Exhibit 7(a)
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Draft--February 23, 1996
Rule 00x-0 Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx xxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxx Tax-Free Income Trust -- Florida Series -- Class C Shares
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RULE 12b-1 DISTRIBUTION PLAN AND AGREEMENT dated as of July 12, 1996 by and
between LORD XXXXXX TAX-FREE INCOME TRUST, a Massachusetts business trust (the
"Fund"), on behalf of its FLORIDA SERIES (the "Series"), and LORD XXXXXX
DISTRIBUTOR LLC, a New York limited liability company (the "Distributor").
WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end management investment company registered
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Act"); and the
Distributor is the exclusive selling agent of the Fund's shares of beneficial
interest, including the Series' Class C shares (the "Shares") pursuant to the
Distribution Agreement between the Fund and the Distributor, dated as of the
date hereof, and
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to adopt a Distribution Plan and Agreement (the
"Plan") for the Series with the Distributor, as permitted by Rule 12b-1 under
the Act, pursuant to which the Series may make certain payments to the
Distributor for payment to institutions and persons permitted by applicable law
and/or rules to receive such payments ("Authorized Institutions") in connection
with sales of Shares and for use by the Distributor as provided in paragraph 3
of this Plan, and
WHEREAS, the Fund's Board of Trustees has determined that there is a
reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Series and the holders of
the Shares.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and of other good
and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, it is
agreed as follows:
1. The Fund hereby authorizes the Distributor to enter into agreements
with Authorized Institutions (the "Agreements") which may provide for the
payment to such Authorized Institutions of distribution and service fees which
the Distributor receives from the Series in order to provide incentives to such
Authorized Institutions (i) to sell Shares and (ii) to provide continuing
information and investment services to their accounts holding Shares and
otherwise to encourage their accounts to remain invested in the Shares. The
Distributor may, from time to time, waive or defer payment of some fees payable
at the time of the sale of Shares provided for under paragraph 2 hereof.
2. Subject to possible reduction as provided below in this paragraph 2,
the Series shall pay to the Distributor fees (i) at the time of sale of Shares
(a) for services, not to exceed .25 of 1% of the net asset value of the Shares
sold and (b) for distribution, not to exceed .75 of 1% of the net asset value of
the Shares sold; and (ii) at each quarter-end after the first anniversary of the
sale of Shares (a) for services, at an annual rate not to exceed .25 of 1% of
the average annual net asset value of Shares outstanding for one year or more
and (b) for distribution, at an annual rate not to exceed .75 of 1% of the
average annual net asset value of Shares outstanding for one year or more. For
purposes of clause (ii) above, (A) Shares issued pursuant to an exchange for
Class C shares of another series of the Fund or another Lord Xxxxxx-sponsored
fund (or for shares of a fund acquired by the Fund) will be credited with the
time held from the initial purchase of such other shares when determining how
long Shares mentioned in clause (ii) have been outstanding and (B) payments will
be based on Shares outstanding during any such quarter. Sales in clause (i)
above exclude Shares issued for reinvested dividends and distributions, and
Shares outstanding in clause (ii) above include Shares issued for reinvested
dividends and distributions which have been outstanding for one year or more.
The Board of Trustees of the Fund shall from time to time determine the amounts,
within the foregoing maximum amounts, that the Series may pay the Distributor
hereunder. Such determinations by the Board of Trustees shall be made by votes
of the kind referred to in paragraph 10 of this Plan. The service fees mentioned
in this paragraph are for the purposes mentioned in clause (ii) of paragraph 1
of this Plan and the distribution fees mentioned in this paragraph are for the
purposes mentioned in clause (i) of paragraph 1 and the second sentence of
paragraph 3 of this Plan. The Distributor will monitor the payments hereunder
and shall reduce such payments or take such other steps as may be necessary to
assure that (x) the payments pursuant to this Plan shall be consistent with
Article III, Section 26, subparagraphs (d)(2) and (5) of the Rules of Fair
Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. with respect to
investment companies with asset-based sales charges and service fees as the same
may be in effect from time to time and (y) the Series shall not pay with respect
to any Authorized Institution service fees equal to more than .25 of 1% of the
average annual net asset value of Shares sold by (or attributable to shares sold
by) such Authorized Institution and held in an account covered by an Agreement.
