waiver amounted to 0.01% of the fund's average net assets (on an annualized basis). This arrangement may be amended or terminated at any time by the Advisor upon notice to the fund and with the approval of the Board of Trustees.
For the six months ended November 30, 2016, the expense reductions amounted to the following:
| | | | |
Class | Expense reduction | | Class | Expense reduction |
Class A | $6,070 | | Class C | $1,781 |
Class B | 223 | | Total | $8,074 |
Expenses waived or reimbursed in the current fiscal period are not subject to recapture in the future fiscal periods.
The investment management fees, including the impact of the waivers and reimbursements as described above, incurred for the six months ended November 30, 2016 were equivalent to a net annual effective rate of 0.56% of the fund's average daily net assets.
Accounting and legal services. Pursuant to a service agreement, the fund reimburses the Advisor for all expenses associated with providing the administrative, financial, legal, accounting and recordkeeping services to the fund, including the preparation of all tax returns, periodic reports to shareholders and regulatory reports, among other services. These expenses are allocated to each share class based on its relative net assets at the time the expense was incurred. These accounting and legal services fees incurred for the six months ended November 30, 2016 amounted to an annual rate of 0.02% of the fund's average daily net assets.
Distribution and service plans. The fund has a distribution agreement with the Distributor. The fund has adopted distribution and service plans with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, to pay the Distributor for services provided as the distributor of shares of the fund. The fund may pay up to the following contractual rates of distribution and service fees under these arrangements, expressed as an annual percentage of average daily net assets for each class of the fund's shares:
| | | | |
Class | Rule 12b-1 fee | | Class | Rule 12b-1 fee |
Class A | 0.25% | | Class C | 1.00% |
Class B | 1.00% | |
The Distributor has contractually agreed to waive and limit Rule 12b-1 fees for Class A, Class B and Class C shares to the extent necessary to achieve aggregate fees of 0.15%, 0.90% and 0.90%, respectively. The current agreement expires on September 30, 2017, unless renewed by mutual agreement of the fund and the Distributor based upon a determination that this is appropriate under the circumstances at the time. This contractual waiver and limit amounted to $80,510, $2,954 and $23,600 for Class A, Class B, and Class C shares, respectively, for the six months ended November 30, 2016.
Sales charges. Class A shares are assessed up-front sales charges, which resulted in payments to the Distributor amounting to $320,728 for the six months ended November 30, 2016. Of this amount, $46,474 was retained and used for printing prospectuses, advertising, sales literature and other purposes, $273,116 was paid as sales commissions to broker-dealers and $1,138 was paid as sales commissions to sales personnel of Signator Investors, Inc., a broker-dealer affiliate of the Advisor.
Class A, Class B and Class C shares may be subject to contingent deferred sales charges (CDSCs). Certain Class A shares that are acquired through purchases of $1 million or more and are redeemed within one year of purchase are subject to a 1.00% sales charge. Class B shares that are redeemed within six years of purchase are subject to CDSCs, at declining rates, beginning at 5.00%. Class C shares that are redeemed within one year of purchase are subject to a 1.00% CDSC. CDSCs are applied to the lesser of the current market value at the time of redemption or the original purchase cost of the shares being redeemed. Proceeds from CDSCs are used to compensate the Distributor for providing distribution-related services in connection with the sale of these shares. During the six months ended November 30, 2016, CDSCs received by the Distributor amounted to $9,500, $1,452 and $1,950 for Class A, Class B and Class C shares, respectively.
Transfer agent fees. The fund has a transfer agent agreement with John Hancock Signature Services, Inc. (Signature Services), an affiliate of the Advisor. The transfer agent fees paid to Signature Services are determined based on the cost to Signature Services (Signature Services Cost) of providing recordkeeping services. It also includes out-of-pocket expenses, including payments made to third-parties for recordkeeping services provided to their clients who invest in one or more John Hancock funds. In addition,