Certifications
I, Jonathan S. Horwitz, the Principal Executive Officer of the funds listed on Attachment A, certify that:
1. I have reviewed each report on Form N-CSR of the funds listed on Attachment A:
2. Based on my knowledge, each report does not contain any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by each report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in each report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in each report;
4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:
a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which each report is being prepared;
b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of each report based on such evaluation; and
d) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed to each registrant's auditors and the audit committee of each registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect each registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and
b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in each registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
Date: September 27, 2010
/s/ Jonathan S. Horwitz
_______________________
Jonathan S. Horwitz
Principal Executive Officer
Certifications
I, Steven D. Krichmar, the Principal Financial Officer of the funds listed on Attachment A, certify that:
1. I have reviewed each report on Form N-CSR of the funds listed on Attachment A:
2. Based on my knowledge, each report does not contain any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by each report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in each report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in each report;
4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:
a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which each report is being prepared;
b) designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of each report based on such evaluation; and
d) disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed to each registrant's auditors and the audit committee of each registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect each registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and
b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in each registrant's internal control over financial reporting.
Date: September 27, 2010
/s/ Steven D. Krichmar
_______________________
Steven D. Krichmar
Principal Financial Officer
| Attachment A | ||
| N-CSR | ||
| Period (s) ended July 31, 2010 | ||
| Putnam AMT- Free Municipal Fund | ||
| Putnam Tax-Free High Yield Fund | ||
| George Putnam Balanced Fund (formerly The George Putnam Fund of Boston) | ||
| Putnam Voyager Fund | ||
| Putnam Research Fund | ||
| Putnam Vista Fund | ||
| Putnam Premier Income Trust | ||
| Putnam Investors Fund | ||
| Putnam Growth Opportunities Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady 2050 Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady 2045 Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady 2040 Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady 2035 Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady 2030 Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady 2025 Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady 2020 Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady 2015 Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady 2010 Fund | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady Maturity Fund | ||