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Your Fund’s Expenses
As a Fund shareholder, you can incur two types of costs:
- Transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on Fund purchases; and
- Ongoing Fund costs, including management fees, distribution and service (12b-1) fees, and other Fund expenses. All mutual funds have ongoing costs, sometimes referred to as operating expenses.
The following table shows ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and can help you understand these costs and compare them with those of other mutual funds. The table assumes a $1,000 investment held for the six months indicated.
Actual Fund Expenses
The first line (Actual) for each share class listed in the table provides actual account values and expenses. The “Ending Account Value” is derived from the Fund’s actual return, which includes the effect of Fund expenses.
You can estimate the expenses you paid during the period by following these steps. Of course, your account value and expenses will differ from those in this illustration:
| 1. | Divide your account value by $1,000. |
| If an account had an $8,600 value, then $8,600 ÷ $1,000 = 8.6. | |
| 2. | Multiply the result by the number under the heading “Expenses Paid During Period.” |
| If Expenses Paid During Period were $7.50, then 8.6 x $7.50 = $64.50. |
In this illustration, the estimated expenses paid this period are $64.50.
Hypothetical Example for Comparison with Other Funds
Information in the second line (Hypothetical) for each class in the table can help you compare ongoing costs of investing in the Fund with those of other mutual funds. This information may not be used to estimate the Fund’s actual ending account balance or expenses you paid during the period. The hypothetical “Ending Account Value” is based on the actual expense ratio for each class and an assumed 5% annual rate of return before expenses, which does not represent the Fund’s actual return. The figure under the heading “Expenses Paid During Period” shows the hypothetical expenses your account would have incurred under this scenario. You can compare this figure with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.
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Franklin Money Fund
Notes to Financial Statements
1. ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Franklin Money Fund (Fund) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (1940 Act) as an open-end investment company. Effective May 1, 2013, the Fund offers two classes of shares: Class A and Class R6. Outstanding shares before that date were designated as Class A shares. Each class of shares differs by its initial sales load, contingent deferred sales charges, voting rights on matters affecting a single class, its exchange privilege and fees primarily due to differing arrangements for distribution and transfer agent fees.
The Fund invests substantially all of its assets in The Money Market Portfolio (Portfolio), which is registered under the 1940 Act as an open-end investment company. The accounting policies of the Portfolio, including the Portfolio’s security valuation policies, will directly affect the recorded value of the Fund’s investment in the Portfolio. The financial statements of the Portfolio, including the Statement of Investments, are included elsewhere in this report and should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s financial statements.
The following summarizes the Fund’s significant accounting policies.
a. Financial Instrument Valuation
The Fund holds Portfolio shares that are valued at the closing net asset value of the Portfolio. Under procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the Board), the Fund’s administrator, investment manager and other affiliates have formed the Valuation and Liquidity Oversight Committee (VLOC). The VLOC provides administration and oversight of the Fund’s valuation policies and procedures, which are approved annually by the Board. At June 30, 2013, the Fund owned 11.10% of the Portfolio.
b. Income Taxes
It is the Fund’s policy to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code. The Fund intends to distribute to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income and net realized gains to relieve it from federal income and excise taxes. As a result, no provision for U.S. federal income taxes is required.
The Fund recognizes the tax benefits of uncertain tax positions only when the position is “more likely than not” to be sustained upon examination by the tax authorities based on the technical merits of the tax position. As of June 30, 2013, and for all open tax years, the Fund has determined that no liability for unrecognized tax benefits is required in the Fund’s financial statements related to uncertain tax positions taken on a tax return (or expected to be taken on future tax returns). Open tax years are those that remain subject to examination and are based on each tax jurisdiction statute of limitation.
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Franklin Money Fund
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
| 1. | ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| c. | Security Transactions, Investment Income, Expenses and Distributions |
Security transactions are accounted for on trade date. Realized gains and losses on security transactions are determined on a specific identification basis. Income received from the Portfolio and estimated expenses are accrued daily. Dividends from net investment income are normally declared and distributed daily; these dividends may be reinvested or paid monthly to shareholders. Distributions to shareholders are determined according to income tax regulations (tax basis). Distributable earnings determined on a tax basis may differ from earnings recorded in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no impact on net assets or the results of operations. Temporary differences are not reclassified, as they may reverse in subsequent periods.
