SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM S-6 For Registration Under the Securities Act of 1933 of Securities of Unit Investment Trusts Registered on Form N-8B-2 A. Exact Name of Trust: FT 847 B. Name of Depositor: FIRST TRUST PORTFOLIOS L.P. C. Complete Address of Depositor's 1001 Warrenville Road Principal Executive Offices: Lisle, Illinois 60532 D. Name and Complete Address of Agents for Service: FIRST TRUST PORTFOLIOS L.P. Attention: James A. Bowen Suite 300 1001 Warrenville Road Lisle, Illinois 60532 CHAPMAN & CUTLER LLP Attention: Eric F. Fess 111 West Monroe Street Chicago, Illinois 60603 E. Title of Securities Being Registered: An indefinite number of Units pursuant to Rule 24f-2 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. F. Approximate Date of Proposed Sale to the Public: ____ Check if it is proposed that this filing will become effective on _____ at ____ p.m. pursuant to Rule 487. The registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine. SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED APRIL 21, 2004 Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18 FT 847 FT 847 is a series of a unit investment trust, the FT Series. FT 847 consists of a single portfolio known as Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18 (the "Trust"). The Trust invests in a diversified portfolio of preferred stocks and trust preferred securities (the "Securities") of which approximately __% of the portfolio consists of Securities with an investment grade rating and approximately __% of the portfolio consists of Securities rated below investment grade by one or more rating agencies. See "Risk Factors" for a discussion of the risk of investing in "high-yield" or "junk" Securities. The Trust seeks to provide diversification and the potential for a high level of current income. THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED. FIRST TRUST (R) 1-800-621-9533 The date of this prospectus is May __, 2004 Page 1 Table of Contents Summary of Essential Information 3 Fee Table 4 Report of Independent Auditors 5 Statement of Net Assets 6 Schedule of Investments 7 The FT Series 9 Portfolio 9 Risk Factors 10 Public Offering 11 Distribution of Units 14 The Sponsor's Profits 15 The Secondary Market 15 How We Purchase Units 15 Expenses and Charges 15 Tax Status 16 Retirement Plans 18 Rights of Unit Holders 18 Income and Capital Distributions 19 Redeeming Your Units 20 Removing Securities from the Trust 21 Amending or Terminating the Indenture 21 Information on the Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator 22 Other Information 23 Credit Rating Definitions 23 Page 2 Summary of Essential Information Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18 FT 847 At the Opening of Business on the Initial Date of Deposit-May __, 2004 Sponsor: First Trust Portfolios L.P. Trustee: JPMorgan Chase Bank Evaluator: First Trust Advisors L.P. Initial Number of Units (1) Fractional Undivided Interest in the Trust per Unit (1) 1/ Public Offering Price: Aggregate Offering Price Evaluation of Securities per Unit (2) $ 9.900 Maximum Sales Charge of 4.95% of the Public Offering Price per Unit (5.00% of the net amount invested, exclusive of the deferred sales charge and creation and development fee) (3) $ .495 Less Deferred Sales Charge per Unit $ (.345) Less Creation and Development Fee per Unit $ (.050) Public Offering Price per Unit (4) $10.000 Sponsor's Initial Repurchase Price per Unit (5) $ 9.555 Redemption Price per Unit (based on aggregate underlying value of Securities less deferred sales charge) (5) $ 9.555 Estimated Net Annual Distribution per Unit for the first year (6) $ Cash CUSIP Number Reinvestment CUSIP Number Fee Accounts Cash CUSIP Number Fee Accounts Reinvestment CUSIP Number Security Code Ticker Symbol First Settlement Date May __, 2004 Mandatory Termination Date (7) May 12, 2009 Income Distribution Record Date Fifteenth day of each month, commencing June 15, 2004. Income Distribution Date (6) Last day of each month, commencing June 30, 2004. ______________ <FN> NOTES TO SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL INFORMATION (1) As of the close of business on the Initial Date of Deposit, we may adjust the number of Units of the Trust so that the Public Offering Price per Unit will equal approximately $10.00. If we make such an adjustment, the fractional undivided interest per Unit will vary from the amounts indicated above. (2) Each listed Security is valued at its last closing sale price. If a Security is not listed, or if no closing sale price exists, it is valued at its closing ask price. Evaluations for purposes of determining the purchase, sale or redemption price of Units are made as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day on which it is open (the "Evaluation Time"). (3) The maximum sales charge consists of an initial sales charge, a deferred sales charge and the creation and development fee. See "Fee Table" and "Public Offering." (4) The Public Offering Price shown above reflects the value of the Securities on the business day prior to the Initial Date of Deposit. No investor will purchase Units at this price. The price you pay for your Units will be based on their valuation at the Evaluation Time on the date you purchase your Units. On the Initial Date of Deposit, the Public Offering Price per Unit will not include any accumulated dividends on the Securities. After this date a pro rata share of any accumulated dividends on the Securities will be included. (5) Until the earlier of six months after the Initial Date of Deposit or the end of the initial offering period, the Sponsor's Initial Repurchase Price per Unit and the Redemption Price per Unit will include the creation and development fee and estimated organization costs per Unit set forth under "Fee Table." After such date, the Sponsor's Repurchase Price and Redemption Price per Unit will not include such creation and development fee and estimated organization costs. See "Redeeming Your Units." (6) The estimated net annual distribution for subsequent years, $ per Unit, is expected to be less than that set forth above for the first year because a portion of the Securities included in the Trust will be sold during the first year to pay for organization costs, the deferred sales charge and the creation and development fee. The actual net annual distribution you will receive will vary from that set forth above with changes in the Trust's fees and expenses, in dividends received and with the sale of Securities. See "Fee Table" and "Expenses and Charges." Distributions from the Capital Account will be made monthly on the last day of the month to Unit holders of record on the fifteenth day of such month if the amount available for distribution equals at least $1.00 per 100 Units. In any case, the Trustee will distribute any funds in the Capital Account in December of each year and as part of the final liquidation distribution. (7) See "Amending or Terminating the Indenture." </FN> Page 3 Fee Table This Fee Table describes the fees and expenses that you may, directly or indirectly, pay if you buy and hold Units of the Trust. See "Public Offering" and "Expenses and Charges." Although the Trust has a term of approximately five years and is a unit investment trust rather than a mutual fund, this information allows you to compare fees. Amount per Unit _____ Unit Holder Sales Fees (as a percentage of public offering price) Maximum Sales Charge Initial sales charge 1.00%(a) $.100 Deferred sales charge 3.45%(b) $.345 Creation and development fee 0.50%(c) $.050 _______ _______ Maximum Sales Charge (including creation and development fee) 4.95% $.495 ======= ======= Organization Costs (as a percentage of public offering price) Estimated organization costs .290%(d) $.0290 ======= ======= Estimated Annual Trust Operating Expenses(e) (as a percentage of average net assets) Portfolio supervision, bookkeeping, administrative and evaluation fees % $ Trustee's fee and other operating expenses %(f) $ _______ _______ Total % $ ======= ======= Example This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Trust with the cost of investing in other investment products. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Trust for the periods shown and sell your Units at the end of those periods. The example also assumes a 5% return on your investment each year and that the Trust's operating expenses stay the same. The example does not take into consideration transaction fees which may be charged by certain broker/dealers for processing redemption requests. Although your actual costs may vary, based on these assumptions your costs would be: 1 Year 3 Years 5 Years ______ _______ _______ $ $ $ The example will not differ if you hold rather than sell your Units at the end of each period. _____________ <FN> (a) The combination of the initial and deferred sales charge comprises what we refer to as the "transactional sales charge." The initial sales charge is actually equal to the difference between the maximum sales charge of 4.95% and the sum of any remaining deferred sales charge and creation and development fee. (b) The deferred sales charge is a fixed dollar amount equal to $.345 per Unit which, as a percentage of the Public Offering Price, will vary over time. The deferred sales charge will be deducted in three monthly installments commencing November 19, 2004. (c) The creation and development fee compensates the Sponsor for creating and developing the Trust. The creation and development fee is a charge of $.050 per Unit collected at the end of the initial offering period which is expected to be approximately six months from the Initial Date of Deposit. If the price you pay for your Units exceeds $10 per Unit, the creation and development fee will be less than 0.50%; if the price you pay for your Units is less than $10 per Unit, the creation and development fee will exceed 0.50%. (d) Estimated organization costs will be deducted from the assets of the Trust at the earlier of six months after the Initial Date of Deposit or the end of the initial offering period. (e) Each of the fees listed herein is assessed on a fixed dollar amount per Unit basis which, as a percentage of average net assets, will vary over time. (f) Other operating expenses include the costs incurred by the Trust for annually updating the Trust's registration statement. Other operating expenses, however, do not include brokerage costs and other portfolio transaction fees. In certain circumstances the Trust may incur additional expenses not set forth above. See "Expenses and Charges." </FN> Page 4 Report of Independent Auditors The Sponsor, First Trust Portfolios L.P., and Unit Holders FT 847 We have audited the accompanying statement of net assets, including the schedule of investments, of FT 847, comprising Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18 (the "Trust"), as of the opening of business on May __, 2004 (Initial Date of Deposit). This statement of net assets is the responsibility of the Trust's Sponsor. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on this statement of net assets based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the statement of net assets is free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the statement of net assets. Our procedures included confirmation of the irrevocable letter of credit held by JPMorgan Chase Bank, the Trustee, and deposited in the Trust for the purchase of Securities, as shown in the statement of net assets, as of the opening of business on May __, 2004, by correspondence with the Trustee. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by the Trust's Sponsor, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the statement of net assets. We believe that our audit of the statement of net assets provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the statement of net assets referred to above presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of FT 847, comprising Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18, at the opening of business on May __, 2004 (Initial Date of Deposit) in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP Chicago, Illinois May __, 2004 Page 5 Statement of Net Assets Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18 FT 847 At the Opening of Business on the Initial Date of Deposit-May __, 2004 NET ASSETS Investment in Securities represented by purchase contracts (1) (2) $ Less liability for reimbursement to Sponsor for organization costs (3) ( ) Less liability for deferred sales charge (4) ( ) Less liability for creation and development fee (5) ( ) ________ Net assets $ ======== Units outstanding Net asset value per Unit (6) $ ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS Cost to investors (7) $ Less maximum sales charge (7) ( ) Less estimated reimbursement to Sponsor for organization costs (3) ( ) ________ Net assets $ ======== _____________ <FN> NOTES TO STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS (1) The Trust invests in a diversified portfolio of preferred stocks and trust preferred securities. Aggregate cost of the Securities listed under "Schedule of Investments" is based on their aggregate underlying value. (2) An irrevocable letter of credit issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, of which $200,000 will be allocated to the Trust, has been deposited with the Trustee as collateral, covering the monies necessary for the purchase of the Securities according to their purchase contracts. (3) A portion of the Public Offering Price consists of an amount sufficient to reimburse the Sponsor for all or a portion of the costs of establishing the Trust. These costs have been estimated at $.0290 per Unit for the Trust. A payment will be made at the earlier of six months after the Initial Date of Deposit or the end of the initial offering period to an account maintained by the Trustee from which the obligation of the investors to the Sponsor will be satisfied. To the extent that actual organization costs of the Trust are greater than the estimated amount, only the estimated organization costs added to the Public Offering Price will be reimbursed to the Sponsor and deducted from the assets of the Trust. (4) Represents the amount of mandatory deferred sales charge distributions from the Trust ($.345 per Unit), payable to the Sponsor in three equal monthly installments beginning on November 19, 2004 and on the twentieth day of each month thereafter (or if such date is not a business day, on the preceding business day) through January 20, 2005. If Unit holders redeem Units before January 20, 2005, they will have to pay the remaining amount of the deferred sales charge applicable to such Units when they redeem them. (5) The creation and development fee ($.050 per Unit) is payable by the Trust on behalf of Unit holders out of assets of the Trust at the end of the initial offering period. If Units are redeemed prior to the close of the initial offering period, the fee will not be deducted from the proceeds. (6) Net asset value per Unit is calculated by dividing the Trust's net assets by the number of Units outstanding. This figure includes organization costs and the creation and development fee, which will only be assessed to Units outstanding at the close of the initial offering period. (7) The aggregate cost to investors in the Trust includes a maximum sales charge (comprised of an initial sales charge, a deferred sales charge and the creation and development fee) computed at the rate of 4.95% of the Public Offering Price per Unit (equivalent to 5.00% of the net amount invested, exclusive of the deferred sales charge and the creation and development fee), assuming no reduction of the maximum sales charge as set forth under "Public Offering." </FN> Page 6 Schedule of Investments Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18 FT 847 At the Opening of Business on the Initial Date of Deposit-May __, 2004 Percentage Number of Aggregate Market Cost of of Rating (2) Offering Redemption Value per Securities to Shares Name of Issue of Securities (1)(5) S&P Moody's Price Provisions (3) Share the Trust (4) ____ _________________________ _______ _______ ________ ________ ______ ______ % $ $ % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % Page 7 Schedule of Investments (cont'd.) Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18 FT 847 At the Opening of Business on the Initial Date of Deposit-May __, 2004 Percentage Number of Aggregate Market Cost of of Rating (2) Offering Redemption Value per Securities to Shares Name of Issue of Securities (1)(5) S&P Moody's Price Provisions (3) Share the Trust (4) ____ _________________________ _______ _______ ________ ________ ______ ______ % $ $ % % % % % % % _______ ______ Total Investments 100.00% $ ======= ======== __________ <FN> (1) Shown under this heading is the stated dividend rate of each of the Securities, expressed as a percentage of par or stated value. All Securities are represented by regular way contracts to purchase such Securities for the performance of which an irrevocable letter of credit has been deposited with the Trustee. The Sponsor entered into purchase contracts for the Securities on May __, 2004. Such purchase contracts are expected to settle within three business days. Each Security was originally issued with a par or stated value per share equal to $25. (2) The ratings are by Standard & Poor's or Moody's Investors Services and are unaudited. Such ratings were obtained from an information reporting service other than Standard & Poor's and Moody's. "NR" indicates no rating. (3) The Securities are first redeemable on such date and at such price as listed above. Optional redemption provisions, which may be exercised in whole or in part, are at prices of par or stated value. Optional redemption provisions generally will occur at times when the redeemed Securities have an offering side evaluation which represents a premium over par or stated value. To the extent that the Securities were acquired at a price higher than the redemption price, this will represent a loss of capital when compared with the Public Offering Price of the Units when acquired. Distributions to Unit holders will generally be reduced by the amount of the dividends which otherwise would have been paid with respect to redeemed Securities, and any principal amount received on such redemption after satisfying any redemption requests for Units received by the Trust will be distributed to Unit holders. Certain of the Securities have provisions which would allow for their redemption prior to the earliest stated call date pursuant to the occurrence of certain extraordinary events. (4) The cost of the Securities to the Trust represents the aggregate underlying value with respect to the Securities acquired (generally determined by the closing sale prices of the listed Securities and the ask prices of the over-the-counter traded Securities at the Evaluation Time on the business day preceding the Initial Date of Deposit). The valuation of the Securities has been determined by the Evaluator, an affiliate of the Sponsor. The cost of the Securities to the Sponsor and the Sponsor's profit or loss (which is the difference between the cost of the Securities to the Sponsor and the cost of the Securities to the Trust) are $ and $ , respectively. (5) Securities of companies in the following industries