class B shares purchased on or after May 1, 1996, will be effected at the relative net asset values per share of the two classes on the first business day of the month following the eighth anniversary of the original purchase. The conversion of Class B shares purchased prior to May 1, 1996, will be effected at the relative net asset values per share of the two classes on the first business day of the month following the seventh anniversary of the original purchase. If any exchanges of Class B shares during the CDSC Period occurred, the holding period for the shares exchanged will be counted toward the CDSC Period. At the time of the conversion the net asset value per share of the Class A shares may be higher or lower than the net asset value per share of the Class B shares; as a result, depending on the relative net asset values per share, a shareholder may receive fewer or more Class A shares than the number of Class B shares converted. 33 A Fund may require signature guarantees for changes that shareholders request be made in Fund records with respect to their accounts, including but not limited to, changes in bank accounts, for any written requests for additional account services made after a shareholder has submitted an initial account application to the Fund, and in certain other circumstances described in the Prospectuses. A Fund may also refuse to accept or carry out any transaction that does not satisfy any restrictions then in effect. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a bank, trust company, broker-dealer or other member of a national securities exchange. Please note that a notary public cannot provide a signature guarantee. DISTRIBUTIONS; TAX MATTERS The following is only a summary of certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their shareholders that are not described in the respective Fund's Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Funds or their shareholders, and the discussions here and in each Fund's Prospectus are not intended as substitutes for careful tax planning. QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY Each Fund has elected to be taxed as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and to meet all other requirements that are necessary for it to be relieved of federal taxes on income and gains it distributes to shareholders. Net investment income for each Fund consists of all interest accrued and discounts earned, less amortization of any market premium on the portfolio assets of the Fund and the accrued expenses of the Fund. As a regulated investment company, each Fund is not subject to federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income (i.e., its investment company taxable income, as that term is defined in the Code, without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) that it distributes to shareholders, provided that it distributes at least 90% of its net investment income and at least 90% of its tax-exempt income (net of expenses allocable thereto) for the taxable year (the "Distribution Requirement"), and satisfies certain other requirements of the Code that are described below. Because certain Funds invest all of their assets in Portfolios which will be classified as partnerships for federal income tax purposes, such Funds will be deemed to own a proportionate share of the income of the Portfolio into which each contributes all of its assets for purposes of determining whether such Funds satisfy the Distribution Requirement and the other requirements necessary to qualify as a regulated investment company (e.g., Income Requirement (hereinafter defined), etc.). In addition to satisfying the Distribution Requirement, a regulated investment company must derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies (to the extent such currency gains are directly related to the regulated investment company's principal business of investing in stock or securities) and other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies (the "Income Requirement"). In addition to satisfying the requirements described above, each Fund must satisfy an asset diversification test in order to qualify as a regulated investment company. Under this test, at the close of each quarter of a Fund's taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund's assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of its total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), or in two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses. Each Fund may engage in hedging or derivatives transactions involving foreign currencies, forward contracts, options and futures contracts (including options, futures and forward contracts on 34 foreign currencies) and short sales. See "Additional Policies Regarding Derivative and Related Transactions." Such transactions will be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (that is, may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income of the Fund and defer recognition of certain of the Fund's losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. In addition, these provisions (1) will require a Fund to "mark-to-market" certain types of positions in its portfolio (that is, treat them as if they were closed out) and (2) may cause a Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the Distribution Requirement and avoid the 4% excise tax (described below). Each Fund intends to monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any option, futures contract, forward contract or hedged investment in order to mitigage the effect of these rules. If for any taxable year a Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company, all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions will be taxable to the shareholders as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits. Such distributions generally will be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. EXCISE TAX ON REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANIES A 4% non-deductible excise tax is imposed on a regulated investment company that fails to distribute in each calendar year an amount equal to 98% of ordinary taxable income for the calendar year and 98% of capital gain net income for the one-year period ended on October 31 of such calendar year (or, at the election of a regulated investment company having a taxable year ending November 30 or December 31, for its taxable year (a "taxable year election"))(Tax-exempt interest on municipal obligations is not subject to the excise tax). The balance of such income must be distributed during the next calendar year. For the foregoing purposes, a regulated investment company is treated as having distributed any amount on which it is subject to income tax for any taxable year ending in such calendar year. Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid liability for the excise tax. However, investors should note that a Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate portfolio investments to make sufficient distributions to avoid excise tax liability. FUND DISTRIBUTIONS Each Fund anticipates distributing substantially all of its net investment income for each taxable year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income and treated as dividends for federal income tax purposes, but they will not qualify for the 70% dividends-received deduction for corporations only to the extent described below. Dividends paid on Class A, Class B and Class C shares are calculated at the same time. In general, dividends on Class B and Class C shares are expected to be lower than those on Class A shares due to the higher distribution expenses borne by the Class B and Class C shares. Dividends may also differ between classes as a result of differences in other class specific expenses. If a check representing a Fund distribution is not cashed by a shareholder within a specified period, the JPMorgan Funds Service Center will notify the shareholder that he or she has the option of requesting another check or reinvesting the distribution in the Fund or in an established account of another JPMorgan Fund. If the JPMorgan Funds Service Center does not receive the shareholder's election, the distribution will be reinvested in the Fund. Similarly, if the Fund or the JPMorgan Funds Service Center sends the shareholder correspondence returned as "undeliverable," distributions will automatically be reinvested in the Fund. A Fund may either retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain for each taxable year. Each Fund currently intends to distribute any such amounts. If net capital gain is distributed and designated as a capital gain dividend, it will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of 35 time the shareholder has held his shares or whether such gain was recognized by the Fund prior to the date on which the shareholder acquired his shares. Under current legislation, the maximum rate of tax on long-term capital gains of individuals is 20% (10% for gains otherwise taxed at 15%) for long-term capital gains realized with respect to capital assets held for more than 12 months. Additionally, beginning after December 31, 2000, the maximum tax rate for capital assets with a holding period beginning after that date and held for more than five years will be 18%. Conversely, if a Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, the Fund will be taxed thereon (except to the extent of any available capital loss carryovers) at the 35% corporate tax rate. If a Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, it is expected that the Fund also will elect to have shareholders of record on the last day of its taxable year treated as if each received a distribution of his pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each shareholder will be required to report his pro rata share of such gain on his tax return as long-term capital gain, will receive a refundable tax credit for his pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain, and will increase the tax basis for his shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit. Ordinary income dividends paid by a Fund with respect to a taxable year will qualify for the 70% dividends-received deduction generally available to corporations to the extent of the amount of qualifying dividends received by a Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year. A dividend received by a Fund will not be treated as a qualifying dividend (1) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 90 day period beginning on the date which is 45 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (during the 180 day period beginning 90 days before such date in the case of certain preferred stock) under the Rules of the Code section 246(c)(3) and (4); (2) to the extent that a fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property; or (3) to the extent the stock on which the dividend is paid is treated as debt-financed under the rules of Code Section 246A. Moreover, the dividends-received deduction for a corporate shareholder may be disallowed or reduced if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of a Fund. In the case where a Fund invests all of its assets in a Portfolio and the Fund satisfies the holding period rules pursuant to Code Section 256(C) as to its interest in the Portfolio, a corporate shareholder which satisfies the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund should receive the dividends-received deduction. For purposes of the Corporate alternative minimum tax ("AMT"), the corporate dividends-received deduction is not itself an item of tax preference that must be added back to taxable income or is otherwise disallowed in determining a corporation's AMT. However, corporate shareholders will generally be required to take the full amount of any dividend received from a Fund into account (without a dividends-received deduction) in determining its adjusted current earnings. The JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund intends to qualify to pay exempt-interest dividends by satisfying the requirement that at the close of each quarter of the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund's taxable year at least 50% of the its total assets consists of tax-exempt municipal obligations. Distributions from the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund will constitute exempt-interest dividends to the extent of its tax-exempt interest income (net of expenses and amortized bond premium). Exempt-interest dividends distributed to shareholders of the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund are excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes. However, shareholders required to file a federal income tax return will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends on their returns. Moreover, while exempt-interest dividends are excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes, they may be subject to alternative minimum tax in certain circumstances and may have other collateral tax consequences as discussed below. Distributions by the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund of any investment company taxable income or of any net capital gain will be taxable to shareholders as discussed above. 