Net investment income, not including class specific expenses, is allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative value of the settled shares of each class. Realized and unrealized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class. Differences in per share distributions, by class, are generally due to differences in class specific expenses.
d. Accounting Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
e. Guarantees and Indemnifications
Under the Fund’s organizational documents, its officers and directors are indemnified by the Fund against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Fund. Additionally, in the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts with service providers that contain general indemnification clauses. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet occurred. Currently, the Fund expects the risk of loss to be remote.
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Franklin Money Fund
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
| 3. | TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES (continued) |
| c. | Transfer Agent Fees |
Class A pays transfer agent fees to Investor Services for its performance of shareholder servicing obligations and reimburses Investor Services for out of pocket expenses incurred, including shareholding servicing fees paid to third parties. These fees are allocated daily based upon their relative proportion of such classes’ aggregate net assets. Class R6 pays Investor Services transfer agent fees specific to that class.
For the year ended June 30, 2013, the Fund paid transfer agent fees of $2,332,072, as noted in the Statement of Operations, of which $1,398,874 was retained by Investor Services.
d. Waiver and Expense Reimbursements
In efforts to prevent a negative yield, FT Services and Investor Services have voluntarily agreed to waive or limit their respective fees, assume as their own expense certain expenses otherwise payable by the Fund and if necessary, make a capital infusion into the Fund. These waivers, expense reimbursements and capital infusions are voluntary and may be modified or discontinued by FT Services or Investor Services at any time, and without further notice. There is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to avoid a negative yield.
4. INCOME TAXES
At June 30, 2013, the cost of investments and undistributed ordinary income for book and income tax purposes were the same.
5. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
The Fund follows a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between market data obtained from independent sources (observable inputs) and the Fund’s own market assumptions (unobservable inputs). These inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s financial instruments and are summarized in the following fair value hierarchy:
- Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical financial instruments
- Level 2 – other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar financial instruments, interest rates, prepayment speed, credit risk, etc.)
- Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of financial instruments)
The inputs or methodology used for valuing financial instruments are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those financial instruments.
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Franklin Money Fund
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
5. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (continued)
For movements between the levels within the fair value hierarchy, the Fund has adopted a policy of recognizing the transfers as of the date of the underlying event which caused the movement.
At June 30, 2013, all of the Fund’s investments in financial instruments carried at fair value were valued using Level 1 inputs.
6. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
In June 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2013-08, Investment Companies (Topic 946): Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements. The ASU modifies the criteria used in defining an investment company under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and also sets forth certain measurement and disclosure requirements. Under the ASU, an entity that is registered under the 1940 Act automatically qualifies as an investment company. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013. The Fund is currently reviewing the requirements and believes the adoption of this ASU will not have a material impact on its financial statements.
7. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Fund has evaluated subsequent events through the issuance of the financial statements and determined that no events have occurred that require disclosure.
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Franklin Money Fund
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of Franklin Money Fund
In our opinion, the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the statement of investments, and the related statements of operations and of changes in net assets and the financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Franklin Money Fund (the “Fund”) at June 30, 2013, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and the financial highlights for the periods presented, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements and financial highlights (hereafter referred to as “financial statements”) are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits, which included confirmation of investments with the underlying portfolio’s transfer agent at June 30, 2013, provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
San Francisco, California
August 16, 2013
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The Money Market Portfolios
Notes to Financial Statements
The Money Market Portfolio
1. ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The Money Market Portfolios (Trust) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (1940 Act) as an open-end investment company, consisting of one portfolio, The Money Market Portfolio (Portfolio). The shares of the Portfolio are issued in private placements and are exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933.
