# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001140869
**File Stem:** 0001193125-26-000126
**Filing Date:** 2026-1
**Character Count:** 519497
**Document Hash:** 5eead69cdb711163d87994066fdf762b
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-26-000126.hdr.sgml**: 20260102

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-26-000126

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: POS AMI

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 5

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260102

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260102

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** MASTER PORTFOLIO TRUST
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001140869

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 000000000
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** MD
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 0831

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** POS AMI
- **SEC ACT:** 1940 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 811-10407
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26500153

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** LEGG MASON & CO., LLC
- **STREET 2:** 620 EIGHTH AVENUE, 49TH FLOOR
- **CITY:** NEW YORK
- **STATE:** NY
- **ZIP:** 10018
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 1-877-721-1926

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** LEGG MASON & CO., LLC
- **STREET 2:** 620 EIGHTH AVENUE, 49TH FLOOR
- **CITY:** NEW YORK
- **STATE:** NY
- **ZIP:** 10018

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** INSTITUTIONAL PORTFOLIO
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20010518

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### Liquid Reserves Portfolio (Series ID: S000018041)

| Class ID   | Class Name                | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000049971 | Liquid Reserves Portfolio |  |

### U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio (Series ID: S000018042)

| Class ID   | Class Name                       | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000049972 | U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio |  |

### Government Portfolio (Series ID: S000025611)

| Class ID   | Class Name           | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000076728 | Government Portfolio |  |

### U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio (Series ID: S000042914)

| Class ID   | Class Name                          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000133025 | U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio |  |

**As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on January 2, 2026** 

**Investment Company Act File No. 811-10407** 

**UNITED STATES** 

**SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION** 

**Washington, D.C. 20549** 

**FORM N-1A** 

**REGISTRATION STATEMENT** 

***UNDER***

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| ***THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940*** | ☒ |

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**Amendment No. 70** 

## Master Portfolio Trust
**(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)** 

**One Madison Avenue** 

**New York, NY 10010** 

**(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)** 

**Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (877) 721-1926** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name and address of agent for service:** | ***Copy to:*** |

---

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Marc De Oliveira** | **Bryan Chegwidden, Esq.** | **Adam M. Schlichtmann, Esq.** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Franklin Templeton** | **Ropes & Gray LLP** | **Ropes & Gray LLP** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **100 First Stamford Place** | **1211 Avenue of the Americas** | **Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Stamford, Connecticut 06902** | **New York, New York 10036** | **Boston, Massachusetts 02199** |

---

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**EXPLANATORY NOTES** 

Master Portfolio Trust has filed this Registration Statement pursuant to Section 8(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Beneficial interests in the Registrant are not being registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), because interests will be issued solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any "public offering" within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act. Only investment companies, insurance company separate accounts, common or commingled trust funds or similar organizations or entities that are "accredited investors" within the meaning of Regulation D under the 1933 Act may make investments in the Registrant. This Registration Statement is not an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any beneficial interests in the Registrant.

This Amendment relates solely to Liquid Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio and Government Portfolio.

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**PART A** 

**Liquid Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio and Government Portfolio (each, a "Portfolio" and collectively, the "Portfolios")** 

Responses to Items 1, 2, 3, 4 and 13 have been omitted pursuant to General Instruction B.2(b) of Form N-1A.

Each Portfolio is a series of Master Portfolio Trust (the "Trust"), an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

An investment in a Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") or any other government agency.

**Item 5. Management.** 

Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC ("FTFA" or the "manager") is each Portfolio's investment manager.

Western Asset Management Company, LLC ("Western Asset" or the "subadviser") is each Portfolio's subadviser.

**Item 6. Purchase and Sale of Beneficial Interests in the Portfolio.** 

There is no minimum initial or subsequent investment in a Portfolio. Investments must be made in federal funds (i.e., monies credited to the account of each Portfolio's custodian bank by a Federal Reserve Bank).

An investor in a Portfolio may withdraw all or any portion of its investment at any time at the net asset value next determined after a withdrawal request in proper form is furnished by the investor to the Portfolio. The proceeds of a withdrawal will be paid by the Portfolio in federal funds normally on the business day the withdrawal is effected, but in any event within seven days.

Subject to compliance with applicable regulations, a Portfolio may pay withdrawal proceeds, either totally or partially, by a distribution in kind of securities (instead of cash). The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amount as that assigned to them in calculating the net asset value for the beneficial interests being withdrawn. If a holder of beneficial interests received a distribution in kind, such holder could incur transaction costs converting the securities into cash and may receive less for the securities than the price at which they were valued for purposes of the withdrawal.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Portfolio undertakes in its 2a-7 procedures that, in responding to a withdrawal request by an investor, it will pay in cash within one business day the lesser of the amount of the withdrawal request or the amount of 10% of the investor's investment in the Portfolio, provided that the foregoing will not preclude the Portfolio from paying more in cash to satisfy the withdrawal request to the extent it may do so and remain in compliance with its 2a-7 procedures.

The right of any investor to receive payment with respect to any withdrawal may be delayed or suspended beyond seven days if the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") is closed (other than weekends or holidays) or trading on the NYSE is restricted, if an emergency exists, or otherwise permitted by the rules of or by the order of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").

**Item 7. Tax Information.** 

Generally, an investor in a Portfolio will not recognize income or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes when it invests in the Portfolio or when it makes withdrawals from the Portfolio unless cash withdrawal proceeds exceed the investor's adjusted basis in its interest in the Portfolio or unless the investor receives solely cash upon a complete withdrawal from the Portfolio. An investor in a Portfolio will be required to take into account its distributive share of the Portfolio's gross income, tax-exempt income, gains, losses, deductions, and other items in computing its own U.S. federal income and excise tax liabilities.

**Item 8. Financial Intermediary Compensation.** 

***PAYMENTS TO BROKER/DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES***

If an investor purchases interests in a Portfolio through a Service Agent (such as a bank or an insurance company), the Portfolio's related companies may pay the Service Agent for the sale of beneficial interests in the Portfolio, investor services and other purposes. These payments create a conflict of interest by influencing the Service Agent or its employees or associated persons and the investor's salesperson to recommend the Portfolio over another investment. Investors should ask their Service Agent's or salesperson or visit their financial intermediary's or salesperson's website for more information.

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**Item 9. Investment Objectives, Principal Investment Strategies, Related Risks, and Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings.** 

***INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES***

*Liquid Reserves Portfolio* 

The investment objective of Liquid Reserves Portfolio is to provide its investors with liquidity and as high a level of current income as is consistent with preservation of capital.

*U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio* 

The investment objective of U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio is to provide its investors with liquidity and as high a level of current income from U.S. government obligations as is consistent with preservation of capital.

*U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio* 

The investment objective of U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio is to seek maximum current income to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.

*Government Portfolio* 

The investment objective of Government Portfolio is to provide its investors with maximum current income to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.

\*\*\*

Each Portfolio's investment objective(s) may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the "Board") without investor approval and on notice thereof to the Portfolio's investors. There is no assurance that a Portfolio will meet its investment objective(s).

***PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES***

*Liquid Reserves Portfolio* 

Liquid Reserves Portfolio is a money market fund that invests in high quality, U.S. dollar-denominated short-term debt securities that, at the time of purchase, are rated by one or more rating agencies in the highest short-term rating category or, if not rated, are determined by the subadviser to be of equivalent quality.

Liquid Reserves Portfolio may invest in all types of money market instruments, including bank obligations, commercial paper and asset-backed securities, structured investments, repurchase agreements and other short-term debt securities. These instruments may be issued or guaranteed by all types of issuers, including U.S. and foreign banks and other private issuers, the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, U.S. states and municipalities, or foreign governments. These securities may pay interest at fixed, floating or adjustable rates, or may be issued at a discount. The Portfolio may invest without limit in bank obligations, such as certificates of deposit, fixed time deposits and bankers' acceptances. The Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of non-U.S. banks. The Portfolio generally limits its investments in foreign securities to U.S. dollar denominated obligations of issuers, including banks and foreign governments, located in the major industrialized countries, although with respect to bank obligations, the branches of the banks issuing the obligations may be located in The Bahamas or the Cayman Islands.

Pursuant to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, the Portfolio must follow strict rules as to the quality, liquidity, diversification and maturity of its investments.

The Portfolio sells and effects withdrawals of its interests at prices based on the current market value of the securities it holds. Therefore, the price of an interest in the Portfolio will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of the holdings of the Portfolio. Because the price of an interest in the Portfolio will fluctuate, it will have what is called a "floating net asset value" or "floating NAV". The Portfolio may be required to impose a liquidity fee upon the sale of its shares if net redemptions from the Portfolio exceed certain levels or under certain circumstances.

*U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio* 

U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio is a money market fund that, under normal circumstances, invests at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. Treasury obligations. In addition, the Portfolio may invest in repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. Treasury obligations or cash. U.S. Treasury obligations include, without limitation, U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds; STRIPS, which are individual interest and principal components of eligible Treasury notes and bonds that are traded as separate securities; and TIPS, which are inflation-protected securities issued by the U.S. Treasury, the principal of which increases with inflation and decreases with deflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. Although the Portfolio invests in U.S. government securities, an investment in the Portfolio is neither insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. government.

U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio holds all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations, repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. Treasury obligations, and cash. Therefore, the Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act that a government money market fund invest at least 99.5% of its total assets in U.S. government securities, cash, and/or repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. government securities or cash. "Government securities" means any securities issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the United States, or by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the Government of the United States pursuant to authority granted by the Congress of the United States; or any certificate of deposit for any of the foregoing.

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In addition, the Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act that a fund that includes the term "U.S. Treasury" in its name invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. Treasury obligations. If the Portfolio were to change its investment policies so that more than 20% of its assets, under normal market conditions, could be invested in securities other than those issued or backed by the U.S. Treasury, the Portfolio would give written notice to its investors at least 60 days prior to implementing the change.

As a government money market fund, the Portfolio tries to maintain a price of $1.00. Under Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act, the Portfolio must follow strict rules as to the quality, liquidity, diversification and maturity of its investments.

The Portfolio may hold cash for cash management and defensive purposes. During unusual market conditions, the Portfolio may hold up to 100% of its assets in cash. Although the Portfolio intends to invest in U.S. government securities, an investment in the Portfolio is neither insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. government.

*U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio* 

U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio is a money market fund that invests all of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and in repurchase agreements secured by these obligations. Direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds; STRIPS, which are individual interest and principal components of eligible Treasury notes and bonds that are traded as separate securities; and TIPS, which are inflation-protected securities issued by the U.S. Treasury, the principal of which increases with inflation and decreases with deflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. The Portfolio may also hold cash for cash management and defensive purposes. Although the Portfolio invests in U.S. government securities, an investment in the Portfolio is neither insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. government.

As noted above, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio invests all of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and in repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Treasury obligations. Therefore, the Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act that a government money market fund invest at least 99.5% of its total assets in U.S. government securities, cash, and/or repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. government securities or cash. "Government securities" means any securities issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the United States, or by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the Government of the United States pursuant to authority granted by the Congress of the United States; or any certificate of deposit for any of the foregoing.

In addition, the Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act that a fund that includes the term "U.S. Treasury obligations" in its name invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and in repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Treasury obligations. If the Portfolio were to change its investment policies so that more than 20% of its assets, under normal market conditions, could be invested in securities other than those issued or backed by the U.S. Treasury and repurchase agreements secured by such securities, the Portfolio would give written notice to its investors at least 60 days prior to implementing the change.

The U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio intends, under normal circumstances, to invest only in certain eligible reserve assets that payment stablecoin issuers are permitted to maintain under the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins ("GENIUS") Act of 2025 and any regulations adopted thereunder. **The Portfolio does not invest in stablecoins.** 

As a government money market fund, the Portfolio tries to maintain a price of $1.00. Under Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act, the Portfolio must follow strict rules as to the quality, liquidity, diversification and maturity of its investments.

*Government Portfolio* 

Government Portfolio is a money market fund that invests exclusively in short-term U.S. government securities, including U.S. Treasuries and securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored entities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by government securities. These securities may pay interest at fixed, floating or adjustable rates or may be issued at a discount. U.S. government securities are not necessarily backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The Portfolio may also hold cash for cash management and defensive purposes. Although the Portfolio invests in U.S. government securities, an investment in the Portfolio is neither insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. government.

Government Portfolio invests in securities that, at the time of purchase, are rated by one or more rating agencies in the highest short-term rating category or, if not rated, are determined by the subadviser to be of equivalent quality.

As noted above, Government Portfolio invests exclusively in short-term U.S. government securities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by government securities. Therefore, the Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act that a government money market fund invest at least 99.5% of its total assets in U.S. government securities, cash, and/or repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. government securities or cash. In addition, the Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act, that a fund that includes the term "government" in its name invest, under normal

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circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. government securities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized by U.S. government securities. If the Portfolio were to change its investment policies so that more than 20% of its assets, under normal market conditions, could be invested in securities other than U.S. government securities and related investments, the Portfolio would give written notice to its investors at least 60 days prior to implementing the change. "Government securities" means any securities issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the United States, or by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the Government of the United States pursuant to authority granted by the Congress of the United States; or any certificate of deposit for any of the foregoing.

As a government money market fund, the Portfolio tries to maintain a price of $1.00. Under Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act, the Portfolio must follow strict rules as to the quality, liquidity, diversification and maturity of its investments.

***MORE ON THE PORTFOLIOS' INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, INVESTMENTS AND RISKS***

**Important information** 

Each Portfolio is a money market fund. Pursuant to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, money market funds must follow strict rules about the quality, liquidity, diversification, maturity and other features of securities they purchase.

Liquid Reserves Portfolio sells and effects withdrawals of its interests at prices based on the current market value of the securities it holds. Because the price of an interest in the Portfolio will fluctuate along with changes in the market-based value of Portfolio assets, it will have what is called a "floating net asset value" or "floating NAV." Each of U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio and Government Portfolio tries to maintain a price of $1.00 while paying income to investors. However, no money market fund guarantees that investors will receive their money back.

Each Portfolio's investment objective(s) and principal investment strategies are described above. This section provides information about the subadviser's selection process and additional information regarding investment strategies that may be used by each Portfolio. Each Portfolio's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees (the "Board") without investor approval and on notice to investors.

There is no assurance that a Portfolio will meet its investment objective.

Each Portfolio's other investment strategies and policies may be changed from time to time without investor approval, unless specifically stated otherwise in Part A or in Part B of this Registration Statement.

**Credit quality** 

U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio holds all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations, repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. Treasury obligations, and cash. Each of Government Portfolio and Liquid Reserves Portfolio invests in securities that, at the time of purchase, are rated by one or more rating agencies in the highest short-term rating category or, if not rated, are determined by the subadviser to be of equivalent quality. In addition, each security, at the time of purchase by a Portfolio, has been determined by the subadviser to present minimal credit risk. Where required by applicable rules, a Portfolio's subadviser or Board will decide whether a security should be held or sold in the event of certain credit events occurring after purchase.

**Maturity** 

Each Portfolio (other than U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio) invests in securities that, at the time of purchase, are treated under applicable regulations as having remaining maturities of 397 days or less. U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio invests in securities that, at the time of purchase, are treated under applicable regulations as having remaining maturities of 93 days or less. For example, in determining the remaining maturity of a security for the purposes of these regulations, features such as a floating or variable rate of interest or a demand feature may be taken into account under some circumstances. Each Portfolio maintains a dollar weighted average maturity of not more than 60 days. In addition, each Portfolio maintains a dollar weighted average life of not more than 120 days. Where required by applicable rules, if, after purchase, payment upon maturity does not occur or the maturity on a security is extended, a Portfolio's subadviser or Board will decide whether the security should be held or sold.

**Liquidity** 

Each Portfolio must follow strict rules with respect to the liquidity of its portfolio securities including daily and weekly liquidity requirements. In addition, a Portfolio may not purchase illiquid securities if, immediately after the acquisition, more than 5% of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are those that, as determined by the subadviser, may not be disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value ascribed to them by a Portfolio. Securities that are deemed liquid at the time of purchase by a Portfolio may become illiquid following purchase.

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**Money market instruments** 

Money market instruments are short-term IOUs issued by banks or other non-governmental issuers, the U.S. or non-U.S. governments, or state or local governments. Money market instruments generally have maturity dates of 13 months or less, and may pay interest at fixed, floating or adjustable rates, or may be issued at a discount. Money market instruments may include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, variable rate demand securities (where the interest rate is reset periodically and the holder may demand payment from the issuer or another obligor at any time), preferred shares, fixed-term obligations, commercial paper (short-term unsecured debt), asset-backed commercial paper, other asset-backed securities and repurchase agreements. Asset-backed commercial paper refers to a debt security with an original term to maturity of up to 270 days that may be backed by consumer loans or other types of receivables. Payments due on asset-backed commercial paper are supported by cash flows from underlying assets, or one or more liquidity or credit support providers, or both.

**U.S. Treasury obligations** 

U.S. Treasury obligations are direct debt obligations issued by the U.S. government. Treasury bills, with maturities normally from 4 weeks to 52 weeks, are typically issued at a discount as they pay interest only upon maturity. Treasury bills are non-callable. Treasury notes have a maturity between two and ten years and typically pay interest semi-annually, while Treasury bonds have a maturity of over ten years and pay interest semi-annually. Treasuries also include STRIPS, TIPS and FRNs. STRIPS are Treasury obligations with separately traded principal and interest component parts that are transferable through the federal book-entry system. Because payments on STRIPS are made only at maturity, during periods of changing interest rates, STRIPS may be more volatile than unstripped U.S. Treasury obligations with comparable maturities. TIPS are Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, the principal of which increases with inflation and decreases with deflation, as measured by the U.S. Consumer Price Index. At maturity, a TIPS holder is entitled to the adjusted principal or original principal, whichever is greater. TIPS pay interest twice a year, at a fixed rate. The rate is applied to the adjusted principal; so, like the principal, interest payments rise with inflation and fall with deflation. However, because the interest rate is fixed, TIPS may lose value when market interest rates increase, particularly during periods of low inflation. FRNs are floating rate notes that are indexed to the most recent 13-week Treasury bill auction High Rate, and which pay interest quarterly. U.S. Treasury obligations typically offer lower interest rates than other obligations.

**U.S. government obligations** 

U.S. government obligations include U.S. Treasury obligations and other obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored entities. Although the U.S. government guarantees principal and interest payments on securities issued by the U.S. government and some of its agencies, such as securities issued by the U.S. Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), this guarantee does not apply to losses resulting from declines in the market value of these securities. U.S. government obligations include zero coupon securities that make payments of interest and principal only upon maturity and which therefore tend to be subject to greater volatility than interest bearing securities with comparable maturities.

Some of the U.S. government securities that a Portfolio may hold are not guaranteed or backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, such as those issued by Fannie Mae (formally known as the Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac (formally known as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation). The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government obligations may greatly exceed their current resources, including any legal right to support from the U.S. government.

**Structured instruments (Liquid Reserves Portfolio only)** 

Structured instruments in which a Portfolio invests are specifically structured so that they are eligible for purchase by money market funds, including securities that have demand, tender or put features, or interest rate reset features. Structured instruments may take the form of participation interests or receipts in underlying securities or other assets, and in some cases are backed by a financial institution serving as a liquidity provider. Some of these instruments may have a feature which substitutes a floating or variable interest rate for the fixed interest rate on an underlying security. The payment and credit qualities of these instruments derive from the underlying assets embedded in the structure.

Structured securities include variable rate demand instruments and participation interests that are backed by underlying municipal or other securities. Variable rate demand instruments require the issuer or a third party, such as a bank, insurer or broker/dealer, to repurchase the security for its face value upon demand and typically have interest rates that reset on a daily or weekly basis. In a participation interest, a bank or other financial institution sells undivided interests in a municipal or other security it owns. Participation interests may be supported by a bank letter of credit or guarantee. The interest rate generally is adjusted periodically, and the holder can sell the interests back to the issuer after a specified notice period.

**Asset-backed securities (Liquid Reserves Portfolio only)** 

Asset-backed securities represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as installment sales or loan contracts, leases, credit card receivables and other categories of receivables.

**Municipal securities (Liquid Reserves Portfolio only)** 

Municipal securities include debt obligations issued by any of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia or their political subdivisions, agencies and public authorities, certain other U.S. governmental issuers (such as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam) and other qualifying issuers, participation or other interests in these securities and other structured securities. Although municipal securities are issued by qualifying issuers, payments of principal and interest on municipal securities may be derived solely from revenues from certain facilities, mortgages or private industries, and may not be backed by the issuers themselves. These securities include participation or other interests in municipal securities issued or backed by banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions.

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Municipal securities include general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, housing authority bonds, private activity bonds, industrial development bonds, residual interest bonds, tender option bonds, tax and revenue anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, tax-exempt commercial paper, municipal leases, participation certificates and custodial receipts. General obligation bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing entity. Revenue bonds are typically used to fund public works projects, such as toll roads, airports and transportation facilities, that are expected to produce income sufficient to make the payments on the bonds, since they are not backed by the full taxing power of the municipality. Housing authority bonds are used primarily to fund low to middle income residential projects and may be backed by the payments made on the underlying mortgages. Tax and revenue anticipation notes are generally issued in order to finance short-term cash needs or, occasionally, to finance construction. Tax and revenue anticipation notes are expected to be repaid from taxes or designated revenues in the related fiscal period, and they may or may not be general obligations of the issuing entity. Bond anticipation notes are issued with the expectation that their principal and interest will be paid out of proceeds from renewal notes or bonds and may be issued to finance such items as land acquisition, facility acquisition and/or construction and capital improvement projects. Some of these securities may have stated final maturities of more than 397 days but have demand features that entitle the Portfolio to receive the principal amount of the securities either at any time or at specified intervals.

Municipal securities include municipal lease obligations, which are undivided interests issued by a state or municipality in a lease or installment purchase contract which generally relates to equipment or facilities. In some cases, payments under municipal leases do not have to be made unless money is specifically approved for that purpose by an appropriate legislative body.

**Banking industry concentration (Liquid Reserves Portfolio only)** 

The Portfolio may invest without limit in obligations of U.S. banks and up to 25% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of non-U.S. banks. Obligations of non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks and U.S. branches of non-U.S. banks may be considered obligations of U.S. banks if they meet certain requirements. Bank obligations include bank notes, certificates of deposit, time deposits, banker's acceptances, commercial paper and other similar obligations. They also include Eurodollar and Yankee obligations, such as certificates of deposit issued in U.S. dollars by non-U.S. banks and non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks. Bank obligations also include participation interests in municipal securities issued and/or backed by banks, variable rate demand notes, and other obligations that have credit support or liquidity features provided by banks.

**When-issued securities, delayed delivery, to be announced and forward commitment transactions** 

Securities purchased in when-issued, delayed delivery, to be announced or forward commitment transactions will not be delivered or paid for immediately. U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio will not invest in securities on a to be announced basis. Such transactions involve a risk of loss, for example, if the value of the securities declines prior to the settlement date. Therefore, these transactions may have a leveraging effect on a Portfolio, making the value of an investment in the Portfolio more volatile and increasing the Portfolio's overall investment exposure. Typically, no income accrues on securities a Portfolio has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

**Repurchase agreements** 

In a repurchase agreement, a Portfolio purchases securities from a counterparty, upon the agreement of the counterparty to repurchase the securities from the Portfolio at a later date, and at a specified price, which is typically higher than the purchase price paid by the Portfolio. The securities purchased serve as the Portfolio's collateral for the obligation of the counterparty to repurchase the securities. If the counterparty does not repurchase the securities, the Portfolio is entitled to sell the securities, but the Portfolio may not be able to sell them for the price at which they were purchased, thus causing a loss. Additionally, if the counterparty becomes insolvent, there is some risk that the Portfolio will not have a right to the securities, or the immediate right to sell the securities.

**Reverse repurchase agreements and other borrowings (Each Portfolio other than U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio)** 

Each Portfolio may borrow money as a means of raising money to satisfy redemption requests or for other temporary or emergency purposes by entering into reverse repurchase agreements or other borrowing transactions. In a reverse repurchase agreement, a Portfolio sells securities to a counterparty, in return for cash, and the Portfolio agrees to repurchase the securities at a later date and for a higher price, representing the cost to the Portfolio for the money borrowed. Although the Portfolio does not intend to use these transactions for leveraging purposes, reverse repurchase agreements and other borrowing transactions may make the value of an investment in a Portfolio more volatile and increase the Portfolio's overall investment exposure.

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**Variable rate demand notes (Liquid Reserves Portfolio only)** 

Variable rate demand notes ("VRDNs") and other similar obligations are typically long term instruments issued with a floating rate of interest by municipalities or other issuers. The interest rate usually resets every one to seven days, based on a published interest rate index. Investors typically may resell a VRDN to a third-party financial intermediary serving as a remarketing agent on up to seven days' notice. A VRDN may be supported by a liquidity facility or a letter of credit. These features permit the VRDN to be treated by a Portfolio as a short-term instrument. Investments in VRDNs involve credit risk with respect to the issuer as well as with respect to the financial institutions providing remarketing, liquidity or credit support. In addition, failures or defaults by one or more of those entities could result in a Portfolio holding a long-term fixed rate illiquid investment.

**Defaults and other adverse events** 

In the event that a portfolio security of a Portfolio experiences a default or certain other adverse events, Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act imposes certain requirements. Upon the occurrence of (i) a default with respect to a portfolio security (other than an immaterial default unrelated to the financial condition of the issuer), (ii) a portfolio security ceasing to be an eligible security (e.g., no longer presents minimal credit risks), or (iii) an event of insolvency occurring with respect to the issuer of a portfolio security or the provider of any demand feature or guarantee, the Portfolio will dispose of such security as soon as practicable consistent with achieving an orderly disposition of the security, absent a finding by the Board that disposal of the portfolio security would not be in the best interests of the Portfolio (which determination may take into account, among other factors, market conditions that could affect the orderly disposition of the portfolio security).

**Cash management and defensive investing** 

Each Portfolio may also hold cash uninvested for cash management and defensive purposes. For example, in the event of unusual circumstances when obligations in which a Portfolio invests are not available for purchase, or when the subadviser deems it appropriate, including during periods when the interest rate on newly-issued securities is extremely low, or where no interest is paid at the all, a Portfolio may, without limit, hold cash uninvested. If a Portfolio holds cash uninvested, it may be subject to risk with respect to the depository institution holding the cash. In addition, the Portfolio will not earn income on those assets. If a Portfolio takes a temporary defensive position, it will be more difficult for the Portfolio to achieve its investment objective. Although the subadviser has the ability to take defensive positions, it may choose not to do so for a variety of reasons, even during volatile market conditions.

**Other investments** 

Each Portfolio may also use other strategies and invest in other investments that are described, along with their risks, in Part B of this Registration Statement. However, a Portfolio might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of investments described in this Part A or in Part B of this Registration Statement.

**Selection process** 

In selecting individual securities, the subadviser:

• Uses fundamental credit analysis to estimate the relative value and attractiveness of various securities and
sectors

• Measures the potential impact of supply/demand imbalances for fixed versus variable rate securities and for
obligations of different issuers

• Measures the yields available for securities with different maturities and a security's maturity in light
of the outlook for interest rates to identify individual securities that offer return advantages at similar risk levels

Because the Portfolios are subject to maturity limitations on the investments they may purchase, many of their investments are held until maturity. The subadviser may sell a security before maturity when it is necessary to do so to meet withdrawal requests or regulatory requirements. The subadviser may also sell a security if the subadviser believes the issuer is no longer as creditworthy, or in order to adjust the average weighted maturity of a Portfolio's portfolio (for example, to reflect changes in the subadviser's expectations concerning interest rates), or when the subadviser believes there is superior value in other market sectors or industries.

**Main risks** 

You could lose money by investing in a Portfolio.

Liquid Reserves Portfolio sells and effects withdrawals of its interests at prices based on the current market value of the securities it holds. Because the price of an interest in Liquid Reserves Portfolio will fluctuate, when an investor withdraws its interests in the Portfolio, they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them.

Although each of U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio and Government Portfolio seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00, it cannot guarantee it will do so.

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Liquid Reserves Portfolio may be required to impose a liquidity fee upon the sale of its interests if net redemptions from the Portfolio exceed certain levels or under certain circumstances.

Each of U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio, and Government Portfolio does not currently intend to avail itself of the ability to impose a discretionary liquidity fee on fund redemptions (such fee not to exceed two percent of the value of the interests redeemed), as permitted under Rule 2a-7. However, the Board of each of these Portfolios has informed the Portfolio that the Board reserves the right to change the Portfolio's policy regarding the imposition of discretionary liquidity fees if the Board determines that a liquidity fee is in the best interest of the Portfolio.

An investment in a Portfolio is not a bank account and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Coporation ("FDIC") or any other government agency. A Portfolio's sponsor is not required to reimburse the Portfolio for losses, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Portfolio at any time, including during periods of market stress.

During periods of market stress, there could be significant redemptions from money market funds in general, potentially driving the market prices of money market instruments down and adversely affecting market liquidity.

There is no assurance that a Portfolio will meet its investment objective.

Each Portfolio could underperform other short-term debt instruments or money market funds, or you could lose money, as a result of risks such as:

Market and interest rate risk (Government Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio and U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio). The market prices of a Portfolio's securities may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. While each Portfolio seeks to maintain a price of $1.00, if the market prices of the securities owned by a Portfolio fall, the value of your investment in the Portfolio could decline. Market prices may fall due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions or trends, tariffs and trade disruptions, inflation, substantial economic downturn or recession, changes in interest rates, lack of liquidity in the bond markets or adverse investor sentiment. Changes in market conditions will not typically have the same impact on all types of securities. The market price of a security may also fall due to specific conditions that affect a particular sector of the securities market or a particular issuer.

The market prices of securities may fluctuate significantly when interest rates change, and the Portfolio may face a heightened level of interest rate risk due to certain changes in monetary policy. When interest rates rise, the market price of fixed income securities generally goes down. Generally, the longer the maturity of a fixed income security, the greater the impact of a rise in interest rates on the security's market price. Moreover, securities can change in value in response to other factors, such as credit risk. In addition, different interest rate measures (such as short- and long-term interest rates and U.S. and non-U.S. interest rates), or interest rates on different types of securities or securities of different issuers, may not necessarily change in the same amount or in the same direction. When interest rates go down, a Portfolio's yield will decline. Also, when interest rates decline, investments made by a Portfolio may pay a lower interest rate, which would reduce the income received by the Portfolio. Recently, there have been inflationary price movements, which have caused the fixed income securities markets to experience heightened levels of interest rate volatility and liquidity risk. The U.S. government and the U.S. Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks, have from time to time taken steps to support financial markets. The U.S. government and the U.S. Federal Reserve may, conversely, reduce market support activities. This and other government intervention may not work as intended, particularly if the efforts are perceived by investors as being unlikely to achieve the desired results. Changes in government activities in this regard, such as changes in interest rate policy, can negatively affect financial markets generally, increase market volatility and reduce the value and liquidity of securities in which the Portfolio invests.

Market and interest rate risk (Liquid Reserves Portfolio). The market prices of a Portfolio's securities may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. If the market prices of the securities owned by the Portfolio fall, the value of your investment in the Portfolio will decline. The market price of a security may fall due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions or trends, tariffs and trade disruptions, inflation, substantial economic downturn or recession, changes in interest rates, lack of liquidity in the bond markets or adverse investor sentiment. Changes in market conditions will not typically have the same impact on all types of securities. The market price of a security may also fall due to specific conditions that affect a particular sector of the securities market or a particular issuer.

The market prices of securities may fluctuate significantly when interest rates change, and the Portfolio may face a heightened level of interest rate risk due to certain changes in monetary policy. When interest rates rise, the market price of fixed income securities, and therefore the value of your investment in the Portfolio, generally goes down. Generally, the longer the maturity of a fixed income security, the greater the impact of a rise in interest rates on the security's market price. Moreover, securities can change in value in response to other factors, such as credit risk. In addition, different interest rate measures (such as short- and long-term interest rates and U.S. and non-U.S. interest rates), or interest rates on different types of securities or securities of different issuers, may not necessarily change in the same amount or in the same direction. When interest rates go down, the Portfolio's yield will decline. Also, when interest rates decline, investments made by the Portfolio may pay a lower interest rate, which would reduce the income received by the Portfolio. Recently, there have been inflationary price movements, which have caused the fixed income

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securities markets to experience heightened levels of interest rate volatility and liquidity risk. The U.S. government and the U.S. Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks, have from time to time taken steps to support financial markets. The U.S. government and the U.S. Federal Reserve may, conversely, reduce market support activities. This and other government intervention may not work as intended, particularly if the efforts are perceived by investors as being unlikely to achieve the desired results. Changes in government activities in this regard, such as changes in interest rate policy, can negatively affect financial markets generally, increase market volatility and reduce the value and liquidity of securities in which the Portfolio invests.

Market events risk. The market values of securities or other assets will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, due to factors such as economic events, governmental actions or intervention, actions taken by the U.S. Federal Reserve or foreign central banks, market disruptions caused by trade disputes, labor strikes or other factors, political developments, armed conflicts, economic sanctions and countermeasures in response to sanctions, major cybersecurity events, the global and domestic effects of widespread or local health, weather or climate events, and other factors that may or may not be related to the issuer of the security or other asset. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are increasingly interconnected. Economic, financial or political events, trading and tariff arrangements, public health events, terrorism, wars, natural disasters and other circumstances in one country or region could have profound impacts on global economies or markets. As a result, whether or not a Portfolio invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to the countries or markets directly affected, the value and liquidity of a Portfolio's investments may be negatively affected. Ongoing armed conflicts between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and among Israel, Iran, Hamas and other militant groups in the Middle East have caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions and volatility. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities have and could continue to have a significant impact on certain fund investments as well as fund performance and liquidity. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian stocks lost all, or nearly all, of their market value. Other securities or markets could be similarly affected by past or future geopolitical or other events or conditions. Furthermore, events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments that affect one industry, such as the financial services industry, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds, have in the past and may in the future lead to market-wide liquidity problems, may spread to other industries, and could negatively affect the value and liquidity of a Portfolio's investments.

The long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent variants on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers is not known. The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks, took extraordinary actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets have resulted in a large expansion of government deficits and debt, the long term consequences of which are not known.

Raising the ceiling on U.S. government debt has become increasingly politicized. Any failure to increase the total amount that the U.S. government is authorized to borrow could lead to a default on U.S. government obligations, with unpredictable consequences for economies and markets in the U.S. and elsewhere. Recently, inflation and interest rates have been volatile and may increase in the future. These circumstances could adversely affect the value and liquidity of a Portfolio's investments, impair a Portfolio's ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact a Portfolio's performance.

Credit risk. An issuer or other obligor (such as a party providing insurance or other credit enhancement) may fail to make the required payments on securities held by a Portfolio. Debt securities also go up or down in value based on the perceived creditworthiness of issuers or other obligors. If an obligor for a security held by a Portfolio fails to pay, otherwise defaults or is perceived to be less creditworthy, a security's credit rating is downgraded, which could happen rapidly, or the credit quality or value of any underlying assets declines, the value of your investment in the Portfolio could decline significantly, particularly in certain market environments. If a single entity provides credit enhancement to more than one of a Portfolio's investments, the adverse effects resulting from the downgrade or default of that entity's credit will increase the adverse effects on the Portfolio. If a Portfolio enters into a financial contract (such as a repurchase agreement or reverse repurchase agreement) the Portfolio will be subject to the credit risk presented by the counterparty. In addition, a Portfolio may incur expenses in an effort to protect the Portfolio's interests or to enforce its rights or may be hindered or delayed in exercising those rights.

Although a Portfolio's investments may be treated as short-term securities for the purposes of meeting regulatory maturity limitations, the actual maturity of a security may be longer, and the security's value may decline on the basis of perceived longer term credit risk of the issuer.

Upon the occurrence of certain triggering events or defaults on a security held by a Portfolio, or if the subadviser believes that an obligor of such a security may have difficulty meeting its obligations, the Portfolio may obtain a new or restructured security or underlying assets. In that case, a Portfolio may become the holder of securities or assets that it could not purchase or might not otherwise hold (for example, because they are of lower quality or are subordinated to other obligations of the issuer) at a time when those assets may be difficult to sell or can be sold only at a loss. Any of these events may cause you to lose money.

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Yield risk. Each Portfolio invests in short-term money market instruments. As a result, the amount of income received by a Portfolio will go up or down depending on variations in short-term interest rates. Investing in high quality, short-term instruments may result in a lower yield (the income on your investment) than investing in lower quality or longer-term instruments. When interest rates are very low or negative, a Portfolio's expenses could absorb all or a significant portion of the Portfolio's income, and, if a Portfolio's expenses exceed the Portfolio's income, the value of its assets may decline. If interest rates increase, a Portfolio's yield may not increase proportionately. For example, the Portfolio's manager may discontinue any temporary voluntary fee limitation or recoup amounts previously waived and/or reimbursed. Additionally, inflation may outpace and diminish fund investment returns over time.

A money market fund is also required to maintain liquidity levels based on the characteristics and anticipated liquidity needs of its investors. A Portfolio with greater liquidity needs may have a lower yield than money market funds with a different investor base. There can be no assurance that an investment in a Portfolio will not be adversely affected by reforms to money market regulation that may be adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory authorities.

Risk of increase in expenses. Your actual costs of investing in a Portfolio may be higher than the expenses shown in the Portfolio's financial statements for a variety of reasons. For example, expenses may be higher if a Portfolio's average net assets decrease, as a result of withdrawals or otherwise, or if a fee limitation is changed or terminated.

Prepayment or call risk (Government Portfolio, Liquid Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio). Many issuers have a right to prepay their securities. Issuers may be more likely to prepay their securities if interest rates fall. If this happens, a Portfolio will be forced to reinvest prepayment proceeds at a time when yields on securities available in the market are lower than the yield on prepaid securities.

Extension risk (Government Portfolio, Liquid Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio). If interest rates rise, repayments of fixed income securities may occur more slowly than anticipated by the market. This may drive the prices of these securities down because their interest rates are lower than the current interest rate and they remain outstanding longer.

Structured securities risk (Liquid Reserves Portfolio). The value of a structured security depends on the value of the underlying assets and the terms of the particular security. Investment by a Portfolio in certain structured securities may have the effect of increasing the Portfolio's exposure to interest rate, market or credit risk, even if they are not primarily intended for these purposes. Structured securities may behave in ways not anticipated by the Portfolio, and they raise certain tax, legal, regulatory and accounting issues that may not be presented by direct investments in the underlying assets. These issues could be resolved in a manner that could hurt the performance of the Portfolio. Certain structured securities are thinly traded or have limited trading markets. The structured securities may be subordinate to other classes.

Risks associated with concentration in the banking industry (Liquid Reserves Portfolio). The Portfolio may invest a significant portion of its assets in obligations that are issued or backed by U.S. and non-U.S. banks. Such investments are particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting banks and the financial services sector worldwide. Banks depend upon being able to obtain funds at reasonable costs and upon liquidity in the capital and credit markets to finance their lending and other operations. This makes them sensitive to changes in interest rates, money market and general economic conditions. Banks are highly regulated. Decisions by regulators may limit the loans banks make and the interest rates and fees they charge, and may reduce bank profitability. A bank's borrowers' inability or failure to repay the bank will adversely affect the bank's financial situation. In the past, banks have been particularly hard hit by problems in the real estate industry including defaults by borrowers and litigation relating to mortgage banking practices. Other bank activities such as investments in derivatives and foreign exchange practices also have caused losses to banks. Governmental entities have in the past provided support to certain financial institutions, but there is no assurance they will do so in the future. Some of the banks in which the Portfolio invests and entities backing Portfolio investments may be non-U.S. institutions and, therefore, an investment in the Portfolio may involve non-U.S. investments risk. Like other companies in the financial services sector, banks are also susceptible to data breaches.

