John Hancock Investment Management makes enhancements to John Hancock Freedom 529 college savings plan

Introduces fee cut, increased contribution maximum, and a new benefit allowing John Hancock Freedom 529 beneficiaries to attend University of Alaska at in-state tuition rate

BOSTON, September 28, 2017—John Hancock Investment Management is helping customers save more for college with changes to its John Hancock Freedom 529 college savings plan, including a fee cut, an increase in the contribution maximum, and a new benefit that allows any John Hancock Freedom 529 beneficiary to attend the University of Alaska at in-state tuition rates.1

Effective September 15, 2017, the annual account maintenance fee for John Hancock Freedom 529 was reduced to $15 from $25. At the same time, the maximum contribution amount was increased from $400,000 to $475,000.

Also, beneficiaries of the John Hancock Freedom 529 college savings plan are now able to go to the University of Alaska at the in-state tuition rate, regardless of where they live, if they have held an account for at least the two years immediately preceding enrollment. The savings can be substantial: For the 2017–2018 academic year, the in-state total cost for tuition and fees is $6,186, a difference of more than $12,000 compared with the out-of-state total cost of $18,990.

“A college education, whether it be for a child, grandchild, or even themselves, is an aspiration for many of our customers,” said John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting and college savings at John Hancock Investment Management. “While our plan always offers customers the benefits of a multimanaged platform of more than 20 of the country’s leading money management firms and diversification by asset class and investment style, we’re constantly looking for additional ways to make the dream of a college education more achievable.”

If your state or your designated beneficiary’s state offers a 529 plan, you may want to consider what, if any, potential state income-tax or other benefits it offers before investing. State tax or other benefits should be one of many factors to be considered prior to making an investment decision. Please consult with your financial, tax, or other advisor about how these state benefits, if any, may apply to your specific circumstances. You may also contact your state 529 plan or any other 529 college savings plan to learn more about their features. Please contact your financial consultant or call 866-222-7498 to obtain a Plan Disclosure Document or prospectus for any of the underlying funds. The Plan Disclosure Document contains complete details on investment objectives, risks, fees, charges, and expenses, as well as more information about municipal fund securities and the underlying investment companies that should be considered before investing. Please read the Plan Disclosure Document carefully prior to investing

John Hancock Freedom 529 is a college savings plan offered by the Education Trust of Alaska, managed by T. Rowe Price, and distributed by John Hancock Distributors LLC through other broker-dealers that have a selling agreement with John Hancock Distributors LLC. John Hancock Distributors LLC is a member of FINRA and is listed with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). © 2017 John Hancock. All rights reserved. Information included in this material is believed to be accurate as of the September 2017 printing date.

About John Hancock Investment Management
John Hancock has helped individuals and institutions build and protect wealth since 1862. Today, we are one of the strongest and most-recognized financial brands. We serve investors globally through a unique multimanager approach: We search the world to find proven portfolio teams with specialized expertise for every strategy we offer, then we apply robust investment oversight to ensure they continue to meet our uncompromising standards and serve the best interests of our shareholders. Our approach to asset management has led to a diverse set of investments deeply rooted in investor needs, along with strong risk-adjusted returns across asset classes.

About John Hancock and Manulife
John Hancock is a division of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers’ needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States, and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were over CAD$1 trillion (US$780 billion) as of June 30, 2017. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com.

One of the largest life insurers in the United States, John Hancock supports approximately 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, college savings, and certain forms of business insurance. We also offer advice through Signator, a network of independent financial advisors. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

1 To qualify, the beneficiary needs to be accepted and the account holder needs to have held the account for at least the two years immediately preceding enrollment.

Important disclosures