36 AMT is imposed in addition to, but only to the extent it exceeds, the regular tax and is computed at a maximum marginal rate of 28% for noncorporate taxpayers and 20% for corporate taxpayers on the excess of the taxpayer's alternative minimum taxable income ("AMTI") over an exemption amount. In addition, under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, a tax is imposed for taxable years beginning after 1986 and before 1996 at the rate of 0.12% on the excess of a corporate taxpayer's AMTI (determined without regard to the deduction for this tax and the AMT net operating loss deduction) over $2 million. Exempt-interest dividends derived from certain "private activity" municipal obligations issued after August 7, 1986 will generally constitute an item of tax preference includable in AMTI for both corporate and noncorporate taxpayers. In addition, exempt-interest dividends derived from all municipal obligations, regardless of the date of issue, must be included in adjusted current earnings, which are used in computing an additional corporate preference item (i.e., 75% of the excess of a corporate taxpayer's adjusted current earnings over its AMTI (determined without regard to this item and the AMT net operating loss deduction)) includable in AMTI. Exempt-interest dividends must be taken into account in computing the portion, if any, of social security or railroad retirement benefits that must be included in an individual shareholder's gross income and subject to federal income tax. Further, a shareholder of the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund is denied a deduction for interest on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry shares of the Fund. Moreover, a shareholder who is (or is related to) a "substantial user" of a facility financed by industrial development bonds held by the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund will likely be subject to tax on dividends paid by the JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund which are derived from interest on such bonds. Receipt of exempt-interest dividends may result in other collateral federal income tax consequences to certain taxpayers, including financial institutions, property and casualty insurance companies and foreign corporations engaged in a trade or business in the United States. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisers as to such consequences. Net investment income that may be received by certain of the Funds from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign taxes withheld at the source. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries which entitle any such Fund to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, taxes on such income. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of any such Fund's assets to be invested in various countries is not known. Distributions by a Fund that do not constitute ordinary income dividends, exempt-interest dividends or capital gain dividends will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) the shareholder's tax basis in his shares; any excess will be treated as gain from the sale of his shares, as discussed below. Distributions by a Fund will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund (or of another fund). Shareholders receiving a distribution in the form of additional shares will be treated as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares received, determined as of the reinvestment date. In addition, if the net asset value at the time a shareholder purchases shares of a Fund reflects undistributed net investment income or recognized capital gain net income, or unrealized appreciation in the value of the assets of the Fund, distributions of such amounts will be taxable to the shareholder in the manner described above, although such distributions economically constitute a return of capital to the shareholder. Ordinarily, shareholders are required to take distributions by a Fund into account in the year in which the distributions are made. However, dividends declared in October, November or December of any year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month will be deemed to have been received by the shareholders (and made by the Fund) on December 31 of such calendar year if such dividends are actually paid in January of the following year. Shareholders will be advised annually as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of distributions made (or deemed made) during the year. A Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury 31% of ordinary income dividends and capital gain dividends, and the proceeds of redemption of shares, paid to any shareholder 37 (1) who has provided either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) who is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to report the receipt of interest or dividend income properly, or (3) who has failed to certify to the Fund that it is not subject to backup withholding or that it is a corporation or other "exempt recipient." SALE OR REDEMPTION OF SHARES Each Money Market Fund seeks to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share; however, there can be no assurance that a Money Market Fund will do this. In such a case, a shareholder will recognize gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares of a Fund in an amount equal to the difference between the proceeds of the sale or redemption and the shareholder's adjusted tax basis in the shares. All or a portion of any loss so recognized may be disallowed if the shareholder purchases other shares of the Fund within 30 days before or after the sale or redemption. In general, any gain or loss arising from (or treated as arising from) the sale or redemption of shares of a Fund will be considered capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares were held for longer than one year. However, any capital loss arising from the sale or redemption of shares held for six months or less will be disallowed to the extent of the amount of exempt-interest dividends received on such shares and (to the extent not disallowed) will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received on such shares. FOREIGN SHAREHOLDERS Taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, foreign trust or estate, foreign corporation, or foreign partnership ("foreign shareholder"), depends on whether the income from a Fund is "effectively connected" with a U.S. trade or business carried on by such shareholder. If the income from a Fund is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, paid to a foreign shareholder from net investment income will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate) upon the gross amount of the dividend. Such a foreign shareholder would generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on gains realized on the sale of shares of the Fund and capital gain dividends and amounts retained by the Fund that are designated as undistributed capital gains. If the income from a Fund is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, then ordinary income dividends, capital gain dividends, and any gains realized upon the sale of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations. In the case of foreign noncorporate shareholders, a Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 31% on distributions that are otherwise exempt from withholding tax (or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless such shareholders furnish the Fund with proper notification of their foreign status. The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may be different from those described herein. Foreign shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in a Fund, including the applicability of foreign taxes. STATE AND LOCAL TAX MATTERS Depending on the residence of the shareholder for tax purposes, distributions may also be subject to state and local taxes or withholding taxes. Most states provide that a RIC may pass through (without restriction) to its shareholders state and local income tax exemptions available to direct owners of certain types of U.S. government securities (such as U.S. Treasury obligations). Thus, for residents of these states, distributions derived from a Fund's investment in certain types of U.S. government securities should be free from state and local income taxes to the extent that the interest income from such investments would have 38 been exempt from state and local income taxes if such securities had been held directly by the respective shareholders themselves. Certain states, however, do not allow a RIC to pass through to its shareholders the state and local income tax exemptions available to direct owners of certain types of U.S. government securities unless the RIC holds at least a required amount of U.S. government securities. Accordingly, for residents of these states, distributions derived from a Fund's investment in certain types of U.S. government securities may not be entitled to the exemptions from state and local income taxes that would be available if the shareholders had purchased U.S. government securities directly. Shareholders' dividends attributable to a Fund's income from repurchase agreements generally are subject to state and local income taxes, although states and regulations vary in their treatment of such income. The exemption from state and local income taxes does not preclude states from asserting other taxes on the ownership of U.S. government securities. To the extent that a Fund invests to a substantial degree in U.S. government securities which are subject to favorable state and local tax treatment, shareholders of such Fund will be notified as to the extent to which distributions from the Fund are attributable to interest on such securities. Rules of state and local taxation of ordinary income dividends and capital gain dividends from RICs may differ from the rules for U.S. federal income taxation in other respects. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules affecting investment in a Fund. EFFECT OF FUTURE LEGISLATION The foregoing general discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences is based on the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this Statement of Additional Information. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and any such changes or decisions may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein. MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST AND THE FUNDS TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS The mailing address of the Trustees and Officers of the Trust, who are also the Trustees of each of the Funds, as defined below, is 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10036. Their names, principal occupations during the past five years and dates of birth are set forth below: WILLIAM J. ARMSTRONG--Trustee; Retired; formerly Vice President and Treasurer Ingersoll-Rand Company. Age: 59. ROLAND R. EPPLEY, JR.--Trustee; Retired; formerly President and Chief Executive Officer, Eastern States Bankcard Association, Inc. (1971 - 1988); Director, Janel Hydraulics, Inc.; formerly Director of The Hanover Funds, Inc. Age: 68. ANN MAYNARD GRAY--Trustee; Former President, Diversified Publishing Group and Vice President, Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. Age: 55. MATTHEW HEALEY--Trustee; Chief Executive Officer. Chariman, Pierpont Group, since prior to 1993. Age: 63. FERGUS REID, III--Trustee; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lumelite Corporation, since September 1985; Trustee, Morgan Stanley Funds. Age: 68. JAMES J. SCHONBACHLER--Trustee; Retired; Prior to September, 1998, Managing Director, Bankers Trust Company and Chief Executive Officer and Director, Bankers Trust A.G., Zurich and BT Brokerage Corp. Age: 58. 39 LEONARD M. SPALDING--Trustee; Retired; formerly Chief Executive Officer of Chase Mutual Funds Corp.; formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of Vista Capital Management; and formerly Chief Investment Executive of the Chase Manhattan Private Bank. Age: 65. H. RICHARD VARTABEDIAN--Trustee; Investment Management Consultant; formerly, Senior Investment Officer, Division Executive of the Investment Management Division of the Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., 1980-1991. Age: 65. MARTIN R. DEAN--Treasurer. Vice President, Administration Services, BISYS Fund Services, Inc.; formerly Senior Manager, KPMG Peat Marwick (1987-1994). Age: 37. Address: 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, OH 43219. LISA HURLEY--Secretary. Executive Vice President and General Counsel, BISYS Fund Services, Inc.; formerly Counsel to Moore Capital Management and General Counsel to Global Asset Management and Northstar Investments Management. Age: 45. Address: 90 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016. VICKY M. HAYES--Assistant Secretary. Vice President and Global Marketing Manager, Vista Fund Distributors, Inc.; formerly Assistant Vice President, Alliance Capital Management and held various positions with J. & W. Seligman & Co. Age: 37. Address: 1211 Avenue of the Americas, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10036. 40 ALAINA METZ--Assistant Secretary. Chief Administrative Officer, BISYS Fund Services, Inc.; formerly Supervisor, Blue Sky Department, Alliance Capital Management L.P. Age: 33. Address: 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, OH 43219. ------------- *Asterisks indicate those Trustees that are "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act). Mr. Reid is not an interested person of the Trust's investment advisers or principal underwriter, but may be deemed an interested person of the Trust solely by reason of being chairman of the Trust. A majority of the disinterested Trustees have adopted written procedures reasonably appropriate to deal with potential conflicts of interest arising from the fact that the same individuals are Trustees of the Trust, each of the Funds and the J.P. Morgan Institutional Funds up to and including creating a separate board of trustees. The Board of Trustees of the Trust presently has an Audit Committee. The members of the Audit Committee are Messrs. Ten Haken (Chairman), Armstrong, Eppley, MacCallan and Thode. The function of the Audit Committee is to recommend independent auditors and monitor accounting and financial matters. The Audit Committee met two times during the fiscal period ended August 31, 2000. The Trustees and officers of the Trust appearing in the table above also serve in the same capacities with respect to Mutual Fund Group, Mutual Fund Variable Annuity Trust, Mutual Fund Select Group, Mutual Fund Select Trust, Mutual Fund Investment Trust, Mutual Fund Master Investment Trust, Capital Growth Portfolio, Growth and Income Portfolio, International Equity Portfolio and the other JPMorgan Funds. REMUNERATION OF TRUSTEES AND CERTAIN EXECUTIVE OFFICERS: Each Trustee is reimbursed for expenses incurred in attending each meeting of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof. Each Trustee who is not an affiliate of the advisers is compensated for his or her services according to a fee schedule which recognizes the fact that each Trustee also serves as a Trustee of other investment companies advised by the advisers. Each Trustee receives a fee, allocated among all investment companies for which the Trustee serves, which consists of an annual retainer component and a meeting fee component. Each Trustee is currently paid an annual fee of $75,000 (adjusted as of April 1, 1997) for serving as Trustee of the Trust and the J.P. Morgan Funds. Each is reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with service as a Trustee. The Trustees may hold various other directorships unrelated to these funds. Set forth below is information regarding compensation paid or accrued during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2000 for each Trustee of the Trust:
JPMORGAN JPMORGAN FEDERAL JPMORGAN JPMORGAN TREASURY MONEY TAX FREE PRIME PLUS MARKET MONEY MONEY MARKET MONEY MARKET FUND MARKET FUND FUND FUND ----------- ----------- ------------ ------------ Fergus Reid, III, Trustee $ $5,868 $39,798 $ H. Richard Vartebedian, Trustee 4,090 27,770 William J. Armstrong, Trustee 2,752 18,781 Roland R. Eppley, Jr., Trustee 2,797 18,814 Leonard M. Spalding, Jr., Trustee 2,752 18,781 Matthew Healey NA NA NA NA Ann Maynard Gray NA NA NA NA James J. Schonbachler NA NA NA NA
41
PENSION OR RETIREMENT COMPENSATION FROM BENEFITS ACCRUED AS FUND TOTAL COMPENSATION FROM TRUST EXPENSES "FUND COMPLEX" ----------------- ------------------------ ----------------------- William J. Armstrong, Trustee $ 90,000 $ 41,781 $131,781(10)(3) Roland R. Eppley, Jr., Trustee $ 91,000 $ 58,206 $149,206(10)(3) Ann Maynard Gray, Member of NA NA $ 75,000(17)(3) Advisory Board of certain J.P. Morgan Funds Matthew Healey, Trustee(2) NA NA $ 75,000(17)(3) Fergus Reid, III, Trustee $202,750 $110,091 $312,841(10)(3) James J. Schonbachler-- NA NA $ 75,000(17)(3) Member of Advisory Board of certain J.P. Morgan Funds Leonard M. Spalding, Jr. $ 89,000 $ 35,335 $124,335(10)(3) Trustee H. Richard Vartabedian, Trustee $134,350 $ 86,791 $122,141(10)(3)
------------- (1) A Fund Complex means two or more investment companies that hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investment services, or have a common investment adviser or have an investment adviser that is an affiliated person of the investment adviser of any of the other investment companies. The Fund Complex for which the nominees will serve includes 14 investment companies. (2) Pierpont Group, Inc. paid Mr. Healey, in his role as Chairman of Pierpont Group, Inc., compensation in the amount of $200,000, contributed $25,500 to a defined contribution plan on his behalf and paid $18,400 in insurance premiums for his benefit. (3) Total number of investment company boards with respect to Trustees, or Advisory Boards with respect to Advisory Board members, served on within the Fund Complex. 42 FUNDS RETIREMENT PLAN FOR ELIGIBLE TRUSTEES Effective August 21, 1995, the Trustees also instituted a Retirement Plan for Eligible Trustees (the "Plan") pursuant to which each Trustee (who is not an employee of any of the Funds, the Adviser, the administrator or distributor or any of their affiliates) may be entitled to certain benefits upon retirement from the Board of Trustees. Pursuant to the Plan, the normal retirement date is the date on which the eligible Trustee has attained age 65 and has completed at least five years of continuous service with one or more of the investment companies advised by the Adviser and its affiliates (collectively, the "Covered Funds"). Each Eligible Trustee is entitled to receive from the Covered Funds an annual benefit commencing on the first day of the calendar quarter coincident with or following his date of retirement equal to the sum of (1) 8% of the highest annual compensation received from the Covered Funds multiplied by the number of such Trustee's years of service (not in excess of 10 years) completed with respect to any Covered Funds and (ii) 4% of the highest annual compensation received from the Covered Funds for each year of service in excess of 10 years, provided that no Trustee's annual benefit will exceed the highest annual compensation received by that Trustee from the Covered Funds. Such benefit is payable to each eligible Trustee in monthly installments for the life of the Trustee. On February 22, 2001, the Board of Trustees voted to terminate the Plan and to pay Trustees an agreed-upon amount of compensation. Effective August 21, 1995, the Trustees instituted a Deferred Compensation Plan for Eligible Trustees (the "Deferred Compensation Plan") pursuant to which each Trustee (who is not an employee of any of the Funds, the Adviser, the administrator or distributor or any of their affiliates) may enter into agreements with the Funds whereby payment of the Trustees' fees are deferred until the payment dated elected by the Trustee (or the Trustee's termination of service). The deferred amounts are deemed invested in shares of funds as elected by the Trustee at the time of deferral. If a deferring Trustee dies prior to the distribution of amounts held in the deferral account, the balance of the deferral account will be distributed to the Trustee's designated beneficiary in a single lump sum payment as soon as practicable after such deferring Trustee's death. Mr. Vartabedian has executed a deferred compensation agreement for the 2000 calendar year. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trust will indemnify its Trustees and officers against liabilities and expenses incurred in connection with litigation in which they may be involved because of their offices with the Trust, unless, as to liability to the Trust or its shareholders, it is finally adjudicated that they engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in their offices or with respect to any matter unless it is finally adjudicated that they did not act in good faith in the reasonable belief that their actions were in the best interest of the Trust. In the case of settlement, such 43 indemnification will not be provided unless it has been determined by a court or other body approving the settlement or other disposition, or by a reasonable determination based upon a review of readily available facts, by vote of a majority of disinterested Trustees or in a written opinion of independent counsel, that such officers or Trustees have not engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of their duties. ADVISER Prior to February 28, 2001, the adviser to the Funds was the Chase Manhattan Bank. The day to day management of the Funds was handled by the sub-adviser, Chase Fleming Asset Management (USA) Inc. Effective February 28, 2001, J.P. Morgan Fleming Asset Management (USA) Inc. (JPMFAM (USA)), acts as investment adviser to the Funds pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Advisory Agreement"). Subject to such policies as the Board of Trustees may determine, JPMFAM (USA) is responsible for investment decisions for the Funds. Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, JPMFAM (USA) provides the Funds with such investment advice and supervision as it deems necessary for the proper supervision of the Funds' investments. The advisers continuously provide investment programs and determine from time to time what securities shall be purchased, sold or exchanged and what portion of the Funds' assets shall be held uninvested. The advisers to the Funds furnish, at their own expense, all services, facilities and personnel necessary in connection with managing the investments and effecting portfolio transactions for the Funds. The Advisory Agreement for the Funds will continue in effect from year to year only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of a Funds' outstanding voting securities and by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Advisory Agreement. Under the Advisory Agreement the adviser may utilize the specialized portfolio skills of all its various affiliates, thereby providing the Funds with greater opportunities and flexibility in accessing investment expertise. Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the adviser is permitted to render services to others. Each advisory agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Funds on not more than 60 days', nor less than 30 days', written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of a Fund's shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, or by the adviser or sub-adviser on not more than 60 days', nor less than 30 days', written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act). The advisory agreements provide that the adviser under such agreement shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of portfolio transactions for the respective Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties thereunder. In the event the operating expenses of the Funds, including all investment advisory, administration and sub-administration fees, but excluding brokerage commissions and fees, taxes, interest and extraordinary expenses such as litigation, for any fiscal year exceed the most restrictive expense limitation applicable to the Funds imposed by the securities law or regulations thereunder of any state in which the shares of the Funds are qualified for sale as such limitations may be raised or lowered from time to time, the adviser shall reduce its advisory fee (which fee is described below) to the extent of its share of such excess expenses. The amount of any such reduction to be borne by the adviser shall be deducted from the monthly advisory fee otherwise payable with respect to the Funds during such fiscal year; and if such amounts should exceed the monthly fee, the adviser shall pay to a Fund its share of such excess expenses no later than the last day of the first month of the next succeeding fiscal year. 44 JPMFAM (USA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPMFAM (USA) is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser. Also included among JPMFAM (USA) accounts are commingled trust funds and a broad spectrum of individual trust and investment management portfolios. These accounts have varying investment objectives. JPMFAM (USA) is located at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, 10036. In consideration of the services provided by the adviser pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the adviser is entitled to receive from each Fund an investment advisory fee computed daily and paid monthly based on a rate equal to a percentage of such Fund's average daily net assets specified in the relevant Prospectuses. However, the adviser may voluntarily agree to waive a portion of the fees payable to it on a month-to-month basis. The contractual Advisory and Sub-Advisory fees for the Funds are as follows:
FUND ADVISORY FEE ---- ------------ Money Market Funds 0.10%
45 For the three most recent fiscal years, JPMFAM was paid or accrued the following investment advisory fees with respect to the following Funds, and voluntarily waived the amounts in parentheses following such fees with respect to each such period.
FISCAL YEAR- FISCAL YEAR- FISCAL YEAR- ENDED ENDED ENDED FUND 8/31/98 8/31/99 8/31/00 ---- ----------- ------------ ------------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 3,711,416 7,769,214 10,632,595 Waived -- -- -- JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 793,764 1,034,981 1,135,618 Waived -- -- -- JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 2,384,985 2,850,010 2,714,066 Waived -- -- -- JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 1,120,701 1,317,375 1,565,165 Waived -- -- --
46 ADMINISTRATOR Pursuant to an Administration Agreement (the "Administration Agreement"), the Chase Manhattan Bank ("Chase") serves as administrator of the Funds. Chase provides certain administrative services to the Funds, including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Funds' independent contractors and agents; preparation for signature by an officer of the Trust of all documents required to be filed for compliance by the Trust with applicable laws and regulations excluding those of the securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance data, including net asset value and yield; responding to shareholder inquiries; and arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Funds and providing, at its own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to carry out its duties. Chase in its capacity as administrator does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Funds, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund shares. Under the Administration Agreement Chase is permitted to render administrative services to others. The Administration Agreement will continue in effect from year to year with respect to each Fund only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of such Fund's outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Administration Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party. The Administration Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of each Fund on 60 days' written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of such Fund's shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, or by Chase on 60 days' written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Administration Agreement also provides that neither Chase nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any act or omission in the administration of the Funds, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its or their duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties under the Administration Agreement. In addition, the Administration Agreement provides that, in the event the operating expenses of any Fund, including all investment advisory, administration and sub-administration fees, but excluding brokerage commissions and fees, taxes, interest and extraordinary expenses such as litigation, for any fiscal year exceed the most restrictive expense limitation applicable to that Fund imposed by the securities laws or regulations thereunder of any state in which the shares of such Fund are qualified for sale, as such limitations may be raised or lowered from time to time, Chase shall reduce its administration fee (which fee is described below) to the extent of its share of such excess expenses. The amount of any such reduction to be borne by Chase shall be deducted from the monthly administration fee otherwise payable to Chase during such fiscal years; and if such amounts should exceed the monthly fee, Chase shall pay to such Fund its share of such excess expenses no later than the last day of the first month of the next succeeding fiscal year. In consideration of the services provided by Chase pursuant to the Administration Agreement, Chase receives from each Fund a fee computed daily and paid monthly at an annual rate equal to 0.05% of each Money Market Fund's average daily net assets on an annualized basis for the Fund's then-current fiscal year. Chase may voluntarily waive a portion of the fees payable to it with respect to each Fund on a month-to-month basis. 47 For the three most recent fiscal years, Chase was paid or accrued administration fees, and voluntarily waived the amounts in parentheses for the following Funds:
FISCAL YEAR- FISCAL YEAR- FISCAL YEAR- ENDED ENDED ENDED FUND 8/31/98 8/31/99 8/31/00 ---- ------------ ------------ ------------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 1,855,708 3,884,607 5,316,298 Waived -- -- -- JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 396,882 517,491 567,813 Waived -- -- -- JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 1,192,493 1,425,005 1,357,033 Waived -- -- -- JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 560,350 658,688 782,598 Waived -- -- --
48 DISTRIBUTION PLANS The Trust has adopted separate plans of distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (a "Distribution Plan") including Distribution Plans on behalf of the Cash Management, Class B and Class C shares of the JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund, the Investor Shares of the Money Market Funds (except the Prime Money Market Fund) and the Reserve Class Shares of the Money Market Funds, which provides that each of such classes of such Funds shall pay for distribution services a distribution fee (the "Distribution Fee"), including payments to the Distributor, at annual rates not to exceed the amounts set forth in their respective Prospectuses. The Distributor may use all or any portion of such Distribution Fee to pay for Fund expenses of printing prospectuses and reports used for sales purposes, expenses of the preparation and printing of sales literature and other such distribution-related expenses. Promotional activities for the sale of each class of shares of each Fund will be conducted generally by the JPMorgan Funds, and activities intended to promote one class of shares of a Fund may also benefit the Fund's other shares and other JPMorgan Funds. Class B and Class C shares pay a Distribution Fee of up to 0.75% of average daily net assets. The Distributor currently expects to pay sales commissions to a dealer at the time of sale of Class B shares of the Income Funds of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the shares sold by such dealer. The Distributor will use its own funds (which may be borrowed or otherwise financed) to pay such amounts. Because the Distributor will receive a maximum Distribution Fee of 0.75% of average daily net assets with respect to Class B and Class C shares, it will take the Distributor several years to recoup the sales commissions paid to dealers and other sales expenses. No class of shares of a Fund will make payments or be liable for any distribution expenses incurred by other classes of shares of such Fund. The Institutional Shares of the Money Market Funds have no distribution plan. There is no distribution plan for Premier Shares. Some payments under the Distribution Plans may be used to compensate broker-dealers with trail or maintenance commissions in an amount not to exceed 0.25% annualized of the average net asset value of the Class B shares or 0.75% annualized of the average net asset value of Class C shares maintained in a Fund by such broker-dealers' customers. Trail or maintenance commissions will be paid to broker-dealers beginning the 13th month following the purchase of such shares. Since the distribution fees are not directly tied to expenses, the amount of distribution fees paid by a class of a Fund during any year may be more or less than actual expenses incurred pursuant to the Distribution Plans. For this reason, this type of distribution fee arrangement is