485BPOS 1 d485bpos.htm ING VARIABLE PRODUCTS TRUST ING Variable Products Trust
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 2010

Securities Act File No. 033-73140

Investment Company Act File No. 811-8220

 

 

 

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-1A

 

Registration Statement Under The Securities Act Of 1933    x  
Pre-Effective Amendment No.    ¨  
Post-Effective Amendment No. 42    x  
and/or   
Registration Statement Under The Investment Company Act Of 1940    x  

Amendment No. 43

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

   x  

ING VARIABLE PRODUCTS TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant Specified in Charter)

7337 E. Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, AZ 85258

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (800) 992-0180

 

Huey P. Falgout, Jr.

ING Investments, LLC

7337 E. Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, AZ 85258

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

With copies to:

 

Jeffrey S. Puretz, Esq.

Dechert LLP

1775 I Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20006

 

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

¨       Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

  

x       on April 30, 2010 pursuant to paragraph (b)

¨       60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

  

¨       on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

¨       75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

  

¨       on (date), pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

¨ This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

ING VARIABLE PRODUCTS TRUST

(“Registrant”)

CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT

This Registration Statement consists of the following papers and documents:

 

 

Cover Sheet

 

 

Contents of Registration Statement

 

 

Explanatory Note

 

 

Registrant’s Adviser Class (“Class ADV”) shares’ Prospectus dated April 30, 2010

 

 

Registrant’s Class I shares’ Prospectus dated April 30, 2010

 

 

Registrant’s Class S shares’ Prospectus dated April 30, 2010

 

 

Registrant’s Service 2 Class (“Class S2”) shares’ Prospectus dated April 30, 2010

 

 

Registrant’s Class ADV, Class I, Class S, and Class S2 shares’ Statement of Additional Information dated April 30, 2010

 

 

Part C

 

 

Signature Page


Table of Contents

Explanatory Note

This Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to the Registration Statement (“Amendment”) on Form N-1A for ING Variable Products Trust (“Registrant”) is being filed under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for the purpose of finalizing the Registrant’s Adviser Class Prospectus, Class I Prospectus, Class S Prospectus and Service 2 Class Prospectus, and the related Statement of Additional Information, each dated April 30, 2010.


Table of Contents
Prospectus April 30, 2010

  • ING International Value PortfolioADV/IVIVX
  • ING MidCap Opportunities PortfolioADV/IAMOX
  • ING SmallCap Opportunities PortfolioADV/ISOPX

Each Portfolio’s shares may be offered to insurance company separate accounts serving as investment options under variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contracts”), qualified pension and retirement plans (“Qualified Plans”), custodial accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates in connection with the creation or management of the Portfolios, other investment companies, and other pemitted investors.
NOT ALL PORTFOLIOS MAY BE AVAILABLE IN ALL JURISDICTIONS, UNDER ALL VARIABLE CONTRACTS OR UNDER ALL QUALIFIED PLANS.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities nor has the SEC judged whether the information in this Prospectus is accurate or adequate. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

INVESTMENTS


Table Of Contents
SUMMARY SECTION
ING International Value Portfolio
1
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
5
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
8
KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION
11
Fundamental Policies
11
Non-Fundamental Investment Policies
11
Portfolio Diversification
11
Investor Diversification
11
Temporary Defensive Strategies
11
Percentage and Rating Limitations
12
Investment Not Guaranteed
12
Shareholder Reports
12
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS
13
Additional Information About The Investment Objectives
13
Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies
13
Additional Information About the Portfolios’ Risks
13
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
18
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS
19
The Investment Adviser
19
The Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
19
The Administrator
20
The Distributor
21
HOW SHARES ARE PRICED
22
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
23
Distribution Plan and Shareholder Service Plan
23
FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING
24
PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
25
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
26
INDEX DESCRIPTIONS
27
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
28
ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
30
TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION
Backcover

ING International Value Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

ADV
Management Fee 0.85%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees 0.50%
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.10%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses 1.55%
Waivers and Reimbursements1 (0.04)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.51%

1 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.50% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice within 90 days prior to the end of the current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
ADV $ 154 484 837 1,832

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 214% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of issuers located in a number of different countries outside of the United States. The Portfolio invests primarily in companies with a large market capitalization, but may also invest in small- and mid-sized companies. The Portfolio generally invests in common and preferred stocks, warrants, and convertible securities. The Portfolio may invest in companies located in countries with emerging securities markets when the Sub-Adviser believes they present attractive investment opportunities. The Portfolio may invest in government debt securities of developed foreign countries. The Portfolio also may invest up to 35% of its assets in securities of U.S. issuers, including investment-grade government and corporate debt securities.

The Portfolio may invest in derivative instruments including futures, options and swaps.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act).

The Sub-Adviser primarily uses a bottom-up fundamental analysis to identify stocks which it believes offer good value relative to their peers in the same industry, sector or region. It also uses a top-down analysis to identify important themes or issues which may affect the investment environment in certain regions or sectors and to estimate regional market risks. In conducting its fundamental analysis, the Sub-Adviser focuses on various factors including valuation of the companies, catalysts to stock price appreciation, quality of management, and financial measures, especially cash flow and cash flow return on capital.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Convertible Securities  Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stock at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt securities, such as interest rate and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the stocks into which they convert, they are subject to market risk.

Credit   Prices of bonds and other debt securities can fall if the issuer’s actual or perceived financial health deteriorates, whether because of broad economic or issuer-specific reasons. In severe cases, the issuer could be late in paying interest or principal, or could fail to pay altogether.

Currency   To the extent that the Portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

Derivative Instruments  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of the Portfolio and reduce its returns.

Foreign Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign investment risks typically are greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

Interest Rate  With bonds and other debt securities, a rise in interest rates generally causes values to fall. Falling interest rates will cause the income of bonds and other debt securities to decline over time. The higher the credit quality of the security, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is likely to be to interest rate risk.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods.

Market Capitalization  Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories - large, mid and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stock of mid- and small-sized companies causing the Portfolio that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in larger, fully-valued companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, and a more limited trading market for their stock as compared with larger companies. As a result, stock of mid- and small-capitalization companies may decline significantly in market downturns.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: ”investment risk“ and ”borrower default risk.“ Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

ING International Value Portfolio

Sovereign Debt  These securities are issued or guaranteed by foreign government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. Some of these reasons may include cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of its debt position to its economy or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debts that a government does not pay or bankruptcy proceeding by which all or part of sovereign debt that a government entity has not repaid may be collected.

U.S. Goverment Securities and Obligations  U.S. government securities are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored enterprises. U.S. government securities are subject to market and interest rate risk, and may be subject to varying degrees of credit risk.

Value Investing  Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class ADV shares’ and Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class ADV shares’ and Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. Class I shares’ performance has been adjusted to reflect the higher expenses of Class ADV shares. The Class ADV shares and Class I shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar performance because they invest in the same portfolio of securities. However, Class I shares’ performance would be higher than Class ADV shares’ performance because of the higher expenses paid by Class ADV shares. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The bar chart below shows the Portfolio’s adjusted Class I shares’ performance (2000-2006) and Class ADV shares’ performance (2007-2009).

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 2nd, 2009, 27.00% and Worst quarter: 4th, 2008, (21.54)%

Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs
(or since
inception)
10 Yrs Inception
Date
Class ADV % 26.88 (6.65) N/A 12/29/06
MSCI EAFE® Index1 % 31.78 (6.04)2 N/A
Class I (adjusted) % 26.55 2.67 2.73 08/08/97
MSCI EAFE® Index1 % 31.78 3.54 1.17
1 The index returns include the reinvestment of dividends and distributions net of withholding taxes, but do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses.
2 Reflects index performance since the date closest to the Class’ inception for which data is available.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
Philip A. Schwartz John Pairaktaridis
Portfolio Manager
(since 07/02)
Assistant Portfolio Manager
(since 01/09)
Joseph Vultaggio
Assistant Portfolio Manager
(since 01/09)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may
ING International Value Portfolio
apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING International Value Portfolio

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

ADV
Management Fee 0.72%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees 0.50%
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.08%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses1 1.41%
Waivers and Reimbursements2 (0.05)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.36%
1 Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses may be higher than the Portfolio’s ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Portfolio and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
2 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.40% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years. In addition, effective May 2, 2010, the adviser is contractually obligated to further limit expenses to 1.35% through May 2, 2011. There is no guarantee the additional expense limitation will continue after May 2, 2011. The additional expense limitation will only renew if the adviser elects to renew it.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
ADV $ 138 441 766 1,687

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 169% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of mid-sized U.S. companies. The Portfolio will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this investment policy.

The Portfolio normally invests in companies that the Sub-Adviser believes have above average prospects for growth. For this Portfolio, mid-sized companies are those companies with market capitalizations that fall within the range of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index at the time of purchase. Capitalization of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index change with market conditions. The market capitalization of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index as of December 31, 2009, ranged from $262.5 million to $15.5 billion.

The Portfolio may also invest in derivative instruments and foreign securities.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act”).

In managing the Portfolio, the Sub-Adviser uses a stock selection process that combines the discipline of quantitative screens with rigorous fundamental security analysis. The quantitative screens focus the fundamental analysis by identifying the stocks of companies with strong business momentum that demonstrate relative price strength, and have a perceived value not reflected in the current price. The objective of the fundamental analysis is to confirm the persistence of the company’s revenue and earnings growth and validate the Sub-Adviser’s expectations for earnings estimate revisions, particularly relative to consensus. A determination of reasonable valuation for individual securities is based on the judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Currency   To the extent that the Portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

Derivative Instruments  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of the Portfolio and reduce its returns.

Foreign Investments  Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth-oriented securities in which the Portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor value-oriented securities or may not favor equities at all.

Mid-Capitalization Company  Investments in mid-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volume typical on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may have limited market stability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class ADV shares’ and Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class ADV shares’ and Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. Class I shares’ performance has been adjusted to reflect the higher expenses of Class ADV shares. The Class ADV shares and Class I shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar performance because they invest in the same portfolio of securities. However, Class I shares’ performance would be higher than Class ADV shares’ performance because of the higher expenses paid by Class ADV shares. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The bar chart below shows the Portfolio’s adjusted Class I shares’ performance (2001-2006) and Class ADV shares’ performance (2007-2009).

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 4th, 2001, 22.97% and Worst quarter: 3rd, 2001, (28.13)%

Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs
(or since
inception)
10 Yrs
(or since
inception)
Inception
Date
Class ADV % 40.65 2.88 N/A 12/29/06
Russell Midcap® Growth Index1 % 46.29 (3.18)2 N/A
Russell Midcap® Index1 % 40.48 (4.59)2 N/A
Class I (adjusted) % 40.79 5.18 (1.50) 05/05/00
Russell Midcap® Growth Index1 % 46.29 2.40 (1.46)2
Russell Midcap® Index1 % 40.48 2.43 4.642
1 The index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes.
2 Reflects index performance since the date closest to the Class’ inception for which data is available.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
Jeff Bianchi James Hasso
Portfolio Manager (since 07/05) Portfolio Manager (since 04/10)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

ADV
Management Fee 0.75%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees 0.50%
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.11%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses1 1.47%
Waivers and Reimbursements2 (0.03)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.44%
1 Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses may be higher than the Portfolio’s ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Portfolio and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
2 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.42% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
ADV $ 147 460 796 1,745

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 139% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of smaller, lesser-known U.S. companies. The Portfolio will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this investment policy.

The Portfolio normally invests in companies that the Sub-Adviser believes have above average prospects for growth. For this Portfolio, smaller companies are those with market capitalizations that fall within the range of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index at the time of purchase. The Russell 2000® Growth Index is an index that measures the performance of small growth companies. Capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index will change with market conditions. The market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index as of December 31, 2009, ranged from $17 million to $5.7 billion.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act”).

The Sub-Adviser uses a disciplined combination of quantitative screens and bottom-up fundamental security analysis to build a broadly diversified portfolio of companies that the Sub-Adviser believes will have improving bottom lines, with reasonable valuation, and whose stocks demonstrate relative strength. The focus of company analysis is upon the prospects for continuing bottom-line growth, balance sheet strength, and cash flow characteristics. A proprietary measure is used to determine relative stock price strength. A determination of reasonable valuation for individual securities is based on the judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth-oriented securities in which the Portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor value-oriented securities or may not favor equities at all.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

Small-Capitalization Company  Investments in small-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class ADV shares’ and Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class ADV shares’ and Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. Class I shares’ performance has been adjusted to reflect the higher expenses of Class ADV shares. The Class ADV shares and Class I shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar performance because they invest in the same portfolio of securities. However, Class I shares’ performance would be higher than Class ADV shares’ performance because of the higher expenses paid by Class ADV shares. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The bar chart below shows the Portfolio’s adjusted Class I shares’ performance (2000-2008) and Class ADV shares’ performance (2009).

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 2nd, 2009, 22.68% and Worst quarter: 3rd, 2001, (29.46)%

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs
(or since
inception)
10 Yrs Inception
Date
Class ADV % 30.32 55.09 N/A 11/20/08
Russell 2000® Growth Index1 % 34.47 38.012 N/A
Russell 2000® Index1 % 27.17 31.522 N/A
Class I (adjusted) % 30.40 2.51 (3.77) 05/06/94
Russell 2000® Growth Index1 % 34.47 0.87 (1.37)
Russell 2000® Index1 % 27.17 0.51 3.51
1 The index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes.
2 Reflects index performance since the date closest to the Class’ inception for which data is available.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
James Hasso Steve Salopek
Portfolio Manager (since 10/08) Portfolio Manager (since 07/05)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION

This Prospectus contains information about certain funds within the ING Funds family and is designed to provide you with important information to help you with your investment decisions. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.

The Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this Prospectus. It identifies investment restrictions, more detailed risk descriptions, a description of how the bond rating system works and other information that may be helpful to you in your decision to invest. You may obtain a copy, without charge, from the Portfolios.

Other ING Funds may also be offered to the public that have similar names, investment objectives and principal investment strategies as those of the Portfolios. You should be aware that a Portfolio is likely to differ from these other ING Funds in size and cash flow pattern. Accordingly, the performance of a Portfolio can be expected to vary from those of other ING Funds.

Other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds may invest in the Portfolios. So long as the Portfolios accept investments by other investment companies, they will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”) or under the terms of an exemptive order granted by the SEC.

Each Portfolio is a series of ING Variable Products Trust (“Trust”), a Massachusetts business trust. The Portfolios are managed by ING Investments, LLC (“ING Investments” or “Adviser”).

The Portfolios’ shares are classified into four classes of shares, Adviser Class (“Class ADV”), Class I, Class S, and Service 2 Class (“Class S2”) shares. The classes of shares of each Portfolio are identical except for different expenses, certain related rights and certain shareholder services. All share classes of each Portfolio have a common investment objective and investment portfolio. Only Class ADV shares are offered in this Prospectus. Class ADV shares are not subject to any sales loads.

Fundamental Policies

Fundamental investment policies contained in the SAI may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Board of Trustees (“Board”) and/or the Adviser may change any other policies and investment strategies.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Certain Portfolios have adopted non-fundamental investment policies to invest the Portfolio’s assets in securities that are consistent with the Portfolio’s name. For more information about these policies, please consult the SAI.

Portfolio Diversification

Each Portfolio is diversified, as defined in the 1940 Act. A diversified fund may not, as to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer and may not purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities). A non-diversified fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its assets that it may invest in the obligations of a single issuer.

Investor Diversification

Although each Portfolio is designed to serve as a diversified investment portfolio of securities, no single mutual fund can provide an appropriate investment program for all investors. You should evaluate each Portfolio in the context of your personal financial situation, investment objectives and other investments.

Temporary Defensive Strategies

When the Adviser or Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to a Portfolio anticipates unusual market or other conditions, the Portfolio may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure. In such circumstances, that Portfolio may invest in securities believed to present less risk, such as cash, cash equivalents, money market fund shares and other money market instruments, debt securities that are high quality or higher quality than normal, more liquid securities, or others. While a Portfolio invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment objective. A Portfolio’s defensive investment position may not be effective in protecting its value. It is impossible to predict accurately how long such alternative strategies may be utilized. The types of defensive positions in which a Portfolio may engage are identified and discussed in the SAI.

KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION (continued)

Percentage and Rating Limitations

The percentage and rating limitations on Portfolio investments listed in this Prospectus apply at the time of investment.

Investment Not Guaranteed

Please note your investment is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

Shareholder Reports

Each Portfolio’s fiscal year ends December 31. Each Portfolio will send financial statements to its shareholders at least semi-annually. An annual shareholder report containing financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm will be sent to shareholders every year.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS

Additional Information About The Investment Objectives

Each Portfolio’s investment objective is non-fundamental and each Portfolio’s investment objective may be changed by a vote of the Portfolio’s Board, without shareholder approval. A Portfolio will provide 60 days’ prior written notice of any change in a non-fundamental investment objective. There is no guarantee the Portfolios will achieve their respective investment objective.

Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies

For a complete description of a Portfolio’s principal investment strategies, please see the the respective Portfolio’s summary prospectus.

Additional Information About the Portfolios’ Risks

All mutual funds involve risk — some more than others — and there is always the chance that you could lose money or not earn as much as you hope. A Portfolio’s risk profile is largely a factor of the principal securities in which it invests and investment techniques that it uses. Below is a discussion of the risks associated with certain of the types of securities in which the Portfolios may invest and certain of the investment practices that the Portfolios may use. For more information about these and other types of securities and investment techniques that may be used by the Portfolios, see the SAI.

Many of the investment techniques and strategies discussed in this Prospectus and in the SAI are discretionary which means that the Adviser or sub-adviser can decide whether to use them. The Portfolios may invest in these securities or use these techniques as part of the Portfolios’ principal investment strategies. However, the Adviser or sub-adviser may also use these investment techniques or make investments in securities that are not a part of the Portfolios’ principal investment strategies.

The discussions below expand on the risks included in a Portfolio’s summary section of the Prospectus. Please see the SAI for a further discussion of the principal and other investment strategies employed by each Portfolio.

Company.  The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Convertible Securities.  Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt securities, such as interest rate and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the stocks into which they convert, they are subject to market risk.