comprise the percentages of the investments of the Trust as indicated: ________, ___%; ________, ___%; and ________, ___%. </FN> Page 8 The FT Series The FT Series Defined. We, First Trust Portfolios L.P. (the "Sponsor"), have created hundreds of similar yet separate series of a unit investment trust which we have named the FT Series. The series to which this prospectus relates, FT 847, consists of a single portfolio known as Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18. The Trust was created under the laws of the State of New York by a Trust Agreement (the "Indenture") dated the Initial Date of Deposit. This agreement, entered into among First Trust Portfolios L.P., as Sponsor, JPMorgan Chase Bank as Trustee and First Trust Advisors L.P. as Portfolio Supervisor and Evaluator, governs the operation of the Trust. YOU MAY GET MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS CONCERNING THE NATURE, STRUCTURE AND RISKS OF THIS PRODUCT IN AN "INFORMATION SUPPLEMENT" BY CALLING THE SPONSOR AT 1-800-621-1675, EXT. 1. How We Created the Trust. On the Initial Date of Deposit, we deposited a portfolio of preferred stocks and trust preferred securities with the Trustee and in turn, the Trustee delivered documents to us representing our ownership of the Trust in the form of units ("Units"). After the Initial Date of Deposit, we may deposit additional Securities in the Trust, or cash (including a letter of credit) with instructions to buy more Securities to create new Units for sale. If we create additional Units, we will attempt, to the extent practicable, to maintain the percentage relationship established among the Securities on the Initial Date of Deposit (as set forth under "Schedule of Investments"), adjusted to reflect the sale, redemption or liquidation of any of the Securities or any stock split or a merger or other similar event affecting the issuer of the Securities. Since the prices of the Securities will fluctuate daily, the ratio of Securities in the Trust, on a market value basis, will also change daily. The portion of Securities represented by each Unit will not change as a result of the deposit of additional Securities or cash in the Trust. If we deposit cash, you and new investors may experience a dilution of your investment. This is because prices of Securities will fluctuate between the time of the cash deposit and the purchase of the Securities, and because the Trust pays the associated brokerage fees. To reduce this dilution, the Trust will try to buy the Securities as close to the Evaluation Time and as close to the evaluation price as possible. In addition, because the Trust pays the brokerage fees associated with its creation of new Units and with the sale of Securities to meet redemption and exchange requests, frequent redemption and exchange activity will likely result in higher brokerage expenses. An affiliate of the Trustee may receive these brokerage fees or the Trustee may retain and pay us (or our affiliate) to act as agent for the Trust to buy Securities. If we or an affiliate of ours act as agent to the Trust, we will be subject to the restrictions under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. We cannot guarantee that the Trust will keep its present size and composition for any length of time. Securities may be called or redeemed prior to the Mandatory Termination Date or may periodically be sold under certain circumstances, and the proceeds from these sales will be used to meet Trust obligations or distributed to Unit holders, but will not be reinvested. However, Securities will not be sold to take advantage of market fluctuations or changes in anticipated rates of appreciation or depreciation, or if they no longer meet the criteria by which they were selected. You will not be able to dispose of or vote any of the Securities in the Trust. As the holder of the Securities, the Trustee will vote all of the Securities and will do so based on our instructions. Neither we nor the Trustee will be liable for a failure in any of the Securities. However, if a contract for the purchase of any of the Securities initially deposited in the Trust fails, unless we can purchase substitute Securities ("Replacement Securities"), we will refund to you that portion of the purchase price and transactional sales charge resulting from the failed contract on the next Income Distribution Date. Any Replacement Security the Trust acquires will be identical to those from the failed contract. Portfolio Objectives. The objective of the Trust is to provide diversification and the potential for a high level of current income by investing in a portfolio of preferred stocks and trust preferred securities of foreign and domestic corporations and Real Estate Investment Trusts ("REITs"). The Trust is designed to pay monthly income. Preferred stocks are equity securities of the issuing company which pay income in the form of dividends. Trust preferred securities are limited- life preferred securities issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes or preferred securities, distributions on which are treated as interest rather than dividends for federal tax purposes. Accordingly, distributions from the portfolio will generally Page 9 not be eligible for the reduced tax rates applicable to "qualified dividend income," under the recently enacted "Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003." Preferred securities are unique securities that combine some of the characteristics of both stocks and bonds. Like bonds, the preferred securities selected for the Trust pay a fixed rate of return and are sold on the basis of yield. However, like stocks, they are traded on major exchanges but they do not generally have the growth potential of common stocks. They are also sensitive to changes in intereat rates, and the market price generally falls with rising interest rates. Preferred securities are more likely to be called for redemption in a declining interest rate environment. Competitive Yield. Preferred securities typically have a yield advantage over common stocks as well as comparably rated fixed income investments. Senior Securities. Preferred securities are "senior securities" which have preference over common stocks, but not debt, of an issuer. Generally, the issuing company must pay all dividends on its preferred securities before additional earnings are made available for distribution to common stockholders. However, in the event of an issuer's bankruptcy, preferred securities will not be repaid until the issuer's other debt securities, which have priority, have been satisfied. Income Distributions. Although the underlying securities have historically paid quarterly distributions of income, the Trust is designed to make monthly distributions to all Unit holders, allowing you to use the income for any monthly needs you may have.There is, however, no guarantee that the issuers of the securities included in the portfolio will declare dividends or that if declared, will be able to pay dividends at their stated rate in the future. It is important to note that trust preferred securities are subject to unique risks which include the fact that dividend payments will only be paid if interest payments on the underlying obligations are made, which interest payments may be deferred for up to 20 consecutive quarters. Of course, as with any similar investments, there can be no guarantee that the objective of the Trust will be achieved. See "Risk Factors" for a discussion of the risks of investing in the Trust. Risk Factors Price Volatility. The Trust invests in preferred stocks and trust preferred securities of U.S. and foreign companies. The value of the Trust's Units will fluctuate with changes in the value of these securities. Trust preferred securities prices fluctuate for several reasons including changes in investors' perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. In addition, trust preferred securities may be sensitive to rising interest rates, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase. However, because preferred stock dividends are fixed (though not guaranteed) and preferred stocks typically have superior rights to common stocks in dividend distributions and liquidation, they are generally less volatile than common stocks. Because the Trust is not managed, the Trustee will not sell securities in response to or in anticipation of market fluctuations, as is common in managed investments. As with any investment, we cannot guarantee that the performance of the Trust will be positive over any period of time or that you won't lose money. Units of the Trust are not deposits of any bank and are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Dividends. There is no guarantee that the issuers of the Securities included in the Trust will be able to pay dividends at their stated rate in the future. Preferred Stocks. Approximately _____% of the Trust consists of preferred stocks. Preferred stocks are unique securities that combine some of the characteristics of both common stocks and bonds. Preferred stocks generally pay a fixed rate of return and are sold on the basis of current yield, like bonds. However, because they are equity securities, preferred stocks provide equity ownership of a company and the income is paid in the form of dividends. Preferred stocks typically have a yield advantage over common stocks as well as comparably-rated fixed income investments. Preferred stocks are typically subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company's capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments. Trust Preferred Securities. Approximately _____% of the Trust consists of trust preferred securities. Trust preferred securities are limited- life preferred securities typically issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest-bearing notes or preferred securities, or by an affiliated business trust of a corporation, generally in the form of beneficial interests in subordinated debentures or similarly structured securities. Dividend payments of the trust preferred securities generally coincide with interest payments on the underlying obligations. Trust preferred securities generally have a yield advantage over traditional preferred stocks, but unlike preferred stocks, distributions Page 10 are treated as interest rather than dividends for federal income tax purposes and therefore, are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Trust preferred securities prices fluctuate for several reasons including changes in investors' perception of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the market for trust preferred securities, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur. Trust preferred securities are also sensitive to interest rate fluctuations, as the cost of capital rises and borrowing costs increase in a rising interest rate environment and the risk that a trust preferred security may be called for redemption in a falling interest rate environment. Trust preferred securities are also subject to unique risks which include the fact that dividend payments will only be paid if interest payments on the underlying obligations are made, which interest payments are dependent on the financial condition of the issuer and may be deferred for up to 20 consecutive quarters. During any deferral period, investors are generally taxed as if the Trust had received current income. In such a case, Unit holders will have income taxes due prior to receiving cash distributions to pay such taxes. In addition, the underlying obligations, and thus the trust preferred securities, may be prepaid after a stated call date or as a result of certain tax or regulatory events. Preferred securities are typically subordinated to bonds and other debt instruments in a company's capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater credit risk than those debt instruments. High-Yield Securities. Certain of the Securities held by the Trust are rated below investment grade by one or more rating agencies. These Securities are considered high-yield or "junk" securities. High-yield, high risk securities are subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss than securities with higher investment ratings. The value of these securities will decline significantly with increases in interest rates, not only because increases in rates generally decrease values, but also because increased rates may indicate an economic slowdown. An economic slowdown, or a reduction in an issuer's creditworthiness, may result in the issuer being unable to maintain earnings at a level sufficient to maintain interest and principal payments. High-yield or "junk" securities, the generic names for securities rated below "BBB" by Standard & Poor's or below "Baa" by Moody's, are frequently issued by corporations in the growth stage of their development or by established companies who are highly leveraged or whose operations or industries are depressed. Obligations rated below "BBB" should be considered speculative as these ratings indicate a quality of less than investment grade. Because high-yield securities are generally subordinated obligations and are perceived by investors to be riskier than higher rated securities, their prices tend to fluctuate more than higher rated securities and are affected by short-term credit developments to a greater degree. The market for high-yield securities is smaller and less liquid than that for investment grade securities. High-yield securities are generally not listed on a national securities exchange but trade in the over-the-counter markets. Due to the smaller, less liquid market for high-yield securities, the bid-offer spread on such securities is generally greater than it is for investment grade securities and the purchase or sale of such securities may take longer to complete. Financial Services Industry. Because more than 25% of the Trust issued by companies in the financial services industry, including banks and thrifts, insurance companies and investment firms, it is considered to be concentrated in the financial services industry. A portfolio concentrated in a single industry may present more risks than a portfolio broadly diversified over several industries. Banks, thrifts and their holding companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession; volatile interest rates; portfolio concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real estate loans; and competition from new entrants in their fields of business. Although recently-enacted legislation repealed most of the barriers which separated the banking, insurance and securities industries, these industries are still extensively regulated at both the federal and state level and may be adversely affected by increased regulations. Banks and thrifts face increased competition from nontraditional lending sources as regulatory changes, such as the recently enacted financial- services overhaul legislation, permit new entrants to offer various financial products. Technological advances such as the Internet allow these nontraditional lending sources to cut overhead and permit the more efficient use of customer data. Brokerage firms, broker/dealers, investment banks, finance companies and mutual fund companies are also financial services providers. These companies compete with banks and thrifts to provide traditional financial service products, in addition to their traditional services, such as brokerage and investment advice. In addition, all financial service companies face shrinking profit margins due to new competitors, the cost of new technology and the pressure to compete globally. Companies involved in the insurance industry are engaged in Page 11 underwriting, selling, distributing or placing of property and casualty, life or health insurance. Insurance company profits are affected by many factors, including interest rate movements, the imposition of premium rate caps, competition and pressure to compete globally. Property and casualty insurance profits may also be affected by weather catastrophes and other disasters. Life and health insurance profits may be affected by mortality rates. Already extensively regulated, insurance companies' profits may also be adversely affected by increased government regulations or tax law changes. Real Estate Invesetment Trusts ("REITs"). REITs are financial vehicles that pool investors' capital to purchase or finance real estate. REITs may concentrate their investments in specific geographic areas or in specific property types, i.e., hotels, shopping malls, residential complexes and office buildings. The value of the REITs and the ability of the REITs to distribute income may be adversely affected by several factors, including rising interest rates, changes in the national, state and local economic climate and real estate conditions, perceptions of prospective tenants of the safety, convenience and attractiveness of the properties, the ability of the owner to provide adequate management, maintenance and insurance, the cost of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act, increased competition from new properties, the impact of present or future environmental legislation and compliance with environmental laws, changes in real estate taxes and other operating expenses, adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies, adverse changes in zoning laws, and other factors beyond the control of the issuers of the REITs. Legislation/Litigation. From time to time, various legislative initiatives are proposed in the United States and abroad which may have a negative impact on certain companies represented in the Trust. In addition, litigation regarding any of the issuers of the Securities, or the industries represented by these issuers, may negatively impact the share prices of these Securities. We cannot predict what impact any pending or proposed legislation or pending or threatened litigation will have on the share prices of the Securities. Foreign Securities. Certain of the Securities in the Trust are issued by foreign companies, which makes the Trust subject to more risks than if it invested solely in domestic Securities. These Securities are directly listed on a U.S. securities exchange. Risks of foreign Securities include higher brokerage costs; different accounting standards; expropriation, nationalization or other adverse political or economic developments; currency devaluations, blockages or transfer restrictions; restrictions on foreign investments and exchange of securities; inadequate financial information; and lack of liquidity of certain foreign markets. Public Offering The Public Offering Price. You may buy Units at the Public Offering Price, the per Unit price of which is comprised of the following: - - The aggregate underlying value of the Securities; - - The amount of any cash in the Income and Capital Accounts; - - Dividends receivable on Securities; and - - The maximum sales charge (which combines an initial upfront sales charge, a deferred sales charge and the creation and development fee). The price you pay for your Units will differ from the amount stated under "Summary of Essential Information" due to various factors, including fluctuations in the prices of the Securities and changes in the value of the Income and/or Capital Accounts. Although you are not required to pay for your Units until three business days following your order (the "date of settlement"), you may pay before then. You will become the owner of Units ("Record Owner") on the date of settlement if payment has been received. If you pay for your Units before the date of settlement, we may use your payment during this time and it may be considered a benefit to us, subject to the limitations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Organization Costs. Securities purchased with the portion of the Public Offering Price intended to be used to reimburse the Sponsor for the Trust's organization costs (including costs of preparing the registration statement, the Indenture and other closing documents, registering Units with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and states, the initial audit of the Trust's statement of net assets, legal fees and the initial fees and expenses of the Trustee) will be purchased in the same proportionate relationship as all the Securities contained in the Trust. Securities will be sold to reimburse the Sponsor for the Trust's organization costs at the earlier of six months after the Initial Date of Deposit or the end of the initial offering period (a significantly shorter time period than the life of the Trust). During the period ending with the earlier of six months after the Initial Date of Deposit or the end of the initial offering period, there may be a decrease in the value of the Securities. To the extent the proceeds from the sale of these Securities are insufficient to repay the Sponsor for Trust organization costs, the Trustee will sell additional Securities to allow the Trust to fully reimburse the Sponsor. In that event, the net asset value per Unit of the Trust will be reduced by the amount of additional Securities sold. Although the dollar amount of the reimbursement due to the Sponsor will remain fixed and will never exceed the per Unit amount set forth in "Notes to Statement of Net Assets," this will result in a greater effective cost per Unit to Unit holders for the reimbursement to the Sponsor. To the extent actual organization Page 12 costs are less than the estimated amount, only the actual organization costs will be deducted from the assets of the Trust. When Securities are sold to reimburse the Sponsor for organization costs, the Trustee will sell Securities, to the extent practicable, which will maintain the same proportionate relationship among the Securities contained in the Trust as existed prior to such sale. Minimum Purchase. The minimum amount you can purchase of the Trust is $1,000 worth of Units ($500 if you are purchasing Units for your Individual Retirement Account or any other qualified retirement plan). Maximum Sales Charge. The maximum sales charge is comprised of a transactional sales charge and a creation and development fee. Transactional Sales Charge. The transactional sales charge you will pay has both an initial and a deferred component. Initial Sales Charge. The initial sales charge, which you will pay at the time of purchase, is equal to the difference between the maximum sales charge of 4.95% of the Public Offering Price and the sum of the maximum remaining deferred sales charge and creation and development fee (initially $.395 per Unit). This initial sales charge is initially equal to approximately 1.00% of the Public Offering Price of a Unit, but will vary from 1.00% depending on the purchase price of your Units and as deferred sales charge and creation and development fee payments are made. When the Public Offering Price per Unit exceeds $10.00, the initial sales charge will exceed 1.00% of the Public Offering Price. After the initial offering period the initial sales charge will be reduced by the amount of the creation and development fee. Monthly Deferred Sales Charge. In addition, three monthly deferred sales charge payments of $.115 per Unit will be deducted from the Trust's assets on approximately the twentieth day of each month from November 19, 2004 through January 20, 2005. If you buy Units at a price of less than $10.00 per Unit, the dollar amount of the deferred sales charge will not change, but the deferred sales charge on a percentage basis will be more than 3.45% of the Public Offering Price. If you purchase Units after the last deferred sales charge payment has been assessed, your transactional sales charge will consist of a one- time initial sales charge of 4.45% of the Public Offering Price per Unit (equivalent to 4.657% of the net amount invested). The transactional sales charge will be reduced by 1/2 of 1% on each subsequent May 31, commencing May 31, 2005, to a minimum transactional sales charge of 3.00%. Creation and Development Fee. As Sponsor, we will also receive, and the Unit holders will pay, a creation and development fee. See "Expenses and Charges" for a description of the services provided for this fee. The creation and development fee is a charge of $.050 per Unit collected at the end of the initial offering period. If you buy Units at a price of less than $10.00 per Unit, the dollar amount of the creation and development fee will not change, but the creation and development fee on a percentage basis will be more than 0.50% of the Public Offering Price. Discounts for Certain Persons. If you invest at least $50,000 (except if you are purchasing for "Fee Accounts" as described below), the maximum sales charge is reduced as follows: Your maximum Dealer If you invest sales charge concession (in thousands):* will be: will be: ______________ ____________ ___________ $50 but less than $100 4.70% 3.35% $100 but less than $250 4.45% 3.25% $250 but less than $500 3.95% 2.75% $500 but less than $1,000 2.95% 2.00% $1,000 but less than $5,000 2.05% 1.25% $5,000 or more 1.85% 1.10% * The breakpoints will be adjusted to take into consideration purchase orders stated in dollars which cannot be completely fulfilled due to the requirement that only whole Units be issued. The reduced sales charge for quantity purchases will apply only to purchases made by the same person on any one day from any one dealer. To help you reach the above levels, you can combine the Units you purchase of the Trust with any other same day purchases of other trusts for which we are Principal Underwriter and are currently in the initial offering period. In addition, we will also consider Units you purchase in the name of your spouse or child under 21 years of age to be purchases by you. The reduced sales charges will also apply to a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing Units for a single trust estate or single fiduciary Page 13 account. You must inform your dealer of any combined purchases before the sale in order to be eligible for the reduced sales charge. You may use termination proceeds from other unit investment trusts with a similar strategy as the Trust or your redemption or termination proceeds from any unit investment trust we sponsor to purchase Units of the Trust during the initial offering period at the Public Offering Price less 1.00%. However, if you invest redemption or termination proceeds of $500,000 or more in Units of the Trust, the maximum sales charge on your Units will be limited to the maximum sales charge for the applicable amount invested in the table set forth above. Please note that if you purchase Units of the Trust in this manner using redemption proceeds from trusts which assess the amount of any remaining deferred sales charge at redemption, you should be aware that any deferred sales charge remaining on these units will be deducted from those redemption proceeds. Investors purchasing Units through registered broker/dealers who charge periodic fees in lieu of commissions or who charge for financial planning, investment advisory or asset management services, or provide these or comparable services as part of an investment account where a comprehensive "wrap fee" or similar charge is imposed ("Fee Accounts") will not be assessed the transactional sales charge described in this section on the purchase of Units. Certain Fee Accounts Unit holders may be assessed transaction or other account fees on the purchase and/or redemption of such Units by their broker/dealer or other processing organizations for providing certain transaction or account activities. We reserve the right to limit or deny purchases of Units not subject to the transactional sales charge by investors whose frequent trading activity we determine to be detrimental to the Trust. Employees, officers and directors (and immediate family members) of the Sponsor, our related companies and dealers may purchase Units at the Public Offering Price less the applicable dealer concession. Immediate family members include spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, mothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and trustees, custodians or fiduciaries for the benefit of such persons. The Sponsor and certain dealers may establish a schedule where employees, officers and directors of such dealers can purchase Units of the Trust at the Public Offering Price less the established schedule amount, which is designed to compensate such dealers for activities relating to the sale of Units (the "Employee Dealer Concession"). You will be charged the deferred sales charge per Unit regardless of any discounts. However, if you are eligible to receive a discount such that the maximum sales charge you must pay is less than the applicable maximum deferred sales charge, including Fee Accounts Units, you will be credited the difference between your maximum sales charge and the maximum deferred sales charge at the time you buy your Units. If you elect to have distributions reinvested into additional Units of the Trust, in addition to the reinvestment Units you receive you will also be credited additional Units with a dollar value at the time of reinvestment sufficient to cover the amount of any remaining deferred sales charge to be collected on such reinvestment Units. The dollar value of these additional credited Units (as with all Units) will fluctuate over time, and may be less on the dates deferred sales charges are collected than their value at the time they were issued. The Value of the Securities. The Evaluator will determine the aggregate underlying value of the Securities in the Trust as of the Evaluation Time on each business day and will adjust the Public Offering Price of the Units according to this valuation. This Public Offering Price will be effective for all orders received before the Evaluation Time on each such day. If we or the Trustee receive orders for purchases, sales or redemptions after that time, or on a day which is not a business day, they will be held until the next determination of price. The term "business day" as used in this prospectus will exclude Saturdays, Sundays and certain national holidays on which the NYSE is closed. The aggregate underlying value of the Securities in the Trust will be determined as follows: if the Securities are listed on a securities exchange or The Nasdaq Stock Market, their value is generally based on the closing sale prices on that exchange or system (unless it is determined that these prices are not appropriate as a basis for valuation). For purposes of valuing Securities traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market, closing sale price shall mean the Nasdaq Official Closing Price ("NOCP") as determined by Nasdaq. However, if there is no closing sale price on that exchange or system, they are valued based on the closing ask prices. If the Securities are not so listed, or, if so listed and the principal market for them is other than on that exchange or system, their value will generally be based on the current ask prices on the over-the-counter market (unless it is determined that these prices are not appropriate as a basis for valuation). If current ask prices are unavailable, the valuation is generally determined: Page 14 a) On the basis of current ask prices for comparable securities; b) By appraising the value of the Securities on the ask side of the market; or c) By any combination of the above. After the initial offering period is over, the aggregate underlying value of the Securities will be determined as set forth above, except that bid prices are used instead of ask prices when necessary. Distribution of Units We intend to qualify Units of the Trust for sale in a number of states. All Units will be sold at the then current Public Offering Price. Dealer Concessions. Dealers and other selling agents can purchase Units at prices which reflect a concession or agency commission of 3.60% of the Public Offering Price per Unit (or 65% of the maximum transactional sales charge for secondary market sales), subject to the reduced concession applicable to volume purchases as set forth in "Public Offering- Discounts for Certain Persons." However, for Units subject to a transactional sales charge which are purchased using redemption or termination proceeds, this amount will be reduced to 2.60% of the sales price of these Units (2.00% for purchases of $500,000 but less than $1,000,000, 1.25% for purchases of $1,000,000 but less than $5,000,000 and 1.10% for purchases of $5,000,000 or more). Eligible dealer firms and other selling agents who sell Units of the Trust during the initial offering period in the dollar amounts shown below will be entitled to the following additional sales concessions as a percentage of the Public Offering Price: Total Sales Additional (in millions): Concession: _________________ ___________ $1 but less than $5 0.10% $5 but less than $10 0.15% $10 or more 0.20% Dealers and other selling agents will not receive a concession on the sale of Units which are not subject to a transactional sales charge, but such Units will be included in determining whether the above volume sales levels are met. Eligible dealer firms and other selling agents include clearing firms that place orders with First Trust and provide First Trust with information with respect to the representatives who initiated such transactions. Eligible dealer firms and other selling agents will not include firms that solely provide clearing services to other broker/dealer firms or firms who place orders through clearing firms that are eligible dealers. Prudential Investment Management Services LLC ("PIMS") will receive a concession on Units purchased using termination, redemption or exchange proceeds from trusts formerly sponsored by PIMS equal to $2.00 per $1,000 invested. Dealers and other selling agents who, during any consecutive 12-month period, sell at least $100 million, $250 million or $500 million worth of primary market units of unit investment trusts sponsored by us will receive a concession of $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000, respectively, in the month following the achievement of this level. We reserve the right to change the amount of concessions or agency commissions from time to time. Certain commercial banks may be making Units of the Trust available to their customers on an agency basis. A portion of the transactional sales charge paid by these customers is kept by or given to the banks in the amounts shown above. Award Programs. From time to time we may sponsor programs which provide awards to a dealer's registered representatives who have sold a minimum number of Units during a specified time period. We may also pay fees to qualifying dealers for services or activities which are meant to result in sales of Units of the Trust. In addition, we will pay to dealers who sponsor sales contests or recognition programs that conform to our criteria, or participate in our sales programs, amounts equal to no more than the total applicable transactional sales charge on Units sold by such persons during such programs. We make these payments out of our own assets and not out of Trust assets. These programs will not change the price you pay for your Units. Advertising and Investment Comparisons. Advertising materials regarding the Trust may discuss several topics, including: developing a long-term financial plan; working with your financial professional; the nature and risks of various investment strategies and unit investment trusts that could help you reach your financial goals; the importance of discipline; how the Trust operates; how securities are selected; various unit investment trust features such as convenience and costs; and options available for certain types of unit investment trusts. These materials may include descriptions of the principal businesses of the companies represented in the Trust, research analysis of why they were selected and information relating to the qualifications of the persons or entities providing the research analysis. In addition, they may include research opinions on the economy Page 15 and industry sectors included and a list of investment products generally appropriate for pursuing those recommendations. From time to time we may compare the estimated returns of the Trust (which may show performance net of the expenses and charges the Trust would have incurred) and returns over specified periods of other similar trusts we sponsor in our advertising and sales materials, with (1) returns on other taxable investments such as the common stocks comprising various market indexes, corporate or U.S. Government bonds, bank CDs and money market accounts or funds, (2) performance data from Morningstar Publications, Inc. or (3) information from publications such as Money, The New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, BusinessWeek, Forbes or Fortune. The investment characteristics of the Trust differ from other comparative investments. You should not assume that these performance comparisons will be representative of the Trust's future performance. We may also, from time to time, use advertising which classifies trusts or portfolio securities according to capitalization and/or investment style. The Sponsor's Profits We will receive a gross sales commission equal to the maximum transactional sales charge per Unit of the Trust less any reduction as stated in "Public Offering." We will also receive the amount of any collected creation and development fee. Also, any difference between our cost to purchase the Securities and the price at which we sell them to the Trust is considered a profit or loss (see Note 4 of "Schedule of Investments"). During the initial offering period, dealers and others may also realize profits or sustain losses as a result of fluctuations in the Public Offering Price they receive when they sell the Units. In maintaining a market for the Units, any difference between the price at which we purchase Units and the price at which we sell or redeem them will be a profit or loss to us. The Secondary Market Although not obligated, we intend to maintain a market for the Units after the initial offering period and continuously offer to purchase Units at prices based on the Redemption Price per Unit. We will pay all expenses to maintain a secondary market, except the Evaluator fees, Trustee costs to transfer and record the ownership of Units and costs incurred in annually updating the Trust's registration statement. We may discontinue purchases of Units at any time. IF YOU WISH TO DISPOSE OF YOUR UNITS, YOU SHOULD ASK US FOR THE CURRENT MARKET PRICES BEFORE MAKING A TENDER FOR REDEMPTION TO THE TRUSTEE. If you sell or redeem your Units before you have paid the total deferred sales charge on your