characterized by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission as being of the "compensation variety" (in contrast to "reimbursement" arrangements by which a distributor's payments are directly linked to its expenses). With respect to Class B shares of the Income Funds, because of the 0.75% annual limitation on the compensation paid to the Distributor during a fiscal year, compensation relating to a large portion of the commissions attributable to sales of Class B shares in any one year will be accrued and paid by a Fund to the Distributor in fiscal years subsequent thereto. However, the Shares are not liable for any distribution expenses incurred in excess of the Distribution Fee paid. In determining whether to purchase Class B shares of the Income Funds, investors should consider that compensation payments could continue until the Distributor has been fully reimbursed for the commissions paid on sales of Class B shares. Each class of shares is entitled to exclusive voting rights with respect to matters concerning its Distribution Plan. 49 Each Distribution Plan provides that it will continue in effect indefinitely if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Distribution Plan or in any agreement related to such Plan ("Qualified Trustees"). The continuance of each Distribution Plan was most recently approved on October 13, 1995. Each Distribution Plan requires that the Trust shall provide to the Board of Trustees, and the Board of Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the Distribution Plan. Each Distribution Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of Qualified Trustees shall be committed to the discretion of the disinterested Trustees (as defined in the 1940 Act) then in office. Each Distribution Plan may be terminated at any time by a vote of a majority of the Qualified Trustees or, with respect to a particular Fund, by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting Shares of the class of such Fund to which it applies (as defined in the 1940 Act). Each Distribution Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of permitted expenses thereunder without the approval of shareholders and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of the majority of both the Trustees and the Qualified Trustees. Each of the Funds will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to a Distribution Plan for a period of not less than six years from the date of the Distribution Plan, and for the first two years such copies will be preserved in an easily accessible place. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2000, the Distributor was paid or accrued the following Distribution Fees and voluntarily waived the amounts in parentheses following such fees with respect to the Shares of each Fund:
PAID/ACCRUED WAIVED ------------ ------------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund B Shares 164,175 -- C Shares 1,774 -- JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund Investor Shares 570,156 -- JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund Investor Shares 1,504,635 -- JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund Investor Shares 842,964 --
Amounts accrued and waived with respect to Reserve Shares of the Money Market Funds were less than $1. 50 Expenses paid by the Distributor related to the distribution of Trust shares during the year ended August 31, 2000 were as follows: Advertising and sales literature $1,542,103 Printing, production and mailing of prospectuses and shareholder reports to other than current shareholders 449,922 Compensation to dealers 715,616 Compensation to sales personnel 1,834,202 B share financing charges 351,353 Equipment, supplies and other indirect distribution-related expenses 221,757
With respect to the Class B shares of the Funds, the Distribution Fee was paid to FEP Capital L.P. for acting as finance agent. DISTRIBUTION AND SUB-ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT The Trust has entered into a Distribution and Sub-Administration Agreement dated August 24, 1995 (prior to such date, the Distributor served the Trust pursuant to a contract dated August 23, 1994 (April 15, 1994 with respect to the JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund and JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund)) (the "Distribution Agreement") with the Distributor, pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the Funds' exclusive underwriter, provides certain administration services and promotes and arranges for the sale of each class of Shares. The Fund's distributor is J.P. Morgan Fund Distributors, Inc. (the "Distributor"). The Distributor is a subsidiary of The BISYS Group, Inc. and is unaffiliated with Chase. The Distribution Agreement provides that the Distributor will bear the expenses of printing, distributing and filing prospectuses and statements of additional information and reports used for sales purposes, and of preparing and printing sales literature and advertisements not paid for by the Distribution Plans. The Trust pays for all of the expenses for qualification of the shares of each Fund for sale in connection with the public offering of such shares, and all legal expenses in connection therewith. In addition, pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor provides certain sub-administration services to the Trust, including providing officers, clerical staff and office space. Payments may also be used to compensate broker-dealers with trail or maintenance commissions at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net asset value of Class A or Class B shares invested in the Fund by customers of these broker-dealers. Trail or maintenance commissions are paid to broker-dealers beginning the 13th month following the purchase of shares by their customers. Promotional activities for the sale of Class A and Class B shares will be conducted generally by the JPMorgan Funds, and activities intended to promote the Fund's Class A or Class B shares may also benefit the Fund's other shares and other JPMorgan Funds. 51 The Distributor may provide promotional incentives to broker-dealers that meet specified sales targets for one or more JPMorgan Funds. These incentives may include gifts of up to $100 per person annually; an occasional meal, ticket to a sponsoring event or theater for entertainment for broker-dealers and their guests; and, payment or reimbursement for travel expenses, including lodging and meals, in connection with attendance at training and educational meetings within and outside the U.S. The Distributor may from time to time, pursuant to objective criteria established by it, pay additional compensation to qualifying authorized broker-dealers for certain services or activities which are primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the Fund. In some instances, such compensation may be offered only to certain broker-dealers who employ registered representatives who have sold or may sell significant amounts of shares of the Fund and/or other JPMorgan Funds during a specified period of time. Such compensation does not represent an additional expense to the Fund or its shareholders, since it will be paid by the Distributor out of compensation retained by it from the Fund or other sources available to it. The Distribution Agreement is currently in effect and will continue in effect with respect to each Fund only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of such Fund's outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of each Fund on 60 days' written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of such Fund's shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, or by the Distributor on 60 days' written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Distribution Agreement also provides that neither the Distributor nor its personnel shall be liable for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services under the Distribution Agreement, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations or duties. In the event the operating expenses of any Fund, including all investment advisory, administration and sub-administration fees, but excluding brokerage commissions and fees, taxes, interest and extraordinary expenses such as litigation, for any fiscal year exceed the most restrictive expense limitation applicable to that Fund imposed by the securities laws or regulations thereunder of any state in which the shares of such Fund are qualified for sale, as such limitations may be raised or lowered from time to time, the Distributor shall reduce its sub-administration fee with respect to such Fund (which fee is described below) to the extent of its share of such excess expenses. The amount of any such reduction to be borne by the Distributor shall be deducted from the monthly sub-administration fee otherwise payable with respect to such Fund during such fiscal year; and if such amounts should exceed the monthly fee, the Distributor shall pay to such Fund its share of such excess expenses no later than the last day of the first month of the next succeeding fiscal year. In consideration of the sub-administration services provided by the Distributor pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor receives an annual fee, payable monthly, of 0.05% of the net assets of each Fund. The Distributor may voluntarily agree to from time to time waive a portion of the fees payable to it under the Distribution Agreement with respect to each Fund on a month-to-month basis. For the three most recent 52 fiscal years, the Distributor was paid or accrued the following sub-administration fees under the Distribution Agreement, and voluntarily waived the amounts in parentheses following such fees:
FISCAL YEAR- FISCAL YEAR- FISCAL YEAR- ENDED ENDED ENDED FUND 8/31/98 8/31/99 8/31/00 ---- ------------ ------------- ------------- JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 1,855,708 3,884,607 5,316,298 Waived -- -- (103,182) JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 396,882 517,491 567,813 Waived -- -- -- JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 1,192,493 1,425,005 1,357,033 Waived (771,344) (883,470) (1,085,630) JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund Paid or Accrued 560,350 658,688 782,433 Waived -- (93,598) (369,133)
53 SHAREHOLDER SERVICING AGENTS, TRANSFER AGENT AND CUSTODIAN The Trust has entered into a shareholder servicing agreement (a "Servicing Agreement") with each Shareholder Servicing Agent to provide certain services including but not limited to the following: answer customer inquiries regarding account status and history, the manner in which purchases and redemptions of shares may be effected for the Fund as to which the Shareholder Servicing Agent is so acting and certain other matters pertaining to the Fund; assist shareholders in designating and changing dividend options, account designations and addresses; provide necessary personnel and facilities to establish and maintain shareholder accounts and records; assist in processing purchase and redemption transactions; arrange for the wiring of funds; transmit and receive funds in connection with customer orders to purchase or redeem shares; verify and guarantee shareholder signatures in connection with redemption orders and transfers and changes in shareholder-designated accounts; furnish (either separately or on an integrated basis with other reports sent to a shareholder by a Shareholder Servicing Agent) quarterly and year-end statements and confirmations of purchases and redemptions; transmit, on behalf of the Fund, proxy statements, annual reports, updated prospectuses and other communications to shareholders of the Fund; receive, tabulate and transmit to the Fund proxies executed by shareholders with respect to meetings of shareholders of the Fund; and provide such other related services as the Fund or a shareholder may request. Shareholder servicing agents may be required to register pursuant to state securities law. Shareholder Servicing Agents may subcontract with other parties for the provision of shareholder support services. Each Shareholder Servicing Agent may voluntarily agree from time to time to waive a portion of the fees payable to it under its Servicing Agreement with respect to each Fund on a month-to-month basis. Fees payable to the Shareholder Servicing Agents (all of which currently are related parties) and the amounts voluntarily waived (in parenthesis) for the three most recent fiscal years, were as follows:
FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR ENDED ENDED ENDED 8/31/98 8/31/99 8/31/00 PAID/ACCRUED WAIVED PAID/ACCRUED WAIVED PAID/ACCRUED WAIVED ------------ ------ ------------ ------ ------------ ------ JPMorgan Prime Money Market Fund Investor Shares -- -- 380,370 (138,642) 3,672,170 (181,026) Premier Shares 1,790,841 (437,878) 2,457,774 (408,608) 3,322,475 (496,433) Institutional Shares -- -- 5,798,758 (4,615,353) 8,233,800 (5,797,649) B Shares 33,276 (33,276) 58,849 (47,684) 54,111 (3,687) C Shares -- -- 471 -- 1,186 --
54
FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR ENDED ENDED ENDED 8/31/98 8/31/99 8/31/00 PAID/ACCRUED WAIVED PAID/ACCRUED WAIVED PAID/ACCRUED WAIVED ------------ ------ ------------ ------ ------------ ------ JPMorgan Federal Money Market Fund Investor Shares $1,037,279 $ (417,602) $1,661,050 $ (363,304) $1,995,816 $ (279,759) Premier Shares 786,613 (26,504) 713,973 -- 698,787 -- Institutional Shares -- -- 234,161 (206,517) 285,881 (206,476) JPMorgan Treasury Plus Money Market Fund Investor Shares 5,711,537 (1,344,998) 5,373,186 (1,078,231) 5,266,231 (1,163,606) Premier Shares 490,819 -- 620,423 (30,514) 844,514 (61,629) Institutional Shares -- -- 898,550 (437,527) 871,627 (542,937) JPMorgan Tax Free Money Market Fund Investor Shares 2,400,200 (873,791) 2,746,672 (1,000,326) 2,950,422 (1,084,670) Premier Shares 287,238 -- 298,470 (10,480) 338,669 (8,841) Institutional Shares -- -- 345,784 (343,502) 586,427 (583,598)
Amounts accrued and waived with respect to Reserve Shares of the Money Market Funds were less than $1. Shareholder servicing agents may offer additional services to their customers, including specialized procedures and payment for the purchase and redemption of Fund shares, such as pre-authorized or systematic purchase and redemption programs, "sweep" programs, cash advances and redemption checks. Each Shareholder Servicing Agent may establish its own terms and conditions, including limitations on the amounts of subsequent transactions, with respect to such services. Certain Shareholder Servicing Agents may (although they are not required by the Trust to do so) credit to the accounts of their customers from whom they are already receiving other fees amounts not exceeding such other fees or the fees for their services as Shareholder Servicing Agents. For shareholders that bank with Chase, Chase may aggregate investments in the JPMorgan Funds with balances held in Chase bank accounts for purposes of determining eligibility for certain bank privileges that are based on specified minimum balance requirements, such as reduced or no fees for certain banking services or preferred rates on loans and deposits. Chase and certain broker-dealers and other Shareholder Servicing Agents may, at their own expense, provide gifts, such as computer software packages, guides and books related to investment or additional Fund shares valued up to $250 to their customers that invest in the JPMorgan Funds. 55 Chase and/or the Distributor may from time to time, at their own expense out of compensation retained by them from the Fund or other sources available to them, make additional payments to certain selected dealers or other Shareholder Servicing Agents for performing administrative services for their customers. These services include maintaining account records, processing orders to purchase, redeem and exchange Fund shares and responding to certain customer inquiries. The amount of such compensation may be up to an additional 0.10% annually of the average net assets of the Fund attributable to shares if the Fund held by customers of such Shareholder Servicing Agents. Such compensation does not represent an additional expense to the Fund or its shareholders, since it will be paid by Chase andor the Distributor. The Trust has also entered into a Transfer Agency Agreement with DST Systems, Inc. ("DST") pursuant to which DST acts as transfer agent for the Trust. DST's address is 210 West 10th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105. Pursuant to a Custodian Agreement, Chase acts as the custodian of the assets of each Fund for which Chase receives such compensation as is from time to time agreed upon by the Trust and Chase. As custodian, Chase provides oversight and record keeping for the assets held in the portfolios of each Fund. Chase also provides fund accounting services for the income, expenses and shares outstanding for the Funds. Chase is located at 3 Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11245. For additional information, see the Prospectuses. INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS The financial statements incorporated herein by reference from the Trust's Annual Reports to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2000, and the related financial highlights which appear in the Prospectuses, have been incorporated herein and included in the Prospectuses in reliance on the reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, independent accountants of the Funds, given on the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP provides the Funds with audit services, tax return preparation and assistance and consultation with respect to the preparation of filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. CERTAIN REGULATORY MATTERS Chase and its affiliates may have deposit, loan and other commercial banking relationships with the issuers of securities purchased on behalf of any of the Funds, including outstanding loans to such issuers which may be repaid in whole or in part with the proceeds of securities so purchased. Chase and its affiliates deal, trade and invest for their own accounts in U.S. Government obligations, municipal obligations and commercial paper and are among the leading dealers of various types of U.S. Government obligations and municipal obligations. Chase and its affiliates may sell U.S. Government obligations and municipal obligations to, and purchase them from, other investment companies sponsored by the Funds' distributor or affiliates of the distributor. Chase will not invest any Fund assets in any U.S. Government obligations, municipal obligations or commercial paper purchased from itself or any affiliate, although under certain circumstances such securities may be purchased from other members of an underwriting syndicate in which Chase or an affiliate is a non-principal member. This restriction my limit the amount or type of U.S. Government obligations, municipal obligations or commercial paper available to be purchased by any Fund. Chase has informed the Funds that in making its investment decision, it does not obtain or use material inside information in the possession of any other division or department of Chase, including the division that performs services for the Trust as custodian, or in the possession of any affiliate of Chase. Shareholders of the Funds should be aware that, subject to applicable legal or regulatory restrictions, Chase and its affiliates may exchange among themselves certain information about the shareholder and his account. Transactions with affiliated broker-dealers will only be executed on an agency basis in accordance with applicable federal regulations. 56 GENERAL INFORMATION EXPENSES Each Fund pays the expenses incurred in its operations, including its pro rata share of expenses of the Trust. These expenses include investment advisory and administrative fees; the compensation of the Trustees; registration fees; interest charges; taxes; expenses connected with the execution, recording and settlement of security transactions; fees and expenses of the Funds' custodian for all services to the funds, including safekeeping of funds and securities and maintaining required books and accounts; expenses of preparing and mailing reports to investors and to government offices and commissions; expenses of meetings of investors; fees and expenses of independent accountants, of legal counsel and of any transfer agent, registrar or dividend disbursing agent of the Trust; insurance premiums; and expenses of calculating the net asset value of, and the net income on, shares of the Funds. Shareholder servicing and distribution fees are all allocated to specific classes of the Funds. In addition, the Funds may allocate transfer agency and certain other expenses by class. Service providers to a Fund may, from time to time, voluntarily waive all or a portion of any fees to which they are entitled. DESCRIPTION OF SHARES, VOTING RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES Mutual Fund Trust is an open-end, management investment company organized as Massachusetts business trust under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on February 4, 1994. Because certain of the Funds comprising the Trust are "non-diversified", more than 5% of any of the assets of any such Fund may be invested in the obligations of any single issuer, which may make the value of the shares in such a Fund more susceptible to certain risks than shares of a diversified mutual fund. The fiscal year-end of the Funds in the Trust is August 31. The Trust currently consists of series of shares of beneficial interest, par value $.001 per share. With respect to the Money Market Funds, the Trust may offer more than one class of shares. The Trust has reserved the right to create and issue additional series or classes. Each share of a series or class represents an equal proportionate interest in that series or class with each other share of that series or class. The shares of each series or class participate equally in the earnings, dividends and assets of the particular series or class. Expenses of the Trust which are not attributable to a specific series or class are allocated amount all the series in a manner believed by management of the Trust to be fair and equitable. Shares have no pre-emptive or conversion rights. Shares when issued are fully paid and non-assessable, except as set forth below. Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each whole share held, and each fractional share shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote, except that Trust shares held in the treasury of the Trust shall not be voted. Shares of each series or class generally vote together, except when required under federal securities laws to vote separately on matters that may affect a particular class, such as the approval of distribution plans for a particular class. With respect to shares purchased through a Shareholder Servicing Agent and, in the event written proxy instructions are not received by a Fund or its designated agent prior to a shareholder meeting at which a proxy is to be voted and the shareholder does not attend the meeting in person, the Shareholder Servicing Agent for such shareholder will be authorized pursuant to an applicable agreement with the shareholder to vote the shareholder's outstanding shares in the same proportion as the votes cast by other Fund shareholders represented at the meeting in person or by proxy. The categories of investors that are eligible to purchase shares and minimum investment requirements may differ for each class of the Funds' shares. In addition, other classes of Fund shares may be subject to differences in sales charge arrangements, ongoing distribution and service fee levels, and levels of certain other expenses, which will affect the relative performance of the different classes. Investors may call 1-800-622-4273 to obtain additional information about other classes of shares of the Funds that are offered. Any person entitled to receive compensation for selling or servicing shares of a Fund may receive different levels of compensation with respect to one class of shares over another. 