Asset-backed securities risk (Liquid Reserves Portfolio). The value of asset-backed securities may be affected by changes in credit quality or value of the assets that support the securities as well as by changes in the credit risk of the servicing agent for the pool, the originator of the loans or receivables or the financial institution providing credit support, if any. In addition, the ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets or to otherwise recover from the underlying obligor in the event of default may be limited and the liquidation value of the underlying assets may be inadequate to pay any unpaid principal or interest. Asset-backed securities are also sensitive to changes in interest rates which may increase prepayments or extend the duration of the securities.

Risks relating to investments in municipal securities (Liquid Reserves Portfolio). Issuers of municipal securities tend to derive a significant portion of their revenue from taxes, particularly property and income taxes, and decreases in personal income levels and property values and other unfavorable economic factors, such as a general economic recession, adversely affect municipal securities. Municipal issuers may also be adversely affected by rising health care costs, increasing unfunded pension liabilities and by the phasing out of U.S. federal programs providing financial support. Also, if the Internal Revenue Service determines that an issuer of a municipal security has not complied with applicable tax requirements, interest from the security could become taxable and the security could decline significantly in value. Where municipal securities are issued to finance particular projects, such as those relating to education, health care, transportation, and utilities, issuers often depend on revenues from those projects to make principal and interest payments. Adverse conditions and developments in those sectors can result in lower revenues to issuers of municipal securities, potentially resulting in defaults, and can also have an adverse effect on the broader municipal securities market.

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There may be less public information available on municipal issuers or projects than other issuers, and valuing municipal securities may be more difficult. In addition, the secondary market for municipal securities is less well developed and may have lower liquidity as compared to other markets, and dealers may be less willing to offer and sell municipal securities in times of market turbulence. Changes in the financial condition of one or more individual municipal issuers (or one or more insurers of municipal issuers), or one or more defaults by municipal issuers or insurers, can adversely affect liquidity and valuations in the overall market for municipal securities. The value of municipal securities can also be adversely affected by regulatory and political developments affecting the ability of municipal issuers to pay interest or repay principal, actual or anticipated tax law changes or other legislative actions, and by uncertainties and public perceptions concerning these and other factors. In the past, a number of municipal issuers have defaulted on obligations, were downgraded or commenced insolvency proceedings.

The cost associated with combating the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and its negative impact on tax revenues adversely affected the financial condition of state and local governments. Any long-term economic effects of this outbreak could continue to affect the ability of state and local governments to make payments on debt obligations when due and could adversely impact the value of their bonds, which could negatively impact the performance of the Portfolio.

Foreign investments risk (Liquid Reserves Portfolio). A Portfolio's investments in securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets involve additional risk as compared to investments in U.S. securities or issuers with predominantly U.S. exposure, such as less liquid, less regulated, less transparent and more volatile markets. The markets for some foreign securities are relatively new, and the rules and policies relating to these markets are not fully developed and may change. The value of a Portfolio's investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable or unsuccessful government actions, tariffs and trade disputes, economic sanctions, reduction of government or central bank support, inadequate accounting standards and auditing and financial recordkeeping requirements, lack of information, political, economic, financial or social instability, terrorism, armed conflicts and other geopolitical events. Geopolitical or other events such as nationalization or expropriation could even cause the loss of a Portfolio's entire investment in one or more countries.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which regulates auditors of U.S. public companies, may, from time to time, be unable to inspect audit work papers in certain foreign countries. Investors in foreign countries often have limited rights and few practical remedies to pursue shareholder claims, including class actions or fraud claims, and the ability of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice and other authorities to bring and enforce actions against foreign issuers or foreign persons is limited. Foreign investments may also be adversely affected by U.S. government or international interventions, restrictions or economic sanctions, which could negatively affect the value of an investment or result in the Portfolio selling an investment at a disadvantageous time.

The value of a Portfolio's foreign investments may also be affected by foreign tax laws, special U.S. tax considerations and restrictions on receiving the investment proceeds from a foreign country. Dividends or interest on, or proceeds from the sale or disposition of, foreign securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding or other taxes.

It may be difficult for a Portfolio to pursue claims against a foreign issuer or other parties in the courts of a foreign country. Some securities issued by non-U.S. governments or their subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities may not be backed by the full faith and credit of such governments. Even where a security is backed by the full faith and credit of a government, it may be difficult for a Portfolio to pursue its rights against the government. In the past, some non-U.S. governments have defaulted on principal and interest payments.

In certain foreign markets, settlement and clearance of trades may experience delays in payment for or delivery of securities not typically associated with settlement and clearance of U.S. investments. Settlement of trades in these markets can take longer than in other markets and the Portfolio may not receive its proceeds from the sale of certain securities for an extended period (possibly several weeks or even longer) due to, among other factors, low trading volumes and volatile prices. The custody or holding of securities, cash and other assets by local banks, agents and depositories in securities markets outside the United States may entail additional risks. Governments or trade groups may compel local agents to hold securities in designated depositories that may not be subject to independent evaluation. Local agents are held only to the standards of care of their local markets, and may be subject to limited or no government oversight. In extreme cases, a Portfolio's securities may be misappropriated or a Portfolio may be unable to sell its securities. In general, the less developed a country's securities market is, the greater the likelihood of custody problems.

Repurchase agreements risk. Repurchase agreements could involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the seller, including losses and possible delays or restrictions upon a Portfolio's ability to dispose of the underlying securities. To the extent that, in the meantime, the value of the securities that a Portfolio has purchased has decreased, a Portfolio could experience a loss. The use of repurchase agreements may produce income that is not exempt from state personal income tax. Liquid Reserves Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements that are secured by collateral other than cash and government securities, including high yield

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and other types of securities with credit quality below what the Portfolio could hold directly without the repurchase obligation. Such collateral may be more volatile or less liquid than government securities, thereby increasing the risk that the Portfolio will be unable to recover fully in the event of a counterparty's default. High yield securities (known as junk bonds) are considered to be speculative and are subject to greater risk of loss, greater sensitivity to interest rate and economic changes, valuation difficulties and potential illiquidity.

Portfolio management risk. The value of your investment may decrease if the subadviser's judgment about the quality, relative yield, value or market trends affecting a particular security, industry, sector or region, or about interest rates or other market factors, is incorrect or does not produce the desired results, or if there are imperfections, errors or limitations in the tools and data used by the subadviser. In addition, a Portfolio's investment strategies or policies may change from time to time. Those changes may not lead to the results intended by the subadviser and could have an adverse effect on the value or performance of a Portfolio.

Illiquidity risk. Illiquidity risk exists when particular investments are or may become impossible or difficult to sell or impossible or difficult to purchase. Although most of the Portfolio's investments must be liquid at the time of investment, investments may become illiquid after purchase by a Portfolio, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Markets may become illiquid quickly. Markets may become illiquid when, for instance, there are few, if any, interested buyers or sellers or when dealers are unwilling or unable to make a market for certain securities, including U.S. Treasury securities. As a general matter, dealers have been less willing to make markets in recent years. When a Portfolio holds illiquid investments, the portfolio may be harder to value, especially in changing markets, and if a Portfolio is forced to sell these investments to meet withdrawal requests or for other cash needs, or to try to limit losses, the Portfolio may be forced to sell at a substantial loss or may not be able to sell at all. A Portfolio may experience heavy withdrawals that could cause the Portfolio to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, which could cause the value of your investment to decline. In addition, when there is illiquidity in the market for certain investments, a Portfolio, due to limitations on illiquid investments, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. If Liquid Reserves Portfolio's weekly liquid assets fall below certain designated thresholds, Liquid Reserves Portfolio may impose a fee of up to 2% on withdrawals of investors' interests from the Portfolio or temporarily restrict investors' ability to withdraw interests for up to 10 business days in any given 90-day period.

Valuation risk. The sales price a Portfolio could receive for any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Portfolio's valuation of the investment, particularly for securities that trade in thin or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. These differences may increase significantly and affect Portfolio investments more broadly during periods of market volatility. Investors who purchase or redeem Portfolio interests on days when a Portfolio is holding fair-valued securities may receive fewer or more interests or lower or higher withdrawal proceeds than they would have received if the Portfolio had not fair-valued securities or had used a different valuation methodology. A Portfolio's ability to value its investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third party service providers. The valuation of a Portfolio's investments involves subjective judgment.

Withdrawal risk. The Portfolio may experience periods of heavy withdrawals that could cause the Portfolio to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, particularly during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Withdrawal risk is greater to the extent that the Portfolio has investors with large holdings, short investment horizons, or unpredictable cash flow needs. In addition, withdrawal risk is heightened during periods of overall market turmoil. The withdrawal by one or more large investors of their holdings in the Portfolio could hurt performance and/or cause the remaining investors in the Portfolio to lose money. The Portfolio's withdrawal risk is increased if one decision maker has control of beneficial interests in the Portfolio owned by separate Portfolio investors, including clients or affiliates of the Portfolio's manager. In addition, each of Government Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio and U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio may suspend withdrawals when permitted by applicable regulations. Liquid Reserves Portfolio may impose a fee or suspend withdrawals under certain conditions.

Operational risk. Your ability to transact with a Portfolio or the valuation of your investment may be negatively impacted because of the operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors and human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology (including those due to cybersecurity incidents), changes in personnel, and errors caused by third party service providers or trading counterparties. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT, could exacerbate these risks. It is not possible to identify all of the operational risks that may affect a Portfolio or to develop processes and controls that eliminate or mitigate the occurrence of such failures. A Portfolio and its interestholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

Cybersecurity risk. Like other portfolios and business enterprises, the Portfolio, the manager, the subadviser and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time. Cybersecurity incidents, whether intentionally caused by third parties or otherwise, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Portfolio assets, Portfolio or customer data (including private investor information) or proprietary information, cause the Portfolio, the manager, the subadviser and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Portfolio accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality, or prevent Portfolio investors from

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purchasing, redeeming or exchanging interests, receiving distributions or receiving timely information regarding the Portfolio or their investment in the Portfolio. The Portfolio, the manager, and the subadviser have limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Portfolio, the manager, and/or the subadviser. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Portfolio and its investorholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent or mitigate any future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Portfolio invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

New ways to carry out cyber attacks continue to develop. There is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Portfolio's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack.

Money market fund regulatory risk. Money market funds and the securities they invest in are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operation, performance and/or yield of money market funds and could limit a Portfolio's investment flexibility and reduce its ability to generate returns. In July 2023, the SEC adopted amendments to money market fund regulations, which were phased in through October 2024. There can be no assurance that these regulations will not adversely impact the Portfolio and its shareholders, including by resulting in lower yields for the Portfolio.

Please note that there are other factors that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent a Portfolio from achieving its investment objective. More information about risks appears in Part B of this Registration Statement. Before investing, you should carefully consider the risks that you will assume.

**Portfolio holdings** 

A description of the Portfolios' policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Portfolios' portfolio securities is available in the Part B to this Registration Statement. The Portfolios intend to make complete portfolio holdings information as of the last business day of each month available at www.franklintempleton.com/prospectus (under the name of each U.S. registered investment company investing in the Portfolio (see Item 18 in Part B of this Registration Statement)) no later than five business days after month-end. Monthly portfolio holdings information will be available for at least six months after posting.

**Item 10. Management, Organization and Capital Structure.** 

***MANAGER AND SUBADVISER***

Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC ("FTFA" or the "manager") is each Portfolio's investment manager. FTFA, with offices at One Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010, also serves as the investment manager of other Franklin Templeton-sponsored funds. FTFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the Portfolios. As of September 30, 2025, FTFA's total assets under management were approximately $143.5 billion.

Western Asset Management Company, LLC ("Western Asset") provides the day-to-day portfolio management of each Portfolio as subadviser. Western Asset, established in 1971, has offices at 385 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101 and One Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010. Western Asset acts as investment adviser to institutional accounts, such as corporate pension plans, mutual funds and endowment funds. As of September 30, 2025, the total assets under management of Western Asset and its supervised affiliates were approximately $224.3 billion.

FTFA pays the subadviser a portion of the management fee that it receives from each Portfolio. The Portfolio does not pay any additional advisory or other fees for advisory services provided by Western Asset.

FTFA and Western Asset are indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. ("Franklin Resources"). Franklin Resources, whose principal executive offices are at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, California 94403, is a global investment management organization operating, together with its subsidiaries, as Franklin Templeton. As of September 30, 2025, Franklin Templeton's asset management operations had aggregate assets under management of approximately $1.66 trillion.

***MANAGEMENT FEES***

*Liquid Reserves Portfolio* 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025, the Portfolio paid FTFA management fees of 0% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets, after waivers and/or reimbursements.

*U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio* 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025, the Portfolio paid FTFA management fees of 0% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets, after waivers and/or reimbursements.

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*U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio* 

Because interests in the Portfolio will generally be sold only to other investment companies for which FTFA serves as investment manager and because FTFA, Western Asset or their affiliates are compensated by such other investment companies and/or by participants in separately managed account programs that invest in such other investment companies, no management fee is paid to FTFA by the Portfolio.

*Government Portfolio* 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025, the Portfolio paid FTFA management fees of 0% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets, after waivers and/or reimbursements.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board's approval of each Portfolio's management agreement and subadvisory agreement is available in the applicable Portfolio's report on Form N-CSR for the period ended August 31, 2025.

**Capital stock** 

Investments in the Portfolios have no preference, pre-emptive or conversion rights and are fully paid and non-assessable. The Portfolios are not required, and have no current intention, to hold annual meetings of investors, but the Portfolios hold special meetings of investors when in the judgment of the Trustees it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for an investor vote. Investors have under certain circumstances (*e.g.*, upon application and submission of certain specified documents to the Trustees by a specified number of investors) the right to communicate with other investors in connection with requesting a meeting of investors for the purpose of removing one or more Trustees. Upon liquidation or dissolution of a Portfolio, investors would be entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Portfolio available for distribution to investors. 

Each Portfolio is organized as a series of Master Portfolio Trust (the "Trust"), a Maryland statutory trust, under the laws of the State of Maryland. Under the Trust's Declaration of Trust, the Trustees are authorized to issue beneficial interests in the Portfolios. Each investor in a Portfolio is entitled to a vote in proportion to the value of its investment in the Portfolio. Investments in a Portfolio may be transferred only with prior written consent of the Trustees (which consent may be withheld in the Trustees' sole discretion), and an investor may withdraw all or any portion of its investment at any time at net asset value. The Portfolio may cause an investor's interests to be withdrawn under certain circumstances.

**Item 11. Investor Information** 

**Days and hours of operation** 

Each Portfolio is open for business and calculates its net asset value ("NAV") every day on which both the NYSE and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York ("FRBNY") are open for business. Therefore, the Portfolios will be closed on the days on which the following holidays are observed: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Both the NYSE and FRBNY are also closed on weekends and may be closed because of an emergency or other unanticipated event. In the event the Federal Reserve wire payment system is open and the NYSE is open, a Portfolio may close for purchase or withdrawal transactions if—due to an emergency or other unanticipated event—the bond markets are closed for business as recommended by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association ("SIFMA"). In the event the NYSE does not open for business because of an emergency or other unanticipated event, a Portfolio may, but is not required to, open for purchase or withdrawal transactions if the Federal Reserve wire payment system is open and the bond markets are open.

Liquid Reserves Portfolio typically calculates its NAV as of 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on each Portfolio business day. Each of U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio and Government Portfolio typically calculates its NAV as of each hour from 8:00 a.m. (Eastern time) until its close of business on each Portfolio business day.

However, a Portfolio could, without advance notice, determine not to make one or more intraday calculations on a given day for a number of reasons such as unusual conditions in the bond, credit or other markets or unusual Portfolio purchase or withdrawal activity. If a Portfolio determined not to make an intraday calculation, purchases or withdrawals would be effected at the next determined intraday or closing NAV, which may be greater or less than the price at which the purchase or withdrawal would otherwise have been effected.

On any day when the NYSE, the FRBNY or the bond markets (as recommended by SIFMA) close early due to an unanticipated event, or if trading on the NYSE is restricted, an emergency arises or as otherwise permitted by the SEC, each Portfolio reserves the right to close early and make its final NAV calculation as of the time of its early close.

Liquid Reserves Portfolio normally closes for business and makes its final NAV calculation as of 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time). U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio normally closes for business and makes its final NAV calculation as of 2:00 p.m. (Eastern time). U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio normally closes for business and makes its final NAV calculation as of 5:00 pm. (Eastern time). Government Portfolio normally closes for business and makes its final NAV calculation as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

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When SIFMA recommends an early close to the bond markets on a business day before or after a day on which a holiday is celebrated, each Portfolio reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. For calendar year 2026, SIFMA recommends an early close of the bond markets on April 3, 2026; May 22, 2026; July 2, 2026; November 27, 2026; December 24, 2026 and December 31, 2026. The schedule may be changed by SIFMA due to market conditions.

Each Portfolio calculates its net income on each day the Portfolio is open for business. The Portfolios' net income so determined is allocated pro rata among the investors in the Portfolio.

**Purchases and withdrawals of beneficial interests in the Portfolios**

Beneficial interests in the Portfolios are issued solely in private placement transactions that do not involve any "public offering" within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). Only investment companies, insurance company separate accounts, common or commingled trust funds or similar organizations or entities that are "accredited investors" within the meaning of Regulation D under the 1933 Act may invest in the Portfolios. This Registration Statement is not an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any "security" within the meaning of the 1933 Act.

The Portfolios do not charge sales loads. All investments are made at net asset value next determined after an order is received by a Portfolio. See "Days and Hours of Operation" above.

With respect to each of U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio and Government Portfolio, securities are valued at amortized cost, which the Trustees of the Portfolio have determined in good faith constitutes fair value for the purposes of complying with the 1940 Act. This valuation method will continue to be used for a Portfolio until such time as the Trustees determine that it does not constitute fair value for such purposes. Amortized cost valuation involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter assuming a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium. Although the amortized cost method provides certainty in valuation, it may result in periods during which the stated value of an instrument is higher or lower than the price the Portfolio would receive if the instrument were sold. Pursuant to the rules of the SEC, the Trustees have established procedures to stabilize the value of the Portfolios' net assets within 1 /2 of 1% of the value determined on the basis of amortized cost. These procedures include a review of the extent of any such deviation of net asset value, based on available market rates. Should that deviation exceed 1/2 of 1% for a Portfolio, the Trustees will consider whether any action should be initiated to eliminate or reduce material dilution or other unfair results to the investors in the Portfolio. Such action may include withdrawal in kind, selling securities prior to maturity and utilizing a net asset value as determined by using available market quotations.

With respect to Liquid Reserves Portfolio, valuation of the Portfolio's securities and other assets is performed in accordance with the valuation policy approved by the Board. The Portfolio's manager serves as the Portfolio's valuation designee for purposes of compliance with Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act. Under the valuation policy, assets are valued as follows:

• The valuations for fixed income securities are typically the prices supplied by independent third party pricing
services, which may use market prices or broker/dealer quotations or a variety of fair valuation techniques and methodologies.

• The valuations of securities traded on foreign markets and certain other fixed income securities will generally
be based on prices determined as of the earlier closing time of the markets on which they primarily trade, unless a significant event has occurred. Foreign markets are open for trading on weekends and other days when the Portfolio does not price its
interests. Therefore, the value of the Portfolio's interests may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem the Portfolio's interests.

• If independent third party pricing services are unable to supply prices for a Portfolio investment, or if the
prices supplied are deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined by the manager using quotations from one or more broker/dealers. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they
are unreliable, the manager will price securities in accordance with the valuation policy. Among other things, the use of a formula or other method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments may be used
to determine fair value. Fair value of a security is the amount, as determined by the manager in good faith, that a Portfolio might reasonably expect to receive upon a current sale of the security. Fair value procedures may also be used if the
manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the Portfolio's net asset value is calculated.

Many factors may influence the price at which the Portfolio could sell any particular portfolio investment. The sales price may well differ—higher or lower—from the Portfolio's last valuation, and such differences could be significant, particularly for securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. Moreover, valuing securities using fair value methodologies involves greater reliance on judgment than valuing securities based on market quotations. Fair value methodologies may value securities higher or lower than another Portfolio using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio could obtain the value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Portfolio determines its net asset value. Investors who purchase or withdraw Portfolio interests on days when the Portfolio is holding fair-valued securities may receive a larger or smaller interest, or higher or lower redemption proceeds, than they would have received if the Portfolio had not fair-valued securities or had used a different methodology.

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With respect to each Portfolio, interest income on long-term obligations is determined on the basis of interest accrued plus amortization of "original issue discount" (generally, the difference between issue price and stated redemption price at maturity) and premiums (generally, the excess of purchase price over stated redemption price at maturity). Interest income on short-term obligations is determined on the basis of interest accrued plus amortization of any premium.

There is no minimum initial or subsequent investment in the Portfolios. Investments must be made in federal funds (i.e., monies credited to the account of each Portfolio's custodian bank by a Federal Reserve Bank).

The Portfolios reserve the right to cease accepting investments at any time or to reject any investment order. The Portfolios may close an investor's account after a period of inactivity, as determined by state law, and transfer the investor's interests to the appropriate state.

An investor in the Portfolios may withdraw all or any portion of its investment at any time at the net asset value next determined after a withdrawal request in proper form is furnished by the investor to the Portfolios. The proceeds of a withdrawal will be paid by the Portfolios in federal funds normally on the business day the withdrawal is effected, but in any event within seven days.

Under normal circumstances, the Portfolios expect to meet withdrawal requests by using cash or cash equivalents in its portfolio and/or selling portfolio assets to generate cash. Subject to compliance with applicable regulations, the Portfolios may pay withdrawal proceeds, either totally or partially, by a distribution in kind of securities (instead of cash) (for example, if a Portfolio reasonably believes that a cash withdrawal may have a substantial impact on a Portfolio and its remaining investors). The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amount as that assigned to them in calculating the net asset value for the beneficial interests being withdrawn. If a holder of beneficial interests received a distribution in kind, such holder could incur transaction costs converting the securities into cash and may owe capital gain tax on the sale of the securities, and the market prices of those securities will be subject to fluctuation until they are sold.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Portfolio undertakes in its 2a-7 procedures that, in responding to a withdrawal request by an investor, it will pay in cash within one business day the lesser of the amount of the withdrawal request or the amount of 10% of the investor's investment in the Portfolio, provided that the foregoing will not preclude the Portfolio from paying more in cash to satisfy the withdrawal request to the extent it may do so and remain in compliance with its 2a-7 procedures. In addition, Liquid Reserves Portfolio may be required to impose a liquidity fee upon the sale of its interests if net redemptions from the Portfolio exceed certain levels or under certain circumstances as further discussed below.

*Mandatory Liquidity Fees (Liquid Reserves Portfolio)*. If Liquid Reserves Portfolio has total daily net redemptions that exceed five percent of the Portfolio's net assets, or such smaller amount of net redemptions as the Portfolio's Board determines, based on flow information available within a reasonable period after the last computation of the Portfolio's net asset value on that day, Liquid Reserves Portfolio will be required to apply a liquidity fee to all shares that are redeemed at a price computed on that day. The amount of such a mandatory liquidity will be based on a good faith estimate, supported by data, of the costs Liquid Reserves Portfolio would incur if it sold a pro rata amount of each security in its portfolio to satisfy the amount of net redemptions, including (i) spread costs, such that Liquid Reserves Portfolio is valuing each security at its bid price, and any other charges, fees, and taxes associated with portfolio security sales; and (ii) market impacts for each security. If the costs of selling a pro rata amount of each portfolio security cannot be estimated in good faith and supported by data, the liquidity fee amount is one percent of the value of shares redeemed. Liquidity Reserves Portfolio will not be required to apply a liquidity fee if the amount of the fee is less than 0.01% of the value of the shares redeemed. 

*Discretionary Liquidity Fees*. Liquid Reserves Portfolio may determine to institute a discretionary liquidity fee (not to exceed two percent of the value of the interests redeemed) to all shares redeemed if the Portfolio's Board determines that a liquidity fee is in the best interests of the Portfolio. The discretionary liquidity fee may be terminated at any time at the judgment of the Portfolio's Board. 

Each of U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio, and Government Portfolio does not currently intend to avail itself of the ability to impose a discretionary liquidity fee on fund redemptions (such fee not to exceed two percent of the value of the interests redeemed), as permitted under Rule 2a-7. However, the Board of each of these Portfolios has informed the Portfolio that the Board reserves the right to change the Portfolio's policy regarding the imposition of discretionary liquidity fees if the Board determines that a liquidity fee is in the best interest of the Portfolio.

Any such liquidity fee will reduce the amount investors in that Portfolio will receive upon the withdrawal of their interests. The imposition of a liquidity fee by a Portfolio on an investor's complete withdrawal of its interests from that Portfolio could cause the investor to recognize a loss or an increased loss or could decrease the gain the investor would otherwise recognize upon the withdrawal and/or could cause other investors in that Portfolio to recognize gains upon the withdrawal of their interests from that Portfolio. Liquidity fees would be retained by the applicable Portfolio. Pending orders to withdraw interests may be affected by any such liquidity fee.

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Any announcement regarding the imposition or the termination of a liquidity fee, will be available on Franklin Templeton's website (under the name of each U.S. registered investment company investing in the Portfolio (see Item 18 in Part B of this Registration Statement)) at www.franklintempleton.com/prospectus and will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

*Liquidation*. Each Portfolio reserves the right to permanently suspend redemptions and liquidate if the Board determines that it is not in the best interests of the Portfolio to continue operating. 

During periods of deteriorating or stressed market conditions, or during extraordinary or emergency circumstances, a Portfolio may be more likely to pay withdrawal proceeds by giving you securities. The right of any investor to receive payment with respect to any withdrawal may be suspended beyond seven days or the payment of the withdrawal proceeds postponed during any period in which the NYSE is closed (other than weekends or holidays) or trading on the NYSE is restricted, in an emergency exist, or as otherwise permitted by the rules of or by order of the SEC.

**Frequent trading of portfolio interests** 

Money market funds are often used by investors for short-term investments, in place of bank checking or saving accounts, or for cash management purposes. Investors value the ability to add and withdraw their funds quickly, without restriction. For this reason the Board has not adopted policies and procedures, or imposed restrictions such as minimum holding periods, in order to deter frequent purchases and redemptions of money market fund investments. The Board also believes that money market funds, such as the Portfolios, are not typically targets of abusive trading practices. However, some investors may seek to take advantage of a short-term disparity between a Portfolio's yield and current market yields, which could have the effect of reducing the Portfolio's yield. In addition, frequent purchases and withdrawals of beneficial interests in a Portfolio could increase a Portfolio's transaction costs and may interfere with the efficient management of the Portfolios, which could detract from the Portfolio's performance.

**Tax matters** 

Each Portfolio expects to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, no Portfolio expects to pay any U.S. federal income or excise taxes, and, generally, an investor in a Portfolio will not recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes when it invests in a Portfolio or when it makes withdrawals from a Portfolio unless cash withdrawal proceeds exceed the investor's adjusted basis in its interest in the applicable Portfolio or unless the investor receives solely cash upon a complete withdrawal from the applicable Portfolio. Each investor in a Portfolio will be required to take into account in determining the investor's own U.S. federal income and excise tax liabilities, if any, its distributive share from time to time of the Portfolio's gross income, tax-exempt income, deductions, credits, and other items, whether or not distributed by the Portfolio.

There is uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees that may be imposed by Liquid Reserves Portfolio and such tax treatment may be subject to future guidance issued by the IRS. The imposition of a liquidity fee by a Portfolio on an investor's complete withdrawal of its interests from that Portfolio could cause the investor to recognize a loss or an increased loss or could decrease the gain the investor would otherwise recognize upon the withdrawal and/or could cause other investors in that Portfolio to recognize gains upon the withdrawal of their interests from that Portfolio.

Each Portfolio also expects that investors which seek to qualify as regulated investment companies ("RICs") under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), will be able to look to their proportionate share of the assets and gross income of the applicable Portfolio for purposes of determining their compliance with the requirements applicable to such companies. It is intended that each Portfolio's assets and income will be managed, and that each Portfolio will permit withdrawals, in such a way that an investor in the Portfolio that seeks to qualify as a RIC would be able to satisfy the applicable diversification, income and distribution requirements of Subchapter M of the Code, assuming that the investor invested all of its assets in the Portfolio.

The foregoing tax discussion is only for an investor's general information, and does not take account of the special tax rules applicable to certain investors (such as tax-exempt investors) or to a number of special circumstances. Each investor should consult its own tax advisers based on that investor's particular circumstances regarding the tax consequences of an investment in a Portfolio, as well as any state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences to that investor of investing in a Portfolio.

**Item 12. Distribution Arrangements** 

Franklin Distributors, LLC ("Franklin Distributors" or the "Placement Agent"), an indirect, wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Franklin Resources, serves as each Portfolio's sole and exclusive placement agent. The Placement Agent receives no compensation for serving as the Portfolios' sole and exclusive placement agent.

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**PART B** 

**Item 14. Cover Page and **Table of Contents**.** 

This Part B sets forth information with respect to Liquid Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio and Government Portfolio, each a series of Master Portfolio Trust (the "Trust"). The Trust is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The date of this Part B and Part A to the Registration Statement for the Portfolios is January 1, 2026.

This Part B is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with Part A, dated January 1, 2026. Part A may be obtained free of charge on the EDGAR database on the SEC's Internet site at <u>http://www.sec.gov</u>. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

**TABLE OF CONTENTS** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  [Glossary of Terms](#prtb57159_1) | 2 |
|  [Portfolio History](#prtb57159_2) | 4 |
|  [Description of the Portfolios and Their Investments and Risks](#prtb57159_3) | 4 |
|  [Management of the Portfolios](#prtb57159_4) | 36 |
|  [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#prtb57159_5) | 43 |
|  [Investment Advisory and Other Services](#prtb57159_6) | 45 |
|  [Portfolio Managers](#prtb57159_7) | 51 |
|  [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#prtb57159_8) | 51 |
|  [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#prtb57159_9) | 52 |
|  [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Securities](#prtb57159_10) | 54 |
|  [Taxation of the Portfolios](#prtb57159_11) | 56 |
|  [Underwriters](#prtb57159_12) | 57 |
|  [Calculations of Performance Data](#prtb57159_13) | 57 |
|  [Financial Statements](#prtb57159_14) | 57 |
|  [Appendix A—Western Asset Management Company, LLC – Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures](#prtb57159_15) | Appendix A-1 |
|  [Appendix B—Description of Ratings](#prtb57159_16) | Appendix B-1 |

---

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**GLOSSARY OF TERMS** 

**Because the following is a combined glossary of terms, certain terms below may not apply to the Portfolio. Any terms used but not defined herein have the meaning ascribed to them in the applicable fund's prospectus.** 

"12b-1 Plans" means a Franklin Templeton fund's distribution and shareholder services plan.

"1933 Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

"1934 Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

"1940 Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

"1940 Act Vote" means the vote of the lesser of: (a) more than 50% of the outstanding interests of the Portfolio; or (b) 67% or more of the interests of the Portfolio present at an investor meeting if more than 50% of the outstanding interests of that Portfolio are represented at the meeting in person or by proxy.

"Advisers Act" means the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.

"Board" means the Board of Trustees or Board of Directors, as applicable.

"CEA" means the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended.

"CFTC" means the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

"FINRA" means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

"Franklin Resources" means Franklin Resources, Inc.

"Fundamental Investment Policy" means an investment policy of the Portfolio that may be changed only by a 1940 Act Vote. Only those policies expressly designated as such are fundamental investment policies. All other policies and restrictions may be changed by the Board without investor approval.

"Independent Trustee" means a Trustee of the Trust who is not an "interested person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust.

"IRAs" means Individual Retirement Accounts.

"IRS" means Internal Revenue Service.

"Legg Mason" means Legg Mason, Inc.

"Manager" or "FTFA" means Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC.

"NAV" means net asset value.

"NRSROs" means nationally recognized (or non-U.S.) statistical rating organizations, including, but not limited to, Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings, a subsidiary of S&P Global Inc. ("S&P").

"NYSE" means the New York Stock Exchange.

"Placement Agent" means the party that is responsible for the placement or sale of the Portfolio's interests. Franklin Distributors, LLC ("Franklin Distributors") is the Portfolio's placement agent.

"Portfolio" means the Portfolio or Portfolios listed on the cover of this Registration Statement unless stated otherwise.

"SEC" means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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"Service Agent" means each bank, broker, dealer, insurance company, investment adviser, financial consultant or adviser, mutual fund supermarket and any other financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the Placement Agent to sell interests of the Portfolio.

"Subadviser" means Western Asset Management Company, LLC.

"Trust" means the trust listed on the cover page of this Registration Statement.

"Trustees" means the trustees of the Trust.

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**Item 15. Portfolio History.** 

Liquid Reserves Portfolio was organized as a trust under the laws of the State of New York on May 23, 1989. The Portfolio changed its name from Cash Reserves Portfolio to Liquid Reserves Portfolio on February 27, 2004. On April 16, 2007, the Portfolio became a series of Master Portfolio Trust, a Maryland statutory trust.

U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio was organized as a trust under the laws of the State of New York on January 31, 1991. On April 16, 2007, the Portfolio became a series of Master Portfolio Trust, a Maryland statutory trust.

U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio was organized and designated as a series of Master Portfolio Trust, a Maryland statutory trust, on August 13, 2013.

Government Portfolio was organized and designated as a series of Master Portfolio Trust, a Maryland statutory trust, on February 12, 2009.

**Item 16. Description of the Portfolios and Their Investments and Risks.** 

**CLASSIFICATION** 

The Portfolio is an open-end, management investment company.

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND STRATEGIES** 

The Portfolio is registered under the 1940 Act, as an open-end management investment company. Part A to the Registration Statement discusses the Portfolio's investment objective and strategies. The following is a summary of certain additional strategies and investment limitations of the Portfolio and supplements the description of the Portfolio's investment strategies in Part A. Additional information regarding investment practices and risk factors with respect to the Portfolio may also be found below in the section entitled Investment Practices and Risk Factors.

**The Portfolio** 

***•*** **(*For all Portfolios other than U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio*) ** ** The Portfolio invests in securities that, at the time of purchase, are treated under applicable regulations as having remaining maturities of 397 days or less.  **** ** 

***•*** **(*For U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio*)** The Portfolio invests in securities that, at the time of purchase, are treated under applicable regulations as having remaining maturities of 93 days or less.  **** ** 

• The Portfolio maintains a dollar weighted average maturity of not more than 60 days.

• The Portfolio maintains a dollar weighted average life of not more than 120 days.

• The Portfolio may not purchase or otherwise acquire any security if, as a result, more than 5% of its total
assets would be invested in securities and other assets that are illiquid.

**Government Portfolio** 

• Investment objective. The Portfolio's investment objective is to seek maximum current income to the extent
consistent with preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.

• The Portfolio invests in securities that, at the time of purchase, are rated in the highest short-term rating
category or, if not rated, are determined by the Subadviser to be of equivalent quality. In addition, each security, at the time of purchase by the Portfolio, has been determined by the Subadviser to present minimal credit risk.

• The Portfolio invests exclusively in short-term U.S. government obligations, including U.S. Treasuries and
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored entities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by government obligations. The Portfolio may also hold cash for cash management
and defensive purposes.

• The Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, that a government money market fund
invest at least 99.5% of its total assets in U.S. government securities, cash, and/or repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. government securities or cash. In addition, the Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 35d-1 under
the 1940 Act, that a fund that includes the term "government" in its name invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. government obligations and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized by U.S.
government obligations.

• If the Portfolio were to change its investment policies so that more than 20% of its assets, under normal market
conditions, could be invested in securities other than U.S. government obligations and related investments, the Portfolio would give written notice to its investors at least 60 days prior to implementing the change.

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**Liquid Reserves Portfolio** 

*•* *Investment objective*. The Portfolio's investment objective is to provide shareholders with
liquidity and as high a level of current income as is consistent with preservation of capital. **  

• The Portfolio invests in securities that, at the time of purchase, are rated by one or more rating agencies in
the highest short-term rating category or, if not rated, are determined by the Subadviser to be of equivalent quality. In addition, each security, at the time of purchase by the Portfolio, has been determined by the Subadviser to present minimal
credit risk.

• The Portfolio may invest without limit in obligations of U.S. banks, and up to 25% of its assets in U.S.
dollar-denominated obligations of non-U.S. banks, such as certificates of deposit, fixed time deposits and bankers' acceptances.

• The Portfolio limits its investments in U.S. bank obligations (including, for these purposes, their non-U.S.
branches) to banks having more than $100 million of equity capital or total assets in excess of $1 billion and which are subject to regulation by an agency of the U.S. government, except that the investments in certificates of deposit,
time deposits and banker's acceptances are limited to those issued by banks having total assets in excess of $1 billion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Portfolio may also invest in certificates of deposit with principal amounts of no
more than $100,000 per issuing bank with total assets of less than $1 billion, if those deposits are fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC").

• The Portfolio limits its investments in "non-U.S. bank obligations" to U.S. dollar-denominated
obligations of banks that at the time of investment are non-U.S. branches or subsidiaries of U.S. banks that meet the criteria in the preceding paragraphs or are U.S. or non-U.S. branches of non-U.S. banks, which banks (i) have more than
$10 billion, or the equivalent in other currencies, in total assets; (ii) in terms of assets are among the 75 largest non-U.S. banks in the world; (iii) have branches or agencies in the United States; and (iv) in the opinion of
the Subadviser, are of an investment quality comparable with obligations of U.S. banks which may be purchased by the Portfolio. These obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank, in addition to the issuing branch or subsidiary, but the
parent bank's obligations may be limited by the terms of the specific obligation or by governmental regulation.

• The Portfolio may also enter into repurchase agreements where the underlying collateral consists of other types
of securities, including securities the Portfolio could not purchase directly. For such repurchase agreements, the underlying securities which serve as collateral may include, but are not limited to, U.S. government securities, municipal securities,
corporate debt obligations, asset-backed securities (including collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs")), convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality.

**U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio** 

*•* *Investment objective.* The Portfolio's investment objective is to seek maximum current income
to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. **  

• The Portfolio is a money market fund that invests all of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury
and in repurchase agreements secured by these obligations. The Portfolio may also hold cash for cash management and defensive purposes.

• The Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act that a government money market fund invest
at least 99.5% of its total assets in U.S. government securities, cash, and/or repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. government securities or cash. In addition, the Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 35d-1 under the
1940 Act that a fund that includes the term "U.S. Treasury obligations" in its name invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and in repurchase agreements secured by U.S. Treasury
obligations.

• If the Portfolio were to change its investment policies so that more than 20% of its assets, under normal market
conditions, could be invested in securities other than those issued or backed by the U.S. Treasury and repurchase agreements secured by such securities, the Portfolio would give written notice to its investors at least 60 days prior to implementing
the change.

**U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio** 

*•* *Investment objective.* The Portfolio's investment objective is to provide shareholders with
liquidity and as high a level of current income from U.S. government obligations as is consistent with preservation of capital. **  

• The Portfolio is a money market fund that, under normal circumstances, invests at least 80% of its net assets in
U.S. Treasury obligations. In addition, the Portfolio may invest in repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. Treasury obligations or cash. The Portfolio may also hold cash for cash management and defensive purposes.