Units, you will have to pay the remainder at that time. How We Purchase Units The Trustee will notify us of any tender of Units for redemption. If our bid at that time is equal to or greater than the Redemption Price per Unit, we may purchase the Units. You will receive your proceeds from the sale no later than if they were redeemed by the Trustee. We may tender Units that we hold to the Trustee for redemption as any other Units. If we elect not to purchase Units, the Trustee may sell tendered Units in the over-the-counter market, if any. However, the amount you will receive is the same as you would have received on redemption of the Units. Expenses and Charges The estimated annual expenses of the Trust are listed under "Fee Table." If actual expenses of the Trust exceed the estimate, the Trust will bear the excess, other than for excess annual audit costs. The Trustee will pay operating expenses of the Trust from the Income Account if funds are available, and then from the Capital Account. The Income and Capital Accounts are noninterest-bearing to Unit holders, so the Trustee may earn interest on these funds, thus benefiting from their use. First Trust Advisors L.P., an affiliate of ours, acts as Portfolio Supervisor and Evaluator and will be compensated for providing portfolio supervisory services and evaluation services as well as bookkeeping and other administrative services to the Trust. In providing portfolio supervisory services, the Portfolio Supervisor may purchase research services from a number of sources, which may include underwriters or dealers of the Trust. As Sponsor, we will receive brokerage fees when the Trust uses us (or an affiliate of ours) as agent in buying or selling Securities. Legal and regulatory filing fees and expenses associated with updating the Trust's registration statement yearly are also chargeable to the Trust. The fees payable to First Trust Advisors L.P. and the Trustee are based on the largest aggregate number of Units of the Trust outstanding at any time during the calendar year, except during the initial offering period, in which case these fees are calculated based on the largest Page 16 number of Units outstanding during the period for which compensation is paid. These fees may be adjusted for inflation without Unit holders' approval, but in no case will the annual fees paid to us or our affiliates for providing services to all unit investment trusts be more than the actual cost of providing such services in such year. As Sponsor, we will receive a fee from the Trust for creating and developing the Trust, including determining the Trust's objectives, policies, composition and size, selecting service providers and information services and for providing other similar administrative and ministerial functions. The "creation and development fee" is a charge of $.050 per Unit outstanding at the end of the initial offering period. The Trustee will deduct this amount from the Trust's assets as of the close of the initial offering period. We do not use this fee to pay distribution expenses or as compensation for sales efforts. This fee will not be deducted from your proceeds if you sell or redeem your Units before the end of the initial offering period. In addition to the Trust's operating expenses and those fees described above, each Trust may also incur the following charges: - - All legal and annual auditing expenses of the Trustee according to its responsibilities under the Indenture; - - The expenses and costs incurred by the Trustee to protect the Trust and your rights and interests; - - Fees for any extraordinary services the Trustee performed under the Indenture; - - Payment for any loss, liability or expense the Trustee incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on its part, in connection with its acceptance or administration of the Trust; - - Payment for any loss, liability or expenses we incurred without negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct in acting as Depositor of the Trust; and/or - - All taxes and other government charges imposed upon the Securities or any part of the Trust. The above expenses and the Trustee's annual fee are secured by a lien on the Trust. Since the Securities are preferred securities and dividend income is unpredictable, we cannot guarantee that dividends will be sufficient to meet any or all expenses of the Trust. If there is not enough cash in the Income or Capital Account, the Trustee has the power to sell Securities in the Trust to make cash available to pay these charges which may result in capital gains or losses to you. See "Tax Status." The Trust will be audited annually, so long as we are making a secondary market for Units. We will bear the cost of these annual audits to the extent the costs exceed $0.0050 per Unit. Otherwise, the Trust will pay for the audit. You may request a copy of the audited financial statements from the Trustee. Tax Status This section summarizes some of the main U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning Units of the Trust. This section is current as of the date of this prospectus. Tax laws and interpretations change frequently, and these summaries do not describe all of the tax consequences to all taxpayers. For example, these summaries generally do not describe your situation if you are a corporation, a non-U.S. person, a broker/dealer, or other investor with special circumstances. In addition, this section does not describe your state or foreign taxes. As with any investment, you should consult your own tax professional about your particular consequences. In addition, the Internal Revenue Service issued new withholding and reporting regulations effective January 1, 2001. Foreign investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of these regulations. Assets of the Trust. The Trust will hold (i) preferred stocks in domestic and foreign corporations (the "Stocks"), (ii) equity interests of real estate investment trusts (the "REIT Shares"), and (iii) trust preferred securities of domestic and foreign corporations (the "Debt Obligations"). All of the assets held by the Trust constitute the "Trust Assets." For purposes of this federal tax discussion, it is assumed that the Stocks constitute equity, the REIT Shares constitute qualifying shares in real estate investment trusts for federal income tax purposes and the Debt Obligations constitute debt, the interest on which is includible in gross income, for federal income tax purposes. Trust Status. The Trust will not be taxed as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. As a Unit owner, you will be treated as the owner of a pro rata portion of each of the Trust Assets, and as such you will be considered to have received a pro rata share of income (e.g., dividends, interest, accruals of original issue discount and market discount, and capital gains, if any) from each Trust Asset when such income would be Page 17 considered to be received by you if you directly owned the Trust Assets. This is true even if you elect to have your distributions automatically reinvested into additional Units. In addition, the income from the Trust which you must take into account for federal income tax purposes is not reduced by amounts used to pay Trust expenses (including the deferred sales charge, if any). Your Tax Basis and Income or Loss upon Disposition. If the Trust disposes of Trust Assets, you will generally recognize gain or loss. If you dispose of your Units or redeem your Units for cash, you will also generally recognize gain or loss. To determine the amount of this gain or loss, you must subtract your tax basis in the related Trust Assets from your share of the total amount received in the transaction. You can generally determine your initial tax basis in each Trust Asset by apportioning the cost of your Units, generally including sales charges, among each Trust Asset ratably according to its value on the date you purchase your Units. In certain circumstances, however, you may have to adjust your tax basis after you purchase your Units (for example, in the case of certain dividends that exceed a corporation's accumulated earnings and profits, or in the case of accruals of original issue discount, market discount, premium and accrued interest, as discussed below). Under the recently enacted "Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003" (the "Tax Act"), if you are an individual, the maximum marginal federal tax rate for net capital gain is generally 15% (generally 5% for certain taxpayers in the 10% and 15% tax brackets). These new capital gains rates are generally effective for taxable years ending on or after May 6, 2003 and beginning before January 1, 2009. However, special effective date provisions are set forth in the Tax Act. Net capital gain equals net long-term capital gain minus net short-term capital loss for the taxable year. Capital gain or loss is long-term if the holding period for the asset is more than one year and is short-term if the holding period for the asset is one year or less. You must exclude the date you purchase your Units to determine your holding period. The tax rates for capital gains realized from assets held for one year or less are generally the same as for ordinary income. The Internal Revenue Code, however, treats certain capital gains as ordinary income in special situations. Capital gain received from assets held for more than one year that is considered "unrecaptured Section 1250 gain" (which may be the case, for example, with some capital gains attributable to the REIT Shares) is taxed at a maximum stated tax rate of 25%. In the case of capital gains dividends, the determination of which portion of the capital gain dividend, if any, that is subject to the 25% tax rate, will be made based on regulations prescribed by the United States Treasury. Dividends on Stocks. Certain dividends received with respect to the Stocks may qualify to be taxed at the same new rates that apply to net capital gain (as discussed above), provided certain holding requirements are satisfied. These special rules relating to the taxation of dividends at capital gains rates generally apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2002 and beginning before January 1, 2009. Dividends from REIT Shares. Some dividends on the REIT Shares may qualify as "capital gain dividends," taxable to you as long-term capital gains. If you hold a Unit for six months or less or if the Trust holds a REIT Share for six months or less, any loss incurred by you related to the disposition of such REIT Share will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed to have been received) with respect to such REIT Share. Distributions of income or capital gains declared on REIT Shares in October, November or December will be deemed to have been paid to you on December 31 of the year they are declared, even when paid by the REIT during the following January. Other dividends with respect to the REIT Shares will generally be taxed as ordinary income, although in limited circumstances certain of such dividends may be taxed at the same new rates that apply to net capital gain (as discussed above). Dividends Received Deduction. A corporation that owns Units generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to many dividends received by the Trust, because the dividends received deduction is not available for dividends from most foreign corporations or from REITs, or for dividends with respect to trust preferred securities that are treated as debt for federal income tax purposes. Because the Debt Obligations are treated as debt (not equity) for federal income tax purposes, distributions from the Debt Obligations are not eligible for the dividends received deduction. Discount, Accrued Interest and Premium on Debt Obligations. Some Debt Obligations may have been sold with original issue discount. This generally means that the Debt Obligations were originally issued at a price below their face (or par) value. Original issue discount accrues Page 18 on a daily basis and generally is treated as interest income for federal income tax purposes. Your basis of each Debt Obligation which was issued with original issue discount must be increased as original issue discount accrues. Some of the Debt Obligations may give the issuers a right to defer payments on the Debt Obligations. Such Debt Obligations are subject to special treatment under the original issue discount rules. Among other things, this treatment may result in you being required to recognize income for federal income tax purposes in a particular year with respect to a Debt Obligation even though the actual cash payments on the Debt Obligation have been deferred to a later year. Some Debt Obligations may have been purchased by you or the Trust at a market discount. Market discount is generally the excess of the stated redemption price at maturity for the Debt Obligation over the purchase price of the Debt Obligation. Market discount can arise based on the price the Trust pays for a Debt Obligation or on the price you pay for your Units. Market discount is taxed as ordinary income. You will recognize this income when the Trust receives principal payments on the Debt Obligation, when the Debt Obligation is disposed of or redeemed, or when you sell or redeem your Units. Alternatively, you may elect to include market discount in taxable income as it accrues. Whether or not you make this election will affect how you calculate your basis and the timing of certain interest expense deductions. Alternatively, some Debt Obligations may have been purchased by you or the Trust at a premium. Generally, if the tax basis of your pro rata portion of any Debt Obligation (generally including sales charges) exceeds the amount payable at maturity, such excess is considered premium. You may elect to amortize premium. If you make this election, you may reduce your interest income received on the Debt Obligation by the amount of the premium that is amortized and your tax basis will be reduced. If the price of your Units includes accrued interest on a Debt Obligation, you must include the accrued interest in your tax basis in that Debt Obligation. When the Trust receives this accrued interest, you must treat it as a return of capital and reduce your tax basis in the Debt Obligation. This discussion provides only the general rules with respect to the tax treatment of original issue discount, market discount and premium. The rules, however, are complex and special rules apply in certain circumstances. For example, the accrual of market discount or premium may differ from the discussion set forth above in the case of Debt Obligations that were issued with original issue discount. In-Kind Distributions. Under certain circumstances, as described in this prospectus, you may request a distribution of Trust Assets (an "In-Kind Distribution") when you redeem your Units or at the Trust's termination. By electing to receive an In-Kind Distribution, you will receive Trust Assets plus, possibly, cash. You will not recognize gain or loss if you only receive Trust Assets in exchange for your pro rata portion of the Trust Assets held by the Trust. However, if you also receive cash in exchange for a Trust Asset or a fractional portion of a Trust Asset, you will generally recognize gain or loss based on the difference between the amount of cash you receive and your tax basis in such Trust Asset or fractional portion of the Trust Asset. Limitations on the Deductibility of Trust Expenses. Generally, for federal income tax purposes, you must take into account your full pro rata share of the Trust's income, even if some of that income is used to pay Trust expenses. You may deduct your pro rata share of each expense paid by the Trust to the same extent as if you directly paid the expense. You may, however, be required to treat some or all of the expenses of the Trust as miscellaneous itemized deductions. Individuals may only deduct certain miscellaneous itemized deductions to the extent they exceed 2% of adjusted gross income. Foreign, State and Local Taxes. If you are a foreign investor (i.e., an investor other than a U.S. citizen or resident or a U.S. corporation, partnership, estate or trust), you will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes, on some of the income from the Trust or on gain from the sale or redemption of your Units, provided that certain conditions are met. You should consult your tax advisor with respect to the conditions you must meet in order to be exempt for U.S. tax purposes. Some distributions by the Trust may be subject to foreign withholding taxes. Any income withheld will nevertheless be treated as income to you. However, because you are deemed to have paid directly your share of foreign taxes that have been paid by the Trust, you may be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for U.S. tax purposes with respect to such taxes. Under the existing income tax laws of the State and City of New York, the Trust will not be taxed as a corporation, and the income of the Trust will be treated as the income of the Unit holders in the same manner as for federal income tax purposes. Page 19 Retirement Plans You may purchase Units of the Trust for: - - Individual Retirement Accounts; - - Keogh Plans; - - Pension funds; and - - Other tax-deferred retirement plans. Generally, the federal income tax on capital gains and income received in each of the above plans is deferred until you receive distributions. These distributions are generally treated as ordinary income but may, in some cases, be eligible for special averaging or tax-deferred rollover treatment. Before participating in a plan like this, you should review the tax laws regarding these plans and consult your attorney or tax advisor. Brokerage firms and other financial institutions offer these plans with varying fees and charges. Rights of Unit Holders Unit Ownership. The Trustee will treat as Record Owner of Units persons registered as such on its books. It is your responsibility to notify the Trustee when you become Record Owner, but normally your broker/dealer provides this notice. You may elect to hold your Units in either certificated or uncertificated form. All Fee Accounts Units, however, will be held in uncertificated form. Certificated Units. When you purchase your Units you can request that they be evidenced by certificates, which will be delivered shortly after your order. Certificates will be issued in fully registered form, transferable only on the books of the Trustee in denominations of one Unit or any multiple thereof. You can transfer or redeem your certificated Units by endorsing and surrendering the certificate to the Trustee, along with a written instrument of transfer. You must sign your name exactly as it appears on the face of the certificate with your signature guaranteed by an eligible institution. In certain cases the Trustee may require additional documentation before they will transfer or redeem your Units. You may be required to pay a nominal fee to the Trustee for each certificate reissued or transferred, and to pay any government charge that may be imposed for each transfer or exchange. If a certificate gets lost, stolen or destroyed, you may be required to furnish indemnity to the Trustee to receive replacement certificates. You must surrender mutilated certificates to the Trustee for replacement. Uncertificated