Manulife reducing fees, risk ratings on certain funds

Manulife Investments is reducing management and trailer fees, and lowering the risk rating for certain funds.

After business close on Aug. 1, trailer fees will be reduced to 1% from 1.25% for Advisor Series or Series T bought under the front-end sales option for Manulife Simplicity Balanced Portfolio, Manulife Simplicity Global Balanced Portfolio and Manulife Simplicity Growth Portfolio, the firm said in a release.

The reductions will bring the trailer fees “in line with industry rates,” the release said. “By normalizing dealer compensation, we expect to simplify the comparing and contrasting aspect of fund selection for advisors and investors.”

Manulife also announced the following management fee reductions:

Fund	Series affected	Fee reduction
Manulife Growth Portfolio	Series F and Series FT	0.10%
Manulife Fundamental Dividend Fund (formerly Manulife Canadian Dividend Income Fund)	Advisor Series and Series T	0.06%
Manulife Simplicity Balanced Portfolio	Advisor Series and Series T	0.25%
Manulife Simplicity Global Balanced Portfolio	Advisor Series and Series T	0.25%
Manulife Simplicity Growth Portfolio	Advisor Series and Series T	0.25%
Manulife Conservative Portfolio	Series F and Series FT	0.07%
Manulife Moderate Portfolio	Series F and Series FT	0.10%
Manulife Balanced Portfolio	Series F and Series FT	0.10%
Manulife U.S. Dividend Income Class	Advisor Series and Series T Series F and Series FT	0.04% 0.05%
Manulife Money Market Fund	Series N	0.05%

The risk ratings for the funds listed below will also be changed around Aug. 1:

Funds	Current rating	New rating
Manulife U.S. Dollar U.S. All Cap Equity Fund	Medium to high	Medium
Manulife U.S. Opportunities Fund	Medium to high	Medium
Manulife Simplicity Moderate Portfolio	Low to medium	Low
Manulife Yield Opportunities Fund	Low to medium	Low
Manulife Strategic Income Fund	Low to medium	Low
Manulife Global Fixed Income Private Trust	Low to medium	Low
Manulife Balanced Income Private Trust	Low to medium	Low

The firm also announced that the Manulife Private Investment Pools will be available through the Manulife Dollar-Cost Averaging Fund beginning around Aug. 1.

Fund closures and distribution changes

Series D of Manulife U.S. Dollar Strategic Balanced Yield Fund will close on Aug. 1, and Series C of Manulife Money Market Fund will be capped.

Manulife also announced the following distribution rate changes for Series FT and Series T funds, effective after business close on Aug. 1:

Fund name	Current target distribution rate Series FT and T	New target distribution rate Series FT and T
Manulife Canadian Dividend Growth Fund	8%	6%
Manulife Canadian Dividend Growth Class	8%	6%
Manulife Fundamental Income Fund (formerly Manulife Canadian Monthly Income Fund)	8%	6%
Manulife Fundamental Income Class (formerly Manulife Canadian Monthly Income Class)	8%	6%
Manulife Global Dividend Growth Fund	8%	6%
Manulife Global Dividend Growth Class	8%	6%
Manulife Global Real Estate Unconstrained Fund	8%	6%
Manulife Simplicity Growth Portfolio	8%	6%
Manulife Tactical Income Fund	8%	6%
Manulife Simplicity Conservative Portfolio	5%	6%

Staff

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Fund closures and distribution changes

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