The following summarizes the Portfolio’s significant accounting policies.
a. Financial Instrument Valuation
Securities are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Amortized cost is an income-based approach which involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter assuming a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium. Under procedures approved by the Portfolio’s Board of Trustees (the Board), the Portfolio’s administrator, investment manager and other affiliates have formed the Valuation and Liquidity Oversight Committee (VLOC). The VLOC provides administration and oversight of the Portfolio’s valuation policies and procedures, which are approved annually by the Board.
b. Repurchase Agreements
The Portfolio enters into repurchase agreements, which are accounted for as a loan by the Portfolio to the seller, collateralized by securities which are delivered to the Portfolio’s custodian. The market value, including accrued interest, of the initial collateralization is required to be at least 102% of the dollar amount invested by the Portfolio, with the value of the underlying securities marked to market daily to maintain coverage of at least 100%. Repurchase agreements are subject to the terms of Master Repurchase Agreements (MRAs) with approved counterparties (sellers). The MRAs contain various provisions, including but not limited to events of default and maintenance of collateral for repurchase agreements. In the event of default by either the seller or the Portfolio, certain MRAs may permit the non-defaulting party to net and close-out all transactions, if any, traded under such agreements. The Portfolio may sell securities it holds as collateral and apply the proceeds towards the repurchase price and any other amounts owed by the seller to the Portfolio in the event of default by the seller. This could involve costs or delays in addition to a loss on the securities if their value falls below the repurchase price owed by the seller. All repurchase agreements held by the Portfolio at year end, as indicated in the Statement of Investments, had been entered into on June 28, 2013.
c. Income Taxes
It is the Portfolio’s policy to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code. The Portfolio intends to distribute to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income and net realized gains to relieve it from federal income and excise taxes. As a result, no provision for U.S. federal income taxes is required.
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The Money Market Portfolios
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
The Money Market Portfolio
| 1. | ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued) |
| c. | Income Taxes (continued) |
The Portfolio recognizes the tax benefits of uncertain tax positions only when the position is “more likely than not” to be sustained upon examination by the tax authorities based on the technical merits of the tax position. As of June 30, 2013, and for all open tax years, the Portfolio has determined that no liability for unrecognized tax benefits is required in the Portfolio’s financial statements related to uncertain tax positions taken on a tax return (or expected to be taken on future tax returns). Open tax years are those that remain subject to examination and are based on each tax jurisdiction statute of limitation.
d. Security Transactions, Investment Income, Expenses and Distributions
Security transactions are accounted for on trade date. Realized gains and losses on security transactions are determined on a specific identification basis. Interest income and estimated expenses are accrued daily. Amortization of premium and accretion of discount on debt securities are included in interest income. Dividends from net investment income are normally declared daily; these dividends may be reinvested or paid monthly to shareholders. Distributions to shareholders are determined according to income tax regulations (tax basis). Distributable earnings determined on a tax basis may differ from earnings recorded in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts to reflect their tax character. These reclassifications have no impact on net assets or the results of operations. Temporary differences are not reclassified, as they may reverse in subsequent periods.
e. Accounting Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
f. Guarantees and Indemnifications
Under the Trust’s organizational documents, its officers and trustees are indemnified by the Trust against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Trust. Additionally, in the normal course of business, the Trust, on behalf of the Portfolio, enters into contracts with service providers that contain general indemnification clauses. The Trust’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Trust that have not yet occurred. Currently, the Trust expects the risk of loss to be remote.
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The Money Market Portfolios
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
The Money Market Portfolio
6. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (continued)
The inputs or methodology used for valuing financial instruments are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those financial instruments. Money market securities may be valued using amortized cost, in accordance with the 1940 Act. Generally, amortized cost reflects the current fair value of a security, but since the value is not obtained from a quoted price in an active market, such securities are reflected as Level 2 inputs.
For movements between the levels within the fair value hierarchy, the Portfolio has adopted a policy of recognizing the transfers as of the date of the underlying event which caused the movement.
At June 30, 2013, all of the Portfolio’s investments in financial instruments carried at fair value were valued using Level 2 inputs.
7. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-11, Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. The amendments in the ASU enhance disclosures about offsetting of financial assets and liabilities to enable investors to understand the effect of these arrangements on a fund’s financial position. In January 2013, FASB issued ASU No. 2013-01, Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. The amendments in ASU No. 2013-01 clarify the intended scope of disclosures required by ASU No. 2011-11. These ASUs are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013. The Portfolio believes the adoption of these ASUs will not have a material impact on its financial statements.