• The Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act that a government money market fund invest
at least 99.5% of its total assets in U.S. government securities, cash, and/or repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. government securities or cash. In addition, the Portfolio meets the requirement under Rule 35d-1 under the
1940 Act that a fund that includes the term "U.S. Treasury" in its name invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. Treasury obligations.

• If the Portfolio were to change its investment policies so that more than 20% of its assets, under normal market
conditions, could be invested in securities other than those issued or backed by the U.S. Treasury, the Portfolio would give written notice to its investors at least 60 days prior to implementing the change.

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**FUNDAMENTAL AND NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT POLICIES** 

The Portfolio has adopted the fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies below for the protection of investors. Fundamental investment policies of the Portfolio may not be changed without a 1940 Act Vote. The Board may change non-fundamental investment policies at any time.

If any percentage restriction described below (other than the limitation on borrowing) is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in the percentage resulting from a change in asset values or characteristics will not constitute a violation of such restriction, unless otherwise noted below.

The Portfolio's investment objective is non-fundamental.

**Fundamental Investment Policies** 

The Portfolio's fundamental investment policies are as follows:

**Borrowing.** The Portfolio may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

**Underwriting.** The Portfolio may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

**Lending.** The Portfolio may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

**Senior Securities.** The Portfolio may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

**Real Estate.** The Portfolio may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

**Commodities.** The Portfolio may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

**Concentration.** 

**Government Portfolio.** Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the Portfolio may not make any investment if, as a result, the Portfolio's investments will be concentrated in any one industry, except that the Portfolio may invest without limit in obligations issued by banks.

**U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio.** The Portfolio may not purchase any securities of an issuer in a particular industry if as a result 25% or more of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of purchase) would be invested in securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the same industry.

**Liquid Reserves Portfolio.** The Portfolio may not purchase any securities of an issuer in a particular industry if as a result 25% or more of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of purchase) would be invested in securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the same industry, except that the Portfolio may invest at least 25% of its assets in bank obligations issued by domestic banks.

**U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio.** The Portfolio may not purchase any securities of an issuer in a particular industry if as a result 25% or more of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of purchase) would be invested in securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the same industry.

For purposes of the investment restrictions described above, the issuer of a tax-exempt security is deemed to be the entity (public or private) principally responsible for the payment of principal of and interest on the security. If, however, the creating government or some other entity, such as an insurance company or other corporate obligor, guarantees a security or a bank issues a letter of credit, such a guarantee or letter of credit may, in accordance with applicable SEC rules, be considered a separate security and treated as an issue of such government, other entity or bank.

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With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund's total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund's total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. (A fund's total assets include the amounts being borrowed.) To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires a fund to maintain an "asset coverage" of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings, provided that in the event that the fund's asset coverage falls below 300%, the fund is required to reduce the amount of its borrowings so that it meets the 300% asset coverage threshold within three days (not including Sundays and holidays). Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of a fund's total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowing, and thus, subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as "leveraging." Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of the Portfolio's interests to be more volatile than if the Portfolio did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Portfolio's portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the Portfolio may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the Portfolio. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate the Portfolio's net investment income in any given period. Currently, no Portfolio contemplates borrowing money for leverage, but if it does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy above will be interpreted to permit the Portfolio to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund's underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund's investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act. Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer's registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause the Portfolio to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy above will be interpreted not to prevent the Portfolio from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the Portfolio may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to the Portfolio, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the Portfolio's Manager or Subadviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The Portfolio also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. The Portfolio would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy above will be interpreted not to prevent the Portfolio from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth above, "senior securities" are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund's shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities, except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund's total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund's total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund's outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of the Portfolio's portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the Portfolio's net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the Portfolio's gross assets.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, SEC rules limit a money market fund's purchases of illiquid securities to 5% of total assets. The policy above will be interpreted not to prevent the Portfolio from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

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With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, SEC rules limit a money market fund's purchases of illiquid securities to 5% of total assets. If the Portfolio were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the Portfolio would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes "concentration" in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund's total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The concentration policy above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. In addition, the term industry will be interpreted to include related groups of industries. The SEC has taken the position that money market funds may reserve the right to invest without limit in instruments of domestic banks without being deemed to concentrate their investments. The policy above will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in domestic bank participation interests in municipal securities. Currently, Government Portfolio does not intend to purchase or concentrate in banking obligations. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and repurchase agreements collateralized fully by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers based solely on their domicile in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Portfolio as to how to classify issuers within or among industries or groups of industries. The Portfolio has been advised by the staff of the SEC that the staff currently views securities issued by a foreign government to be in a single industry for purposes of calculating applicable limits on concentration.

The Portfolio's fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act may limit a money market fund's ability to engage in a strategy otherwise permitted under the 1940 Act.

**Diversification** 

The Portfolio is currently classified as a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. The Portfolio may only change to non-diversified status with a 1940 Act Vote.

**Commodity Exchange Act Regulation- Exclusion from Commodity Pool Operator Definition** 

The Portfolio is operated by persons who have claimed an exclusion, granted to operators of registered investment companies, like the Portfolio, from registration as a "commodity pool operator" with respect to the Portfolio under the CEA and, therefore are not subject to registration or regulation with respect to the Portfolio under the CEA.

**INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RISK FACTORS** 

In addition to the investment strategies and the risks described in Part A of this Registration Statement and in Part B under Investment Objective and Strategies, the Portfolio may employ other investment practices and may be subject to other risks, which are described below. The Portfolio may engage in the practices described below to the extent consistent with its investment objectives, strategies, policies and restrictions. However, as with any investment or investment technique, even when the Portfolio's Prospectus or this discussion indicates that the Portfolio may engage in an activity, the Portfolio may not actually do so for a variety of reasons. In addition, new types of instruments and other securities may be developed and marketed from time to time. Consistent with its investment limitations, the Portfolio expects to invest in those new types of securities and instruments that its portfolio manager believes may assist the Portfolio in achieving its investment objective.

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This discussion is not intended to limit the Portfolio's investment flexibility, unless such a limitation is expressly stated, and therefore will be construed by the Portfolio as broadly as possible. Statements concerning what the Portfolio may do are not intended to limit any other activity.

**Investing in the Banking Industry** 

The Portfolio may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks, and in obligations of domestic banks, as that term has been interpreted by the SEC. Under SEC interpretations, a U.S. branch of a foreign bank may be considered a domestic bank if the U.S. branch of the foreign bank is subject to the same regulation as a U.S. bank. Likewise, a non-U.S. branch of a U.S. bank may be considered a domestic bank if the investment risk associated with investing in instruments issued by the non-U.S. branch is the same, in the opinion of the portfolio manager, as that of investing in instruments issued by the branch's domestic parent. The Portfolio may also invest in Eurodollar and Yankee bank obligations.

Certificates of deposit ("CDs") are savings certificates generally issued by commercial banks that bear a maturity date and a specified interest rate, and can be issued in any denomination. Fixed time deposits ("Fixed TDs") are obligations which are payable at a stated maturity date and bear a fixed rate of interest. Generally, Fixed TDs may be withdrawn on demand by the Portfolio, but they may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. Although Fixed TDs do not have a market, there are no contractual restrictions on the Portfolio's right to transfer a beneficial interest in the deposit to a third party. A bankers' acceptance is a draft drawn on and accepted by a bank that orders payment to a third party at a later date. Bankers' acceptances generally act as a negotiable time draft for financing imports, exports, or other transactions in goods.

U.S. banks organized under federal law are supervised and examined by the Comptroller of the Currency and are required to be members of the Federal Reserve System and to be insured by the FDIC. U.S. banks organized under state law are supervised and examined by state banking authorities and are members of the Federal Reserve System only if they elect to join. However, state banks which are insured by the FDIC are subject to federal examination and to a substantial body of federal law and regulation. As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, U.S. branches of U.S. banks, among other things, are generally required to maintain specified levels of reserves, and are subject to other supervision and regulation designed to promote financial soundness.

The provisions of federal law governing the establishment and operation of U.S. branches do not apply to non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks. However, the Portfolio may purchase obligations only of those non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks which were established with the approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the "Board of Governors"). As a result of such approval, these branches are subject to examination by the Board of Governors and the Comptroller of the Currency. In addition, such non-U.S. branches of U.S. banks are subject to the supervision of the U.S. bank and creditors of the non-U.S. branch are considered general creditors of the U.S. bank subject to whatever defenses may be available under the governing non-U.S. law and to the terms of the specific obligation. Nonetheless, the Portfolio generally will be subject to whatever risk may exist that the non-U.S. country may impose restrictions on payment of certificates of deposit or time deposits.

U.S. branches of non-U.S. banks are subject to the laws of the state in which the branch is located or to the laws of the United States. Such branches are therefore subject to many of the regulations, including reserve requirements, to which U.S. banks are subject.

Obligations of foreign branches of domestic banks and of foreign branches of foreign banks, such as CDs and Fixed TDs, may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation or by governmental regulation. Such obligations are subject to many of the same risks as those of domestic banks or domestic branches of foreign banks. They are also subject to risks such as future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of non-U.S. withholding taxes on interest income payable on such obligations held by the Portfolio, the possible seizure or nationalization of non-U.S. deposits and the possible establishment of exchange controls or other non-U.S. governmental laws or restrictions that might adversely affect payment of principal and interest on such obligations held by the Portfolio. Foreign branches of domestic banks and foreign branches of foreign banks are not necessarily subject to the same or similar regulatory requirements that apply to domestic banks, such as mandatory reserve requirements, loan limitations and accounting, auditing and financial record keeping requirements. Additionally, there may be less public information available about non-U.S. entities. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to less governmental regulation and supervision than U.S. issuers. Non-U.S. issuers also generally are not bound by uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. issuers.

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**Artificial Intelligence** 

Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence and encompasses various different forms of artificial intelligence, including machine learning models. Artificial intelligence is typically designed to analyze data, learn from patterns and experiences, make decisions, and solve problems. Artificial intelligence can be categorized into two types: narrow artificial intelligence, which is designed for specific tasks, and general artificial intelligence, which has the ability to perform any intellectual task that a human can do and includes generative artificial intelligence ("GAI"). GAI is a type of artificial intelligence technology that produces new text, images, audio, and other content based on training data that includes examples of the desired output.

Typically, users enter questions, queries, or other inputs that prompt the GAI model or tool to produce output. In addition, some software uses GAI to suggest changes, summarize information, or translate text. Artificial intelligence has various applications in many fields such as healthcare, finance, transportation, and law.

The use of artificial intelligence in general may adversely impact markets, the overall performance of the Portfolio's investments, or the services provided to the Portfolio by its service providers. The Manager or the Subadviser or a third party service provider may use and/or expand its use of artificial intelligence in connection with its business, operating and investment activities and the Portfolio's investments may also use such technologies. Actual usage of such artificial intelligence will vary, and while the Manager or the Subadviser expects it and the third party service provider to the Portfolio may, from time to time, adopt and adjust usage policies and procedures governing the use of artificial intelligence by its personnel, there is a risk of misuse of artificial intelligence technologies.

Artificial intelligence is highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data and complex algorithms, but it is not possible nor practicable to incorporate all data that would be relevant for a task conducted by artificial intelligence. Therefore, it is possible that the information provided through use of artificial intelligence could be insufficient, incomplete, inaccurate or biased leading to adverse effects for the Portfolio, including, potentially, operational errors and investment losses.

Artificial intelligence and its current and potential future applications, including in the investment and financial sectors, as well as the regulatory frameworks within which they operate, continue to rapidly evolve, and it is impossible to predict the full extent of future applications or regulations. Ongoing and future regulatory actions with respect to artificial intelligence generally or artificial intelligence's use in any industry in particular may alter, perhaps to a materially adverse extent, the ability of the Manager or the Subadviser, a third-party service provider, the Portfolio or its investments to utilize artificial intelligence in the manner it has to-date, and may have an adverse impact on the ability of any of those entities to continue to operate as intended.

**Benchmark Reference Rates Risk** 

Many debt securities, derivatives, and other financial instruments utilize benchmark or reference rates for variable interest rate calculations, including the Euro Interbank Offer Rate, Sterling Overnight Index Average Rate, and the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (each a "Reference Rate"). Instruments in which the Portfolio invests may pay interest at floating rates based on such Reference Rates or may be subject to interest caps or floors based on such Reference Rates. The Portfolio and issuers of instruments in which the Portfolio invests may also obtain financing at floating rates based on such Reference Rates. The elimination of a Reference Rate or any other changes to or reforms of the determination or supervision of Reference Rates could have an adverse impact on the market for, or value of, any instruments or payments linked to those Reference Rates.

For example, some Reference Rates, as well as other types of rates and indices, are described as "benchmarks" and have been the subject of ongoing national and international regulatory reform, including under the European Union regulation on indices used as benchmarks in financial instruments and financial contracts (known as the "Benchmarks Regulation"). The Benchmarks Regulation has been enacted into United Kingdom law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended), subject to amendments made by the Benchmarks (Amendment and Transitional Provision) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/657) and other statutory instruments. Following the implementation of these reforms, the manner of administration of benchmarks has changed and may further change in the future, with the result that relevant benchmarks may perform differently than in the past, the use of benchmarks that are not compliant with the new standards by certain supervised entities may be restricted, and certain benchmarks may be eliminated entirely. Such changes could cause increased market volatility and disruptions in liquidity for instruments that rely on or are impacted by such benchmarks. Additionally, there could be other consequences which cannot be predicted.

**Borrowings** 

The Portfolio may engage in borrowing transactions as a means of raising cash to satisfy redemption requests, for other temporary or emergency purposes or, to the extent permitted by its investment policies, to raise additional cash to be invested by the Portfolio in other securities or instruments in an effort to increase the Portfolio's investment returns. Reverse repurchase agreements may be considered to be a type of borrowing.

When the Portfolio invests borrowing proceeds in other securities, the Portfolio will be at risk for any fluctuations in the market value of the securities in which the proceeds are invested. Like other leveraging risks, this makes the value of an investment in the Portfolio more volatile and increases the Portfolio's overall investment exposure. In addition, if the Portfolio's return on its investment of the borrowing proceeds does not equal or exceed the interest that the Portfolio is obligated to pay under the terms of a borrowing, engaging in these transactions will lower the Portfolio's return.

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The Portfolio may be required to liquidate portfolio securities at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do so in order to make payments with respect to its borrowing obligations. Interest on any borrowings will be an expense to the Portfolio and will reduce the value of the Portfolio's interests. The Portfolio may borrow on a secured or on an unsecured basis. If the Portfolio enters into a secured borrowing arrangement, a portion of the Portfolio's assets will be used as collateral. During the term of the borrowing, the Portfolio will remain at risk for any fluctuations in the market value of these assets in addition to any securities purchased with the proceeds of the loan. In addition, the Portfolio may be unable to sell the collateral at a time when it would be advantageous to do so, which could result in lower returns. The Portfolio would also be subject to the risk that the lender may file for bankruptcy, become insolvent, or otherwise default on its obligations to return the collateral to the Portfolio. In the event of a default by the lender, there may be delays, costs and risks of loss involved in the Portfolio's exercising its rights with respect to the collateral or those rights may be limited by other contractual agreements or obligations or by applicable law.

The 1940 Act requires the Portfolio to maintain an "asset coverage" of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings, provided that in the event that the Portfolio's asset coverage falls below 300%, the Portfolio is required to reduce the amount of its borrowings so that it meets the 300% asset coverage threshold within three days (not including Sundays and holidays). Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the Portfolio's total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings and other senior securities, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Although complying with this requirement would have the effect of limiting the amount that the Portfolio may borrow, it does not otherwise mitigate the risks of entering into borrowing transactions.

**Commercial Paper** 

Commercial paper (including variable amount master demand notes and funding agreements) consists of short-term, unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations, partnerships, trusts and other entities to finance short-term credit needs.

**Custodial Receipts** 

The Portfolio may acquire custodial receipts or certificates underwritten by securities dealers or banks that evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on certain municipal obligations. The underwriter of these certificates or receipts typically purchases municipal obligations and deposits the obligations in an irrevocable trust or custodial account with a custodian bank, which then issues receipts or certificates that evidence ownership of the periodic unmatured coupon payments and the final principal payment on the obligations. Although under the terms of a custodial receipt, the Portfolio would be typically authorized to assert its rights directly against the issuer of the underlying obligation, the Portfolio could be required to assert through the custodian bank those rights as may exist against the underlying issuer. Thus, in the event the underlying issuer fails to pay principal and/or interest when due, the Portfolio may be subject to delays, expenses and risks that are greater than those that would have been involved if the Portfolio had purchased a direct obligation of the issuer. In addition, in the event that the trust or custodial account in which the underlying security has been deposited is determined to be an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the yield on the underlying security would be reduced by any entity-level corporate taxes paid by the issuer.

Custodial receipts may also evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on certain U.S. government obligations. Such obligations are held in custody by a bank on behalf of the owners. Custodial receipts are generally not considered obligations of the U.S. government for purposes of securities laws.

**Cybersecurity Risk** 

Like other portfolios and business enterprises, the Portfolio, the Manager and the Subadviser and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time. With the increased use of technologies such as mobile devices and Web-based or "cloud" applications, and the dependence on the Internet and computer systems to conduct business, the Portfolio, the Manager, the Subadviser, and other service providers are susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events (arising from external or internal sources) that may cause the Portfolio, the Manager and the Subadviser and/or their service providers to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, physical damage to a computer or network system or lose operational capacity. Cybersecurity attacks include, but are not limited to, infection by malicious software, such as malware or computer viruses or gaining unauthorized access to digital systems, networks or devices that are used to service the Portfolio's operations (e.g., through "hacking," "phishing" or malicious software coding) or other means for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cybersecurity attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on the Portfolio's websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Recently, geopolitical tensions may have increased the scale and sophistication of deliberate cybersecurity attacks, particularly those from nation-states or from entities with nation-state backing. In addition, authorized persons could inadvertently or intentionally release confidential or proprietary information stored on the Portfolio's systems.

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Cybersecurity incidents affecting the Portfolio's Manager, the Subadviser, and other service providers to the Portfolio or its investors (including, but not limited to, Portfolio accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to both the Portfolio and its interestholders, interference with the Portfolio's ability to calculate its net asset value, impediments to trading, the inability of Portfolio interestholders to transact business and the Portfolio to process transactions (including fulfillment of purchases and redemptions), violations of applicable privacy and other laws (including the release of private investor information) and attendant breach notification and credit monitoring costs, regulatory fines, penalties, litigation costs, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, forensic investigation and remediation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Portfolio invests, counterparties with which the Portfolio engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and other service providers) and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to safeguard against and reduce the risk of any cybersecurity incidents in the future. In addition to administrative, technological and procedural safeguards, the Portfolio's Manager and the Subadviser have established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent or reduce the impact of, such cybersecurity incidents. However, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified, as well as the rapid development of new threats. Furthermore, the Portfolio cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by its service providers or any other third parties whose operations may affect the Portfolio and its investors. The Portfolio and its investors could be negatively impacted as a result.

New ways to carry out cyber attacks continue to develop. There is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Portfolio's, the Manager's and the Subadviser's and/or their service providers' ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack.

**Demand Instruments** 

Demand instruments are securities issued as floating- or variable-rate securities subject to demand features. Demand instruments usually have a stated maturity of more than one year but contain a demand feature (or "put") that enables the holder to tender the investment at an exercise price equal to approximately the amortized cost of the instrument plus accrued interest on no more than 30 days' notice. Variable-rate demand instruments provide for automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates. Floating-rate demand instruments provide for automatic adjustment of interest rates whenever a specified interest rate (e.g., the prime rate) changes. The Portfolio currently is permitted to purchase floating rate and variable rate obligations with demand features in accordance with requirements established by the SEC, which, among other things, permit such instruments to be deemed to have remaining maturities of 13 months or less, notwithstanding that they may otherwise have a stated maturity in excess of 13 months. Securities with ultimate maturities of greater than 13 months may be purchased only pursuant to Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act. Frequently, floating rate and variable rate obligations are secured by letters of credit or other credit support arrangements provided by banks.

Securities with demand features may involve certain expenses and risks, including the inability of the issuer of the instrument to pay for the securities at the time the instrument is exercised, non-marketability of the instrument and differences between the maturity of the underlying security and the maturity of the instrument. Securities may cost more with demand features than without them. Demand features can serve three purposes: (i) to shorten the maturity of a variable or floating rate security, (ii) to enhance the instrument's credit quality and (iii) to provide a source of liquidity. Demand features are often issued by third party financial institutions, generally U.S. and non-U.S. banks, and by brokerage firms or insurance companies. Accordingly, the credit quality and liquidity of the Portfolio's investments may be dependent in part on the credit quality of the institutions supporting the Portfolio's investments and changes in the credit quality of these institutions could cause losses to the Portfolio and affect the price of Portfolio interests.

Variable rate demand instruments include variable rate demand preferred shares or other forms of liquidity protected preferred shares that are issued by closed end investment companies that invest in municipal securities. These preferred shares have a liquidation preference and pay a dividend that is set weekly or at some other interval (typically 28 days) by a remarketing agent or through a similar process that is designed to approximate current prevailing interest rates. The Portfolio, as a holder of one of these instruments, will have the right to tender the securities for remarketing or, if the securities cannot be remarketed, to tender the securities to a liquidity provider, in each case at a price equal to its liquidation preference plus accrued dividends. The Portfolio would have no right to tender the shares to the issuer for payment or redemption, and the shares will be not freely transferable. The Portfolio will be subject to the risk that the liquidity provider will not be able to honor its unconditional commitment to purchase the shares.

**Foreign Securities** 

The risks of investing in securities of non-U.S. issuers or issuers with significant exposure to non-U.S. markets may be related, among other things, to (i) differences in size, liquidity and volatility of, and the degree and manner of regulation of, the securities markets of certain non-U.S. markets compared to the securities markets in the U.S.; (ii) economic, political and social factors; and (iii) foreign exchange matters, such as restrictions on the repatriation of capital, fluctuations in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the Portfolio's portfolio securities are quoted or denominated, exchange control regulations and costs associated with currency exchange. The political and economic structures in certain foreign countries, particularly emerging markets, are expected to undergo significant evolution and rapid development, and such countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries.

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Unanticipated political or social developments may affect the values of the Portfolio's investments in such countries. The economies and securities and currency markets of many emerging markets have experienced significant disruption and declines. There can be no assurances that these economic and market disruptions will not continue.

Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the U.S. or other foreign countries. Accounting standards in other countries are also not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for the portfolio manager to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition. In addition, the U.S. Government has from time to time in the past imposed restrictions, through penalties and otherwise, on foreign investments by U.S. investors such as the Portfolio. Also, brokerage commissions and other costs of buying or selling securities often are higher in foreign countries than they are in the U.S. This reduces the amount the Portfolio can earn on its investments.

The Portfolio generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight over their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on the Portfolio's ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or any of their agents goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Portfolio to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the U.S. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Portfolio can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Portfolio as compared to investment companies that invest only in the United States.

Securities of some foreign companies have lower liquidity, and their prices are more volatile, than securities of comparable domestic companies. Certain foreign countries are known to experience long delays between the trade and settlement dates of securities purchased or sold resulting in increased exposure of the Portfolio to market and foreign exchange fluctuations brought about by such delays, and to the corresponding negative impact on Portfolio liquidity.

<u>Foreign Currency Risks</u> 

The U.S. dollar value of securities denominated in a foreign currency will vary with changes in currency exchange rates, which can be volatile. Accordingly, changes in the value of the currency in which the Portfolio's investments are denominated relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the Portfolio's net asset value. Exchange rates are generally affected by the forces of supply and demand in the international currency markets, the relative merits of investing in different countries and the intervention or failure to intervene of U.S. or foreign governments and central banks. However, currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors intrinsic to a country's economy. Some emerging market countries also may have managed currencies, which are not free floating against the U.S. dollar. In addition, emerging markets are subject to the risk of restrictions upon the free conversion of their currencies into other currencies. Any devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar in the currencies in which the Portfolio's securities are quoted would reduce the Portfolio's net asset value.

<u>Europe — Recent Events</u> 

A number of countries in Europe have experienced severe economic and financial difficulties. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts; many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations; financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit; and financial markets in Europe and elsewhere have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These difficulties may continue, worsen or spread within and outside of Europe. Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world.

In addition, the United Kingdom left the European Union on January 31, 2020, commonly referred to as "Brexit." Following a transition period, the United Kingdom's post-Brexit trade agreement with the European Union passed into law in December 2020, was provisionally applied effective January 1, 2021, and formally entered into force on May 1, 2021. There is significant market uncertainty regarding Brexit's ramifications. The range and potential implications of possible political, regulatory, economic, and market outcomes cannot be fully known but could be significant, potentially resulting in increased volatility and illiquidity and lower economic growth for companies that rely significantly on Europe for their business activities and revenues. The United Kingdom has one of the largest economies in Europe and is a major trading partner with the European Union countries and the United States. Brexit may create additional and substantial economic stresses for the United Kingdom, including a contraction of the United Kingdom's economy, decreased trade, capital outflows, devaluation of the British pound, as well as a decrease in business and consumer spending and investment. The negative impact on not only the United Kingdom and other European economies but also the broader global economy could be significant. Moreover, other countries may seek to withdraw from the European Union and/or abandon the euro, the common currency of the European Union. A number of countries in Europe have suffered terror attacks, and additional attacks may occur in the future. Europe has also been struggling with mass migration from the Middle East and Africa.

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The ultimate effects of these events and other socio-political or geopolitical issues are not known but could profoundly affect global economies and markets. Whether or not the Portfolio invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries, these events could negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Portfolio's investments.

<u>Risks Related to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine</u> 

Russia's military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 resulted in the United States, other countries and certain international organizations levying broad economic sanctions against Russia. These sanctions froze certain Russian assets and prohibited, among other things, trading in certain Russian securities and doing business with specific Russian corporate entities, large financial institutions, officials and oligarchs. The sanctions also included the removal of some Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT), the electronic network that connects banks globally, and imposed restrictive measures to prevent the Russian Central Bank from undermining the impact of the sanctions. The United States and other countries have also imposed economic sanctions on Belarus and may impose sanctions on other countries that support Russia's military invasion. A number of large corporations and U.S. states have also announced plans to divest interests or otherwise curtail business dealings with certain Russian businesses. These sanctions and any additional sanctions or other intergovernmental actions that may be undertaken against Russia or other countries that support Russia's military invasion in the future may result in the devaluation of Russian or other affected currencies, a downgrade in the sanctioned country's credit rating, and a decline in the value and liquidity of Russian securities and securities of issuers in other countries that support the invasion. The potential for wider conflict may further decrease the value and liquidity of certain Russian securities and securities of issuers in other countries affected by the invasion. In addition, the ability to price, buy, sell, receive, or deliver such securities is also affected due to these measures. For example, the Portfolio may be prohibited from investing in securities issued by companies subject to such sanctions. In addition, the sanctions may require the Portfolio to freeze its existing investments in companies operating in or having dealings with Russia or other sanctioned countries, which would prevent the Portfolio from selling these investments. Any exposure that the Portfolio may have to Russian counterparties or counterparties in other sanctioned countries also could negatively impact the Portfolio's investments.

Additionally, Russia has taken retaliatory actions, including preventing repatriation of capital by U.S. and other investors. The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant market disruptions, including in certain markets, industries and sectors, such as the oil and natural gas markets, and has negatively affected global supply chains, food supplies, inflation and global growth. The extent and duration of Russia's military actions and the repercussions of such actions (including any sanctions, retaliatory actions and countermeasures, including cyber attacks) are impossible to predict. These and any related events could significantly impact the Portfolio's performance and the value of an investment in the Portfolio, even if the Portfolio does not have direct exposure to Russian issuers or issuers in other countries affected by the invasion.

<u>Sovereign Government and Supranational Debt Obligations</u> 

The Portfolio may invest in all types of debt securities of governmental issuers in all countries, including emerging markets. These sovereign debt securities may include: debt securities issued or guaranteed by governments, governmental agencies or instrumentalities and political subdivisions located in emerging market countries; debt securities issued by government owned, controlled or sponsored entities located in emerging market countries; interests issued for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of instruments issued by any of the above issuers; participations in loans between emerging market governments and financial institutions; or debt securities issued by supranational entities such as the World Bank. A supranational entity is a bank, commission or company established or financially supported by the national governments of one or more countries to promote reconstruction or development. Included among these entities are the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Monetary Portfolio, the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Supranational organizations have no taxing authority and are dependent on their members for payments of interest and principal. There is no guarantee that one or more members of a supranational organization will continue to make capital contributions. If such contributions are not made, the organization may be unable to pay interest or repay principal on its debt securities, and the Portfolio may lose money on such investments. Further, the lending activities of such entities are limited to a percentage of their total capital, reserves and net income.

Sovereign debt is subject to risks in addition to those relating to non-U.S. investments generally. As a sovereign entity, the issuing government may be immune from lawsuits in the event of its failure or refusal to pay the obligations when due. The debtor's willingness or ability to repay in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its non-U.S. currency reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign currency exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor's policy toward principal international lenders and the political constraints to which the sovereign debtor may be subject. Sovereign debtors may also be dependent on disbursements or

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assistance from non-U.S. governments or multinational agencies, the country's access to trade and other international credits, and the country's balance of trade. Assistance may be dependent on a country's implementation of austerity measures and reforms, economic performance and/or the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to service its debts in a timely manner. Some sovereign debtors have rescheduled their debt payments, declared moratoria on payments or restructured their debt to effectively eliminate portions of it, and similar occurrences may happen in the future. There is no bankruptcy proceeding by which sovereign debt on which governmental entities have defaulted may be collected in whole or in part.

**High Quality Corporate Obligations** 

High quality corporate obligations include obligations of corporations that are originally issued with a maturity of greater than 397 days and are: (1) rated as long-term debt obligations in the highest rating category or (2) issued by an issuer that has a class of short-term debt obligations that are comparable in priority and security with the obligation and that have been rated in the highest rating category for short-term debt obligations, or are otherwise comparable to short-term debt obligations having such a rating.

**Illiquid Investments and Restricted Securities** 

An illiquid security is any security which the Portfolio reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the security. The Portfolio must follow strict rules with respect to the liquidity of its portfolio securities, including daily and weekly liquidity requirements. To the extent required by applicable law and SEC guidance, the Portfolio will not acquire an illiquid security if such acquisition would cause the aggregate value of illiquid securities to exceed 5% of the Portfolio's total assets. If at any time the portfolio manager determines that the value of illiquid securities held by the Portfolio exceeds 5% of the Portfolio's total assets, the portfolio manager will take such steps as it considers appropriate to reduce the percentage as soon as reasonably practicable.

Restricted securities are securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on their resale, such as private placements. Such restrictions might prevent the sale of restricted securities at a time when the sale would otherwise be desirable. Under SEC regulations, certain restricted securities acquired through private placements can be traded freely among qualified purchasers. While restricted securities are generally presumed to be illiquid, it may be determined that a particular restricted security is liquid. Investing in these restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the Portfolio's illiquidity if qualified purchasers become, for a time, uninterested in buying these securities.

Restricted securities may be sold only (1) pursuant to SEC Rule 144A or another exemption, (2) in privately negotiated transactions or (3) in public offerings with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the 1933 Act. Rule 144A securities, although not registered in the U.S., may be sold to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. As noted above, the Portfolio may determine that some Rule 144A securities are liquid. Where registration is required, the Portfolio may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Portfolio may be permitted to sell a restricted security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Portfolio might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to sell.

Illiquid securities may be difficult to value, and the Portfolio may have difficulty disposing of such securities promptly. The Portfolio does not consider non-U.S. securities to be restricted if they can be freely sold in the principal markets in which they are traded, even if they are not registered for sale in the U.S.

**Portfolio Liquidity** 

As noted above, the Portfolio must follow strict rules with respect to the liquidity of its portfolio securities, including daily and weekly liquidity requirements, as set forth under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. Specifically, the Portfolio must hold securities that are sufficiently liquid to meet reasonably foreseeable shareholder redemptions in light of the Portfolio's obligations under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act and any commitments the Portfolio has made to shareholders, subject to the following.

<u>Illiquid Securities</u> 

The Portfolio may not acquire any illiquid security if, immediately after the acquisition, the Portfolio would have invested more than five percent of its total assets in illiquid securities. See "Illiquid Investments and Restricted Securities."

<u>Minimum Daily Liquidity Requirement</u> 

The Portfolio may not acquire any security other than a daily liquid asset if, immediately after the acquisition, the Portfolio would have invested less than twenty-five percent of its total assets in daily liquid assets.

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<u>Minimum Weekly Liquidity Requirement</u> 

The Portfolio may not acquire any security other than a weekly liquid asset if, immediately after the acquisition, the Portfolio would have invested less than fifty percent of its total assets in weekly liquid assets.

**Investments by Other Funds and by Other Significant Investors** 

Certain investment companies, including those that are affiliated with the Portfolio because they are managed by the Manager or an affiliate of the Manager, may invest in the Portfolio and may at times have substantial investments in one or more funds. Other investors also may at times have substantial investments in one or more funds.

From time to time, the Portfolio may experience relatively large redemptions or investments due to transactions in Portfolio interests by a fund or other significant investor. In addition, a large number of investors collectively may purchase or redeem Portfolio interests in large amounts rapidly or unexpectedly (collectively, such transactions are referred to as "large investor transactions"). The effects of these transactions could adversely affect the Portfolio's performance. In the event of such redemptions or investments, the Portfolio could be required to sell securities or to invest cash at a time when it is not advantageous to do so. Such transactions may increase brokerage and/or other transaction costs of the Portfolio. A large redemption could cause the Portfolio's expenses to increase and could result in the Portfolio becoming too small to be economically viable. Large redemptions of Portfolio shares may indirectly result in required distributions to non-redeeming investors, and those distributions would generally be taxable to investors who do not hold their Portfolio interests in an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged plan. Redemptions may result in the recognition of short-term capital gains by the Portfolio, and distributions of short-term capital gains will generally be taxed at ordinary income tax rates for investors who hold Portfolio interests in a taxable account. Redemptions may directly or indirectly result from actions taken (or not taken) by the Trust, the Manager, the Subadviser, a fund, or an affiliate. A number of circumstances may cause the Portfolio to experience large redemptions, such as changes in the eligibility criteria for the Portfolio or share class of the Fund; liquidations, reorganizations, repositionings, or other announced Portfolio events; or changes in investment objectives, strategies, policies, risks, or investment personnel.

The Manager and the Subadviser are subject to potential conflicts of interest in connection with investments in the Portfolio by an affiliated fund due to their affiliation. For example, the Manager or the Subadviser could have the incentive to permit an affiliated fund to become a more significant investor (with the potential to cause greater disruption) than would be permitted for an unaffiliated investor. Investments by an affiliated fund may also give rise to conflicts in connection with the voting of fund shares. The Manager, the Subadviser and/or its advisory affiliates intend to seek to address these potential conflicts of interest in the best interests of the Portfolio's investors, although there can be no assurance that such efforts will be successful. The Manager and the Subadviser will consider how to minimize potential adverse impacts of affiliated fund investments, and, may take such actions as each deems appropriate to address potential adverse impacts, including redemption of investments in-kind, rather than in cash.

**Money Market Instruments Generally** 

Money market instruments are short-term IOUs issued by banks or other non-governmental issuers, the U.S. or non-U.S. governments, or state or local governments. Money market instruments generally have maturity dates of 13 months or less, and may pay interest at fixed, floating or adjustable rates, or may be issued at a discount. Money market instruments may include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, variable rate demand securities (where the interest rate is reset periodically and the holder may demand payment from the issuer or another obligor at any time), preferred shares, fixed-term obligations, commercial paper (short-term unsecured debt), asset-backed commercial paper, other mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities and repurchase agreements. Asset-backed commercial paper refers to a debt security with an original term to maturity of up to 270 days that may be backed by residential and commercial mortgage loans or mortgage-backed securities or other types of receivables. Payments due on asset-backed commercial paper are supported by cash flows from underlying assets, or one or more liquidity or credit support providers, or both.

**Mortgage-Backed and Other Asset-Backed Securities – Generally** 

An asset-backed security is a fixed income security that derives its value primarily from cash flows relating to a pool of assets. There are a number of different types of asset-backed and related securities, including mortgage-backed securities, securities backed by other pools of collateral (such as automobile loans, student loans, sub-prime mortgages, and credit card receivables), collateralized mortgage obligations, and collateralized debt obligations.

Asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities differ from conventional bonds in that principal is paid over the life of the securities rather than at maturity. As a result, payments of principal of and interest on mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities are made more frequently than are payments on conventional debt securities. The average life of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities is likely to be substantially less than the original maturity of the underlying asset pools as a result of prepayments or foreclosures of mortgages, as applicable. In addition, holders of mortgage-backed securities and of certain asset-backed securities (such as asset-backed securities backed by home equity loans) may receive unscheduled payments of principal at any time representing prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans or financial assets. When the holder of the security attempts

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to reinvest prepayments or even the scheduled payments of principal and interest, it may receive a rate of interest that is higher or lower than the rate on the mortgage-backed security or asset-backed security originally held. To the extent that mortgage-backed securities or asset-backed securities are purchased by the Portfolio at a premium, mortgage foreclosures and principal prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. To the extent the loans underlying a security representing an interest in a pool of mortgages or other assets are prepaid, the Portfolio may experience a loss (if the price at which the respective security was acquired by the Portfolio was at a premium over par, which represents the price at which the security will be redeemed upon prepayment) or a gain (if the price at which the respective security was acquired by the Portfolio was at a discount from par). In addition, prepayments of such securities held by the Portfolio will reduce the price of Portfolio interests to the extent the market value of the securities at the time of prepayment exceeds their par value, and will increase the price of Portfolio interests to the extent the par value of the securities exceeds their market value at the time of prepayment. Prepayments may occur with greater frequency in periods of declining interest rates because, among other reasons, it may be possible for borrowers to refinance their outstanding obligation at lower interest rates. When market interest rates increase, the market values of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities decline. At the same time, however, refinancing slows, which lengthens the effective maturities of these securities. As a result, the negative effect of the rate increase on the market value of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities is usually more pronounced than it is for other types of fixed income securities.

Changes in the market's perception of the mortgages or assets backing the security, the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the loan pool, the originator of the loans, or the financial institution providing any credit enhancement, will all affect the value of an asset-backed or mortgage-backed security, as will the exhaustion of any credit enhancement.

The risks of investing in asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities ultimately depend upon the payment of the underlying loans by the individual borrowers. In its capacity as purchaser of an asset-backed security or mortgage-backed security, the Portfolio would generally have no recourse to the entity that originated the loans in the event of default by the borrower. The risk of non-payment is greater for asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities that are backed by pools that contain subprime loans, but a level of risk exists for all loans. Market factors adversely affecting loan repayments may include a general economic turndown and high unemployment. Mortgage-backed securities may be adversely affected by a general slowdown in the real estate market, a drop in the market prices of real estate, or an increase in interest rates resulting in higher mortgage payments by holders of adjustable rate mortgages. Developments following the onset of COVID-19 have adversely impacted the commercial real estate markets, causing the deferral of mortgage payments, renegotiated commercial mortgage loans, commercial real estate vacancies or outright mortgage defaults, and potential acceleration of macro trends such as work from home and online shopping which may negatively impact certain industries, such as brick-and-mortar retail.