3. The Distributor may use amounts received as distribution fees hereunder
from the Series to finance any activity which is primarily intended to result in
the sale of Shares including, but not limited to, commissions or other payments
relating to selling or servicing efforts. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, the Distributor may apply up to 10 of the total basis points
authorized by the Fund's Board of Trustees designated as the distribution fee
referred to in clause
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(ii)(b) of paragraph 2 to expenses incurred by the Distributor if such expenses
are primarily intended to result in the sale of Shares. The Fund's Board of
Trustees (in the manner contemplated in paragraph 10 of this Plan) shall approve
the timing, categories and calculation of any payments under this paragraph 3
other than those referred to in the foregoing sentence.
4. The net asset value of the Shares shall be determined as provided in
the Declaration of Trust of the Fund. If the Distributor waives all or a
portion of fees which are to be paid by the Series hereunder, the Distributor
shall not be deemed to have waived its rights under this Agreement to have the
Series pay such fees in the future.
5. The Secretary of the Fund, or in his absence the Chief Financial
Officer, is hereby authorized to direct the disposition of monies paid or
payable by the Series hereunder and shall provide to the Fund's Board of
Trustees, and the Board of Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a written
report of the amounts so expended pursuant to this Plan and the purposes for
which such expenditures were made.
6. Neither this Plan nor any other transaction between the parties hereto
pursuant to this Plan shall be invalidated or in any way affected by the fact
that any or all of the trustees, officers, shareholders, or other
representatives of the Fund are or may be "interested persons" of the
Distributor, or any successor or assignee thereof, or that any or all of the
trustees, officers, partners, or other representatives of the Distributor are or
may be "interested persons" of the Fund, except as otherwise may be provided in
the Act.
7. The Distributor shall give the Fund the benefit of the Distributor's
best judgment and good faith efforts in rendering services under this Plan.
Other than to abide by the provisions hereof and render the services called for
hereunder in good faith, the Distributor assumes no responsibility under this
Plan and, having so acted, the Distributor shall not be held liable or held
accountable for any mistake of law or fact, or for any loss or damage arising or
resulting therefrom suffered by the Fund, the Series or any of the shareholders,
creditors, trustees or officers of the Fund; provided however, that nothing
herein shall be deemed to protect the Distributor against any liability to the
Fund or the Series' shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or
gross negligence in the performance of its duties hereunder, or by reason of the
reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder.
8. This Plan shall become effective on the date hereof, and shall continue
in effect for a period of more than one year from such date only so long as
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such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund, including the vote of a majority of the trustees
who are not "interested persons" of the Fund and who have no direct or indirect
financial interest in the operation of this Plan or in any agreement related to
this Plan, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
renewal.
9. This Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount to be
spent by the Series hereunder without the vote of a majority of its outstanding
voting securities and each material amendment must be approved by a vote of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund, including the vote of a majority of the trustees
who are not "interested persons" of the Fund and who have no direct or indirect
financial interest in the operation of this Plan or in any agreement related to
this Plan, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
amendment.
10. Amendments to this Plan other than material amendments of the kind
referred to in the foregoing paragraph 9 of this Plan may be adopted by a vote
of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, including the vote of a majority of the
trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Fund and who have no direct or
indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or in any agreement
related to this Plan. The Board of Trustees of the Fund may, by such a vote,
interpret this Plan and make all determinations necessary or advisable for its
administration.
11. This Plan may be terminated at any time without the payment of any
penalty by (a) the vote of a majority of the trustees of the Fund who are not
"interested persons" of the Fund and have no direct or indirect financial
interest in the operation of this Plan or in any agreement related to this Plan,
or (b) by a shareholder vote in compliance with Rule 12b-1 and Rule 18f-3 under
the Act as in effect at such time. This Plan shall automatically terminate in
the event of its assignment.
12. So long as this Plan shall remain in effect, the selection and
nomination of those trustees of the Fund who are not "interested persons" of the
Fund are committed to the discretion of such disinterested trustees. The terms
"interested persons," "assignment" and "vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities" shall have the same meaning as those terms are defined in the
Act.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this instrument to be
executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative as
of the date first above written.
LORD XXXXXX TAX-FREE INCOME
TRUST
By:
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President
ATTEST:
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Assistant Secretary
LORD XXXXXX DISTRIBUTOR LLC
By:
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