497 1 sai.htm 497 GemCom, LLC





Statement of Additional Information

Dated:  May 7, 2013


Innealta Capital Country Rotation Portfolio

Innealta Capital Sector Rotation Portfolio

Each a Series of Northern Lights Variable Trust


Class 1 Shares

Class 2 Shares





This combined Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) provides general information about the Innealta Capital Country Rotation Portfolio (the “Country Rotation Fund”) and the Innealta Capital Sector Rotation Portfolio (the “Sector Rotation Fund”), each a series of Northern Lights Variable Trust (the “Trust”).  (The Country Rotation Fund and the Sector Rotation Fund each may be referred to herein as a “Fund” and together, as the “Funds.”)  This SAI is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with each Fund’s current prospectus for Class 1 and Class 2 shares dated May 1, 2013 (the “Prospectus”), as supplemented and amended from time to time, which is incorporated herein by reference. To obtain a copy of the Prospectus free of charge, please write or call the Fund at the address or telephone number below:


Innealta Capital Country Rotation Portfolio

Innealta Capital Sector Rotation Portfolio

c/o Gemini Fund Services, LLC

17605 Wright Street, Suite 2

Omaha, NE 68130

1-855-USE-ETFS







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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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THE TRUST

1

INVESTMENT POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND ASSOCIATED RISKS

2

FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

8

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

9

BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

9

BOARD COMMITTEES

14

TRUSTEE COMPENSATION

14

INVESTMENT ADVISOR

16

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

18

CODE OF ETHICS

19

PROXY VOTING POLICIES

20

OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

21

DISTRIBUTION OF FUND SHARES

23

12B-1 DISTRIBUTION PLAN

23

ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO BROKERAGE

25

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

25

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE PROGRAM

26

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

26

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

27

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

33

APPENDIX “A” RATINGS DEFINITIONS

34

APPENDIX “B” AL FRANK ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC. PROXY VOTING POLICY

48







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The Trust

Each of the Innealta Capital Country Rotation Portfolio (the “Country Rotation Fund”) and the Innealta Capital Sector Rotation Portfolio (the “Sector Rotation Fund”) is a diversified series of Northern Lights Variable Trust (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust, organized on November 2, 2005.  (The Country Rotation Fund and the Sector Rotation Fund each may be referred to herein as a “Fund” and together, as the “Funds.”)  The Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company.  The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the "Board" or "Trustees"). The Funds may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest.  All shares of a Fund have equal rights and privileges.  Each share of a Fund is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which shares are entitled to vote.  In addition, each share of a Fund is entitled to participate, on a class-specific basis, equally with other shares (i) in dividends and distributions declared by the Fund and (ii) on liquidation, to its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities.  Shares of each Fund are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights.  Fractional shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full share.


Each Fund is a diversified series of the Trust.  Each Fund’s investment objectives, restrictions and policies are more fully described here and in the Prospectus.  The Board may start other series and offer shares of a new portfolio under the Trust at any time.


Under the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his/her earlier death, incapacity, resignation or removal.  Shareholders can remove a Trustee to the extent provided by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.  Vacancies may be filled by a majority of the remaining Trustees, except insofar as the 1940 Act may require the election by shareholders.  As a result, normally no annual or regular meetings of shareholders will be held unless matters arise requiring a vote of shareholders under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act.


The Funds are intended, in part, to be a funding vehicle for variable annuity contracts and flexible premium variable life insurance policies offered by the separate accounts of various insurance companies (each a "Participating Insurance Company").  Each Fund’s shares are offered on a continuous basis to insurance companies that offer variable annuity insurance contracts and variable life insurance policies ("Contracts"), certain qualified pension and retirement plans ("Qualified Plans"), separate accounts that are not registered as investment companies ("Unregistered Separate Accounts") and to other persons permitted to hold shares of the Trust pursuant to Treasury Regulation 1.817-5.  


Each Fund offers two classes of shares:  Class 1 shares and Class 2 shares. Each share class represents an interest in the same assets of the applicable Fund, has the same rights and is identical in all material respects except that (i) each class of shares may be subject to different (or no) sales loads, (ii) each class of shares may bear different (or no) distribution fees; (iii) each class of shares may have different shareholder features, such as minimum investment amounts; (iv) certain other class-specific expenses will be borne solely by the class to which such expenses are attributable, including transfer agent fees attributable to a specific class of shares, printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing materials to current shareholders of a specific class, registration fees paid by a specific class of shares, the expenses of administrative personnel and services required to support the shareholders of a specific class, litigation or other legal expenses relating to a class of shares, Trustees’ fees or expenses paid as a result of issues relating to a specific class of shares and accounting fees and expenses relating to a specific class of shares and (v) each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters relating to its own distribution arrangements.  




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The Trust has received an exemptive order from the SEC ("Exemptive Order") that permits the portfolios of the Trust, including the Fund, to sell shares to separate accounts of unaffiliated insurance companies, and pension and retirement plans that qualify for special income tax treatment.  These arrangements may present certain conflicts of interest due to differences in tax treatment and other considerations such that the interests of various variable contract owners participating in a portfolio and the interests of pension and retirement plans investing in a portfolio may conflict.  For example, violation of the federal tax laws by one insurance company separate account investing directly or indirectly in a portfolio could cause other variable insurance products funded by the separate account of another insurance company to lose their tax-deferred status unless remedial actions were taken.  It is possible that a difference may arise among the interests of the holders of different types of contracts - for example, if applicable state insurance law or contract owner instructions prevent a Participating Insurance Company from continuing to invest in a portfolio following a change in the portfolio's investment policies, or if different tax laws apply to flexible premium variable life insurance contracts and variable annuities.  The Board and each Participating Insurance Company will attempt to monitor events to prevent such differences from arising.  As a condition of the Exemptive Order, the Board will monitor events in order to identify any material irreconcilable conflicts which may arise (such as those arising from tax or other differences), and to determine what action, if any, should be taken in response to such conflicts. If such a conflict were to occur, one or more insurance companies' separate accounts might be required to withdraw their investments in one or more of the portfolios. This might force a portfolio to sell its securities at disadvantageous prices which could cause a decrease in the portfolio's NAV.

For a description of the methods used to determine the share price and value of each Fund's assets, see "Net Asset Value" in the Funds' Prospectus and "Determination of Net Asset Value" in this Statement of Additional Information.


AFAM Capital, Inc. (the Innealta Capital division) (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment advisor to each Fund.


Investment Policies, Strategies and Associated Risks

The investment objective of each Fund and a description of its principal investment strategies are set forth in the Prospectus. Each Fund's investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed without the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust but upon 60 days notice to shareholders.


The following pages contain more detailed information about the types of instruments in which the Funds may invest, strategies the Adviser may employ in pursuit of each Fund's investment objective and a summary of related risks.


Equity Securities. Each Fund may invest in equity securities such as common stock, preferred stock, convertible securities, rights and warrants. Common stocks, the most familiar type, represent an equity (ownership) interest in a corporation. Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specified price for a specific time period. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a short duration and are distributed by the issuer to its shareholders. Although equity securities have a history of long term growth in value, their prices fluctuate based on changes in a company’s financial condition and on overall market and economic conditions.

Equity securities also include SPDRs (S&P Depositary Receipts, known as “Spiders”), DIAMONDS, QQQQs and a number of other exchange traded funds (“ETFs”). SPDRs represent ownership in the SPDR Trust, a unit investment trust that holds a portfolio of common stocks that closely tracks the price performance and dividend yield of the S&P 500 Composite Price Index. SPDRs trade on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol SPY. A MidCap SPDR is similar to a SPDR except that it tracks the



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performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Index and trades on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol MDY. DIAMONDS represent ownership in the DIAMONDS Trust, a unit investment trust that serves as an index to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (the “Dow”) in that its holdings consists of the 30 component stocks of the Dow. DIAMONDS trade on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol DIA. QQQQs (NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking Stock) represent ownership in the NASDAQ-100 Trust, a unit investment trust that attempts to closely track the price and yield performance of the NASDAQ 100 Index by holding shares of all the companies in the Index. QQQQs trade on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol QQQQ. The Fund may also invest in a variety of other exchange traded funds, including, but not limited to, iShares, HOLDRs, Fidelity Select Portfolios, Select Sector SPDRs, Fortune e-50, Fortune 500 and streetTRACKS. To the extent a Fund invests in a sector product, the Fund is subject to the risks associated with that sector. Additionally, a Fund may invest in new exchange traded shares as they become available.

Foreign Securities. Each Fund may invest in foreign equity securities including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and ETFs that hold foreign securities. ADRs are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign-based issuer held in trust by a bank or similar financial institution. They are alternatives to the direct purchase of the underlying securities in their national markets and currencies. ADRs are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct investment in foreign securities.

Foreign investments can involve significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in U.S. investments. The value of securities denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, and of dividends and interest from such securities, can change significantly when foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than U.S. markets, and prices on some foreign markets can be highly volatile. Many foreign countries lack uniform accounting and disclosure standards comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies, and it may be more difficult to obtain reliable information regarding an issuer’s financial condition and operations. In addition, the costs of foreign investing, including withholding taxes, brokerage commissions, and custodial costs, generally are higher than for U.S. investments.

Foreign markets may offer less protection to investors than U.S. markets. Foreign issuers, brokers, and securities markets may be subject to less government supervision. Foreign security trading practices, including those involving the release of assets in advance of payment, may invoke increased risks in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a broker-dealer, and may involve substantial delays. It also may be difficult to enforce legal rights in foreign countries.

Investing abroad also involves different political and economic risks. Foreign investments may be affected by actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of U.S. investors, including the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, restrictions on U.S. investment or on the ability to repatriate assets or convert currency into U.S. dollars, or other government intervention. There may be a greater possibility of default by foreign governments or foreign government-sponsored enterprises. Investments in foreign countries also involve a risk of local political, economic or social instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments. There is no assurance that an adviser will be able to anticipate or counter these potential events and their impacts on a Fund’s share price.

The considerations noted above generally are intensified for investments in developing countries. Developing countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries and securities markets that trade a small number of securities.

Short Sales. Each Fund may sell a security short in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security. When a Fund engages in a short sale, it sells a security which it does not own. To complete the transaction, each Fund must borrow the security in order to deliver it to the buyer. Each Fund must replace the borrowed security by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement, which may



3






be more or less than the price at which each Fund sold the security.  Each Fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which each Fund replaces the borrowed security.  Each Fund will realize a profit if the security declines in price between those dates. Any potential gain is limited to the price at which each Fund sold the security short, and any potential loss is unlimited in size.

In connection with its short sales, each Fund will be required to maintain a segregated account with the Fund’s custodian of cash or liquid assets equal to (i) the current market value of the securities sold short, less (ii) any collateral deposited with its broker (not including the proceeds from the short sales).  Depending on arrangements made with the broker or custodian, neither Fund will receive any payments (including interest) on collateral deposited with the broker or custodian.

Each Fund may also sell short “against the box.” Short sales “against the box” are short sales of securities that a fund owns or has the right to obtain (equivalent in kind or amount to the securities sold short). If either Fund enters into a short sale against the box, it will be required to set aside securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short (or securities convertible or exchangeable into such securities) and will be required to hold such securities while the short sale is outstanding. Each Fund will incur transaction costs, including interest expenses, in connection with opening, maintaining, and closing short sales against the box.

Securities Lending. Each Fund may make long and short term loans of its portfolio securities to parties such as broker-dealers, banks, or institutional investors. Securities lending allows a Fund to retain ownership of the securities loaned and, at the same time, to earn additional income. Since there may be delays in the recovery of loaned securities, or even a loss of rights in collateral supplied, should the borrower fail financially, loans will be made only to parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and deemed satisfactory by the Adviser. Furthermore, they will only be made if, in the judgment of the Adviser, the consideration to be earned from such loans would justify the risk.

The Adviser understands that it is the current view of the staff of the SEC that a Fund may engage in loan transactions only under the following conditions: (1) a Fund must receive 100% collateral in the form of cash, cash equivalents (e.g., U.S. Treasury bills or notes) or other high grade liquid debt instruments from the borrower; (2) the borrower must increase the collateral whenever the market value of the securities loaned (determined on a daily basis) rises above the value of the collateral; (3) after giving notice, a Fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) a Fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan or a flat fee from the borrower, as well as amounts equivalent to any dividends, interest, or other distributions on the securities loaned and to any increase in market value; (5) a Fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (6) the Board must be able to vote proxies on the securities loaned, either by terminating the loan or by entering into an alternative arrangement with the borrower.