In June 2013, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2013-08, Investment Companies (Topic 946): Amendments to the Scope, Measurement, and Disclosure Requirements. The ASU modifies the criteria used in defining an investment company under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and also sets forth certain measurement and disclosure requirements. Under the ASU, an entity that is registered under the 1940 Act automatically qualifies as an investment company. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013. The Portfolio is currently reviewing the requirements and believes the adoption of this ASU will not have a material impact on its financial statements.
8. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Portfolio has evaluated subsequent events through the issuance of the financial statements and determined that no events have occurred that require disclosure.
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The Money Market Portfolios
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Trustees and Shareholders of The Money Market Portfolio
In our opinion, the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the statement of investments, and the related statements of operations and of changes in net assets and the financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of The Money Market Portfolio (the “Fund”) at June 30, 2013, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements and financial highlights (hereafter referred to as “financial statements”) are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits, which included confirmation of securities at June 30, 2013 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers, provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
San Francisco, California
August 16, 2013
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Franklin Money Fund
Shareholder Information
Board Review of Investment Management Agreement
At a meeting held February 26, 2013, the Board of Trustees (Board), including a majority of non-interested or independent Trustees, approved renewal of the investment management agreement for the Fund. In reaching this decision, the Board took into account information furnished throughout the year at regular Board meetings, as well as information prepared specifically in connection with the annual renewal review process. Information furnished and discussed throughout the year included investment performance reports and related financial information for the Fund, along with periodic reports on expenses, shareholder services, legal and compliance matters, pricing, and other services provided by the Investment Manager (Manager) and its affiliates, as well as a third-party survey of transfer agent fees charged Funds within the Franklin Templeton Investments complex in comparison with those charged other fund complexes deemed comparable. Information furnished specifically in connection with the renewal process included a report for the Fund prepared by Lipper, Inc. (Lipper), an independent organization, as well as additional material, including a Fund profitability analysis prepared by management. The Lipper report compared the Fund’s investment performance and expenses with those of other mutual funds deemed comparable to the Fund as selected by Lipper. The Fund profitability analysis discussed the profitability to Franklin Templeton Investments from its overall U.S. fund operations, as well as on an individual fund-by-fund basis. Additional material accompanying such profitability analysis included information on a fund-by-fund basis listing portfolio managers and other accounts they manage, as well as information on management fees charged by the Manager and its affiliates to U.S. mutual funds and other accounts, including management’s explanation of differences where relevant. Such material also included a memorandum prepared by management describing project initiatives and capital investments relating to the services provided to the Fund by the Franklin Templeton Investments organization, as well as a memorandum relating to economies of scale and an analysis concerning transfer agent fees charged by an affiliate of the Manager.
In considering such materials, the independent Trustees received assistance and advice from and met separately with independent counsel. In approving continuance of the investment management agreement for the Fund, the Board, including a majority of independent Trustees, determined that the existing management fee structure was fair and reasonable and that continuance of the investment management agreement was in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. While attention was given to all information furnished, the following discusses some primary factors relevant to the Board’s decision.
NATURE, EXTENT AND QUALITY OF SERVICES. The Board was satisfied with the nature and quality of the overall services provided by the Manager and its affiliates to the Fund and its shareholders. In addition to investment performance and expenses discussed later, the Board’s opinion was based, in part, upon periodic reports furnished it showing that the investment policies and restrictions for the Fund were consistently complied with as well as other reports periodically furnished the Board covering matters such as the compliance of portfolio managers and other management personnel with the code of ethics adopted throughout the Franklin Templeton fund complex, the adherence to fair value pricing procedures established by the Board, and the accuracy
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Franklin Money Fund
Shareholder Information (continued)
Board Review of Investment Management Agreement (continued)
of net asset value calculations. The Board also noted the extent of benefits provided Fund shareholders from being part of the Franklin Templeton family of funds, including the right to exchange investments between the same class of funds without a sales charge, the ability to reinvest Fund dividends into other funds and the right to combine holdings in other funds to obtain a reduced sales charge. Favorable consideration was given to management’s continuous efforts and expenditures in establishing back-up systems and recovery procedures to function in the event of a natural disaster, it being noted that such systems and procedures had functioned well during the Florida hurricanes and blackouts experienced in previous years, and that those operations in the New York/New Jersey area ran smoothly during the more recent Hurricane Sandy. Consideration was also given to the experience of the Fund’s portfolio management team, the number of accounts managed and general method of compensation. In this latter respect, the Board noted that a primary factor in management’s determination of a portfolio manager’s bonus compensation was the relative investment performance of the funds he or she managed and that a portion of such bonus was required to be invested in a predesignated list of funds within such person’s fund management area so as to be aligned with the interests of shareholders. The Board also took into account the quality of transfer agent and shareholder services provided Fund shareholders by an affiliate of the Manager and the continuous enhancements to the Franklin Templeton website. Particular attention was given to management’s conservative approach and diligent risk management procedures, including continuous monitoring of counterparty credit risk and attention given to derivatives and other complex instruments including expanded collateralization requirements. The Board also took into account, among other things the strong financial position of the Manager’s parent company and its commitment to the mutual fund business as evidenced by its subsidization of money market funds.
INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE. The Board placed significant emphasis on the investment performance of the Fund in view of its importance to shareholders. While consideration was given to performance reports and discussions with portfolio managers at Board meetings during the year, particular attention in assessing such performance was given to the Lipper report furnished for the agreement renewal. The Lipper report prepared for the Fund showed its investment performance for the year ended December 31, 2012, as well as the previous 10 years ended that date in comparison to a performance universe consisting of the Fund and all retail money market instrument funds as selected by Lipper. The Lipper report showed the Fund’s total return for 2012 to be in the second-lowest performing quintile of the performance universe, and on an annualized basis to be in the second-lowest quintile of such universe for the previous three- and five-year periods, and in the middle performing quintile of such universe for the previous 10-year period. In discussing performance, management explained that it reflected the Fund’s conservative policy of focusing on safety and liquidity by investing in short-term securities having the highest rating from all rating agencies that rate the issue and that the Fund’s portfolio held no Tier II securities, which generally offer higher yields. The Board found such performance to be acceptable in light of such explanation, noting also that the Fund’s expenses were subsidized by management to avoid net asset value falling below one dollar per share, and that the median return within the Lipper performance universe for the one-year period was just one basis point.
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Franklin Money Fund
Shareholder Information (continued)
Board Review of Investment Management Agreement (continued)
COMPARATIVE EXPENSES. Consideration was given to a comparative analysis of the management fees and total expense ratio of the Fund compared with those of a group of other funds selected by Lipper as its appropriate Lipper expense group. Lipper expense data is based upon information taken from each fund’s most recent annual report, which reflects historical asset levels that may be quite different from those currently existing, particularly in a period of market volatility. While recognizing such inherent limitation and the fact that expense ratios generally increase as assets decline and decrease as assets grow, the Board believed the independent analysis conducted by Lipper to be an appropriate measure of comparative expenses. In reviewing comparative costs, Lipper provides information on the Fund’s contractual investment management fee in comparison with the contractual investment management fee that would have been charged by other funds within its Lipper expense group assuming they were similar in size to the master money market fund through which the Fund invests, as well as the actual total expense ratio of the Fund in comparison with those of its Lipper expense group. The Lipper contractual investment management fee analysis includes administrative charges as being part of a management fee. The results of such comparisons showed the Fund’s contractual investment management fee rate to be in the second most expensive quintile of its Lipper expense group, but its actual total expense ratio to be in the least expensive quintile of its Lipper expense group. In discussing the expense comparisons, management pointed out that this Fund is not actively marketed and largely serves as an alternative and often temporary investment vehicle for shareholders of the various Franklin/Templeton/Mutual Series Fund families and provides a number of courtesy services to shareholders, including check writing and wiring privileges. Management also pointed out that it was subsidizing the Fund’s expenses. The Board found such comparative expenses to be satisfactory, noting the points made by management.