The value of a convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the value of the underlying security because of the conversion or exercise feature. However, the value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying security. A convertible security may also provide income and be subject to interest rate risk. Convertible securities may be lower-rated securities subject to greater levels of credit risk. In the event the issuer of a convertible security is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, a portfolio could lose money. A portfolio may be forced to convert a convertible security before it otherwise would do so, which may decrease the portfolio’s returns.

Credit.  Prices of bonds and other debt securities can fall if the issuer’s actual or perceived financial health deteriorates, whether because of broad economic or issuer-specific reasons. In severe cases, the issuer could be late in paying interest or principal, or could fail to pay altogether.

Currency.  To the extent that a portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency rates may be affected by changes in interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, by the imposition of currency controls, or other political or economic developments in the United States or abroad. As a result, a portfolio’s investments in foreign currency or foreign currency-denominated securities may reduce the value of the portfolio’s assets.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) Derivative Instruments.  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of a portfolio and reduce its returns. Generally, derivatives are sophisticated financial instruments whose performance is derived, at least in part, from the performance of an underlying asset or assets. Derivatives include, among other things, swap agreements, options, forwards and futures. The investment of a portfolio’s assets required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the portfolio; therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the portfolio; thus exaggerating any increase or decrease in the net asset value of the portfolio. Investments in derivatives are generally negotiated over-the-counter with a single counterparty and as a result are subject to credit risks related to the counterparty’s ability to perform its obligations and further that any deterioration in the counterparty’s creditworthiness could adversely affect the value of the derivative. In addition, derivatives and their underlying securities may experience periods of illiquidity which could cause a portfolio to hold a security it might otherwise sell, or to sell a security it otherwise might hold at inopportune times or for prices that do not reflect current market value. A portfolio’s adviser or sub-adviser might imperfectly judge the direction of the market. For instance, if a derivative is used as a hedge to offset investment risk in another security, the hedge might not correlate to the market’s movements and may have unexpected or undesired results such as a loss or a reduction in gains to a portfolio.

Foreign Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets.  To the extent a portfolio invests in securities of issuers in markets outside the United States, its share price may be more volatile than if it invested in securities of issuers in the U.S. market due to, among other things, the following factors: comparatively unstable political, social and economic conditions, and limited or ineffectual judicial systems; comparatively small market sizes, making securities less liquid and securities prices more sensitive to the movements of large investors and more vulnerable to manipulation; governmental policies or actions, such as high taxes, restrictions on currency movements, trade or diplomatic disputes, creation of monopolies, and the seizure of private property through confiscatory taxation and expropriation or nationalization of company assets; incomplete, outdated, or unreliable information about securities issuers due to less stringent market regulation and accounting standards; comparatively undeveloped markets and weak banking and financial systems; market inefficiencies, such as higher transaction costs, and administrative difficulties, such as delays in processing transactions; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, which could reduce gains or widen losses. In addition, foreign taxes could reduce the income available to distribute to shareholders, and special U.S. tax considerations could apply to foreign investments. Depositary receipts are subject to risks of foreign investments and might not always track the price of the underlying foreign security.

Foreign investment risks typically are greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets, for such reasons as social or political unrest, heavy economic dependence on agriculture or exports (particularly commodities), undeveloped or overburdened infrastructures, vulnerability to natural disasters, significant and unpredictable government intervention in markets or the economy, currency devaluations, runaway inflation, environmental problems, and business practices that depart from norms for developed countries and less developed or liquid markets for securities generally.

Interest Rate.  With bonds and other debt securities, a rise in interest rates generally causes values to fall. Falling interest rates will cause the income of bonds and other debt securities to decline over time. The higher the credit quality of the security, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is likely to be to interest rate risk.

Investment Model.  The sub-adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors. The proprietary models used by a sub-adviser to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on the sub-adviser’s understanding of the interplay of market factors and do not assure successful investment. The markets, or the price of individual securities, may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

Liquidity.  If a security is illiquid, the adviser or sub-adviser might be unable to sell the security at a time when a portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount a portfolio could realize upon disposition. A portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. A portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the portfolio.

Market.  Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth- or value-oriented securities in which a portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor securities to which a portfolio is not exposed or may not favor equities at all.

Market Capitalization.  Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories - large, mid and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stock of mid- and small-sized companies causing a portfolio that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in larger, fully-valued companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, and a more limited trading market for their stock as compared with larger companies. As a result, stock of mid- and small-capitalization companies may decline significantly in market downturns.

Mid-Capitalization Company.  Investments in mid-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volume typical on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may have limited market stability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.

Other Investment Companies.  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because a portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the portfolio.

Other investment companies include exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and Holding Company Depositary Receipts (“HOLDRs”), among others. ETFs are exchange-traded investment companies that are, in many cases, designed to provide investment results corresponding to an equity index. The main risk of investing in other investment companies is that the value of the underlying securities held by the investment company might decrease. The value of the underlying securities can fluctuate in response to activities of individual companies or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Additional risks of investments in ETFs include: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade at a discount to its net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; or (iii) trading may be halted if the listing exchanges’ officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts trading generally. Because HOLDRs concentrate in the stock of a particular industry, trends in that industry may have a dramatic impact on their value.

To seek to achieve a return on uninvested cash or for other reasons, a portfolio may invest its assets in ING Institutional Prime Money Market Fund and/or one or more other money market funds advised by ING affiliates (“ING Money Market Funds”). A portfolio’s purchase of shares of an ING Money Market Fund will result in the portfolio paying a proportionate share of the expenses of the ING Money Market Fund. A portfolio’s adviser will waive its fee in an amount equal to the advisory fee received by the adviser of the ING Money Market Fund in which the portfolio invests resulting from the portfolio’s investment into the ING Money Market Fund.

Securities Lending.  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that a portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that a portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

To generate additional income, a portfolio may lend securities to financial institutions that are believed to be creditworthy by the adviser. When lending securities, a portfolio will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. A portfolio retains its custodian to serve as its securities lending agent for these activities.

When a portfolio lends its securities, it is responsible for investing the cash it receives as collateral from the borrower, and the portfolio could incur losses in connection with the investment of such collateral, often referred to as “investment risk.” A portfolio will minimize investment risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high-quality instruments of short maturity.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) A portfolio may also lose money from the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner, often referred to as “borrower default risk.” In the event of a borrower default, a portfolio will be protected to the extent the portfolio is able to exercise its rights in the collateral promptly and the value of such collateral is sufficient to purchase replacement securities. In addition, a portfolio will be protected by its securities lending agent, which has agreed to indemnify the portfolio from losses resulting from borrower default.

Small-Capitalization Company.  Investments in small-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management.

Sovereign Debt.  These securities are issued or guaranteed by foreign government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. Some of these reasons may include cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of its debt position to its economy or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debts that a government does not pay or bankruptcy proceeding by which all or part of sovereign debt that a government entity has not repaid may be collected.

Value Investing.  Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The sub-adviser may be wrong in its assessment of a company’s value and the securities a portfolio holds may not reach their full values. A particular risk of a portfolio’s value approach is that some holdings may not recover and provide the capital growth anticipated or a security judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, a portfolio’s relative performance may suffer.

The discussion below includes risks that are not described in any of the Portfolios’ summaries but which, nevertheless, are a risk to all of the Portfolios.

Counterparty.  The entity with whom a portfolio conducts portfolio-related business (such as trading or securities lending), or that underwrites, distributes or guarantees investments or agreements that the portfolio owns or is otherwise exposed to, may refuse or may become unable to honor its obligations under the terms of a transaction or agreement. As a result, that portfolio may sustain losses and be less likely to achieve its investment objective. These risks may be greater when engaging in over-the-counter transactions.

Duration.  One measure of risk for fixed-income securities is duration. Duration measures the sensitivity of a bond’s price to interest rate movements and is one of the tools used by a portfolio manager in selection of fixed-income securities. Historically, the maturity of a bond was also used as a proxy for the sensitivity of a bond’s price to changes in interest rates, otherwise known as a bond’s interest rate risk or volatility. According to this measure, the longer the maturity of a bond, the more its price will change for a given change in market interest rates. However, this method ignores the amount and timing of all cash flows from the bond prior to final maturity. Duration is a measure of average life of a bond on a present value basis which was developed to incorporate a bond’s yield, coupons, final maturity and call features into one measure. For point of reference, the duration of a noncallable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 5 years is approximately 4.5 years and the duration of a noncallable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 10 years is approximately 8 years. Material changes in interest rates may impact the duration calculation.

Increase in Expenses.  Your actual cost of investing in a portfolio may be higher or lower than the expenses shown in the portfolio’s “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, expense ratios may be higher than those shown if the portfolio’s assets decrease. The portfolio’s assets may decrease and portfolio expense ratios increase for many reasons, including volatility in the portfolio’s net asset value caused by volatility in the secondary markets for assets in which the portfolio invests.

Investment By Other Funds.  Various other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds, including some ING funds, may invest in a portfolio. If investments by these other funds result in large inflows or outflows of cash from the portfolio, the portfolio’s performance or realization of capital gains could be affected. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on portfolio management. For example, these transactions could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. The adviser or sub-adviser will monitor transactions by the funds-of funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects on a portfolio and funds-of-funds as a result of these transactions.

Manager.  A portfolio is subject to manager risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The adviser, the sub-adviser or each individual portfolio manager will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for a portfolio, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. Many sub-advisers of equity funds employ styles that are characterized as “value” or “growth.” However, these terms can have different application by different managers. One sub-adviser’s value approach may be different from another, and one sub-adviser’s growth approach may be different from another. For example, some value managers employ a style in which they seek to identify companies that they believe are valued at a more substantial or “deeper discount” to a company’s net worth than other value managers. Therefore, some funds that are characterized as growth or value can have greater volatility than other funds managed by other managers in a growth or value style.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

Portfolio Holdings Information

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Portfolio’s portfolio securities is available in the SAI. Each Portfolio posts its portfolio holdings schedule on the ING Funds’ website on a calendar-quarter basis. The portfolio holdings schedule is available on the ING Funds’ website 30 calendar days following the end of the previous calendar quarter. The portfolio holdings schedule is as of the last day of the preceding calendar quarter (e.g., each Portfolio will post the quarter-ending June 30 holdings on July 31). Each Portfolio may also post its complete or partial portfolio holdings on its website as of a specified date.

Each Portfolio’s portfolio holdings schedule will, at a minimum, remain available on the ING Funds’ website until a Portfolio files a Form N-CSR or Form N-Q with the SEC for the period that includes the date as of which the website information is current.

The ING Funds’ website is located at www.ingfunds.com.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS

The Investment Adviser

ING Investments, an Arizona limited liability company, serves as the investment adviser to the Portfolios. ING Investments has overall responsibility for the management of the Portfolios. ING Investments oversees all investment advisory and portfolio management services for the Portfolios.

ING Investments is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. ING Investments is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep N.V. (“ING Groep”)(NYSE:ING). ING Groep is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 75 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 125,000 people, ING Groep comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand. ING Investments became an investment management firm in April 1995.

ING Groep has adopted a formal restructuring plan that was approved by the European Commission in November 2009 under which the ING life insurance businesses, including the retirement services and investment management businesses, which include the Adviser and its affiliates, would be divested by ING Groep by the end of 2013. While there can be no assurance that it will be carried out, the restructuring plan presents certain risks, including uncertainty about the effect on the businesses of the ING entities that service the Portfolios and potential termination of the Portfolios’ existing advisory agreements, which may trigger the need for shareholder approval of new agreements.

ING Investments’ principal office is located at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. As of December 31, 2009, ING Investments managed approximately $46.5 billion in assets.

The Adviser receives a monthly fee for its services based on the average daily net assets of each Portfolio.

Management Fees

The following table shows the aggregate annual management fee paid by each Portfolio for the most recent fiscal year as a percentage of that Portfolio’s average daily net assets:

Management Fees
ING International Value Portfolio 0.85%
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio 0.72%
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio 0.75%

The Adviser is responsible for all of its own costs, including costs of its personnel required to carry out its investment advisory duties.

For information regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the investment advisory and investment sub-advisory relationships (if applicable), please refer to the Portfolios’ annual shareholder report dated December 31, 2009.

The Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers

The Adviser has engaged a sub-adviser to provide the day-to-day management of each Portfolio’s portfolio. The sub-adviser is an affiliate of ING Investments.

The Adviser acts as a ‘‘manager-of-manager’’ for the Portfolios. The Adviser delegates to the sub-advisers of the Portfolios the responsibility for investment management, subject to the Adviser’s oversight. The Adviser is responsible for monitoring the investment program and performance of the sub-advisers of the Portfolios.

From time to time, the Adviser may also recommend the appointment of additional sub-advisers or replacement of non-affiliated sub-advisers to the Portfolios’ Board. It is not expected that ING Investments would normally recommend replacement of affiliated sub-advisers as part of its oversight responsibilities. The Portfolios and the Adviser have received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit the Adviser, with the approval of the Portfolios’ Board, to appoint an additional non-affiliated sub-adviser or to replace an existing sub-adviser with a non-affiliated sub-adviser, as well as change the terms of a contract with a non-affiliated sub-adviser, without submitting the contract to a vote of the Portfolios’ shareholders. The Portfolios will notify shareholders of any change in the identity of a sub-adviser of the Portfolios, the addition of a sub-adviser to the Portfolios, or any change in the terms of a contract with a non-affiliated sub-adviser. In this event, the names of the Portfolios and their investment strategies may also change.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS (continued) Under the terms of each sub-advisory agreement, the agreement can be terminated by the Adviser or a Portfolio’s Board. In the event a sub-advisory agreement is terminated, the sub-adviser may be replaced subject to any regulatory requirements or the Adviser may assume day-to-day investment management of a Portfolio.

ING Investment Management Co.

ING Investment Management Co. (‘‘ING IM’’ or ‘‘Sub-Adviser’’), a Connecticut corporation, was founded in 1972 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. ING IM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep and is an affiliate of ING Investments. ING IM has acted as adviser or sub-adviser to mutual funds since 1994 and has managed institutional accounts since 1972. The principal office of ING IM is located at 230 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10169. As of December 31, 2009, ING IM managed approximately $61.3 billion in assets.

The following individuals are the Portfolio Managers of ING International Value Portfolio. Mr. Schwartz is primarily responsible for making investment decisions on behalf of the Portfolio. Mr. Pairaktaridis and Mr. Vultaggio support Mr. Schwartz and assist in the management of the Portfolio.

Philip A. Schwartz, CFA, is Head of International Equity and Senior Portfolio Manager for the international value strategy and has extensive experience covering international markets. Mr. Schwartz is responsible for managing portfolios as well as designing and implementing the international value investment process. Prior to joining ING Investment Management in 1993, Mr. Schwartz was with European investment firm Cheuvreux de Virieu in Paris and New York.

John Pairaktaridis, Assistant Portfolio Manager and International Research Analyst, joined ING IM in 2004. Prior to joining ING IM, he was a portfolio analyst at Neuberger Berman, LLC.

Joseph Vultaggio, Assistant Portfolio Manager and Senior International Research Analyst, joined ING IM in 1994. Mr. Vultaggio is responsible for the European markets.

The following individuals jointly share responsibility for the day-to-day management of ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio.

Jeff Bianchi, Portfolio Manager, joined ING IM in 1994. Before assuming his current responsibilities, Mr. Bianchi provided quantitative analysis for the firm’s small-capitalization equity strategies.

James Hasso, Portfolio Manager, has been with ING IM since 2006. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Hasso had been a senior research analyst with First Investors Corporation from 2004-2006. Prior to that, Mr. Hasso served as a senior research analyst and associate portfolio manager with Valenzuela Capital Partners LLC from 2001-2002.

The following individuals jointly share responsiblity for the day-to-day management of ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio.

James Hasso, Portfolio Manager, has been with ING IM since 2006. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Hasso had been a senior research analyst with First Investors Corporation from 2004-2006. Prior to that, Mr. Hasso served as a senior research analyst and associate portfolio manager with Valenzuela Capital Partners LLC from 2001-2002.

Steve Salopek, Portfolio Manager, joined ING IM in June 2005. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Salopek served as a portfolio manager with Banc One Investment Advisers from 1999-2004, where he directed $700 million in small-capitalization growth assets.

Additional Information Regarding the Portfolio Managers

The SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager and each portfolio manager’s ownership of securities in the Portfolios.

The Administrator

ING Funds Services, LLC (“Administrator”) serves as administrator to each Portfolio and receives an annual administrative services fee equal to 0.10% of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets.

The administrative services provided to each Portfolio includes acting as a liaison among the various service providers to the Portfolio, including the custodian, portfolio accounting agent, Sub-Adviser, and the insurance companies to which a Portfolio offers its shares. The Administrator also reviews the Portfolios for compliance with applicable legal requirements and monitors the Sub-Adviser for compliance with requirements under applicable law and with the investment policies and restrictions of the Portfolios.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS (continued) The Distributor

ING Funds Distributor, LLC (“Distributor”) is the principal underwriter and distributor of each Portfolio. It is a Delaware limited liability corporation with its principal offices at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258.

The Distributor is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org or the Public Disclosure Hotline at 800-289-9999.

HOW SHARES ARE PRICED

The net asset value (“NAV”) per share for each class of each Portfolio is determined each business day as of the close of regular trading (“Market Close”) on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time unless otherwise designated by the NYSE). The Portfolios are open for business every day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is closed on all weekends and on all national holidays and Good Friday. Portfolio shares will not be priced on those days. To the extent a Portfolio invests in other open-end funds (other than ETFs), the Portfolio will calculate its NAV using the NAV of the funds in which it invests as described in that fund’s prospectus. The NAV per share of each class of each Portfolio is calculated by taking the value of the Portfolio’s assets attributable to that class, subtracting the Portfolio’s liabilities attributable to that class, and dividing by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding.

In general, assets are valued based on actual or estimated market value, with special provisions for assets not having readily available market quotations and short-term debt securities, and for situations where market quotations are deemed unreliable. Investments in securities maturing in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost which, when combined with accrued interest, approximates market value. Securities prices may be obtained from automated pricing services. Shares of investment companies held by the Portfolios (other than ETF shares) will generally be valued at the latest NAV reported by that investment company. The prospectuses for those investment companies explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.