Cash received through loan transactions may be invested in any security in which a Fund is authorized to invest. Investing this cash subjects that investment, as well as the security loaned, to market forces (i.e., capital appreciation or depreciation).

Restricted and Illiquid Securities. The portfolio of each Fund may contain illiquid securities. Illiquid securities generally include securities which cannot be disposed of promptly and in the ordinary course of business without taking a reduced price. Securities may be illiquid due to contractual or legal restrictions on resale or lack of a ready market. The following securities are considered to be illiquid: repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days, non-publicly offered securities and restricted securities. Restricted securities are securities where the resale of which is subject to legal or contractual restrictions. Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions, in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the Securities Act of 1933 or pursuant to Rule 144 or Rule 144A promulgated under such Act. Where



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registration is required, a Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense, and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time such security may be sold under an effective registration statement. If during such a period adverse market conditions were to develop, a Fund might obtain a less favorable price than the price it could have obtained when it decided to sell. Each Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.

With respect to Rule 144A securities, these restricted securities are treated as exempt from the 15% limit on illiquid securities, provided that a dealer or institutional trading market in such securities exists. Each Fund will not, however, invest more than 10% of its net assets in Rule 144A securities. Under the supervision of the Board, the Adviser determines the liquidity of restricted securities and, through reports from the Adviser, the Board will monitor trading activity in restricted securities. If institutional trading in restricted securities were to decline, the liquidity of a Fund could be adversely affected.

U.S. Government Securities. U.S. government securities are high-quality debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by an agency or instrumentality of the U.S. government. Not all U.S. government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of, or guaranteed by the United States Treasury. For example, securities issued by the Farm Credit Banks or by the Federal National Mortgage Association are supported by the instrumentality’s right to borrow money from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances. Moreover, securities issued by other agencies or instrumentalities are supported only by the credit of the entity that issued them.

Corporate Debt Securities. Corporate debt securities are long and short term debt obligations issued by companies (such as publicly issued and privately placed bonds, notes and commercial paper). The Adviser considers corporate debt securities to be of investment grade quality if they are rated BBB or higher by S&P or Baa or higher by Moody’s, or if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Investment grade debt securities generally have adequate to strong protection of principal and interest payments. In the lower end of this category, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal than in higher rated categories.

Fixed Income Securities. Each Fund may invest in all types of fixed income securities, including when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis. Fixed income securities are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the risk that a Fund could lose money if an issuer of a fixed income security cannot meet its financial obligations or goes bankrupt. Interest rate risk is the risk that a Fund’s investments in fixed income securities may fall when interest rates rise.

Investments in high-yield bonds are considered to be more speculative than higher quality fixed income securities. They are more susceptible to credit risk than investment-grade securities, especially during periods of economic uncertainty or economic downturns. The value of lower quality securities are subject to greater volatility and are generally more dependent on the ability of the issuer to meet interest and principal payments than higher quality securities. Issuers of high-yield securities may not be as strong financially as those issuing bonds with higher credit ratings.

Financial Services Industry Obligations. Each Fund may invest in each of the following obligations of the financial services industry:

     (1) Certificate of Deposit. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank or a savings and loan association to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from fourteen days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate.

     (2) Time Deposits. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in a banking institution or a savings and loan association for a specified period of time at a stated interest rate.



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     (3) Bankers’ Acceptances. Bankers’ acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft which has been drawn on it by a customer, which instruments reflect the obligation both of the bank and of the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

Repurchase Agreements. Each Fund may invest in repurchase agreements fully collateralized by obligations issued by the U.S. government or agencies of the U.S. government (“U.S. Government Obligations”). A repurchase agreement is a short term investment in which the purchaser (i.e., a Fund) acquires ownership of a U.S. Government Obligation (which may be of any maturity) and the seller agrees to repurchase the obligation at a future time at a set price, thereby determining the yield during the purchaser’s holding period (usually not more than 7 days from the date of purchase). Any repurchase transaction in which a Fund engages will require full collateralization of the seller’s obligation during the entire term of the repurchase agreement. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default of the seller, a Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses in value. However, each Fund intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with the custodian, other banks with assets of $1 billion or more and registered securities dealers determined by the Adviser to be creditworthy. The Adviser monitors the creditworthiness of the banks and securities dealers with which a Fund engages in repurchase transactions.

Borrowing. Each Fund is permitted to borrow money up to one-third of the value of its total assets. Borrowing is a speculative technique that increases both investment opportunity and a Fund’s ability to achieve greater diversification. However, it also increases investment risk. Because each Fund’s investments will fluctuate in value, whereas the interest obligations on borrowed funds may be fixed, during times of borrowing, each Fund’s net asset value may tend to increase more when its investments increase in value, and decrease more when its investments decrease in value. In addition, interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with changing market interest rates and may partially offset or exceed the return earned on the borrowed funds. Also, during times of borrowing under adverse market conditions, each Fund might have to sell portfolio securities to meet interest or principal payments at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales.

Options Transactions. Each Fund may engage in option transactions involving individual securities and stock indexes. An option involves either: (a) the right or the obligation to buy or sell a specific instrument at a specific price until the expiration date of the option; or (b) the right to receive payments or the obligation to make payments representing the difference between the closing price of a stock index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple until the expiration date of the option. Options are sold (written) on securities and stock indexes. The purchaser of an option on a security pays the seller (the writer) a premium for the right granted but is not obligated to buy or sell the underlying security. The purchaser of an option on a stock index pays the seller a premium for the right granted, and in return the seller of such an option is obligated to make the payment. A writer of an option may terminate the obligation prior to expiration of the option by making an offsetting purchase of an identical option. Options are traded on organized exchanges and in the over-the-counter market. To cover the potential obligations involved in writing options, each Fund will either: (a) own the underlying security, or in the case of an option on a market index, will hold a portfolio of stocks substantially replicating the movement of the index; or (b) the Fund will segregate with the custodian liquid assets sufficient to purchase the underlying security or equal to the market value of the stock index option, marked to market daily.

The purchase and writing of options requires additional skills and techniques beyond normal portfolio management, and involves certain risks. The purchase of options limits a Fund’s potential loss to the amount of the premium paid and can afford a Fund the opportunity to profit from favorable movements in the price of an underlying security to a greater extent than if transactions were effected in the security directly. However, the purchase of an option could result in each Fund losing a greater percentage of its investment than if the transaction were effected directly. When a Fund writes a call option, it will receive a premium, but it will give up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security



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above the exercise price as long as its obligation as a writer continues, and it will retain the risk of loss should the price of the security decline. When a Fund writes a put option, it will assume the risk that the price of the underlying security or instrument will fall below the exercise price, in which case the Fund may be required to purchase the security or instrument at a higher price than the market price of the security or instrument. In addition, there can be no assurance that a Fund can effect a closing transaction on a particular option it has written. Further, the total premium paid for any option may be lost if a Fund does not exercise the option or, in the case of over-the-counter options, the writer does not perform its obligations.

Other Investment Companies. Each Fund may invest up to 100% of its net assets in shares of other investment companies, including money market mutual funds, other mutual funds or exchange traded funds (“ETFs”).  A Fund’s investments in money market mutual funds may be used for cash management purposes and to maintain liquidity in order to satisfy redemption requests or pay unanticipated expenses.  Each Fund limits its investments in securities issued by other investment companies in accordance with the 1940 Act or with certain terms and conditions of applicable exemptive orders issued by the SEC and approved by the Board.  Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act precludes a Fund from acquiring (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding shares of another investment company; (ii) shares of another investment company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of a Fund; or (iii) shares of another registered investment company and all other investment companies having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of a Fund.  However, Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act provides that the provisions of paragraph 12(d)(1) shall not apply to securities purchased or otherwise acquired by a Fund if (i) immediately after such purchase or acquisition not more than 3% of the total outstanding shares of such investment company is owned by the Fund and all affiliated persons of the Fund; and (ii) the Fund has not offered or sold, and is not proposing to offer or sell its shares through a principal underwriter or otherwise at a public or offering price that includes a sales load of more than 1 1/2%.  SEC Rule 12d1-3 provides, however, that a Fund may rely on the Section 12(d)(1)(F) exemption and charge a sales load in excess of 1 1/2% provided the sales load and any service fee charged does not exceed limits set forth in applicable Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules.


If a Fund invests in investment companies, including ETFs, pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F), it must comply with the following voting restrictions: when the Fund exercises voting rights, by proxy or otherwise, with respect to investment companies owned by the Fund, the Fund will either seek instruction from the Fund’s shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies and vote in accordance with such instructions, or vote the shares held by the Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such security.  In addition, an investment company purchased by a Fund pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F) shall not be required to redeem its shares in an amount exceeding 1% of such investment company’s total outstanding shares in any period of less than thirty days.  In addition to the advisory and operational fees a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation, the Fund also bears its pro rata portion of the advisory and operational expenses incurred indirectly through investments in other investment companies.  In addition, ETFs are subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional mutual funds: (1) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a discount to their net asset value; (2) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; or (3) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted if the listing exchange’s officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are de-listed from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally.  Additionally, ETFs have management fees, which increase their cost.




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Exchange-Traded Funds. An ETF generally is an open-end investment company, unit investment trust or a portfolio of securities deposited with a depository in exchange for depository receipts.  The portfolios of ETFs generally consist of common stocks that closely track the performance and dividend yield of specific securities indices, either broad market, sector or international.  ETFs provide investors the opportunity to buy or sell throughout the day an entire portfolio of stocks in a single security.  Although index mutual funds are similar, they are generally sold and redeemed only once per day at market close.  Broad securities market index ETFs include Standard & Poor’s Depository Receipts (“SPDRs”), which are interests in a unit investment trust representing an undivided interest in a portfolio of all of the common stocks of the S&P 500 Index.  The ETFs in which a Fund invests are subject to liquidity risk.  Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the sale of the security at an advantageous time or price.  To the extent that the ETFs in which a Fund invests hold securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations or securities with substantial market risk, they will have a greater exposure to liquidity risk.


Fundamental Investment Limitations

The Trust (on behalf of each Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the favorable vote of the holders of a “majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund,” as defined in the 1940 Act.  Under the 1940 Act, the “vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” means, with regard to each Fund, the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.


Each Fund may not:  


1.

Issue senior securities. This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to involve the issuance or sale of a senior security by a Fund, provided that the Fund’s engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff;

2.

Borrow money, except (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of a Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Fund’s total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that a Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions;

3.

Purchase securities on margin, participate on a joint or joint and several basis in any securities trading account, or underwrite securities. (Does not preclude a Fund from obtaining such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of its portfolio securities, and except to the extent that a Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities);

4.

Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate or real estate acquired as a result of such investments. This limitation does not preclude a Fund from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts);

5.

Invest 25% or more of the market value of its assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry. (Does not apply to investment in the securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.);

6.

Purchase or sell commodities (unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments) or commodity futures contracts, except that a Fund may purchase and sell futures



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contracts and options to the full extent permitted under the 1940 Act, sell foreign currency contracts in accordance with any rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, invest in securities or other instruments backed by commodities, and invest in companies that are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities; or

7.

Make loans to others, except (a) through the purchase of debt securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies, (b) to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan, and (c) by loaning portfolio securities.


The following lists the non-fundamental investment restrictions applicable to a Fund.  These restrictions can be changed by the Board of Trustees, but the change will only be effective after notice is given to shareholders of the affected Fund.


Each Fund may not invest 15% or more of the value of its net assets, computed at the time of investment, in illiquid securities.  Illiquid securities are those securities without readily available market quotations, including repurchase agreements having a maturity of more than seven days.  Illiquid securities may include restricted securities not determined by the Board to be liquid, non-negotiable time deposits, over-the-counter options and repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days after notice.


Except with respect to borrowing and illiquid securities, if a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from any cause other than actions by a Fund will not be considered a violation.


Management

The business of the Trust is managed under the direction of the Board in accordance with the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and the Trust's By-laws (the "Governing Documents"), which have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are available upon request. The Board consists of five (5) individuals, at least four (4) of whom are not "interested persons" (as defined under the 1940 Act) of the Trust and the Adviser ("Independent Trustees"). Pursuant to the Governing Documents of the Trust, the Trustees shall elect officers including a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Principal Executive Officer and a Principal Accounting Officer. The Board retains the power to conduct, operate and carry on the business of the Trust and has the power to incur and pay any expenses, which, in the opinion of the Board, are necessary or incidental to carry out any of the Trust's purposes. The Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust, when acting in such capacities, shall not be subject to any personal liability except for his or her own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties.