Additional information regarding different types of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities is provided below. Governmental, government-related or private entities may create pools of loan assets offering pass-through investments in addition to those described below. As new types of asset-backed or mortgage-backed securities are developed and offered to investors, the portfolio manager may, consistent with the Portfolio's investment objective and policies, consider making investments in such new types of securities.

*Mortgage-backed securities.* Mortgage-backed securities ("MBS") represent interests in pools of mortgage loans made by lenders such as savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others, to finance purchases of homes, commercial buildings or other real estate. The individual mortgage loans are assembled for sale to investors (such as the Portfolio) by various governmental or government-related agencies and private organizations, such as dealers. 

*Government-sponsored MBS.* Some government sponsored mortgage-related securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), the principal guarantor of such securities, is a wholly-owned United States government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Other government-sponsored mortgage-related securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Issuers of such securities include Fannie Mae (formally known as the Federal National Mortgage Association) and Freddie Mac (formally known as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation). Fannie Mae is a government-sponsored corporation which is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Pass-through securities issued by Fannie Mae are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by Fannie Mae. Freddie Mac is a stockholder-owned corporation chartered by Congress and subject to general regulation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Participation certificates representing interests in mortgages from Freddie Mac's national portfolio are guaranteed as to the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal by Freddie Mac. The U.S. government has provided financial support to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the past, but there can be no assurances that it will support these or other government-sponsored entities in the future. 

*Privately issued MBS.* Unlike MBS issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or certain government-sponsored entities, MBS issued by private issuers do not have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee, but may have credit enhancement provided by external entities such as banks or financial institutions or achieved through the structuring of the transaction itself. 

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In addition, MBS that are issued by private issuers are not subject to the underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those MBS that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying private MBS may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored MBS and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Privately issued pools more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value mortgages and manufactured housing loans. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a private-label MBS pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans refer to loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

Privately issued mortgage-backed securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-backed securities held in the Portfolio's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

*Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBS") are pass-through securities collateralized by mortgages with adjustable rather than fixed rates. Adjustable rate mortgages eligible for inclusion in a mortgage pool generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for a set number of scheduled monthly payments. After that schedule of payments has been completed, the interest rates of the adjustable rate mortgages are subject to periodic adjustment based on changes to a designated benchmark index. 

Mortgages underlying most ARMBS may contain maximum and minimum rates beyond which the mortgage interest rate may not vary over the lifetime of the mortgage. In addition, certain adjustable rate mortgages provide for additional limitations on the maximum amount by which the mortgage interest rate may adjust for any single adjustment period. In the event that market rates of interest rise more rapidly to levels above that of the maximum rate for the adjustable rate mortgages underlying an ARMBS, the ARMBS' coupon may represent a below market rate of interest. In these circumstances, the market value of the ARMBS will likely have fallen. During periods of declining interest rates, income to the Portfolio derived from adjustable rate mortgages that remain in the mortgage pool underlying the ARMBS may decrease in contrast to the income on fixed rate mortgages, which will remain constant. Adjustable rate mortgages also have less potential for appreciation in value as interest rates decline than do fixed rate investments. In addition, the current yields on ARMBS may be different than market yields during interim periods between coupon reset dates.

*Stripped mortgage-backed securities.* Stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS") are structured with two or more classes of securities that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have at least one class receiving only a small portion of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest ("IO" or interest-only class), while the other class will receive all of the principal ("PO" or principal-only class). The yield to maturity on IOs, POs and other mortgage-backed securities that are purchased at a substantial premium or discount generally are extremely sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on such securities' yield to maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Portfolio may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities even if the securities have received the highest rating by a NRSRO.

SMBS have greater volatility than other types of securities. Although SMBS are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, the market for such securities has not yet been fully developed. Accordingly, the secondary market for SMBS may be more volatile and have lower liquidity than that for other MBS, potentially limiting the Portfolio's ability to buy or sell SMBS at any particular time.

*Collateralized mortgage obligations*. Another type of security representing an interest in a pool of mortgage loans is known as a collateralized mortgage obligation ("CMO"). CMOs represent interests in a short-term, intermediate-term or long-term portion of a mortgage pool. Each portion of the pool receives monthly interest payments, but the principal repayments pass through to the short-term CMO first and to the long-term CMO last. A CMO permits an investor to more accurately predict the rate of principal repayments. CMOs are issued by private issuers, such as broker-dealers, and by government agencies, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Investments in CMOs are subject to the same risks as direct investments in the underlying mortgage-backed securities. In addition, in the event of a bankruptcy or other default of a broker that issued the CMO held by the Portfolio, the Portfolio could experience delays in liquidating both its position and losses. The Portfolio may invest in CMOs in any rating category of the recognized rating services and may invest in unrated CMOs. The Portfolio may also invest in "stripped" CMOs, which represent only the income portion or the principal portion of the CMO. The values of stripped CMOs are very sensitive to interest rate changes; accordingly, these instruments present a greater risk of loss than conventional mortgage-backed securities. 

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*Tiered index bonds.* Tiered index bonds are relatively new forms of mortgage-related securities. The interest rate on a tiered index bond is tied to a specified index or market rate. So long as this index or market rate is below a predetermined "strike" rate, the interest rate on the tiered index bond remains fixed. If, however, the specified index or market rate rises above the "strike" rate, the interest rate of the tiered index bond will decrease. Thus, under these circumstances, the interest rate on a tiered index bond, like an inverse floater, will move in the opposite direction of prevailing interest rates, with the result that the price of the tiered index bond would decline and may be considerably more volatile than that of a fixed-rate bond. 

<u>Other Asset-Backed Securities – Additional Information</u> 

Similar to mortgage-backed securities, other types of asset-backed securities may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government (including those whose securities are neither guaranteed nor insured by the U.S. government), foreign governments (or their agencies or instrumentalities), or non-governmental issuers. These securities include securities backed by pools of automobile loans, educational loans, home equity loans, and credit card receivables. The underlying pools of assets are securitized through the use of trusts and special purpose entities. These securities may be subject to the risks described above under "Mortgage-Backed and Other Asset-Backed Securities — Generally," including risks associated with changes in interest rates and prepayment of underlying obligations.

Certain types of asset-backed securities present additional risks that are not presented by mortgage-backed securities. In particular, certain types of asset-backed securities may not have the benefit of a security interest in the related assets. For example, many securities backed by credit card receivables are unsecured. Even when security interests are present, the ability of an issuer of certain types of asset-backed securities to enforce those interests may be more limited than that of an issuer of mortgage-backed securities. For instance, automobile receivables generally are secured by automobiles rather than by real property. Most issuers of automobile receivables permit loan servicers to retain possession of the underlying assets. In addition, because of the large number of underlying vehicles involved in a typical issue of asset-backed securities and technical requirements under state law, the trustee for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in all of the automobiles. Therefore, recoveries on repossessed automobiles may not be available to support payments on these securities.

In addition, certain types of asset-backed securities may experience losses on the underlying assets as a result of certain rights provided to consumer debtors under federal and state law. In the case of certain consumer debt, such as credit card debt, debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on their credit cards (or other debt), thereby reducing their balances due. For instance, a debtor may be able to offset certain damages for which a court has determined that the creditor is liable to the debtor against amounts owed to the creditor by the debtor on his or her credit card.

Additionally, an asset-backed security is subject to risks associated with the servicing agent's or originator's performance. For example, a servicing agent or originator's mishandling of documentation related to the underlying collateral (e.g., failure to properly document a security interest in the underlying collateral) may affect the rights of the security holders in and to the underlying collateral.

*Asset-backed commercial paper.* The Portfolio may purchase commercial paper, including asset-backed commercial paper ("ABCP") that is issued by structured investment vehicles or other conduits. These conduits may be sponsored by mortgage companies, investment banking firms, finance companies, hedge funds, private equity firms and special purpose finance entities. ABCP typically refers to a debt security with an original term to maturity of up to 270 days, the payment of which is supported by cash flows from underlying assets, or one or more liquidity or credit support providers, or both. Assets backing ABCP, which may be included in revolving pools of assets with large numbers of obligors, include credit card, car loan and other consumer receivables and home or commercial mortgages, including subprime mortgages. The repayment of ABCP issued by a conduit depends primarily on the cash collections received from the conduit's underlying asset portfolio and the conduit's ability to issue new ABCP. Therefore, there could be losses to the Portfolio investing in ABCP in the event of credit or market value deterioration in the conduit's underlying portfolio, mismatches in the timing of the cash flows of the underlying asset interests and the repayment obligations of maturing ABCP, or the conduit's inability to issue new ABCP. To protect investors from these risks, ABCP programs may be structured with various protections, such as credit enhancement, liquidity support, and commercial paper stop-issuance and wind-down triggers. However there can be no guarantee that these protections will be sufficient to prevent losses to investors in ABCP. 

Some ABCP programs provide for an extension of the maturity date of the ABCP if, on the related maturity date, the conduit is unable to access sufficient liquidity through the issue of additional ABCP. This may delay the sale of the underlying collateral and the Portfolio may incur a loss if the value of the collateral deteriorates during the extension period. Alternatively, if collateral for ABCP deteriorates in value, the collateral may be required to be sold at inopportune times or at prices insufficient to repay the principal and interest on the ABCP. ABCP programs may provide for the issuance of subordinated notes as an additional form of credit enhancement. The subordinated notes are typically of a lower credit quality and have a higher risk of default. A fund purchasing these subordinated notes will therefore have a higher likelihood of loss than investors in the senior notes.

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**Municipal Securities** 

Municipal securities (which are also referred to herein as "municipal obligations" or "municipal bonds") generally include debt obligations (including, but not limited to bonds, notes or commercial paper) issued by or on behalf of any of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and public authorities, certain other governmental issuers (such as Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam) or other qualifying issuers, participations or other interests in these securities and other related investments. The interest paid on municipal securities is generally excluded from gross income for regular U.S. federal income tax purposes, although it may be subject to a U.S. federal alternative minimum tax ("AMT").

Municipal securities are issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including the construction of a wide range of public facilities, such as airports, bridges, highways, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, streets, water and sewer works, gas, and electric utilities. They may also be issued to refund outstanding obligations, to obtain funds for general operating expenses, or to obtain funds to loan to other public institutions and facilities and in anticipation of the receipt of revenue or the issuance of other obligations.

The two principal classifications of municipal securities are "general obligation" securities and "limited obligation" or "revenue" securities. General obligation securities are secured by a municipal issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Accordingly, the capacity of the issuer of a general obligation bond to pay interest and repay principal when due is affected by the issuer's maintenance of its tax base. Revenue securities are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue source. Accordingly, the timely payment of interest and the repayment of principal in accordance with the terms of the revenue security is a function of the economic viability of the facility or revenue source. Revenue securities include private activity bonds which are not payable from the unrestricted revenues of the issuer. Consequently, the credit quality of private activity bonds is usually directly related to the credit standing of the corporate user of the facility involved. Municipal securities may also include "moral obligation" bonds, which are normally issued by special purpose public authorities. If the issuer of moral obligation bonds is unable to meet its debt service obligations from current revenues, it may draw on a reserve fund the restoration of which is a moral commitment but not a legal obligation of the state or municipality which created the issuer.

*Private Activity Bonds.* Private activity bonds are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to provide funds, usually through a loan or lease arrangement, to a private entity for the purpose of financing construction of privately operated industrial facilities, such as warehouse, office, plant and storage facilities and environmental and pollution control facilities. Such bonds are secured primarily by revenues derived from loan repayments or lease payments due from the entity, which may or may not be guaranteed by a parent company or otherwise secured. Private activity bonds generally are not secured by a pledge of the taxing power of the issuer of such bonds. Therefore, repayment of such bonds generally depends on the revenue of a private entity. The continued ability of an entity to generate sufficient revenues for the payment of principal and interest on such bonds will be affected by many factors, including the size of the entity, its capital structure, demand for its products or services, competition, general economic conditions, government regulation and the entity's dependence on revenues for the operation of the particular facility being financed. 

Under U.S. federal income tax law, interest on municipal bonds issued after August 7, 1986 which are specified private activity bonds, and the proportionate share of any exempt-interest dividend paid by a regulated investment company that receives interest from such private activity bonds, will be treated as an item of tax preference for purposes of the AMT. For regular U.S. federal income tax purposes such interest is tax-exempt. Bonds issued in 2009 and 2010 generally will not be treated as private activity bonds, and interest earned on such bonds generally will not be treated as a tax preference item.

*Industrial Development Bonds.* Industrial development bonds ("IDBs") are issued by public authorities to obtain funds to provide financing for privately-operated facilities for business and manufacturing, housing, sports, convention or trade show facilities, airport, mass transit, port and parking facilities, air or water pollution control facilities, and certain facilities for water supply, gas, electricity or sewerage or solid waste disposal. Although IDBs are issued by municipal authorities, the payment of principal and interest on IDBs is dependent solely on the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds to meet its financial obligations and the pledge, if any, of the real and personal property being financed as security for such payments. IDBs are considered municipal securities if the interest paid is exempt from regular U.S. federal income tax. Interest earned on IDBs may be subject to the AMT. 

*Tender Option Bonds*. In a tender option bond ("TOB") transaction, a tender option bond trust ("TOB Trust") issues floating rate certificates ("TOB Floaters") and residual interest certificates ("TOB Residuals" also known as an "inverse floaters") and utilizes the proceeds of such issuance to purchase a bond, typically a fixed-rate municipal bond ("Fixed Rate Bond"). The Portfolio may invest in both TOB Floaters and TOB Residuals. The Portfolio may purchase a TOB Residual in the secondary market or purchase a TOB Residual from a TOB Trust where the Fixed-Rate Bond held by the TOB Trust was either owned or identified by the Portfolio. The TOB Floaters typically have first priority on the cash flow from the Fixed Rate Bond held by the trust, and the remaining cash flow, less certain expenses, is paid to holders of the TOB Residuals. Where the Fixed-Rate Bond held by the TOB Trust was either owned or identified by the Portfolio, the net proceeds of the sale of the TOB Floaters, after expenses, may be received by the Portfolio and may be invested in additional securities. This would generate economic leverage for the Portfolio.

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TOB Residuals in which the Portfolio will invest will pay interest or income that, in the opinion of counsel to the applicable TOB Trust, is exempt from regular U.S. federal income tax. Neither the Portfolio, nor the Manager, nor the Subadviser will conduct its own analysis of the tax status of the interest or income paid by residual interest held by the Portfolio, but will rely on the opinion of counsel to the applicable TOB Trust. There is a risk that the Portfolio will not be considered the owner of a TOB for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and in that case it would not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from U.S. federal income tax.

Typically, a liquidity provider is engaged to purchase the TOB Floaters at their original purchase price plus accrued interest upon the occurrence of certain events, such as the failure to remarket a certain percentage of the floating rate interests in a timely fashion, the downgrading (but typically not below investment grade or in connection with events indicating that bankruptcy of the issuer may be likely) of the bonds held by the TOB Trust, or certain regulatory or tax events. A Portfolio participating in a TOB transaction will bear the fees paid to the liquidity provider for providing the put option to the holders of the TOB Floaters. If the liquidity provider acquires the TOB Floaters upon the occurrence of an event described above, the liquidity provider generally will be entitled to an in-kind distribution of the Fixed Rate Bond held by the TOB Trust or to cause the TOB Trust to sell the securities and distribute the proceeds to the liquidity provider.

The TOB Trust may be collapsed without the consent of the Portfolio upon the occurrence of tender option termination events ("TOTEs") and mandatory termination events ("MTEs"), as defined in the TOB Trust agreements. TOTEs typically include the bankruptcy or default of the issuer of the Fixed-Rate Bonds held in the TOB Trust, a substantial downgrade in the credit quality of the issuer of the Fixed-Rate Bonds held in the TOB Trust, failure of any scheduled payment of principal or interest on the Fixed-Rate Bonds, and a judgment or ruling that interest on the Fixed-Rate Bonds is subject to U.S. federal income taxation. MTEs may include, among other things, a failed remarketing of the TOB Floaters, the inability of the TOB Trust to obtain renewal of the liquidity support agreement, and a substantial decline in the market value of the Fixed-Rate Bonds held in the TOB Trust. Upon the occurrence of a TOTE or an MTE, a TOB Trust would be liquidated with the proceeds applied first to any accrued fees owed to the trustee of the TOB Trust, the remarketing agent of the TOB Floaters and the liquidity provider. In the case of an MTE, after the payment of fees, the holders of the TOB Floaters would be paid senior to the TOB Residual holders. In contrast, generally in the case of a TOTE, after payment of fees, the holders of TOB Floaters and the TOB Residual holders would be paid pro rata in proportion to the respective face values of their certificates.

The Portfolio may invest in a TOB Trust on either a non-recourse and recourse basis. TOB Trusts are typically supported by a liquidity facility provided by a third-party bank or other financial institution (the "liquidity provider") that allows the holders of the TOB Floaters to tender their TOB Floaters in exchange for payment of par plus accrued interest on any business day (subject to the non-occurrence of a TOTE described above). Depending on the structure of the TOB Trust, the liquidity provider may purchase the tendered TOB Floaters, or the TOB Trust may draw upon a loan from the liquidity provider to purchase the tendered TOB Floaters.

When the Portfolio invests in TOB Trusts on a non-recourse basis, and the liquidity provider is required to make a payment under the liquidity facility, the liquidity provider will typically liquidate all or a portion of the fixed-income bonds held in the TOB Trust and then fund the balance, if any, of the amount owed under the liquidity facility over the liquidation proceeds (the "Liquidation Shortfall"). If the Portfolio invests in a TOB Trust on a recourse basis, it will typically enter into a reimbursement agreement with the liquidity provider pursuant to which the Portfolio is required to reimburse the liquidity provider the amount of any Liquidation Shortfall. As a result, if the Portfolio invests in a recourse TOB Trust, the Portfolio will bear the risk of loss with respect to any Liquidation Shortfall. The net economic effect of this agreement is to treat the Portfolio as though it had entered into a special type of reverse repurchase agreement pursuant to which the Portfolio is required to repurchase the municipal bonds or other securities upon the occurrence of certain events. Such an arrangement may expose the Portfolio to a risk of loss that exceeds its investment in the TOB and the residual interest income received by the Portfolio.

In a non-recourse transaction, the Portfolio does not expect to pay the liquidity provider in the event that it suffers a loss. However, the Portfolio might incur a loss if the liquidity provider liquidates the TOB Trust at an inopportune time. Even if a TOB transaction was entered into on a non-recourse basis, under certain circumstances it might be in the Portfolio's interest to later agree to a recourse arrangement in order to prevent the liquidity provider from terminating the TOB Trust at that time.

Transactions in the short-term floating rate interests of TOBs are generally facilitated by a remarketing agent for the TOB Trust, which sets an interest rate for the securities periodically, usually every 7-35 days. Holders of the floating rate securities usually have the right to require the TOB Trust or a specified third party acting as agent for the TOB Trust (such as the liquidity provider) to purchase the bonds, usually at par plus accrued interest, at a certain time or times prior to maturity or upon the occurrence of specified events or conditions. The put option or tender option right is typically available to the investor on a periodic (daily, weekly or monthly) basis. Typically, the put option is exercisable on dates on which the interest rate changes. A failure to remarket typically requires the liquidity provider to purchase the floating rate interests and in turn the liquidity provider may have recourse to the TOB Trust and to the Portfolio, as described above. A Portfolio participating in a TOB transaction will also bear the fees paid to the remarketing agent and or tender agent for providing services to the TOB Trust.

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If the Portfolio purchases all or a portion of the short-term floating rate securities sold by the TOB Trust, it is usually permitted to surrender those short-term floating rate securities together with a proportionate amount of residual interests to the trustee of the TOB Trust in exchange for a proportionate amount of the municipal bonds or other securities held by the TOB Trust.

In December 2013, U.S. regulators finalized rules implementing Section 619 (the "Volcker Rule") and Section 941 (the "Risk Retention Rules") of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act"), both of which place restrictions on TOB Trust sponsors and their participation in TOB transactions. TOB Trusts and related transactions are generally considered to be subject to the limitations of the Volcker Rule and, thus, may not be sponsored by a banking entity absent an applicable exemption. No exemption to the Volcker Rule exists that would allow covered banking entities to sponsor TOB Trusts in the same manner as they did prior to the Volcker Rule's compliance date in 2017.

In response to the Volcker Rule, industry participants developed alternative structures for TOB financings in which service providers are engaged to assist with establishing, structuring and sponsoring TOB Trusts. The service providers, such as administrators, liquidity providers, trustees and remarketing agents act at the direction of, and as agent of, the Portfolio holding residual interests of the TOB trust. This new structure and any other strategies that may be developed to address the Volcker Rule may be more or less advantageous to the Portfolio than obtaining leverage through existing TOB transactions. In addition, the Portfolio, rather than a bank entity, may be the sponsor of the TOB Trust and undertakes certain responsibilities that previously belonged to the sponsor bank. Although the Portfolio may use third-party service providers to complete some of these additional responsibilities, being the sponsor of the TOB Trust may give rise to certain additional risks including compliance, securities law and operational risks.

The Risk Retention Rules, which took effect in 2016, require the sponsor of a TOB Trust to retain at least five percent of the credit risk of the underlying assets supporting the TOB Trust's underlying securities. The Risk Retention Rules may adversely affect the Portfolio's ability to engage in TOB Trust transactions or increase the costs of such transactions in certain circumstances. Other accounts managed by the Subadviser may contribute bonds to a TOB Trust into which the Portfolio has contributed bonds. If multiple accounts/funds managed by the Subadviser participate in the same TOB Trust, the economic rights and obligations under the TOB Residual will generally be shared among the funds/accounts ratably in proportion to their participation in the TOB Trust.

Separately, the Portfolio will treat reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions, including TOB Trust transactions, either (i) consistently with Section 18 of the 1940 Act, by maintaining asset coverage of at least 300% of the value of such transactions or (ii) as derivatives transactions for purposes of Rule 18f-4, including, as applicable, the value-at-risk based limit on leverage risk.

*Municipal Leases*. Municipal leases or installment purchase contracts are issued by a U.S. state or local government to acquire equipment or facilities. Municipal leases frequently have special risks not normally associated with general obligation bonds or revenue bonds. Many leases include "non-appropriation" clauses that provide that the governmental issuer has no obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for such purpose by the appropriate legislative body on a yearly or other periodic basis. Although the obligations are typically secured by the leased equipment or facilities, the disposition of the property in the event of non-appropriation or foreclosure might, in some cases, prove difficult or, if sold, may not fully cover the Portfolio's exposure.

*Participation Interests*. Tax-exempt participation interests in municipal obligations (such as private activity bonds and municipal lease obligations) are typically issued by a financial institution. A participation interest gives the Portfolio an undivided interest in the municipal obligation in the proportion that the Portfolio's participation interest bears to the total principal amount of the municipal obligation. Participation interests in municipal obligations may be backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of, or a right to put to, a bank (which may be the bank issuing the participation interest, a bank issuing a confirming letter of credit to that of the issuing bank, or a bank serving as agent of the issuing bank with respect to the possible repurchase of the participation interest) or insurance policy of an insurance company. The Portfolio has the right to sell the participation interest back to the institution or draw on the letter of credit or insurance after a specified period of notice, for all or any part of the full principal amount of the Portfolio's participation in the security, plus accrued interest.

Issuers of participation interests will retain a service and letter of credit fee and a fee for providing the liquidity feature, in an amount equal to the excess of the interest paid on the instruments over the negotiated yield at which the participations were purchased on behalf of the Portfolio. The issuer of the participation interest may bear the cost of insurance backing the participation interest, although the Portfolio may also purchase insurance, in which case the cost of insurance will be an expense of the Portfolio. Participation interests may be sold prior to maturity. Participation interests may include municipal lease obligations. Purchase of a participation interest may involve the risk that the Portfolio will not be deemed to be the owner of the underlying municipal obligation for purposes of the ability to claim tax exemption of interest paid on that municipal obligation.

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*Municipal Notes*. There are four major varieties of municipal notes: Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes ("TRANs"); Tax Anticipation Notes ("TANs"); Revenue Anticipation Notes ("RANs"); and Bond Anticipation Notes ("BANs"). TRANs, TANs and RANs are issued by U.S. states, municipalities and other tax-exempt issuers to finance short-term cash needs or, occasionally, to finance construction. Many TRANs, TANs and RANs are general obligations of the issuing entity payable from taxes or designated revenues, respectively, expected to be received within the related fiscal period. BANs are issued with the expectation that their principal and interest will be paid out of proceeds from renewal notes or bonds to be issued prior to the maturity of the BANs. BANs are issued most frequently by both general obligation and revenue bond issuers usually to finance such items as land acquisition, facility acquisition and/or construction and capital improvement projects.

*Tax-Exempt Commercial Paper*. Tax-exempt commercial paper is a short-term obligation with a stated maturity of 270 days or less. It is issued by state and local governments or their agencies to finance seasonal working capital needs or as short-term financing in anticipation of longer term financing. Although tax-exempt commercial paper is intended to be repaid from general revenues or refinanced, it frequently is backed by a letter of credit, lending arrangement, note repurchase agreement or other credit facility agreement offered by a bank or financial institution.

*Demand Instruments*. Municipal bonds may be issued as floating- or variable-rate securities subject to demand features ("demand instruments"). Demand instruments usually have a stated maturity of more than one year but contain a demand feature (or "put") that enables the holder to redeem the investment. Variable-rate demand instruments provide for automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates. Floating-rate demand instruments provide for automatic adjustment of interest rates whenever a specified interest rate (e.g., the prime rate) changes.

These floating and variable rate instruments are payable upon a specified period of notice which may range from one day up to one year. The terms of the instruments provide that interest rates are adjustable at intervals ranging from daily to up to one year and the adjustments are based upon the prime rate of a bank or other appropriate interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective instruments. Variable rate instruments include participation interests in variable- or fixed-rate municipal obligations owned by a bank, insurance company or other financial institution or affiliated organizations. Although the rate of the underlying municipal obligations may be fixed, the terms of the participation interest may result in the Portfolio receiving a variable rate on its investment.

Because of the variable nature of the instruments when prevailing interest rates decline, the yield on these instruments generally will decline. On the other hand, during periods when prevailing interest rates increase, the yield on these instruments generally will increase and the instruments will have less risk of capital depreciation than instruments bearing a fixed rate of return.

*Stand-By Commitments*. Under a stand-by commitment a dealer agrees to purchase, at the Portfolio's option, specified municipal obligations held by the Portfolio at a specified price and, in this respect, stand-by commitments are comparable to put options. A stand-by commitment entitles the holder to achieve same day settlement and to receive an exercise price equal to the amortized cost of the underlying security plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The Portfolio will be subject to credit risk with respect to an institution providing a stand-by commitment and a decline in the credit quality of the institution could cause losses to the Portfolio.

The Portfolio will generally acquire stand-by commitments to facilitate fund liquidity. The cost of entering into stand-by commitments will increase the cost of the underlying municipal obligation and similarly will decrease such security's yield to investors. Gains, if any, realized in connection with stand-by commitments will be taxable.

*Taxable Municipal Obligations.* The market for U.S. taxable municipal obligations is relatively small, which may result in a lack of liquidity and in price volatility of those securities. Interest on taxable municipal obligations is includable in gross income for regular U.S. federal income tax purposes. While interest on taxable municipal obligations may be exempt from personal taxes imposed by the U.S. state within which the obligation is issued, such interest will nevertheless generally be subject to all other U.S. state and local income and franchise taxes. 

<u>Additional Risks Relating to Municipal Securities</u>

*Tax Risk*. The Code imposes certain continuing requirements on issuers of tax-exempt bonds regarding the use, expenditure and investment of bond proceeds and the payment of rebates to the U.S. government. Failure by the issuer to comply after the issuance of tax-exempt bonds with certain of these requirements could cause interest on the bonds to become includable in gross income retroactive to the date of issuance. 

From time to time, proposals have been introduced before the U.S. Congress for the purpose of restricting or eliminating the U.S. federal income tax exemption for interest on municipal obligations. In this regard, for bonds issued after December 31, 2017, the tax-advantaged treatment previously available to "tax credit bonds" and "advance refunding bonds" is no longer available. Further, similar proposals may be introduced in the future. In addition, the U.S. federal income tax exemption has been, and may in the future be, the subject of litigation. If one of these proposals were enacted, or if any such litigation were adversely decided, the availability of tax-exempt obligations for investment by the Portfolio and the value of the Portfolio's investments could be affected.

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Opinions relating to the validity of municipal obligations and to the exclusion of interest thereon from gross income for regular U.S. federal and/or state income tax purposes are rendered by bond counsel to the respective issuers at the time of issuance. The Portfolio and its service providers will rely on such opinions and will not review the proceedings relating to the issuance of municipal obligations or the bases for such opinions.

*Information Risk*. Information about the financial condition of issuers of municipal obligations may be less available than about corporations whose securities are publicly traded. 

*U.S. State and Federal Law Risk*. Municipal obligations are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the U.S. federal Bankruptcy Code, and laws, if any, that may be enacted by the U.S. Congress or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or upon the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. There is also the possibility that, as a result of litigation or other conditions, the power or ability of any one or more issuers to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its or their municipal obligations may be materially affected. 

*Market and Ratings Risk*. The yields on municipal obligations are dependent on a variety of factors, including economic and monetary conditions, general market conditions, supply and demand, general conditions of the municipal market, size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. Adverse economic, business, legal or political developments might affect all or substantial portions of the Portfolio's municipal obligations in the same manner. 

Unfavorable developments in any economic sector may have far-reaching ramifications for the municipal market overall or any state's municipal market. Although the ratings of tax-exempt securities by ratings agencies are relative and subjective, and are not absolute standards of quality, such ratings reflect the assessment of the ratings agency, at the time of issuance of the rating, of the economic viability of the issuer of a general obligation bond or, with respect to a revenue bond, the special revenue source, with respect to the timely payment of interest and the repayment of principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation, but do not reflect an assessment of the market value of the obligation. See Appendix B for additional information regarding ratings. Consequently, municipal obligations with the same maturity, coupon and rating may have different yields when purchased in the open market, while municipal obligations of the same maturity and coupon with different ratings may have the same yield.

*Risks Associated with Sources of Liquidity or Credit Support*. Issuers of municipal obligations may employ various forms of credit and liquidity enhancements, including letters of credit, guarantees, swaps, puts and demand features, and insurance, provided by U.S. or non-U.S. entities such as banks and other financial institutions. Changes in the credit quality of the entities providing the enhancement could affect the value of the securities or the price of Portfolio interests. U.S. banks and certain financial institutions are subject to extensive governmental regulation which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments which may be made and interest rates and fees which may be charged. Non-U.S. banks and financial institutions may be less regulated than their U.S. counterparts and may be subject to additional risks, such as those relating to foreign economic and political developments and foreign governmental restrictions. The profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of capital for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. Also, general economic conditions play an important part in the operation of the banking industry, and exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers might affect a bank's ability to meet its obligations under a letter of credit.

*Other*. Securities may be sold in anticipation of a market decline (a rise in interest rates) or purchased in anticipation of a market rise (a decline in interest rates). In addition, a security may be sold and another purchased at approximately the same time to take advantage of what the portfolio manager believes to be a temporary disparity in the normal yield relationship between the two securities. In general, the secondary market for tax-exempt securities in the Portfolio's portfolio may have lower liquidity than that for taxable fixed income securities. Accordingly, the ability of the Portfolio to make purchases and sales of securities in the foregoing manner may be limited. Yield disparities may occur for reasons not directly related to the investment quality of particular issues or the general movement of interest rates, but instead due to such factors as changes in the overall demand for or supply of various types of tax-exempt securities or changes in the investment objectives of investors. 

<u>Risks Inherent in an Investment in Different Types of Municipal Securities</u>

*General Obligation Bonds*. General obligation bonds are backed by the issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. However, the taxing power of any governmental entity may be limited by provisions of state constitutions or laws and an entity's credit will depend on many factors. Some such factors are the entity's tax base, the extent to which the entity relies on federal or state aid, and other factors which are beyond the entity's control. 

*Industrial Development Revenue Bonds ("IDRs")*. IDRs are tax-exempt securities issued by states, municipalities, public authorities or similar entities to finance the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving various projects. These projects are usually operated by corporate entities. IDRs are not general obligations of governmental entities backed by their taxing power. Issuers are only obligated to pay amounts due on the IDRs to the extent that funds are available from the unexpended proceeds of the IDRs or receipts or revenues of the issuer. Payment of IDRs is solely dependent upon the creditworthiness of the corporate operator of the project or corporate guarantor. Such corporate operators or guarantors that are industrial companies may be affected by many factors, which may have an adverse impact on the credit quality of the particular company or industry. 

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*Hospital and Health Care Facility Bonds*. The ability of hospitals and other health care facilities to meet their obligations with respect to revenue bonds issued on their behalf is dependent on various factors. Some such factors are the level of payments received from private third-party payors and government programs and the cost of providing health care services, as well as competition from other health care facilities and providers. There can be no assurance that payments under governmental programs will be sufficient to cover the costs associated with their bonds. It also may be necessary for a hospital or other health care facility to incur substantial capital expenditures or increased operating expenses to effect changes in its facilities, equipment, personnel and services. Hospitals and other health care facilities are additionally subject to claims and legal actions by patients and others in the ordinary course of business. There can be no assurance that a claim will not exceed the insurance coverage of a health care facility or that insurance coverage will be available to a facility. 

*Single Family and Multi-Family Housing Bonds*. Multi-family housing revenue bonds and single family mortgage revenue bonds are state and local housing issues that have been issued to provide financing for various housing projects. Multi-family housing revenue bonds are payable primarily from mortgage loans to housing projects for low to moderate income families. Single-family mortgage revenue bonds are issued for the purpose of acquiring notes secured by mortgages on residences. The ability of housing issuers to make debt service payments on their obligations may be affected by various economic and non-economic factors. Such factors include: occupancy levels, adequate rental income in multi-family projects, the rate of default on mortgage loans underlying single family issues and the ability of mortgage insurers to pay claims. All single-family mortgage revenue bonds and certain multi-family housing revenue bonds are prepayable over the life of the underlying mortgage or mortgage pool. Therefore, the average life of housing obligations cannot be determined. However, the average life of these obligations will ordinarily be less than their stated maturities. Mortgage loans are frequently partially or completely prepaid prior to their final stated maturities. 

*Power Facility Bonds*. The ability of utilities to meet their obligations with respect to bonds they issue is dependent on various factors. These factors include the rates that they may charge their customers, the demand for a utility's services and the cost of providing those services. Utilities are also subject to extensive regulations relating to the rates which they may charge customers. Utilities can experience regulatory, political and consumer resistance to rate increases. Utilities engaged in long-term capital projects are especially sensitive to regulatory lags in granting rate increases. Utilities are additionally subject to increased costs due to governmental environmental regulation and decreased profits due to increasing competition. Any difficulty in obtaining timely and adequate rate increases could adversely affect a utility's results of operations. The portfolio manager cannot predict with certainty the effect of such factors on the ability of issuers to meet their obligations with respect to bonds. 

*Water and Sewer Revenue Bonds*. Water and sewer bonds are generally payable from user fees. The ability of state and local water and sewer authorities to meet their obligations may be affected by a number of factors. Some such factors are the failure of municipalities to utilize fully the facilities constructed by these authorities, declines in revenue from user charges, rising construction and maintenance costs, impact of environmental requirements, the difficulty of obtaining or discovering new supplies of fresh water, the effect of conservation programs, the impact of "no growth" zoning ordinances and the continued availability of federal and state financial assistance and of municipal bond insurance for future bond issues. 

*University and College Bonds*. The ability of universities and colleges to meet their obligations is dependent upon various factors. Some of these factors of which an investor should be aware are the size and diversity of their sources of revenues, enrollment, reputation, management expertise, the availability and restrictions on the use of endowments and other funds and the quality and maintenance costs of campus facilities. Also, in the case of public institutions, the financial condition of the relevant state or other governmental entity and its policies with respect to education may affect an institution's ability to make payments on its own. 

*Lease Rental Bonds*. Lease rental bonds are predominantly issued by governmental authorities that have no taxing power or other means of directly raising revenues. Rather, the authorities are financing vehicles created solely for the construction of buildings or the purchase of equipment that will be used by a state or local government. Thus, the bonds are subject to the ability and willingness of the lessee government to meet its lease rental payments, which include debt service on the bonds. Lease rental bonds are subject to the risk that the lessee government is not legally obligated to budget and appropriate for the rental payments beyond the current fiscal year. These bonds are also subject to the risk of abatement in many states as rents cease in the event that damage, destruction or condemnation of the project prevents its use by the lessee. Also, in the event of default by the lessee government, there may be significant legal and/or practical difficulties involved in the reletting or sale of the project. 

*Capital Improvement Facility Bonds*. Capital improvement bonds are bonds issued to provide funds to assist political subdivisions or agencies of a state through acquisition of the underlying debt of a state or local political subdivision or agency. The risks of an investment in such bonds include the risk of possible prepayment or failure of payment of proceeds on and default of the underlying debt. 

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*Solid Waste Disposal Bonds*. Bonds issued for solid waste disposal facilities are generally payable from tipping fees and from revenues that may be earned by the facility on the sale of electrical energy generated in the combustion of waste products. The ability of solid waste disposal facilities to meet their obligations depends upon the continued use of the facility, the successful and efficient operation of the facility and, in the case of waste-to-energy facilities, the continued ability of the facility to generate electricity on a commercial basis. Also, increasing environmental regulation on the federal, state and local level has a significant impact on waste disposal facilities. While regulation requires more waste producers to use waste disposal facilities, it also imposes significant costs on the facilities. 

*Moral Obligation Bonds*. A moral obligation bond is a type of revenue bond issued by a state or municipality pursuant to legislation authorizing the establishment of a reserve fund to pay principal and interest payments if the issuer is unable to meet its obligations. The establishment of such a reserve fund generally requires appropriation by the state legislature, which is not legally required. Accordingly, the establishment of a reserve fund is generally considered a moral commitment but not a legal obligation of the state or municipality that created the issuer. 

*Pre-Refunded Bonds*. Pre-refunded bonds are typically secured by direct obligations of the U.S. government, or in some cases obligations guaranteed by the U.S. government, placed in an escrow account maintained by an independent trustee until maturity or a predetermined redemption date. These obligations are generally non-callable prior to maturity or the predetermined redemption date. In a few isolated instances to date, however, bonds which were thought to be escrowed to maturity have been called for redemption prior to maturity. For credit ratings purposes, pre-refunded bonds are deemed to be unrated. The Subadviser determines the credit quality of pre-refunded bonds based on the quality of the escrowed collateral and such other factors as the Subadviser deems appropriate. 

*Airport, Port and Highway Revenue Bonds*. Certain facility revenue bonds are payable from and secured by the revenue from the ownership and operation of particular facilities, such as airports, highways and port authorities. Airport operating income may be affected by the ability of airlines to meet their obligations under the agreements with airports. Similarly, payment on bonds related to other facilities is dependent on revenues from the projects, such as use fees from ports, tolls on turnpikes and bridges and rents from buildings. Therefore, payment may be adversely affected by reduction in revenues due to such factors and increased cost of maintenance or decreased use of a facility. The portfolio manager cannot predict what effect conditions may have on revenues which are required for payment on these bonds. 