57 Shareholders of the Morgan Shares, Premier Shares, Reserve Shares and Institutional Shares of the Money Market Funds bear the fees and expenses described herein and in the Prospectuses. The fees paid by the Morgan Shares to the Distributor and Shareholder Servicing Agent under the distribution plans and shareholder servicing arrangements for distribution expenses and shareholder services provided to investors by the Distributor and Shareholder Servicing Agents, absent waivers, generally are more than the respective fees paid under distribution plans and shareholder servicing arrangements adopted for the Premier Shares. The Institutional Shares pay no distribution or Shareholder Servicing fee. As a result, absent waivers, at any given time, the net yield on the Morgan Shares will be lower than the yield on the Premier Shares and the yield on the Premier Shares will be lower than the yield on Institutional Shares. Standardized yield quotations will be computed separately for each class of shares of a Fund. The Prime Money Market Fund offers both Class B and Class C shares. The classes of shares have different attributes relating to sales charges and expenses as described in the Prospectus. The relative impact of contingent deferred sales charges will depend upon the length of time a share is held. Selected dealers and financial consultants may receive different levels of compensation for selling one particular class of shares rather than another. The business and affairs of the Trust are managed under the general direction and supervision of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders but will hold special meetings of shareholders of a series or class when, in the judgment of the Trustees, it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for a shareholder vote. Shareholders have, under certain circumstances, the right to communicate with other shareholders in connection with requesting a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of removing one or more Trustees. Shareholders also have, in certain circumstances, the right to remove one or more Trustees without a meeting. No material amendment may be made to the Trust's Declaration of Trust without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each portfolio affected by the amendment. The Trust's Declaration of Trust provides that, at any meeting of shareholders of the Trust or of any series or class, a Shareholder Servicing Agent may vote any shares as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record and which are not represented in person or by proxy at the meeting, proportionately in accordance with the votes cast by holders of all shares of that portfolio otherwise represented at the meeting in person or by proxy as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record. Any shares so voted by a Shareholder Servicing Agent will be deemed represented at the meeting for purposes of quorum requirements. Shares have no preemptive or conversion rights. Shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, except as set forth below. Any series or class may be terminated (i) upon the merger or consolidation with, or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of its assets to, another entity, if approved by the vote of the holders of two-thirds of its outstanding shares, except that if the Board of Trustees recommends such merger, consolidation or sale or disposition of assets, the approval by vote of the holders of a majority of the series' or class' outstanding shares will be sufficient, or (ii) by the vote of the holders of a majority of its outstanding shares, or (iii) by the Board of Trustees by written notice to the series' or class' shareholders. Unless each series and class is so terminated, the Trust will continue indefinitely. Certificates are issued only upon the written request of a shareholder, subject to the policies of the investor's Shareholder Servicing Agent, but the Trust will not issue a stock certificate with respect to shares 58 that may be redeemed through expedited or automated procedures established by a Shareholder Servicing Agent. No certificates are issued for shares of the Money Market Funds. Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of a business trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for its obligations. However, the Trust's Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and provides for indemnification and reimbursement of expenses out of the Trust property for any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. The Trust's Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity bonding and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the Trust, its shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents covering possible tort and other liabilities. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust itself was unable to meet its obligations. The Trust's Declaration of Trust further provides that obligations of the Trust are not binding upon the Trustees individually but only upon the property of the Trust and that the Trustees will not be liable for any action or failure to act, errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law, but nothing in the Declaration of Trust protects a Trustee against any liability to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office. The Board of Trustees has adopted a code of ethics addressing personal securities transactions by investment personnel and access persons and other related matters. The code has been designated to address potential conflicts of interest that can arise in connection with personal trading activities of such persons. Persons subject to the code are generally permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, subject to certain prohibitions, pre-clearance requirements and blackout periods. 59 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS The Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders of each Fund including the reports of independent accountants, financial highlights and financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2000 and the period ended February 28, 2001, respectively, contained therein, are incorporated herein by reference. SPECIMEN COMPUTATIONS OF OFFERING PRICES PER SHARE The Shares of the Money Market Funds are offered for sale at Net Asset Value. 60 APPENDIX A DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS ISSUED OR GUARANTEED BY U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES OR INSTRUMENTALITIES FEDERAL FARM CREDIT SYSTEM NOTES AND BONDS--are bonds issued by a cooperatively owned nationwide system of banks and associations supervised by the Farm Credit Administration, an independent agency of the U.S. Government. These bonds are not guaranteed by the U.S. Government. MARITIME ADMINISTRATION BONDS--are bonds issued and provided by the Department of Transportation of the U.S. Government and are guaranteed by the U.S. Government. FNMA BONDS--are bonds guaranteed by the Federal National Mortgage Association. These bonds are not guaranteed by the U.S. Government. FHA DEBENTURES--are debentures issued by the Federal Housing Administration of the U.S. Government and are guaranteed by the U.S. Government. FHA INSURED NOTES--are bonds issued by the Farmers Home Administration of the U.S. Government and are guaranteed by the U.S. Government. GNMA CERTIFICATES--are mortgage-backed securities which represent a partial ownership interest in a pool of mortgage loans issued by lenders such as mortgage bankers, commercial banks and savings and loan associations. Each mortgage loan included in the pool is either insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration and therefore guaranteed by the U.S. Government. As a consequence of the fees paid to GNMA and the issuer of GNMA Certificates, the coupon rate of interest of GNMA Certificates is lower than the interest paid on the VA-guaranteed or FHA-insured mortgages underlying the Certificates. The average life of a GNMA Certificate is likely to be substantially less than the original maturity of the mortgage pools underlying the securities. Prepayments of principal by mortgagors and mortgage foreclosures may result in the return of the greater part of principal invested far in advance of the maturity of the mortgages in the pool. Foreclosures impose no risk to principal investment because of the GNMA guarantee. As the prepayment rate of individual mortgage pools will vary widely, it is not possible to accurately predict the average life of a particular issue of GNMA Certificates. The yield which will be earned on GNMA Certificates may vary form their coupon rates for the following reasons: (i) Certificates may be issued at a premium or discount, rather than at par; (ii) Certificates may trade in the secondary market at a premium or discount after issuance; (iii) interest is earned and compounded monthly which has the effect of raising the effective yield earned on the Certificates; and (iv) the actual yield of each Certificate is affected by the prepayment of mortgages included in the mortgage pool underlying the Certificates. Principal which is so prepaid will be reinvested, although possibly at a lower rate. In addition, prepayment of mortgages included in the mortgage pool underlying a GNMA Certificate purchased at a premium could result in a loss to a Fund. Due to the large amount of GNMA Certificates outstanding and active participation in the secondary market by securities dealers and investors, GNMA Certificates are highly liquid instruments. Prices of GNMA Certificates are readily available from securities dealers and depend on, among other things, the level of market rates, the Certificate's coupon rate and the prepayment experience of the pool of mortgages backing each Certificate. If agency securities are purchased at a premium above principal, the premium is not guaranteed by the issuing agency and a decline in the market value to par may result in a loss of the premium, which may be particularly likely in the event of a prepayment. When and if available, U.S. Government obligations may be purchased at a discount from face value. FHLMC CERTIFICATES AND FNMA CERTIFICATES--are mortgage-backed bonds issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and the Federal National Mortgage Association, respectively, and are guaranteed by the U.S. Government. GSA PARTICIPATION CERTIFICATES--are participation certificates issued by the General Services Administration of the U.S. Government and are guaranteed by the U.S. Government. A-1 NEW COMMUNITIES DEBENTURES--are debentures issued in accordance with the provisions of Title IV of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as supplemented and extended by Title VII of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970, the payment of which is guaranteed by the U.S. Government. PUBLIC HOUSING BONDS--are bonds issued by public housing and urban renewal agencies in connection with programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development of the U.S. Government, the payment of which is secured by the U.S. Government. PENN CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION CERTIFICATES--are certificates issued by Penn Central Transportation and guaranteed by the U.S. Government. SBA DEBENTURES--are debentures fully guaranteed as to principal and interest by the Small Business Administration of the U.S. Government. WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY BONDS--are bonds issued by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Some of the bonds issued prior to 1993 are guaranteed by the U.S. Government. FHLMC BONDS--are bonds issued and guaranteed by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. These bonds are not guaranteed by the U.S. Government. FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK NOTES AND BONDS--are notes and bonds issued by the Federal Home Loan Bank System and are not guaranteed by the U.S. Government. STUDENT LOAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION ("Sallie Mae") Notes and Bonds--are notes and bonds issued by the Student Loan Marketing Association and are not guaranteed by the U.S. Government. D.C. ARMORY BOARD BONDS--are bonds issued by the District of Columbia Armory Board and are guaranteed by the U.S. Government. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK CERTIFICATES--are certificates of beneficial interest and participation certificates issued and guaranteed by the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. and are guaranteed by the U.S. Government. In the case of securities not backed by the "full faith and credit" of the U.S. Government, the investor must look principally to the agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, and may not be able to assert a claim against the U.S. Government itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Investments may also be made in obligations of U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities other than those listed above. A-2 APPENDIX B DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS* The ratings of Moody's and Standard & Poor's represent their opinions as to the quality of various Municipal Obligations. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are not absolute standards of quality. Consequently, Municipal Obligations with the same maturity, coupon and rating may have different yields while Municipal Obligations of the same maturity and coupon with different ratings may have the same yield. DESCRIPTION OF MOODY'S FOUR HIGHEST MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS Aaa--Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues. Aa--Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities, or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude, or there may be other elements present which make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities. A--Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future. Baa--Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations; i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well. DESCRIPTION OF MOODY'S THREE HIGHEST RATINGS OF STATE AND MUNICIPAL NOTES Moody's ratings for state and municipal short-term obligations will be designated Moody's Investment Grade ("MIG"). Such ratings recognize the differences between short-term credit risk and long-term risk. Factors affecting the liquidity of the borrower and short-term cyclical elements are critical in short-term ratings, while other factors of major importance in bond risk, long-term secular trends for example, may be less important over the short run. A short-term rating may also be assigned on an issue having a demand feature-variable rate demand obligation or commercial paper programs; such ratings will be designated as "VMIG." Short-term ratings on issues with demand features are differentiated by the use of the VMIG symbol to reflect such characteristics as payment upon periodic demand rather than fixed maturity dates and payment relying on external liquidity. Symbols used are as follows: MIG-1/VMIG-1--Notes bearing this designation are of the best quality, enjoying strong protection from established cash flows of funds for their servicing or from established and broad-based access to the market for refinancing, or both. MIG-2/VMIG-2--Notes bearing this designation are of high quality, with margins of protection ample although not so large as in the preceding group. MIG-3/VMIG-3--Notes bearing this designation are of favorable quality, where all security elements are accounted for but there is lacking the undeniable strength of the preceding grade, liquidity and cash flow protection may be narrow and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well established. -------------- * As described by the rating agencies. Ratings are generally given to securities at the time of issuance. While the rating agencies may from time to time revise such ratings, they undertake no obligation to do so. B-1 DESCRIPTION OF STANDARD & POOR'S FOUR HIGHEST MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS AAA--Bonds rated AAA have the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong. AA--Bonds rated AA have a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differ from the highest rated issues only in small degree. A--Bonds rated A have a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal although they are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories. BBB--Bonds rated BBB are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas they normally exhibit adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for debt in this category than in higher rated categories. Plus (+) or Minus (-): The ratings from "AA" to "CCC" may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories. DESCRIPTION OF STANDARD & POOR'S RATINGS OF MUNICIPAL NOTES AND TAX-EXEMPT DEMAND BONDS A Standard & Poor's note rating reflects the liquidity concerns and market access risks unique to notes. Notes due in 3 years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes maturing beyond 3 years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following criteria will be used in making that assessment. --Amortization schedule (the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities the more likely it will be treated as a note). --Source of Payment (the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note). Note rating symbols are as follows: SP-1--Very strong or strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics will be given a plus (+) designation. SP-2--Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest. SP-3--Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest. Standard & Poor's assigns "dual" ratings to all long-term debt issues that have as part of their provisions a demand or double feature. The first rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second rating addresses only the demand feature. The long-term debt rating symbols are used for bonds to denote the long-term maturity and the commercial paper rating symbols are used to denote the put option (for example, "AAA/B-1+"). For the newer "demand notes," S&P's note rating symbols, combined with the commercial paper symbols, are used (for example, "SP-1+/A-1+"). DESCRIPTION OF STANDARD & POOR'S TWO HIGHEST COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS A Issues assigned this highest rating are regarded as having the greatest capacity for timely payment. Issues in this category are delineated with the numbers 1, 2 and 3 to indicate the relative degree of safety. B-1--This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is either overwhelming or very strong. Those issues determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics will be denoted with a plus (+) sign designation. A-2--Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is strong. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1. B-2 DESCRIPTION OF MOODY'S TWO HIGHEST COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS Moody's Commercial Paper ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to repay punctually promissory obligations not having an original maturity in excess of nine months. Moody's employs three designations, all judged to be investment grade, to indicate the relative repayment capacity of rated issuers: Prime-1, Prime-2 and Prime-3. Issuers rated Prime-1 (or related supporting institutions) have a superior capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. Prime-1 repayment capacity will normally be evidenced by the following characteristics: (1) leading market positions in well-established industries; (2) high rates of return on funds employed; (3) conservative capitalization structures with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection; (4) broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation; and (5) well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity. Issuers rated Prime-2 (or related supporting institutions) have a strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained. DESCRIPTION OF FITCH'S RATINGS OF MUNICIPAL NOTES AND TAX-EXEMPT DEMAND BONDS MUNICIPAL BOND RATINGS The ratings represent Fitch's assessment of the issuer's ability to meet the obligations of a specific debt issue or class of debt. The ratings take into consideration special features of the issuer, its relationship to other obligations of the issuer, the current financial condition and operative performance of the issuer and of any guarantor, as well as the political and economic environment that might affect the issuer's financial strength and credit quality. AAA--Bonds rated AAA are considered to be investment grade and of the highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable events. AA--Bonds rated AA are considered to be investment grade and of very high credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated AAA. Because bonds rated in the AAA and AA categories are not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is generally rated F-1. A--Bonds rated A are considered to be investment grade and of high credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstance than bonds with higher ratings. BBB--Bonds rated BBB are considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, however, are more likely to have adverse consequences on these bonds, and therefore impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for bonds with higher ratings. Plus and minus signs are used by Fitch to indicate the relative position of credit within a rating category. Plus and minus signs, however, are not used in the AAA category. SHORT-TERM RATINGS Fitch's short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable on demand or have original maturities of up to three years, including commercial paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal and investment notes. B-3 Although the credit analysis is similar to Fitch's bond rating analysis, the short-term rating places greater emphasis than bond ratings on the existence of liquidity necessary to meet the issuer's obligations in a timely manner. F-1+--Exceptionally Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating are regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment. F-1--Very Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect an assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated F-1+. F-2--Good Credit Quality. Issues carrying this rating have satisfactory degree of assurance for timely payments, but the margin of safety is not as great as the F-1+ and F-1 categories. F-3--Fair Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating have characteristics suggesting that the degree of assurance for timely payment is adequate, although near-term adverse changes could cause these securities to be rated below investment grade. B-4