Board Leadership Structure

The Trust is led by Mr. Michael Miola, who has served as the Chairman of the Board since the Trust was organized in 2005.  Mr. Miola is considered an interested person by virtue of his indirect controlling interest in Northern Lights Distributors, LLC.  The Board of Trustees is comprised of Mr. Miola and four (4) Independent Trustees.  The Independent Trustees have selected Mr. Anthony J. Hertl as Lead Independent Trustee.  Additionally, under certain 1940 Act governance guidelines that apply to the Trust, the Independent Trustees will meet in executive session, at least quarterly.  Under the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, the Chairman of the Board is responsible for (a) presiding at board meetings, (b) calling special meetings on an as-needed basis, (c) execution and administration of Trust policies including (i) setting the agendas for board meetings and (ii) providing information to board members in advance of each board meeting and between board meetings.  Generally, the Trust believes it best to have a non-executive Chairman of the Board, who together with the President (principal executive officer), are seen by our shareholders, business partners and other stakeholders as providing



9






strong leadership.  The Trust believes that its Chairman, the independent chair of the Audit Committee, the Independent Lead Trustee, and, as an entity, the full Board of Trustees, provide effective leadership that is in the best interests of the Trust, its Funds and each shareholder.


Board Risk Oversight

The Board has a standing independent Audit Committee with a separate chair. The Board is responsible for overseeing risk management, and the full Board regularly engages in discussions of risk management and receives compliance reports that inform its oversight of risk management from its Chief Compliance Officer at quarterly meetings and on an ad hoc basis, when and if necessary.  The Audit Committee considers financial and reporting risk within its area of responsibilities.  Generally, the Board believes that its oversight of material risks is adequately maintained through the compliance-reporting chain where the Chief Compliance Officer is the primary recipient and communicator of such risk-related information.


Trustee Qualifications


Generally, the Trust believes that each Trustee is competent to serve because of their individual overall merits including: (i) experience, (ii) qualifications, (iii) attributes and (iv) skills.  Mr. Miola has over 20 years of business experience in the investment management and brokerage business, serves as a member of two other mutual fund boards outside of the Fund Complex and possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate based on his years of service to this Board and other mutual fund boards.  Mr. Gary W. Lanzen has over 20 years of business experience in the financial services industry, holds a Masters in Education Administration degree, is a Certified Financial Planner ("CFP"), serves as a member of two other mutual fund boards outside of the Fund Complex and possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate based on his years of service to this Board and other mutual fund boards.  Mr. Anthony J. Hertl has over 20 years of business experience in financial services industry and related fields including serving as chair of the finance committee for the Borough of Interlaken, New Jersey and Vice President-Finance and Administration of Marymount College, holds a Certified Public Accountant designation, serves as a member of four other mutual fund boards outside of the Fund Complex and possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate based on his years of service to this Board and other fund boards.  Mark H. Taylor, has over two decades of academic and professional experience in the accounting and auditing areas, has Doctor of Philosophy, Masters and Bachelor  degrees in Accounting, is a Certified Public Accountant and is Professor of Accountancy at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.  He serves as a member of two other mutual fund boards outside of the Fund Complex, has served a fellowship in the Office of the Chief Accountant at the headquarters of the United States Securities Exchange Commission, served a three-year term on the AICPA Auditing Standards Board (2008-2011), and like the other Board members, possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate based on his years of service to this Board and other mutual fund boards.  Mr. John V. Palancia has over 30 years of business experience in financial services industry including serving as the Director of Futures Operations for Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc.  Mr. Palancia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.  He also possesses a strong understanding of risk management, balance sheet analysis and the regulatory framework under which regulated financial entities must operate based on service to Merrill Lynch. Additionally, he is well versed in the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate and serves as a member of three other fund boards.  The Trust does not believe any one factor is determinative in assessing a Trustee's qualifications, but that the collective experience of each Trustee makes them each highly qualified.




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The following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the Trust and each person’s principal occupation over the last five years. Unless otherwise noted, the address of each Trustee and Officer is 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, Nebraska 68130.


Independent Trustees

Name, Address and Year of Birth

Position/Term of Office*

Principal Occupation

During the Past Five Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex**

 Overseen by Trustee

Other Directorships held by Trustee During the Past Five Years

Anthony J. Hertl 1

1950

Trustee

Since 2006

Consultant to small and emerging businesses (since 2000).

94

AdvisorOne Funds (11 portfolios) (since 2004); Ladenburg Thalmann Alternative Strategies Fund (since June 2010); Satuit Capital Management Trust; The Z-Seven Fund, Inc. (2007 – May, 2010), Greenwich Advisers Trust (2007- February 2011), Global Real Estate Fund (2008-2011), The World Funds Trust (since 2010) and Northern Lights Fund Trust (since 2005)

Gary W. Lanzen 1

1954

Trustee

Since 2006

President, Orizon Investment Counsel, Inc. (2000-2006); Chief Investment Officer (2000 -2010); Founder and Partner, Orizon Group, Inc. (a financial services company) (2000-2006).

94

AdvisorOne Funds (11 portfolios) (since 2003);

Ladenburg Thalmann Alternative Strategies Fund (2010-2011); Northern Lights Fund Trust (since 2005)



11









Mark H. Taylor1

1964

Trustee

Since 2007

Professor, Department of Accountancy, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University (since 2009); John P. Begley Endowed Chair in Accounting, Creighton University (2002 – 2009); Former member of the AICPA Auditing Standards Board, AICPA ( 2008-2011). 

106

Ladenburg Thalmann Alternative Strategies Fund (since 2010); Lifetime Achievement Mutual Fund, Inc.  (LFTAX) (Director and Audit Committee Chairman) (2007-2012); NLFT III (since February 2012); Northern Lights Fund Trust (since 2007)

John V. Palancia

1954

Trustee

Since 2011

Retired (since 2011). Formerly, Director of Futures Operations, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. (1975-2011).

106

Northern Lights Fund Trust (since 2011); NLFT III (since February 2012); Ladenburg Thalmann Alternative Strategies Fund (since  2012)


Interested Trustees and Officers

Name, Address and Year of Birth

Position/Term of Office*

Principal Occupation

During the Past Five Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex **

Overseen by Trustee

Other Directorships held by Trustee During the Past Five Years

Michael Miola1 ***

1952

Trustee

Since 2006

Co-Owner and Co-Managing Member of NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC; Manager of Gemini Fund Services, LLC; Orion Adviser Services, LLC, CLS Investments, LLC, GemCom, LLC and Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (since 2003); Director of Constellation Trust Company (since 2004).

94

AdvisorOne Funds (11 portfolios) (2003-2012); Ladenburg Thalmann Alternative Strategies Fund (since 2010); Northern Lights Fund Trust (since 2006)

Andrew Rogers

80 Arkay Drive

Hauppauge, NY  11788

1969

President

Since 2006

Chief Executive Officer, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (since 2012); President and Manager, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2006 - 2012); Formerly Manager, Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (2006 – 2008); and President and Manager, GemCom LLC (2004 - 2011).

N/A

N/A



12









Kevin E. Wolf

80 Arkay Drive

Hauppauge, NY  11788

1969

Treasurer

Since 2006

President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (since 2012); Director of Fund Administration, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2006 - 2012); and Vice-President, GemCom, LLC (since 2004).

N/A

N/A

James P. Ash

80 Arkay Drive

Hauppauge, NY  11788

1976

Secretary

Since 2011

Senior Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (since 2012); Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2011 - 2012); Director of Legal Administration, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2009 - 2011); Assistant Vice President of Legal Administration, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2008 - 2011).

N/A

N/A

Emile R. Molineaux

1962

Chief Compliance Officer

Since 2011

Senior Compliance Officer of Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (since 2011); General Counsel, CCO and Senior Vice President, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2004 - June 2012); Secretary and CCO, Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC;  (2003-2011); In-house Counsel, The Dreyfus Funds (1999 – 2003).

N/A

N/A

* The term of office for each Trustee and officer listed above will continue indefinitely until the individual resigns or is removed.

** The term “Fund Complex” includes the Northern Lights Fund Trust (“NLFT”), Northern Lights Fund Trust III (“NLFT III”) and the Northern Lights Variable Trust (“NLVT”).

*** Michael Miola is an “interested person” of the Trust as that term is defined under the 1940 Act, because of his affiliation with Gemini Fund Services, LLC, (the Trust’s Administrator, Fund Accountant, Transfer Agent) and Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (the Portfolio’s Distributor).

1 Named in May 2, 2013 SEC Order.  See section titled Legal Proceedings in the SAI.


Legal Proceedings


On May 2, 2013, the SEC filed an order instituting settled administrative proceedings (the “Order”) against Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (“NLCS”), Gemini Fund Services, LLC (“GFS”), certain current Trustees of the Trust, and one former Trustee.  To settle the SEC’s charges, GFS and NLCS each agreed to pay $50,000 penalties, and both firms and the named Trustees agreed to engage an independent compliance consultant to address the violations found in the Order.  The firms and the named Trustees agreed to settle with the SEC without admitting or denying the SEC’s findings, while agreeing to cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any future violations of those provisions.  There were no allegations that shareholders suffered any monetary harm.  The SEC charges were not against the Adviser or the Portfolios.


The Order found that on certain occasions during the period January 2009 to December 2010, disclosures included in shareholder reports (concerning the Trustees’ adviser evaluation process under Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act) filed by certain funds of the Trust contained boilerplate disclosures that were materially untrue or misleading in violation of Section 34(b) of the 1940 Act.  These disclosures were included in the fund shareholder reports based on board minutes drafted by GFS, reviewed by the Trust’s outside counsel, and then reviewed and approved by the Trustees.  The Order found that the named Trustees therefore were a cause of these violations.  In addition, GFS failed to ensure that certain shareholder reports contained the required disclosures concerning the Trustees’ evaluation process and failed to ensure that certain series within the Trust maintained and preserved their Section 15(c) files in accordance with 1940 Act recordkeeping requirements.  Accordingly, GFS caused those funds’ violations of Sections 30(e) and 31(a) of the Investment Company Act and Rules 30e-1 and 31a-2(a)(6) thereunder.



13







The Order found that, during the relevant period, NLCS and the four named Trustees were also a cause of violations of Rule 38a-1(a)(1) under the 1940 Act, which requires registered investment companies to adopt and implement written compliance policies and procedures.  Specifically, the Order found that NLCS and the named Trustees failed to implement certain policies and procedures of the Trust that required the funds’ CCO to provide the advisers’ compliance manuals to the named Trustees for their review or, as an alternative, summaries of the compliance programs.  Rather than following this process, the Order found that the named Trustees’ approval of the advisers’ compliance programs was based primarily on their review of a brief written statement prepared by NLCS and a verbal representation by NLCS that such manuals were adequate.




Board Committees


Audit Committee


The Board has an Audit Committee that consists of all the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Audit Committee's responsibilities include: (i) recommending to the Board the selection, retention or termination of the Trust's independent auditors; (ii) reviewing with the independent auditors the scope, performance and anticipated cost of their audit; (iii) discussing with the independent auditors certain matters relating to the Trust's financial statements, including any adjustment to such financial statements recommended by such independent auditors, or any other results of any audit; (iv) reviewing on a periodic basis a formal written statement from the independent auditors with respect to their independence, discussing with the independent auditors any relationships or services disclosed in the statement that may impact the objectivity and independence of the Trust's independent auditors and recommending that the Board take appropriate action in response thereto to satisfy itself of the auditor's independence; and (v) considering the comments of the independent auditors and management's responses thereto with respect to the quality and adequacy of the Trust's accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and internal controls.  The Audit committee operates pursuant to an Audit Committee Charter.  The Audit Committee is responsible for seeking and reviewing nominee candidates for consideration as Independent Trustees as is from time to time considered necessary or appropriate.  The Audit Committee generally will not consider shareholder nominees.  The Audit Committee is also responsible for reviewing and setting Independent Trustee compensation from time to time when considered necessary or appropriate.  During the past fiscal year, the Audit Committee held twelve meetings.


Trustee Compensation


Effective April 1, 2013, each Trustee who is not affiliated with the Trust or an investment adviser to any series of the Trust will receive a quarterly fee of $4,875, as well as reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred attending meetings of the Board of Trustees, to be paid in advance of each calendar quarter. Prior to April 1, 2013 each Trustee who is not affiliated with the Trust or an adviser received a quarterly fee of $3,500.  The “interested persons” who serve as Trustees of the Trust receive no compensation for their services as Trustees. None of the executive officers receive compensation from the Trust.