Trading of foreign securities may not take place every day the NYSE is open. Also, trading in some foreign markets and on some electronic trading networks may occur on weekends or holidays when a Portfolio’s NAV is not calculated. As a result, the NAV of a Portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem a Portfolio’s shares. When market quotations are not available or are deemed unreliable, a Portfolio will use a fair value for the security that is determined in accordance with procedures adopted by the Portfolio’s Board. The types of securities for which such fair value pricing might be required include, but are not limited to:

  • Foreign securities, where a foreign security whose value at the close of the foreign market on which it principally trades likely would have changed by the time of the close of the NYSE, or the closing value is otherwise deemed unreliable;
  • Securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring;
  • Securities whose trading has been halted or suspended;
  • Fixed-income securities that have gone into default and for which there are no current market value quotations; and
  • Securities that are restricted as to transfer or resale.

The Portfolios or the Adviser may rely on the recommendations of a fair value pricing service approved by the Portfolios’ Board in valuing foreign securities. Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuing securities that have readily available market quotations. The Adviser will make such determinations in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Portfolios’ Board. Fair value determinations can also involve reliance on quantitative models employed by a fair value pricing service. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Portfolio determines its NAV per share.

When your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan is buying shares of a Portfolio, it will pay the NAV that is next calculated after the order from the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan Participant is received in proper form. When the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan Participant is selling shares, it will normally receive the NAV that is next calculated after the order form is received from the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan participant in proper form. Investments will be processed at the NAV next calculated after an order is received and accepted by a Portfolio or its designated agent. In order to receive that day’s price, your order must be received by Market Close.

The Portfolios reserve the right to suspend the offering of shares or to reject any specific purchase order. The Portfolios may suspend redemptions or postpone payments when the NYSE is closed or when trading is restricted for any reason or under emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC.

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

Each Portfolio’s shares may be offered to insurance company separate accounts serving as investment options under Variable Contracts, Qualified Plans outside the separate account context, custodial accounts, certain investment advisers and their affiliates in connection with the creation or management of the Portfolios, other investment companies and other investors as permitted by the diversification and other requirements of section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and the underlying U.S. Treasury Regulations. Certain Portfolios may not be available as investment options in your Variable Contract, through your Qualified Plan or other investment company. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or redemptions from, an investment option corresponding to one of the Portfolios and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolios’ behalf.

The Portfolios currently do not foresee any disadvantages to investors if a Portfolio serves as an investment option for Variable Contracts and it offers its shares directly to Qualified Plans and other permitted investors. However, it is possible that the interest of owners of Variable Contracts, Qualified Plans and other permitted, for which a Portfolio serves as an investment option, might at some time be in conflict because of differences in tax treatment or other considerations. The Board directed the Adviser to monitor events to identify any material conflicts between Variable Contract owners, Qualified Plans and other permitted investors and would have to determine what action, if any, should be taken in the event of such conflict. If such a conflict occurred, an insurance company participating in the Portfolio might be required to redeem the investment of one or more of its separate accounts from the Portfolio or a Qualified Plan, investment company or other permitted investor might be required to redeem its investment, which might force the Portfolio to sell securities at disadvantageous prices. The Portfolios may discontinue sales to a Qualified Plan and require plan participants with existing investments in the Portfolio to redeem those investments if the Qualified Plan loses (or in the opinion of the Adviser, is at risk of losing) its Qualified Plan status.

In addition, each Portfolio’s shares may be purchased by certain other management investment companies, including through fund-of-fund arrangements with ING affiliated funds. In some cases the Portfolio may serve as a primary or significant investment vehicle for the fund-of-funds. From time to time, a Portfolio may experience large investments or redemptions due to allocation or rebalancing by these funds-of-funds. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on Portfolio management. For example, a Portfolio may be required to sell securities or invest cash at times when it would not otherwise do so. These transactions could also have tax consequences if sales or securities result in gains and could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. The Adviser and each Sub-Adviser will monitor transactions by the funds-of-funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects on a Portfolio as a result of these transactions. So long as a Portfolio accepts investments by other investment companies, it will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or under the terms of an exemptive order granted by the SEC.

Distribution Plan and Shareholder Service Plan

Each Portfolio has a Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan (“12b-1 Plan”) in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act for the Class ADV shares. These payments are made to the Distributor on an ongoing basis as compensation for services the Distributor provides and expenses it bears in connection with the marketing and other fees to support the sale and distribution of the Class ADV shares and for shareholder services provided by securities dealers (including the Adviser) and other financial intermediaries and plan administrators that provide administrative services relating to Class ADV shares and their shareholders, including Variable Contract owners or Qualified Plan participants with interests in the Portfolios. The annual distribution and shareholder service fees under the 12b-1 Plan may equal up to 0.50% (0.25% for distribution fees and 0.25% for shareholder service fees) of the average daily net assets of each Portfolio. Because these fees are paid out of a Portfolio’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING

The Portfolios are intended for long-term investment and not as short-term trading vehicles. Accordingly, organizations or individuals that use market timing investment strategies and make frequent transfers should not purchase shares of a Portfolio. Shares of the Portfolios are primarily sold through omnibus account arrangements with financial intermediaries, as investment options for Variable Contracts issued by insurance companies and as investment options for Qualified Plans. Omnibus accounts generally do not identify customers’ trading activity on an individual basis. The Portfolios’ administrator has agreements which require such intermediaries to provide detailed account information, including trading history, upon request of the Portfolios.

The Portfolios rely on the financial intermediaries to monitor frequent, short-term trading within a Portfolio by their customers. You should review the materials provided to you by your financial intermediary including, in the case of a Variable Contract, the prospectus that describes the contract or, in the case of a Qualified Plan, the plan documentation for its policies regarding frequent, short-term trading. With trading information received as a result of these agreements, the Portfolios may make a determination that certain trading activity is harmful to the Portfolios and their shareholders, even if such activity is not strictly prohibited by the intermediaries’ excessive trading policy. As a result, a shareholder investing directly or indirectly in the Portfolios may have their trading privileges suspended without violating the stated excessive trading policy of the intermediary. The Portfolios reserve the right, in their sole discretion and without prior notice, to reject, restrict or refuse purchase orders whether directly or by exchange including purchase orders that have been accepted by a financial intermediary. The Portfolios seek assurances from the financial intermediaries that they have procedures adequate to monitor and address frequent, short-term trading. There is, however, no guarantee that the procedures of the financial intermediaries will be able to curtail frequent, short-term trading activity.

The Portfolios believe that market timing or frequent, short-term trading in any account, including a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan account, is not in the best interest of the Portfolios or their shareholders. Due to the disruptive nature of this activity, it can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to invest assets in an orderly, long-term manner. Frequent trading can disrupt the management of the Portfolios and raise their expenses through: increased trading and transaction costs; forced and unplanned portfolio turnover; lost opportunity costs; and large asset swings that decrease a Portfolio’s ability to provide maximum investment return to all shareholders. This in turn can have an adverse effect on a Portfolio’s performance.

Portfolios that invest in foreign securities may present greater opportunities for market timers and thus be at a greater risk for excessive trading. If an event occurring after the close of a foreign market, but before the time a Portfolio computes its current NAV, causes a change in the price of the foreign security and such price is not reflected in the Portfolio’s current NAV, investors may attempt to take advantage of anticipated price movements in securities held by the Portfolios based on such pricing discrepancies. This is often referred to as “price arbitrage.” Such price arbitrage opportunities may also occur in portfolios which do not invest in foreign securities. For example, if trading in a security held by a Portfolio is halted and does not resume prior to the time the Portfolio calculates its NAV, such “stale pricing” presents an opportunity for investors to take advantage of the pricing discrepancy. Similarily, Portfolios that hold thinly-traded securities, such as certain small-capitalization securities, may be exposed to varying levels of pricing arbitrage. The Portfolios have adopted fair valuation policies and procedures intended to reduce the Portfolios’ exposure to price arbitrage, stale pricing, and other potential pricing discrepancies. However, to the extent that a Portfolio’s NAV does not immediately reflect these changes in market conditions, short-term trading may dilute the value of Portfolio shares, which negatively affects long-term shareholders.

Although the policies and procedures known to the Portfolios that are followed by the financial intermediaries that use the Portfolios and the monitoring by the Portfolios are designed to discourage frequent, short-term trading, none of these measures can eliminate the possibility that frequent, short-term trading activity in the Portfolios will occur. Moreover, decisions about allowing trades in the Portfolios may be required. These decisions are inherently subjective, and will be made in a manner that is in the best interest of a Portfolio’s shareholders.

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

ING mutual funds may be offered as investment options in Variable Contracts issued by affiliated and non-affiliated insurance companies and in Qualified Plans. Fees derived from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) may be paid to insurance companies, broker-dealers and companies that service Qualified Plans for selling the Portfolio’s shares and/or for servicing shareholder accounts. In addition, a Portfolio’s Adviser, Distributor, Administrator or their affiliated entities, out of their own resources and without additional cost to the Portfolio or its shareholders, may pay additional compensation to these insurance companies, broker-dealers, or companies that service Qualified Plans. The Adviser, Distributor, Administrator, or affiliated entities of a Portfolio may also share their profits with affiliated insurance companies or other ING entities through inter-company payments.

For non-affiliated insurance companies and Qualified Plans, payments from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) as well as payments (if applicable) from the Portfolio’s Adviser and/or Distributor generally are based upon an annual percentage of the average net assets held in the Portfolio by those companies. A Portfolio’s Adviser and Distributor may make payments for administrative, record keeping, or other services that insurance companies or Qualified Plans provide to facilitate investment in the Portfolio. These payments as well as payments from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) may also provide incentive for insurance companies or Qualified Plans to make the Portfolio available through Variable Contracts or Qualified Plans, and thus they may promote the distribution of the shares of the Portfolio.

As of the date of this Prospectus, the Distributor has entered into agreements with the following non-affiliated insurance companies: Zürich Kemper Life Insurance Company; Symetra Life Insurance Company; and First Fortis Life Insurance Company. Fees payable under these agreements are at annual rates that range from 0.15% to 0.25%. This is computed as a percentage of the average aggregate amount invested in a Portfolio by Variable Contract holders through the relevant insurance company’s Variable Contracts.

The insurance companies issuing Variable Contracts or Qualified Plans that use a Portfolio as investment options may also pay fees to third parties in connection with distribution of the Variable Contracts and for services provided to Variable Contract owners. Entities that service Qualified Plans may also pay fees to third parties to help service the Qualified Plans or the accounts of their participants. A Portfolio, the Adviser, and the Distributor are not parties to these arrangements. Variable Contract owners should consult the prospectus and statement of additional information for their Variable Contracts for a discussion of these payments and should consult with their agent or broker. Qualified Plan participants should consult with their pension servicing agent.

Ultimately, the agent or broker selling the Variable Contract to you could have a financial interest in selling you a particular product to increase the compensation they receive. Please make sure you read fully each prospectus and discuss any questions you have with your agent or broker.

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

Dividends and Distributions

Each Portfolio declares and pays dividends from net investment income at least annually. Each Portfolio will also pay distributions from net realized capital gains, reduced by available capital losses, at least annually. All dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolios at the NAV of such shares on the payment date unless a participating insurance company’s separate account is permitted to hold cash and elects to receive payment in cash. From time to time, a portion of a Portfolio’s dividends may constitute a return of capital.

Tax Matters

Holders of Variable Contracts should refer to the prospectus for their contracts for information regarding the tax consequences of owning such contracts and should consult their tax advisers before investing.

Each Portfolio intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) for federal income tax purposes by satisfying the requirements under Subchapter M of the Code, including requirements with respect to diversification of assets, distribution of income and sources of income. As a RIC, a Portfolio generally will not be subject to tax on its net investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains.

Each Portfolio also intends to comply with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code and the underlying regulations for Variable Contracts so that owners of these contracts should not be subject to federal tax on distributions of dividends and income from a Portfolio to the insurance company’s separate accounts.

Since the sole shareholders of the Portfolios will be separate accounts or other permitted investors, no discussion is included herein as to the federal income tax consequences at the shareholder level. For information concerning the federal income tax consequences to purchasers of the policies, see the attached prospectus for the policy.

See the SAI for further information about tax matters.

THE TAX STATUS OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN A PORTFOLIO DEPENDS UPON THE FEATURES OF YOUR VARIABLE CONTRACT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO THE PROSPECTUS FOR THE VARIABLE CONTACT.

INDEX DESCRIPTIONS

The Morgan Stanley Capital International - Europe, Australasia, and Far East® (“MSCI EAFE®”) Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of securities listed on exchanges in Europe, Australasia and the Far East.

The Russell 2000® Growth Index measures the performance of the small-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000 companies with higher price-to-value ratios and higher forecasted growth values.

The Russell 2000® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000® Index. The Russell 3000® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of 3,000 U.S. companies based on total market capitalization.

The Russell Midcap® Growth Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those companies included in the Russell Midcap® Index with relatively higher price-to-book ratio and higher forecasted growth values.

The Russell Midcap® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the 800 smallest companies in the Russell 1000® Index.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The following financial highlights are intended to help you understand each Portfolio’s Class ADV shares’ financial performance for the past five years or, if shorter, the period of the class’ operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. The total returns represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a share of the Portfolios (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from the Portfolios’ financial statements that were audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Trust’s financial statements, are included in the annual shareholder report, which is incorporated by reference into the SAI for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and is available upon request.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (continued)

Selected data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year or period.

Income (loss)
from
investment
operations
Less distributions
Ratios to average net assets
Supplemental
data
Net asset value, beginning
of year or period
Net investment income (loss)
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss)
Total from investment
operations
From net investment income
From net realized gains
From return of capital
Total distributions
Payment by affiliates
Net asset value,
end of year or period
Total Return(1)
Expenses before
reductions/additions(2)(3)
Expenses, net of fee waivers
and/or recoupments, if any(2)(3)
Expenses, net of all
reductions/additions(2)(3)
Net investment income
(loss)(2)(3)
Net assets, end of year or
period
Portfolio turnover rate
Year or Period ended
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
($000’s)
(%)
ING International Value Portfolio
Class ADV
12-31-09 6.74 0.09 1.70 1.79 0.12 0.12 8.41 26.88 1.55 1.51 1.51 1.10 21 214
12-31-08 14.21 0.22 (5.67) (5.45) 0.25 1.78 2.03 0.01 6.74 (43.11)(d) 1.56 1.50 1.50 2.06 0** 207
12-31-07 15.26 0.19 1.60 1.79 0.19 2.65 2.84 14.21 12.63 1.69 1.50 1.50 1.25 1 202
12-29-06(4) - 12-31-06 15.26 (0.00)• * (0.00)* 15.26(b) 1.69 1.50 1.50 (1.50) 1 146
ING MidCap Opportunities Fund
Class ADV
12-31-09 6.32 0.03 2.54 2.57 0.01 0.01 8.88 40.65 1.40 1.14 1.14 0.36 957 169
12-31-08 10.20 (0.03) (3.85) (3.88) 0.00* 6.32 (38.04)(a) 1.38 1.20 1.20 (0.40) 1 191
12-31-07 8.16 (0.07) 2.11 2.04 10.20 25.00 1.39 1.40 1.40 (0.79) 1 186
12-29-06(4)-12-31-06 8.16*† (0.00)* (0.00)* 8.16(b) 1.45 1.40 1.40 (1.40) 1 139
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
Class ADV
12-31-09 12.04 (0.08) 3.73 3.65 15.69 30.32 1.46 1.43 1.43 (0.61) 88 139
11-20-08(4)-12-31-08 9.63 (0.01) 2.41 2.40 0.01 12.04 25.03(c) 1.43 1.40 1.40 (0.93) 4 148

See Accompanying Notes to Financial Highlights

ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(1) Total return is calculated assuming reinvestment of all dividends, capital gain distributions and return of capital, if any, at net asset value and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract charges. Total return for periods less than one year is not annualized.
(2) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(3) Expense ratios reflect operating expenses of a Portfolio. Expenses before reductions/additions do not reflect amounts reimbursed by the Investment Adviser and/or Distributor or reductions from brokerage commission recapture arrangements or other expense offset arrangements and do not represent the amount paid by a Portfolio during periods when reimbursements or reductions occur. Expenses net of fee waivers reflect expenses after reimbursement by the Investment Adviser or Distributor but prior to reductions from brokerage commission recapture arrangements or other expense offset arrangements. Expenses net of all reductions/additions represent the net expenses paid by a Portfolio. Net investment income (loss) is net of all such additions or reductions.
(4) Commencement of operations.
Calculated using average number of shares outstanding throughout the period.
* Amount is more than $(0.005) or less than $0.005.
** Amount is less than $500.
Impact of waiving the advisory fee for the ING Institutional Prime Money Market Fund holding has less than 0.005% impact on the expense ratio and net investment income or loss ratio.
(a) There was no impact on total return due to payment by affiliate in 2008.
(b) For ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio amount was previously reported as $8.20 and has been corrected to reflect the actual NAV. For ING International Value Portfolio amount was previously reported as $15.38 and has been corrected to reflect the actual NAV.
(c) Excluding a $110,798 payment by affiliate in 2008, ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio total return would have been 24.72%, (34.52)% and (34.64)% for Classes ADV, I and S, respectively.
(d) Excluding a $729,720 payment by affiliate in 2008, ING International Value Portfolio total return would have been (43.18)%, (42.86)% and (42.43)% on Classes ADV, I and S, respectively.
  

TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION

You’ll find more information about the Portfolios in our:

ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORTS

In the Portfolios’ annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, you will find a discussion of the recent market conditions and principal investment strategies that significantly affected the Portfolios’ performance during the last fiscal year, the financial statements and the independent registered public accounting firm’s reports (in the annual shareholder report only).

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Portfolios. The SAI is legally part of this Prospectus (it is incorporated by reference). A copy has been filed with the SEC.

Please write, call or visit our website for a free copy of the current annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, the SAI or other Portfolio information.