*Special Tax Bonds*. Special tax bonds are payable from and secured by the revenues derived by a municipality from a particular tax. Examples of such special taxes are a tax on the rental of a hotel room, the purchase of food and beverages, the rental of automobiles or the consumption of liquor. Special tax bonds are not secured by the general tax revenues of the municipality, and they do not represent general obligations of the municipality. Therefore, payment on special tax bonds may be adversely affected by a reduction in revenues realized from the underlying special tax. Also, should spending on the particular goods or services that are subject to the special tax decline, the municipality may be under no obligation to increase the rate of the special tax to ensure that sufficient revenues are raised from the shrinking taxable base. 

*Tax Allocation Bonds*. Tax allocation bonds are typically secured by incremental tax revenues collected on property within the areas where redevelopment projects financed by bond proceeds are located. Such payments are expected to be made from projected increases in tax revenues derived from higher assessed values of property resulting from development in the particular project area and not from an increase in tax rates. Special risk considerations include: reduction of, or a less than anticipated increase in, taxable values of property in the project area; successful appeals by property owners of assessed valuations; substantial delinquencies in the payment of property taxes; or imposition of any constitutional or legislative property tax rate decrease. 

*Tobacco Settlement Revenue Bonds*. Tobacco settlement revenue bonds are secured by a state or local government's proportionate share in the Master Settlement Agreement ("MSA"). The MSA is an agreement, reached out of court in November 1998 between the attorneys general of 46 states (Florida, Minnesota, Mississippi and Texas all settled independently) and six other U.S. jurisdictions (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam), and the four largest U.S. tobacco manufacturers at that time (Philip Morris, RJ Reynolds, Brown & Williamson, and Lorillard). Subsequently, smaller tobacco manufacturers signed on to the MSA. The MSA basically provides for payments annually by the manufacturers to the states and jurisdictions in perpetuity, in exchange for releases of all claims against the manufacturers and a pledge of no further litigation. The MSA established a base payment schedule and a formula for adjusting payments each year. Manufacturers pay into a master escrow trust based on their market share, and each state receives a fixed percentage of the payment as set forth in the MSA. Annual payments are highly dependent on annual U.S. cigarette shipments and inflation, as well as several other factors. As a result, payments made by tobacco manufacturers could be reduced if there is a decrease in tobacco consumption over time. A market share loss by the MSA companies to non-MSA participating manufacturers would also cause a downward adjustment in the payment amounts. A participating manufacturer filing for bankruptcy could cause delays or reductions in bond payments. 

Certain tobacco settlement revenue bonds are issued with "turbo" redemption features. Under this turbo structure, all available excess revenues are applied as an early redemption to the designated first turbo maturity until it is completely repaid, and then to the next turbo maturity until paid in full, and so on. The result is that the returned principal creates an average maturity that could be much shorter than the legal final maturity.

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*Transit Authority Bonds*. Mass transit is generally not self-supporting from fare revenues. Therefore, additional financial resources must be made available to ensure operation of mass transit systems as well as the timely payment of debt service. Often such financial resources include federal and state subsidies, lease rentals paid by funds of the state or local government or a pledge of a special tax. If fare revenues or the additional financial resources do not increase appropriately to pay for rising operating expenses, the ability of the issuer to adequately service the debt may be adversely affected. 

*Convention Facility Bonds*. Bonds in the convention facilities category include special limited obligation securities issued to finance convention and sports facilities payable from rental payments and annual governmental appropriations. The governmental agency is not obligated to make payments in any year in which the monies have not been appropriated to make such payments. In addition, these facilities are limited use facilities that may not be used for purposes other than as convention centers or sports facilities. 

*Correctional Facility Bonds*. Bonds in the correctional facilities category include special limited obligation securities issued to construct, rehabilitate and purchase correctional facilities payable from governmental rental payments and/or appropriations. An issuer's ability to pay its lease obligations under these bonds could be adversely affected by a number of factors, including insufficient occupancy rates, unanticipated costs (such as legal claims), or the reduction or discontinuation of legislative appropriations. 

*Land-Secured or "Dirt" Bonds*. Land-secured or "dirt" bonds are issued in connection with special taxing districts that are organized to plan and finance infrastructure development to induce residential, commercial and industrial growth and redevelopment. Obligations under these bonds are generally payable solely from taxes (using methods such as tax assessments, special taxes or tax increment financing) or other revenues attributable to the specific projects financed by the bonds, without recourse to the credit or taxing power of related or overlapping municipalities. The projects to which these bonds relate often are exposed to real estate development-related risks, such as the failure of property development, unavailability of financing, extended vacancies of properties, increased competition, limitations on rents, changes in neighborhood values, lessening demand for properties, and changes in interest rates. These real estate risks may be heightened if a project is subject to foreclosure and, in that event, the Portfolio, as a holder of the bonds, might be required to pay certain maintenance or operating expenses or taxes relating to the project. In addition, the bonds financing these projects may have more taxpayer concentration risk than general tax-supported bonds. Further, the fees, special taxes, or tax allocations and other revenues that are established to secure such financings generally are limited as to the rate or amount that may be levied or assessed and are not subject to increase pursuant to rate covenants or municipal or corporate guarantees. The bonds could default if a development fails to progress as anticipated or if taxpayers fail to pay the assessments, fees and taxes as provided in the financing plans of the projects.

<u>Municipal Obligations of Other U.S. Territories</u>

Municipal securities include the obligations of the governments of Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories and their political subdivisions (such as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam). Payment of interest and preservation of principal is dependent upon the continuing ability of such issuers and/or obligors of territorial, municipal and public authority debt obligations to meet their obligations thereunder. The sources of payment for such obligations and the marketability thereof may be affected by financial and other difficulties experienced by such issuers.

*Puerto Rico.* Municipal securities of issuers located in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may be affected by political, social and economic conditions in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico's economy has been in a recession since late 2006, which has contributed to a steep increase in unemployment rates, funding shortfalls of state employees' retirement systems, a budget deficit resulting from a structural imbalance, and reduced government revenues. In May 2017, Puerto Rico made a filing in the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico to commence a debt restructuring process similar to that of a traditional municipal bankruptcy. Puerto Rico had previously defaulted on certain agency debt payments and the Governor had warned of its inability to meet additional pending obligations, including under general obligation bonds. 

On March 15, 2022, Puerto Rico's government formally exited bankruptcy, completing the largest public debt restructuring in U.S. history. Puerto Rico's debt restructuring plan was approved by a federal judge in January 2022, and reduced claims against Puerto Rico's general obligation bonds from $33 billion to just over $7.4 billion. The restructuring did not resolve the bankruptcy proceedings for Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority ("PREPA"), which owed nearly $9 billion, the largest debt of any government agency. Since 2024, multiple amended restructuring proposals for PREPA have been filed, and negotiations have involved ongoing litigation among creditors, the Puerto Rico Oversight Board and other stakeholders. In March 2025, the Oversight Board filed its Fifth Amended Plan of Adjustment, seeking to cut PREPA's debt by nearly 80%, a plan which is heavily disputed by some bondholders. The PREPA restructuring remains unresolved and the timing and outcome remain uncertain. The continued debt restructuring process could adversely affect the value of Puerto Rico municipal securities, including Puerto Rico municipal securities that are not subject to the debt restructuring process. In addition, Puerto Rico municipal securities remain subject to all of the other risks applicable to fixed income securities, including the risk of non-payment. To the extent that the Portfolio holds any Puerto Rico municipal securities, the Portfolio may lose some or all of the value of those investments.

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Additionally, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have also caused unprecedented damage to Puerto Rico's economy. Because of Puerto Rico's close ties to the United States' mainland economy, a downturn in the U.S. economy indirectly affects Puerto Rico. These indirect impacts stem from the slowdown of the overall U.S. economy and the continued threat of a prolonged recession that will affect many industries, including retail, manufacturing, oil and gas, tourism, gaming and lodging, transportation, healthcare, and education, to name a few. Government revenue collections have been materially adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, Puerto Rico has faced significant out-migration relating to its economic difficulties, eroding the Commonwealth's economic base and creating additional further uncertainty regarding its ability to meet its future repayment obligations. The Puerto Rican constitution prioritizes general obligation bonds over revenue bonds, so that all tax revenues, even those pledged to revenue bondholders, can be applied first to general obligation bonds and other Commonwealth-guaranteed debt if other revenues are insufficient to satisfy such obligations.

The following is a brief summary of certain factors affecting Puerto Rico's economy and does not purport to be a complete description of such factors.

The dominant sectors of the Puerto Rico economy are manufacturing and services. The manufacturing sector has undergone fundamental changes over the years as a result of increased emphasis on higher wage, high technology industries, such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, computers, microprocessors, professional and scientific instruments, and certain high technology machinery and equipment. The services sector, including finance, insurance, real estate, wholesale and retail trade, transportation, communications and public utilities and other services, also plays a major role in the economy. It ranks second only to manufacturing in contribution to the gross domestic product and leads all sectors in providing employment.

Most external factors that affect the Puerto Rico economy are determined by the policies and performance of the United States. These external factors include exports, direct investment, the amount of federal transfer payments, the level of interest rates, the rate of inflation, and tourist expenditures.

*Guam.* General obligations and/or revenue bonds of issuers located in Guam may be affected by political, social and economic conditions in Guam. The following is a brief summary of factors affecting the economy of Guam and does not purport to be a complete description of such factors. 

Guam, the westernmost territory of the U.S., is located 3,800 miles to the west-southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii and approximately 1,550 miles south-southeast of Tokyo, Japan. The population of Guam was estimated to be 168,999 in July 2025. Guam's unemployment rate was at 3.2% as of June 2025.

Guam's economy depends in large measure on tourism and the U.S. military presence, each of which is subject to uncertainties as a result of global economic, social and political events. Tourism, particularly from Japan, which has been a source of a majority of visitors to Guam, represents the primary source of income for Guam's economy. A weak economy, war, severe weather, epidemic outbreaks or the threat of terrorist activity, among other influences that are beyond Guam's control, can adversely affect its tourism industry. Guam is also exposed to periodic typhoons, tropical storms, super typhoons and earthquakes, such as the Super Typhoon Mawar in May 2023, which caused widespread damage and disruptions across the island. The U.S. military presence also affects economic activity on Guam in various ways and recently has been a positive contributor to the economy. The U.S. Department of Defense recently opened a third U.S. military base in Guam. Nevertheless, economic, geopolitical, and other influences which are beyond Guam's control could cause the U.S. military to reduce its existing presence on Guam or forgo any planned enhancements to its presence on Guam. Any reduction in tourism or the U.S. military presence could adversely affect Guam's economy.

*United States Virgin Islands*. General obligations and/or revenue bonds of issuers located in the U.S. Virgin Islands may be affected by political, social and economic conditions in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The territory has experienced high levels of debt, increasing pension obligations and a declining population. The credit rating of certain bonds issued by the territory are rated below investment grade due to a perceived increased possibility that the territory may be forced to restructure its debts to address its financial problems.

In September 2017, the territory was hit by two hurricanes within the span of two weeks. Together, the hurricanes caused significant damage to the most populated islands, including to their infrastructure, hospitals, homes and other structures.

The following is a brief summary of factors affecting the economy of the U.S. Virgin Islands and does not purport to be a complete description of such factors.

The U.S. Virgin Islands consists of four main islands: St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and Water Island and approximately 70 smaller islands, islets and cays. The total land area is about twice the size of Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Virgin Islands is located 60 miles east of Puerto Rico and 1,075 miles south of Miami, Florida in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The population of the U.S. Virgin Islands was estimated to be 84,138 in July 2025.

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Tourism, trade, and other services, including manufacturing (rum distilling, watch assembly, pharmaceuticals, and electronics), are the primary economic activities, accounting for a substantial portion of the Virgin Islands' gross domestic product and civilian employment. The agricultural sector is small, with most of the islands' food being imported. A weak economy, severe weather, war, epidemic outbreaks or the threat of terrorist activity, among other influences that are beyond the control of the territory, can adversely affect its tourism and other industries. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a significant effect on the tourism industry in the Virgin Islands. The coastal and marine communities of the U.S. Virgin Islands are susceptible to climate change, including warming water temperatures, increasing storm intensity, beach erosion, ocean acidification, increasing hazardous coastal conditions, and loss of life-sustaining marine, coastal and island resources. Climate change is anticipated to add to the stresses of coastal environments by altering temperatures and precipitation patterns, increasing the likelihood of extreme precipitation events, and accelerating rates of sea level rise.

**Repurchase Agreements** 

Under the terms of a typical repurchase agreement, the Portfolio would acquire one or more underlying debt securities from a counterparty (typically a bank or a broker-dealer), subject to the counterparty's obligation to repurchase, and the Portfolio to resell, the securities at an agreed-upon time and price. The Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements where the underlying collateral consists entirely of cash items and/or securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies, its instrumentalities, or U.S. Government sponsored enterprises. The Portfolio may also enter into repurchase agreements where the underlying collateral consists of other types of securities, including securities the Portfolio could not purchase directly. For such repurchase agreements, the underlying securities which serve as collateral may include, but are not limited to, U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, asset-backed securities (including collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs")), convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. The repurchase price is typically greater than the purchase price paid by the Portfolio, thereby determining the Portfolio's yield. A repurchase agreement is similar to, and may be treated as, a secured loan, where the Portfolio loans cash to the counterparty and the loan is secured by the underlying securities as collateral. All repurchase agreements entered into by the Portfolio are required to be collateralized so that at all times during the term of a repurchase agreement, the value of the underlying securities is at least equal to the amount of the repurchase price. Also, the Portfolio or its custodian is required to have control of the collateral, which the portfolio manager believes will give the Portfolio a valid, perfected security interest in the collateral.

Repurchase agreements could involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the counterparty, including possible delays or restrictions upon the Portfolio's ability to dispose of the underlying securities, the risk of a possible decline in the value of the underlying securities during the period in which the Portfolio seeks to assert its right to them, the risk that there may be a limited market or no market for disposition of such underlying securities, the risk of incurring expenses associated with asserting those rights and the risk of losing all or part of the income from the agreement. The Portfolio will seek to mitigate these risks but there is no guarantee that such efforts will be successful. If the Portfolio enters into a repurchase agreement involving securities the Portfolio could not purchase directly, and the counterparty defaults, the Portfolio may become the holder of such securities. Repurchase agreements collateralized by securities other than U.S. government securities may be subject to greater risks and are more likely to have a term to maturity of longer than seven days. Repurchase agreements with a maturity of more than seven days are considered to be illiquid.

Repurchase agreements may be entered into or novated with a financial clearinghouse, which would become the Portfolio's counterparty. The Portfolio would then become subject to the rules of the clearinghouse, which may limit the Portfolio's rights and remedies (including recourse to collateral) or delay or restrict the rights and remedies, and expose the Portfolio to the risks of the clearinghouses' insolvency.

Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, the Portfolio, along with other affiliated entities managed by the Manager, may transfer uninvested cash balances into one or more joint accounts for the purpose of entering into repurchase agreements secured by cash and U.S. government securities, subject to certain conditions.

**Reverse Repurchase Agreements** 

The Portfolio may enter into reverse repurchase agreements. A reverse repurchase agreement has the characteristics of a secured borrowing by the Portfolio and creates leverage in the Portfolio's portfolio. In a reverse repurchase transaction, the Portfolio sells a portfolio instrument to another person, such as a financial institution or broker-dealer, in return for cash. At the same time, the Portfolio agrees to repurchase the instrument at an agreed-upon time and at a price that is greater than the amount of cash that the Portfolio received when it sold the instrument, representing the equivalent of an interest payment by the Portfolio for the use of the cash. During the term of the transaction, the Portfolio will continue to receive any principal and interest payments (or the equivalent thereof) on the underlying instruments.

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The Portfolio may engage in reverse repurchase agreements as a means of raising cash to satisfy redemption requests or for other temporary or emergency purposes. Unless otherwise limited in the Portfolio's Prospectus or this SAI, the Portfolio may also engage in reverse repurchase agreements to the extent permitted by its fundamental investment policies in order to raise additional cash to be invested by the Portfolio's portfolio manager in other securities or instruments in an effort to increase the Portfolio's investment returns.

During the term of the transaction, the Portfolio will remain at risk for any fluctuations in the market value of the instruments subject to the reverse repurchase agreement as if it had not entered into the transaction. When the Portfolio reinvests the proceeds of a reverse repurchase agreement in other securities, the Portfolio will also be at risk for any fluctuations in the market value of the securities in which the proceeds are invested. Like other forms of leverage, this makes the value of an investment in the Portfolio more volatile and increases the Portfolio's overall investment exposure. In addition, if the Portfolio's return on its investment of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement does not equal or exceed the implied interest that it is obligated to pay under the reverse repurchase agreement, engaging in the transaction will lower the Portfolio's return.

When the Portfolio enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer under the agreement may file for bankruptcy, become insolvent or otherwise default on its obligations to the Portfolio. In the event of a default by the counterparty, there may be delays, costs and risks of loss involved in the Portfolio's exercising its rights under the agreement, or those rights may be limited by other contractual agreements or obligations or by applicable law.

In addition, the Portfolio may be unable to sell the instruments subject to the reverse repurchase agreement at a time when it would be advantageous to do so, or may be required to liquidate portfolio securities at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do so in order to make payments with respect to its obligations under a reverse repurchase agreement. This could adversely affect the Portfolio's strategy and result in lower fund returns.

The Portfolio will treat reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions either (i) consistently with Section 18 of the 1940 Act by maintaining asset coverage of at least 300% of the value of such transactions or (ii) as derivatives transactions for purposes of Rule 18f-4, including, as applicable, the value-at-risk based limit on leverage risk.

**Risks Associated with Sources of Liquidity or Credit Support** 

Issuers of obligations may employ various forms of credit and liquidity enhancements, including letters of credit, guarantees, swaps, puts and demand features, and insurance, provided by U.S. or non-U.S. entities such as banks and other financial institutions. Changes in the credit quality of the entities providing the enhancement could affect the value of the securities or the price of Portfolio interests. U.S. banks and certain financial institutions are subject to extensive governmental regulation which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments which may be made and interest rates and fees which may be charged. Non-U.S. banks and financial institutions may be less regulated than their U.S. counterparts and may be subject to additional risks, such as those relating to foreign economic and political developments and foreign governmental restrictions. The profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of capital for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. Also, general economic conditions play an important part in the operation of the banking industry, and exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers might affect a bank's ability to meet its obligations under a letter of credit.

Events leading to limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments that affect the financial services industry, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds, have in the past and may in the future lead to market-wide liquidity problems, may spread to other industries, and could negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Portfolio's investments. For example, in response to the rapidly declining financial condition of regional banks Silicon Valley Bank ("SVB") and Signature Bank ("Signature"), the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and the New York State Department of Financial Services closed SVB and Signature on March 10, 2023 and March 12, 2023, respectively, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") was appointed as receiver for SVB and Signature. Although the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the FDIC have taken measures to stabilize the financial system, uncertainty and liquidity concerns in the broader financial services industry remain. Additionally, should there be additional systemic pressure on the financial system and capital markets, there can be no assurances of the response of any government or regulator, and any response may not be as favorable to industry participants as the measures currently being pursued. In addition, highly publicized issues related to the U.S. and global capital markets in the past have led to significant and widespread investor concerns over the integrity of the capital markets. The current situation related to SVB, Signature and other regional banks could in the future lead to further rules and regulations for public companies, banks, financial institutions and other participants in the U.S. and global capital markets, and complying with the requirements of any such rules or regulations may be burdensome. Even if not adopted, evaluating and responding to any such proposed rules or regulations could result in increased costs and require significant attention from the Manager.

**Securities Lending (Except for U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio)** 

The Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities, provided that cash or equivalent collateral, equal to at least 100% of the market value of such securities, is continuously maintained by the other party with the Portfolio. During the pendency of the transaction, the other party will pay the Portfolio an amount equivalent to any dividends or interest paid on such securities, and the Portfolio may invest the cash collateral and earn additional income, or it may receive an agreed upon amount of interest income from the other party who has delivered equivalent collateral. These transactions are subject to termination at the option of the

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Portfolio or the other party. The Portfolio may pay administrative and custodial fees in connection with these transactions and may pay a negotiated portion of the interest earned on the cash or equivalent collateral to the other party or placing agent or broker. Although voting rights or rights to consent with respect to the relevant securities generally pass to the other party, the Portfolio will make arrangements to vote or consent with respect to a material event affecting such securities. The risks in lending portfolio securities include possible delays in recovering or the failure to recover the securities and possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. The Portfolio runs the risk that the counterparty to a loan transaction will default on its obligation and that the value of the collateral received may decline before the Portfolio can dispose of it. If the Portfolio receives cash as collateral and invests that cash, the Portfolio is subject to the risk that the collateral will decline in value before the Portfolio must return it to the counterparty. Subject to the foregoing, loans of fund securities are effectively borrowings by the Portfolio and have economic characteristics similar to reverse repurchase agreements. The Portfolio does not currently intend to engage in securities lending, although it may engage in transactions (such as reverse repurchase agreements) which have similar characteristics.

**Structured Instruments** 

Structured instruments are money market instruments that have been structured to meet the regulatory requirements for investment by money market funds, typically by a bank, broker/dealer or other financial institution. They generally consist of a trust or partnership through which the Portfolio holds an interest in one or more underlying bonds or other debt obligations coupled with a conditional right to sell ("put") the Portfolio's interest in the underlying bonds at par plus accrued interest to a financial institution. With respect to tax-exempt instruments, the instrument is typically structured as a trust or partnership which provides for pass-through tax-exempt income. Structured instruments in which the Portfolio may invest include: (1) tender option bonds, (2) swap products, in which the trust or partnership swaps the payments due on an underlying bond with a swap counterparty who agrees to pay a floating money market interest rate; and (3) partnerships, which allocate to the partners income, expenses, capital gains and losses in accordance with a governing partnership agreement. Structured instruments may be more volatile, have lower liquidity and may be more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities.

These types of instruments raise certain tax, legal, regulatory and accounting issues which may not be presented by direct investments in debt obligations. There is some risk that certain of these issues could be resolved in a manner that could adversely impact the performance of the Portfolio.

**Temporary Defensive Investing** 

The Portfolio may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions, including by investing in any type of investment grade, government, corporate and money market instruments and short-term debt securities or holding cash without regard to any percentage limitations. If a significant amount of the Portfolio's assets is used for defensive investing purposes, the Portfolio will be less likely to achieve its investment objective. Although the portfolio manager has the ability to take defensive positions, they may choose not to do so for a variety of reasons, even during volatile market conditions.

**Trade Policy** 

The U.S. government has indicated its intent to alter its approach to international trade policy and, in some cases, to renegotiate or potentially terminate certain existing bilateral or multilateral trade agreements and treaties with foreign countries and has made proposals and taken actions related thereto. In addition, the U.S. government has recently imposed tariffs on certain foreign goods and has indicated a willingness to impose tariffs on imports of other products. Some foreign governments have instituted retaliatory tariffs on certain U.S. goods and have indicated a willingness to impose additional tariffs on U.S. products. Other countries have threatened retaliatory tariffs on certain U.S. products.

Global trade disruption, significant introductions of trade barriers, and bilateral trade frictions, together with any future downturns in the global economy resulting therefrom, could adversely affect the financial performance of the Fund and its investments. Trade policy may be an ongoing source of instability, potentially resulting in significant currency fluctuations and/or having other adverse effects on international markets, international trade agreements, and/or other existing cross-border cooperation arrangements (whether economic, tax, fiscal, legal, regulatory, or otherwise). To the extent trade disputes escalate globally, there could be additional significant impacts on the sectors or industries in which the Fund invests and other adverse impacts on the Fund's overall performance.

**U.S. Government Securities** 

U.S. Government securities include (1) U.S. Treasury bills (maturity of one year or less), U.S. Treasury notes (maturity of one to ten years) and U.S. Treasury bonds (maturities generally greater than ten years); (2) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities which are supported by any of the following: (a) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government (such as certificates issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae")); (b) the right of the issuer to borrow an amount limited to a specific line of credit from the U.S. Government (such as obligations of the Federal Home

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Loan Banks); (c) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of agencies or instrumentalities (such as securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association); or (d) only the credit of the agency or instrumentality (such as securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation); and (3) obligations issued by non-governmental entities (like financial institutions) that carry direct guarantees from U.S. government agencies as part of government initiatives in response to a market crisis or otherwise. Agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government include but are not limited to: Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Federal Housing Administration, Federal Land Banks, Federal Financing Bank, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Farm Credit Bank System, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association, General Services Administration, Government National Mortgage Association, Student Loan Marketing Association, United States Postal Service, Maritime Administration, Small Business Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority, Washington D.C. Armory Board and any other instrumentality established or sponsored by the U.S. Government.

In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Portfolio must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Neither the U.S. Government nor any of its agencies or instrumentalities guarantees the market value of the securities they issue. Therefore, the market value of such securities will fluctuate in response to changes in interest rates and other factors. In addition, any downgrade of the credit rating of the securities issued by the U.S. Government may result in a downgrade of securities issued by its agencies or instrumentalities, including government-sponsored entities. From time to time, uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. government to increase the statutory debt ceiling could increase the risk that the U.S. government may default on payments on certain U.S. government securities, cause the credit rating of the U.S. government to be downgraded, increase volatility in the stock and bond markets, result in higher interest rates, reduce prices of U.S. Treasury securities, and/or increase the costs of various kinds of debt. If a U.S. Government-sponsored entity is negatively impacted by legislative or regulatory action (or lack thereof), is unable to meet its obligations, or its creditworthiness declines, the performance of a Portfolio that holds securities of the entity will be adversely impacted.

**U.S. Treasury Obligations** 

U.S. Treasury obligations are direct debt obligations issued by the U.S. government. Treasury bills, with maturities normally from 4 weeks to 52 weeks, are typically issued at a discount as they pay interest only upon maturity. Treasury bills are non-callable. Treasury notes have a maturity between two and ten years and typically pay interest semi-annually, while Treasury bonds have a maturity of over ten years and pay interest semi- annually. U.S. Treasury obligations also include STRIPS, TIPS, and FRNs. STRIPS are Treasury obligations with separately traded principal and interest component parts of such obligations that are transferable through the federal book-entry system. The principal and interest components of U.S. Treasury bonds with remaining maturities of longer than ten years are eligible to be traded independently under the STRIPS program. Under the STRIPS program, the principal and interest components are separately issued through depository financial institutions, which then trade the component parts separately. Each interest payment and the principal payment becomes a separate zero-coupon security. STRIPS pay interest only at maturity. The interest component of STRIPS may be more volatile than that of U.S. Treasury bills with comparable maturities. TIPS are Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, the principal of which increases with inflation and decreases with deflation. The inflation adjustment is based on a three month-lagged value of the non-seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers (CPI-U). TIPS entitle the holder, upon maturity, to the adjusted principal or original principal, whichever is greater, thus providing a deflation floor. TIPS pay interest twice a year, at a fixed rate. The rate is applied to the adjusted principal; so, like the principal, interest payments rise with inflation and fall with deflation. However, because the interest rate is fixed, TIPS may lose value when market interest rates increase, particularly during periods of low inflation. FRNs are floating rate notes, the interest on which is indexed to the most recent 13-week Treasury bill auction High Rate, which is the highest accepted discount rate in a Treasury bill auction.

**Variable and Floating Rate Securities** 

Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event-based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Portfolio may invest in floating rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a corporate bond index or U.S. Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters may provide the Portfolio with a certain degree of protection against rising interest rates, the Portfolio will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two bonds or other securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

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The Portfolio may also invest in variable amount master demand notes, which permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary in addition to providing for periodic adjustments in the interest rate. The absence of an active secondary market with respect to particular variable and floating rate instruments could make it difficult for the Portfolio to dispose of a variable or floating rate note if the issuer were to default on its payment obligation or during periods that the Portfolio is not entitled to exercise its demand rights, and the Portfolio could, for these or other reasons, suffer a loss with respect to such instruments. In determining average-weighted portfolio maturity, an instrument will be deemed to have a maturity equal to either the period remaining until the next interest rate adjustment or the time the Portfolio can recover payment of principal as specified in the instrument, depending on the type of instrument involved.

**When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments** 

Securities may be purchased on a "when-issued" or "to be announced" or "forward delivery" basis. U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio will not invest in securities on a "to be announced" basis. The payment obligation and the interest rate that will be received on the "when-issued" securities are fixed at the time the buyer enters into the commitment although settlement, i.e., delivery of and payment for the securities, takes place at a later date. In a "to be announced" transaction, the Portfolio commits to purchase securities for which all specific information is not known at the time of the trade.

Securities purchased on a "when-issued" or "forward delivery" basis are subject to changes in value based upon the market's perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates. The value of these securities experiences appreciation when interest rates decline and depreciation when interest rates rise. Purchasing securities on a "when-issued" or "forward delivery" basis can involve a risk that the yields available in the market on the settlement date may actually be higher or lower than those obtained in the transaction itself.

An increase in the percentage of the Portfolio's assets committed to the purchase of securities on a "when-issued" basis may increase the volatility of its net asset value.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS** 

The Portfolio's Board has adopted policies and procedures (the "policy") developed by the Manager with respect to the disclosure of the Portfolio's portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the Portfolio's portfolio securities. The Manager believes the policy is in the best interests of the Portfolio and its investors and that it strikes an appropriate balance between the desire of investors for information about fund portfolio holdings and the need to protect the Portfolio from potentially harmful disclosures.

**General Rules/Website Disclosure** 

The policy provides that information regarding the Portfolio's portfolio holdings may be shared at any time with employees of the Manager, the Subadviser and other affiliated parties involved in the management, administration or operations of the Portfolio (referred to as fund-affiliated personnel). Under the policy, the Portfolio's complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) and certain other information is disclosed as of the last business day of the month no later than five business days after month-end on the Portfolio's public website. The Portfolio may disclose its complete portfolio holdings earlier, provided such information has been made available on the Portfolio's public website in accordance with the policy.

The Portfolio currently discloses its complete portfolio holdings as of the last business day of each month no later than five business days after month-end on www.franklintempleton.com/prospectus (under the name of the registered U.S. investment company investing in the Portfolio (see Item 18 in this Part B)).

**Ongoing Arrangements** 

Under the policy, the Portfolio may release portfolio holdings information on a regular basis to a custodian, sub-custodian, Portfolio accounting agent, proxy voting provider, rating agency or other vendor or service provider for a legitimate business purpose, where the party receiving the information is under a duty of confidentiality, including a duty to prohibit the sharing of non-public information with unauthorized sources and trading upon non-public information. The Portfolio may enter into other ongoing arrangements for the release of portfolio holdings information, but only if such arrangements serve a legitimate business purpose and are with a party who is subject to a confidentiality agreement and restrictions on trading upon non-public information. None of the Portfolio, Franklin Templeton or any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the Portfolio's portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by the Portfolio's Board.

Set forth below is a list, as of December 1, 2025, of those parties with whom the Manager, on behalf of the Portfolio, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the maximum frequency of the release under such arrangements, and the minimum length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The ongoing arrangements may vary for each party, and it is possible that not every party will receive information for the Portfolio. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Recipient** | **Frequency** | **Delay Before Dissemination** |
| Bank of New York Mellon<br> (Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent) | Daily |  |
| Bloomberg | Monthly | 10 Days |
| Charles River | Daily |  |
| FactSet | Monthly | 15 Days |
| ICE Data Pricing & Reference Data, LLC | Daily |  |
| Institutional Shareholder Services (Proxy Voting Services) | Daily |  |
| Lipper | Monthly | 10 Days |
| Middle Office Solutions, LLC | Daily |  |
| Morningstar | Monthly | 10 Days |
| NaviSite, Inc. | Daily |  |
| Thomson | Semi-annually |  |
| Tradeweb Markets LLC | Daily |  |

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Portfolio holdings information for the Portfolio may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Recipient** | **Frequency** | **Delay Before Dissemination** |
| Fidelity | Quarterly | 5 Business Days |
| Fitch (Rating Agency) | Weekly | Sent 6-7 Business Days |
| Interactive Data Corp. | Weekly |  |
| Liberty Hampshire | Weekly and Month-End |  |
| Moody's Investor Service, Inc. (Rating Agency) | Monthly | Sent 6-7 Business Days |
| S&P Global (Rating Agency) | Weekly | Sent 6-7 Business Days |
| SunTrust | Weekly and Month-End |  |

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Excluded from the lists of ongoing arrangements set forth above are ongoing arrangements where either (i) the disclosure of portfolio holdings information occurs concurrently with or after the time at which the portfolio holdings information is included in a public filing with the SEC that is required to include the information, or (ii) the Portfolio's portfolio holdings information is made available no earlier than the day next following the day on which the Portfolio makes the information available on its website, as disclosed in Part A of this Registration Statement. The approval of the Portfolio's Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions from the policy.

**Release of Limited Portfolio Holdings Information** 

In addition to the ongoing arrangements described above, the Portfolio's complete or partial list of holdings (including size of positions) may be released to another party on a one-time basis, provided the party receiving the information has executed a non-disclosure and confidentiality agreement and provided that the specific release of information has been approved by the Portfolio's Chief Compliance Officer or designee as consistent with the policy. By way of illustration and not of limitation, release of non-public information about the Portfolio's portfolio holdings may be made (i) to a proposed or potential adviser or Subadviser(s) or other investment manager asked to provide investment management services to the Portfolio, or (ii) to a third party in connection with a program or similar trade.

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In addition, the policy permits the release to investors, potential investors, third parties and Franklin Templeton personnel that are not fund-affiliated personnel of limited portfolio holdings information in other circumstances, including:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. The Portfolio's top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such
positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. A list of securities (that may include Portfolio holdings together with other securities) followed by an
investment professional (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. A trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in
the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. The Portfolio's sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds),
performance attribution (e.g., analysis of the Portfolio's out-performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific
portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy's general principles.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. A small number of the Portfolio's portfolio holdings (including information that the Portfolio no longer
holds a particular holding) may be released, but only if the release of the information could not reasonably be seen to interfere with current or future purchase or sales activities of the Portfolio and is not contrary to law.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. The Portfolio's portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to
its independent trustees and its independent public accounting firm, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

**Exceptions to the Policy** 

The Portfolio's Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, may as is deemed appropriate, approve exceptions from the policy. Exceptions are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with the Manager's legal department, as necessary. Exceptions from the policy are reported annually to the Portfolio's Board.

**Limitations of Policy** 

The Portfolio's portfolio holdings policy is designed to prevent sharing of portfolio information with third parties that have no legitimate business purpose for accessing the information. The policy may not be effective to limit access to portfolio holdings information in all circumstances, however. For example, the Manager or the Subadviser may manage accounts other than the Portfolio that have investment objectives and strategies similar to those of the Portfolio. Because these accounts, including the Portfolio, may be similarly managed, portfolio holdings may be similar across the accounts. In that case, an investor in another account managed by the Manager or the Subadviser may be able to infer the portfolio holdings of the Portfolio from the portfolio holdings in that investor's account.

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**Item 17. Management of the Portfolios.** 

***TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS***

The business and affairs of the Portfolio are conducted by management under the supervision and subject to the direction of its Board. The business address of each Trustee (including each Independent Trustee) is c/o Jane Trust, Franklin Templeton, 100 International Drive, 11<sup>th</sup> Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. The tables below provide information about each of the Trustees and officers of the Trust.

**Independent Trustees<sup>#</sup>:** 

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Year of Birth** | **Position(s) with Trust** | **Term of Office\***<br> **and Year Service<br>Began\*\*** | **Principal Occupation(s) During**<br> **the Past Five Years** | **Number of<br>Funds in the<br>Franklin<br>Templeton Fund<br>Complex<br>Overseen**<br> **by<br>Trustee\*\*\*** | **Other Board Memberships<br>Held by Trustee During the Past<br>Five Years** |
| Robert Abeles, Jr.<br> Born 1945 | Trustee | Since 2013 | Board Member of Excellent Education Development (since 2012); Senior Vice President Emeritus (since 2016) and formerly, Senior Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer (2009 to 2016) at University of Southern California; and formerly, Board Member of Great Public Schools Now (2018 to 2022) | 49 |  |
| Jane F. Dasher<br> Born 1949 | Trustee | Since 1999 | Director (since 2022) and formerly, Chief Financial Officer, Long Light Capital, LLC, formerly known as Korsant Partners, LLC (a family investment company) (since 1997) | 49 | Formerly, Director, Visual Kinematics, Inc. (2018 to 2022) |
| Anita L. DeFrantz<br> Born 1952 | Trustee | Since 1998 | President of Tubman Truth Corp. (since 2015); Vice President (since 2017), Member of the Executive Board (since 2013) and Member of the International Olympic Committee (since 1986); and President Emeritus (since 2015) and formerly, President (1987 to 2015) and Director (1990 to 2015) of LA84 (formerly Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles) | 49 |  |
| Susan B. Kerley<br> Born 1951 | Trustee | Since 1992 | Investment Consulting Partner, Strategic Management Advisors, LLC (investment consulting) (since 1990) | 49 | Director and Trustee (since 1990) and Chairman (since 2017 and 2005 to 2012) of<br> various series of MainStay Family of Funds (66 funds); formerly, Chairman of the Independent Directors Council (2012 to 2014); ICI Executive Committee (2011 to 2014); and Investment Company Institute (ICI) Board of Governors (2006 to 2014) |
| Michael Larson<br> Born 1959 | Trustee | Since 2004 | Chief Investment Officer for William H. Gates III (since 1994)± | 49 | Ecolab Inc. (since 2012); Fomento Economico Mexicano, SAB (since 2011); and Republic Services, Inc. (since 2009) |
| Avedick B. Poladian<br> Born 1951 | Trustee | Since 2007 | Director and Advisor (since 2017) and formerly, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (2002 to 2016) of Lowe Enterprises, Inc. (privately held real estate and hospitality firm); and formerly, Partner, Arthur Andersen, LLP (1974 to 2002) | 49 | Public Storage (since 2010); Occidental Petroleum Corporation (since 2008); and formerly, California Resources Corporation (2014 to 2021) |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| William E.B. Siart<br> Born 1946 | Trustee and<br> Chairman of the Board | Since 1997 (Chairman of the Board since 2020) | Chairman of Excellent Education Development (since 2000); formerly, Chairman of Great Public Schools Now (2015 to 2020); Trustee of The Getty Trust (2005 to 2017); and Chairman of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Inc. (1998 to 2006) | 49 | Trustee, University of Southern California (since 1994); and formerly, Member of Board of United States Golf Association, Executive Committee Member (2017 to 2021) |
| Jaynie Miller Studenmund<br> Born 1954 | Trustee | Since 2004 | Corporate Board Member and Advisor (since 2004); formerly, Chief Operating Officer of Overture Services, Inc. (publicly traded internet company that created search engine marketing) (2001 to 2004); President and Chief Operating Officer, PayMyBills (internet innovator in bill presentment/payment space) (1999 to 2001); and Executive vice president for consumer and business banking for three national financial institutions (1984 to 1997) | 49 | Director of Pacific Premier Bancorp Inc. and Pacific Premier Bank (since 2019); formerly, Director of EXL (operations management and analytics company) (2018 to 2025); Director of LifeLock, Inc. (identity theft protection company) (2015 to 2017); Director of CoreLogic, Inc. (information, analytics and business services company) (2012 to 2021); and Director of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. (gaming and hospitality company) (2012 to 2018) |
| Peter J. Taylor<br> Born 1958 | Trustee | Since 2019 | Retired; formerly, President, ECMC Foundation (nonprofit organization) (2014 to 2023); and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for University of California system (2009 to 2014) | 49 | Director of Pacific Mutual Holding Company (since 2016); ∞ Ralph M. Parson Foundation (since 2015); Edison International (since 2011); formerly, Director of 23andMe, Inc. (genetics and health care services company) (2021 to 2024); Member of the Board of Trustees of California State University system (2015 to 2022); and Kaiser Family Foundation (2012 to 2022) |
| **Interested Trustee:** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Ronald L. Olson‡<br> Born 1941 | Trustee | Since 2005 | Partner of Munger, Tolles &<br> Olson LLP (a law partnership) (since 1968) | 49 | Director of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (since 1997); formerly, Director of Provivi, Inc. (2017 to 2024) |
| **Interested Trustee and Officer:** | **Interested Trustee and Officer:** | **Interested Trustee and Officer:** | **Interested Trustee and Officer:** |  |  |
| Jane Trust, CFA†<br> Born 1962 | Trustee, President and<br> Chief Executive Officer | Since 2015 | Senior Vice President, Fund Board Management, Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Officer and/or Trustee/Director of 114 funds associated with FTFA or its affiliates (since 2015); President and Chief Executive Officer of FTFA (since 2015); formerly, Senior Managing Director (2018 to 2020) and Managing Director (2016 to 2018) of Legg Mason & Co., LLC ("Legg Mason & Co."); and Senior Vice President of FTFA (2015) | Trustee/Director of Franklin Templeton funds consisting of 114 portfolios; Trustee of Putnam Family of Funds consisting of 105 portfolios |  |

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# Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

\* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.