14







The table below details the amount of compensation the Trustees received from the Trust during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012.  Each Independent Trustee attended all quarterly meetings during the period.  The Trust does not have a bonus, profit sharing, pension or retirement plan.

 

Name and Position

Aggregate Compensation From Trust **

Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Portfolio Expenses

Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement

Total Compensation From Trust and Fund Complex*** Paid to Trustees

Anthony J. Hertl

$17,000

None

None

$115,000

Gary Lanzen

$13,000

None

None

$95,000

Mark Taylor

$13,000

None

None

$109,000

John V. Palancia

$13,000

None

None

$105,333

Michael Miola*

None

None

None

None

______________

* This Trustee is deemed to be an 'interested person' as defined in the 1940 Act as a result of his affiliation with Gemini Fund Services, LLC (the Trust's Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant) and Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (the Funds' Distributor) and Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (the Trust's compliance service provider).

** There are currently multiple series comprising the Trust.  Trustees' fees are allocated equally to the funds in the Trust.

*** The term "Fund Complex" refers to the Northern Lights Fund Trust, Northern Lights Fund Trust III and the Northern Lights Variable Trust.


Trustee Ownership


The following table indicates the dollar range of equity securities that each Trustee beneficially owned in the Trust as of December 31, 2012.  


Name of Trustee

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Portfolios

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies

John V. Palancia

None

None

Anthony J. Hertl

None

None

Gary Lanzen

None

None

Michael Miola*

None

None

Mark Taylor

None

None

* This Trustee is deemed to be an 'interested person' as defined in the 1940 Act as a result of his affiliation with Gemini Fund Services, LLC (the Trust's Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant), Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (the Portfolios' Distributor) and Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (the Trust's compliance service provider).



15






Management Ownership


As of May 6, 2013, the Trustees, as a group, owned less than 1.00% of each Portfolio’s outstanding shares and less than 1.00% of the Fund Complex’s outstanding shares.


Control Persons and Principal Shareholders

A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund.  A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of control.  A controlling person possesses the ability to control the outcome of matters submitted for shareholder vote by the Fund.  


As of May 6, 2013, the following separate accounts owned 5% or more of the outstanding Class 2 shares of each Portfolio.  


Innealta Capital Country Rotation Portfolio

Name & Address

Shares

Percentage of Portfolios

Class 2 Shares

Jefferson National Life Insurance

10350 Ormsby Park Place Suite 600

Louisville, KY 40223

16,146.9500

99.99%


Innealta Capital Sector Rotation Portfolio

Name & Address

Shares

Percentage of Portfolios

Class 2 Shares

Jefferson National Life Insurance

10350 Ormsby Park Place Suite 600

Louisville, KY 40223

23,735.2700

100.00%


Investment Adviser

As stated in the Prospectus, investment advisory services are provided to each Fund by AFAM Capital, Inc. (the Innealta Capital division), 12117 FM 2244, Building 3, Suite 170, Austin, TX 78738, pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”).  Subject to such policies as the Board may determine, the Adviser is ultimately responsible for investment decisions for each Fund.  Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides each Fund with such investment advice and supervision as it deems necessary for the proper supervision of such Fund’s investments.


After an initial period of two years, the Advisory Agreement will continue in effect from year to year only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of each Fund’s outstanding voting securities and by a majority of the trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Advisory Agreement.  The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of a Fund upon 60 days’ prior written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the applicable Fund’s shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees, or by the Adviser upon 60 days’ prior written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).  The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser, under such agreement, 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 portfolio transactions for a Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties thereunder.




16






Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, under the supervision of the Board, agrees (directly or through a subadviser) to invest the assets of each Fund in accordance with applicable law and the investment objective, policies and restrictions set forth in each Fund’s current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, and subject to such further limitations as the Trust may from time to time impose by written notice to the Adviser.  The Adviser shall act as the investment advisor to each Fund and, as such shall (directly or through a subadviser) (i) obtain and evaluate such information relating to the economy, industries, business, securities markets and securities as it may deem necessary or useful in discharging its responsibilities here under, (ii) formulate a continuing program for the investment of the assets of the Fund in a manner consistent with its investment objective, policies and restrictions, and (iii) determine from time to time securities to be purchased, sold or retained  by the Fund, and implement those decisions, including the selection of entities with or through which such purchases or sales are to be effected; provided, that the Adviser (directly or through a subadviser) will place orders pursuant to its investment determinations either directly with the  issuer or with a broker or dealer, and if with a broker or dealer, (a) will attempt to obtain the best price and execution of its orders, and (b) may nevertheless in its discretion purchase and sell portfolio securities from and  to brokers who provide the Adviser with research, analysis, advice and similar services and pay such brokers in return a higher commission or spread than may be charged by other brokers.  The Adviser also provides all necessary office facilities and personnel to fulfill the Adviser’s obligations, compensates all officers, Trustees and employees of the Trust who are officers, directors or employees of the Adviser, and all personnel of the Fund or the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities.  The Advisory Agreement was approved by the Board, including by a majority of the Independent Trustees, at a meeting held on September 26, 2012.

The following table sets forth the annual management fee rate payable by each Fund to the Adviser pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, expressed as a percentage of each Fund’s average daily net assets:


FUND

TOTAL
MANAGEMENT FEE

Class 1

1.00%

Class 2

1.00%


The fee is computed daily and payable monthly. The Adviser has agreed contractually to waive its management fee and to reimburse operating expenses (exclusive of any front-end or contingent deferred sales loads, brokerage fees and commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes and extraordinary or non-recurring expenses, including, but not limited to, litigation) at least until April 30, 2014, such that net annual fund operating expenses of each Fund do not exceed the percentages in the table below.  Waiver/reimbursement is subject to possible recoupment from a Fund in future years on a rolling three-year basis (within three years after the fees have been waived or reimbursed) if such recoupment can be achieved within the foregoing expense limits.  No reimbursement amount will be paid to the Adviser in any fiscal quarter unless the Trust’s Board has determined in advance that a reimbursement is in the best interest of each Fund and its shareholders.  Fee waiver and reimbursement arrangements can decrease a Fund’s expenses and increase its performance.

FUND

Expense Cap


Minimum Duration

Class 1

1.24%

April 30, 2014

Class 2

1.49%

April 30, 2014


Expenses not expressly assumed by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement are paid by each Fund.  Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, each Fund is responsible for the payment of the following



17






expenses among others: (a) the fees payable to the Adviser, (b) the fees and expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of the Adviser or Distributor (as defined under the section entitled (“The Distributor”) (c) the fees and certain expenses of the Custodian (as defined under the section entitled “Custodian”) and Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent (as defined under the section entitled “Transfer Agent”), including the cost of maintaining certain required records of a Fund and of pricing the Fund’s shares, (d) the charges and expenses of legal counsel and independent accountants for a Fund, (e) brokerage commissions and any issue or transfer taxes chargeable to a Fund in connection with its securities transactions, (f) all taxes and corporate fees payable by a Fund to governmental agencies, (g) the fees of any trade association of which a Fund may be a member, (h) the cost of share certificates representing shares of a Fund, (i) the cost of fidelity and liability insurance, (j) the fees and expenses involved in registering and maintaining registration of a Fund and of its shares with the SEC, qualifying its shares under state securities laws, including the preparation and printing of the Fund’s registration statements and prospectuses for such purposes, (k) all expenses of shareholders and Trustees’ meetings (including travel expenses of trustees and officers of the Trust who are directors, officers or employees of the Adviser) and of preparing, printing and mailing reports, proxy statements and prospectuses to shareholders in the amount necessary for distribution to the shareholders, and (l) litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Trust’s business. During the fiscal period ended December 31, 2012, the Country Rotation Fund paid $43 in advisory fees, all of which was waived. During the fiscal period ended December 31, 2012, the Sector Rotation Fund paid $43 in advisory fees, all of which was waived.


Portfolio Manager

The following section provides information regarding the Portfolio Manager, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager, compensation, material conflicts of interests, and any ownership of securities in the Fund.  


Gerald W. Buetow, Jr., Ph.D., CFA is the founder and Chief Investment Officer of Innealta Capital, and has been managing Tactical portfolios for approximately 20 years.  Prior to joining the Adviser, Dr. Buetow was the founder of BFRC Services, LLC and Innealta Portfolio Advisors, LLC – quantitative consulting and advisory firms located in Charlottesville, VA. Clients have included: Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Wachovia, CFA Institute, Bank of New York, Wellington, among many others. His previous experience includes: former Chief Investment Officer of XTF GAM, LLC, Senior Portfolio Manager/Managing Director at Portfolio Management Consultants and Director of Research and Product Development at Atlantic Asset Management, LLC. Dr. Buetow was also Vice President of Curriculum Development for the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR). In addition, Dr. Buetow was the Wheat First Professor of Finance and Director of the Quantitative Finance program at James Madison University. He was also lead quantitative researcher for Prudential Investment’s Quantitative Investment Management Group where he managed an enhanced index fund and developed structured securities.



Dr. Buetow also has numerous publications in various academic and practitioner journals as well as in various edited works. He has also recently completed two books on term structure modeling and interest rate contingent claim valuation. Dr. Buetow has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Finance and Econometrics from Lehigh University. He also has a M.S. in Finance from the University of Texas - Dallas and is a CFA charter holder


Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies, for the Portfolio Manager of each Fund, the number of accounts managed (excluding the Funds) and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts.  To the extent



18






that the advisory fees for any of these accounts are based on account performance, this information is reflected in separate tables below.  Asset amounts are as of December 31, 2012, and have been rounded.  


Portfolio Manager

Registered

Investment Companies (excluding the Fund)

Other Pooled

Investment Vehicles

Other Accounts

Number of Accounts

Total Assets in the Accounts

Number of Accounts

Total Assets in the Accounts

Number of Accounts

Total Assets in the Accounts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gerald W. Buetow, Jr.

1

$31.5 million

0

N/A

54

$12.2 million


Material Conflicts of Interest

Actual or apparent material conflicts of interest may arise when a Portfolio Manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one investment account or in other circumstances.  Portfolio Managers who manage other investment accounts in addition to the Fund may be presented with the potential conflicts described below.


AFAM Capital, Inc. (the Innealta Capital division)

The Adviser offers separately managed accounts and other investment fund products in addition to the Funds.  Some of these offerings include portfolios of investments which may be substantially identical to the Funds, which could create certain conflicts of interest.  As the Funds and any separate accounts or investment funds managed similarly to the Funds will be managed concurrently, all transactions will be implemented according to the Adviser’s trade allocation procedures.  These procedures, among other things, ensure that all trades allocated to advisory clients (including the Funds) fulfill the Adviser’s fiduciary duty to each client and otherwise allocate securities on a basis that is fair and nondiscriminatory.  Such procedures are generally applied in numerous instances, including, among other things, block and bunched trades, cross transactions and private placements.  In determining a fair allocation, the Adviser takes into account a number of factors, including among other things, the Adviser’s fiduciary duty to each client, any potential conflicts of interest, the size of the transaction, the relative size of a client’s portfolio, cash available for investment, suitability as well as each client’s investment objectives.


Portfolio Manager’s Compensation

The Portfolio Manager’s compensation is a fixed salary that is set by reference to industry standards.  Bonuses paid to the Portfolio Manager is based on the profitability of the Adviser.


Portfolio Manager’s Ownership of the Funds

The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the portfolio manager in the Portfolios as of December 31, 2012.



Name of Portfolio Manger

Dollar Range of Equity Securities

in the Fund

Gerald W. Buetow, Jr.

                None


Codes of Ethics


The Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor (as defined under the section entitled (“The Distributor”)) each have adopted codes of ethics (the "Code") under Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act that governs the personal securities transactions of their board members, officers and employees who may have access to current trading information of the Trust. Under the code of ethics adopted by the Trust, the Trustees are permitted to invest in securities that may also be purchased by the Funds.


In addition, the Trust has adopted a separate code of ethics that applies only to the Trust's executive



19






officers to ensure that these officers promote professional conduct in the practice of corporate governance and management. The purpose behind these guidelines is to promote i) honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships; ii) full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that a registrant files with, or submits to, the SEC and in other public communications made by the Fund; iii) compliance with applicable governmental laws, rule and regulations; iv) the prompt internal reporting of violations of this Code to an appropriate person or persons identified in the Code; and v) accountability for adherence to the Code.