To make shareholder inquiries contact:

The ING Funds

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

1-800-992-0180

or visit our website at www.ingfunds.com

This information may also be reviewed or obtained from the SEC. In order to review the information in person, you will need to visit the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. or call 202-551-8090 for information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. Otherwise, you may obtain the information for a fee by contacting the SEC at:

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Public Reference Section
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549

or at the e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov

Or obtain the information at no cost by visiting the SEC’s Internet website at http://www.sec.gov.

When contacting the SEC, you will want to refer to the Portfolios’ SEC file number. The file number is as follows:

ING Variable Products Trust 811-8220
ING International Value Portfolio
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
PRO.INGPILA-10     (0410-043010)


Table of Contents
Prospectus April 30, 2010

  • ING International Value PortfolioI/IIVIX
  • ING MidCap Opportunities PortfolioI/IIMOX
  • ING SmallCap Opportunities PortfolioI/IVSOX

Each Portfolio’s shares may be offered to insurance company separate accounts serving as investment options under variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contracts”), qualified pension and retirement plans (“Qualified Plans”), custodial accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates in connection with the creation or management of the Portfolios, other investment companies, and other pemitted investors.
NOT ALL PORTFOLIOS MAY BE AVAILABLE IN ALL JURISDICTIONS, UNDER ALL VARIABLE CONTRACTS OR UNDER ALL QUALIFIED PLANS.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities nor has the SEC judged whether the information in this Prospectus is accurate or adequate. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

INVESTMENTS


Table Of Contents
SUMMARY SECTION
ING International Value Portfolio
1
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
5
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
8
KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION
11
Fundamental Policies
11
Non-Fundamental Investment Policies
11
Portfolio Diversification
11
Investor Diversification
11
Temporary Defensive Strategies
11
Percentage and Rating Limitations
12
Investment Not Guaranteed
12
Shareholder Reports
12
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS
13
Additional Information About The Investment Objectives
13
Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies
13
Additional Information About the Portfolios’ Risks
13
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
18
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS
19
The Investment Adviser
19
The Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
19
The Administrator
20
The Distributor
21
HOW SHARES ARE PRICED
22
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
23
FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING
24
PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
25
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
26
INDEX DESCRIPTIONS
27
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
28
ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
30
TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION
Backcover

ING International Value Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

I
Management Fee 0.85%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees

Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.10%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses 1.05%
Waivers and Reimbursements1 (0.04)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.01%

1 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.00% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice within 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years.

Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
I $ 103 328 571 1,268

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 214% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of issuers located in a number of different countries outside of the United States. The Portfolio invests primarily in companies with a large market capitalization, but may also invest in small- and mid-sized companies. The Portfolio generally invests in common and preferred stocks, warrants, and convertible securities. The Portfolio may invest in companies located in countries with emerging securities markets when the Sub-Adviser believes they present attractive investment opportunities. The Portfolio may invest in government debt securities of developed foreign countries. The Portfolio also may invest up to 35% of its assets in securities of U.S. issuers, including investment-grade government and corporate debt securities.

The Portfolio may invest in derivative instruments including futures, options and swaps.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act).

The Sub-Adviser primarily uses a bottom-up fundamental analysis to identify stocks which it believes offer good value relative to their peers in the same industry, sector or region. It also uses a top-down analysis to identify important themes or issues which may affect the investment environment in certain regions or sectors and to estimate regional market risks. In conducting its fundamental analysis, the Sub-Adviser focuses on various factors including valuation of the companies, catalysts to stock price appreciation, quality of management, and financial measures, especially cash flow and cash flow return on capital.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Convertible Securities  Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stock at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt securities, such as interest rate and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the stocks into which they convert, they are subject to market risk.

Credit   Prices of bonds and other debt securities can fall if the issuer’s actual or perceived financial health deteriorates, whether because of broad economic or issuer-specific reasons. In severe cases, the issuer could be late in paying interest or principal, or could fail to pay altogether.

Currency   To the extent that the Portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

Derivative Instruments  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of the Portfolio and reduce its returns.

Foreign Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign investment risks typically are greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

Interest Rate  With bonds and other debt securities, a rise in interest rates generally causes values to fall. Falling interest rates will cause the income of bonds and other debt securities to decline over time. The higher the credit quality of the security, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is likely to be to interest rate risk.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods.

Market Capitalization  Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories - large, mid and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stock of mid- and small-sized companies causing the Portfolio that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in larger, fully-valued companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, and a more limited trading market for their stock as compared with larger companies. As a result, stock of mid- and small-capitalization companies may decline significantly in market downturns.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: ”investment risk“ and ”borrower default risk.“ Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

ING International Value Portfolio

Sovereign Debt  These securities are issued or guaranteed by foreign government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. Some of these reasons may include cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of its debt position to its economy or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debts that a government does not pay or bankruptcy proceeding by which all or part of sovereign debt that a government entity has not repaid may be collected.

U.S. Goverment Securities and Obligations  U.S. government securities are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored enterprises. U.S. government securities are subject to market and interest rate risk, and may be subject to varying degrees of credit risk.

Value Investing  Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 2nd, 2009, 26.86% and Worst quarter: 4th, 2008, (21.36)%

Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs
(or since
inception)
10 Yrs Inception
Date
Class I % 27.18 3.18 3.24 08/08/97
MSCI EAFE® Index1 % 31.78 3.54 1.17
1 The index returns include the reinvestment of dividends and distributions net of withholding taxes, but do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
Philip A. Schwartz John Pairaktaridis
Portfolio Manager
(since 07/02)
Assistant Portfolio Manager
(since 01/09)
Joseph Vultaggio
Assistant Portfolio Manager
(since 01/09)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents
ING International Value Portfolio
of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING International Value Portfolio

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

I
Management Fee 0.72%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.08%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses1 0.91%
Waivers and Reimbursements2 (0.05)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 0.86%

1 Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses may be higher than the Portfolio’s ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Portfolio and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
2 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 0.90% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years. In addition, effective, May 2, 2010, the adviser is contractually obligated to further limit expenses to 0.85% through May 2, 2011. There is no guarantee the additional expense limit will continue after May 2, 2011. The additional expense limitation will only renew if the adviser elects to renew it.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
I $ 88 285 499 1,115

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 169% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of mid-sized U.S. companies. The Portfolio will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this investment policy.

The Portfolio normally invests in companies that the Sub-Adviser believes have above average prospects for growth. For this Portfolio, mid-sized companies are those companies with market capitalizations that fall within the range of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index at the time of purchase. Capitalization of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index change with market conditions. The market capitalization of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index as of December 31, 2009, ranged from $262.5 million to $15.5 billion.

The Portfolio may also invest in derivative instruments and foreign securities.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act”).

In managing the Portfolio, the Sub-Adviser uses a stock selection process that combines the discipline of quantitative screens with rigorous fundamental security analysis. The quantitative screens focus the fundamental analysis by identifying the stocks of companies with strong business momentum that demonstrate relative price strength, and have a perceived value not reflected in the current price. The objective of the fundamental analysis is to confirm the persistence of the company’s revenue and earnings growth and validate the Sub-Adviser’s expectations for earnings estimate revisions, particularly relative to consensus. A determination of reasonable valuation for individual securities is based on the judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Currency   To the extent that the Portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

Derivative Instruments  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of the Portfolio and reduce its returns.

Foreign Investments  Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth-oriented securities in which the Portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor value-oriented securities or may not favor equities at all.

Mid-Capitalization Company  Investments in mid-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volume typical on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may have limited market stability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 4th, 2001, 23.12% and Worst quarter: 3rd, 2001, (28.03)%

Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
(or since
inception)
Inception
Date
Class I % 41.44 5.70 (1.01) 05/05/00
Russell Midcap® Growth Index1 % 46.29 2.40 (1.46)2
Russell Midcap® Index1 % 40.48 2.43 4.642
1 The index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes.
2 Reflects index performance since the date closest to the Class’ inception for which data is available.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
Jeff Bianchi James Hasso
Portfolio Manager (since 07/05) Portfolio Manager (since 04/10)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

I
Management Fee 0.75%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.11%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses1 0.97%
Waivers and Reimbursements2 (0.03)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 0.94%
1 Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses may be higher than the Portfolio’s ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Portfolio and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
2 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 0.92% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
I $ 96 304 529 1,176

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 139% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of smaller, lesser-known U.S. companies. The Portfolio will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this investment policy.

The Portfolio normally invests in companies that the Sub-Adviser believes have above average prospects for growth. For this Portfolio, smaller companies are those with market capitalizations that fall within the range of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index at the time of purchase. The Russell 2000® Growth Index is an index that measures the performance of small growth companies. Capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index will change with market conditions. The market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index as of December 31, 2009, ranged from $17 million to $5.7 billion.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act”).

The Sub-Adviser uses a disciplined combination of quantitative screens and bottom-up fundamental security analysis to build a broadly diversified portfolio of companies that the Sub-Adviser believes will have improving bottom lines, with reasonable valuation, and whose stocks demonstrate relative strength. The focus of company analysis is upon the prospects for continuing bottom-line growth, balance sheet strength, and cash flow characteristics. A proprietary measure is used to determine relative stock price strength. A determination of reasonable valuation for individual securities is based on the judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth-oriented securities in which the Portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor value-oriented securities or may not favor equities at all.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

Small-Capitalization Company  Investments in small-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 2nd, 2009, 22.83% and Worst quarter: 3rd, 2001, (29.37)%

Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs 10 Yrs Inception
Date
Class I % 31.05 3.02 (3.28) 05/06/94
Russell 2000® Growth Index1 % 34.47 0.87 (1.37)
Russell 2000® Index1 % 27.17 0.51 3.51
1 The index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes.
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
James Hasso Steve Salopek
Portfolio Manager (since 10/08) Portfolio Manager (since 07/05)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION

This Prospectus contains information about certain funds within the ING Funds family and is designed to provide you with important information to help you with your investment decisions. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.

The Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this Prospectus. It identifies investment restrictions, more detailed risk descriptions, a description of how the bond rating system works and other information that may be helpful to you in your decision to invest. You may obtain a copy, without charge, from the Portfolios.

Other ING Funds may also be offered to the public that have similar names, investment objectives and principal investment strategies as those of the Portfolios. You should be aware that a Portfolio is likely to differ from these other ING Funds in size and cash flow pattern. Accordingly, the performance of a Portfolio can be expected to vary from those of other ING Funds.

Other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds may invest in the Portfolios. So long as the Portfolios accept investments by other investment companies, they will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”) or under the terms of an exemptive order granted by the SEC.

Each Portfolio is a series of ING Variable Products Trust (“Trust”), a Massachusetts business trust. The Portfolios are managed by ING Investments, LLC (“ING Investments” or “Adviser”).

The Portfolios’ shares are classified into four classes of shares, Adviser Class (“Class ADV”), Class I, Class S, and Service 2 Class (“Class S2”) shares. The classes of shares of each Portfolio are identical except for different expenses, certain related rights and certain shareholder services. All share classes of each Portfolio have a common investment objective and investment portfolio. Only Class I shares are offered in this Prospectus. Class I shares are not subject to any sales loads.

Fundamental Policies

Fundamental investment policies contained in the SAI may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Board of Trustees (“Board”) and/or the Adviser may change any other policies and investment strategies.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Certain Portfolios have adopted non-fundamental investment policies to invest the Portfolio’s assets in securities that are consistent with the Portfolio’s name. For more information about these policies, please consult the SAI.

Portfolio Diversification

Each Portfolio is diversified, as defined in the 1940 Act. A diversified fund may not, as to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer and may not purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities). A non-diversified fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its assets that it may invest in the obligations of a single issuer.

Investor Diversification

Although each Portfolio is designed to serve as a diversified investment portfolio of securities, no single mutual fund can provide an appropriate investment program for all investors. You should evaluate each Portfolio in the context of your personal financial situation, investment objectives and other investments.

Temporary Defensive Strategies

When the Adviser or Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to a Portfolio anticipates unusual market or other conditions, the Portfolio may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure. In such circumstances, that Portfolio may invest in securities believed to present less risk, such as cash, cash equivalents, money market fund shares and other money market instruments, debt securities that are high quality or higher quality than normal, more liquid securities, or others. While a Portfolio invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment objective. A Portfolio’s defensive investment position may not be effective in protecting its value. It is impossible to predict accurately how long such alternative strategies may be utilized. The types of defensive positions in which a Portfolio may engage are identified and discussed in the SAI.

KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION (continued)

Percentage and Rating Limitations

The percentage and rating limitations on Portfolio investments listed in this Prospectus apply at the time of investment.

Investment Not Guaranteed

Please note your investment is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

Shareholder Reports

Each Portfolio’s fiscal year ends December 31. Each Portfolio will send financial statements to its shareholders at least semi-annually. An annual shareholder report containing financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm will be sent to shareholders every year.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS

Additional Information About The Investment Objectives

Each Portfolio’s investment objective is non-fundamental and each Portfolio’s investment objective may be changed by a vote of the Portfolio’s Board, without shareholder approval. A Portfolio will provide 60 days’ prior written notice of any change in a non-fundamental investment objective. There is no guarantee the Portfolios will achieve their respective investment objective.

Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies

For a complete description of a Portfolio’s principal investment strategies, please see the the respective Portfolio’s summary prospectus.

Additional Information About the Portfolios’ Risks

All mutual funds involve risk — some more than others — and there is always the chance that you could lose money or not earn as much as you hope. A Portfolio’s risk profile is largely a factor of the principal securities in which it invests and investment techniques that it uses. Below is a discussion of the risks associated with certain of the types of securities in which the Portfolios may invest and certain of the investment practices that the Portfolios may use. For more information about these and other types of securities and investment techniques that may be used by the Portfolios, see the SAI.

Many of the investment techniques and strategies discussed in this Prospectus and in the SAI are discretionary which means that the Adviser or sub-adviser can decide whether to use them. The Portfolios may invest in these securities or use these techniques as part of the Portfolios’ principal investment strategies. However, the Adviser or sub-adviser may also use these investment techniques or make investments in securities that are not a part of the Portfolios’ principal investment strategies.

The discussions below expand on the risks included in a Portfolio’s summary section of the Prospectus. Please see the SAI for a further discussion of the principal and other investment strategies employed by each Portfolio.

Company.  The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Convertible Securities.  Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt securities, such as interest rate and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the stocks into which they convert, they are subject to market risk.

The value of a convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the value of the underlying security because of the conversion or exercise feature. However, the value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying security. A convertible security may also provide income and be subject to interest rate risk. Convertible securities may be lower-rated securities subject to greater levels of credit risk. In the event the issuer of a convertible security is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, a portfolio could lose money. A portfolio may be forced to convert a convertible security before it otherwise would do so, which may decrease the portfolio’s returns.

Credit.  Prices of bonds and other debt securities can fall if the issuer’s actual or perceived financial health deteriorates, whether because of broad economic or issuer-specific reasons. In severe cases, the issuer could be late in paying interest or principal, or could fail to pay altogether.

Currency.  To the extent that a portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency rates may be affected by changes in interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, by the imposition of currency controls, or other political or economic developments in the United States or abroad. As a result, a portfolio’s investments in foreign currency or foreign currency-denominated securities may reduce the value of the portfolio’s assets.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) Derivative Instruments.  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of a portfolio and reduce its returns. Generally, derivatives are sophisticated financial instruments whose performance is derived, at least in part, from the performance of an underlying asset or assets. Derivatives include, among other things, swap agreements, options, forwards and futures. The investment of a portfolio’s assets required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the portfolio; therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the portfolio; thus exaggerating any increase or decrease in the net asset value of the portfolio. Investments in derivatives are generally negotiated over-the-counter with a single counterparty and as a result are subject to credit risks related to the counterparty’s ability to perform its obligations and further that any deterioration in the counterparty’s creditworthiness could adversely affect the value of the derivative. In addition, derivatives and their underlying securities may experience periods of illiquidity which could cause a portfolio to hold a security it might otherwise sell, or to sell a security it otherwise might hold at inopportune times or for prices that do not reflect current market value. A portfolio’s adviser or sub-adviser might imperfectly judge the direction of the market. For instance, if a derivative is used as a hedge to offset investment risk in another security, the hedge might not correlate to the market’s movements and may have unexpected or undesired results such as a loss or a reduction in gains to a portfolio.

Foreign Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets.  To the extent a portfolio invests in securities of issuers in markets outside the United States, its share price may be more volatile than if it invested in securities of issuers in the U.S. market due to, among other things, the following factors: comparatively unstable political, social and economic conditions, and limited or ineffectual judicial systems; comparatively small market sizes, making securities less liquid and securities prices more sensitive to the movements of large investors and more vulnerable to manipulation; governmental policies or actions, such as high taxes, restrictions on currency movements, trade or diplomatic disputes, creation of monopolies, and the seizure of private property through confiscatory taxation and expropriation or nationalization of company assets; incomplete, outdated, or unreliable information about securities issuers due to less stringent market regulation and accounting standards; comparatively undeveloped markets and weak banking and financial systems; market inefficiencies, such as higher transaction costs, and administrative difficulties, such as delays in processing transactions; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, which could reduce gains or widen losses. In addition, foreign taxes could reduce the income available to distribute to shareholders, and special U.S. tax considerations could apply to foreign investments. Depositary receipts are subject to risks of foreign investments and might not always track the price of the underlying foreign security.

Foreign investment risks typically are greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets, for such reasons as social or political unrest, heavy economic dependence on agriculture or exports (particularly commodities), undeveloped or overburdened infrastructures, vulnerability to natural disasters, significant and unpredictable government intervention in markets or the economy, currency devaluations, runaway inflation, environmental problems, and business practices that depart from norms for developed countries and less developed or liquid markets for securities generally.

Interest Rate.  With bonds and other debt securities, a rise in interest rates generally causes values to fall. Falling interest rates will cause the income of bonds and other debt securities to decline over time. The higher the credit quality of the security, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is likely to be to interest rate risk.

Investment Model.  The sub-adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors. The proprietary models used by a sub-adviser to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on the sub-adviser’s understanding of the interplay of market factors and do not assure successful investment. The markets, or the price of individual securities, may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

Liquidity.  If a security is illiquid, the adviser or sub-adviser might be unable to sell the security at a time when a portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount a portfolio could realize upon disposition. A portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. A portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the portfolio.

