ITEM 4. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
(a) Audit Fees The aggregate Audit Fees billed by KPMP LLP (“KPMG”) for professional services rendered for the audits of the financial statements, or services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2024 and October 31, 2023 were $62,814 and $60,078, respectively.
(b) Audit-Related Fees The aggregate Audit-Related Fees billed by KPMG for services rendered for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the funds financial statements, but not reported as Audit Fees for fiscal years ended October 31, 2024 and October 31, 2023 were $0 and $0, respectively.
(c) Tax Fees The aggregate Tax Fees billed by KPMG for professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2024 and October 31, 2023 were $21,847 and $19,748, respectively.
Fees included in the Tax Fee category comprise all services performed by professional staff in the independent accountant’s tax division except those services related to the audit. These services include preparation of tax returns, tax advice related to mergers, and a review of the fund income and capital gain distributions.
(d) All Other Fees The aggregate Other Fees billed by KPMG for all other non-audit services rendered to the Funds for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2024 and October 31, 2023 were $0 and $2,350, respectively.
(e)(1) Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures.
The Funds’ Audit Committee must pre-approve all audit and non-audit services provided by the independent accountant relating to the operations or financial reporting of the Funds. Prior to the commencement of any audit or non-audit services to a fund, the Audit Committee reviews the services to determine whether they are appropriate and permissible under applicable law.
The Funds’ Audit Committee has adopted a policy whereby audit and non-audit services performed by the Funds’ independent accountant require pre-approval in advance at regularly scheduled Audit Committee meetings. If such a service is required between regularly scheduled Audit Committee meetings, pre-approval may be authorized by the Audit Committee Chairperson with ratification at the next scheduled audit committee meeting.
(e)(2) No services included in (b) – (d) of this Item 4 were approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.
(f) Not Applicable.
(g) The Funds’ independent accountant did not provide any services to the investment advisor or any affiliate for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2024 and October 31, 2023. The Funds have not paid any fees for non-audit services not previously disclosed in Item 4 (b) – (d).
(h) The Registrant’s audit committee of the Board of Directors has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the Registrant’s investment adviser, and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the Registrant that are not pre-approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant’s independence. No such services were rendered.
(i) Not Applicable.
(j) Not Applicable.