Units. You may also choose to hold your Units in uncertificated form. If you choose this option, the Trustee will establish an account for you and credit your account with the number of Units you purchase. Within two business days of the issuance or transfer of Units held in uncertificated form, the Trustee will send you: - - A written initial transaction statement containing a description of the Trust; - - A list of the number of Units issued or transferred; - - Your name, address and Taxpayer Identification Number ("TIN"); - - A notation of any liens or restrictions of the issuer and any adverse claims; and - - The date the transfer was registered. Uncertificated Units may be transferred the same way as certificated Units, except that no certificate needs to be presented to the Trustee. Also, no certificate will be issued when the transfer takes place unless you request it. You may at any time request that the Trustee issue certificates for your Units. Unit Holder Reports. In connection with each distribution, the Trustee will provide you with a statement detailing the per Unit amount of income (if any) distributed. After the end of each calendar year, the Trustee will provide you with the following information: - - A summary of transactions in the Trust for the year; - - A list of any Securities sold during the year and the Securities held at the end of that year by the Trust; - - The Redemption Price per Unit, computed on the 31st day of December of such year (or the last business day before); and - - Amounts of income and capital distributed during the year. You may request from the Trustee copies of the evaluations of the Securities as prepared by the Evaluator to enable you to comply with federal and state tax reporting requirements. Income and Capital Distributions You will begin receiving distributions on your Units only after you become a Record Owner. The Trustee will credit dividends received on the Trust's Securities to the Income Account of the Trust. All other receipts, such as return of capital, are credited to the Capital Account of the Trust. The Trustee will distribute any net income in the Income Account on or near the Income Distribution Dates to Unit holders of record on the Page 20 preceding Income Distribution Record Date. See "Summary of Essential Information." No income distribution will be paid if accrued expenses of the Trust exceed amounts in the Income Account on the Income Distribution Dates. Distribution amounts will vary with changes in the Trust's fees and expenses, in dividends received and with the sale of Securities. The Trustee will distribute amounts in the Capital Account, net of amounts designated to meet redemptions, pay the deferred sales charge or pay expenses on the last day of each month to Unit holders of record on the fifteenth day of each month provided the amount equals at least $1.00 per 100 Units. If the Trustee does not have your TIN, it is required to withhold a certain percentage of your distribution and deliver such amount to the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"). You may recover this amount by giving your TIN to the Trustee, or when you file a tax return. However, you should check your statements to make sure the Trustee has your TIN to avoid this "back-up withholding." We anticipate that there will be enough money in the Capital Account of the Trust to pay the deferred sales charge. If not, the Trustee may sell Securities to meet the shortfall. Within a reasonable time after the Trust is terminated, you will receive the pro rata share of the money from the sale of the Securities. However, if you are eligible, you may elect to receive an In-Kind Distribution as described under "Amending or Terminating the Indenture." You will receive a pro rata share of any other assets remaining in your Trust after deducting any unpaid expenses. The Trustee may establish reserves (the "Reserve Account") within the Trust to cover anticipated state and local taxes or any governmental charges to be paid out of the Trust. Distribution Reinvestment Option. You may elect to have each distribution of income and/or capital reinvested into additional Units of the Trust by notifying the Trustee at least 10 days before any Record Date. Each later distribution of income and/or capital on your Units will be reinvested by the Trustee into additional Units of the Trust. There is no transactional sales charge on Units acquired through the Distribution Reinvestment Option, as discussed under "Public Offering." This option may not be available in all states.PLEASE NOTE THAT EVEN IF YOU REINVEST DISTRIBUTIONS, THEY ARE STILL CONSIDERED DISTRIBUTIONS FOR INCOME TAX PURPOSES. Redeeming Your Units You may redeem all or a portion of your Units at any time by sending the certificates representing the Units you want to redeem to the Trustee at its unit investment trust office. If your Units are uncertificated, you need only deliver a request for redemption to the Trustee. In either case, the certificates or the redemption request must be properly endorsed with proper instruments of transfer and signature guarantees as explained in "Rights of Unit Holders-Unit Ownership" (or by providing satisfactory indemnity if the certificates were lost, stolen, or destroyed). No redemption fee will be charged, but you are responsible for any governmental charges that apply. Certain broker/dealers may charge a transaction fee for processing redemption requests. Units redeemed directly through the Trustee are not subject to such transaction fees. Three business days after the day you tender your Units (the "Date of Tender") you will receive cash in an amount for each Unit equal to the Redemption Price per Unit calculated at the Evaluation Time on the Date of Tender. The Date of Tender is considered to be the date on which the Trustee receives your certificates or redemption request (if such day is a day the NYSE is open for trading). However, if your certificates or redemption request are received after 4:00 p.m. Eastern time (or after any earlier closing time on a day on which the NYSE is scheduled in advance to close at such earlier time), the Date of Tender is the next day the NYSE is open for trading. Any amounts paid on redemption representing income will be withdrawn from the Income Account if funds are available for that purpose, or from the Capital Account. All other amounts paid on redemption will be taken from the Capital Account. The IRS will require the Trustee to withhold a portion of your redemption proceeds if it does not have your TIN, as generally discussed under "Income and Capital Distributions." If you tender at least 2,500 Units, or such other amount as required by your broker/dealer, for redemption, rather than receiving cash, you may elect to receive an In-Kind Distribution in an amount equal to the Redemption Price per Unit by making this request in writing to the Trustee at the time of tender. However, to be eligible to participate in the In-Kind Distribution option at redemption, Fee Accounts Unit holders must hold their Units through the end of the initial offering period. No In-Kind Distribution requests submitted during the nine business days prior to the Trust's Mandatory Termination Date will be honored. Where possible, the Trustee will make an In-Kind Distribution by distributing each of the Securities in book-entry form to your bank or broker/dealer account at the Depository Trust Company. The Trustee will subtract any customary transfer and registration charges from your In-Kind Page 21 Distribution. As a tendering Unit holder, you will receive your pro rata number of whole shares of the Securities that make up the portfolio, and cash from the Capital Account equal to the fractional shares to which you are entitled. The Trustee may sell Securities to make funds available for redemption. If Securities are sold, the size and diversification of the Trust will be reduced. These sales may result in lower prices than if the Securities were sold at a different time. Your right to redeem Units (and therefore, your right to receive payment) may be delayed: - - If the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); - - If the SEC determines that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency exists making sale or evaluation of the Securities not reasonably practical; or - - For any other period permitted by SEC order. The Trustee is not liable to any person for any loss or damage which may result from such a suspension or postponement. The Redemption Price. The Redemption Price per Unit is determined by the Trustee by: adding 1. cash in the Income and Capital Accounts of the Trust not designated to purchase Securities; 2. the aggregate value of the Securities held in the Trust; and 3. dividends receivable on the Securities trading ex-dividend as of the date of computation; and deducting 1. any applicable taxes or governmental charges that need to be paid out of the Trust; 2. any amounts owed to the Trustee for its advances; 3. estimated accrued expenses of the Trust, if any; 4. cash held for distribution to Unit holders of record of the Trust as of the business day before the evaluation being made; 5. liquidation costs for foreign Securities, if any; and 6. other liabilities incurred by the Trust; and dividing 1. the result by the number of outstanding Units of the Trust. Any remaining deferred sales charge on the Units when you redeem them will be deducted from your redemption proceeds. In addition, until the earlier of six months after the Initial Date of Deposit or the end of the initial offering period, the Redemption Price per Unit will include estimated organization costs as set forth under "Fee Table." Removing Securities from the Trust The portfolio of the Trust is not managed. However, we may, but are not required to, direct the Trustee to dispose of a Security in certain limited circumstances, including situations in which: - - The issuer of the Security defaults in the payment of a declared dividend; - - Any action or proceeding prevents the payment of dividends; - - There is any legal question or impediment affecting the Security; - - The issuer of the Security has breached a covenant which would affect the payment of dividends, the issuer's credit standing, or otherwise damage the sound investment character of the Security; - - The issuer has defaulted on the payment of any other of its outstanding obligations; - - There has been a public tender offer made for a Security or a merger or acquisition is announced affecting a Security, and that in our opinion the sale or tender of the Security is in the best interest of Unit holders; or - - The price of the Security has declined to such an extent, or such other credit factors exist, that in our opinion keeping the Security would be harmful to the Trust. Except in the limited instance in which the Trust acquires Replacement Securities, as described in "The FT Series," the Trust may not acquire any securities or other property other than the Securities. The Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, will reject any offer for new or exchanged securities or property in exchange for a Security, such as those acquired in a merger or other transaction. If such exchanged securities or property are nevertheless acquired by the Trust, at our instruction, they will either be sold or held in the Trust. In making the determination as to whether to sell or hold the exchanged securities or property we may get advice from the Portfolio Supervisor. Any proceeds received from the sale of Securities, exchanged securities or property will be credited to the Capital Account for distribution to Unit holders or to meet redemption requests. The Trustee may retain and pay us or an affiliate of ours to act as agent for the Trust to facilitate selling Securities, exchanged securities or property from the Trust. If we or our affiliate act in this capacity, we will be held subject to the restrictions under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Page 22 The Trustee may sell Securities designated by us or, absent our direction, at its own discretion, in order to meet redemption requests or pay expenses. In designating Securities to be sold, we will try to maintain the proportionate relationship among the Securities. If this is not possible, the composition and diversification of the Trust may be changed. To get the best price for the Trust we may specify minimum amounts (generally 100 shares) in which blocks of Securities are to be sold. We may consider sales of units of unit investment trusts which we sponsor when we make recommendations to the Trustee as to which broker/dealers they select to execute the Trust's portfolio transactions, or when acting as agent for the Trust in acquiring or selling Securities on behalf of the Trust. Amending or Terminating the Indenture Amendments. The Indenture may be amended by us and the Trustee without your consent: - - To cure ambiguities; - - To correct or supplement any defective or inconsistent provision; - - To make any amendment required by any governmental agency; or - - To make other changes determined not to be materially adverse to your best interests (as determined by us and the Trustee). Termination. As provided by the Indenture, the Trust will terminate on the Mandatory Termination Date as stated in the "Summary of Essential Information." The Trust may be terminated earlier: - - Upon the consent of 100% of the Unit holders of the Trust; - - If the value of the Securities owned by the Trust as shown by any evaluation is less than the lower of $2,000,000 or 20% of the total value of Securities deposited in the Trust during the initial offering period ("Discretionary Liquidation Amount"); or - - In the event that Units of the Trust not yet sold aggregating more than 60% of the Units of the Trust are tendered for redemption by underwriters, including the Sponsor. Prior to termination, the Trustee will send written notice to registered account holders which will specify how certificates, if any, should be tendered to the Trustee. If the Trust is terminated due to this last reason, we will refund your entire transactional sales charge; however, termination of the Trust before the Mandatory Termination Date for any other stated reason will result in all remaining unpaid deferred sales charges on your Units being deducted from your termination proceeds. For various reasons, the Trust may be reduced below the Discretionary Liquidation Amount and could therefore be terminated before the Mandatory Termination Date. Unless terminated earlier, the Trustee will begin to sell Securities in connection with the termination of the Trust during the period beginning nine business days prior to, and no later than, the Mandatory Termination Date. We will determine the manner and timing of the sale of Securities. Because the Trustee must sell the Securities within a relatively short period of time, the sale of Securities as part of the termination process may result in a lower sales price than might otherwise be realized if such sale were not required at this time. If you own at least 2,500 Units of the Trust, or such other amount as required by your broker/dealer, the Trustee will send the registered account holders a form at least 30 days prior to the Mandatory Termination Date which will enable you to receive an In-Kind Distribution (reduced by customary transfer and registration charges and subject to any additional restrictions imposed on Fee Accounts by "wrap fee" plans) rather than the typical cash distribution. See "Tax Status" for additional information. You must notify the Trustee at least ten business days prior to the Mandatory Termination Date if you elect this In-Kind Distribution option. If you do not elect to participate in the In-Kind Distribution option, you will receive a cash distribution from the sale of the remaining Securities, along with your interest in the Income and Capital Accounts, within a reasonable time after the Trust is terminated. Regardless of the distribution involved, the Trustee will deduct from the Trust any accrued costs, expenses, advances or indemnities provided for by the Indenture, including estimated compensation of the Trustee and costs of liquidation and any amounts required as a reserve to pay any taxes or other governmental charges. Information on the Sponsor, Trustee and Evaluator The Sponsor. We, First Trust Portfolios L.P., specialize in the underwriting, trading and wholesale distribution of unit investment trusts under the "First Trust" brand name and other securities. An Illinois limited partnership formed in 1991, we act as Sponsor for successive series of: - - The First Trust Combined Series - - FT Series (formerly known as The First Trust Special Situations Trust) Page 23 - - The First Trust Insured Corporate Trust - - The First Trust of Insured Municipal Bonds - - The First Trust GNMA First Trust introduced the first insured unit investment trust in 1974. To date we have deposited more than $48 billion in First Trust unit investment trusts. Our employees include a team of professionals with many years of experience in the unit investment trust industry. We are a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Our principal offices are at 1001 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Illinois 60532; telephone number (630) 241-4141. As of December 31, 2003, the total consolidated partners' capital of First Trust Portfolios L.P. and subsidiary was $20,540,034 (audited). This information refers only to us and not to the Trust or to any series of the Trust or to any other dealer. We are including this information only to inform you of our financial responsibility and our ability to carry out our contractual obligations. We will provide more detailed financial information on request. Code of Ethics. The Sponsor and the Trust have adopted a code of ethics requiring the Sponsor's employees who have access to information on Trust transactions to report personal securities transactions. The purpose of the code is to avoid potential conflicts of interest and to prevent fraud, deception or misconduct with respect to the Trust. The Trustee. The Trustee is JPMorgan Chase Bank with its principal executive office located at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017 and its unit investment trust office at 4 Chase MetroTech Center, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, New York 11245. If you have questions regarding the Trust, you may call the Customer Service Help Line at 1-800-682-7520. The Trustee is supervised by the Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Trustee has not participated in selecting the Securities for the Trust; it only provides administrative services. Limitations of Liabilities of Sponsor and Trustee. Neither we nor the Trustee will be liable for taking any action or for not taking any action in good faith according to the Indenture. We will also not be accountable for errors in judgment. We will only be liable for our own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence (ordinary negligence in the Trustee's case) or reckless disregard of our obligations and duties. The Trustee is not liable for any loss or depreciation when the Securities are sold. If we fail to act under the Indenture, the Trustee may do so, and the Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes in good