Market.  Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth- or value-oriented securities in which a portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor securities to which a portfolio is not exposed or may not favor equities at all.

Market Capitalization.  Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories - large, mid and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stock of mid- and small-sized companies causing a portfolio that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in larger, fully-valued companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, and a more limited trading market for their stock as compared with larger companies. As a result, stock of mid- and small-capitalization companies may decline significantly in market downturns.

Mid-Capitalization Company.  Investments in mid-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volume typical on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may have limited market stability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.

Other Investment Companies.  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because a portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the portfolio.

Other investment companies include exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and Holding Company Depositary Receipts (“HOLDRs”), among others. ETFs are exchange-traded investment companies that are, in many cases, designed to provide investment results corresponding to an equity index. The main risk of investing in other investment companies is that the value of the underlying securities held by the investment company might decrease. The value of the underlying securities can fluctuate in response to activities of individual companies or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Additional risks of investments in ETFs include: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade at a discount to its net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; or (iii) trading may be halted if the listing exchanges’ officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts trading generally. Because HOLDRs concentrate in the stock of a particular industry, trends in that industry may have a dramatic impact on their value.

To seek to achieve a return on uninvested cash or for other reasons, a portfolio may invest its assets in ING Institutional Prime Money Market Fund and/or one or more other money market funds advised by ING affiliates (“ING Money Market Funds”). A portfolio’s purchase of shares of an ING Money Market Fund will result in the portfolio paying a proportionate share of the expenses of the ING Money Market Fund. A portfolio’s adviser will waive its fee in an amount equal to the advisory fee received by the adviser of the ING Money Market Fund in which the portfolio invests resulting from the portfolio’s investment into the ING Money Market Fund.

Securities Lending.  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that a portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that a portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

To generate additional income, a portfolio may lend securities to financial institutions that are believed to be creditworthy by the adviser. When lending securities, a portfolio will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. A portfolio retains its custodian to serve as its securities lending agent for these activities.

When a portfolio lends its securities, it is responsible for investing the cash it receives as collateral from the borrower, and the portfolio could incur losses in connection with the investment of such collateral, often referred to as “investment risk.” A portfolio will minimize investment risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high-quality instruments of short maturity.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) A portfolio may also lose money from the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner, often referred to as “borrower default risk.” In the event of a borrower default, a portfolio will be protected to the extent the portfolio is able to exercise its rights in the collateral promptly and the value of such collateral is sufficient to purchase replacement securities. In addition, a portfolio will be protected by its securities lending agent, which has agreed to indemnify the portfolio from losses resulting from borrower default.

Small-Capitalization Company.  Investments in small-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management.

Sovereign Debt.  These securities are issued or guaranteed by foreign government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. Some of these reasons may include cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of its debt position to its economy or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debts that a government does not pay or bankruptcy proceeding by which all or part of sovereign debt that a government entity has not repaid may be collected.

Value Investing.  Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The sub-adviser may be wrong in its assessment of a company’s value and the securities a portfolio holds may not reach their full values. A particular risk of a portfolio’s value approach is that some holdings may not recover and provide the capital growth anticipated or a security judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, a portfolio’s relative performance may suffer.

The discussion below includes risks that are not described in any of the Portfolios’ summaries but which, nevertheless, are a risk to all of the Portfolios.

Counterparty.  The entity with whom a portfolio conducts portfolio-related business (such as trading or securities lending), or that underwrites, distributes or guarantees investments or agreements that the portfolio owns or is otherwise exposed to, may refuse or may become unable to honor its obligations under the terms of a transaction or agreement. As a result, that portfolio may sustain losses and be less likely to achieve its investment objective. These risks may be greater when engaging in over-the-counter transactions.

Duration.  One measure of risk for fixed-income securities is duration. Duration measures the sensitivity of a bond’s price to interest rate movements and is one of the tools used by a portfolio manager in selection of fixed-income securities. Historically, the maturity of a bond was also used as a proxy for the sensitivity of a bond’s price to changes in interest rates, otherwise known as a bond’s interest rate risk or volatility. According to this measure, the longer the maturity of a bond, the more its price will change for a given change in market interest rates. However, this method ignores the amount and timing of all cash flows from the bond prior to final maturity. Duration is a measure of average life of a bond on a present value basis which was developed to incorporate a bond’s yield, coupons, final maturity and call features into one measure. For point of reference, the duration of a noncallable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 5 years is approximately 4.5 years and the duration of a noncallable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 10 years is approximately 8 years. Material changes in interest rates may impact the duration calculation.

Increase in Expenses.  Your actual cost of investing in a portfolio may be higher or lower than the expenses shown in the portfolio’s “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, expense ratios may be higher than those shown if the portfolio’s assets decrease. The portfolio’s assets may decrease and portfolio expense ratios increase for many reasons, including volatility in the portfolio’s net asset value caused by volatility in the secondary markets for assets in which the portfolio invests.

Investment By Other Funds.  Various other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds, including some ING funds, may invest in a portfolio. If investments by these other funds result in large inflows or outflows of cash from the portfolio, the portfolio’s performance or realization of capital gains could be affected. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on portfolio management. For example, these transactions could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. The adviser or sub-adviser will monitor transactions by the funds-of funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects on a portfolio and funds-of-funds as a result of these transactions.

Manager.  A portfolio is subject to manager risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The adviser, the sub-adviser or each individual portfolio manager will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for a portfolio, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. Many sub-advisers of equity funds employ styles that are characterized as “value” or “growth.” However, these terms can have different application by different managers. One sub-adviser’s value approach may be different from another, and one sub-adviser’s growth approach may be different from another. For example, some value managers employ a style in which they seek to identify companies that they believe are valued at a more substantial or “deeper discount” to a company’s net worth than other value managers. Therefore, some funds that are characterized as growth or value can have greater volatility than other funds managed by other managers in a growth or value style.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

Portfolio Holdings Information

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Portfolio’s portfolio securities is available in the SAI. Each Portfolio posts its portfolio holdings schedule on the ING Funds’ website on a calendar-quarter basis. The portfolio holdings schedule is available on the ING Funds’ website 30 calendar days following the end of the previous calendar quarter. The portfolio holdings schedule is as of the last day of the preceding calendar quarter (e.g., each Portfolio will post the quarter-ending June 30 holdings on July 31). Each Portfolio may also post its complete or partial portfolio holdings on its website as of a specified date.

Each Portfolio’s portfolio holdings schedule will, at a minimum, remain available on the ING Funds’ website until a Portfolio files a Form N-CSR or Form N-Q with the SEC for the period that includes the date as of which the website information is current.

The ING Funds’ website is located at www.ingfunds.com.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS

The Investment Adviser

ING Investments, an Arizona limited liability company, serves as the investment adviser to the Portfolios. ING Investments has overall responsibility for the management of the Portfolios. ING Investments oversees all investment advisory and portfolio management services for the Portfolios.

ING Investments is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. ING Investments is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep N.V. (“ING Groep”)(NYSE:ING). ING Groep is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 75 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 125,000 people, ING Groep comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand. ING Investments became an investment management firm in April 1995.

ING Groep has adopted a formal restructuring plan that was approved by the European Commission in November 2009 under which the ING life insurance businesses, including the retirement services and investment management businesses, which include the Adviser and its affiliates, would be divested by ING Groep by the end of 2013. While there can be no assurance that it will be carried out, the restructuring plan presents certain risks, including uncertainty about the effect on the businesses of the ING entities that service the Portfolios and potential termination of the Portfolios’ existing advisory agreements, which may trigger the need for shareholder approval of new agreements.

ING Investments’ principal office is located at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. As of December 31, 2009, ING Investments managed approximately $46.5 billion in assets.

The Adviser receives a monthly fee for its services based on the average daily net assets of each Portfolio.

Management Fees

The following table shows the aggregate annual management fee paid by each Portfolio for the most recent fiscal year as a percentage of that Portfolio’s average daily net assets:

Management Fees
ING International Value Portfolio 0.85%
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio 0.72%
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio 0.75%

The Adviser is responsible for all of its own costs, including costs of its personnel required to carry out its investment advisory duties.

For information regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the investment advisory and investment sub-advisory relationships (if applicable), please refer to the Portfolios’ annual shareholder report dated December 31, 2009.

The Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers

The Adviser has engaged one or more sub-advisers to provide the day-to-day management of each Portfolio’s portfolio. These sub-advisers are affiliates of ING Investments.

The Adviser acts as a ‘‘manager-of-manager’’ for the Portfolios. The Adviser delegates to the sub-advisers of the Portfolios the responsibility for investment management, subject to the Adviser’s oversight. The Adviser is responsible for monitoring the investment program and performance of the sub-advisers of the Portfolios.

From time to time, the Adviser may also recommend the appointment of additional sub-advisers or replacement of non-affiliated sub-advisers to the Portfolios’ Board. It is not expected that ING Investments would normally recommend replacement of affiliated sub-advisers as part of its oversight responsibilities. The Portfolios and the Adviser have received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit the Adviser, with the approval of the Portfolios’ Board, to appoint an additional non-affiliated sub-adviser or to replace an existing sub-adviser with a non-affiliated sub-adviser, as well as change the terms of a contract with a non-affiliated sub-adviser, without submitting the contract to a vote of the Portfolios’ shareholders. The Portfolios will notify shareholders of any change in the identity of a sub-adviser of the Portfolios, the addition of a sub-adviser to the Portfolios, or any change in the terms of a contract with a non-affiliated sub-adviser. In this event, the names of the Portfolios and their investment strategies may also change.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS (continued) Under the terms of each sub-advisory agreement, the agreement can be terminated by the Adviser or a Portfolio’s Board. In the event a sub-advisory agreement is terminated, the sub-adviser may be replaced subject to any regulatory requirements or the Adviser may assume day-to-day investment management of a Portfolio.

ING Investment Management Co.

ING Investment Management Co. (‘‘ING IM’’ or ‘‘Sub-Adviser’’), a Connecticut corporation, was founded in 1972 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. ING IM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep and is an affiliate of ING Investments. ING IM has acted as adviser or sub-adviser to mutual funds since 1994 and has managed institutional accounts since 1972. The principal office of ING IM is located at 230 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10169. As of December 31, 2009, ING IM managed approximately $61.3 billion in assets.

The following individuals are the Portfolio Managers of ING International Value Portfolio. Mr. Schwartz is primarily responsible for making investment decisions on behalf of the Portfolio. Mr. Pairaktaridis and Mr. Vultaggio support Mr. Schwartz and assist in the management of the Portfolio.

Philip A. Schwartz, CFA, is Head of International Equity and Senior Portfolio Manager for the international value strategy and has extensive experience covering international markets. Mr. Schwartz is responsible for managing portfolios as well as designing and implementing the international value investment process. Prior to joining ING Investment Management in 1993, Mr. Schwartz was with European investment firm Cheuvreux de Virieu in Paris and New York.

John Pairaktaridis, Assistant Portfolio Manager and International Research Analyst, joined ING IM in 2004. Prior to joining ING IM, he was a portfolio analyst at Neuberger Berman, LLC.

Joseph Vultaggio, Assistant Portfolio Manager and Senior International Research Analyst, joined ING IM in 1994. Mr. Vultaggio is responsible for the European markets.

The following individuals jointly share responsibility for the day-to-day management of ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio.

Jeff Bianchi, Portfolio Manager, joined ING IM in 1994. Before assuming his current responsibilities, Mr. Bianchi provided quantitative analysis for the firm’s small-capitalization equity strategies.

James Hasso, Portfolio Manager, has been with ING IM since 2006. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Hasso had been a senior research analyst with First Investors Corporation from 2004-2006. Prior to that, Mr. Hasso served as a senior research analyst and associate portfolio manager with Valenzuela Capital Partners LLC from 2001-2002.

The following individuals jointly share responsiblity for the day-to-day management of ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio.

James Hasso, Portfolio Manager, has been with ING IM since 2006. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Hasso had been a senior research analyst with First Investors Corporation from 2004-2006. Prior to that, Mr. Hasso served as a senior research analyst and associate portfolio manager with Valenzuela Capital Partners LLC from 2001-2002.

Steve Salopek, Portfolio Manager, joined ING IM in June 2005. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Salopek served as a portfolio manager with Banc One Investment Advisers from 1999-2004, where he directed $700 million in small-capitalization growth assets.

Additional Information Regarding the Portfolio Managers

The SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager and each portfolio manager’s ownership of securities in the Portfolios.

The Administrator

ING Funds Services, LLC (“Administrator”) serves as administrator to each Portfolio and receives an annual administrative services fee equal to 0.10% of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets.

The administrative services provided to each Portfolio includes acting as a liaison among the various service providers to the Portfolio, including the custodian, portfolio accounting agent, Sub-Adviser, and the insurance companies to which a Portfolio offers its shares. The Administrator also reviews the Portfolios for compliance with applicable legal requirements and monitors the Sub-Adviser for compliance with requirements under applicable law and with the investment policies and restrictions of the Portfolios.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS (continued) The Distributor

ING Funds Distributor, LLC (“Distributor”) is the principal underwriter and distributor of each Portfolio. It is a Delaware limited liability corporation with its principal offices at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258.

The Distributor is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org or the Public Disclosure Hotline at 800-289-9999.

HOW SHARES ARE PRICED

The net asset value (“NAV”) per share for each class of each Portfolio is determined each business day as of the close of regular trading (“Market Close”) on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time unless otherwise designated by the NYSE). The Portfolios are open for business every day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is closed on all weekends and on all national holidays and Good Friday. Portfolio shares will not be priced on those days. To the extent a Portfolio invests in other open-end funds (other than ETFs), the Portfolio will calculate its NAV using the NAV of the funds in which it invests as described in that fund’s prospectus. The NAV per share of each class of each Portfolio is calculated by taking the value of the Portfolio’s assets attributable to that class, subtracting the Portfolio’s liabilities attributable to that class, and dividing by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding.

In general, assets are valued based on actual or estimated market value, with special provisions for assets not having readily available market quotations and short-term debt securities, and for situations where market quotations are deemed unreliable. Investments in securities maturing in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost which, when combined with accrued interest, approximates market value. Securities prices may be obtained from automated pricing services. Shares of investment companies held by the Portfolios (other than ETF shares) will generally be valued at the latest NAV reported by that investment company. The prospectuses for those investment companies explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.

Trading of foreign securities may not take place every day the NYSE is open. Also, trading in some foreign markets and on some electronic trading networks may occur on weekends or holidays when a Portfolio’s NAV is not calculated. As a result, the NAV of a Portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem a Portfolio’s shares. When market quotations are not available or are deemed unreliable, a Portfolio will use a fair value for the security that is determined in accordance with procedures adopted by the Portfolio’s Board. The types of securities for which such fair value pricing might be required include, but are not limited to:

  • Foreign securities, where a foreign security whose value at the close of the foreign market on which it principally trades likely would have changed by the time of the close of the NYSE, or the closing value is otherwise deemed unreliable;
  • Securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring;
  • Securities whose trading has been halted or suspended;
  • Fixed-income securities that have gone into default and for which there are no current market value quotations; and
  • Securities that are restricted as to transfer or resale.

The Portfolios or the Adviser may rely on the recommendations of a fair value pricing service approved by the Portfolios’ Board in valuing foreign securities. Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuing securities that have readily available market quotations. The Adviser will make such determinations in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Portfolios’ Board. Fair value determinations can also involve reliance on quantitative models employed by a fair value pricing service. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Portfolio determines its NAV per share.

When your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan is buying shares of a Portfolio, it will pay the NAV that is next calculated after the order from the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan Participant is received in proper form. When the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan Participant is selling shares, it will normally receive the NAV that is next calculated after the order form is received from the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan participant in proper form. Investments will be processed at the NAV next calculated after an order is received and accepted by a Portfolio or its designated agent. In order to receive that day’s price, your order must be received by Market Close.

The Portfolios reserve the right to suspend the offering of shares or to reject any specific purchase order. The Portfolios may suspend redemptions or postpone payments when the NYSE is closed or when trading is restricted for any reason or under emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC.

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

Each Portfolio’s shares may be offered to insurance company separate accounts serving as investment options under Variable Contracts, Qualified Plans outside the separate account context, custodial accounts, certain investment advisers and their affiliates in connection with the creation or management of the Portfolios, other investment companies and other investors as permitted by the diversification and other requirements of section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and the underlying U.S. Treasury Regulations. Certain Portfolios may not be available as investment options in your Variable Contract, through your Qualified Plan or other investment company. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or redemptions from, an investment option corresponding to one of the Portfolios and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolios’ behalf.

The Portfolios currently do not foresee any disadvantages to investors if a Portfolio serves as an investment option for Variable Contracts and it offers its shares directly to Qualified Plans and other permitted investors. However, it is possible that the interest of owners of Variable Contracts, Qualified Plans and other permitted, for which a Portfolio serves as an investment option, might at some time be in conflict because of differences in tax treatment or other considerations. The Board directed the Adviser to monitor events to identify any material conflicts between Variable Contract owners, Qualified Plans and other permitted investors and would have to determine what action, if any, should be taken in the event of such conflict. If such a conflict occurred, an insurance company participating in the Portfolio might be required to redeem the investment of one or more of its separate accounts from the Portfolio or a Qualified Plan, investment company or other permitted investor might be required to redeem its investment, which might force the Portfolio to sell securities at disadvantageous prices. The Portfolios may discontinue sales to a Qualified Plan and require plan participants with existing investments in the Portfolio to redeem those investments if the Qualified Plan loses (or in the opinion of the Adviser, is at risk of losing) its Qualified Plan status.

In addition, each Portfolio’s shares may be purchased by certain other management investment companies, including through fund-of-fund arrangements with ING affiliated funds. In some cases the Portfolio may serve as a primary or significant investment vehicle for the fund-of-funds. From time to time, a Portfolio may experience large investments or redemptions due to allocation or rebalancing by these funds-of-funds. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on Portfolio management. For example, a Portfolio may be required to sell securities or invest cash at times when it would not otherwise do so. These transactions could also have tax consequences if sales or securities result in gains and could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. The Adviser and each Sub-Adviser will monitor transactions by the funds-of-funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects on a Portfolio as a result of these transactions. So long as a Portfolio accepts investments by other investment companies, it will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or under the terms of an exemptive order granted by the SEC.

FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING

The Portfolios are intended for long-term investment and not as short-term trading vehicles. Accordingly, organizations or individuals that use market timing investment strategies and make frequent transfers should not purchase shares of a Portfolio. Shares of the Portfolios are primarily sold through omnibus account arrangements with financial intermediaries, as investment options for Variable Contracts issued by insurance companies and as investment options for Qualified Plans. Omnibus accounts generally do not identify customers’ trading activity on an individual basis. The Portfolios’ administrator has agreements which require such intermediaries to provide detailed account information, including trading history, upon request of the Portfolios.

The Portfolios rely on the financial intermediaries to monitor frequent, short-term trading within a Portfolio by their customers. You should review the materials provided to you by your financial intermediary including, in the case of a Variable Contract, the prospectus that describes the contract or, in the case of a Qualified Plan, the plan documentation for its policies regarding frequent, short-term trading. With trading information received as a result of these agreements, the Portfolios may make a determination that certain trading activity is harmful to the Portfolios and their shareholders, even if such activity is not strictly prohibited by the intermediaries’ excessive trading policy. As a result, a shareholder investing directly or indirectly in the Portfolios may have their trading privileges suspended without violating the stated excessive trading policy of the intermediary. The Portfolios reserve the right, in their sole discretion and without prior notice, to reject, restrict or refuse purchase orders whether directly or by exchange including purchase orders that have been accepted by a financial intermediary. The Portfolios seek assurances from the financial intermediaries that they have procedures adequate to monitor and address frequent, short-term trading. There is, however, no guarantee that the procedures of the financial intermediaries will be able to curtail frequent, short-term trading activity.

The Portfolios believe that market timing or frequent, short-term trading in any account, including a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan account, is not in the best interest of the Portfolios or their shareholders. Due to the disruptive nature of this activity, it can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to invest assets in an orderly, long-term manner. Frequent trading can disrupt the management of the Portfolios and raise their expenses through: increased trading and transaction costs; forced and unplanned portfolio turnover; lost opportunity costs; and large asset swings that decrease a Portfolio’s ability to provide maximum investment return to all shareholders. This in turn can have an adverse effect on a Portfolio’s performance.

Portfolios that invest in foreign securities may present greater opportunities for market timers and thus be at a greater risk for excessive trading. If an event occurring after the close of a foreign market, but before the time a Portfolio computes its current NAV, causes a change in the price of the foreign security and such price is not reflected in the Portfolio’s current NAV, investors may attempt to take advantage of anticipated price movements in securities held by the Portfolios based on such pricing discrepancies. This is often referred to as “price arbitrage.” Such price arbitrage opportunities may also occur in portfolios which do not invest in foreign securities. For example, if trading in a security held by a Portfolio is halted and does not resume prior to the time the Portfolio calculates its NAV, such “stale pricing” presents an opportunity for investors to take advantage of the pricing discrepancy. Similarily, Portfolios that hold thinly-traded securities, such as certain small-capitalization securities, may be exposed to varying levels of pricing arbitrage. The Portfolios have adopted fair valuation policies and procedures intended to reduce the Portfolios’ exposure to price arbitrage, stale pricing, and other potential pricing discrepancies. However, to the extent that a Portfolio’s NAV does not immediately reflect these changes in market conditions, short-term trading may dilute the value of Portfolio shares, which negatively affects long-term shareholders.

Although the policies and procedures known to the Portfolios that are followed by the financial intermediaries that use the Portfolios and the monitoring by the Portfolios are designed to discourage frequent, short-term trading, none of these measures can eliminate the possibility that frequent, short-term trading activity in the Portfolios will occur. Moreover, decisions about allowing trades in the Portfolios may be required. These decisions are inherently subjective, and will be made in a manner that is in the best interest of a Portfolio’s shareholders.

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

ING mutual funds may be offered as investment options in Variable Contracts issued by affiliated and non-affiliated insurance companies and in Qualified Plans. Fees derived from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) may be paid to insurance companies, broker-dealers and companies that service Qualified Plans for selling the Portfolio’s shares and/or for servicing shareholder accounts. In addition, a Portfolio’s Adviser, Distributor, Administrator or their affiliated entities, out of their own resources and without additional cost to the Portfolio or its shareholders, may pay additional compensation to these insurance companies, broker-dealers, or companies that service Qualified Plans. The Adviser, Distributor, Administrator, or affiliated entities of a Portfolio may also share their profits with affiliated insurance companies or other ING entities through inter-company payments.

For non-affiliated insurance companies and Qualified Plans, payments from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) as well as payments (if applicable) from the Portfolio’s Adviser and/or Distributor generally are based upon an annual percentage of the average net assets held in the Portfolio by those companies. A Portfolio’s Adviser and Distributor may make payments for administrative, record keeping, or other services that insurance companies or Qualified Plans provide to facilitate investment in the Portfolio. These payments as well as payments from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) may also provide incentive for insurance companies or Qualified Plans to make the Portfolio available through Variable Contracts or Qualified Plans, and thus they may promote the distribution of the shares of the Portfolio.

As of the date of this Prospectus, the Distributor has entered into agreements with the following non-affiliated insurance companies: Zürich Kemper Life Insurance Company; Symetra Life Insurance Company; and First Fortis Life Insurance Company. Fees payable under these agreements are at annual rates that range from 0.15% to 0.25%. This is computed as a percentage of the average aggregate amount invested in a Portfolio by Variable Contract holders through the relevant insurance company’s Variable Contracts.

The insurance companies issuing Variable Contracts or Qualified Plans that use a Portfolio as investment options may also pay fees to third parties in connection with distribution of the Variable Contracts and for services provided to Variable Contract owners. Entities that service Qualified Plans may also pay fees to third parties to help service the Qualified Plans or the accounts of their participants. A Portfolio, the Adviser, and the Distributor are not parties to these arrangements. Variable Contract owners should consult the prospectus and statement of additional information for their Variable Contracts for a discussion of these payments and should consult with their agent or broker. Qualified Plan participants should consult with their pension servicing agent.

Ultimately, the agent or broker selling the Variable Contract to you could have a financial interest in selling you a particular product to increase the compensation they receive. Please make sure you read fully each prospectus and discuss any questions you have with your agent or broker.

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

Dividends and Distributions

Each Portfolio declares and pays dividends from net investment income at least annually. Each Portfolio will also pay distributions from net realized capital gains, reduced by available capital losses, at least annually. All dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolios at the NAV of such shares on the payment date unless a participating insurance company’s separate account is permitted to hold cash and elects to receive payment in cash. From time to time, a portion of a Portfolio’s dividends may constitute a return of capital.

Tax Matters

Holders of Variable Contracts should refer to the prospectus for their contracts for information regarding the tax consequences of owning such contracts and should consult their tax advisers before investing.

Each Portfolio intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) for federal income tax purposes by satisfying the requirements under Subchapter M of the Code, including requirements with respect to diversification of assets, distribution of income and sources of income. As a RIC, a Portfolio generally will not be subject to tax on its net investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains.

Each Portfolio also intends to comply with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code and the underlying regulations for Variable Contracts so that owners of these contracts should not be subject to federal tax on distributions of dividends and income from a Portfolio to the insurance company’s separate accounts.

Since the sole shareholders of the Portfolios will be separate accounts or other permitted investors, no discussion is included herein as to the federal income tax consequences at the shareholder level. For information concerning the federal income tax consequences to purchasers of the policies, see the attached prospectus for the policy.

See the SAI for further information about tax matters.

THE TAX STATUS OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN A PORTFOLIO DEPENDS UPON THE FEATURES OF YOUR VARIABLE CONTRACT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO THE PROSPECTUS FOR THE VARIABLE CONTACT.

INDEX DESCRIPTIONS

The Morgan Stanley Capital International - Europe, Australasia, and Far East® (“MSCI EAFE®”) Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of securities listed on exchanges in Europe, Australasia and the Far East.

The Russell 2000® Growth Index measures the performance of the small-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000 companies with higher price-to-value ratios and higher forecasted growth values.

The Russell 2000® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000® Index. The Russell 3000® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of 3,000 U.S. companies based on total market capitalization.

The Russell Midcap® Growth Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those companies included in the Russell Midcap® Index with relatively higher price-to-book ratio and higher forecasted growth values.

The Russell Midcap® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the 800 smallest companies in the Russell 1000® Index.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The following financial highlights are intended to help you understand each Portfolio’s Class I shares’ financial performance for the past five years or, if shorter, the period of the class’ operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. The total returns represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a share of the Portfolios (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from the Portfolios’ financial statements that were audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Trust’s financial statements, are included in the annual shareholder report, which is incorporated by reference into the SAI for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and is available upon request.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (continued)

Selected data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year or period.

Income (loss)
from
investment
operations
Less distributions
Ratios to average net assets
Supplemental
data
Net asset value, beginning
of year or period
Net investment income (loss)
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss)
Total from investment
operations
From net investment income
From net realized gains
From return of capital
Total distributions
Payment by affiliates
Net asset value,
end of year or period
Total Return(1)
Expenses before
reductions/additions(2)(3)
Expenses, net of fee waivers
and/or recoupments, if any(2)(3)
Expenses, net of all
reductions/additions(2)(3)
Net investment income
(loss)(2)(3)
Net assets, end of year or
period
Portfolio turnover rate
Year or Period ended
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
($000’s)
(%)
ING International Value Portfolio
Class I
12-31-09 6.77 0.13 1.68 1.81 0.12 0.12 8.46 27.18 1.05 1.01 1.01 1.70 399,689 214
12-31-08 14.24 0.27 (5.67) (5.40) 0.30 1.78 2.08 0.01 6.77 (42.76)(d) 1.06 1.00 1.00 2.59 340,022 207
12-31-07 15.26 0.28 1.62 1.90 0.27 2.65 2.92 14.24 13.44 1.19 1.00 1.00 1.77 515,883 202
12-31-06 12.73 0.34 3.36 3.70 0.35 0.82 1.17 15.26 29.44 1.19 1.00 1.00 2.40 460,381 146
12-31-05 12.76 0.18 0.89 1.07 0.30 0.80 1.10 12.73 9.43 1.22 1.00 1.00 1.50 348,326 125
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
Class I
12-31-09 6.40 0.04 2.61

2.65 0.02 0.02 9.03 41.44 0.90

0.64 0.64 0.46 238,426 169
12-31-08 10.26 0.01 (3.87) (3.86) 0.00* 6.40 (37.62)(a) 0.88 0.70 0.70 0.11 195,295 191
12-31-07 8.16 (0.03) 2.13 2.10 10.26 25.74 0.89 0.90 0.90 (0.39) 91,459 186
12-31-06 7.57 (0.03) 0.62 0.59 8.16 7.79 0.95 0.90 0.90 (0.32) 71,154 139
12-31-05 6.86 (0.02) 0.73 0.71 7.57 10.35 0.97 0.90 0.90 (0.31) 78,760 90
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
Class I
12-31-09 12.27 (0.02) 3.83 3.81 16.08 31.05 0.96 0.93 0.93 (0.12) 79,291 139
12-31-08 21.98 (0.01) (6.61) (6.62) 3.10 3.10 0.01 12.27 (34.48)(c) 0.93 0.90 0.90 (0.04) 56,476 148
12-31-07 19.97 0.01 2.00 2.01 21.98 10.07 0.90 0.90 0.90 0.07 83,695 97
12-31-06 17.74 (0.07) 2.30 2.23 19.97 12.57 0.93 0.90 0.90 (0.35) 81,210 84
12-31-05 16.26 (0.08) 1.56 1.48 17.74 9.10 0.96 0.90 0.90 (0.52) 81,155 83

See Accompanying Notes to Financial Highlights

ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(1) Total return is calculated assuming reinvestment of all dividends, capital gain distributions and return of capital, if any, at net asset value and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract charges. Total return for periods less than one year is not annualized.
(2) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(3) Expense ratios reflect operating expenses of a Portfolio. Expenses before reductions/additions do not reflect amounts reimbursed by the Investment Adviser and/or Distributor or reductions from brokerage commission recapture arrangements or other expense offset arrangements and do not represent the amount paid by a Portfolio during periods when reimbursements or reductions occur. Expenses net of fee waivers reflect expenses after reimbursement by the Investment Adviser or Distributor but prior to reductions from brokerage commission recapture arrangements or other expense offset arrangements. Expenses net of all reductions/additions represent the net expenses paid by a Portfolio. Net investment income (loss) is net of all such additions or reductions.
(4) Commencement of operations.
Calculated using average number of shares outstanding throughout the period.
* Amount is more than $(0.005) or less than $0.005.
** Amount is less than $500.
Impact of waiving the advisory fee for the ING Institutional Prime Money Market Fund holding has less than 0.005% impact on the expense ratio and net investment income or loss ratio.
(a) There was no impact on total return due to payment by affiliate in 2008.
(b) For ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio amount was previously reported as $8.20 and has been corrected to reflect the actual NAV. For ING International Value Portfolio amount was previously reported as $15.38 and has been corrected to reflect the actual NAV.
(c) Excluding a $110,798 payment by affiliate in 2008, ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio total return would have been 24.72%, (34.52)% and (34.64)% for Classes ADV, I and S, respectively.
(d) Excluding a $729,720 payment by affiliate in 2008, ING International Value Portfolio total return would have been (43.18)%, (42.86)% and (42.43)% on Classes ADV, I and S, respectively.
  

TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION

You’ll find more information about the Portfolios in our:

ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORTS

In the Portfolios’ annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, you will find a discussion of the recent market conditions and principal investment strategies that significantly affected the Portfolios’ performance during the last fiscal year, the financial statements and the independent registered public accounting firm’s reports (in the annual shareholder report only).

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Portfolios. The SAI is legally part of this Prospectus (it is incorporated by reference). A copy has been filed with the SEC.

Please write, call or visit our website for a free copy of the current annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, the SAI or other Portfolio information.

To make shareholder inquiries contact:

The ING Funds

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

1-800-992-0180

or visit our website at www.ingfunds.com

This information may also be reviewed or obtained from the SEC. In order to review the information in person, you will need to visit the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. or call 202-551-8090 for information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. Otherwise, you may obtain the information for a fee by contacting the SEC at:

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Public Reference Section
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549

or at the e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov

Or obtain the information at no cost by visiting the SEC’s Internet website at http://www.sec.gov.

When contacting the SEC, you will want to refer to the Portfolios’ SEC file number. The file number is as follows:

ING Variable Products Trust 811-8220
ING International Value Portfolio
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
PRO.INGPILI-10     (0410-043010)


Table of Contents
Prospectus April 30, 2010

  • ING International Value PortfolioS/IVPIX
  • ING MidCap Opportunities PortfolioS/ISMOX
  • ING SmallCap Opportunities PortfolioS/IVPOX

Each Portfolio’s shares may be offered to insurance company separate accounts serving as investment options under variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contracts”), qualified pension and retirement plans (“Qualified Plans”), custodial accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates in connection with the creation or management of the Portfolios, other investment companies, and other pemitted investors.
NOT ALL PORTFOLIOS MAY BE AVAILABLE IN ALL JURISDICTIONS, UNDER ALL VARIABLE CONTRACTS OR UNDER ALL QUALIFIED PLANS.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities nor has the SEC judged whether the information in this Prospectus is accurate or adequate. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

INVESTMENTS


Table Of Contents
SUMMARY SECTION
ING International Value Portfolio
1
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
5
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
8
KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION
11
Fundamental Policies
11
Non-Fundamental Investment Policies
11
Portfolio Diversification
11
Investor Diversification
11
Temporary Defensive Strategies
11
Percentage and Rating Limitations
12
Investment Not Guaranteed
12
Shareholder Reports
12
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS
13
Additional Information About The Investment Objectives
13
Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies
13
Additional Information About the Portfolios’ Risks
13
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
18
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS
19
The Investment Adviser
19
The Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
19
The Administrator
20
The Distributor
21
HOW SHARES ARE PRICED
22
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
23
Shareholder Service Plan
23
FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING
24
PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
25
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
26
INDEX DESCRIPTIONS
27
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
28
ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
30
TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION
Backcover

ING International Value Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

S
Management Fee 0.85%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees 0.25%
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.10%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses 1.30%
Waivers and Reimbursements1 (0.09)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.21%
1 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.20% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years. The distributor is also contractually obligated to waive 0.05% of the 0.25% shareholder services fee through May 1, 2011. There is no guarantee that the shareholder services fee waiver will continue after May 1, 2011. The shareholder services fee waiver will only renew if the distributor elects to renew it.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
S $ 123 401 700 1,549

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 214% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of issuers located in a number of different countries outside of the United States. The Portfolio invests primarily in companies with a large market capitalization, but may also invest in small- and mid-sized companies. The Portfolio generally invests in common and preferred stocks, warrants, and convertible securities. The Portfolio may invest in companies located in countries with emerging securities markets when the Sub-Adviser believes they present attractive investment opportunities. The Portfolio may invest in government debt securities of developed foreign countries. The Portfolio also may invest up to 35% of its assets in securities of U.S. issuers, including investment-grade government and corporate debt securities.

The Portfolio may invest in derivative instruments including futures, options and swaps.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act).

The Sub-Adviser primarily uses a bottom-up fundamental analysis to identify stocks which it believes offer good value relative to their peers in the same industry, sector or region. It also uses a top-down analysis to identify important themes or issues which may affect the investment environment in certain regions or sectors and to estimate regional market risks. In conducting its fundamental analysis, the Sub-Adviser focuses on various factors including valuation of the companies, catalysts to stock price appreciation, quality of management, and financial measures, especially cash flow and cash flow return on capital.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Convertible Securities  Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stock at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt securities, such as interest rate and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the stocks into which they convert, they are subject to market risk.

