[Liberty Logo] 600 Atlantic Avenue LIBERTY Federal Reserve Plaza ALL-STAR Boston, MA 02210-2214 - -------------------- 617-722-6036 GROWTH & INCOME FUND December 13, 1999 Dear Shareholder: I am writing to notify you of a change to one of the five portfolio managers for the Liberty All-Star Growth & Income Fund from Wilke/Thompson Capital Management, Inc. to the TCW Funds Management, Inc. (TCW). The change was effective November 1, 1999. Glen E. Bickerstaff, Managing Director U.S. Equities at TCW, will serve as portfolio manager to the Fund. Prior to joining TCW in 1998, Mr. Bickerstaff was a portfolio manager at Transamerica Investment Services. He has 19 years of investment experience. Mr. Bickerstaff and his investment team practice a concentrated growth-equity investment style. Liberty All-Star Growth & Income Fund's other four portfolio managers are Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P., J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc., Oppenheimer Capital and Westwood Management Corporation. Each portfolio manager manages an equal portion of the Fund's assets. Please refer to the enclosed information for additional details. If you have questions, please contact your Investment Professional or Liberty Fund Services, Inc. at 1-800-345-6611. Thank you for selecting Liberty All-Star Growth & Income Fund and for giving us the opportunity to serve your investment needs. Sincerely, William R. Parmentier, Jr. President AL-088I-1099 99/1429 LIBERTY ALL-STAR GROWTH AND INCOME FUND ONE FINANCIAL CENTER BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02111 INFORMATION STATEMENT REGARDING CHANGE OF PORTFOLIO MANAGER BACKGROUND Liberty All-Star Growth and Income Fund (the "Fund") is a series of Liberty Funds Trust IX (the "Trust"), a Massachusetts business trust organized in 1998. The principal underwriter of the Fund is Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc. ("LFD") and the administrator of the Fund is Colonial Management Associates, Inc. ("CMA"). Both LFD and CMA are affiliates of Liberty Asset Management Company ("LAMCO"), the Fund's advisor. The Fund is a "multi-managed" fund that allocates its portfolio assets among a number of independent investment management organizations ("Portfolio Managers") -- currently five in number -- recommended by the Fund's advisor, LAMCO, 600 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210. Each Portfolio Manager employs a different investment style. From time to time LAMCO rebalances the Fund's portfolio assets among the Portfolio Managers in order to maintain an approximately equal allocation of portfolio assets among them throughout all market cycles. LAMCO continuously monitors the performance and the investment styles of the Fund's Portfolio Managers and from time to time may recommend changes in the Portfolio Managers based on factors such as changes in a Portfolio Manager's investment style or a departure by a Portfolio Manager from the investment style for which it had been selected, a deterioration in a Portfolio Manager's performance relative to that of other investment management firms practicing a similar style, or adverse changes in its ownership or personnel. Under an exemptive order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 28, 1999, the Fund may enter into a portfolio management agreement with a new Portfolio Manager without a vote of shareholders of the Fund, provided that the shareholders of the Fund are furnished information about the new Portfolio Manager and its portfolio management agreement within 90 days of the effective date of the Portfolio Manager change. This Information Statement is being furnished in connection with the replacement effective November 1, 1999 of Wilke/Thompson Capital Management, Inc. by TCW Funds Management, Inc. as a Portfolio Manager of the Fund, as recommended by LAMCO and approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust on October 27, 1999. INFORMATION ABOUT TCW FUNDS MANAGEMENT, INC. TCW Funds Management, Inc. ("TCW"), located at 865 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California 90017, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The TCW Group, Inc. ("TCW Group"). Established in 1971, TCW Group's direct and indirect subsidiaries, including TCW, provide a variety of trust, investment management and investment advisory services. Ownership of the TCW Group lies approximately 95% with its employees and 5% with its directors. Robert A. Day, who is Chairman of the Board of Directors of TCW Group, may be deemed to be a control person of TCW by virtue of the aggregate ownership by Mr. Day and his family of more than 25% of the outstanding voting stock of the TCW Group. As of September 30, 1999, TCW had over $55 billion in assets under management. The following are the directors and principal executive officer of TCW: Name and Address Position with TCW Principal Occupation Alvin Robert Albe, Jr. Director, President Director, President