Proxy Voting Policies


The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures ("Policies") on behalf of the Trust, which delegate the responsibility for voting proxies to the Adviser, subject to the Board's continuing oversight. The Policies require that the Adviser vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of a Portfolio and its shareholders.  The Policies also require the Adviser to present to the Board, at least annually, the Adviser's Proxy Policies and a record of each proxy voted by the Adviser on behalf of the Funds, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a conflict of interest.


The Adviser has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures ("Adviser's Proxy Policies") that underscore the Adviser's concern that all proxies voting decisions be made in the best interests of the Funds and that the Adviser will act in a prudent and diligent manner intended to enhance the economic value of the assets of the Funds.


A general statement of voting policy and specific voting positions has been established by the Adviser. This policy is intended to serve as a guideline and to further the economic value of each security held by the Funds.  There will be regular review of this policy.  Each proxy will be considered individually, taking into account the relevant circumstances at the time of each vote.


Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between the Adviser's interests and a Fund's interests, the Adviser will resolve the conflict by voting in accordance with the policy guidelines or at the client's directive using the recommendation of an independent third party.  If the third party's recommendations are not received in a timely fashion, the Adviser will abstain from voting the securities held by that client's account.


A copy of the Adviser's proxy voting policies is attached hereto as Appendix A.


More information. Information regarding how each Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended December 31st will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling the Funds at 1-855-873-3837 and (2) on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.




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Other Service Providers


Gemini Fund Services, LLC ("GFS"), which has its principal office at 80 Arkay Drive, Suite 110, Hauppauge, New York 11788, serves as administrator, fund accountant and transfer agent for the Portfolio pursuant to a fund services agreement (the "Agreement") with the Portfolio and subject to the supervision of the Board.  GFS is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent services to retail and institutional mutual funds. GFS is an affiliate of the Distributor. GFS may also provide persons to serve as officers of the Portfolio. Such officers may be directors, officers or employees of GFS or its affiliates.


The Agreement became effective on February 23, 2011 and will remain in effect for two years from the applicable effective date for the Portfolio, and will continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board.  The Agreement is terminable by the Board or GFS on 90 days' written notice and may be assigned by either party, provided that the Trust may not assign this agreement without the prior written consent of GFS. The Agreement provides that GFS shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to the Agreement.


Under the Agreement, GFS performs administrative services, including:  (1) monitor the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Trust by others service providers; (2) monitor Portfolio holdings and operations for post-trade compliance with the Portfolio's registration statement and applicable laws and rules; (3) prepare and coordinate the printing of semi-annual and annual financial statements; (4) prepare selected management reports for performance and compliance analyses; (5) prepare and disseminate materials for and attend and participate in meetings of the Board; (6) determine income and capital gains available for distribution and calculate distributions required to meet regulatory, income, and excise tax requirements; (7) review the Trust's federal, state, and local tax returns as prepared and signed by the Trust's independent public accountants; (8) prepare and maintain the Trust's operating expense budget to determine proper expense accruals to be charged to each Portfolio to calculate its daily net asset value; (9) assist in and monitor the preparation, filing, printing and where applicable, dissemination to shareholders of amendments to the Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A, periodic reports to the Trustees, shareholders and the SEC, notices pursuant to Rule 24f-2, proxy materials and reports to the SEC on Forms N-SAR, N-CSR, N-Q and N-PX; (10) coordinate the Trust's audits and examinations by assisting each Portfolio's independent public accountants; (11) determine, in consultation with others, the jurisdictions in which shares of the Trust shall be registered or qualified for sale and facilitate such registration or qualification; (12) monitor sales of shares and ensure that the shares are properly and duly registered with the SEC; (13) monitor the calculation of performance data for the Portfolio; (14) prepare, or cause to be prepared, expense and financial reports; (15) prepare authorization for the payment of Trust expenses and pay, from Trust assets, all bills of the Trust; (16) provide information typically supplied in the investment company industry to companies that track or report price, performance or other information with respect to investment companies; (17) upon request, assist each Portfolio in the evaluation and selection of other service providers, such as independent public accountants, printers, EDGAR providers and proxy solicitors (such parties may be affiliates of GFS); and (18) perform other services, recordkeeping and assistance relating to the affairs of the Trust as the Trust may, from time to time, reasonably request.


GFS also provides the Portfolio with accounting services, including: (i) daily computation of net asset value; (ii) maintenance of security ledgers and books and records as required by the 1940 Act; (iii) production of the Portfolio's listing of portfolio securities and general ledger reports; (iv) reconciliation of accounting records; (v) calculation of yield and total return for the Portfolio; (vi) maintaining certain books and records described in Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, and reconciling account information and balances among the Portfolio's custodian and Advisor; and (vii) monitoring and evaluating daily income and expense accruals, and sales and redemptions of shares of the Portfolio.       



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GFS also acts as transfer, dividend disbursing, and shareholder servicing agent for the Portfolio pursuant to the Agreement. Under the Agreement, GFS is responsible for administering and performing transfer agent functions, dividend distribution, shareholder administration, and maintaining necessary records in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.

For the services rendered to the Fund, during its first year of operations, by GFS, the Fund pays GFS a base annual fee for fund accounting, administration and transfer agency fees equal to a minimum of 0.10% on net assets up to $50 million, 0.08% on assets from $50 million to $100 million, 0.06% on assets from $100 million to $250 million, 0.05% on assets from $250 million to $500 million, 0.04% on assets from $500 million to $750  million, 0.03% on assets from $750 million to $2 billion and 0.02% on assets greater than $2 billion. For the fiscal period ended December 31, 2012, the Portfolios paid the following in Administrative service fees:


Fund

Administrative Services Fees

Country Rotation Fund

$370

Sector Rotation Fund

$369


Custodian  

Union Bank, National Association, 350 California Street 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104, serves as the custodian of the Fund’s assets pursuant to a Custody Agreement by and between the Custodian and the Trust on behalf of the Fund.  The Custodian’s responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling the Fund’s cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on the Fund’s investments. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the Custodian also maintains original entry documents and books of record and general ledgers; posts cash receipts and disbursements; and records purchases and sales based upon communications from the Adviser. The Fund may employ foreign sub-custodians that are approved by the Board to hold foreign assets.


Compliance Services

Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (“NLCS”), 17605 Wright Street, Suite 2, Omaha, NE 68130, an affiliate of GFS and the Distributor, provides a Chief Compliance Officer to the Trust as well as related compliance services pursuant to a consulting agreement between NLCS and the Trust.  The Fund pays a compliance service fee to NLCS. NLCS’s compliance services consist primarily of reviewing and assessing the policies and procedures of the Trust and its service providers pertaining to compliance with applicable federal securities laws, including Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act.  For the compliance services rendered to the Portfolio, the Portfolio pays NLCS a one-time fee of $2,500, plus an annual fee, based on Portfolio assets, ranging from $13,500 (net assets of $50 million or less) to $31,500 (net assets over $1 billion).  The Portfolio also pays NLCS for any out-of-pocket expenses.  


For the fiscal period ended December 31, 2012, the Portfolios paid the following in compliance fees:


Fund

Compliance Fees

Country Rotation Fund

$1,341

Sector Rotation Fund

$1,341


Legal Counsel

Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, Suite 1700, Columbus, Ohio 43215 serves as the Trust's legal counsel.


Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

BBD, LLP, 1835 Market Street, 26th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund.



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Distribution of Fund Shares

The Trust has entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, NE 68130, pursuant to which the Distributor acts as each Fund’s principal underwriter, provides certain administration services and promotes and arranges for the sale of the Fund’s shares.  The offering of each Fund’s shares is continuous.  The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA.


The Underwriting Agreement has an initial term of two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of a Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the trustees who are not parties to the Underwriting Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party.  The Underwriting Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of a Fund on 60 days’ notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities  or by vote of a majority of the Board, including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, or by the Distributor on 60 days’ notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).  


The following table sets forth the total compensation received by the Distributor from the Portfolios during the fiscal period ended December 31, 2012.

Fund

Net Underwriting Discounts and Commissions

Compensation on Redemptions and Repurchases

Brokerage Commissions

Other Compensation

Innealta Capital Country Rotation Portfolio

$0

$ 0

$ 0

*

Innealta Capital Sector Rotation Portfolio

$0

$ 0

$0

*

*The Distributor received $1,473 from the Adviser as compensation for its distribution services to the  Portfolios. The Distributor also receives 12b-1 fees from the Funds as described under the following section entitled “Rule 12b-1 Plan”.


12b-1 Distribution Plan

As noted in the Prospectus, the Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act for the Fund’s Class 2 shares (the “Plan”) pursuant to which the Class 2 shares of each Fund are authorized to pay fees to the Distributor for providing distribution and/or shareholder services to the Fund.  Under the Plan, Class 2 shares of each Fund may pay a combined account maintenance and/or distribution fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average net assets of class as compensation for the Distributor providing account maintenance and/or distribution services to shareholders.  Such fees are to be paid by each Fund monthly, or at such other intervals, as the Board shall determine.  Such fees shall be based upon each share class’s average daily net assets during the preceding month, and shall be calculated and accrued daily.  Each Fund may pay fees to the Distributor at a lesser rate, as agreed upon by the Board of the Trust and the Distributor. The Plan authorizes payments to the Distributor as compensation for providing account maintenance services to a Fund shareholders, including arranging for certain securities dealers or brokers, administrators and others (“Recipients”) to provide these services and paying compensation for these services.

The services to be provided by Recipients may include, but are not limited to, the following: assistance in the offering and sale of the Funds shares and in other aspects of the marketing of the shares to clients or prospective clients of the respective recipients; answering routine inquiries concerning a Fund; assisting in the establishment and maintenance of accounts or sub-accounts in a Fund and in processing purchase and redemption transactions; making each Fund’s investment plan and shareholder services available; and



23






providing such other information and services to investors in shares of a Fund as the Distributor or the Trust, on behalf of a Fund, may reasonably request. The distribution services shall also include any advertising and marketing services provided by or arranged by the Distributor with respect to a Fund. The Adviser may be compensated by the Distributor for its distribution and marketing efforts.


The Distributor is required to provide a written report, at least quarterly to the Board, specifying in reasonable detail the amounts expended pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.  Further, the Distributor will inform the Board of any Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Distributor to Recipients.


The initial term of the Rule 12b-1 Plan is one year and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board of the Trust and a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and do not have a direct or indirect financial interest in the Rule 12b-1 Plan (“Rule 12b-1 Trustees”) by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Rule 12b-1 Plan. The Rule 12b-1 Plan may be terminated at any time by the Trust or either Fund by vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of such Fund.


The Rule 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the Distributor’s compensation to be paid by a Fund, unless such amendment is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the affected class of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). All material amendments must be approved by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on a Rule 12b-1 Plan. During the term of a Rule 12b-1 Plan, the selection and nomination of non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of current non-interested Trustees. The Distributor will preserve copies of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, any related agreements, and all reports, for a period of not less than six years from the date of such document and for at least the first two years in an easily accessible place.


Any agreement related to a Rule 12b-1 Plan will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or the applicable Fund at any time upon sixty days’ written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the respective Rule 12b-1 Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or either Fund; (b) it will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act); and (c) it will continue in effect for a period of more than one year from the date of its execution or adoption only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such agreement.

To the extent these asset-based fees and other payments made under the Distribution Plan to these financial intermediaries for the distribution services they provide to each Fund’s shareholders exceed the Distribution Fees available, these payments are made by the Adviser from its own resources, which may include its profits from the advisory fee it receives from the Fund.  In addition, in its discretion, the Adviser may pay additional fees to such intermediaries from its own assets.


 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, the  Innealta Capital Country Rotation Portfolio paid $12 in distribution related fees pursuant to the Plan and the Innealta Capital Sector Rotation Portfolio paid $11 in distribution related fees pursuant to the Plan , and the payments were allocated as follows:







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Actual 12b-1 Expenditures Paid by

Each Portfolio For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2012

 

Innealta Capital Country Rotation Portfolio

Innealta Capital Sector Rotation Portfolio

Advertising/Marketing

None

None

Printing/Postage

None

None

Payment to distributor

$1

$0

Payment to dealers

$11

$11

Compensation to sales personnel

None

None

Other

$0

$0

Total

$12

$11


ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO BROKERAGE


Specific decisions to purchase or sell securities for the Funds are made by the portfolio managers who are employed by the Adviser.  The Adviser is authorized by the Trustees to allocate the orders placed by it on behalf of the Funds to brokers or dealers who may, but need not, provide research or statistical material or other services to the Funds or the Adviser for the Funds' use.  Such allocation is to be in such amounts and proportions as the Adviser may determine.