Credit   Prices of bonds and other debt securities can fall if the issuer’s actual or perceived financial health deteriorates, whether because of broad economic or issuer-specific reasons. In severe cases, the issuer could be late in paying interest or principal, or could fail to pay altogether.

Currency   To the extent that the Portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

Derivative Instruments  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of the Portfolio and reduce its returns.

Foreign Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign investment risks typically are greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

Interest Rate  With bonds and other debt securities, a rise in interest rates generally causes values to fall. Falling interest rates will cause the income of bonds and other debt securities to decline over time. The higher the credit quality of the security, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is likely to be to interest rate risk.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods.

Market Capitalization  Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories - large, mid and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stock of mid- and small-sized companies causing the Portfolio that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in larger, fully-valued companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, and a more limited trading market for their stock as compared with larger companies. As a result, stock of mid- and small-capitalization companies may decline significantly in market downturns.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: ”investment risk“ and ”borrower default risk.“ Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

ING International Value Portfolio

Sovereign Debt  These securities are issued or guaranteed by foreign government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. Some of these reasons may include cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of its debt position to its economy or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debts that a government does not pay or bankruptcy proceeding by which all or part of sovereign debt that a government entity has not repaid may be collected.

U.S. Goverment Securities and Obligations  U.S. government securities are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored enterprises. U.S. government securities are subject to market and interest rate risk, and may be subject to varying degrees of credit risk.

Value Investing  Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class S shares’ and Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class S shares’ and Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. Class I shares’ performance has been adjusted to reflect the higher expenses of Class S shares. The Class S shares and Class I shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar performance because they invest in the same portfolio of securities. However, Class I shares’ performance would be higher than Class S shares’ performance because of the higher expenses paid by Class S shares. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The bar chart below shows the Portfolio’s adjusted Class I shares’ performance (2000-2002) and Class S shares’ performance (2003-2009).

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 2nd, 2009, 26.29% and Worst quarter: 4th, 2008, (21.08)%

Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
(or since
inception)
Inception
Date
Class S % 26.13 2.94 4.62 03/19/02
MSCI EAFE® Index1 % 31.78 3.54 6.742
Class I (adjusted) % 26.92 2.98 3.04 08/08/97
MSCI EAFE® Index1 % 31.78 3.54 1.17
1 The index returns include the reinvestment of dividends and distributions net of withholding taxes, but do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses.
2 Reflects index performance since the date closest to the Class’ inception for which data is available.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
Philip A. Schwartz John Pairaktaridis
Portfolio Manager
(since 07/02)
Assistant Portfolio Manager
(since 01/09)
Joseph Vultaggio
Assistant Portfolio Manager
(since 01/09)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may
ING International Value Portfolio
apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING International Value Portfolio

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

S
Management Fee 0.72%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees 0.25%
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.08%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses1 1.16%
Waivers and Reimbursements2 (0.05)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.11%
1 Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses may be higher than the Portfolio’s ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Portfolio and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
2 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.10% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years. In addition, effective May 2, 2010, the adviser is contractually obligated to further limit expenses to 1.10% through May 2, 2011. There is no guarantee the additional expense limit will continue after May 2, 2011. The additional expense limitation will only renew if the adviser elects to renew it.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
S $ 113 364 633 1,405

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 169% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of mid-sized U.S. companies. The Portfolio will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this investment policy.

The Portfolio normally invests in companies that the Sub-Adviser believes have above average prospects for growth. For this Portfolio, mid-sized companies are those companies with market capitalizations that fall within the range of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index at the time of purchase. Capitalization of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index change with market conditions. The market capitalization of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index as of December 31, 2009, ranged from $262.5 million to $15.5 billion.

The Portfolio may also invest in derivative instruments and foreign securities.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act”).

In managing the Portfolio, the Sub-Adviser uses a stock selection process that combines the discipline of quantitative screens with rigorous fundamental security analysis. The quantitative screens focus the fundamental analysis by identifying the stocks of companies with strong business momentum that demonstrate relative price strength, and have a perceived value not reflected in the current price. The objective of the fundamental analysis is to confirm the persistence of the company’s revenue and earnings growth and validate the Sub-Adviser’s expectations for earnings estimate revisions, particularly relative to consensus. A determination of reasonable valuation for individual securities is based on the judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Currency   To the extent that the Portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

Derivative Instruments  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of the Portfolio and reduce its returns.

Foreign Investments  Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth-oriented securities in which the Portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor value-oriented securities or may not favor equities at all.

Mid-Capitalization Company  Investments in mid-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volume typical on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may have limited market stability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class S shares’ and Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class S shares’ and Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. Class I shares’ performance has been adjusted to reflect the higher expenses of Class S shares. The Class S shares and Class I shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar performance because they invest in the same portfolio of securities. However, Class I shares’ performance would be higher than Class S shares’ performance because of the higher expenses paid by Class S shares. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The bar chart below shows the Portfolio’s adjusted Class I shares’ performance (2001) and Class S shares’ performance (2002-2009).

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 4th, 2001, 23.06% and Worst quarter: 3rd, 2001, (28.07)%

Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
(or since
inception)
Inception
Date
Class S % 41.04 5.49 2.61 05/07/01
Russell Midcap® Growth Index1 % 46.29 2.40 2.422
Russell Midcap® Index1 % 40.48 2.43 5.152
Class I (adjusted) % 41.20 5.49 (1.21) 05/05/00
Russell Midcap® Growth Index1 % 46.29 2.40 (1.46)2
Russell Midcap® Index1 % 40.48 2.43 4.642
1 The index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes.
2 Reflects index performance since the date closest to the Class’ inception for which data is available.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
Jeff Bianchi James Hasso
Portfolio Manager (since 07/05) Portfolio Manager (since 04/10)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

S
Management Fee 0.75%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees 0.25%
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.11%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses1 1.22%
Waivers and Reimbursements2 (0.03)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.19%
1 Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses may be higher than the Portfolio’s ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Portfolio and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
2 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.17% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
S $ 121 382 663 1,464

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 139% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of smaller, lesser-known U.S. companies. The Portfolio will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this investment policy.

The Portfolio normally invests in companies that the Sub-Adviser believes have above average prospects for growth. For this Portfolio, smaller companies are those with market capitalizations that fall within the range of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index at the time of purchase. The Russell 2000® Growth Index is an index that measures the performance of small growth companies. Capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index will change with market conditions. The market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index as of December 31, 2009, ranged from $17 million to $5.7 billion.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act”).

The Sub-Adviser uses a disciplined combination of quantitative screens and bottom-up fundamental security analysis to build a broadly diversified portfolio of companies that the Sub-Adviser believes will have improving bottom lines, with reasonable valuation, and whose stocks demonstrate relative strength. The focus of company analysis is upon the prospects for continuing bottom-line growth, balance sheet strength, and cash flow characteristics. A proprietary measure is used to determine relative stock price strength. A determination of reasonable valuation for individual securities is based on the judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth-oriented securities in which the Portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor value-oriented securities or may not favor equities at all.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

Small-Capitalization Company  Investments in small-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class S shares’ and Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class S shares’ and Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. Class I shares’ performance has been adjusted to reflect the higher expenses of Class S shares. The Class S shares and Class I shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar performance because they invest in the same portfolio of securities. However, Class I shares’ performance would be higher than Class S shares’ performance because of the higher expenses paid by Class S shares. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The bar chart below shows the Portfolio’s adjusted Class I shares’ performance (2000-2001) and Class S shares’ performance (2002-2009).

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 2nd, 2009, 22.78% and Worst quarter: 3rd, 2001, (29.41)%

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
(or since
inception)
Inception
Date
Class S % 30.71 2.80 (1.91) 05/03/01
Russell 2000® Growth Index1 % 34.47 0.87 1.922
Russell 2000® Index1 % 27.17 0.51 4.342
Class I (adjusted) % 30.72 2.77 (3.53) 05/06/94
Russell 2000® Growth Index1 % 34.47 0.87 (1.37)
Russell 2000® Index1 % 27.17 0.51 3.51
1 The index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes.
2 Reflects index performance since the date closest to the Class’ inception for which data is available.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
James Hasso Steve Salopek
Portfolio Manager (since 10/08) Portfolio Manager (since 07/05)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION

This Prospectus contains information about certain funds within the ING Funds family and is designed to provide you with important information to help you with your investment decisions. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.

The Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this Prospectus. It identifies investment restrictions, more detailed risk descriptions, a description of how the bond rating system works and other information that may be helpful to you in your decision to invest. You may obtain a copy, without charge, from the Portfolios.

Other ING Funds may also be offered to the public that have similar names, investment objectives and principal investment strategies as those of the Portfolios. You should be aware that a Portfolio is likely to differ from these other ING Funds in size and cash flow pattern. Accordingly, the performance of a Portfolio can be expected to vary from those of other ING Funds.

Other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds may invest in the Portfolios. So long as the Portfolios accept investments by other investment companies, they will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”) or under the terms of an exemptive order granted by the SEC.

Each Portfolio is a series of ING Variable Products Trust (“Trust”), a Massachusetts business trust. The Portfolios are managed by ING Investments, LLC (“ING Investments” or “Adviser”).

The Portfolios’ shares are classified into four classes of shares, Adviser Class (“Class ADV”), Class I, Class S, and Service 2 Class (“Class S2”) shares. The classes of shares of each Portfolio are identical except for different expenses, certain related rights and certain shareholder services. All share classes of each Portfolio have a common investment objective and investment portfolio. Only Class S shares are offered in this Prospectus. Class S shares are not subject to any sales loads.

Fundamental Policies

Fundamental investment policies contained in the SAI may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Board of Trustees (“Board”) and/or the Adviser may change any other policies and investment strategies.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Certain Portfolios have adopted non-fundamental investment policies to invest the Portfolio’s assets in securities that are consistent with the Portfolio’s name. For more information about these policies, please consult the SAI.

Portfolio Diversification

Each Portfolio is diversified, as defined in the 1940 Act. A diversified fund may not, as to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer and may not purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities). A non-diversified fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its assets that it may invest in the obligations of a single issuer.

Investor Diversification

Although each Portfolio is designed to serve as a diversified investment portfolio of securities, no single mutual fund can provide an appropriate investment program for all investors. You should evaluate each Portfolio in the context of your personal financial situation, investment objectives and other investments.

Temporary Defensive Strategies

When the Adviser or Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to a Portfolio anticipates unusual market or other conditions, the Portfolio may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure. In such circumstances, that Portfolio may invest in securities believed to present less risk, such as cash, cash equivalents, money market fund shares and other money market instruments, debt securities that are high quality or higher quality than normal, more liquid securities, or others. While a Portfolio invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment objective. A Portfolio’s defensive investment position may not be effective in protecting its value. It is impossible to predict accurately how long such alternative strategies may be utilized. The types of defensive positions in which a Portfolio may engage are identified and discussed in the SAI.

KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION (continued)

Percentage and Rating Limitations

The percentage and rating limitations on Portfolio investments listed in this Prospectus apply at the time of investment.

Investment Not Guaranteed

Please note your investment is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

Shareholder Reports

Each Portfolio’s fiscal year ends December 31. Each Portfolio will send financial statements to its shareholders at least semi-annually. An annual shareholder report containing financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm will be sent to shareholders every year.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS

Additional Information About The Investment Objectives

Each Portfolio’s investment objective is non-fundamental and each Portfolio’s investment objective may be changed by a vote of the Portfolio’s Board, without shareholder approval. A Portfolio will provide 60 days’ prior written notice of any change in a non-fundamental investment objective. There is no guarantee the Portfolios will achieve their respective investment objective.

Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies

For a complete description of a Portfolio’s principal investment strategies, please see the the respective Portfolio’s summary prospectus.

Additional Information About the Portfolios’ Risks

All mutual funds involve risk — some more than others — and there is always the chance that you could lose money or not earn as much as you hope. A Portfolio’s risk profile is largely a factor of the principal securities in which it invests and investment techniques that it uses. Below is a discussion of the risks associated with certain of the types of securities in which the Portfolios may invest and certain of the investment practices that the Portfolios may use. For more information about these and other types of securities and investment techniques that may be used by the Portfolios, see the SAI.

Many of the investment techniques and strategies discussed in this Prospectus and in the SAI are discretionary which means that the Adviser or sub-adviser can decide whether to use them. The Portfolios may invest in these securities or use these techniques as part of the Portfolios’ principal investment strategies. However, the Adviser or sub-adviser may also use these investment techniques or make investments in securities that are not a part of the Portfolios’ principal investment strategies.

The discussions below expand on the risks included in a Portfolio’s summary section of the Prospectus. Please see the SAI for a further discussion of the principal and other investment strategies employed by each Portfolio.

Company.  The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Convertible Securities.  Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt securities, such as interest rate and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the stocks into which they convert, they are subject to market risk.

The value of a convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the value of the underlying security because of the conversion or exercise feature. However, the value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying security. A convertible security may also provide income and be subject to interest rate risk. Convertible securities may be lower-rated securities subject to greater levels of credit risk. In the event the issuer of a convertible security is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, a portfolio could lose money. A portfolio may be forced to convert a convertible security before it otherwise would do so, which may decrease the portfolio’s returns.

Credit.  Prices of bonds and other debt securities can fall if the issuer’s actual or perceived financial health deteriorates, whether because of broad economic or issuer-specific reasons. In severe cases, the issuer could be late in paying interest or principal, or could fail to pay altogether.

Currency.  To the extent that a portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency rates may be affected by changes in interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, by the imposition of currency controls, or other political or economic developments in the United States or abroad. As a result, a portfolio’s investments in foreign currency or foreign currency-denominated securities may reduce the value of the portfolio’s assets.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) Derivative Instruments.  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of a portfolio and reduce its returns. Generally, derivatives are sophisticated financial instruments whose performance is derived, at least in part, from the performance of an underlying asset or assets. Derivatives include, among other things, swap agreements, options, forwards and futures. The investment of a portfolio’s assets required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the portfolio; therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the portfolio; thus exaggerating any increase or decrease in the net asset value of the portfolio. Investments in derivatives are generally negotiated over-the-counter with a single counterparty and as a result are subject to credit risks related to the counterparty’s ability to perform its obligations and further that any deterioration in the counterparty’s creditworthiness could adversely affect the value of the derivative. In addition, derivatives and their underlying securities may experience periods of illiquidity which could cause a portfolio to hold a security it might otherwise sell, or to sell a security it otherwise might hold at inopportune times or for prices that do not reflect current market value. A portfolio’s adviser or sub-adviser might imperfectly judge the direction of the market. For instance, if a derivative is used as a hedge to offset investment risk in another security, the hedge might not correlate to the market’s movements and may have unexpected or undesired results such as a loss or a reduction in gains to a portfolio.

Foreign Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets.  To the extent a portfolio invests in securities of issuers in markets outside the United States, its share price may be more volatile than if it invested in securities of issuers in the U.S. market due to, among other things, the following factors: comparatively unstable political, social and economic conditions, and limited or ineffectual judicial systems; comparatively small market sizes, making securities less liquid and securities prices more sensitive to the movements of large investors and more vulnerable to manipulation; governmental policies or actions, such as high taxes, restrictions on currency movements, trade or diplomatic disputes, creation of monopolies, and the seizure of private property through confiscatory taxation and expropriation or nationalization of company assets; incomplete, outdated, or unreliable information about securities issuers due to less stringent market regulation and accounting standards; comparatively undeveloped markets and weak banking and financial systems; market inefficiencies, such as higher transaction costs, and administrative difficulties, such as delays in processing transactions; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, which could reduce gains or widen losses. In addition, foreign taxes could reduce the income available to distribute to shareholders, and special U.S. tax considerations could apply to foreign investments. Depositary receipts are subject to risks of foreign investments and might not always track the price of the underlying foreign security.

Foreign investment risks typically are greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets, for such reasons as social or political unrest, heavy economic dependence on agriculture or exports (particularly commodities), undeveloped or overburdened infrastructures, vulnerability to natural disasters, significant and unpredictable government intervention in markets or the economy, currency devaluations, runaway inflation, environmental problems, and business practices that depart from norms for developed countries and less developed or liquid markets for securities generally.

Interest Rate.  With bonds and other debt securities, a rise in interest rates generally causes values to fall. Falling interest rates will cause the income of bonds and other debt securities to decline over time. The higher the credit quality of the security, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is likely to be to interest rate risk.

Investment Model.  The sub-adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors. The proprietary models used by a sub-adviser to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on the sub-adviser’s understanding of the interplay of market factors and do not assure successful investment. The markets, or the price of individual securities, may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

Liquidity.  If a security is illiquid, the adviser or sub-adviser might be unable to sell the security at a time when a portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount a portfolio could realize upon disposition. A portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. A portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the portfolio.

Market.  Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth- or value-oriented securities in which a portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor securities to which a portfolio is not exposed or may not favor equities at all.

Market Capitalization.  Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories - large, mid and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stock of mid- and small-sized companies causing a portfolio that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in larger, fully-valued companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, and a more limited trading market for their stock as compared with larger companies. As a result, stock of mid- and small-capitalization companies may decline significantly in market downturns.

Mid-Capitalization Company.  Investments in mid-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volume typical on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may have limited market stability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.

Other Investment Companies.  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because a portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the portfolio.

Other investment companies include exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and Holding Company Depositary Receipts (“HOLDRs”), among others. ETFs are exchange-traded investment companies that are, in many cases, designed to provide investment results corresponding to an equity index. The main risk of investing in other investment companies is that the value of the underlying securities held by the investment company might decrease. The value of the underlying securities can fluctuate in response to activities of individual companies or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Additional risks of investments in ETFs include: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade at a discount to its net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; or (iii) trading may be halted if the listing exchanges’ officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts trading generally. Because HOLDRs concentrate in the stock of a particular industry, trends in that industry may have a dramatic impact on their value.

To seek to achieve a return on uninvested cash or for other reasons, a portfolio may invest its assets in ING Institutional Prime Money Market Fund and/or one or more other money market funds advised by ING affiliates (“ING Money Market Funds”). A portfolio’s purchase of shares of an ING Money Market Fund will result in the portfolio paying a proportionate share of the expenses of the ING Money Market Fund. A portfolio’s adviser will waive its fee in an amount equal to the advisory fee received by the adviser of the ING Money Market Fund in which the portfolio invests resulting from the portfolio’s investment into the ING Money Market Fund.