\*\* Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a board member for a fund in the Franklin Templeton fund complex.

\*\*\* Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2024, except as otherwise noted.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| ± | Mr. Larson is the chief investment officer for William H. Gates III and in that capacity oversees the non-Microsoft investments of Mr. Gates and all the investments of the Gates Foundation Trust (such combined investments are referred to as the "Accounts"). Since 1997, Western Asset has provided discretionary investment advice with respect to one or more Accounts. Since December 31, 2023, at no time did the value of those investment portfolios exceed 1.0% of Western Asset's total assets under management. No changes to these arrangements are currently contemplated.  |

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∞ Western Asset and its affiliates provide investment advisory services with respect to registered investment
companies sponsored by an affiliate of Pacific Mutual Holding Company ("Pacific Holdings"). Affiliates of Pacific Holdings receive compensation from FTFA or its affiliates for shareholder or distribution services provided with respect to
registered investment companies for which Western Asset or its affiliates serve as investment adviser.

‡ Mr. Olson is an "interested person" of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, because his law
firm has provided legal services to Western Asset.

† Ms. Trust is an "interested person" of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, because of her
position with FTFA and/or certain of its affiliates.

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**Additional Officers:** 

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name, Year of Birth**<br> **and Address** | **Position(s) with Trust** | **Term of Office\***<br> **and Year Service Began\*\*** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During the Past Five Years** |
| Ted P. Becker<br> Born 1951<br> Franklin Templeton<br> One Madison Avenue<br> New York, NY 10010 | Chief Compliance<br> Officer | Since 2007 | Vice President, Global Compliance of Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Chief Compliance Officer of FTFA (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2006); formerly, Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (2006 to 2020); Managing Director of Compliance of Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to 2020) |
| Christopher Berarducci<br> Born 1974<br> Franklin Templeton<br> One Madison Avenue<br> New York, NY 10010 | Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer | Since 2019 | Vice President, Fund Administration and Reporting, Franklin Templeton (since 2020), Treasurer (since 2010) and Principal Financial Officer (since 2019) of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Managing Director (2020), Director (2015 to 2020), and Vice President (2011 to 2015) of Legg Mason & Co. |
| Marc A. De Oliveira<br> Born 1971<br> Franklin Templeton<br> 100 First Stamford Place<br> 6th Floor<br> Stamford, CT 06902 | Secretary and Chief Legal Officer | Since 2020 | Associate General Counsel of Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer (since 2020) and Assistant Secretary of certain funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex (since 2006); formerly, Managing Director (2016 to 2020) and Associate General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to 2020) |
| Jeanne Kelly<br> Born 1951<br> Franklin Templeton<br> One Madison Avenue<br> New York, NY 10010 | Senior Vice President | Since 2007 | U.S. Fund Board Team Manager, Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Senior Vice President of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2007); Senior Vice President of FTFA (since 2006); President and Chief Executive Officer of LM Asset Services, LLC ("LMAS") and Legg Mason Fund Asset Management, Inc. ("LMFAM") (formerly registered investment advisers) (since 2015); formerly, Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to 2020), and Senior Vice President of LMFAM (2013 to 2015) |
| Susan Kerr<br> Born 1949<br> Franklin Templeton<br> One Madison Avenue<br> New York, NY 10010 | Chief Anti-Money<br> Laundering<br> Compliance<br> Officer | Since 2013 | Senior Compliance Analyst, Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2013) and Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer (since 2012), Senior Compliance Officer (since 2011) and Assistant Vice President (since 2010) of Franklin Distributors; formerly, Assistant Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (2010 to 2020) |
| Thomas C. Mandia<br> Born 1962<br> Franklin Templeton<br> 100 First Stamford Place<br> 6th Floor<br> Stamford, CT 06902 | Senior Vice President | Since 2020 | Senior Associate General Counsel to Franklin Templeton (since 2020); Senior Vice President (since 2020) and Assistant Secretary of certain funds in the Franklin Templeton fund complex (since 2006); Secretary of FTFA (since 2006); Secretary of LMAS (since 2002) and LMFAM (formerly registered investment advisers) (since 2013); formerly, Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to 2020) |

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\* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.

\*\* Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took such office.

**Qualifications of Trustees, Board Leadership Structure and Oversight and Standing Committees** 

The Board believes that each Trustee's experience, qualifications, attributes or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of its other Trustees lead to the conclusion that the Board possesses the requisite skills and attributes. The Board believes that the Trustees' abilities to review, critically evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them; to interact effectively with the Manager, the Subadviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors; and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties serves to support this conclusion. The Board has considered the following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills, among others, of its members in reaching its conclusion: his or her character and integrity; such person's length of service as a board member of certain Portfolios; such person's willingness to serve

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and willingness and ability to commit the time necessary to perform the duties of a Trustee; as to each Trustee other than Mr. Olson and Ms. Trust, his or her status as not being an "interested person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Abeles, business, accounting and finance expertise and experience as a chief financial officer, board member and/or executive officer of various businesses and other organizations; Ms. Dasher, experience as a chief financial officer of a private investment company; Ms. DeFrantz, business expertise and experience as a president, board member and/or executive officer of various businesses and non-profit and other organizations; Ms. Kerley, investment consulting experience and background and mutual fund board experience; Mr. Larson, portfolio management expertise and experience as a board member of various businesses and other organizations; Mr. Poladian, business, finance and accounting expertise and experience as a board member of various businesses and/or as a partner of a multi-national accounting firm; Mr. Siart, business and finance expertise and experience as a president, chairperson, chief executive officer and/or board member of various businesses and non-profit and other organizations; Ms. Studenmund, business and finance expertise and experience as a president, board member and/or chief operating officer of various businesses; Mr. Olson, business and legal expertise and experience as a partner of a law firm and/or board member of various businesses and non-profit and other organizations; Mr. Taylor, business and finance expertise and experience as a chief financial officer, president and/or board member of various businesses and non-profit organizations; and Ms. Trust, investment management and risk oversight experience as an executive and portfolio manager and leadership roles within Franklin Templeton (and before that, Legg Mason) and affiliated entities. References to the qualifications, attributes and skills of Trustees are pursuant to requirements of the SEC, do not constitute holding out of the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or the Board by reason thereof.

The Board is responsible for overseeing the management and operations of the Portfolio. Ms. Trust and Mr. Olson are each interested persons of the Portfolio. Independent Trustees constitute more than 75% of the Board. Mr. Siart, who is not an interested person of the Portfolio, serves as Chair of the Board (since 2020).

The Board has four standing committees: the Audit Committee, Governance and Nominating Committee (referred to as the Governance Committee), Executive and Contracts Committee (referred to as the Contracts Committee) and Investment and Performance Committee (referred to as the Performance Committee). Each of the Audit, Governance, Contracts and Performance Committees is chaired by an Independent Trustee and each (other than the Performance Committee) is composed of all the Independent Trustees. Where deemed appropriate, the Board constitutes ad hoc committees.

The Contracts Committee, which consists of Messrs. Abeles, Larson, Poladian, Siart and Taylor and Mses. Dasher, DeFrantz, Kerley and Studenmund, may meet from time to time between Board meetings in order to consider appropriate matters and to review the various contractual arrangements between the Trust and its affiliated persons.

The Audit Committee, which consists of Messrs. Abeles, Larson, Poladian, Siart and Taylor and Mses. Dasher, DeFrantz, Kerley and Studenmund, provides oversight with respect to the accounting and financial reporting and compliance policies and practices of the Portfolio and, among other things, considers the selection of an independent registered public accounting firm for the Portfolio and the scope of the audit and approves all services proposed to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm on behalf of the Portfolio and, under certain circumstances, the Subadviser and certain affiliates.

The Governance Committee, which consists of Messrs. Abeles, Larson, Poladian, Siart and Taylor and Mses. Dasher, DeFrantz, Kerley and Studenmund, meets to select nominees for election as Trustees of the Trust and consider other matters of Board policy, including to review and make recommendations to the Board with respect to the compensation of the Independent Trustees. It is the policy of the Governance and Nominating Committee to consider nominees recommended by interestholders. Interestholders of the Trust who wish to recommend a nominee to the Governance Committee of a Trust should send recommendations to the Secretary of the Trust that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. Such a recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the interestholders of the Trust. The procedures by which interestholders of the Trust can submit nominee recommendations to the Governance Committee of the Trust are set forth in Appendix C to the SAI.

The Performance Committee, which consists of Messrs. Abeles, Larson, Poladian, Olson, Siart and Taylor and Mses. Dasher, DeFrantz, Kerley, Studenmund and Trust, is charged with, among other things, reviewing investment performance.

The Board has determined that its leadership structure is appropriate given the business and nature of the Portfolio. In connection with its determination, the Board considered that the Chairman of the Board is an Independent Trustee. The Chairman of the Board can play an important role in setting the agenda of the Board and also serves as a key point person for dealings between management and the other Independent Trustees. The Independent Trustees believe that the Chairman's independence facilitates meaningful dialogue between Portfolio management and the Independent Trustees. The Board also considered that the chairperson of each Board committee is an Independent Trustee, which yields similar benefits with respect to the functions and activities of the various Board committees (e.g., each committee's chairperson works with the Manager and other service providers to set agendas for the meetings of the applicable Board committees). As noted above, through the committees the Independent Trustees consider

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and address important matters involving the Portfolio, including those presenting conflicts or potential conflicts of interest for management. The Independent Trustees also regularly meet outside the presence of management and are advised by independent legal counsel. The Board has determined that its committees help ensure that the Portfolio has effective and independent governance and oversight. The Board also believes that its leadership structure, in which the Chair of the Board is not affiliated with Franklin Templeton, is appropriate. The Board also believes that its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from management, including the Subadviser. The Board reviews its structure on an annual basis.

As an integral part of its responsibility for oversight of the Portfolio in the interests of interestholders, the Board oversees risk management of the Portfolio's investment programs and business affairs. The function of the Board with respect to risk management is one of oversight not active involvement in, or coordination of, day-to-day risk management activities for the Portfolio. The Board has emphasized to the Portfolio's Manager and Subadviser the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management. The Board exercises oversight of the risk management process primarily through the Performance Committee, the Audit Committee and the Contracts Committee, and through oversight by the Board itself.

The Portfolio faces a number of risks, such as investment risk, counterparty risk, valuation risk, reputational risk, risk of operational failure or lack of business continuity, and legal, compliance and regulatory risk. Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the Portfolio. Under the overall supervision of the Board or the applicable committee, the Portfolio, the Manager, the Subadviser, and the affiliates of the Manager and the Subadviser, or other service providers to the Portfolio employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur.

Different processes, procedures and controls are employed with respect to different types of risks. Various personnel, including the Portfolio's and the Manager's CCO and the Manager's chief risk officer, as well as various personnel of the Subadviser and other service providers such as the Portfolio's independent accountants, also make periodic reports to the Performance Committee, Contracts Committee, Audit Committee and/or to the Board with respect to various aspects of risk management, as well as events and circumstances that have arisen and responses thereto.

These reports and other similar reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information. The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Portfolio can be identified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Portfolio's goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness.

During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025, the Board met 7 times. The Committees of the Board met as follows: the Audit Committee met 5 times, the Governance and Nominating Committee met 3 times, the Investment and Performance Committee met 5 times, and the Executive and Contracts Committee met 2 times.

**Trustee Ownership of Securities** 

The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities owned by the Trustees in each Portfolio and other investment companies in the fund complex overseen by the Trustees as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>Liquid<br>Reserves<br>Portfolio ($)** | **Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>U.S. Treasury<br>Reserves<br>Portfolio ($)** | **Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>U.S. Treasury<br>Obligations<br>Portfolio ($)** | **Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>Government<br>Portfolio ($)** | **Aggregate<br>Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>Registered Investment<br>Companies in Franklin<br>Templeton Fund<br>Complex Overseen by<br>Trustee ($)** |
|  **Independent Trustees:** |  |  |  |  |  |
|  Robert Abeles, Jr. |  |  |  |  |  |
|  Jane F. Dasher |  |  |  |  | Over 100,000 |
|  Anita L. DeFrantz |  |  |  |  | 10001-50000 |
|  Susan B. Kerley |  |  |  |  | Over 100,000 |
|  Michael Larson |  |  |  |  | Over 100,000 |
|  Avedick B. Poladian |  |  |  |  |  |
|  William E. B. Siart |  |  |  |  | Over 100,000 |
|  Jaynie Miller Studenmund |  |  |  |  | Over 100,000 |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>Liquid<br>Reserves<br>Portfolio ($)** | **Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>U.S. Treasury<br>Reserves<br>Portfolio ($)** | **Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>U.S. Treasury<br>Obligations<br>Portfolio ($)** | **Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>Government<br>Portfolio ($)** | **Aggregate<br>Dollar Range<br>of Equity<br>Securities in<br>Registered Investment<br>Companies in Franklin<br>Templeton Fund<br>Complex Overseen by<br>Trustee ($)** |
|  Peter J. Taylor |  |  |  |  | Over 100,000 |
|  **Interested Trustees:** |  |  |  |  |  |
|  Ronald L. Olson |  |  |  |  | 10001-50000 |
|  Jane Trust |  |  |  |  | Over 100,000 |

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As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the Manager, the Subadviser, or the Placement Agent of the Portfolio, or of a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Manager, the Subadviser, or the Placement Agent of the Portfolio.

For serving as a Trustee of the Trust, each Independent Trustee receives an annual retainer plus fees for attending each regularly scheduled meeting and special Board meeting they attend in person or by telephone. Each Independent Trustee is also reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Those Independent Trustees who serve in leadership positions of the Board or Board committees receive additional compensation. The Board reviews the level of Trustee compensation periodically and Trustee compensation may change from time to time. Ms. Trust, an "interested person" of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the Portfolio for her service as Trustee. Mr. Olson, an "interested person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, receives from Western Asset an annual retainer plus fees for attending each regularly scheduled meeting and special Board meeting he attends in person or by telephone. The Portfolio pays its pro rata share of the fees and expenses of the Trustees based upon asset size.

Officers of the Trust receive no compensation from the Portfolio, although they may be reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

**Trustee Compensation** 

Information regarding compensation paid to the Trustees for each Portfolio is shown below:

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Aggregate Compensation\*** | **Aggregate Compensation\*** | **Aggregate Compensation\*** | **Aggregate Compensation\*** | **Aggregate Compensation\*** | **Aggregate Compensation\*** | **Aggregate Compensation\*** |
| **Name of Trustee** | **Liquid<br>Reserves<br>Portfolio** | **U.S.**<br>**Treasury**<br>**Reserves**<br>**Portfolio** | **Government<br>Portfolio** | **U.S.**<br>**Treasury<br>Obligations<br>Portfolio** | **Total Pension or<br>Retirement<br>Benefits Paid<br>as Part of**<br>**Portfolio<br>Expenses\* ($)** | **Total<br>Compensation<br>from Fund<br>Complex Paid<br>to Trustee\*\*<br>($)** |
|  **Independent Trustees:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  Robert Abeles, Jr. | 23928 | 60675 | 85983 | 1771 |  | 382000 |
|  Jane F. Dasher | 21929 | 55609 | 78790 | 1621 |  | 350000 |
|  Anita L. DeFrantz | 21616 | 54449 | 77104 | 1585 |  | 366000 |
|  Susan B. Kerley | 23493 | 59568 | 84405 | 1737 |  | 375000 |
|  Michael Larson | 21929 | 55609 | 78790 | 1621 |  | 350000 |
|  Avedick B. Poladian | 21929 | 55609 | 78790 | 1621 |  | 347000 |
|  William E. B. Siart | 29749 | 75403 | 106865 | 2201 |  | 475000 |
|  Jaynie Miller Studenmund | 22872 | 58275 | 82636 | 1704 |  | 347000 |
|  Peter J. Taylor | 21929 | 55609 | 78790 | 1621 |  | 350000 |
|  **Interested Trustees:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  Ronald L. Olson† |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  Jane Trust† |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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\* Information is for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025.

\*\* Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2024.

† Mr. Olson and Ms. Trust are not compensated by the Trust for their services as Trustees because of
their affiliations with Western Asset and the Manager, respectively.

Officers of Portfolios receive no compensation from Portfolios, although they may be reimbursed by Portfolios for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

As of [November 30, 2025], the Trustees and officers of the Portfolios, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding interests of each Portfolio.

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, the Portfolio, the Manager, the Subadviser and the Placement Agent each has adopted a code of ethics that permits its personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Portfolio. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes of ethics. Copies of the codes of ethics applicable to the personnel of the Portfolio, the Manager, the Subadviser and the Placement Agent are on file with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES** 

The Manager delegates to the Subadviser the responsibility for voting proxies for the Portfolio through its contracts with the Subadviser. The Subadviser may use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies of the Portfolio if the Portfolio's Board reviews and approves the use of those policies and procedures. Accordingly, the Manager does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the Portfolio.

Should the Manager become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the Subadviser to provide investment advisory services, the Manager shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent Subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained and the use of its proxy voting policies and procedures is authorized by the Board. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of the Manager (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at the Manager) and the Portfolio, the Board of Directors of the Manager shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. The Manager shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations.

The Manager shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the Subadviser and providing them to the Portfolio as required for the Portfolio to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act. The Manager shall also be responsible for coordinating the provision of information to the Board with regard to the proxy voting policies and procedures of the Subadviser, including the actual proxy voting policies and procedures of the Subadviser, changes to such policies and procedures, and reports on the administration of such policies and procedures.

The Subadviser's proxy voting policies and procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the Portfolio's portfolio securities are voted. A copy of the proxy voting policies and procedures is attached as Appendix A to this Part B. Information regarding how the Portfolio voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-800-625-4554, (2) on www.franklintempleton.com/prospectus (under the name of the registered U.S. investment company investing in the Portfolio), and (3) on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.

**Item 18. Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities.** 

***Liquid Reserves Portfolio***

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name of Record Holder** | **Beneficial Interest<br>(as of November 30, 2025) (%)** |
|  WA Institutional Liquid Reserves, Ltd.\* | 91.191% |
|  WA Institutional Liquid Reserves | 8.253% |
|  WA Premier Institutional Liquid Reserves, Ltd. | 0.555% |
|  WA Premier Institutional Liquid Reserves | 0.001% |

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***U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio***

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name of Record Holder** | **Beneficial Interest<br>(as of November 30, 2025) (%)** |
|  WA U.S. Treasury Reserves, Ltd.\* | 46.932% |
|  WA Institutional U.S. Treasury Reserves\*\* | 43.350% |
|  WA Premier Institutional U.S. Treasury Reserves | 9.718% |

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***U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio***

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name of Record Holder** | **Beneficial Interest<br>(as of November 30, 2025) (%)** |
|  Western Asset Institutional U.S. Treasury Obligations Money Market Fund\*\* | 99.153% |
|  Western Asset U.S. Treasury Obligations Money Market Fund, Ltd. | 0.847% |

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***Government Portfolio***

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name of Record Holder** | **Beneficial Interest<br>(as of November 30, 2025) (%)** |
|  Western Asset Institutional Government Reserves\*\* | 43.239% |
|  Western Asset Premier Institutional Government Reserves\*\* | 26.989% |
|  Western Asset Government Money Market Fund, Ltd. | 16.323% |
|  Western Asset Government Reserves | 13.449% |

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\* The registered office address of each of these record holders is P. O. Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. Each of these record holders is an open-end mutual fund which has been incorporated as an exempted company in the Cayman Islands (each, a "Cayman Fund"). Each of these Cayman Funds that is shown as owning more than 25% of the voting securities of a Portfolio as of the date given above may be considered a control person of that Portfolio. All shares in each Cayman Fund are owned of record by LM (BVI) Limited, a British Virgin Islands company that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, as nominee for investors. As a result of this arrangement, as of November 30, 2025, Franklin Resources may be viewed as a control person of Liquid Reserves Portfolio and U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio. 

\*\* The address of each of these record holders is One Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010. Each of these record holders is an open-end mutual fund that is a U.S. registered investment company, and a series of a Maryland business trust (each, a "Fund"). A Fund that is shown as owning more than 25% of the voting securities of a Portfolio as of the date given above may be considered a control person of that Portfolio. A Fund has informed its respective Portfolio that whenever requested to vote on matters pertaining to the Portfolio (other than a vote to continue the Portfolio following the withdrawal of an investor) it will either hold a meeting of shareholders and will cast its vote in accordance with shareholder instructions, or otherwise act in accordance with applicable law. If a Fund calls a meeting of its shareholders, to the extent that Fund does not receive instructions from its shareholders, the Fund will vote its interests in a Portfolio in the same proportion as the vote of shareholders who do give voting instructions. Alternatively, without seeking instructions from its shareholders, a Fund could vote its interests in the Portfolios in proportion to the vote of all the other investors in the Portfolio. 

**Item 19. Investment Advisory and Other Services.** 

**INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE PROVIDER INFORMATION** 

**Manager** 

The Manager, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, serves as investment manager to the Portfolio and provides administrative and certain oversight services to the Portfolio, pursuant to an investment management agreement (the "Management Agreement"). The Manager has offices at One Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10010 and also serves as the investment manager of other Franklin Templeton funds. The Manager is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, a Delaware corporation. Franklin Resources, whose principal executive offices are at One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, California 94403, is a global investment management organization operating, together with its subsidiaries, as Franklin Templeton.

The Manager has agreed, under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision of the Board, to provide the Portfolio with investment research, advice, management and supervision, furnish a continuous investment program for the Portfolio's portfolio of securities and other investments consistent with the Portfolio's investment objectives, policies and restrictions, and place orders pursuant to its investment determinations. The Manager is permitted to enter into contracts with subadvisers or subadministrators, subject to the Board's approval. The Manager has entered into subadvisory agreements, as described below.

As compensation for services performed, facilities furnished and expenses assumed by the Manager, each Portfolio pays (other than U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio) the Manager a fee computed daily at an annual rate of the Portfolio's average daily net assets as described below. The Manager also performs administrative and management services as reasonably requested by the Portfolio necessary for the operation of the Portfolio, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the Portfolio, including

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negotiation of contracts and fees with, and monitoring of performance and billings of, the Portfolio's Placement Agent, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to investors; (iv) maintaining the Portfolio's existence; and (v) maintaining the registration or qualification of the Portfolio's interests under federal and state laws.

The Management Agreement will continue in effect for its initial term and thereafter from year to year, provided continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a 1940 Act Vote, and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in accordance with applicable law.

The Management Agreement provides that the Manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio on not more than 60 days' nor less than 30 days' written notice to the Manager, or by the Manager on not less than 90 days' written notice to the Portfolio as applicable, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act) by the Manager. No Management Agreement is assignable by the Trust except with the consent of the Manager.

The Management Agreement provides that the Manager, its affiliates performing services contemplated by the Management Agreement, and the partners, interestholders, directors, officers and employees of the Manager and such affiliates, will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law, for any loss arising out of any investment, or for any act or omission in the execution of securities transactions for the Portfolio, but the Manager is not protected against any liability to the Portfolio to which the Manager would be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Management Agreement.

Subject to such policies as the Board of a Portfolio may determine, the Manager manages the securities of and makes investment decisions for the Portfolio. In addition, the Manager provides certain administrative services to the Portfolio under the Management Agreements.

For its services under each Management Agreement for Liquid Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio and Government Portfolio, the Manager is entitled to receive a fee, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of 0.10% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets on an annualized basis for the Portfolio's then-current fiscal year.

Because interests in U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio generally will be sold only to other investment companies for which FTFA serves as investment manager and because FTFA, Western Asset or their affiliates are compensated by such other investment companies and/or by participants in separately managed account programs that invest in such other investment companies, no management fee is paid to FTFA by the Portfolio.

For the periods below, the Portfolios paid management fees to FTFA as follows:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **For the Fiscal Period<br>Ended August 31,** | **Gross Management Fees ($)** | **Management Fees<br>Waived/Expenses<br>Reimbursed ($)** | **Net Management Fees<br>(After Waivers/Expense<br>Reimbursements) ($)** |
|  Liquid Reserves Portfolio | 2025 | 6573941 | (6573941) |  |
|  | 2024 | 10147377 | (10147377) |  |
|  | 2023 | 14916420 | (14916420) |  |
|  U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio | 2025 | 18261754 | (18261754) |  |
|  | 2024 | 16419302 | (16419302) |  |
|  | 2023 | 16308584 | (16308584) |  |
|  Government Portfolio | 2025 | 27190194 | (27190194) |  |
|  | 2024 | 20830663 | (20830663) |  |
|  | 2023 | 22480769 | (22480769) |  |

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**Subadviser** 

Western Asset Management Company, LLC, organized under the laws of the State of California, serves as the subadviser to the Portfolio (the "Subadviser") pursuant to a subadvisory agreement between the Manager and the Subadviser (the "Subadvisory Agreement"). The Subadviser has offices at 385 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91101 and One Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010. The Subadviser is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources.

Under the Subadvisory Agreement, subject to the supervision of the Board and the Manager, the Subadviser regularly provides with respect to the portion of the Portfolio's assets allocated to it by the Manager, investment research, advice, management and supervision; furnishes a continuous investment program for the allocated assets consistent with the Portfolio's investment objectives, policies and restrictions; and places orders pursuant to its investment determinations. The Subadviser may delegate to companies that the Subadviser controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, certain of the Subadviser's duties under a Subadvisory Agreement, subject to the Subadviser's supervision, provided the Subadviser will not be relieved of its duties or obligations under the Subadvisory Agreement as a result of any delegation.

The Subadvisory Agreement will continue in effect for its initial term and thereafter from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in accordance with applicable law. The Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the Subadvisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days' nor less than 30 days' written notice to the Subadviser. The Subadviser may terminate the respective Subadvisory Agreement, on 90 days' written notice to the Portfolio and the Manager. The Subadvisory Agreement may be terminated upon the mutual written consent of the Manager and the Subadviser. The Subadvisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act) by the applicable Subadviser, and shall not be assignable by the Manager without the consent of the Subadviser.

The Subadvisory Agreement provides that the Subadviser, its affiliates performing services contemplated by the Subadvisory Agreement, and the partners, interestholders, directors, officers and employees of the Subadviser and such affiliates will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law, for any loss arising out of any investment, or for any act or omission in the execution of securities transactions for the Portfolio, but the Subadviser is not protected against any liability to the Portfolio or the Manager to which the Subadviser would be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Subadvisory Agreement.

As compensation for its services, the Manager pays to Western Asset a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to the Manager by the Portfolio, net of any waivers and expense reimbursements.

**Expenses** 

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement, the Portfolio is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the Portfolio; the cost (including interest, brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges or acquired fund fees and expenses, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the Portfolio's securities and other investments and any losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to the issuance and withdrawal or repurchase of the Portfolio's beneficial interests; expenses of preparing registration statements and amendments thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the Portfolio's investors; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of investors and other meetings of the Portfolio; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, Trustees and employees of the Portfolio, if any; the Portfolio's pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the Portfolio and its officers, Trustees and employees; and litigation expenses and any non-recurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the Portfolio is a party and any legal obligation which the Portfolio may have to indemnify the Portfolio's Trustees and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to implement an expense cap, waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses for the Portfolio. The expense caps and waived fees and/or reimbursed expenses do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, "for cause" regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes; (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time; and (d) any other exclusions enumerated in the Portfolio's particular expense cap. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the Portfolio or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of

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investors of the Portfolio (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of Trustees or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time. In order to implement an expense limitation, the Manager will, as necessary, waive management fees and/or reimburse operating expenses.

However, the Manager is also permitted to recapture amounts waived and/or reimbursed during the same fiscal year under certain circumstances. These arrangements may be reduced or terminated under certain circumstances. Additional amounts may be voluntarily waived and/or reimbursed from time to time.

**Placement Agent** 

Franklin Distributors, LLC (the "Placement Agent"), an indirect, wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Franklin Resources, located at 100 International Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, serves as the Portfolio's sole and exclusive Placement Agent. The Placement Agent received no compensation for serving as the Portfolio's sole and exclusive placement agent. The Placement Agent may be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act.

The Placement Agent, the Manager, their affiliates and their personnel have interests in promoting sales of the Franklin Templeton funds, including remuneration, fees and profitability relating to services to and sales of the Portfolios. Associated persons of the Manager, the Placement Agent or their affiliates (including wholesalers registered with the Placement Agent) may receive additional compensation related to the sale of individual Franklin Templeton funds or categories of Franklin Templeton funds. The Manager, the Subadviser(s), and their advisory or other personnel may also benefit from increased amounts of assets under management.

Service Agents also may benefit from the sales of shares of the funds sold by the Placement Agent. For example, in connection with such sales, Service Agents may receive compensation from a Franklin Templeton fund (with respect to the fund as a whole or a particular class of shares) and/or from the Manager, the Placement Agent, and/or their affiliates, as further described below. The structure of these compensation arrangements, as well as the amounts paid under such arrangements, vary and may change from time to time. In addition, new compensation arrangements may be negotiated at any time. The compensation arrangements described in this section are not mutually exclusive, and a single Service Agent may receive multiple types of compensation.

The Placement Agent has agreements in place with Service Agents defining how much each firm will be paid for the sale of a Franklin Templeton fund from sales charges, if any, paid by such fund's shareholders and from 12b-1 Plan fees paid to the Placement Agent by a fund. These Service Agents then pay their employees or associated persons who sell such fund shares from the sales charges and/or fees they receive. The Service Agent, and/or its employees or associated persons may receive a payment when a sale is made and will, in most cases, continue to receive ongoing payments while you are invested in a fund. In other cases, the Placement Agent may retain all or a portion of such fees and sales charges.

In addition, the Placement Agent, the Manager and/or certain of their affiliates may make additional payments (which are often referred to as "revenue sharing" payments) to the Service Agents from their past profits and other available sources, including profits from their relationships with a Franklin Templeton fund. Revenue sharing payments are a form of compensation paid to a Service Agent in addition to the sales charges paid by a fund's shareholders or 12b-1 Plan fees paid by a fund. The Manager, the Placement Agent and/or certain of its affiliates may revise the terms of any existing revenue sharing arrangement and may enter into additional revenue sharing arrangements with other Service Agents.

Revenue sharing arrangements are intended, among other things, to foster the sale of fund shares and/or to compensate financial services firms for assisting in marketing or promotional activities in connection with the sale of fund shares. In exchange for revenue sharing payments, the Manager and the Placement Agent generally expect to receive the opportunity for a fund to be sold through the Service Agents' sales forces or to have access to third-party platforms or other marketing programs, including but not limited to mutual fund "supermarket" platforms or other sales programs. To the extent that Service Agents receiving revenue sharing payments sell more shares of a fund, the Manager and the Placement Agent and/or their affiliates benefit from the increase in fund assets as a result of the fees they receive from a fund. The Placement Agent, FTFA or their affiliates consider revenue sharing arrangements based on a variety of factors and services to be provided.

Revenue sharing payments are usually calculated based on a percentage of fund sales and/or fund assets attributable to a particular Service Agent. Payments are at times based on other criteria or factors such as, for example, a fee per each transaction. Specific payment formulas are negotiated based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, reputation in the industry, ability to attract and retain assets, target markets, customer relationships and scope and quality of services provided. In addition, the Placement Agent, the Manager and/or certain of their affiliates may pay flat fees on a one-time or irregular basis for the initial set-up of a fund on a Service Agent's systems, participation or attendance at a Service Agent's meetings, or for other reasons. Furthermore, the Placement Agent, the Manager and/or certain of their affiliates at times pay certain education and training costs of Service Agents (including, in some cases, travel expenses) to train and educate the personnel of the Service Agents. In addition, the

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Placement Agent, the Manager and/or certain of their affiliates at times may provide access to technology and other tools and support services that facilitate the marketing and promotion of investment management portfolios sponsored by Franklin Templeton and/or its affiliates. It is likely that Service Agents that execute portfolio transactions for a fund will include those firms with which the Manager, the Placement Agent and/or certain of their affiliates have entered into revenue sharing arrangements.

A fund generally pays the transfer agent for certain recordkeeping and administrative services. In addition, a fund may pay Service Agents for certain recordkeeping, administrative, sub-accounting and networking services. These services include maintenance of shareholder accounts by the firms, such as recordkeeping and other activities that otherwise would be performed by a fund's transfer agent. Administrative fees may be paid to a firm that undertakes, for example, shareholder communications on behalf of a fund. Networking services are services undertaken to support the electronic transmission of shareholder purchase and redemption orders through the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC"). These payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of fund shareholders serviced by a Service Agent or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by a Service Agent. The Placement Agent, the Manager and/or their affiliates may make all or a portion of these payments.

In addition, a fund reimburses the Placement Agent for NSCC fees that are invoiced to the Placement Agent as the party to the agreement with NSCC for the administrative services provided by NSCC to a fund and its shareholders. These services include transaction processing and settlement through Fund/SERV, electronic networking services to support the transmission of shareholder purchase and redemption orders to and from Service Agents, and related recordkeeping provided by NSCC to a fund and its shareholders.

If your Portfolio interests are purchased through a retirement plan, the Placement Agent, the Manager or certain of their affiliates at times also make similar payments to those described in this section to the plan's recordkeeper or an affiliate.

Revenue sharing payments, as well as the other types of compensation arrangements described in this section, create an incentive for Service Agents and their employees or associated persons to recommend a fund over other investments or sell shares of a fund to customers and in doing so may create conflicts of interest between the firms' financial interests and the interests of their customers. The total amount of these payments is substantial, may be substantial to any given recipient and may exceed the costs and expenses incurred by the recipient for any fund-related marketing or shareholder servicing activities.

As of December 31, 2025, the Placement Agent, the Manager or their affiliates made revenue sharing payments to the Service Agents listed below (or their affiliates or successors). It is possible that each Service Agent listed is not receiving payments with respect to each fund sold by the Placement Agent. This list of intermediaries will change over time, and any additions, modifications or deletions thereto that have occurred since December 31, 2025 are not reflected.

Bank of New York Mellon

BlackRock

BlueSix Capital, LLC

BNP Paribas Prime Brokerage, Inc.

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Comerica Bank

Drexel Hamilton, LLC

Fiduciary Trust Company International

Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

FIS Brokerage & Securities

Goldman Sachs & Co.

Hightower Securities, LLC

Institutional Cash Distributors, LLC

J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments, Inc.

J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc.

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J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation

Mischler Financial Group

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

Pershing, LLC

PNC Capital Markets, LLC

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Reliance Trust Company

Santander Bank, N.A.

Silicon Valley Bank

State Street Fund Connect

State Street Global Markets, LLC

Treasury Brokerage

Union Bank, N.A.

U.S. Bank, N.A.

Wells Fargo Securities Bank, N.A.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

Western Alliance Bank

Winterbotham Trust Co., Ltd.

The Placement Agent, the Manager or their affiliates may also pay fees, from their own assets, to Service Agents for providing other distribution-related services as well as recordkeeping, administrative, subaccounting, and networking services (or portions thereof), and other shareholder or administrative services in connection with investments in the Portfolio. These payments may be considered revenue sharing payments. The Service Agents receiving such payments may not be listed above.

**Custodian** 

The Portfolio has entered into an agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon ("BNY Mellon"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286, to serve as custodian of the Portfolio. BNY Mellon, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the Portfolio, receives and delivers all assets for the Portfolio upon purchase and upon sale or maturity, collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the Portfolio and makes disbursements on behalf of the Portfolio. BNY Mellon neither determines the Portfolio's investment policies nor decides which securities the Portfolio will buy or sell. For its services, BNY Mellon receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The Portfolio may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. BNY Mellon may also act as the Portfolio's securities lending agent and in that case would receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

**Portfolio Counsel** 

Ropes & Gray LLP, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, serves as legal counsel to the Trust and the Portfolio.

**Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm** 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 100 East Pratt Street, Suite 2600, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, serves as the Portfolio's independent registered public accounting firm.

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**Item 20. Portfolio Managers.** 

Not applicable.

**Item 21. Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices.** 

**PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE** 

**Portfolio Transactions** 

Pursuant to the Subadvisory Agreement and subject to the general supervision of the Board and in accordance with the Portfolio's investment objectives and strategies, the Subadviser is responsible for the execution of the Portfolio's portfolio transactions with respect to assets allocated to the Subadviser. The Subadviser is authorized to place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the Portfolio either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it.

In certain instances, there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the Portfolio as well as for one or more of the other clients of the Subadviser. Investment decisions for the Portfolio and for the Subadviser's other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the Portfolio. When purchases or sales of the same security for the Portfolio and for other portfolios managed by the Subadviser occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

Transactions on stock exchanges and other agency transactions involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions by the Portfolio. Transactions in foreign securities often involve the payment of brokerage commissions that may be higher than those in the United States. Fixed income securities are generally traded on a net basis (i.e., without a commission) through dealers acting as principal for their own account and not as brokers. This means that a dealer makes a market for securities by offering to buy at one price and selling the security at a slightly higher price. The difference between the prices is known as a "spread." Other portfolio transactions may be executed through brokers acting as agents and the Portfolio will pay a spread or commission in connection with such transactions. The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission, concession or a net price. The Portfolio may also purchase securities directly from the issuer. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the Portfolio for the three most recent fiscal years or periods, as applicable, are set forth below under "Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid."

**Brokerage and Research Services** 

The general policy of the Subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns. The Portfolio may not always pay the lowest commission or spread available. Rather, in placing orders on behalf of the Portfolio, the Subadviser also takes into account other factors bearing on the overall quality of execution, such as size of the order, difficulty of execution, the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act) to the Portfolio and/or the other accounts over which the Subadviser or its affiliates exercise investment discretion. The Subadviser is authorized to pay a broker or dealer that provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the Portfolio which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the Subadviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. Investment research services include information and analysis on particular companies and industries as well as market or economic trends and portfolio strategy, market quotations for portfolio evaluations, analytical software and similar products and services. If a research service also assists the Subadviser in a non-research capacity (such as bookkeeping or other administrative functions), then only the percentage or component that provides assistance to the Subadviser in the investment decision making process may be paid in commission dollars. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the Subadviser and its affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The Subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the Subadviser in exchange for a certain

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volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the Portfolio's costs, the Subadviser does not believe that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as Subadviser. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers (so-called "soft dollar" arrangements) may create conflicts of interest. Although the Subadviser is authorized to use soft dollar arrangements in order to obtain research services, it is not required to do so, and the Subadviser may not be able or may choose not to use soft dollar arrangements because of regulatory restrictions, operational considerations or for other reasons.