faith under the Indenture. The Trustee will not be liable for any taxes or other governmental charges or interest on the Securities which the Trustee may be required to pay under any present or future law of the United States or of any other taxing authority with jurisdiction. Also, the Indenture states other provisions regarding the liability of the Trustee. If we do not perform any of our duties under the Indenture or are not able to act or become bankrupt, or if our affairs are taken over by public authorities, then the Trustee may: - - Appoint a successor sponsor, paying them a reasonable rate not more than that stated by the SEC; - - Terminate the Indenture and liquidate the Trust; or - - Continue to act as Trustee without terminating the Indenture. The Evaluator. The Evaluator is First Trust Advisors L.P., an Illinois limited partnership formed in 1991 and an affiliate of the Sponsor. The Evaluator's address is 1001 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Illinois 60532. The Trustee, Sponsor and Unit holders may rely on the accuracy of any evaluation prepared by the Evaluator. The Evaluator will make determinations in good faith based upon the best available information, but will not be liable to the Trustee, Sponsor or Unit holders for errors in judgment. Other Information Legal Opinions. Our counsel is Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 W. Monroe St., Chicago, Illinois, 60603. They have passed upon the legality of the Units offered hereby and certain matters relating to federal tax law. Carter, Ledyard & Milburn LLP acts as the Trustee's counsel, as well as special New York tax counsel for the Trust. Experts. The Trust's statement of net assets, including the schedule of investments, as of the opening of business on the Initial Date of Deposit included in this prospectus has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, as stated in their report appearing herein, and is included in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing. Page 24 Supplemental Information. If you write or call the Sponsor, you will receive free of charge supplemental information about this Series, which has been filed with the SEC and to which we have referred throughout. This information states more specific details concerning the nature, structure and risks of this product. Credit Rating Definitions Standard & Poor's. A Standard & Poor's issue credit rating is a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The issue credit rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a financial obligation, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for particular investor. Issue credit ratings are based on current information furnished by the obligors or obtained by Standard & Poor's from other sources it considers reliable. Standard & Poor's does not perform an audit in connection with any credit rating and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. Credit ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in, or unavailability of, such information, or based on other circumstances. Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short- term in the relevant market. In the United States, for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days- including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long- term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings. Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings. Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations: 1. Likelihood of payment: capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation; 2. Nature of and provisions of the obligation; 3. Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights. The issue rating definitions are expressed in terms of default risk. As such, they pertain to senior obligations of an entity. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation applies when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.) Accordingly, in the case of junior debt, the rating may not conform exactly with the category definition. AAA An obligation rated "AAA" has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's. The obligator's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong. AA An obligation rated "AA" differs from the highest rated obligations only in small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong. A An obligation rated "A" is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong. BBB An obligation rated "BBB" exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Obligations rated "BB," "B," "CCC," "CC" and "C" are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. "BB" indicates the least degree of speculation and "C" the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions. BB An obligation rated "BB" is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. B An obligation rated "B" is more vulnerable to nonpayment than Page 25 obligations rated "BB," but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. CCC An obligation rated "CCC" is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. CC An obligation rated "CC" is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. C A subordinated debt or preferred stock obligation rated "C" is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The "C" rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. A "C" also will be assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying. D An obligation rated "D" is in payment default. The "D" rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made during such grade period. The "D" rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized. Plus(+) or Minus(-): The ratings from "AA" to "CCC" may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories. Moody's Investors Services. A brief description of the applicable Moody's rating symbols and their meanings follows: Aaa - Bonds and preferred stock which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edge." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues. Aa - Bonds and preferred stock which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the long term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities. A - Bonds and preferred stock which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future. Baa - Bonds and preferred stock which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations; i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well. Ba - Bonds and preferred stock which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class. B - Bonds and preferred stock which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small. Caa - Bonds and preferred stock which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest. Ca - Bonds and preferred stock which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings. C - Bonds and preferred stock which are rated C are the lowest rated Page 26 class of bonds, and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing. Moody's bond rating symbols may contain numerical modifiers of a generic rating classification. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid- range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of its generic rating category. Page 27 First Trust(R) Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18 FT 847 Sponsor: FIRST TRUST PORTFOLIOS L.P. 1001 Warrenville Road, Suite 300 Lisle, Illinois 60532 1-630-241-4141 Trustee: JPMorgan Chase Bank 4 Chase MetroTech Center, 3rd floor Brooklyn, New York 11245 1-800-682-7520 24-Hour Pricing Line: 1-800-446-0132 This prospectus contains information relating to Preferred Income Portfolio, Series 18, but does not contain all of the information about this investment company as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. under the: - - Securities Act of 1933 (file no. 333-______) and - - Investment Company Act of 1940 (file no. 811-05903) Information about the Trust, including its Code of Ethics, can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington D.C. Information regarding the operation of the Commission's Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the Commission at 1-202-942-8090. Information about the Trust is available on the EDGAR Database on the Commission's Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. To obtain copies at prescribed rates - Write: Public Reference Section of the Commission 450 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20549-0102 e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov May __, 2004 PLEASE RETAIN THIS PROSPECTUS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE Page 28 First Trust(R) The FT Series Information Supplement This Information Supplement provides additional information concerning the structure, operations and risks of the unit investment trust contained in FT 847 not found in the prospectus for the Trust. This Information Supplement is not a prospectus and does not include all of the information you should consider before investing in the Trust. This Information Supplement should be read in conjunction with the prospectus for the Trust in which you are considering investing. This Information Supplement is dated May __, 2004. Capitalized terms have been defined in the prospectus. Table of Contents Risk Factors Preferred Stocks 1 Trust Preferred Securities 1 Dividends 2 High-Yield Securities 2 REITs 3 Foreign Issuers 4 Concentration Financial Services 5 Risk Factors Preferred Stocks. An investment in Units of the Trust should be made with an understanding of the risks which an investment in preferred stocks entails, including the risk that the financial condition of the issuers of the Securities or the general condition of the preferred stock market may worsen, and the value of the preferred stocks and therefore the value of the Units may decline. Preferred stocks may be susceptible to general stock market movements and to volatile increases and decreases of value as market confidence in and perceptions of the issuers change. These perceptions are based on unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, market liquidity, and global or regional political, economic or banking crises. Preferred stocks are also vulnerable to Congressional reductions in the dividends-received deduction which would adversely affect the after-tax return to the investors who can take advantage of the deduction. Such a reduction might adversely affect the value of preferred stocks in general. Holders of preferred stocks, as owners of the entity, have rights to receive payments from the issuers of those preferred stocks that are generally subordinate to those of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or, in some cases, other senior preferred stocks of, such issuers. Preferred stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer and, therefore, do not offer any assurance of income or provide the same degree of protection of capital as do debt securities. The issuance of additional debt securities or senior preferred stocks will create prior claims for payment of principal and interest and senior dividends which could adversely affect the ability and inclination of the issuer to declare or pay dividends on its preferred stock or the rights of holders of preferred stock with respect to assets of the issuer upon liquidation or bankruptcy. The value of preferred stocks is subject to market fluctuations for as long as the preferred stocks remain outstanding, and thus the value of the Securities may be expected to fluctuate over the life of the Trust to values higher or lower than those prevailing on the Initial Date of Deposit. Trust Preferred Securities. An investment in Units of the Trust should also be made with an understanding of the risks which an investment in trust preferred securities entails. Holders of trust preferred securities incur risks in addition to or slightly different than the typical risks of holding preferred stocks. As previously discussed, trust preferred securities are limited-life preferred securities that are typically issued by corporations, generally in the form of interest- bearing notes or preferred securities issued by corporations, or by an affiliated business trust of a corporation, generally in the form of beneficial interests in subordinated debentures issued by the corporation, or similarly structured securities. The maturity and dividend rate of the trust preferred securities are structured to match the maturity and coupon interest rate of the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures. Trust preferred securities usually mature on the stated maturity date of the interest- bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures and may be redeemed or liquidated prior to the stated maturity date of such Page 1 instruments for any reason on or after their stated call date or upon the occurrence of certain extraordinary circumstances at any time. Trust preferred securities generally have a yield advantage over traditional preferred stocks, but unlike preferred stocks, distributions on the Trust preferred securities are treated as interest rather than dividends for Federal income tax purposes. Unlike most preferred stocks, distributions received from trust preferred securities are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction. Certain of the risks unique to trust preferred securities include: (i) distributions on trust preferred securities will be made only if interest payments on the interest- bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures are made; (ii) a corporation issuing the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures may defer interest payments on these instruments for up to 20 consecutive quarters and if such election is made, distributions will not be made on the trust preferred securities during the deferral period; (iii) certain tax or regulatory events may trigger the redemption of the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures by the issuing corporation and result in prepayment of the trust preferred securities prior to their stated maturity date; (iv) future legislation may be proposed or enacted that may prohibit the corporation from deducting its interest payments on the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures for tax purposes, making redemption of these instruments likely; (v) a corporation may redeem the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures in whole at any time or in part from time to time on or after a stated call date; (vi) trust preferred securities holders have very limited voting rights; and (vii) payment of interest on the interest-bearing notes, preferred securities or subordinated debentures, and therefore distributions on the trust preferred securities, is dependent on the financial condition of the issuing corporation. Dividends. Shareholders of common stocks have rights to receive payments from the issuers of those common stocks that are generally subordinate to those of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks of, such issuers. Common stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer and, therefore, do not offer any assurance of income or provide the same degree of protection of capital as do debt securities. The issuance of additional debt securities or preferred stock will create prior claims for payment of principal, interest and dividends which could adversely affect the ability and inclination of the issuer to declare or pay dividends on its common stock or the rights of holders of common stock with respect to assets of the issuer upon liquidation or bankruptcy. High-Yield Securities. An investment in Units of the Trust should be made with an understanding of the risks that an investment in "high- yield, high-risk," fixed-rate, domestic and foreign debt obligations or "junk securities" may entail, including increased credit risks and the risk that the value of the Units will decline, and may decline precipitously, with increases in interest rates. In recent years there have been wide fluctuations in interest rates and thus in the value of fixed-rate, debt obligations generally. Securities such as those included in the funds in the Trust are, under most circumstances, subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss of income and principal than are investments in lower-yielding, higher-rated securities, and their value may decline precipitously because of increases in interest rates, not only because the increases in rates generally decrease values, but also because increased rates may indicate a slowdown in the economy and a decrease in the value of assets generally that may adversely affect the credit of issuers of high-yield, high-risk securities resulting in a higher incidence of defaults among high-yield, high-risk securities. A slowdown in the economy, or a development adversely affecting an issuer's creditworthiness, may result in the issuer being unable to maintain earnings or sell assets at the rate and at the prices, respectively, that are required to produce sufficient cash flow to meet its interest and principal requirements. For an issuer that has outstanding both senior commercial bank debt and subordinated high-yield, high-risk securities, an increase in interest rates will increase that issuer's interest expense insofar as the interest rate on the bank debt is fluctuating. However, many leveraged issuers enter into interest rate protection agreements to fix or cap the interest rate on a large portion of their bank debt. This reduces exposure to increasing rates, but reduces the benefit to the issuer of declining rates. The Sponsor cannot predict future economic policies or their consequences or, therefore, the course or extent of any similar market fluctuations in the future. "High-yield" or "junk" securities, the generic names for securities rated below BBB by Standard & Poor's, or below Baa by Moody's, are frequently issued by corporations in the growth stage of their development, by established companies whose operations or industries are depressed or by highly leveraged companies purchased in leveraged buyout transactions. The market for high-yield securities is very specialized and investors in it have been predominantly financial institutions. High- yield securities are generally not listed on a national securities exchange. Trading of high-yield securities, therefore, takes place primarily in over-the-counter markets which consist of groups of dealer firms that are typically major securities firms. Because the high-yield security market is a dealer market, rather than an auction market, no single obtainable price for a given security prevails at any given time. Prices are determined by negotiation between traders. The existence of a liquid trading market for the securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in the securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made for any of the securities, that any market for the securities will be maintained or of the liquidity of the securities in any markets made. Not all dealers maintain markets in all high-yield securities. Therefore, since there are fewer traders in these securities than there are in "investment grade" securities, the bid-offer spread is Page 2 usually greater for high-yield securities than it is for investment grade securities. The price at which the securities may be sold to meet redemptions and the value of the Trust will be adversely affected if