John Hancock Advisers, LLC 200 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116

Exhibit 99.(h).5

Xxxx Xxxxxxx Advisers, LLC 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX 00000  

June 26, 2019

To the Trustees of

Xxxx Xxxxxxx Funds

000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx

Boston, MA 02116

Re:     Expense Limitation Letter Agreement

With reference to the Advisory Agreement approved by the Board or entered into by and between Xxxx Xxxxxxx Advisers, LLC (the “Adviser”) and Xxxx Xxxxxxx Strategic Series (the “Trust”), on behalf of each of its respective series listed in Appendix A (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), we hereby notify you as follows:

1. The Adviser agrees to contractually waive or, to the extent necessary, reimburse its advisory fees and other expenses of each Fund (“Expenses”). “Expenses” means all the expenses of a Fund but excluding: (i) taxes; (ii) brokerage commissions; (iii) interest expense; (iv) litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business; (v) borrowing costs; and (vi) acquired fund fees and expenses paid indirectly. This Agreement expires on September 30, 2022, unless renewed by mutual agreement of the fund and the advisor based upon a determination that this is appropriate under the circumstances at that time.

2. We understand and intend that the Trust will rely on this undertaking in overseeing the preparation and filing of Post-effective Amendments to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A for the Funds with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in accruing each Fund’s expenses for purposes of calculating its net and gross asset value per share, and for other purposes permitted under Form N-1A and/or the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and we expressly permit the Trust so to rely.

3. A copy of the document establishing each Trust is filed with the Secretary of The commonwealth of Massachusetts. This Agreement is executed by the officer in his or her capacity as such and not as an individual and is not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trusts individually but only upon the assets of the Funds.

			Very truly yours,
			XXXX XXXXXXX ADVISERS, LLC
			By:	/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
				Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
				Chief Financial Officer

Agreed and Accepted

on behalf of each applicable Trust listed in Appendix A

By:	/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
	Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
	Chief Financial Officer

APPENDIX A

XXXX XXXXXXX STRATEGIC SERIES

Xxxx Xxxxxxx Managed Account Shares Investment-Grade Corporate Bond Portfolio

Xxxx Xxxxxxx Managed Account Shares Securitized Debt Portfolio

Xxxx Xxxxxxx Managed Account Shares Non-Investment-Grade Corporate Bond Portfolio