In selecting a broker or dealer to execute each particular transaction, the Adviser will take the following into consideration:


·

the best net price available;

·

the reliability, integrity and financial condition of the broker or dealer;

·

the size of and difficulty in executing the order; and

·

the value of the expected contribution of the broker or dealer to the investment performance of the Funds on a continuing basis.


Brokers or dealers executing a portfolio transaction on behalf of the Funds may receive a commission in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for executing the transaction if the Adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the value of brokerage, research and other services provided to the Funds. In allocating portfolio brokerage, the Adviser may select brokers or dealers who also provide brokerage, research and other services to other accounts over which the Adviser exercises investment discretion. Some of the services received as the result of Funds transactions may primarily benefit accounts other than the Funds', while services received as the result of portfolio transactions effected on behalf of those other accounts may primarily benefit the Funds.


PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

Each Fund's portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the fiscal year. The calculation excludes from both the numerator and the denominator securities with maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less. High portfolio turnover involves correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transaction costs, which will be borne directly by the Fund. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all of a Fund's portfolio securities were replaced once within a one-year period. For the fiscal period ended December 31, 2012, the Portfolios’ portfolio turnover rates were the following:




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Fund

Portfolio Turnover Rate

Country Rotation Fund

0%

Sector Rotation Fund

0%


Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program

The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”).  To ensure compliance with this law, the Trust’s Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.  The Trust’s secretary serves as its Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer.


Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Fund’s Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity and a providing a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications.  The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.


As a result of the Program, the Trust may be required to “freeze” the account of a shareholder if the shareholder appears to be involved in suspicious activity or if certain account information matches information on government lists of known terrorists or other suspicious persons, or the Trust may be required to transfer the account or proceeds of the account to a governmental agency.


Portfolio Holdings Information

The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that govern the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.  These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that such disclosure is in the best interests of Fund shareholders.


It is the Trust’s policy to:  (1) ensure that any disclosure of portfolio holdings information is in the best interest of Trust shareholders; (2) protect the confidentiality of portfolio holdings information; (3) have procedures in place to guard against personal trading based on the information; and (4) ensure that the disclosure of portfolio holdings information does not create conflicts between the interests of the Trust’s shareholders and those of the Trust’s affiliates.


The Fund discloses its portfolio holdings by mailing the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders approximately two months after the end of the fiscal year and semi-annual period.  In addition, the Fund discloses its portfolio holdings reports on Forms N-CSR and Form N-Q two months after the end of each quarter/semi-annual period.


The Funds may choose to make portfolio holdings information available to rating agencies such as Lipper, Morningstar or Bloomberg more frequently on a confidential basis.


Under limited circumstances, as described below, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may be disclosed to, or known by, certain third parties in advance of their filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-CSR or Form N-Q.  In each case, a determination has been made that such advance disclosure is supported by a legitimate business purpose and that the recipient is subject to a duty to keep the information confidential.  




26






The Adviser.  Personnel of the Adviser, including personnel responsible for managing each Fund’s portfolio, may have full daily access to Fund portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for the Adviser to provide their management, administrative, and investment services to each Fund.  As required for purposes of analyzing the impact of existing and future market changes on the prices, availability, demand and liquidity of such securities, as well as for the assistance of portfolio managers in the trading of such securities, Adviser personnel may also release and discuss certain portfolio holdings with various broker-dealers.


Gemini Fund Services, LLC.  Gemini Fund Services, LLC is the transfer agent, fund accountant, administrator and custody administrator for the Funds; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to each Fund’s portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for the Trust.


Union Bank, National Association. Union Bank, National Association is custodian for each Fund; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Fund’s portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for the Trust.


BBD, LLP.  BBD, LLP is each Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm; therefore, its personnel have access to each Fund’s portfolio holdings in connection with auditing of each Fund’s annual financial statements and providing assistance and consultation in connection with SEC filings.  


Thompson Hine LLP.  Thompson Hine LLP is counsel to each Fund; therefore, its personnel have access to each Fund’s portfolio holdings in connection with review of a Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports and SEC filings.


Additions to List of Approved Recipients

The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is the person responsible, and whose prior approval is required, for any disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio securities at any time or to any persons other than those described above.  In such cases, the recipient must have a legitimate business need for the information and must be subject to a duty to keep the information confidential. There are no ongoing arrangements in place with respect to the disclosure of portfolio holdings. In no event shall a Fund, the Adviser, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about a Fund’s portfolio holdings.


Compliance With Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Procedures

The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer will report periodically to the Board with respect to compliance with each Fund’s portfolio holdings disclosure procedures, and from time to time will provide the Board any updates to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures.


There is no assurance that the Trust’s policies on disclosure of portfolio holdings will protect the Fund from the potential misuse of holdings information by individuals or firms in possession of that information.


Determination of Net Asset Value

As indicated in the Prospectus under the heading “Net Asset Value,” the net asset value (“NAV”) of each Fund’s shares, by class, is determined by dividing the total value of a Fund’s portfolio investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding of a Fund, by class.  




27






For purposes of calculating the NAV, portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotes are available are stated at market value. Market value is generally determined on the basis of last reported sales prices, or if no sales are reported, based on quotes obtained from a quotation reporting system, established market makers, or pricing services. Securities primarily traded in the NASDAQ National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at the last sale price on the day of valuation, or if there has been no sale on such day, at the last bid on the primary exchange. Certain securities or investments for which daily market quotes are not readily available may be valued, pursuant to guidelines established by the Board, with reference to other securities or indices. Short-term investments having a maturity of 60 days or less are generally valued at amortized cost. Exchange traded options; futures and options on futures are valued at the settlement price determined by the exchange. Other securities for which market quotes are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or persons acting at their direction.


Investments initially valued in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted to U.S. dollars using exchange rates obtained from pricing services. As a result, the NAV of the Fund’s shares may be affected by changes in the value of currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The value of securities traded in markets outside the United States or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar may be affected significantly on a day that the New York Stock Exchange is closed and an investor is not able to purchase, redeem or exchange shares.


Fund shares are valued at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) (the “NYSE Close”) on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. For purposes of calculating the NAV, the Fund normally use pricing data for domestic equity securities received shortly after the NYSE Close and does not normally take into account trading, clearances or settlements that take place after the NYSE Close. Domestic fixed income and foreign securities are normally priced using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for those securities. Information that becomes known to the Fund or its agents after the NAV has been calculated on a particular day will not generally be used to retroactively adjust the price of the security or the NAV determined earlier that day.


In unusual circumstances, instead of valuing securities in the usual manner, the Fund may value securities at fair value or estimate their value as determined in good faith by the Board or its designees, pursuant to procedures approved by the Board. Fair valuation may also be used by the Board if extraordinary events occur after the close of the relevant market but prior to the NYSE Close.


The Trust expects that the New York Stock Exchange will be closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.


Purchase of Shares

Shares of a Fund are offered for purchase by separate accounts of insurance companies to serve as an investment medium for the variable contracts issued by the insurance companies and to certain qualified pension and retirement plans, as permitted under the federal tax rules relating to the Funds serving as investment mediums for variable contracts.  Shares of the Fund are sold to insurance company separate accounts funding variable contracts and may be sold to insurance companies that are not affiliated.  The Trust currently does not foresee any disadvantages to variable contract owners or other investors arising from offering the Trust’s shares to separate accounts funding both life insurance policies and annuity contracts in certain qualified pension and retirement plans; however, due to differences in tax treatment or other considerations, it is theoretically possible that the interest of owners of various contracts or pension and retirement plans participating in the Trust might at sometime be in conflict.  However, the



28






Board and insurance companies whose separate accounts invest in the Trust are required to monitor events in order to identify any material conflicts between variable contract owners, between separate accounts of unaffiliated insurers, and between various contract owners or pension and retirement plans. The Board will determine what action, if any, should be taken in the event of such a conflict. If such a conflict were to occur in one of more insurance company separate accounts, they might withdraw their investment in the Trust. This might force the Trust to sell securities at disadvantageous prices.


Shares of each Fund are sold at their respective NAVs (without a sales charge) next computed after receipt of a purchase order by an insurance company whose Separate Account invests in the Trust.


A Fund may hold securities, such as private placements, interests in commodity pools, other non-traded securities or temporarily illiquid securities, for which market quotations are not readily available or are determined to be unreliable.  These securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the “fair value” procedures approved by the Board.  The Board has delegated execution of these procedures to a fair value team composed of one of more officers from each of the (i) Trust, (ii) administrator, and (iii) adviser and/or sub-adviser.  The team may also enlist third party consultants such as an audit firm or financial officer of a security issuer on an as-needed basis to assist in determining a security-specific fair value.  The Board reviews and ratifies the execution of this process and the resultant fair value prices at least quarterly to assure the process produces reliable results.


Fair Value Team and Valuation Process.  This team is composed of one of more officers from each of the (i) Trust, (ii) administrator, and (iii) adviser and/or sub-adviser.  The applicable investments are valued collectively via inputs from each of these groups.  For example, fair value determinations are required for the following securities:  (i) securities for which market quotations are insufficient or not readily available on a particular business day (including securities for which there is a short and temporary lapse in the provision of a price by the regular pricing source), (ii) securities for which, in the judgment of the adviser or sub-adviser, the prices or values available do not represent the fair value of the instrument.  Factors which may cause the adviser or sub-adviser to make such a judgment include, but are not limited to, the following: only a bid price or an asked price is available; the spread between bid and asked prices is substantial; the frequency of sales; the thinness of the market; the size of reported trades; and actions of the securities markets, such as the suspension or limitation of trading; (iii) securities determined to be illiquid; (iv) securities with respect to which an event that will affect the value thereof has occurred (a “significant event”) since the closing prices were established on the principal exchange on which they are traded, but prior to a Fund’s calculation of its net asset value.  Specifically, interests in commodity pools or managed futures pools are valued on a daily basis by reference to the closing market prices of each futures contract or other asset held by a pool, as adjusted for pool expenses.  Restricted or illiquid securities, such as private placements or non-traded securities are valued via inputs from the adviser or sub-adviser valuation based upon the current bid for the security from two or more independent dealers or other parties reasonably familiar with the facts and circumstances of the security (who should take into consideration all relevant factors as may be appropriate under the circumstances).  If the adviser or sub-adviser is unable to obtain a current bid from such independent dealers or other independent parties, the fair value team shall determine the fair value of such security using the following factors: (i) the type of security; (ii) the cost at date of purchase; (iii) the size and nature of the Fund's holdings; (iv) the discount from market value of unrestricted securities of the same class at the time of purchase and subsequent thereto; (v) information as to any transactions or offers with respect to the security; (vi) the nature and duration of restrictions on disposition of the security and the existence of any registration rights; (vii) how the yield of the security compares to similar securities of companies of similar or equal creditworthiness; (viii) the level of recent trades of similar or comparable securities; (ix) the liquidity characteristics of the security; (x) current market conditions; and (xi) the market value of any securities into which the security is convertible or exchangeable.




29






Standards For Fair Value Determinations.  As a general principle, the fair value of a security is the amount that a Fund might reasonably expect to realize upon its current sale. The Trust has adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures ("ASC 820"). In accordance with ASC 820, fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment in a timely transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment.  ASC 820 establishes a three-tier hierarchy to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes.  Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk, for example, the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value including such a pricing model and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity's own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, developed based on the best information available under the circumstances.


Various inputs are used in determining the value of each Fund's investments relating to FAS 157.  These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below.


Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.


Level 2 – other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)


Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs (including a Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).


The fair value team takes into account the relevant factors and surrounding circumstances, which may include: (i) the nature and pricing history (if any) of the security; (ii) whether any dealer quotations for the security are available; (iii) possible valuation methodologies that could be used to determine the fair value of the security; (iv) the recommendation of a portfolio manager of the Fund with respect to the valuation of the security; (v) whether the same or similar securities are held by other Funds managed by the adviser (or sub-adviser) or other Funds and the method used to price the security in those Funds; (vi) the extent to which the fair value to be determined for the security will result from the use of data or formulae produced by independent third parties and (vii) the liquidity or illiquidity of the market for the security.


Board of Trustees Determination.  The Board of Trustees meets at least quarterly to consider the valuations provided by fair value team and ratify valuations for the applicable securities. The Board of Trustees considers the reports provided by the fair value team, including follow up studies of subsequent market-provided prices when available, in reviewing and determining in good faith the fair value of the applicable portfolio securities.