and CEO of TCW and TCW 865 South Figueroa St. and Chief Executive Investment Management Company ("TIMCO"); Director of Los Angeles, CA 90017 Officer TCW Asia Limited; Director and Executive Vice President - Finance & Administration of TCW Advisors, Inc. ("TCWA"), TCW London International, Limited, TCW Asset Management Company ("TAMCO") and Trust Company of the West ("TCofW"); Executive Vice President - Finance & Administration of The TCW Group, Inc. ("TCW Group") Thomas Ernest Larkin, Jr. Director and Chairman Director and Chairman of the Board of TCW; Director 865 South Figueroa St. of the Board and Vice Chairman of TCWA, TAMCO and TIMCO; Director Los Angeles, CA 90017 of TCW Americas Development, Inc.; Director and President of TCofW; Director, Executive Vice President and Group Managing Director of TCW Group Marc Irwin Stern Director and Chairman Chairman of the Board of TCW, London and Americas, 865 South Figueroa St. of the Board Inc.; Managing Director of TCW/Latin America Los Angeles, CA 90017 Partners, LLC; Director of TCW/Crescent Mezzanine, LLC; Director and Vice Chairman of TCWA and TIMCO; Investment Committee Member of Special Credits; Chairman of the Board and Investment Committee Member of Asia; Director, Vice Chairman and President of TAMCO; Director, Executive Vice President and Group Managing Director of TCW Group Mr. Glen E. Bickerstaff, Managing Director, U.S. Equities, manages that portion of the Fund's portfolio assigned to TCW. Prior to joining TCW in 1998, Mr. Bickerstaff was a portfolio manager at Transamerica Investment Services. TCW uses a "bottom-up" approach by investing in primarily large-cap companies that have distinct business model advantages and incorporates secular growth trends. On November 1, 1999, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of TCW, its parent or any subsidiaries. The portfolio management agreement dated November 1, 1999 among the Fund, LAMCO and TCW is substantially identical to the Fund's agreements with its other Portfolio Managers. Under the portfolio management agreements, including TCW's, each Portfolio Manager has discretionary investment authority with respect to the portion of the Fund's portfolio assets allocated to it by LAMCO, subject to the Fund's investment objective and policies, to the supervision and control of the Trustees of the Trust, and to any instructions from LAMCO. The Portfolio Managers are required to use their best professional judgment in making timely investment decisions for the Fund. The Portfolio Managers, however, will not be liable for actions taken or omitted in good faith and believed to be within the authority conferred by their portfolio management agreements and without willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence. The Fund pays LAMCO an advisory fee of 0.60% per annum of the average daily net assets of the Fund. LAMCO in turn pays each Portfolio Manager of the Fund, including TCW and excluding OpCap Advisors, a fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the annual rate of 0.30% of the average daily net assets of that portion of the Fund's portfolio assets assigned to that Portfolio Manager. The agreement with OpCap Advisors provides for a fee of 0.40% per year of the average daily net asset value of the portion of the Fund's portfolio assigned to it up to $100 million and 0.30% of such average daily net asset value in excess of $100 million. OpCap Advisors has voluntarily agreed, however, to waive any fee in excess of 0.30% until the earlier of March 1, 2002 or the date the total of the Fund's net assets reaches $100 million. Any increase in the fee payable to OpCap Advisors following the expiration of its fee waiver agreement will be borne by LAMCO. No fees or payments have been made by the Fund to TCW or an affiliate of TCW during the Fund's fiscal year ended December 31, 1998. OTHER FUNDS MANAGED BY TCW In addition to the management services provided by TCW to the Fund, TCW also provides management services to other investment companies. Information with respect to the assets of and management fees payable to TCW by those funds having investment objectives similar to those of the Fund is set forth below: Fund Total Net Assets at Annual Management Fee November 15, 1999 as a % of (in millions) Average Daily Net Assets Enterprise Group of Funds, Inc. Equity Fund $18.9 0.40%(1) Enterprise Accumulation Trust Equity Portfolio $545 0.40%(2) SEI Institutional Investments Trust: Large Cap Fund $2,648 0.20% SEI Institutional Managed Trust: Large Cap $3,123 0.20% Growth Fund TCW Galileo Select Equities Fund $328.9 0.75% The Vantagepoint Funds Growth Fund $2,666 0.70%(3) (1) Under the fund's management agreement, the fund pays TCW a fee at the annual rate of 0.40% of the first $100 million of the average daily net assets of the fund and 0.30% in excess of $100 million. (2) Under the fund's management agreement, the fund pays TCW a fee at the annual rate of 0.40% of the first $1 billion of