MANAGEMENT PROFITABILITY. The Board also considered the level of profits realized by the Manager and its affiliates in connection with the operation of the Fund. In this respect, the Board reviewed the Fund profitability analysis that addresses the overall profitability of Franklin Templeton’s U.S. fund business, as well as its profits in providing management and other services to each of the individual funds during the 12-month period ended September 30, 2012, being the most recent fiscal year-end for Franklin Resources, Inc., the Manager’s parent. In reviewing the analysis, attention was given to the methodology followed in allocating costs to the Fund, it being recognized that allocation methodologies are inherently subjective and various allocation methodologies may each be reasonable while producing different results. In this respect, the Board noted that, while being continuously refined and reflecting changes in the Manager’s own cost accounting, the allocation methodology was consistent with that followed in profitability report presentations for the Fund made in prior years and that the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm had been engaged by the Manager to periodically review the reasonableness of the allocation methodologies solely for use by the Fund’s Board in reference to the profitability analysis. In reviewing and discussing such analysis, management discussed with the Board its belief that costs incurred in establishing the infrastructure necessary for the type of mutual fund operations conducted by the Manager and its affiliates may not be fully reflected in the expenses allocated to the Fund in determining its profitability, as well as the fact that the level of profits, to a certain extent, reflected
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Franklin Money Fund
Shareholder Information (continued)
Board Review of Investment Management Agreement (continued)
operational cost savings and efficiencies initiated by management. The Board also took into account management’s expenditures in improving shareholder services provided the Fund, as well as the need to implement systems and meet additional regulatory and compliance requirements resulting from statutes such as the Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank Acts and recent SEC and other regulatory requirements. In addition, the Board considered a third-party study comparing the profitability of the Manager’s parent on an overall basis to other publicly held managers broken down to show profitability from management operations exclusive of distribution expenses, as well as profitability including distribution expenses. The Board also considered the extent to which the Manager and its affiliates might derive ancillary benefits from fund operations, including revenues generated from transfer agent services. Based upon its consideration of all these factors, and taking into account the fact that the Fund’s expenses were being subsidized, the Board determined that the level of profits realized by the Manager and its affiliates from providing services to the Fund was not excessive in view of the nature, quality and extent of services provided.
ECONOMIES OF SCALE. The Board also considered whether economies of scale are realized by the Manager as the Fund grows larger and the extent to which this is reflected in the level of management fees charged. While recognizing that any precise determination is inherently subjective, the Board noted that based upon the Fund profitability analysis, it appears that as some funds get larger, at some point economies of scale do result in the Manager realizing a larger profit margin on management services provided such a fund. The Board also noted that economies of scale are shared with a fund and its shareholders through management fee breakpoints so that as a fund grows in size, its effective management fee rate declines. Fees under the Fund’s investment management agreement consist of a flat 0.15% advisory fee component paid at the master fund level and a separate administrative fee of 0.455% on the first $100 million of Fund net assets; 0.330% on the next $150 million of Fund net assets; and 0.280% on the Fund’s net assets in excess of $250 million. The Fund’s net assets were approximately $1.83 billion on December 31, 2012. While intending to continuously review this issue, the Board believed it problematic that the Manager and its affiliates realized any economies of scale in furnishing advisory and administrative services to the Fund in view of the transitory nature of the Fund’s investment role within the Franklin Templeton Investments fund complex, the services provided its shareholders, and management’s subsidization of its expenses.
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
The Trust’s investment manager has established Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (Policies) that the Trust uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities. Shareholders may view the Trust’s complete Policies online at franklintempleton.com. Alternatively, shareholders may request copies of the Policies free of charge by calling the Proxy Group collect at (954) 527-7678 or by sending a written request to: Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC, 300 S.E. 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, Attention: Proxy Group. Copies of the Trust’s proxy voting records are also made available online at franklintempleton.com and posted on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at sec.gov and reflect the most recent 12-month period ended June 30.
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Franklin Money Fund
Shareholder Information (continued)
Quarterly Statement of Investments
The Trust files a complete statement of investments with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the first and third quarters for each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Shareholders may view the filed Form N-Q by visiting the Commission’s website at sec.gov. The filed form may also be viewed and copied at the Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. Information regarding the operations of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling (800) SEC-0330.
Householding of Reports and Prospectuses
You will receive the Fund’s financial reports every six months as well as an annual updated summary prospectus (prospectus available upon request). To reduce Fund expenses, we try to identify related shareholders in a household and send only one copy of the financial reports and summary prospectus. This process, called “householding,” will continue indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. If you prefer not to have these documents householded, please call us at (800) 632-2301. At any time you may view current prospectuses/summary prospectuses and financial reports on our website. If you choose, you may receive these documents through electronic delivery.
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