Research services furnished to the Subadviser by brokers that effect securities transactions for the Portfolio may be used by the Subadviser in servicing other investment companies and accounts which the Subadviser manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the Subadviser by brokers that effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the Subadviser manages may be used by the Subadviser in servicing the Portfolio. Not all of these research services are used by the Subadviser in managing any particular account, including the Portfolio.

Firms that provide research and brokerage services to the Subadviser may also promote the sale of the Portfolio or other pooled investment vehicles advised by the Subadviser, and the Subadviser and/or its affiliates may separately compensate them for doing so. Such brokerage business is placed on the basis of brokerage and research services provided by the firm and is not based on any sales of the Portfolio or other pooled investment vehicles advised by the Subadviser.

The Portfolio contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through "affiliated broker/dealers," as defined in the 1940 Act. The Portfolio's Board has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. For the three most recent fiscal periods (as applicable), the Portfolio did not pay any brokerage commission to its affiliates.

For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2025, the Portfolio did not direct any brokerage transactions related to research services and did not pay any brokerage commissions related to research services.

**Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid** 

The Portfolio paid no brokerage commissions for portfolio transactions for the past three fiscal periods.

**Securities of Regular Broker/Dealers** 

As of August 31, 2025, the Portfolio did not hold securities issued by its regular broker/dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act).

**Item 22. Capital Stock and Other Securities.** 

*The Trust*. The Certificate of Trust to establish the Trust was filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland on October 4, 2006. As of April 16, 2007, the Portfolio was redomiciled as a series of the Trust. Prior thereto, Liquid Reserves Portfolio and U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio were New York trusts. Government Portfolio was designated a series of the Trust on February 12, 2009. U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio was designated a series of the Trust on August 13, 2013.

The Portfolio is an open-end, management investment company. The Trust is a Maryland statutory trust, which is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Trustees and holders of interest of a statutory trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Trustees and the investors are determined by the trustees as set forth in a trust's declaration of trust. The Trust's Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration") provides that by becoming a holder of interest in the Portfolio, each holder of interest shall be expressly held to have agreed to be bound by the provisions of the Declaration and any other governing instrument of the Trust, such as the by-laws of the Trust, which contain additional rules governing the conduct of the business of the Trust.

Some of the more significant provisions of the Declaration are summarized below. The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable provisions of the Declaration.

*Investor Voting.* The Declaration provides for investor voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the trustees of the Trust ("Trustees") without seeking the consent of investors. The Trustees may, without investor approval, amend the Declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the Trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the Trust, or any series into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust or any series to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, terminate the Trust or any series, or adopt or amend the by-laws of the Trust, in each case without investor approval if the 1940 Act would not require such approval. The Portfolio is not required to hold an annual meeting of investors, but the Portfolio will call special meetings of investors whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the Declaration. The Declaration provides for "dollar-weighted voting" which means that an investor's voting power is determined, not by the amount of outstanding interests the investor holds, but by the dollar value of those interests determined on the record date. All investors of record of all series of the Trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series, or when the Trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series. 

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*Election and Removal of Trustees*. The Declaration provides that the Trustees may establish the number of Trustees and that vacancies on the Board may be filled by the remaining Trustees, except when election of Trustees by the investors is required under the 1940 Act. When a vote of investors is required to elect Trustees, the Declaration provides that such Trustees shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast by investors at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the Trustees and that Trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of investors holding two-thirds of the voting power of the Trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining Trustees. The provisions of the Declaration relating to the election and removal of Trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the Trustees. 

*Amendments to the Declaration*. The Trustees are authorized to amend the Declaration without the vote of investors, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the Declaration to persons who are or have been investors, Trustees, officers or, employees of the Trust or that limits the rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses, or insurance provided in the Declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification, advancement of expenses, or insurance under the Declaration prior to the amendment. 

*Issuance and Withdrawal of Interests*. The Portfolio may issue an unlimited amount of interests in the Portfolio for such consideration and on such terms as the Trustees may determine. Investors are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the Trustees may determine. The Portfolio may require a decrease of or a complete withdrawal of an investor's interest in the Portfolio upon certain conditions as may be determined by the Trustees, including, for example, if the investor fails to provide the Portfolio with identification required by law, or if the Portfolio is unable to verify the information received from the investor. 

*Disclosure of Investor Holdings*. The Declaration specifically requires investors, upon demand, to disclose to the Portfolio information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of outstanding interests in order to comply with various laws or regulations or for such other purpose as the Trustees may decide, and the Portfolio may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation, or as the Trustees otherwise decide. 

*Series*. The Declaration provides that the Trustees may establish series in addition to those currently established and that the Trustees may determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series. The Trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series, or combine series with other series in the Trust. Each interest in the Portfolio, as a series of the Trust, represents an interest in the Portfolio only and not in the assets of any other series of the trust. 

*Investor, Trustee and Officer Liability*. The Declaration provides that investors are not personally liable for the obligations of the Portfolio and requires the Portfolio to indemnify an investor against any loss or expense claimed solely because of the investor being or having been an investor. The Portfolio will assume the defense of any claim against an investor for personal liability at the request of the investor. The Declaration further provides that a Trustee acting in his or her capacity as a Trustee is not personally liable to any person, other than the Trust or its investors, in connection with the affairs of the Trust. Each Trustee is required to perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she believes to be in the best interests of the Trust. All actions and omissions of Trustees are presumed to be in accordance with the foregoing standard of performance, and any person alleging the contrary has the burden of proving that allegation. 

The Declaration limits a Trustee's liability to the Trust or any investor to the fullest extent permitted under current Maryland law by providing that a Trustee is liable to the Trust or its investors for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the Trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the Trustee's action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The Declaration requires the Trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and expenses in connection with any claim or proceeding in which he or she is involved by virtue of having been a Trustee, officer or employee. Subject to applicable federal law, expenses related to the defense against any claim to which indemnification may apply shall be advanced by the Trust upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the recipient of those expenses to repay the advanced amount if it is ultimately found that he or she is not entitled to indemnification. In making any determination as to whether a person has engaged in conduct for which indemnification is not available, or as to whether there is reason to believe that such person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification, such person shall be afforded a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

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The Declaration provides that any Trustee who serves as chair of the Board, a member or chair of a committee of the Board, lead independent Trustee, audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

*Derivative Actions*. The Declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by investors in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the Portfolio or its investors as a result of spurious investor demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand must be made on the Portfolio's Trustees. The Declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. The Trustees are not required to consider a demand that is not submitted in accordance with the requirements contained in the Declaration. The Declaration also requires that, in order to bring a derivative action, the complaining investors must be joined in the action by investors holding, at the time of the alleged wrongdoing, at the time of demand, and at the time the action is commenced, beneficial interests representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected Portfolio. The Trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the Trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that a suit should be maintained, then the Trust will commence the suit and the suit will proceed directly and not derivatively. If a majority of the independent Trustees determines that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the Portfolio, the Trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining investors may not proceed with the derivative action unless the investors are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the Trustees not to pursue the requested action was not consistent with the standard of performance required of the Trustees in performing their duties. If a demand is rejected, the complaining investors will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by the Portfolio in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent Trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in *violation of the Declaration, the investors bringing the action may be responsible for the Portfolio's costs, including attorneys' fees.* 

The Declaration further provides that the Portfolio shall be responsible for payment of attorneys' fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining investor only if required by law, and any attorneys' fees that the Portfolio are obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The Declaration also requires that actions by investors against the Portfolio be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the fullest extent permitted by law.

The Declaration further provides that no provision of the Declaration will be effective to require a waiver of compliance with any provision of the 1933 Act, as amended, the Exchange Act, as amended, or the 1940 Act or of any valid rule, regulation or order of the Commission thereunder.

**Item 23. Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Securities.** 

Each investor in a Portfolio may add to or reduce its investment in the Portfolio on each day the Portfolio is open for business. See "Days and Hours of Operation" in Part A of this Registration Statement. The value of each investor's interest in a Portfolio is determined on each such business day.

Beneficial interests in a Portfolio are issued solely in private placement transactions which do not involve any "public offering" within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act. Investments in a Portfolio may only be made by investment companies, insurance company separate accounts, common or commingled trust funds or similar organizations or entities which are "accredited investors" within the meaning of Regulation D under the 1933 Act. This Registration Statement does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any "security" within the meaning of the 1933 Act.

The Portfolio calculates its NAV every day it is open for business. See "Days and Hours of Operation" in Part A of this Registration Statement. As of the date of this Registration Statement, the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") is normally open for trading every weekday except in the event of an emergency or for the following holidays (or the days on which they are observed): New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is closed for the following holidays (or the days on which they are observed): New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. As of the date of this Registration Statement, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends an early close to the bond markets on Good Friday, the business day following Thanksgiving Day and the business day preceding the following holidays (or the days on which they are observed): Memorial Day and Christmas Day. Purchases and withdrawals will be effected at the time of determination of net asset value next following the receipt of any purchase or withdrawal order.

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***For each Portfolio other than Liquid Reserves Portfolio***

Securities are valued at amortized cost, which the Trustees of the Portfolios have determined in good faith constitutes fair value for the purposes of complying with the 1940 Act. This valuation method will continue to be used until such time as the Trustees of the Portfolios determine that it does not constitute fair value for such purposes. Amortized cost valuation involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter assuming a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium. Although the amortized cost method provides certainty in valuation, it may result in periods during which the stated value of an instrument is higher or lower than the price the Portfolio would receive if the instrument were sold.

Pursuant to the rules of the SEC, the Trustees have established procedures to stabilize the value of the Portfolios' net assets within 1/2 of 1% of the value determined on the basis of amortized cost. These procedures include a review of the extent of any such deviation of net asset value, based on available market rates. Should that deviation exceed 1/2 of 1% for a Portfolio, the Trustees will consider whether any action should be initiated to eliminate or reduce material dilution or other unfair results to the investors in the Portfolio. Such action may include withdrawal in kind, selling securities prior to maturity and utilizing a net asset value as determined by using available market quotations.

***For Liquid Reserves Portfolio***

Valuation of Liquid Reserves Portfolio's securities and other assets is performed in accordance with the valuation policy approved by the Board. The Portfolio's manager serves as the Portfolio's valuation designee for purposes of compliance with Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act. Under the valuation policy, assets are valued as follows:

• The valuations for fixed income securities are typically the prices supplied by independent third party pricing
services, which may use market prices or broker/dealer quotations or a variety of fair valuation techniques and methodologies.

• The valuations of securities traded on foreign markets and certain other fixed income securities will generally
be based on prices determined as of the earlier closing time of the markets on which they primarily trade, unless a significant event has occurred. Foreign markets are open for trading on weekends and other days when the Portfolio does not price its
interests. Therefore, the value of the Portfolio's interests may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem the Portfolio's interests.

• If independent third party pricing services are unable to supply prices for a Portfolio investment, or if the
prices supplied are deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined by the manager using quotations from one or more broker/dealers. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they
are unreliable, the manager will price securities in accordance with the valuation policy. Among other things, the use of a formula or other method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments may be used
to determine fair value. Fair value of a security is the amount, as determined by the manager in good faith, that a Portfolio might reasonably expect to receive upon a current sale of the security. Fair value procedures may also be used if the
manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the Portfolio's net asset value is calculated.

Many factors may influence the price at which the Portfolio could sell any particular portfolio investment. The sales price may well differ—higher or lower—from the Portfolio's last valuation, and such differences could be significant, particularly for securities that trade in relatively thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. Moreover, valuing securities using fair value methodologies involves greater reliance on judgment than valuing securities based on market quotations. Fair value methodologies may value securities higher or lower than another Portfolio using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the Portfolio could obtain the value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Portfolio determines its net asset value. Investors who purchase or withdraw Portfolio interests on days when the Portfolio is holding fair-valued securities may receive a larger or smaller interest, or higher or lower redemption proceeds, than they would have received if the Portfolio had not fair-valued securities or had used a different methodology.

***For all Portfolios***

Interest income on long-term obligations is determined on the basis of interest accrued plus amortization of "original issue discount" (generally, the difference between issue price and stated redemption price at maturity) and premiums (generally, the excess of purchase price over stated redemption price at maturity). Interest income on short-term obligations is determined on the basis of interest accrued plus amortization of any premium.

Subject to compliance with applicable regulations, the Portfolios have reserved the right to pay, upon withdrawal, the withdrawal price of beneficial interests in the Portfolios, either totally or partially, by a distribution in kind of securities (instead of cash). The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amount as that assigned to them in calculating the net asset value for the beneficial interests being withdrawn. If a holder of beneficial interests received a distribution in kind, such holder could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash, and the market prices of those securities will be subject to fluctuation until they are sold.

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Portfolio undertakes in its 2a-7 procedures that, in responding to a withdrawal request by an investor, it will pay in cash within one business day the lesser of the amount of the withdrawal request or the amount of 10% of the investor's investment in the Portfolio, provided that the foregoing will not preclude the Portfolio from paying more in cash to satisfy the withdrawal request to the extent it may do so and remain in compliance with its 2a-7 procedures.

The Portfolios may suspend the right of withdrawal or postpone the date of payment for beneficial interests in the Portfolios more than seven days during any period when (a) trading in the markets the Portfolios normally utilize is restricted, or an emergency, as defined by the rules and regulations of the SEC exists making disposal of the Portfolios' investments or determination of its net asset value not reasonably practicable; (b) the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); or (c) the SEC has by rule or by order permitted such suspension.

**Item 24. Taxation of the Portfolios.** 

***Liquid Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio, U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio and Government Portfolio***

The Portfolio is organized as a series of a statutory trust under Maryland law. The Portfolio has determined that it is a partnership that is not a "publicly traded partnership" (as defined in the Code), and therefore that it is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Declaration provides that the Trustees shall have the power to take all actions and to execute all forms and other documents that they determine, in their sole discretion, to be necessary to achieve such treatment. Accordingly, none of the Portfolios expect to pay any U.S. federal income taxes, but each investor in a Portfolio must take into account its distributive share of the Portfolio's gross income, tax-exempt income, deductions, credits and other items in determining its own U.S. federal income and excise tax liabilities. The determination of such share will be made in accordance with the governing instruments of the applicable Portfolio and the Code, and Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations").

The Portfolio's tax year-end is August 31. Although the Portfolio is not subject to U.S. federal income tax, it files appropriate U.S. federal income tax returns.

The Portfolio believes that an investor in a Portfolio that seeks to qualify as a RIC under the Code should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as an owner of an undivided interest in the assets and operations of the Portfolio, and accordingly should be deemed to own a proportionate share of each of the assets of the Portfolio and should be entitled to treat as earned by it the portion of the Portfolio's gross income and other items attributable to that share. Each such investor should consult its tax advisers regarding whether, in light of its particular tax status and any special tax rules applicable to it, this approach applies to its investment in the Portfolio, or whether the Portfolio should be treated, as to that investor, as a separate entity as to which the investor has no direct interest in Portfolio assets or operations.

In order to enable each otherwise qualified investor in a Portfolio to qualify as a RIC under the Code, the Portfolio intends to satisfy the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code relating to the nature of a RIC's gross income and the composition (diversification) of a RIC's assets as if those requirements were directly applicable to the Portfolio, and to allocate its net investment income and any net realized capital gains and to permit withdrawals in a manner that will enable such an investor to comply with the qualification requirements imposed by Subchapter M of the Code with respect to the income allocated to it by the Portfolio, assuming that the investor invests all of its assets in the Portfolio.

The Portfolio will allocate at least annually to each investor the investor's distributive share of the Portfolio's net investment income (including net investment income derived from interest on U.S. Treasury obligations), net realized capital gains, and any other items of income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit in a manner intended to comply with the Code and applicable Regulations.

Investors generally will not recognize any gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes on contributions to a Portfolio or on withdrawals from a Portfolio. However, to the extent the cash proceeds of any withdrawal paid to an investor exceed the investor's adjusted tax basis in its partnership interest in the Portfolio, the investor will generally recognize gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, if, upon a complete withdrawal (i.e., a withdrawal of its entire interest in the Portfolio) for cash, an investor's adjusted tax basis in its partnership interest in the Portfolio exceeds the proceeds of the withdrawal, the investor will generally recognize a loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. An investor's adjusted tax basis in its partnership interest in the Portfolio will generally be the aggregate price paid therefor, increased by the amounts of its distributive share of items of realized income (including income, if any, exempt from U.S. federal income tax) and gain, and reduced, but not below zero, by the amounts of its distributive share of items of realized loss and the amounts of any withdrawal proceeds received by the investor.

There is uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees that may be imposed by the Liquid Reserves Portfolio, and such tax treatment may be subject to future guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"). The imposition of a liquidity fee by the Portfolio on an investor's complete withdrawal of its interests from that Portfolio could cause the investor to recognize a loss or an increased loss or could decrease the gain the investor would otherwise recognize upon the withdrawal and/or could cause other investors in that Portfolio to recognize gains upon the withdrawal of their interests from the Portfolio.

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Any investment by a Portfolio in zero coupon bonds, deferred interest bonds, payment-in-kind bonds, and certain securities purchased at a market discount may cause the Portfolio to recognize income prior to the receipt of cash payments with respect to those securities. In order to enable any investor which is a RIC to distribute its share of this income and avoid a tax, the Portfolio may be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss.

Portfolio income allocated to investors that is derived from interest on obligations of the U.S. government and certain of its agencies and instrumentalities (but generally not from capital gains realized upon the disposition of such obligations) may be exempt from state and local taxes. The Portfolio intends to advise investors of the extent, if any, to which its income consists of such interest. Investors are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding the possible exclusion of such portion of the income allocated to them by a Portfolio for state and local income tax purposes.

There are certain tax issues which will be relevant to only certain of a Portfolio's direct and indirect investors, for example, investors which are segregated asset accounts and investors who contribute assets other than cash to the Portfolio.

The above discussion is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations pertaining generally to an investment in a Portfolio. The discussion does not address the special tax rules applicable to certain classes of investors, such as tax-exempt entities, insurance companies, and financial institutions, or the state, local, non-U.S., and non-income tax laws that may be applicable to certain investors. Nor does it address the application of any tax treaty. Investors should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the special U.S. federal tax rules that may apply in their particular situations, as well as the state, local, or non-U.S. tax consequences to them of investing in a Portfolio.

**Item 25. Underwriters.** 

The sole and exclusive Placement Agent for the Portfolio is Franklin Distributors, which receives no compensation for serving in this capacity. Investment companies, insurance company separate accounts, common and commingled trust funds and similar organizations and entities may continuously invest in a Portfolio.

**Item 26. Calculations of Performance Data.** 

Not applicable.

**Item 27. Financial Statements.** 

The Portfolio's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2025, accompanying notes and the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated by reference into this Part B to the Registration Statement. These audited financial statements are available free of charge upon request by calling the Portfolio at 1-800-625-4554.

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**Appendix A** 

**Proxy Voting Policies** 

Western Asset Management Company, LLC

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

**BACKGROUND** 

An investment adviser is required to adopt and implement policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with fiduciary duties and Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ("Advisers Act"). The authority to vote the proxies of our clients is established through investment management agreements or comparable documents. In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers, long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities have been established for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility for these votes lies with the investment manager.

**POLICY** 

As a fixed income only manager, the occasion to vote proxies is very rare, for instance, in particular when fixed income securities are converted into equity by its terms or in connection with a bankruptcy or corporate workout. However, the Firm has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with our fiduciary duties and Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act. In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers, our proxy voting policies reflect the long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility for these votes lies with the investment manager.

While the guidelines included in the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the Firm's contractual obligations to our clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent the Firm deems appropriate).

In exercising its voting authority, Western Asset will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of Franklin Resources (Franklin Resources includes Franklin Resources, Inc. and organizations operating as Franklin Resources) or any of its affiliates (other than Western Asset affiliated companies) regarding the voting of any securities owned by its clients.

**PROCEDURES** 

**Responsibility and Oversight** 

The Legal and Compliance Group is responsible for administering and overseeing the proxy voting process. The gathering of proxies is coordinated through the Corporate Actions team of the Investment Operations Group ("Corporate Actions"). Research analysts and portfolio managers are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained in these procedures.

**Client Authority** 

The Investment Management Agreement for each client is reviewed at account start-up for proxy voting instructions. If an agreement is silent on proxy voting but contains an overall delegation of discretionary authority or if the account represents assets of an ERISA plan, Western Asset will assume responsibility for proxy voting. The Portfolio Compliance Group maintains a matrix of proxy voting authority.

**Proxy Gathering** 

Registered owners of record, client custodians, client banks and trustees ("Proxy Recipients") that receive proxy materials on behalf of clients should forward them to Corporate Actions. Proxy Recipients for new clients (or, if Western Asset becomes aware that the applicable Proxy Recipient for an existing client has changed, the Proxy Recipient for the existing client) are notified at start-up of appropriate routing to Corporate Actions of proxy materials received and reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. If Western Asset personnel other than Corporate Actions receive proxy materials, they should promptly forward the materials to Corporate Actions.

**Proxy Voting** 

Once proxy materials are received by Corporate Actions, they are forwarded to the Portfolio Compliance Group for coordination and the following actions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a. Proxies are reviewed to determine accounts impacted.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b. Impacted accounts are checked to confirm Western Asset voting authority.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c. Where appropriate, the Regulatory Affairs Group reviews the issues presented to determine any material conflicts of interest. (see Conflicts of Interest section of these procedures for further information on determining material conflicts of interest.)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d. If a material conflict of interest exists, (i) to the extent reasonably practicable and permitted by applicable law, the client is promptly notified, the conflict is disclosed and Western Asset obtains the client's proxy voting instructions, and (ii) to the extent that it is not reasonably practicable or permitted by applicable law to notify the client and obtain such instructions (e.g., the client is a mutual fund or other commingled vehicle or is an ERISA plan client), Western Asset seeks voting instructions from an independent third party

Appendix A-1

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e. The Portfolio Compliance Group provides proxy material to the appropriate research analyst or portfolio manager to obtain their recommended vote. Research analysts and portfolio managers determine votes on a case-by-case basis taking into account the voting guidelines contained in these procedures. For avoidance of doubt, depending on the best interest of each individual client, Western Asset may vote the same proxy differently for different clients. The analyst's or portfolio manager's basis for their decision is documented and maintained by the Portfolio Compliance Group.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;f. Portfolio Compliance Group votes the proxy pursuant to the instructions received in (d) or (e) and returns the voted proxy as indicated in the proxy materials.

**Timing** 

Western Asset's Legal and Compliance Department personnel act in such a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering and proxy voting steps noted above can be completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.

**Recordkeeping** 

Western Asset maintains records of proxies voted pursuant to Rule 204-2 of the Advisers Act and ERISA DOL Bulletin 94-2. These records include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a. A copy of Western Asset's proxy voting policies and procedures.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b. Copies of proxy statements received with respect to securities in client accounts.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d. Each written client request for proxy voting records and Western Asset's written response to both verbal and written client requests.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e. A proxy log including:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issuer name;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Exchange ticker symbol of the issuer's shares to be voted;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures ("CUSIP") number for the shares to be voted;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. A brief identification of the matter voted on;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Whether a vote was cast on the matter;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. A record of how the vote was cast;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuer's management team;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Funds are required to categorize their votes so that investors can focus on the topics they find important. Categories include, for example, votes related to director elections, audit-related, extraordinary transactions, say-on-pay, shareholder rights and defenses, compensation, and the environment or climate, among others; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10. Funds are required to disclose the number of shares voted or instructed to be cast, as well as how securities lending activities impacted their voting i.e. .the number of shares loaned but not recalled and, therefore, not voted by the fund.

Records are maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five (5) years with the first two (2) years in Western Asset's offices.

**Disclosure** 

Western Asset's proxy policies and procedures are described in the Firm's Form ADV Part 2A. Clients are provided with a copy of these policies and procedures upon request. In addition, clients may receive reports on how their proxies have been voted, upon request.

**Conflicts of Interest** 

All proxies that potentially present conflicts of interest are reviewed by the Regulatory Affairs Group for a materiality assessment. Issues to be reviewed include, but are not limited to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Whether Western Asset (or, to the extent required to be considered by applicable law, its affiliates) manages assets for the company or an employee group of the company or otherwise has an interest in the company;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Whether Western Asset or an officer or director of Western Asset or the applicable portfolio manager or analyst responsible for recommending the proxy vote (together, "Voting Persons") is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a proxy contest; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Whether there is any other business or personal relationship where a Voting Person has a personal interest in the outcome of the matter before shareholders.

Appendix A-2

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**Voting Guidelines** 

Western Asset's substantive voting decisions are based on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the designated research analyst or portfolio manager. The examples outlined below are meant as guidelines to aid in the decision-making process.

Situations can arise in which more than one Western Asset client invests in instruments of the same issuer or in which a single client may invest in instruments of the same issuer but in multiple accounts or strategies. Multiple clients or the same client in multiple accounts or strategies may have different investment objectives, investment styles, or investment professionals involved in making decisions. While there may be differences, votes are always cast in the best interests of the client and the investment objectives agreed with Western Asset. As a result, there may be circumstances where Western Asset casts different votes on behalf of different clients or on behalf of the same client with multiple accounts or strategies.

Guidelines are grouped according to the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders. Part I deals with proposals which have been approved and are recommended by a company's board of directors; Part II deals with proposals submitted by shareholders for inclusion in proxy statements; Part III addresses issues relating to voting shares of investment companies; and Part IV addresses unique considerations pertaining to foreign issuers.

**I. Board Approved Proposals** 

The vast majority of matters presented to shareholders for a vote involve proposals made by a company itself that have been approved and recommended by its board of directors. In view of the enhanced corporate governance practices currently being implemented in public companies, Western Asset generally votes in support of decisions reached by independent boards of directors. More specific guidelines related to certain board-approved proposals are as follows:

**1. Matters relating to the Board of Directors** 

Western Asset votes proxies for the election of the company's nominees for directors and for board-approved proposals on other matters relating to the board of directors with the following exceptions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Votes are withheld for the entire board of directors if the board does not have a majority of independent directors or the board does not have nominating, audit and compensation committees composed solely of independent directors.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who is considered an independent director by the company and who has received compensation from the company other than for service as a director.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Votes are withheld for any nominee for director who attends less than 75% of board and committee meetings without valid reasons for absences.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis in contested elections of directors.

**2. Matters relating to Executive Compensation** 

Western Asset generally favors compensation programs that relate executive compensation to a company's long-term performance. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to executive compensation, except as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for stock option plans that will result in a minimal annual dilution.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Western Asset votes against stock option plans or proposals that permit replacing or repricing of underwater options.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Western Asset votes against stock option plans that permit issuance of options with an exercise price below the stock's current market price.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Except where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors, Western Asset votes for employee stock purchase plans that limit the discount for shares purchased under the plan to no more than 15% of their market value, have an offering period of 27 months or less and result in dilution of 10% or less.

**3. Matters relating to Capitalization** 

The Management of a company's capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash flows, financing needs and market conditions that are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals involving changes to a company's capitalization except where Western Asset is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Western Asset votes for proposals relating to the authorization of additional common stock.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Western Asset votes for proposals to effect stock splits (excluding reverse stock splits).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Western Asset votes for proposals authorizing share repurchase programs.

**4. Matters relating to Acquisitions, Mergers, Reorganizations and Other Transactions** 

Western Asset votes these issues on a case-by-case basis on board-approved transactions.

**5. Matters relating to Anti-Takeover Measures** 

Western Asset votes against board-approved proposals to adopt anti-takeover measures except as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or approve shareholder rights plans.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to adopt fair price provisions.

Appendix A-3

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**6. Other Business Matters** 

Western Asset votes for board-approved proposals approving such routine business matters such as changing the company's name, ratifying the appointment of auditors and procedural matters relating to the shareholder meeting.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to amend a company's charter or bylaws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Western Asset votes against authorization to transact other unidentified, substantive business at the meeting.

**7. Reporting of Financially Material Information** 

Western Asset generally believes issuers should disclose information that is material to their business. What qualifies as "material" can vary, so votes are cast on a case-by-case basis but consistent with the overarching principle.

**II. Shareholder Proposals** 

SEC regulations permit shareholders to submit proposals for inclusion in a company's proxy statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect of a company's corporate governance structure or to change some aspect of its business operations. Western Asset votes in accordance with the recommendation of the company's board of directors on all shareholder proposals, except as follows:

1. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals to require shareholder approval of shareholder rights plans.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that are consistent with Western Asset's proxy voting guidelines for board-approved proposals.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on other shareholder proposals where the firm is otherwise withholding votes for the entire board of directors.

Environmental or social issues that are the subject of a proxy vote will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Constructive proposals that seek to advance the health of the issuer and the prospect for risk-adjusted returns to Western Assets clients are viewed more favorably than proposals that advance a single issue or limit the ability of management to meet its operating objectives.

**III. Voting Shares of Investment Companies** 

Western Asset may utilize shares of open or closed-end investment companies to implement its investment strategies. Shareholder votes for investment companies that fall within the categories listed in Parts I and II above are voted in accordance with those guidelines.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to changes in the investment objectives of an investment company taking into account the original intent of the fund and the role the fund plays in the clients' portfolios.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis all proposals that would result in increases in expenses (e.g., proposals to adopt 12b-1 plans, alter investment advisory arrangements or approve fund mergers) taking into account comparable expenses for similar funds and the services to be provided.

**IV. Voting Shares of Foreign Issuers** 

In the event Western Asset is required to vote on securities held in non-U.S. issuers – i.e. issuers that are incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and that are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange or the NASDAQ stock market, the following guidelines are used, which are premised on the existence of a sound corporate governance and disclosure framework. These guidelines, however, may not be appropriate under some circumstances for foreign issuers and therefore apply only where applicable.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals calling for a majority of the directors to be independent of management.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals seeking to increase the independence of board nominating, audit and compensation committees.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Western Asset votes for shareholder proposals that implement corporate governance standards similar to those established under U.S. federal law and the listing requirements of U.S. stock exchanges, and that do not otherwise violate the laws of the jurisdiction under which the company is incorporated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Western Asset votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to (1) the issuance of common stock in excess of 20% of a company's outstanding common stock where shareholders do not have preemptive rights, or (2) the issuance of common stock in excess of 100% of a company's outstanding common stock where shareholders have preemptive rights.

**V. Sustainable Investing Matters** 

Western Asset incorporates sustainable investing considerations, among other relevant risks, as part of the overall investment process. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) research is integrated with the Firm's general research process and led by its sector specialists, who analyze ESG facts in conjunction with traditional metrics. The Firm seeks to identify and consider material risks to the investment thesis, including material risks presented by ESG factors. While Western Asset is primarily a fixed income manager, opportunities to vote proxies are considered on the investment merits of the instruments and strategies involved.

As a general proposition, Western Asset votes to encourage disclosure of information material to their business. This principle extends to ESG matters. What qualifies as "material" can vary, so votes are cast on a case-by-case basis but consistent with the overarching principle. Western Asset recognizes that objective standards and criteria may not be available or universally agreed and that there may be different views and subjective analysis regarding factors and their significance.

Targeted environmental or social issues that are the subject of a proxy vote will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Constructive proposals that seek to advance the health of the issuer and the prospect for risk-adjusted returns to Western Assets clients are viewed more favorably than proposals that advance a single issue or limit the ability of management to meet its operating objectives.

Appendix A-4

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**Retirement Accounts** 

For accounts subject to ERISA, as well as other retirement accounts, Western Asset is presumed to have the responsibility to vote proxies for the client. The Department of Labor has issued a bulletin that states that investment managers have the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of Retirement Accounts unless the authority to vote proxies has been specifically reserved to another named fiduciary. Furthermore, unless Western Asset is expressly precluded from voting the proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility remains with the investment manager.

In order to comply with the Department of Labor's position, Western Asset will be presumed to have the obligation to vote proxies for its retirement accounts unless Western Asset has obtained a specific written instruction indicating that: (a) the right to vote proxies has been reserved to a named fiduciary of the client, and (b) Western Asset is precluded from voting proxies on behalf of the client. If Western Asset does not receive such an instruction, Western Asset will be responsible for voting proxies in the best interests of the retirement account client and in accordance with any proxy voting guidelines provided by the client.

**Disclosure** 

<sup>©</sup> Western Asset Management Company, LLC 2024. This publication is the property of Western Asset and is intended for the sole use of its clients, consultants, and other intended recipients. It should not be forwarded to any other person. Contents herein should be treated as confidential and proprietary information. This material may not be reproduced or used in any form or medium without express written permission. Past results are not indicative of future investment results. This publication is for informational purposes only and reflects the current opinions of Western Asset. Information contained herein is believed to be accurate but cannot be guaranteed. The opinions represented are not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security and are subject to change without notice. Statements in this material should not be considered investment advice. Employees and/or clients of Western Asset may have a position in the securities mentioned. This publication has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, you should consider its appropriateness having regard to your objectives, financial situation, or needs. It is your responsibility to be aware of and observe the applicable laws and regulations of your country of residence.

Appendix A-5

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**Appendix B** 

**Credit Ratings** 

DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS

The ratings of Moody's Investors Service, Inc., S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings represent their opinions as to the quality of various debt obligations. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are not absolute standards of quality. Consequently, debt obligations with the same maturity, coupon and rating may have different yields while debt obligations of the same maturity and coupon with different ratings may have the same yield. As described by the rating agencies, ratings are generally given to securities at the time of issuances. While the rating agencies may from time to time revise such ratings, they undertake no obligation to do so.

**Moody's Investors Service, Inc. Global Rating Scales** 

Credit Ratings are assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales and are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Moody's defines credit risk as the risk that an entity may not meet its contractual financial obligations as they come due and any estimated financial loss in the event of default or impairment. The contractual financial obligations<sup>1</sup> addressed by Moody's ratings are those that call for, without regard to enforceability, the payment of an ascertainable amount, which may vary based upon standard sources of variation (e.g., floating interest rates), by an ascertainable date. Moody's rating addresses the issuer's ability to obtain cash sufficient to service the obligation, and its willingness to pay.<sup>2</sup> Moody's ratings do not address non-standard sources of variation in the amount of the principal obligation (e.g., equity indexed), absent an express statement to the contrary in a press release accompanying an initial rating.<sup>3</sup> Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.<sup>4, 5</sup><sup>, 6</sup> Moody's issues ratings at the issuer level and instrument level on both the long-term scale and the short-term scale. Typically, ratings are made publicly available although private and unpublished ratings may also be assigned.<sup>7</sup>

Moody's differentiates structured finance ratings from fundamental ratings (i.e., ratings on nonfinancial corporate, financial institution, and public sector entities) on the global long-term scale by adding (sf) to all structured finance ratings.<sup>8</sup> The addition of (sf) to structured finance ratings should eliminate any presumption that such ratings and fundamental ratings at the same letter grade level will behave the same.

1 In the case of impairments, there can be a financial loss even when contractual obligations are met.

2 In some cases the relevant credit risk relates to a third party, in addition to, or instead of the issuer. Examples include credit-linked notes and guaranteed obligations.

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|:---|:---|
| 3 | Because the number of possible features or structures is limited only by the creativity of issuers, Moody's cannot comprehensively catalogue all the types of non-standard variation affecting financial obligations, but examples include equity indexed principal values and cash flows, prepayment penalties, and an obligation to pay an amount that is not ascertainable at the inception of the transaction.  |

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4 For certain preferred stock and hybrid securities in which payment default events are either not defined or do not match investors' expectations for timely payment, long-term and short-term ratings reflect the likelihood of impairment and financial loss in the event of impairment.

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|:---|:---|
| 5 | Debts held on the balance sheets of official sector institutions – which include supranational institutions, central banks and certain government-owned or controlled banks – may not always be treated the same as debts held by private investors and lenders. When it is known that an obligation is held by official sector institutions as well as other investors, a rating (short-term or long-term) assigned to that obligation reflects only the credit risks faced by non-official sector investors.  |

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6 Where grace periods are disproportionately long relative to the stated maturity, Moody's may choose not to rate the Instrument. This is particularly relevant in the commercial paper market where maturities may be 30 days or less with strong investor expectation of prompt payment.

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|:---|:---|
| 7 | For information on how to obtain a Moody's credit rating, including private and unpublished credit ratings, please see <u>Moody's Investors Service Products</u>. Please note that Moody's always reserves the right to choose not to assign or maintain a credit rating for its own business reasons.  |

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|:---|:---|
| 8 | Like other global scale ratings, (sf) ratings reflect both the likelihood of a default and the expected loss suffered in the event of default. Ratings are assigned based on a rating committee's assessment of a security's expected loss rate (default probability multiplied by expected loss severity), and may be subject to the constraint that the final expected loss rating assigned would not be more than a certain number of notches, typically three to five notches, above the rating that would be assigned based on an assessment of default probability alone. The magnitude of this constraint may vary with the level of the rating, the seasoning of the transaction, and the uncertainty around the assessments of expected loss and probability of default.  |

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The (sf) indicator for structured finance security ratings indicates that otherwise similarly rated structured finance and fundamental securities may have different risk characteristics. Through its current methodologies, however, Moody's aspires to achieve broad expected equivalence in structured finance and fundamental rating performance when measured over a long period of time.

**Description of Moody's Investors Service, Inc.'s Global Long-Term Ratings:** 

**Aaa**—Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.

Appendix B-1

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**Aa**—Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A**—Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa**—Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba**—Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B**—Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa**—Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca**—Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C**—Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

***Note:*** *Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category. Additionally, a "(hyb)" indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.<sup>\*</sup>* 

\* *By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.* 

**Description of Moody's Investors Service, Inc.'s Global Short-Term Ratings:** 

**P-1**—Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2**—Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3**—Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP**—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's Investors Service, Inc.'s US Municipal Ratings:** 

*US Municipal Short-Term Debt and Demand Obligation Ratings:* 

Moody's uses the global short-term Prime rating scale for commercial paper issued by US municipalities and nonprofits. These commercial paper programs may be backed by external letters of credit or liquidity facilities, or by an issuer's self-liquidity.

For other short-term municipal obligations, Moody's uses one of two other short-term rating scales, the Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and Variable Municipal Investment Grade (VMIG) scales discussed below.

*MIG Ratings:* 

Moody's uses the MIG scale for US municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

**MIG 1**—This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2**—This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3**—This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG**—This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

*VMIG Ratings:* 

For variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade.

Appendix B-2

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For VRDOs, Moody's typically assigns a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned and it is denoted as "NR". Industrial development bonds in the US where the obligor is a corporate may carry a VMIG rating that reflects Moody's view of the relative likelihood of default and loss. In these cases, liquidity assessment is based on the liquidity of the corporate obligor.

**VMIG 1**—This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2**—This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3**—This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG**—This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of Moody's Investors Service, Inc.'s National Scale Long-Term Ratings:** 

Moody's long-term National Scale Ratings (NSRs) are opinions of the relative creditworthiness of issuers and financial obligations within a particular country. NSRs are not designed to be compared among countries; rather, they address relative credit risk within a given country. Moody's assigns national scale ratings in certain local capital markets in which investors have found the global rating scale provides inadequate differentiation among credits or is inconsistent with a rating scale already in common use in the country.