trading markets for the securities are limited or absent. If the rate of redemptions is great, the value of the Trust may decline to a level that requires liquidation. Lower-rated securities tend to offer higher yields than higher-rated securities with the same maturities because the creditworthiness of the issuers of lower-rated securities may not be as strong as that of other issuers. Moreover, if a trust preferred security is recharacterized as equity by the Internal Revenue Service for federal income tax purposes, the issuer's interest deduction with respect to the security will be disallowed and this disallowance may adversely affect the issuer's credit rating. Because investors generally perceive that there are greater risks associated with the lower-rated securities in the Trust, the yields and prices of these securities tend to fluctuate more than higher-rated securities with changes in the perceived quality of the credit of their issuers. In addition, the market value of high-yield, high-risk, fixed-income securities may fluctuate more than the market value of higher-rated securities since high-yield, high-risk, fixed- income securities tend to reflect short-term credit development to a greater extent than higher-rated securities. Lower-rated securities generally involve greater risks of loss of income and principal than higher-rated securities. Issuers of lower-rated securities may possess fewer creditworthiness characteristics than issuers of higher-rated securities and, especially in the case of issuers whose obligations or credit standing have recently been downgraded, may be subject to claims by debtholders, owners of property leased to the issuer or others which, if sustained, would make it more difficult for the issuers to meet their payment obligations. High-yield, high-risk securities are also affected by variables such as interest rates, inflation rates and real growth in the economy. Therefore, investors should consider carefully the relative risks associated with investment in securities which carry lower ratings. The value of the Units reflects the value of the portfolio securities, including the value (if any) of securities in default. Should the issuer of any security default in the payment of principal or interest, the funds in the Trust may incur additional expenses seeking payment on the defaulted security. Because amounts (if any) recovered by the funds in payment under the defaulted security may not be reflected in the value of the fund shares until actually received by the funds, and depending upon when a Unit holder purchases or sells his or her Units, it is possible that a Unit holder would bear a portion of the cost of recovery without receiving any portion of the payment recovered. High-yield, high-risk securities are generally subordinated obligations. The payment of principal (and premium, if any), interest and sinking fund requirements with respect to subordinated obligations of an issuer is subordinated in right of payment to the payment of senior obligations of the issuer. Senior obligations generally include most, if not all, significant debt obligations of an issuer, whether existing at the time of issuance of subordinated debt or created thereafter. Upon any distribution of the assets of an issuer with subordinated obligations upon dissolution, total or partial liquidation or reorganization of or similar proceeding relating to the issuer, the holders of senior indebtedness will be entitled to receive payment in full before holders of subordinated indebtedness will be entitled to receive any payment. Moreover, generally no payment with respect to subordinated indebtedness may be made while there exists a default with respect to any senior indebtedness. Thus, in the event of insolvency, holders of senior indebtedness of an issuer generally will recover more, ratably, than holders of subordinated indebtedness of that issuer. Obligations that are rated lower than "BBB" by Standard & Poor's, or Baa by Moody's, respectively, should be considered speculative as such ratings indicate a quality of less than investment grade. Investors should carefully review the objective of the Trust and consider their ability to assume the risks involved before making an investment in such Trust. REITs. An investment in Units of the Trust should also be made with an understanding of risks inherent in an investment in REITs specifically and real estate generally (in addition to securities market risks). Generally, these include economic recession, the cyclical nature of real estate markets, competitive overbuilding, unusually adverse weather conditions, changing demographics, changes in governmental regulations (including tax laws and environmental, building, zoning and sales regulations), increases in real estate taxes or costs of material and labor, the inability to secure performance guarantees or insurance as required, the unavailability of investment capital and the inability to obtain construction financing or mortgage loans at rates acceptable to builders and purchasers of real estate. Additional risks include an inability to reduce expenditures associated with a property (such as mortgage payments and property taxes) when rental revenue declines, and possible loss upon foreclosure of mortgaged properties if mortgage payments are not paid when due. REITs are financial vehicles that have as their objective the pooling of capital from a number of investors in order to participate directly in real estate ownership or financing. REITs are generally fully integrated operating companies that have interests in income-producing real estate. Equity REITs emphasize direct property investment, holding their invested assets primarily in the ownership of real estate or other equity interests. REITs obtain capital funds for investment in underlying real estate assets by selling debt or equity securities in the public or institutional capital markets or by bank borrowing. Thus, the returns on common equities of the REITs in which the Trust invests will be significantly affected by changes in costs of capital and, particularly in the case of highly "leveraged" REITs (i.e., those with large amounts of borrowings outstanding), by changes in the level of interest rates. The objective of an equity REIT is to purchase income- producing real estate properties in order to generate high levels of Page 3 cash flow from rental income and a gradual asset appreciation, and they typically invest in properties such as office, retail, industrial, hotel and apartment buildings and healthcare facilities. REITs are a creation of the tax law. REITs essentially operate as a corporation or business trust with the advantage of exemption from corporate income taxes provided the REIT satisfies the requirements of Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code. The major tests for tax-qualified status are that the REIT (i) be managed by one or more trustees or directors, (ii) issue shares of transferable interest to its owners, (iii) have at least 100 shareholders, (iv) have no more than 50% of the shares held by five or fewer individuals, (v) invest substantially all of its capital in real estate related assets and derive substantially all of its gross income from real estate related assets and (vi) distributed at least 95% of its taxable income to its shareholders each year. If any REIT in the Trust's portfolio should fail to qualify for such tax status, the related shareholders (including the Trust) could be adversely affected by the resulting tax consequences. The underlying value of the Securities and the Trust's ability to make distributions to Unit holders may be adversely affected by changes in national economic conditions, changes in local market conditions due to changes in general or local economic conditions and neighborhood characteristics, increased competition from other properties, obsolescence of property, changes in the availability, cost and terms of mortgage funds, the impact of present or future environmental legislation and compliance with environmental laws, the ongoing need for capital improvements, particularly in older properties, changes in real estate tax rates and other operating expenses, regulatory and economic impediments to raising rents, adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies, dependency on management skill, civil unrest, acts of God, including earthquakes and other natural disasters (which may result in uninsured losses), acts of war, adverse changes in zoning laws, and other factors which are beyond the control of the issuers of the REITs in a Trust. The value of the REITs may at times be particularly sensitive to devaluation in the event of rising interest rates. REITs may concentrate investments in specific geographic areas or in specific property types, i.e., hotels, shopping malls, residential complexes and office buildings. The impact of economic conditions on REITs can also be expected to vary with geographic location and property type. Investors should be aware the REITs may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are also subject to defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, the market's perception of the REIT industry generally, and the possibility of failing to qualify for pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code, and to maintain exemption from the Investment Company Act of 1940. A default by a borrower or lessee may cause the REIT to experience delays in enforcing its right as mortgagee or lessor and to incur significant costs related to protecting its investments. In addition, because real estate generally is subject to real property taxes, the REITs in the Trust may be adversely affected by increases or decreases in property tax rates and assessments or reassessments of the properties underlying the REITs by taxing authorities. Furthermore, because real estate is relatively illiquid, the ability of REITs to vary their portfolios in response to changes in economic and other conditions may be limited and may adversely affect the value of the Units. There can be no assurance that any REIT will be able to dispose of its underlying real estate assets when advantageous or necessary. The issuer of REITs generally maintains comprehensive insurance on presently owned and subsequently acquired real property assets, including liability, fire and extended coverage. However, certain types of losses may be uninsurable or not be economically insurable as to which the underlying properties are at risk in their particular locales. There can be no assurance that insurance coverage will be sufficient to pay the full current market value or current replacement cost of any lost investment. Various factors might make it impracticable to use insurance proceeds to replace a facility after it has been damaged or destroyed. Under such circumstances, the insurance proceeds received by a REIT might not be adequate to restore its economic position with respect to such property. Under various environmental laws, a current or previous owner or operator of real property may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances on, under or in such property. Such laws often impose liability whether or not the owner or operator caused or knew of the presence of such hazardous or toxic substances and whether or not the storage of such substances was in violation of a tenant's lease. In addition, the presence of hazardous or toxic substances, or the failure to remediate such property properly, may adversely affect the owner's ability to borrow using such real property as collateral. No assurance can be given that one or more of the REITs in the Trust may not be presently liable or potentially liable for any such costs in connection with real estate assets they presently own or subsequently acquire while such REITs are held in the Trust. Foreign Issuers. Since certain of the Securities included in the Trust consist of securities of foreign issuers, an investment in the Trust involves certain investment risks that are different in some respects from an investment in a trust which invests entirely in the securities of domestic issuers. These investment risks include future political or governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payment or receipt of payment of dividends on the relevant Securities, the possibility that the financial condition of the issuers of the Securities may become impaired or that the general condition of the relevant stock market may worsen (both of which would contribute directly to a decrease in the value of the Securities and thus in the value of the Units), the limited liquidity and relatively small market capitalization of the relevant securities market, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, economic uncertainties and foreign currency devaluations and fluctuations. In addition, for foreign issuers that are Page 4 not subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, there may be less publicly available information than is available from a domestic issuer. Also, foreign issuers are not necessarily subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to domestic issuers. The securities of many foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. In addition, fixed brokerage commissions and other transaction costs on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than in the United States and there is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers in foreign countries than there is in the United States. However, due to the nature of the issuers of the Securities selected for the Trust, the Sponsor believes that adequate information will be available to allow the Supervisor to provide portfolio surveillance for the Trust. Securities issued by non-U.S. issuers generally pay dividends in foreign currencies and are principally traded in foreign currencies. Therefore, there is a risk that the U.S. dollar value of these securities will vary with fluctuations in the U.S. dollar foreign exchange rates for the various Securities. On the basis of the best information available to the Sponsor at the present time, none of the Securities in the Trust are subject to exchange control restrictions under existing law which would materially interfere with payment to the Trust of dividends due on, or proceeds from the sale of, the Securities. However, there can be no assurance that exchange control regulations might not be adopted in the future which might adversely affect payment to the Trust. The adoption of exchange control regulations and other legal restrictions could have an adverse impact on the marketability of international securities in the Trust and on the ability of the Trust to satisfy its obligation to redeem Units tendered to the Trustee for redemption. In addition, restrictions on the settlement of transactions on either the purchase or sale side, or both, could cause delays or increase the costs associated with the purchase and sale of the foreign Securities and correspondingly could affect the price of the Units. Investors should be aware that it may not be possible to buy all Securities at the same time because of the unavailability of any Security, and restrictions applicable to the Trust relating to the purchase of a Security by reason of the federal securities laws or otherwise. Foreign securities generally have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and may not be exempt from the registration requirements of such Act. Sales of non-exempt Securities by the Trust in the United States securities markets are subject to severe restrictions and may not be practicable. Accordingly, sales of these Securities by the Trust will generally be effected only in foreign securities markets. Although the Sponsor does not believe that the Trust will encounter obstacles in disposing of the Securities, investors should realize that the Securities may be traded in foreign countries where the securities markets are not as developed or efficient and may not be as liquid as those in the United States. The value of the Securities will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Securities are limited or absent. Concentration Financial Services. An investment in Units of the Trust should be made with an understanding of the problems and risks inherent in the bank and financial services sector in general. Banks, thrifts and their holding companies are especially subject to the adverse effects of economic recession, volatile interest rates, portfolio concentrations in geographic markets and in commercial and residential real estate loans, and competition from new entrants in their fields of business. Banks and thrifts are highly dependent on net interest margin. Recently, bank profits have come under pressure as net interest margins have contracted, but volume gains have been strong in both commercial and consumer products. There is no certainty that such conditions will continue. Bank and thrift institutions had received significant consumer mortgage fee income as a result of activity in mortgage and refinance markets. As initial home purchasing and refinancing activity subsided, this income diminished. Economic conditions in the real estate markets, which have been weak in the past, can have a substantial effect upon banks and thrifts because they generally have a portion of their assets invested in loans secured by real estate. Banks, thrifts and their holding companies are subject to extensive federal regulation and, when such institutions are state- chartered, to state regulation as well. Such regulations impose strict capital requirements and limitations on the nature and extent of business activities that banks and thrifts may pursue. Furthermore, bank regulators have a wide range of discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement authority and may substantially restrict the permissible activities of a particular institution if deemed to pose significant risks to the soundness of such institution or the safety of the federal deposit insurance fund. Regulatory actions, such as increases in the minimum capital requirements applicable to banks and thrifts and increases in deposit insurance premiums required to be paid by banks and thrifts to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"), can negatively impact earnings and the ability of a company to pay dividends. Neither federal insurance of deposits nor governmental regulations, however, insures the solvency or profitability of banks or their holding companies, or insures against any risk of investment in the securities issued by such institutions. The statutory requirements applicable to and regulatory supervision of banks, thrifts and their holding companies have increased significantly and have undergone substantial change in recent years. To a great Page 5 extent, these changes are embodied in the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act; enacted in August 1989, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991, the Resolution Trust Corporation Refinancing, Restructuring, and Improvement Act of 1991 and the regulations promulgated under these laws. Many of the regulations promulgated pursuant to these laws have only recently been finalized and their impact on the business, financial condition and prospects of the Securities in the Trust's portfolio cannot be predicted with certainty. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act repealed most of the barriers set up by the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act which separated the banking, insurance and securities industries. Now banks, insurance companies and securities firms can merge to form one-stop financial conglomerates marketing a wide range of financial service products to investors. This legislation will likely result in increased merger activity and heightened competition among existing and new participants in the field. Efforts to expand the ability of federal thrifts to branch on an interstate basis have been initially successful through promulgation of regulations, and legislation to liberalize interstate banking has recently been signed into law. Under the legislation, banks will be able to purchase or establish subsidiary banks in any state, one year after the legislation's enactment. Since mid-1997, banks have been allowed to turn existing banks into branches. Consolidation is likely to continue. The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Accounting Standards Board require the expanded use of market value accounting by banks and have imposed rules requiring market accounting for investment securities held in trading accounts or available for sale. Adoption of additional such rules may result in increased volatility in the reported health of the industry, and mandated regulatory intervention to correct such problems. Additional legislative and regulatory changes may be forthcoming. For example, the bank regulatory authorities have proposed substantial changes to the Community Reinvestment Act and fair lending laws, rules and regulations, and there can be no certainty as to the effect, if any, that such changes would have on the Securities in a Trust's portfolio. In addition, from time to time the deposit insurance system is reviewed by Congress and federal regulators, and proposed reforms of that system could, among other things, further restrict the ways in which deposited moneys can be used by banks or reduce the dollar amount or number of deposits insured for any depositor. Such reforms could reduce profitability as investment opportunities available to bank institutions become more limited and as consumers look for savings vehicles other than bank deposits. Banks and thrifts face significant competition from other financial institutions such as mutual funds, credit unions, mortgage banking companies and insurance companies, and increased competition may result from legislative broadening of regional and national interstate banking powers as has been recently enacted. Among other benefits, the legislation allows banks and bank holding companies to acquire across previously prohibited state lines and to consolidate their various bank subsidiaries into one unit. The Sponsor makes no prediction as to what, if any, manner of bank and thrift regulatory actions might ultimately be adopted or what ultimate effect such actions might have on the Trust's portfolio. The Federal Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 generally prohibits a bank holding company from (1) acquiring, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of a bank or bank holding company, (2) acquiring control of a bank or another bank holding company, (3) acquiring all or substantially all the assets of a bank, or (4) merging or consolidating with another bank holding company, without first obtaining Federal Reserve Board ("FRB") approval. In considering an application with respect to any such transaction, the FRB is required to consider a variety of factors, including the potential anti-competitive effects of the transaction, the financial condition and future prospects of the combining and resulting institutions, the managerial resources of the resulting institution, the convenience and needs of the communities the combined organization would serve, the record of performance of each combining organization under the Community Reinvestment Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and the prospective availability to the FRB of information appropriate to determine ongoing regulatory compliance with applicable banking laws. In addition, the federal Change In Bank Control Act and various state laws impose limitations on the ability of one or more individuals or other entities to acquire control of banks or bank holding companies. The FRB has issued a policy statement on the payment of cash dividends by bank holding companies. In the policy statement, the FRB expressed its view that a bank holding company experiencing earnings weaknesses should not pay cash dividends which exceed its net income or which could only be funded in ways that would weaken its financial health, such as by borrowing. The FRB also may impose limitations on the payment of dividends as a condition to its approval of certain applications, including applications for approval of mergers and acquisitions. The Sponsor makes no prediction as to the effect, if any, such laws will have on the Securities or whether such approvals, if necessary, will be obtained. Companies involved in the insurance industry are engaged in underwriting, reinsuring, selling, distributing or placing of property and casualty, life or health insurance. Other growth areas within the insurance industry include brokerage, reciprocals, claims processors and multiline insurance companies. Insurance company profits are affected by interest rate levels, general economic conditions, and price and marketing competition. Property and casualty insurance profits may also be affected by weather catastrophes and other disasters. Life and health insurance profits may be affected by mortality and morbidity rates. Individual companies may be exposed to material risks including reserve inadequacy and the inability to collect from reinsurance carriers. Insurance companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, including the imposition of maximum rate levels, which may not be Page 6 adequate for some lines of business. Proposed or potential tax law changes may also adversely affect insurance companies' policy sales, tax obligations, and profitability. In addition to the foregoing, profit margins of these companies continue to shrink due to the commoditization of traditional businesses, new competitors, capital expenditures on new technology and the pressures to compete globally. In addition to the normal risks of business, companies involved in the insurance industry are subject to significant risk factors, including those applicable to regulated insurance companies, such as: (i) the inherent uncertainty in the process of establishing property-liability loss reserves, particularly reserves for the cost of environmental, asbestos and mass tort claims, and the fact that ultimate losses could materially exceed established loss reserves which could have a material adverse effect on results of operations and financial condition; (ii) the fact that insurance companies have experienced, and can be expected in the future to experience, catastrophe losses which could have a material adverse impact on their financial condition, results of operations and cash flow; (iii) the inherent uncertainty in the process of establishing property-liability loss reserves due to changes in loss payment patterns caused by new claims settlement practices; (iv) the need for insurance companies and their subsidiaries to maintain appropriate levels of statutory capital and surplus, particularly in light of continuing scrutiny by rating organizations and state insurance regulatory authorities, and in order to maintain acceptable financial strength or claims-paying ability rating; (v) the extensive regulation and supervision to which insurance companies' subsidiaries are subject, various regulatory initiatives that may affect insurance companies, and regulatory and other legal actions; (vi) the adverse impact that increases in interest rates could have on the value of an insurance company's investment portfolio and on the attractiveness of certain of its products; (vii) the need to adjust the effective duration of the assets and liabilities of life insurance operations in order to meet the anticipated cash flow requirements of its policyholder obligations; and (viii) the uncertainty involved in estimating the availability of reinsurance and the collectibility of reinsurance recoverables. The state insurance regulatory framework has, during recent years, come under increased federal scrutiny, and certain state legislatures have considered or enacted laws that alter and, in many cases, increase state authority to regulate insurance companies and insurance holding company systems. Further, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners ("NAIC") and state insurance regulators are re-examining existing laws and regulations, specifically focusing on insurance companies, interpretations of existing laws and the development of new laws. In addition, Congress and certain federal agencies have investigated the condition of the insurance industry in the United States to determine whether to promulgate additional federal regulation. The Sponsor is unable to predict whether any state or federal legislation will be enacted to change the nature or scope of regulation of the insurance industry, or what effect, if any, such legislation would have on the industry. All insurance companies are subject to state laws and regulations that require diversification of their investment portfolios and limit the amount of investments in certain investment categories. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations would cause non-conforming investments to be treated as non-admitted assets for purposes of measuring statutory surplus and, in some instances, would require divestiture. Environmental pollution clean-up is the subject of both federal and state regulation. By some estimates, there are thousands of potential waste sites subject to clean up. The insurance industry is involved in extensive litigation regarding coverage issues. The Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 ("Superfund") and comparable state statutes ("mini-Superfund") govern the clean-up and restoration by "Potentially Responsible Parties" ("PRP's"). Superfund and the mini-Superfunds ("Environmental Clean-up Laws or "ECLs") establish a mechanism to pay for clean-up of waste sites if PRP's fail to do so, and to assign liability to PRP's. The extent of liability to be allocated to a PRP is dependent on a variety of factors. The extent of clean-up necessary and the assignment of liability has not been fully established. The insurance industry is disputing many such claims. Key coverage issues include whether Superfund response costs are considered damages under the policies, when and how coverage is triggered, applicability of pollution exclusions, the potential for joint and several liability and definition of an occurrence. Similar coverage issues exist for clean up and waste sites not covered under Superfund. To date, courts have been inconsistent in their rulings on these issues. An insurer's exposure to liability with regard to its insureds which have been, or may be, named as PRPs is uncertain. Superfund reform proposals have been introduced in Congress, but none have been enacted. There can be no assurance that any Superfund reform legislation will be enacted or that any such legislation will provide for a fair, effective and cost-efficient system for settlement of Superfund related claims. While current federal income tax law permits the tax-deferred accumulation of earnings on the premiums paid by an annuity owner and holders of certain savings-oriented life insurance products, no assurance can be given that future tax law will continue to allow such tax deferrals. If such deferrals were not allowed, consumer demand for the affected products would be substantially reduced. In addition, proposals to lower the federal income tax rates through a form of flat tax or otherwise could have, if enacted, a negative impact on the demand for such products. Companies engaged in investment banking/brokerage and investment management include brokerage firms, broker/dealers, investment banks, finance companies and mutual fund companies. Earnings and share prices of companies in this industry are quite volatile, and often exceed the volatility levels of the market as a whole. Recently, ongoing consolidation in the industry and the strong stock market has benefited stocks which investors believe will benefit from greater investor and issuer activity. Major determinants of future earnings of these companies are the direction of the stock market, investor confidence, equity transaction volume, the level and direction of long-term and short-term interest rates, and the outlook for emerging markets. Negative trends in any of these earnings determinants could have a serious adverse effect on the financial stability, as well as the stock prices, of these companies. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the issuers of the Securities included in the Trust will be able to respond in a timely manner to compete in the rapidly developing marketplace. In addition to the foregoing, profit margins of these companies continue to shrink due to the commoditization of traditional businesses, new competitors, capital expenditures on new technology and the pressures to compete globally. Page 8 MEMORANDUM Re: FT 847 The only difference of consequence (except as described below) between FT 822, which is the current fund, and FT 847, the filing of which this memorandum accompanies, is the change in the series number. The list of securities comprising the Fund, the evaluation, record and distribution dates and other changes pertaining specifically to the new series, such as size and number of Units in the Fund and the statement of condition of the new Fund, will be filed by amendment. 1940 ACT FORMS N-8A AND N-8B-2 These forms were not filed, as the Form N-8A and Form N-8B-2 filed in respect of Templeton Growth and Treasury Trust, Series 1 and subsequent series (File No. 811-05903) related also to the subsequent series of the Fund. 1933 ACT PROSPECTUS The only significant changes in the Prospectus from the Series 822 Prospectus relate to the series number and size and the date and various items of information which will be derived from and apply specifically to the securities deposited in the Fund. CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT ITEM A Bonding Arrangements of Depositor: First Trust Portfolios, L.P. is covered by a Broker's Fidelity Bond, in the total amount of $2,000,000, the insurer being National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh. ITEM B This Registration Statement on Form S-6 comprises the following papers and documents: The facing sheet The Prospectus The signatures Exhibits S-1 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant, FT 847 has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Village of Lisle and State of Illinois on April 21, 2004. FT 847 (Registrant) By: FIRST TRUST PORTFOLIOS, L.P. (Depositor) By Jason T. Henry Senior Vice President S-2 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following person in the capacity and on the date indicated: NAME TITLE* DATE David J. Allen Director ) of The Charger ) Corporation, the ) April 21, 2004 General Partner of ) First Trust ) Portfolios, L.P. ) Judith M. Van Kampen Director ) of The Charger ) Jason T. Henry Corporation, the ) Attorney-in-Fact** General Partner of ) First Trust ) Portfolios, L.P. ) Karla M. Van Kampen-Pierre Director ) of The Charger ) Corporation, the ) General Partner of ) First Trust ) Portfolios, L.P. ) David G. Wisen Director ) of The Charger ) Corporation, the ) General Partner of ) First Trust ) Portfolios, L.P. ) * The title of the person named herein represents his or her capacity in and relationship to First Trust Portfolios, L.P., Depositor. ** An executed copy of the related power of attorney was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 of FT 597 (File No. 333-76518) and the same is hereby incorporated herein by this reference. S-3 CONSENTS OF COUNSEL The consents of counsel to the use of their names in the Prospectus included in this Registration Statement will be contained in their respective opinions to be filed as Exhibits 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 of the Registration Statement. CONSENT OF DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP The consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP to the use of its name and to the reference to such firm in the Prospectus included in this Registration Statement will be filed by amendment. CONSENT OF FIRST TRUST ADVISORS L.P. The consent of First Trust Advisors L.P. to the use of its name in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registration Statement. S-4 EXHIBIT INDEX 1.1 Form of Standard Terms and Conditions of Trust for The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 22 and certain subsequent Series, effective November 20, 1991 among Nike Securities, L.P., as Depositor, United States Trust Company of New York as Trustee, Securities Evaluation Service, Inc., as Evaluator, and Nike Financial Advisory Services L.P. as Portfolio Supervisor (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-43693] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 22). Effective June 27, 2002, Nike Securities changed its name to First Trust Portfolios, L.P. 1.1.1* Form of Trust Agreement for FT 847 among First Trust Portfolios, L.P., as Depositor, JPMorgan Chase Bank, as Trustee and First Trust Advisors L.P., as Evaluator and Portfolio Supervisor. 1.2 Copy of Certificate of Limited Partnership of First Trust Portfolios, L.P. (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 1.3 Copy of Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement of First Trust Portfolios, L.P. (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 1.4 Copy of Articles of Incorporation of The Charger Corporation, the general partner of First Trust Portfolios, L.P., Depositor (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 1.5 Copy of By-Laws of The Charger Corporation, the general partner of First Trust Portfolios, L.P., Depositor (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 2.1 Copy of Certificate of Ownership (included in Exhibit 1.1 filed herewith on page 2 and incorporated herein by reference). 2.2 Copy of Code of Ethics (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to form S-6 [File No. 333-31176] filed on behalf of FT 415). 3.1* Opinion of counsel as to legality of Securities being registered. S-5 3.2* Opinion of counsel as to Federal income tax status of Securities being registered. 3.3* Opinion of counsel as to New York income tax status of Securities being registered. 4.1* Consent of First Trust Advisors L.P. 6.1 List of Directors and Officers of Depositor and other related information (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 33-42683] filed on behalf of The First Trust Special Situations Trust, Series 18). 7.1 Power of Attorney executed by the Directors listed on page S-3 of this Registration Statement (incorporated by reference to Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6 [File No. 333-76518] filed on behalf of FT 597). ___________________________________ * To be filed by amendment. S-6