the average daily net assets of the fund and 0.30% in excess of $1 billion. (3) Under the fund's management agreement, the fund pays TCW a fee at the annual rate of 0.70% of the first $25 million of the average daily net assets of the fund, 0.50% of the next $25 million of the average daily net assets of the fund, 0.45% of the next $50 million of the average daily net assets of the fund, 0.40% of the next $400 million of the average daily net assets of the fund and 0.35% in excess of $400 million. PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE Each of the Fund's Portfolio Managers, including TCW, has discretion to select brokers and dealers to execute portfolio transactions initiated by the Portfolio Manager for the portion of the Fund's portfolio assets allocated to it, and to select the markets in which such transactions are to be executed. The portfolio management agreements with the Fund provide, in substance, that in executing portfolio transactions and selecting brokers or dealers, the primary responsibility of the Portfolio Manager is to seek to obtain best net price and execution for the Fund. The Portfolio Managers are authorized to cause the Fund to pay a commission to a broker or dealer who provides research products and services to the Portfolio Manager for executing a portfolio transaction which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction. The Portfolio Managers must determine in good faith, however, that such commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the research products and services provided them, viewed in terms of that particular transaction or in terms of all the client accounts (including the Fund) over which the Portfolio Manager exercises investment discretion. It is possible that certain of the services received by a Portfolio Manager attributable to a particular transaction will primarily benefit one or more other accounts for which investment discretion is exercised by the Portfolio Manager. The portfolio management agreements with the Fund's Portfolio Managers, including TCW, provide that LAMCO has the right to request that transactions giving rise to brokerage commissions, in amounts to be agreed upon from time to time between LAMCO and the Portfolio Manager, be executed by brokers and dealers (to be agreed upon from time to time between LAMCO and the Portfolio Manager) which provide research products and services to LAMCO or to the Fund or other accounts managed by LAMCO (collectively with the Fund, "LAMCO Clients"). The commissions paid on such transactions may exceed the amount of commissions another broker would have charged for effecting those transactions. Research products and services made available to LAMCO through brokers and dealers executing transactions for LAMCO Clients involving brokerage commissions include performance and other qualitative and quantitative data relating to investment managers in general and the Portfolio Managers in particular; data relating to the historic performance of categories of securities associated with particular investment styles; mutual fund portfolio and performance data; data relating to portfolio manager changes by pension plan fiduciaries; quotation equipment; and related computer hardware and software. All of these research products and services are used by LAMCO in connection with its selection and monitoring of portfolio managers (including the Portfolio Managers) for LAMCO Clients, the assembly of a mix of investment styles appropriate to LAMCO's Clients' investment objectives, and the determination of overall portfolio strategies. LAMCO from time to time reaches understandings with each of the Portfolio Managers as to the amount of the Fund's portfolio transactions initiated by such Portfolio Manager that are to be directed to brokers and dealers which provide research products and services to LAMCO. These amounts may differ among the Portfolio Managers based on the nature of the markets for the types of the securities managed by them and other factors. These research products and services are used by LAMCO in connection with its management of LAMCO Clients' portfolios, regardless of the source of the brokerage commissions. In instances where LAMCO receives from broker-dealers products or services which are used both for research purposes and for administrative or other non-research purposes, LAMCO makes a good faith effort to determine the relative proportions of such products or services which may be considered as investment research, based primarily on anticipated usage, and pays for the costs attributable to the non-research usage in cash. Further information concerning the Fund is contained in its semi-annual report to shareholders, which is obtainable free of charge by writing Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc., the Fund's distributor, at One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111 or by calling 1-800-426-3750. AL-087I-1099 Dated: December 10, 1999