In each specific country, the last two characters of the rating indicate the country in which the issuer is located or the financial obligation was issued (e.g., Aaa.ke for Kenya).

**Long-Term NSR Scale** 

**Aaa.n** Issuers or issues rated Aaa.n demonstrate the strongest creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

**Aa.n** Issuers or issues rated Aa.n demonstrate very strong creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

**A.n** Issuers or issues rated A.n demonstrate above-average creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

**Baa.n** Issuers or issues rated Baa.n demonstrate average creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

**Ba.n** Issuers or issues rated Ba.n demonstrate below-average creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

**B.n** Issuers or issues rated B.n demonstrate weak creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

**Caa.n** Issuers or issues rated Caa.n demonstrate very weak creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

**Ca.n** Issuers or issues rated Ca.n demonstrate extremely weak creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

**C.n** Issuers or issues rated C.n demonstrate the weakest creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers and issuances.

*Note: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.* 

Appendix B-3

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**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings:** 

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

• The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on
an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

• The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

• The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy,
reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

**AAA**—An obligation rated "AAA" has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA**—An obligation rated "AA" differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments 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 commitments 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 weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB, B, CCC, CC, and C**—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 exposure 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 that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B**—An obligation rated "B" is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated "BB", but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments 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 commitments 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 commitments on the obligation.

**CC**—An obligation rated "CC" is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

The "CC" rating is used when a default has not yet occurred but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C**—An obligation rated "C" is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

**D**—An obligation rated "D" is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the "D" rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within the next five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or the next 30 calendar days. The "D" rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to "D" if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

Ratings from "AA" to "CCC" may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings:** 

**A-1**—A short-term obligation rated "A-1" is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

Appendix B-4

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**A-2**—A short-term obligation rated "A-2" is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3**—A short-term obligation rated "A-3" exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B**—A short-term obligation rated "B" is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C**—A short-term obligation rated "C" is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D**—A short-term obligation rated "D" is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the "D" rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period.

However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The "D" rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to "D" if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings:** 

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

• Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will
be treated as a note; and

• Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it
will be treated as a note.

**SP-1**—Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2**—Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3**—Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D—"D"** is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings** 

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|:---|:---|
| **AAA** | An obligor rated "AAA" has extremely strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. "AAA" is the highest issuer credit rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings.  |

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|:---|:---|
| **AA** | An obligor rated "AA" has very strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. It differs from the highest-rated obligors only to a small degree.  |

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|:---|:---|
| **A** | An obligor rated "A" has strong capacity to meet its financial commitments but is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligors in higher-rated categories.  |

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|:---|:---|
| **BBB** | An obligor rated "BBB" has adequate capacity to meet its financial commitments. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments.  |

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**BB, B, CCC, and CC** Obligors rated "BB", "B", "CCC", and "CC" are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. "BB" indicates the least degree of speculation and "CC" the highest. While such obligors will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

Appendix B-5

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|:---|:---|
| **BB** | An obligor rated "BB" is less vulnerable in the near term than other lower-rated obligors. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties and exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.  |

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|:---|:---|
| **B** | An obligor rated "B" is more vulnerable than the obligors rated "BB", but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments.  |

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**CCC** An obligor rated "CCC" is currently vulnerable and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions to meet its financial commitments. 

**CC** An obligor rated "CC" is currently highly vulnerable. The "CC" rating is used when a default has not yet occurred but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default. 

**SD and D** An obligor is rated "SD" (selective default) or "D" if S&P Global Ratings considers there to be a default on one or more of its financial obligations, whether long- or short-term, including rated and unrated obligations but excluding hybrid instruments classified as regulatory capital or in nonpayment according to terms. A "D" rating is assigned when S&P Global Ratings believes that the default will be a general default and that the obligor will fail to pay all or substantially all of its obligations as they come due. An "SD" rating is assigned when S&P Global Ratings believes that the obligor has selectively defaulted on a specific issue or class of obligations but it will continue to meet its payment obligations on other issues or classes of obligations in a timely manner. A rating on an obligor is lowered to "D" or "SD" if it is conducting a distressed debt restructuring.

Ratings from "AA" to "CCC" may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issuer Credit Ratings** 

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|:---|:---|
| **A-1** | An obligor rated "A-1" has strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. It is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. Within this category, certain obligors are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments is extremely strong.  |

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|:---|:---|
| **A-2** | An obligor rated "A-2" has satisfactory capacity to meet its financial commitments. However, it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligors in the highest rating category.  |

---

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **A-3** | An obligor rated "A-3" has adequate capacity to meet its financial obligations. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments.  |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **B** | An obligor rated "B" is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.  |

---

**C** An obligor rated "C" is currently vulnerable to nonpayment that would result in an "SD" or "D" issuer rating and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions to meet its financial commitments. 

**SD and D** An obligor is rated "SD" (selective default) or "D" if S&P Global Ratings considers there to be a default on one or more of its financial obligations, whether long- or short-term, including rated and unrated obligations but excluding hybrid instruments classified as regulatory capital or in nonpayment according to terms. A "D" rating is assigned when S&P Global Ratings believes that the default will be a general default and that the obligor will fail to pay all or substantially all of its obligations as they come due. An "SD" rating is assigned when S&P Global Ratings believes that the obligor has selectively defaulted on a specific issue or class of obligations but it will continue to meet its payment obligations on other issues or classes of obligations in a timely manner. A rating on an obligor is lowered to "D" or "SD" if it is conducting a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Dual Ratings:** 

Dual ratings may be assigned to debt issues that have a put option or demand feature. The first component of the rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second component of the rating addresses only the demand feature. The first component of the rating can relate to either a short-term or long-term transaction and accordingly use either short-term or long-term rating symbols. The second component of the rating relates to the put option and is assigned a short-term rating symbol (for example, "AAA/A-1+" or "A-1+/A-1"). With U.S. municipal short-term demand debt, the U.S. municipal short-term note rating symbols are used for the first component of the rating (for example, "SP-1+/A-1+").

Appendix B-6

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**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Active Qualifiers:** 

S&P Global Ratings uses the following qualifiers that limit the scope of a rating. The structure of the transaction can require the use of a qualifier such as a "p" qualifier, which indicates the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. A qualifier appears as a suffix and is part of the rating.

**Federal deposit insurance limit:** "L" qualifier. Ratings qualified with "L" apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.

**Principal:** "p" qualifier. This suffix is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms, or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The "p" suffix indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only and that the interest is not rated.

**Preliminary ratings:** "prelim" qualifier. Preliminary ratings, with the "prelim" suffix, may be assigned to obligors or obligations, including financial programs, in the circumstances described below. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt by S&P Global Ratings of appropriate documentation. S&P Global Ratings reserves the right not to issue a final rating. Moreover, if a final rating is issued, it may differ from the preliminary rating.

• Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues, pending
receipt of final documentation and legal opinions.

• Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations that will likely be issued upon the obligor's emergence
from bankruptcy or similar reorganization, based on late-stage reorganization plans, documentation, and discussions with the obligor. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligors. These ratings consider the anticipated general credit
quality of the reorganized or post-bankruptcy issuer as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s).

• Preliminary ratings may be assigned to entities that are being formed or that are in the process of being
independently established when, in S&P Global Ratings' opinion, documentation is close to final. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligations of these entities.

• Preliminary ratings may be assigned when a previously unrated entity is undergoing a well-formulated
restructuring, recapitalization, significant financing, or other transformative event, generally at the point that investor or lender commitments are invited. The preliminary rating may be assigned to the entity and to its proposed obligation(s).
These preliminary ratings consider the anticipated general credit quality of the obligor, as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s), assuming successful completion of the transformative event. Should the transformative event not occur,
S&P Global Ratings would likely withdraw these preliminary ratings.

• A preliminary recovery rating may be assigned to an obligation that has a preliminary issue credit rating.

**Termination structures:** "t" qualifier. This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date.

**Counterparty instrument rating:** "cir" qualifier. This symbol indicates a counterparty instrument rating (CIR), which is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an issuer in a securitization structure with respect to a specific financial obligation to a counterparty (including interest rate swaps, currency swaps, and liquidity facilities). The CIR is determined on an ultimate payment basis; these opinions do not take into account timeliness of payment.

**Description of Fitch Ratings' Corporate Finance Obligations:** 

Ratings of individual securities or financial obligations of a corporate issuer address relative vulnerability to default on an ordinal scale. In addition, for financial obligations in corporate finance, a measure of recovery given default on that liability is also included in the rating assessment. This notably applies to covered bonds ratings, which incorporate both an indication of the probability of default and of the recovery given a default of this debt instrument. On the contrary, ratings of debtor-in-possession (DIP) obligations incorporate the expectation of full repayment.

The relationship between the issuer scale and obligation scale assumes a generic historical average recovery. Individual obligations can be assigned ratings higher, lower, or the same as that entity's issuer rating or Issuer Default Rating (IDR), based on their relative ranking, relative vulnerability to default or based on explicit Recovery Ratings.

As a result, individual obligations of entities, such as corporations, are assigned ratings higher, lower, or the same as that entity's issuer rating or IDR, except DIP obligation ratings that are not based off an IDR and senior tranches of Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates, for which IDRs are secondary dependencies, as Fitch focuses primarily on structure, collateral and legal protection.

At the lower end of the ratings scale, Fitch publishes explicit Recovery Ratings in many cases to complement issuer and obligation ratings.

Appendix B-7

------

**AAA:** Highest Credit Quality. "AAA" ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA:** Very High Credit Quality. "AA" ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A:** High Credit Quality. "A" ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB:** Good Credit Quality. "BBB" ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB:** Speculative. "BB" ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

**B:** Highly Speculative. "B" ratings indicate that material credit risk is present.

**CCC:** Substantial Credit Risk. "CCC" ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present.

**CC:** Very High Levels of Credit Risk. "CC" ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk.

**C:** Exceptionally High Levels of Credit Risk. "C" indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

The ratings of corporate finance obligations are linked to IDRs (or sometimes Viability Ratings for banks and non-bank financial institutions) by i) recovery expectations, including as often indicated by Recovery Ratings assigned in the case of low speculative grade issuers and ii) for banks and non-bank financial institutions an assessment of nonperformance risk relative to the risk captured in the IDR or Viability Ratings (e.g. in respect of certain hybrid securities).

For performing obligations, the obligation rating represents the risk of default including the effect of expected recoveries on the credit risk should a default occur.

If the obligation rating is higher than the rating of the issuer, this indicates above average recovery expectations in the event of default. If the obligations rating is lower than the rating of the issuer, this indicates low expected recoveries should default occur.

Ratings in the categories of "CCC", "CC" and "C" can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

**Description of Fitch Ratings' Issuer Default Ratings:** 

Rated entities in several sectors, including financial and non-financial corporations, sovereigns, insurance companies and some sectors within public finance, are generally assigned IDRs. IDRs are also assigned to certain entities or enterprises in global infrastructure, project finance and public finance. IDRs opine on an entity's relative vulnerability to default – including by way of a distressed debt exchange (DDE) – on financial obligations. The threshold default risk addressed by the IDR is generally that of the financial obligations whose non-payment would best reflect the uncured failure of that entity. As such, IDRs also address relative vulnerability to bankruptcy, administrative receivership or similar concepts.

In aggregate, IDRs provide an ordinal ranking of issuers based on the agency's view of their relative vulnerability to default, rather than a prediction of a specific percentage likelihood of default.

**AAA:** Highest Credit Quality. "AAA" ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA:** Very High Credit Quality. "AA" ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A:** High Credit Quality. "A" ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB:** Good Credit Quality. "BBB" ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

Appendix B-8

------

**BB:** Speculative. "BB" ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B:** Highly Speculative. "B" ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC:** Substantial Credit Risk. Very low margin for safety. Default is a real possibility.

**CC:** Very High Levels of Credit Risk. Default of some kind appears probable.

**C:** Near Default. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired. Conditions that are indicative of a "C" category rating for an issuer include:

• The issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial obligation;

• The formal announcement by the issuer or their agent of a distressed debt exchange; and

• A closed financing vehicle where payment capacity is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay
interest and/or principal in full during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default is imminent

**RD:** Restricted Default. "RD" ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch's opinion has experienced:

• An uncured payment default or distressed debt exchange on a bond, loan or other material financial obligation,
but

• Has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation, or other formal winding-up
procedure, and

• Has not otherwise ceased operating.

This would include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The uncured expiry of any applicable original grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a
payment default on a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation;

**D:** Default. "D" ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch's opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure or that has otherwise ceased business and debt is still outstanding.

Default ratings are not assigned prospectively to entities or their obligations; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will generally not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period, unless a default is otherwise driven by bankruptcy or other similar circumstance, or by a distressed debt exchange.

In all cases, the assignment of a default rating reflects the agency's opinion as to the most appropriate rating category consistent with the rest of its universe of ratings and may differ from the definition of default under the terms of an issuer's financial obligations or local commercial practice.

**Description of Fitch Ratings' Structured Finance Long-Term Obligation Ratings:** 

Ratings of structured finance obligations on the long-term scale consider the obligations' relative vulnerability to default. These ratings are typically assigned to an individual security or tranche in a transaction and not to an issuer.

**AAA:** Highest Credit Quality. "AAA" ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA:** Very High Credit Quality. "AA" ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A:** High Credit Quality. "A" ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB: Good Credit Quality.** 

"BBB" ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

Appendix B-9

------

**BB: Speculative.** 

"BB" ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time.

**B:** Highly Speculative. "B" ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC: Substantial Credit Risk.** 

Very low margin for safety. Default is a real possibility.

**CC: Very High Levels of Credit Risk.** 

Default of some kind appears probable.

**C: Exceptionally High Levels of Credit Risk.** 

Default appears imminent or inevitable.

**D: Default.** 

Indicates a default. Default generally is defined as one of the following:

• Failure to make payment of principal and/or interest under the contractual terms of the rated obligation;

• Bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other winding-up or cessation of the business of
an issuer/obligor; or

• Distressed exchange of an obligation, where creditors were offered securities with diminished structural or
economic terms compared with the existing obligation to avoid a probable payment default.

**Description of Fitch Ratings' Country Ceilings Ratings:** 

Country Ceilings are expressed using the symbols of the long-term issuer primary credit rating scale and relate to sovereign jurisdictions also rated by Fitch on the IDR scale. They reflect the agency's judgment regarding the risk of capital and exchange controls being imposed by the sovereign authorities that would prevent or materially impede the private sector's ability to convert local currency into foreign currency and transfer to non-resident creditors — transfer and convertibility (T&C) risk. They are not ratings but expressions of a cap for the foreign currency issuer ratings of most, but not all, issuers in a given country. Intervention through capital or currency controls where an issuer is prevented comprehensively by its own government from paying out on cross-border bonds, held by investors both inside and outside its borders, would typically lead to a T&C default.

**Description of Fitch Ratings' Sovereigns, Public Finance and Global Infrastructure Obligations:** 

Ratings of public finance obligations, infrastructure and project finance obligations on the long-term scale, structured finance and fund finance obligations only consider the obligations' relative vulnerability to default.

In limited cases in U.S. public finance, where Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code provides reliably superior prospects for ultimate recovery to local government obligations that benefit from a statutory lien on revenues, Fitch reflects this in a security rating with limited notching above the IDR. Recovery expectations can also be reflected in a security rating in the U.S. during the pendency of a bankruptcy proceeding under the Code if there is sufficient visibility on potential recovery prospects.

Recovery Ratings are only assigned to infrastructure and project finance obligations, to indicate likely recovery prospects upon request. They are assessed in parallel to instrument ratings and typically do not influence the obligation rating, which remains premised on vulnerability to default.

**AAA:** Highest Credit Quality. "AAA" ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA:** Very High Credit Quality. "AA" ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A:** High Credit Quality. "A" ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

Appendix B-10

------

**BBB:** Good Credit Quality. "BBB" ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB:** Speculative. "BB" ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time.

**B:** Highly Speculative. "B" ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC:** Substantial Credit Risk. Very low margin for safety. Default is a real possibility.

**CC:** Very High Levels of Credit Risk. Default of some kind appears probable.

**C:** Exceptionally High Levels of Credit Risk. Default appears imminent or inevitable.

**D:** Default. Indicates a default. Default generally is defined as one of the following:

• Failure to make payment of principal and/or interest under the contractual terms of the rated obligation;

• Bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other winding-up or cessation of the business of
an issuer/obligor where payment default on an obligation is a virtual certainty; or

• Distressed exchange of an obligation, where creditors were offered securities with diminished structural or
economic terms compared with the existing obligation to avoid a probable payment default.

*Notes: In U.S. public finance, obligations may be pre-refunded, where funds sufficient to meet the requirements of the respective obligations are placed in an escrow account. When obligation ratings are maintained based on the escrowed funds and their structural elements, the ratings carry the suffix "pre" (e.g. "AAApre", "AA+pre").* 

**Structured Finance Defaults** 

Imminent default, categorized under "C", typically refers to the occasion where a payment default has been intimated by the issuer and is all but inevitable. This may, for example, be where an issuer has missed a scheduled payment but (as is typical) has a grace period during which it may cure the payment default. Another alternative would be where an issuer has formally announced a distressed debt exchange, but the date of the exchange still lies several days or weeks in the immediate future.

Additionally, in structured finance transactions, where analysis indicates that an instrument is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full in accordance with the terms of the obligation's documentation during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default in accordance with the terms of the documentation is imminent, the obligation will typically be rated in the "C" category.

**Structured Finance Write-downs** 

Where an instrument has experienced an involuntary and, in the agency's opinion, irreversible write-down of principal (i.e. other than through amortization, and resulting in a loss to the investor), a credit rating of "D" will be assigned to the instrument. Where the agency believes the write-down may prove to be temporary (and the loss may be written up again in future if and when performance improves), then a credit rating of "C" will typically be assigned. Should the write-down then later be reversed, the credit rating will be raised to an appropriate level for that instrument. Should the write-down later be deemed as irreversible, the credit rating will be lowered to "D".

***Notes:***

*In the case of structured finance, while the ratings do not address the loss severity given default of the rated liability, loss severity assumptions on the underlying assets are nonetheless typically included as part of the analysis. Loss severity assumptions are used to derive pool cash flows available to service the rated liability.* 

The suffix "sf" denotes an issue that is a structured finance transaction.

**Description of Fitch Ratings' Short-Term Ratings Assigned to Issuers and Obligations:** 

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention (a long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity). Typically, this means a timeframe of up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Appendix B-11

------

**F1:** Highest Short-Term Credit Quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added "+" to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

**F2:** Good Short-Term Credit Quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

**F3:** Fair Short-Term Credit Quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

**B:** Speculative Short-Term Credit Quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

**C:** High Short-Term Default Risk. Default is a real possibility.

**RD:** Restricted Default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.

**D:** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

Appendix B-12

------

**PART C** 

**OTHER INFORMATION** 

**Item 28. Exhibits** 

(a) [(1) The Registrant's Declaration of Trust dated October 2, 2006 as amended and restated as of August 18, 2011 (the "Declaration of Trust"), is incorporated herein by reference to Amendment No. 30 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on September 28, 2011.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312511258865/d236650dex99a1.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(2) Amended and Restated Designation of Series of Beneficial Interests in the Registrant, effective as of August 6, 2021, is incorporated herein by reference to Amendment No. 66 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A as filed with the SEC on December 29, 2021 ("Post-Effective Amendment No. 66").](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312521368659/d270129dex99a2.htm)

(b) [The Registrant's Bylaws, as amended and restated as of April 14, 2020, are incorporated herein by reference to Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A as filed with the SEC on December 29, 2020 ("Post-Effective Amendment No. 65").](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99b1.htm)

(c) Not Applicable.

(d) [(1) Management Agreement between the Registrant and Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC ("FTFA") (formerly known as Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC), as manager with respect to Liquid Reserves Portfolio dated July 31, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99d1.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(2) Management Agreement between the Registrant and FTFA, as manager with respect to U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio dated July 31, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99d2.htm).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(3) Management Agreement between the Registrant and FTFA, as manager with respect to Government Portfolio dated July 31, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99d4.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(4) Management Agreement between the Registrant and FTFA, as manager with respect to U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio dated July 31, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99d5.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(5) Subadvisory Agreement between FTFA and Western Asset Management Company, LLC ("WAM") with respect to Liquid Reserves Portfolio dated July 31, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99d6.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(6) Subadvisory Agreement between FTFA and WAM with respect to U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio dated July 31, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99d7.htm).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(7) Subadvisory Agreement between FTFA and WAM with respect to Government Portfolio dated July 31, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99d9.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(8) Subadvisory Agreement between FTFA and WAM with respect to U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio dated July 31, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99d10.htm)

(e) [Placement Agency Agreement by and between the Registrant and Franklin Distributors, LLC (formerly known as Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC), dated July 31, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312520328450/d27632dex99e1.htm)

(f) Not Applicable.

(g) [(1) Custodian Services Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon, as custodian dated as of January 1, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference to Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A as filed with the SEC on November 30, 2018 ("Post-Effective Amendment No. 60").](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312518339479/d662594dex99g1.htm)

------

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(2) Amendment to Custodian Services Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon, dated as of March 1, 2022, is incorporated herein by reference to Amendment No. 69 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A as filed with the SEC on January 2, 2025 ("Post-Effective Amendment No.69")](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312525000108/d898098dex99g2.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(3) Fund Accounting Services Agreement between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon dated as of January 1, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312518339479/d662594dex99g2.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(4) Amendment to Fund Accounting Services Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon, dated as of March 1, 2022, is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312525000108/d898098dex99g4.htm)

(h) Not applicable.

(i) Not applicable.

(j) Not Applicable.

(k) Not Applicable.

(l) Not Applicable.

(m) Not Applicable.

(n) Not Applicable.

(o) [(1) Power of Attorney, dated January 3, 2025, is filed herewith.](d57159dex99o1.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(2) Power of Attorney, dated January 3, 2025, is filed herewith.](d57159dex99o2.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(3) Power of Attorney, dated January 3, 2025, is filed herewith.](d57159dex99o3.htm)

(p) [(1) Franklin Distributors, LLC Broker-Dealer Personal Trading Policy is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 66.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312521368659/d270129dex99p1.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(2) Code of Ethics of WAM dated December 1, 2022, is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 68.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312523305268/d416463dex99p2.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(3) Code of Ethics of the Independent Trustees of the Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 66.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312521368659/d270129dex99p3.htm)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[(4) Franklin Templeton Personal Investments and Insider Trading Policy, dated March 4, 2024, is incorporated by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1140869/000119312525000108/d898098dex99p4.htm).

**Item 29. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with the Registrant** 

None

**Item 30. Indemnification** 

Article IX of the Registrant's Declaration of Trust addresses the limitation of liability and indemnification of the Registrant's Trustees, officers and others. Section 9.2(a) of the Declaration of Trust provides that no current or former Trustee, officer, or employee of the Registrant will be subject to any personal liability whatsoever to any person, other than the Registrant or its shareholders, in connection with the affairs of the Registrant. Further, Section 9.2(b) of the Declaration of Trust provides that, subject to applicable federal law, no current or former Trustee or officer of the Registrant will be liable to the Registrant or to any shareholder for money damages except:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to the extent that it is proved that the person actually received an improper benefit or profit in money,
property, or services, or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the person is entered in a proceeding based
on a finding in the proceeding that the person's action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding.

------

Section 9.5 of the Declaration of Trust requires that, subject to certain exceptions and limitations expressed in the Declaration of Trust, each current and former Trustee, officer, or employee of the Registrant, including persons who serve at the request of the Registrant as directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents or independent contractors of another organization in which the Registrant has an interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise (each, a "Covered Person"), be indemnified by the Registrant to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being (or having served) in such position and against amounts paid or incurred by him in settlement thereof. Section 9.5 of the Declaration of Trust further provides that no indemnification shall be provided to the extent such indemnification is prohibited by applicable federal law. The Declaration of Trust also sets forth provisions outlining presumptions that may be made relating to a person's standard of conduct and when expenses may be advanced.

In addition to the foregoing, the Registrant has entered into an Indemnification Agreement with each of its Trustees that provides for indemnification consistent with the principles described above. These Indemnification Agreements set forth certain procedural aspects with respect to indemnification, including the advancement of expenses, and presumptions relating to the determination of whether the standard of conduct required for indemnification has been met, as well as remedies for the indemnitee in the event that, among other things, determinations as to entitlement to indemnification, advancement of expenses and indemnity payments are not made in accordance with the procedures specified therein.

The Trustees and officers of the Registrant and the personnel of the Registrant's manager are insured under an errors and omissions liability insurance policy. The Registrant and its officers are also insured under the fidelity bond required by Rule 17g-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Under the Placement Agency Agreement, the Registrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Franklin Distributors, LLC ("Franklin Distributors") (formerly known as Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC), its officers, directors and employees and any person who controls Franklin Distributors within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, free and harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which Franklin Distributors, its officers, directors and employees or any such controlling person may incur, under the 1933 Act or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon any alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement or arising out of or based upon any alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the Registration Statement not misleading, provided that in no event shall anything contained in the Placement Agency Agreement be construed so as to protect Franklin Distributors or such other parties against any liability to the Registrant or its shareholders to which Franklin Distributors or such other parties would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of their duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of their obligations and duties under the Placement Agency Agreement.

The Registrant's Management Agreements and Subadvisory Agreements provide that the manager or subadvisor, as applicable, assumes no responsibility under the Agreements other than to render the services called for under the Agreements in good faith. The Management Agreements and Subadvisory Agreements further provide that the manager or the subadvisor, as applicable, shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law, or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of securities transactions for the Portfolio, provided that nothing in the Agreements protect with the manager or the subadvisor, as applicable, against any liability to the Portfolio to which the manager or subadvisor, as applicable, would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Agreements.

**Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisers** 

Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC ("FTFA")

FTFA is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. ("Resources") and is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"). During the last two fiscal years, the directors and officers of FTFA have not been engaged in any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature other than as directors or officers of Resources, other Resources subsidiaries and/or other Resources affiliated investment companies. The names and titles of the officers and directors of FTFA are listed in Schedules A and D of Form ADV filed by FTFA pursuant to the Advisers Act, the text of which Schedules are incorporated herein by reference (SEC File No. 801-66785). FTFA is located at One Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010.

Western Asset Management Company, LLC ("Western Asset")

Western Asset is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Resources and is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. During the last two fiscal years, the directors and officers of Western Asset have not been engaged in any business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature other than as directors or officers of Resources, other Resources subsidiaries and/or other Resources affiliated investment companies. The names and titles of the officers and directors of Western Asset are listed in Schedules A and D of Form ADV filed by Western Asset pursuant to the Advisers Act, the text of which Schedules are incorporated herein by reference (SEC File No. 801-8162). Western Asset is located at 385 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101.

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**Item 32. Principal Underwriters** 

(a) Franklin Distributors, LLC ("Franklin Distributors") (formerly known as Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC), the placement agent of the Registrant, is also a distributor of funds that are series of the following registrants:

Franklin Alternative Strategies Funds

Franklin California Tax-Free Income Fund

Franklin California Tax-Free Trust

Franklin Custodian Funds

Franklin ETF Trust

Franklin Federal Tax-Free Income Fund

Franklin Fund Allocator Series

Franklin Global Trust

Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund

Franklin High Income Trust

Franklin Investors Securities Trust

Franklin Managed Trust

Franklin Municipal Securities Trust

Franklin Mutual Series Funds

Franklin New York Tax-Free Income Fund

Franklin New York Tax-Free Trust

Franklin Real Estate Securities Trust

Franklin Strategic Series

Franklin Tax-Free Trust

Franklin Templeton ETF Trust

Franklin Templeton Trust

Franklin Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust

Franklin U.S. Government Money Fund

Franklin Value Investors Trust

Institutional Fiduciary Trust

Templeton Developing Markets Trust

Templeton Funds

Templeton Global Investment Trust

Templeton Global Smaller Companies Fund

Templeton Growth Fund, Inc.

Templeton Income Trust

Templeton Institutional Funds

George Putnam Balanced Fund

Putnam Asset Allocation Funds

Putnam California Tax Exempt Income Fund

Putnam Convertible Securities Fund

Putnam Diversified Income Trust

Putnam ETF Trust

Putnam Focused International Equity Fund

Putnam Funds Trust

Putnam Global Health Care Fund

Putnam Global Income Trust

Putnam High Yield Fund

Putnam Income Fund

Putnam International Equity Fund

Putnam Investment Funds

Putnam Large Cap Value Fund

Putnam Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund

Putnam Minnesota Tax Exempt Income Fund

Putnam Money Market Fund

Putnam Mortgage Securities Fund

Putnam New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund

Putnam New York Tax Exempt Income Fund

Putnam Ohio Tax Exempt Income Fund

Putnam Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income Fund

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Putnam Sustainable Leaders Fund

Putnam Target Date Funds

Putnam Tax Exempt Income Fund

Putnam Tax-Free Income Trust

Putnam Variable Trust

Legg Mason ETF Investment Trust

Legg Mason Global Asset Management Trust

Legg Mason Partners Income Trust

Legg Mason Partners Institutional Trust

Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust

Legg Mason Partners Money Market Trust

Legg Mason Partners Variable Equity Trust

Legg Mason Partners Variable Income Trust

Western Asset Funds, Inc.

Franklin Distributors is the placement agent for funds that are series of Master Portfolio Trust.

(b) The information required by this Item 32 with respect to each director and officer of Franklin Distributors is listed below:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| NAME AND PRINCIPAL <br>BUSINESS ADDRESS | POSITION AND OFFICES <br>WITH UNDERWRITER – FRANKLIN DISTRIBUTORS | POSITIONS AND OFFICES <br>WITH REGISTRANT |
| Daniel Ernesto Gamba<br>One Madison Avenue<br>New York, NY 10010 | Chief Executive Officer |  |
| Jeffrey Masom<br>1201 Wills Street<br>Baltimore, MD 21231 | President |  |
| Kenneth Cieprisz<br>One Madison Avenue<br>New York, NY 10010 | Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer |  |
| David Paterson<br>One Franklin Parkway<br>San Mateo, CA 94403 | Chief Financial Officer and Designated Financial Principal |  |

---

(c) Not applicable.

**Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records** 

With respect to the Registrant:

Master Portfolio Trust

One Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10010

------

With respect to the Registrant's Investment Advisers:

Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC

One Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10010

Western Asset Management Company, LLC

385 East Colorado Boulevard

Pasadena, CA 91101

With respect to the Registrant's Custodian:

The Bank of New York Mellon

240 Greenwich Street

New York, NY 10286

With respect to the Registrant's Placement Agent:

Franklin Distributors, LLC

One Franklin Parkway

San Mateo, CA 94403-1906

**Item 34. Management Services** 

Not Applicable

**Item 35. Undertakings** 

Not Applicable

------

**SIGNATURES** 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant, MASTER PORTFOLIO TRUST, has duly caused this Amendment to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Baltimore, State of Maryland on this 2nd day of January, 2026.

**MASTER PORTFOLIO TRUST,** on behalf of its series:

**Liquid Reserves Portfolio** 

**Government Portfolio** 

**U.S. Treasury Reserves Portfolio** 

**U.S. Treasury Obligations Portfolio** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Jane E. Trust |
|  | Jane E. Trust |
|  | President and Chief Executive Officer |

---

------

**Exhibit Index** 

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| (o)(1) | [Power of Attorney, dated January 3, 2025](d57159dex99o1.htm) |
| (o)(2) | [Power of Attorney, dated January 3, 2025](d57159dex99o2.htm) |
| (o)(3) | [Power of Attorney, dated January 3, 2025](d57159dex99o3.htm) |

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## Ex-99.(O)(1)

**Exhibit (o)(1)** 

**<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u>**

Each of the undersigned Directors/Trustees (each, a "Principal," and collectively, the "Principals") hereby severally from each other constitutes and appoints each of Jane E. Trust, Christopher Berarducci, Marc A. De Oliveira, Jeanne M. Kelly, Thomas C. Mandia, Rosemary D. Emmens, Tara E. Gormel and Bryan Sutherland (each, an "Agent" and collectively, the "Agents"), as his or her true and lawful representative and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority of substitution and resubstitution, to do separately or jointly any and all acts and things and to execute any and all instruments which said Agents, or any of them, may deem necessary or advisable or which may be required to enable each trust or corporation listed in <u>Schedule A</u> hereto (each a "Company" and collectively, the "Companies") to comply with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (collectively, the "Acts"), and any rules, regulations or requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the filing and effectiveness of any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to the registration statement of each Company specified in <u>Schedule A</u> hereto (or, in the case of Master Portfolio Trust, the registration statements of such other Companies as are specified therein), including specifically, but without limiting the foregoing, the power and authority to sign in the name and on behalf of such Principal in his or her capacity as a Trustee or Director of such Company, as applicable, any and all such amendments and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Acts, and any other instruments or documents related thereto, and each Principal does hereby ratify and confirm all that the Agents, or any of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

All past acts of the Agents in furtherance of the foregoing are hereby ratified and confirmed.

This Power of Attorney may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but which taken together shall constitute one instrument.

Revocation of this Power of Attorney by a Principal will not have the effect of a revocation of this Power of Attorney by any other Principal. If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that any provision of this Power of Attorney is invalid under applicable law, such provision will be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of this Power of Attorney. Each Principal acknowledges that each Agent, in serving in such capacity at such Principal's request, is not assuming, nor is any Company assuming, any of such Principal's responsibilities to comply with the Acts.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

------

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Power of Attorney has been duly executed by the undersigned in the capacities and as of the date(s) indicated.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Signature of Principal | Title | Date |
| /s/ Robert Abeles, Jr. | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| Robert Abeles, Jr. |  |  |
| /s/ Jane F. Dasher | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| Jane F. Dasher |  |  |
| /s/ Anita L. DeFrantz | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| Anita L. DeFrantz |  |  |
| /s/ Susan B. Kerley | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| Susan B. Kerley |  |  |
| /s/ Michael Larson | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| Michael Larson |  |  |
| /s/ Ronald L. Olson | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| Ronald L. Olson |  |  |
| /s/ Avedick B. Poladian | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| Avedick B. Poladian |  |  |
| /s/ William E. B. Siart | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| William E. B. Siart |  |  |
| /s/ Jaynie M. Studenmund | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| Jaynie M. Studenmund |  |  |
| /s/ Peter J. Taylor | Director/Trustee | January 3, 2025 |
| Peter J. Taylor |  |  |

---

------

**Schedule A** 

**to** 

**Power of Attorney** 

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name of Company** | **Registration Statement** |
| Western Asset Funds, Inc. | Securities Act File No. 033-34929 |
| Legg Mason Partners Income Trust | Securities Act File No. 002-96408\* |
| Legg Mason Partners Institutional Trust | Securities Act File No. 033-49552\* |
| Legg Mason Partners Money Market Trust | Securities Act File No. 002-91556\* |
| Legg Mason Partners Variable Income Trust | Securities Act File No. 033-40603 |
| Master Portfolio Trust | Each registration statement above marked with an asterisk |

---

## Ex-99.(O)(2)

**Exhibit (o)(2)** 

**<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u>**

The undersigned, Jane E. Trust, hereby constitutes and appoints each of Christopher Berarducci, Marc A. De Oliveira, Jeanne M. Kelly, Thomas C. Mandia, Rosemary D. Emmens, Tara E. Gormel and Bryan Sutherland (each, an "Agent" and collectively, the "Agents"), as her true and lawful representative and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority of substitution and resubstitution, to do separately or jointly any and all acts and things and to execute any and all instruments which said Agents, or any of them, may deem necessary or advisable or which may be required to enable each trust or corporation listed in <u>Schedule A</u> hereto (each a "Company" and collectively, the "Companies") to comply with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (collectively, the "Acts"), and any rules, regulations or requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the filing and effectiveness of any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to the registration statement of each Company specified in <u>Schedule A</u> hereto (or, in the case of Master Portfolio Trust, the registration statements of such other Companies as are specified therein), including specifically, but without limiting the foregoing, the power and authority to sign in the name and on behalf of the undersigned as Trustee or Director and/or in her capacity as an officer of such Company, any and all such amendments and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Acts, and any other instruments or documents related thereto, and the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that the Agents, or any of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

All past acts of the Agents in furtherance of the foregoing are hereby ratified and confirmed.

This Power of Attorney shall be valid from the date hereof until revoked by the undersigned. If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that any provision of this Power of Attorney is invalid under applicable law, such provision will be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of this Power of Attorney. The undersigned acknowledges that each Agent, in serving in such capacity at the undersigned's request, is not assuming, nor is any Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with the Acts.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Power of Attorney has been duly executed by the undersigned as of the date indicated.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| /s/ Jane E. Trust | January 3, 2025 |
| Jane E. Trust |  |

---

------

**Schedule A** 

**to** 

**Power of Attorney** 

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name of Company** | **Registration Statement** |
| Western Asset Funds, Inc. | Securities Act File No. 033-34929 |
| Legg Mason Partners Income Trust | Securities Act File No. 002-96408\* |
| Legg Mason Partners Institutional Trust | Securities Act File No. 033-49552\* |
| Legg Mason Partners Money Market Trust | Securities Act File No. 002-91556\* |
| Legg Mason Partners Variable Income Trust | Securities Act File No. 033-40603 |
| Master Portfolio Trust | Each registration statement above marked with an asterisk |

---

## Ex-99.(O)(3)

**Exhibit (o)(3)** 

**<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u>**

The undersigned, Christopher Berarducci, hereby constitutes and appoints each of Lisa Carucci, Robert DuCharme and Robert Flower (each, an "Agent" and collectively, the "Agents"), as his true and lawful representative and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority of substitution and resubstitution, to do separately or jointly any and all acts and things and to execute any and all instruments which said Agents, or any of them, may deem necessary or advisable or which may be required to enable each trust or corporation listed in <u>Schedule A</u> hereto (each a "Company" and collectively, the "Companies") to comply with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (collectively, the "Acts"), and any rules, regulations or requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, in connection with the filing and effectiveness of any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to the registration statement of each Company specified in <u>Schedule A</u> hereto (or, in the case of Master Portfolio Trust, the registration statements of such other Companies as are specified therein), including specifically, but without limiting the foregoing, the power and authority to sign in the name and on behalf of the undersigned as Principal Financial Officer and/or in his capacity as an officer of such Company, any and all such amendments and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Acts, and any other instruments or documents related thereto, and the undersigned does hereby ratify and confirm all that the Agents, or any of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

All past acts of the Agents in furtherance of the foregoing are hereby ratified and confirmed.

This Power of Attorney shall be valid from the date hereof until revoked by the undersigned. If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that any provision of this Power of Attorney is invalid under applicable law, such provision will be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of this Power of Attorney. The undersigned acknowledges that each Agent, in serving in such capacity at the undersigned's request, is not assuming, nor is any Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with the Acts.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Power of Attorney has been duly executed by the undersigned as of the date indicated.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| /s/ Christopher Berarducci | January 3, 2025 |
| Christopher Berarducci |  |

---

------

**Schedule A** 

**to** 

**Power of Attorney** 

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Name of Company** | **Registration Statement** |
| Western Asset Funds, Inc. | Securities Act File No. 033-34929 |
| Legg Mason Partners Income Trust | Securities Act File No. 002-96408\* |
| Legg Mason Partners Institutional Trust | Securities Act File No. 033-49552\* |
| Legg Mason Partners Money Market Trust | Securities Act File No. 002-91556\* |
| Legg Mason Partners Variable Income Trust | Securities Act File No. 033-40603 |
| Master Portfolio Trust | Each registration statement above marked with an asterisk |

---