Redemption of Shares

Each Fund will redeem all or any portion of a shareholder’s shares in the Fund when requested in accordance with the procedures set forth in the “Redemptions” section of the Prospectus. Under the 1940 Act, a shareholder’s right to redeem shares and to receive payment therefore may be suspended at times:  

(a) when the NYSE is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings;

(b) when trading on that exchange is restricted for any reason;

(c) when an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly


30






determine the value of its net assets, provided that applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (or any succeeding governmental authority) will govern as to whether the conditions prescribed in (b) or (c) exist; or

(d) when the SEC by order permits a suspension of the right to redemption or a postponement of the date of payment on redemption.

 

In case of suspension of the right of redemption, payment of a redemption request will be made based on the NAV next determined after the termination of the suspension.


The Funds may purchase shares of ETFs which charge a redemption fee to shareholders that redeem shares of the underlying fund within a certain period of time (such as one year). The fee is payable to the underlying fund. Accordingly, if a Fund were to invest in an underlying fund and incur a redemption fee as a result of redeeming shares in such underlying fund, the Fund would bear such redemption fee.


Supporting documents in addition to those listed under “Redemptions” in the Prospectus will be required from executors, administrators, Trustees, or if redemption is requested by someone other than the shareholder of record. Such documents include, but are not restricted to, stock powers, Trust instruments, certificates of death, appointments as executor, certificates of corporate authority and waiver of tax required in some states when settling estates.


Tax Status

The following discussion is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. All shareholders should consult a qualified tax advisor regarding their investment in the Funds.


Each Fund intends to qualify and has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Tax Code"), which requires compliance with certain requirements concerning the sources of its income, diversification of its assets, and the amount and timing of its distributions to shareholders. Such qualification does not involve supervision of management or investment practices or policies by any government agency or bureau. By so qualifying, a Fund should not be subject to federal income or excise tax on its net investment income or net capital gain, which are distributed to shareholders in accordance with the applicable timing requirements. Net investment income and net capital gain of the Fund will be computed in accordance with Section 852 of the Tax Code.  


Net investment income is made up of dividends and interest less expenses. Net capital gain for a fiscal year is computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of a Fund. Capital losses incurred in tax years beginning December 22, 2010 may now be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss.  Under previously enacted laws, capital losses could be carried forward to offset any capital gains for eight years, and carried forward as short-term capital, irrespective of the character of the original loss.  Capital loss carry forwards are available to offset future realized capital gains. To the extent that these carry forwards are used to offset future capital gains it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders.


Each Fund intends to distribute all of its net investment income, any excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, and any excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses in accordance with the timing requirements imposed by the Tax Code and therefore should not be required to pay any federal income or excise taxes. Distributions of net investment income and net capital gain, if any, will be made annually no later than December 31 of each year. Both types of distributions will be in shares of the respective Fund unless a shareholder elects to receive cash.





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To be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Tax Code, a Fund must also (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, net income from certain publicly traded partnerships and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in such securities or currencies, and (b) diversify its holding so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s assets is represented by cash, U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities (for purposes of this calculation, generally limited in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the market value of the Fund’s assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer) and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities of (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) any one issuer, two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.


If a Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M in any fiscal year, it will be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. As such, the Fund would be required to pay income taxes on its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Shareholders of a Fund generally would not be liable for income tax on the Fund’s net investment income or net realized capital gains in their individual capacities.


Each Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on certain undistributed amounts of ordinary income and capital gain under a prescribed formula contained in Section 4982 of the Tax Code. The formula requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of distributions representing at least 98% of the Fund’s ordinary income for the calendar year and at least 98.2% of its capital gain net income (i.e., the excess of its capital gains over capital losses) realized during the one-year period ending October 31 during such year plus 100% of any income that was neither distributed nor taxed to the Fund during the preceding calendar year. Under ordinary circumstances, each Fund expects to time its distributions so as to avoid liability for this tax.


For a discussion of the tax consequences to holders of variable life or annuity contracts, refer to the prospectuses or other documents you received when you purchased your variable life or variable annuity contracts. Variable life or variable annuity contracts purchased through insurance company separate accounts provide for the accumulation of all earnings from interest, dividends, and capital appreciation without current federal income tax liability for the owner.  Depending on the variable annuity or variable life contract, distributions from the contract may be subject to ordinary income tax and, in addition, on distributions before age 59 1/2, a 10% penalty tax.  Only the portion of a distribution attributable to income on the investment in the contract is subject to federal income tax.  Investors should consult with competent tax advisors for a more complete discussion of possible tax consequences in a particular situation.


Additional Diversification Requirement

In addition to the diversification requirements applicable to all regulated investment companies discussed above, the Tax Code imposes certain diversification standards on the underlying assets of variable life or variable annuity contracts held in a Fund.  The Tax Code provides that a variable annuity contract shall not be treated as an annuity contract for any period (and any subsequent period) for which the investments are not, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Treasury Department, adequately diversified. Disqualification of the variable life or variable annuity contract as such would result in immediate imposition of federal income tax on variable life or variable annuity contract owners with respect to earnings allocable to the contract. This liability would generally arise prior to the receipt of payments under the contract.




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Each Fund intends to comply, and continue to comply, with the diversification requirement imposed by Section 817(h) of the Tax Code and the regulations thereunder on insurance company segregated asset (i.e., separate) accounts.  This requirement places certain limitations on the assets of each insurance company separate account, and, because Section 817(h) and those regulations treat the assets of a Fund as assets of the related separate account, of the Fund, that may be invested in securities of a single issuer.  Specifically, the regulations require that, except as permitted by the "safe harbor" described below, as of the end of each calendar quarter or within thirty days thereafter no more than 55% of the total assets of the Fund may be represented by any one investment, no more than 70% by any two investments, no more than 80% by any three investments and no more than 90% by any four investments.  For this purpose, all securities of the same issuer are considered a single investment, and each U.S. government agency or instrumentality is considered a separate issuer.  Section 817(h) provides, as a safe harbor, that a separate account will be treated as being adequately diversified if the diversification requirements are satisfied and no more than 55% of the value of the account’s total assets are cash and cash items, U.S. Government Securities and securities of other registered investment companies.  Failure of a Fund to satisfy the section 817(h) requirements would result in taxation of the insurance company issuing the Contracts and treatment of the holders other than as described in the applicable Contract prospectus.


Treasury regulations provide that a variable annuity contract will be able to look through to the assets held by a Fund for the purpose of meeting the diversification test if the Fund meets certain requirements.  Each Fund will be managed in such a manner as to comply with the diversification requirements and to allow the variable annuity contracts to be treated as owning a proportionate share of the Fund’s assets. It is possible that in order to comply with the diversification requirements, less desirable investment decisions may be made which would affect the investment performance of the Fund.


The above discussion of the federal income tax treatment of a Fund assumes that all the insurance company accounts holding shares of the Fund are either segregated asset accounts underlying variable contracts as defined in Section 817(d) of the Tax Code or the general account of an insurance company as defined in Section 816 of the Tax Code.  Additional tax consequences may apply to holders of variable contracts investing in the Fund if any of those contracts are not treated as annuity, endowment or life insurance contracts.


Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder realizes a loss on a disposition of a Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (such as an insurance company holding the separate accounts referenced in this SAI), the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service a disclosure statement on Form 8886.  Direct shareholders of Fund securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company, such as the separate accounts that own shares of a Fund, are not excepted. This filing requirement applies even though, as a practical matter, any such loss would not reduce the taxable income of the insurance company holding the separate accounts. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all regulated investment companies.


Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the application of federal, state and local and foreign tax law in light of their particular situation.


Financial Statements


The financial statements and report of the independent registered public accounting firm required to be included in this SAI are hereby incorporated by reference to the Annual Report for the Portfolios for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012. You can obtain a copy of the Annual Report without charge by calling the Portfolios at 1-855-873-3837.



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APPENDIX “A” RATINGS DEFINITIONS


Standard & Poor’s Issue Credit Rating Definitions



A Standard & Poor’s issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects Standard & Poor’s view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.


Issue credit ratings can be either long term or short term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days—including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.



Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings


A-1

A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment 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 commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.


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 commitment 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 lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.


B

A short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. Ratings of ‘B-1’, ‘B-2’, and ‘B-3’ may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the ‘B’ category. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.



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B-1

A short-term obligation rated ‘B-1’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.


B-2

A short-term obligation rated ‘B-2’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.


B-3

A short-term obligation rated ‘B-3’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.


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 commitment on the obligation.


D

A short-term obligation rated ‘D’ is in payment default. The ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.


SPUR (Standard & Poor’s Underlying Rating)

This is a rating of a stand-alone capacity of an issue to pay debt service on a credit-enhanced debt issue, without giving effect to the enhancement that applies to it. These ratings are published only at the request of the debt issuer/obligor with the designation SPUR to distinguish them from the credit-enhanced rating that applies to the debt issue. Standard & Poor’s maintains surveillance of an issue with a published SPUR.


Dual Ratings

Standard & Poor’s assigns “dual” ratings to all debt issues that have a put option or demand feature as part of their structure.  The first rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second rating addresses only the demand feature. The long-term rating symbols are used for bonds to denote the long-term maturity and the short-term rating symbols for the put option (for example, ‘AAA/A-1+’). With U.S. municipal short-term demand debt, note rating symbols are used with the short-term issue credit rating symbols (for example, ‘SP-1+/A-1+’).


The ratings and other credit related opinions of Standard & Poor’s and its affiliates are statements of opinion as of the date they are expressed and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, hold, or sell any securities or make any investment decisions.  Standard & Poor’s assumes no obligation to update any information following publication. Users of ratings and credit related opinions should not rely on them in making any investment decision.  Standard &Poor’s opinions and analyses do not address the suitability of any security. Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC does not act as a fiduciary or an investment advisor. While Standard & Poor’s has obtained information from sources it believes to be reliable, Standard & Poor’s does not perform an audit and undertakes no duty of due diligence or independent verification of any information it receives. Ratings and credit related opinions may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn at any time.



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Active Qualifiers (Currently applied and/or outstanding)


i

This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of interest are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of principal on the obligation.  The ‘i’ subscript indicates that the rating addresses the interest portion of the obligation only.  The ‘i’ subscript will always be used in conjunction with the ‘p’ subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of principal.  For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.


L

Ratings qualified with ‘L’ apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.


p

This subscript 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’ subscript indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only.  The ‘p’ subscript will always be used in conjunction with the ‘i’ subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of interest.  For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.


pi

Ratings with a ‘pi’ subscript are based on an analysis of an issuer’s published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain.  They do not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuer’s management and therefore may be based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a ‘pi’ subscript.  Ratings with a ‘pi’ subscript are reviewed annually based on a new year’s financial statements, but may be reviewed on an interim basis if a major event occurs that may affect the issuer’s credit quality.


pr

The letters ‘pr’ indicate that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful, timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion. The investor should exercise his own judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.


preliminary

Preliminary ratings are assigned to issues, including financial programs, in the following circumstances.


Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions.  Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt and approval by Standard & Poor’s of appropriate documentation.  Changes in the information provided to Standard & Poor’s could result in the assignment of a different rating. In addition, Standard & Poor’s reserves the right not to issue a final rating.

 

 

Preliminary ratings are assigned to Rule 415 Shelf Registrations.  As specific issues, with defined terms, are offered from the master registration, a final rating may be assigned to them in accordance with Standard & Poor’s policies.  The final rating may differ from the preliminary rating.



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t

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.


unsolicited

Unsolicited ratings are those credit ratings assigned at the initiative of Standard & Poor’s and not at the request of the issuer or its agents.


Inactive Qualifiers (No longer applied or outstanding)


*

This symbol indicated continuance of the ratings is contingent upon Standard & Poor’s receipt of an executed copy of the escrow agreement or closing documentation confirming investments and cash flows. Discontinued use in August 1998.


c

This qualifier was used to provide additional information to investors that the bank may terminate its obligation to purchase tendered bonds if the long-term credit rating of the issuer is below an investment-grade level and/or the issuer’s bonds are deemed taxable.  Discontinued use in January 2001.


q

A ‘q’ subscript indicates that the rating is based solely on quantitative analysis of publicly available information.  Discontinued use in April 2001.


r

The ‘r’ modifier was assigned to securities containing extraordinary risks, particularly market risks, that are not covered in the credit rating.  The absence of an ‘r’ modifier should not be taken as an indication that an obligation will not exhibit extraordinary non-credit related risks. Standard & Poor’s discontinued the use of the ‘r’ modifier for most obligations in June 2000 and for the balance of obligations (mainly structured finance transactions) in November 2002.


Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks

Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis.  An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt.  These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues.  Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.


Moody’s Credit Rating Definitions


Purpose

The system of rating securities was originated by John Moody in 1909. The purpose of Moody’s ratings is to provide investors with a simple system of gradation by which relative creditworthiness of securities may be noted.


Rating Symbols

Gradations of creditworthiness are indicated by rating symbols, with each symbol representing a group in which the credit characteristics are broadly the same. There are nine symbols as shown below, from that used to designate least credit risk to that denoting greatest credit risk:



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Aaa Aa A Baa Ba B Caa Ca C

Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa.


Absence of a Rating

Where no rating has been assigned or where a rating has been withdrawn, it may be for reasons unrelated to the creditworthiness of the issue.


Should no rating be assigned, the reason may be one of the following:


1. An application was not received or accepted.


2. The issue or issuer belongs to a group of securities or entities that are not rated as a matter of policy.


3. There is a lack of essential data pertaining to the issue or issuer.


4. The issue was privately placed, in which case the rating is not published in Moody’s publications.


Withdrawal may occur if new and material circumstances arise, the effects of which preclude satisfactory analysis; if there is no longer available reasonable up-to-date data to permit a judgment to be formed; if a bond is called for redemption; or for other reasons.


Changes in Rating

The credit quality of most issuers and their obligations is not fixed and steady over a period of time, but tends to undergo change. For this reason changes in ratings occur so as to reflect variations in the intrinsic relative position of issuers and their obligations.


A change in rating may thus occur at any time in the case of an individual issue. Such rating change should serve notice that Moody’s observes some alteration in creditworthiness, or that the previous rating did not fully reflect the quality of the bond as now seen. While because of their very nature, changes are to be expected more frequently among bonds of lower ratings than among bonds of higher ratings. Nevertheless, the user of bond ratings should keep close and constant check on all ratings — both high and low — to be able to note promptly any signs of change in status that may occur.


Limitations to Uses of Ratings*

Obligations carrying the same rating are not claimed to be of absolutely equal credit quality. In a broad sense, they are alike in position, but since there are a limited number of rating classes used in grading thousands of bonds, the symbols cannot reflect the same shadings of risk which actually exist.


As ratings are designed exclusively for the purpose of grading obligations according to their credit quality, they should not be used alone as a basis for investment operations. For example, they have no value in forecasting the direction of future trends of market price. Market price movements in bonds are influenced not only by the credit quality of individual issues but also by changes in money rates and general economic trends, as well as by the length of maturity, etc. During its life even the highest rated bond may have wide price movements, while its high rating status remains unchanged.


The matter of market price has no bearing whatsoever on the determination of ratings, which are not to be construed as recommendations with respect to “attractiveness”. The attractiveness of a given bond may depend on its yield, its maturity date or other factors for which the investor may search, as well as on its credit quality, the only characteristic to which the rating refers.




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Since ratings involve judgments about the future, on the one hand, and since they are used by investors as a means of protection, on the other, the effort is made when assigning ratings to look at “worst” possibilities in the “visible” future, rather than solely at the past record and the status of the present. Therefore, investors using the rating should not expect to find in them a reflection of statistical factors alone, since they are an appraisal of long-term risks, including the recognition of many non-statistical factors.


Though ratings may be used by the banking authorities to classify bonds in their bank examination procedure, Moody’s ratings are not made with these bank regulations in mind. Moody’s Investors Service’s own judgment as to the desirability or non-desirability of a bond for bank investment purposes is not indicated by Moody’s ratings.


Moody’s ratings represent the opinion of Moody’s Investors Service as to the relative creditworthiness of securities. As such, they should be used in conjunction with the descriptions and statistics appearing in Moody’s publications. Reference should be made to these statements for information regarding the issuer. Moody’s ratings are not commercial credit ratings. In no case is default or receivership to be imputed unless expressly stated.


*As set forth more fully on the copyright, credit ratings are, and must be construed solely as, statements of opinion and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, sell or hold any securities. Each rating or other opinion must be weighed solely as one factor in any investment decision made by or on behalf of any user of the information, and each such user must accordingly make its own study and evaluation of each security and of each issuer and guarantor of, and each provider of credit support for, each security that it may consider purchasing, selling or holding.

 

 Short-Term  Ratings


Moody’s short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.


Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:


P-1

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.



P-2

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.


P-3

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have 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.


Note: Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor or support-provider.



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Fitch’s National Credit Ratings


For those countries in which foreign and local currency sovereign ratings are below ‘AAA’, and where there is demand for such ratings, Fitch Ratings will provide National Ratings. It is important to note that each National Rating scale is unique and is defined to serve the needs of the local market in question.


The National Rating scale provides a relative measure of creditworthiness for rated entities only within the country concerned. Under this rating scale, a ‘AAA’ Long-Term National Rating will be assigned to the lowest relative risk within that country, which, in most but not all cases, will be the sovereign state.


The National Rating scale merely ranks the degree of perceived risk relative to the lowest default risk in that same country. Like local currency ratings, National Ratings exclude the effects of sovereign and transfer risk and exclude the possibility that investors may be unable to repatriate any due interest and principal repayments. It is not related to the rating scale of any other national market. Comparisons between different national scales or between an individual national scale and the international rating scale are therefore inappropriate and potentially misleading. Consequently they are identified by the addition of a special identifier for the country concerned, such as ‘AAA(arg)’ for National Ratings in Argentina.


In certain countries, regulators have established credit rating scales, to be used within their domestic markets, using specific nomenclature. In these countries, the agency’s National Short-Term Rating definitions for ‘F1+(xxx)’, ‘F1(xxx)’, ‘F2(xxx)’ and ‘F3(xxx)’ may be substituted by the regulatory scales, e.g. ‘A1+’, ‘A1’, ‘A2’ and ‘A3’. The below definitions thus serve as a template, but users should consult the individual scales for each country listed on the agency’s web-site to determine if any additional or alternative category definitions apply.



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National Short-Term Credit Ratings


F1(xxx)
Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency’s National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a “+” is added to the assigned rating.


F2(xxx)
Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.


F3(xxx)
Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. However, such capacity is more susceptible to near-term adverse changes than for financial commitments in higher rated categories.


B(xxx)
Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Such capacity is highly susceptible to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.


C(xxx)
Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.


D(xxx)
Indicates actual or imminent payment default.


Notes to Long-Term and Short-Term National Ratings


The ISO country code suffix is placed in parentheses immediately following the rating letters to indicate the identity of the National market within which the rating applies. For illustrative purposes, (xxx) has been used.


“+” or “-” may be appended to a National Rating to denote relative status within a major rating category. Such suffixes are not added to the ‘AAA(xxx)’ Long-Term National Rating category, to categories below ‘CCC(xxx)’, or to Short-Term National Ratings other than ‘F1(xxx)’.


LONG-TERM RATINGS


Standard & Poor’s Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings


Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on Standard & Poor’s analysis of the following considerations:


Likelihood of payment—capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

 

 



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Nature of and provisions of the obligation;

 

 

Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.


Issue ratings are 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 the 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 Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.


AA

An obligation rated ‘AA’ differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.


A

An obligation rated ‘A’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories.  However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.


BBB

An obligation rated ‘BBB’ exhibits adequate protection parameters.  However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.


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 exposures to adverse conditions.


BB

An obligation rated ‘BB’ is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues.  However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.


B

An obligation rated ‘B’ is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated ‘BB’, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.  Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.


CCC

An obligation rated ‘CCC’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.  In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.



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CC

An obligation rated ‘CC’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.


C

A ‘C’ rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the ‘C’ rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument’s terms or when preferred stock is the subject of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.


D

An obligation rated ‘D’ is in payment default.  The ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period.  The ‘D’ rating  also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized. An obligation’s rating is lowered to ‘D’ upon completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.


Plus (+) or minus (-)

The ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.


NR

This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor’s does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.


See active and inactive qualifiers following Standard & Poors Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings beginning on page A-3.


Moody’s Long-Term Debt Ratings



Long-Term Obligation Ratings

Moody’s long-term obligation ratings are opinions of the relative credit risk of fixed-income obligations with an original maturity of one year or more. They address the possibility that a financial obligation will not be honored as promised. Such ratings reflect both the likelihood of default and any financial loss suffered in the event of default.


Moody’s Long-Term Rating Definitions


Aaa

Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.


Aa

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


A

Obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.




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Baa

Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.


Ba

Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements 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 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 class of bonds 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.


Fitch’s National Long-Term Credit Ratings



AAA(xxx)
‘AAA’ National Ratings denote the highest rating assigned by the agency in its National Rating scale for that country. This rating is assigned to issuers or obligations with the lowest expectation of default risk relative to all other issuers or obligations in the same country.


AA(xxx)
‘AA’ National Ratings denote expectations of very low default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. The default risk inherent differs only slightly from that of the country’s highest rated issuers or obligations.


A(xxx)
‘A’ National Ratings denote expectations of low default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. However, changes in circumstances or economic conditions may affect the capacity for timely repayment to a greater degree than is the case for financial commitments denoted by a higher rated category.


BBB(xxx)
‘BBB’ National Ratings denote a moderate default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. However, changes in circumstances or economic conditions are more likely to affect the capacity for timely repayment than is the case for financial commitments denoted by a higher rated category.


BB(xxx)
‘BB’ National Ratings denote an elevated default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same



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country. Within the context of the country, payment is uncertain to some degree and capacity for timely repayment remains more vulnerable to adverse economic change over time.


B(xxx)
‘B’ National Ratings denote a significantly elevated default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Financial commitments are currently being met but a limited margin of safety remains and capacity for continued timely payments is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for extremely high recoveries.


CCC(xxx)
‘CCC’ National Ratings denote that default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic conditions.


CC(xxx)
‘CC’ National Ratings denote that default of some kind appears probable.


C(xxx)
‘C’ National Ratings denote that default is imminent.


D(xxx)
‘D’ National Ratings denote an issuer or instrument that is currently in default.


Notes to Long-Term and Short-Term National Ratings:

The ISO country code suffix is placed in parentheses immediately following the rating letters to indicate the identity of the National market within which the rating applies. For illustrative purposes, (xxx) has been used.


“+” or “-” may be appended to a National Rating to denote relative status within a major rating category. Such suffixes are not added to the ‘AAA(xxx)’ Long-Term National Rating category, to categories below ‘CCC(xxx)’, or to Short-Term National Ratings other than ‘F1(xxx)’.


MUNICIPAL NOTE RATINGS


Standard & Poor’s Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings Definitions


A Standard & Poor’s U.S. municipal note rating reflects Standard & Poor’s 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, Standard & Poor’s 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.


Note rating symbols are as follows:


SP-1



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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.


See active and inactive qualifiers following Standard & Poors Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings  beginning on page A-3.



 Moody’s US Municipal Short-Term Debt And Demand Obligation Ratings


Short-Term Debt Ratings


There are three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and are divided into three levels -- MIG 1 through MIG 3. In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated SG, or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation.


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.


Demand Obligation Ratings


In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned; a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (“demand feature”), using a variation of the MIG rating scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or VMIG rating.


When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated NR, e.g., Aaa/NR or NR/VMIG 1.


VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue’s specific structural or credit features.

 



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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 that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.


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 that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.


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 that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.


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 an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.


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APPENDIX “B” AFAM Capital, Inc. Proxy Voting Policy



We will vote proxies related to securities held by any client in a manner solely in the interest of the client. We will consider only those factors that relate to the client's investment, including how its vote will economically impact and affect the value of the client's investment.


Proxy votes generally will be cast in favor of proposals that maintain or strengthen the shared interests of shareholders and management, increase shareholder value, maintain or increase shareholder influence over the issuer's board of directors and management, and maintain or increase the rights of shareholders; proxy votes generally will be cast against proposals having the opposite effect.


With respect to our Innealta Capital mutual funds, we are a “fund-of-funds” and seek to comply with Section 12d-1F under the 1940 Act, which requires that shares of underlying investment companies be voted “in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such security”. Our voting instructions state “With respect to each proposal on the attached proxy ballot, please vote our shares in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such security.”


In voting on each and every issue, we will vote in a prudent and diligent fashion and only after a careful evaluation of the issue presented on the ballot. Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between our interests and a client’s interest, including a mutual fund client, we will resolve such a conflict by causing those proxies to be "echo voted" or "mirror voted" in the same proportion as other votes, voting in accordance with established guidelines, obtaining client consent to the proposed vote prior to voting the security, or forwarding the matter to an independent third party as directed by client.




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