Securities Lending.  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that a portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that a portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

To generate additional income, a portfolio may lend securities to financial institutions that are believed to be creditworthy by the adviser. When lending securities, a portfolio will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. A portfolio retains its custodian to serve as its securities lending agent for these activities.

When a portfolio lends its securities, it is responsible for investing the cash it receives as collateral from the borrower, and the portfolio could incur losses in connection with the investment of such collateral, often referred to as “investment risk.” A portfolio will minimize investment risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high-quality instruments of short maturity.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) A portfolio may also lose money from the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner, often referred to as “borrower default risk.” In the event of a borrower default, a portfolio will be protected to the extent the portfolio is able to exercise its rights in the collateral promptly and the value of such collateral is sufficient to purchase replacement securities. In addition, a portfolio will be protected by its securities lending agent, which has agreed to indemnify the portfolio from losses resulting from borrower default.

Small-Capitalization Company.  Investments in small-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management.

Sovereign Debt.  These securities are issued or guaranteed by foreign government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. Some of these reasons may include cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of its debt position to its economy or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debts that a government does not pay or bankruptcy proceeding by which all or part of sovereign debt that a government entity has not repaid may be collected.

Value Investing.  Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The sub-adviser may be wrong in its assessment of a company’s value and the securities a portfolio holds may not reach their full values. A particular risk of a portfolio’s value approach is that some holdings may not recover and provide the capital growth anticipated or a security judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, a portfolio’s relative performance may suffer.

The discussion below includes risks that are not described in any of the Portfolios’ summaries but which, nevertheless, are a risk to all of the Portfolios.

Counterparty.  The entity with whom a portfolio conducts portfolio-related business (such as trading or securities lending), or that underwrites, distributes or guarantees investments or agreements that the portfolio owns or is otherwise exposed to, may refuse or may become unable to honor its obligations under the terms of a transaction or agreement. As a result, that portfolio may sustain losses and be less likely to achieve its investment objective. These risks may be greater when engaging in over-the-counter transactions.

Duration.  One measure of risk for fixed-income securities is duration. Duration measures the sensitivity of a bond’s price to interest rate movements and is one of the tools used by a portfolio manager in selection of fixed-income securities. Historically, the maturity of a bond was also used as a proxy for the sensitivity of a bond’s price to changes in interest rates, otherwise known as a bond’s interest rate risk or volatility. According to this measure, the longer the maturity of a bond, the more its price will change for a given change in market interest rates. However, this method ignores the amount and timing of all cash flows from the bond prior to final maturity. Duration is a measure of average life of a bond on a present value basis which was developed to incorporate a bond’s yield, coupons, final maturity and call features into one measure. For point of reference, the duration of a noncallable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 5 years is approximately 4.5 years and the duration of a noncallable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 10 years is approximately 8 years. Material changes in interest rates may impact the duration calculation.

Increase in Expenses.  Your actual cost of investing in a portfolio may be higher or lower than the expenses shown in the portfolio’s “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, expense ratios may be higher than those shown if the portfolio’s assets decrease. The portfolio’s assets may decrease and portfolio expense ratios increase for many reasons, including volatility in the portfolio’s net asset value caused by volatility in the secondary markets for assets in which the portfolio invests.

Investment By Other Funds.  Various other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds, including some ING funds, may invest in a portfolio. If investments by these other funds result in large inflows or outflows of cash from the portfolio, the portfolio’s performance or realization of capital gains could be affected. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on portfolio management. For example, these transactions could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. The adviser or sub-adviser will monitor transactions by the funds-of funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects on a portfolio and funds-of-funds as a result of these transactions.

Manager.  A portfolio is subject to manager risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The adviser, the sub-adviser or each individual portfolio manager will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for a portfolio, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. Many sub-advisers of equity funds employ styles that are characterized as “value” or “growth.” However, these terms can have different application by different managers. One sub-adviser’s value approach may be different from another, and one sub-adviser’s growth approach may be different from another. For example, some value managers employ a style in which they seek to identify companies that they believe are valued at a more substantial or “deeper discount” to a company’s net worth than other value managers. Therefore, some funds that are characterized as growth or value can have greater volatility than other funds managed by other managers in a growth or value style.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

Portfolio Holdings Information

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Portfolio’s portfolio securities is available in the SAI. Each Portfolio posts its portfolio holdings schedule on the ING Funds’ website on a calendar-quarter basis. The portfolio holdings schedule is available on the ING Funds’ website 30 calendar days following the end of the previous calendar quarter. The portfolio holdings schedule is as of the last day of the preceding calendar quarter (e.g., each Portfolio will post the quarter-ending June 30 holdings on July 31). Each Portfolio may also post its complete or partial portfolio holdings on its website as of a specified date.

Each Portfolio’s portfolio holdings schedule will, at a minimum, remain available on the ING Funds’ website until a Portfolio files a Form N-CSR or Form N-Q with the SEC for the period that includes the date as of which the website information is current.

The ING Funds’ website is located at www.ingfunds.com.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS

The Investment Adviser

ING Investments, an Arizona limited liability company, serves as the investment adviser to the Portfolios. ING Investments has overall responsibility for the management of the Portfolios. ING Investments oversees all investment advisory and portfolio management services for the Portfolios.

ING Investments is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. ING Investments is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep N.V. (“ING Groep”)(NYSE:ING). ING Groep is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 75 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 125,000 people, ING Groep comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand. ING Investments became an investment management firm in April 1995.

ING Groep has adopted a formal restructuring plan that was approved by the European Commission in November 2009 under which the ING life insurance businesses, including the retirement services and investment management businesses, which include the Adviser and its affiliates, would be divested by ING Groep by the end of 2013. While there can be no assurance that it will be carried out, the restructuring plan presents certain risks, including uncertainty about the effect on the businesses of the ING entities that service the Portfolios and potential termination of the Portfolios’ existing advisory agreements, which may trigger the need for shareholder approval of new agreements.

ING Investments’ principal office is located at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. As of December 31, 2009, ING Investments managed approximately $46.5 billion in assets.

The Adviser receives a monthly fee for its services based on the average daily net assets of each Portfolio.

Management Fees

The following table shows the aggregate annual management fee paid by each Portfolio for the most recent fiscal year as a percentage of that Portfolio’s average daily net assets:

Management Fees
ING International Value Portfolio 0.85%
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio 0.72%
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio 0.75%

The Adviser is responsible for all of its own costs, including costs of its personnel required to carry out its investment advisory duties.

For information regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the investment advisory and investment sub-advisory relationships (if applicable), please refer to the Portfolios’ annual shareholder report dated December 31, 2009.

The Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers

The Adviser has engaged one or more sub-advisers to provide the day-to-day management of each Portfolio’s portfolio. These sub-advisers are affiliates of ING Investments.

The Adviser acts as a ‘‘manager-of-manager’’ for the Portfolios. The Adviser delegates to the sub-advisers of the Portfolios the responsibility for investment management, subject to the Adviser’s oversight. The Adviser is responsible for monitoring the investment program and performance of the sub-advisers of the Portfolios.

From time to time, the Adviser may also recommend the appointment of additional sub-advisers or replacement of non-affiliated sub-advisers to the Portfolios’ Board. It is not expected that ING Investments would normally recommend replacement of affiliated sub-advisers as part of its oversight responsibilities. The Portfolios and the Adviser have received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit the Adviser, with the approval of the Portfolios’ Board, to appoint an additional non-affiliated sub-adviser or to replace an existing sub-adviser with a non-affiliated sub-adviser, as well as change the terms of a contract with a non-affiliated sub-adviser, without submitting the contract to a vote of the Portfolios’ shareholders. The Portfolios will notify shareholders of any change in the identity of a sub-adviser of the Portfolios, the addition of a sub-adviser to the Portfolios, or any change in the terms of a contract with a non-affiliated sub-adviser. In this event, the names of the Portfolios and their investment strategies may also change.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS (continued) Under the terms of each sub-advisory agreement, the agreement can be terminated by the Adviser or a Portfolio’s Board. In the event a sub-advisory agreement is terminated, the sub-adviser may be replaced subject to any regulatory requirements or the Adviser may assume day-to-day investment management of a Portfolio.

ING Investment Management Co.

ING Investment Management Co. (‘‘ING IM’’ or ‘‘Sub-Adviser’’), a Connecticut corporation, was founded in 1972 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. ING IM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep and is an affiliate of ING Investments. ING IM has acted as adviser or sub-adviser to mutual funds since 1994 and has managed institutional accounts since 1972. The principal office of ING IM is located at 230 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10169. As of December 31, 2009, ING IM managed approximately $61.3 billion in assets.

The following individuals are the Portfolio Managers of ING International Value Portfolio. Mr. Schwartz is primarily responsible for making investment decisions on behalf of the Portfolio. Mr. Pairaktaridis and Mr. Vultaggio support Mr. Schwartz and assist in the management of the Portfolio.

Philip A. Schwartz, CFA, is Head of International Equity and Senior Portfolio Manager for the international value strategy and has extensive experience covering international markets. Mr. Schwartz is responsible for managing portfolios as well as designing and implementing the international value investment process. Prior to joining ING Investment Management in 1993, Mr. Schwartz was with European investment firm Cheuvreux de Virieu in Paris and New York.

John Pairaktaridis, Assistant Portfolio Manager and International Research Analyst, joined ING IM in 2004. Prior to joining ING IM, he was a portfolio analyst at Neuberger Berman, LLC.

Joseph Vultaggio, Assistant Portfolio Manager and Senior International Research Analyst, joined ING IM in 1994. Mr. Vultaggio is responsible for the European markets.

The following individuals jointly share responsibility for the day-to-day management of ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio.

Jeff Bianchi, Portfolio Manager, joined ING IM in 1994. Before assuming his current responsibilities, Mr. Bianchi provided quantitative analysis for the firm’s small-capitalization equity strategies.

James Hasso, Portfolio Manager, has been with ING IM since 2006. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Hasso had been a senior research analyst with First Investors Corporation from 2004-2006. Prior to that, Mr. Hasso served as a senior research analyst and associate portfolio manager with Valenzuela Capital Partners LLC from 2001-2002.

The following individuals jointly share responsiblity for the day-to-day management of ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio.

James Hasso, Portfolio Manager, has been with ING IM since 2006. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Hasso had been a senior research analyst with First Investors Corporation from 2004-2006. Prior to that, Mr. Hasso served as a senior research analyst and associate portfolio manager with Valenzuela Capital Partners LLC from 2001-2002.

Steve Salopek, Portfolio Manager, joined ING IM in June 2005. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Salopek served as a portfolio manager with Banc One Investment Advisers from 1999-2004, where he directed $700 million in small-capitalization growth assets.

Additional Information Regarding the Portfolio Managers

The SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager and each portfolio manager’s ownership of securities in the Portfolios.

The Administrator

ING Funds Services, LLC (“Administrator”) serves as administrator to each Portfolio and receives an annual administrative services fee equal to 0.10% of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets.

The administrative services provided to each Portfolio includes acting as a liaison among the various service providers to the Portfolio, including the custodian, portfolio accounting agent, Sub-Adviser, and the insurance companies to which a Portfolio offers its shares. The Administrator also reviews the Portfolios for compliance with applicable legal requirements and monitors the Sub-Adviser for compliance with requirements under applicable law and with the investment policies and restrictions of the Portfolios.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS (continued) The Distributor

ING Funds Distributor, LLC (“Distributor”) is the principal underwriter and distributor of each Portfolio. It is a Delaware limited liability corporation with its principal offices at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258.

The Distributor is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org or the Public Disclosure Hotline at 800-289-9999.

HOW SHARES ARE PRICED

The net asset value (“NAV”) per share for each class of each Portfolio is determined each business day as of the close of regular trading (“Market Close”) on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time unless otherwise designated by the NYSE). The Portfolios are open for business every day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is closed on all weekends and on all national holidays and Good Friday. Portfolio shares will not be priced on those days. To the extent a Portfolio invests in other open-end funds (other than ETFs), the Portfolio will calculate its NAV using the NAV of the funds in which it invests as described in that fund’s prospectus. The NAV per share of each class of each Portfolio is calculated by taking the value of the Portfolio’s assets attributable to that class, subtracting the Portfolio’s liabilities attributable to that class, and dividing by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding.

In general, assets are valued based on actual or estimated market value, with special provisions for assets not having readily available market quotations and short-term debt securities, and for situations where market quotations are deemed unreliable. Investments in securities maturing in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost which, when combined with accrued interest, approximates market value. Securities prices may be obtained from automated pricing services. Shares of investment companies held by the Portfolios (other than ETF shares) will generally be valued at the latest NAV reported by that investment company. The prospectuses for those investment companies explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.

Trading of foreign securities may not take place every day the NYSE is open. Also, trading in some foreign markets and on some electronic trading networks may occur on weekends or holidays when a Portfolio’s NAV is not calculated. As a result, the NAV of a Portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem a Portfolio’s shares. When market quotations are not available or are deemed unreliable, a Portfolio will use a fair value for the security that is determined in accordance with procedures adopted by the Portfolio’s Board. The types of securities for which such fair value pricing might be required include, but are not limited to:

  • Foreign securities, where a foreign security whose value at the close of the foreign market on which it principally trades likely would have changed by the time of the close of the NYSE, or the closing value is otherwise deemed unreliable;
  • Securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring;
  • Securities whose trading has been halted or suspended;
  • Fixed-income securities that have gone into default and for which there are no current market value quotations; and
  • Securities that are restricted as to transfer or resale.

The Portfolios or the Adviser may rely on the recommendations of a fair value pricing service approved by the Portfolios’ Board in valuing foreign securities. Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuing securities that have readily available market quotations. The Adviser will make such determinations in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Portfolios’ Board. Fair value determinations can also involve reliance on quantitative models employed by a fair value pricing service. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Portfolio determines its NAV per share.

When your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan is buying shares of a Portfolio, it will pay the NAV that is next calculated after the order from the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan Participant is received in proper form. When the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan Participant is selling shares, it will normally receive the NAV that is next calculated after the order form is received from the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan participant in proper form. Investments will be processed at the NAV next calculated after an order is received and accepted by a Portfolio or its designated agent. In order to receive that day’s price, your order must be received by Market Close.

The Portfolios reserve the right to suspend the offering of shares or to reject any specific purchase order. The Portfolios may suspend redemptions or postpone payments when the NYSE is closed or when trading is restricted for any reason or under emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC.

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

Each Portfolio’s shares may be offered to insurance company separate accounts serving as investment options under Variable Contracts, Qualified Plans outside the separate account context, custodial accounts, certain investment advisers and their affiliates in connection with the creation or management of the Portfolios, other investment companies and other investors as permitted by the diversification and other requirements of section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and the underlying U.S. Treasury Regulations. Certain Portfolios may not be available as investment options in your Variable Contract, through your Qualified Plan or other investment company. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or redemptions from, an investment option corresponding to one of the Portfolios and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolios’ behalf.

The Portfolios currently do not foresee any disadvantages to investors if a Portfolio serves as an investment option for Variable Contracts and it offers its shares directly to Qualified Plans and other permitted investors. However, it is possible that the interest of owners of Variable Contracts, Qualified Plans and other permitted, for which a Portfolio serves as an investment option, might at some time be in conflict because of differences in tax treatment or other considerations. The Board directed the Adviser to monitor events to identify any material conflicts between Variable Contract owners, Qualified Plans and other permitted investors and would have to determine what action, if any, should be taken in the event of such conflict. If such a conflict occurred, an insurance company participating in the Portfolio might be required to redeem the investment of one or more of its separate accounts from the Portfolio or a Qualified Plan, investment company or other permitted investor might be required to redeem its investment, which might force the Portfolio to sell securities at disadvantageous prices. The Portfolios may discontinue sales to a Qualified Plan and require plan participants with existing investments in the Portfolio to redeem those investments if the Qualified Plan loses (or in the opinion of the Adviser, is at risk of losing) its Qualified Plan status.

In addition, each Portfolio’s shares may be purchased by certain other management investment companies, including through fund-of-fund arrangements with ING affiliated funds. In some cases the Portfolio may serve as a primary or significant investment vehicle for the fund-of-funds. From time to time, a Portfolio may experience large investments or redemptions due to allocation or rebalancing by these funds-of-funds. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on Portfolio management. For example, a Portfolio may be required to sell securities or invest cash at times when it would not otherwise do so. These transactions could also have tax consequences if sales or securities result in gains and could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. The Adviser and each Sub-Adviser will monitor transactions by the funds-of-funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects on a Portfolio as a result of these transactions. So long as a Portfolio accepts investments by other investment companies, it will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or under the terms of an exemptive order granted by the SEC.

Shareholder Service Plan

Each Portfolio has a Shareholder Service Plan (“Service Plan”) for Class S shares of the Portfolio. The Service Plan allows the Trust to enter into shareholder servicing agreements with insurance companies, broker dealers or other financial intermediaries and plan administrators that provide administrative services relating to Class S shares and their shareholders, including Variable Contract owners or Qualified Plan participants with interests in the Portfolio. Under the Service Plan, each Portfolio makes payments at an annual rate of 0.25% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets attributable to each of its Class S shares. The Distributor has agreed to waive 0.05% of the shareholder services fee for Class S shares of ING International Value Portfolio and ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio. The shareholder services fee waiver will continue through at least May 1, 2011. There is no guarantee that this waiver will continue after that date. These payments are made to the Distributor in connection with personal services rendered to Portfolio shareholders and the maintenance of shareholders’ accounts.

FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING

The Portfolios are intended for long-term investment and not as short-term trading vehicles. Accordingly, organizations or individuals that use market timing investment strategies and make frequent transfers should not purchase shares of a Portfolio. Shares of the Portfolios are primarily sold through omnibus account arrangements with financial intermediaries, as investment options for Variable Contracts issued by insurance companies and as investment options for Qualified Plans. Omnibus accounts generally do not identify customers’ trading activity on an individual basis. The Portfolios’ administrator has agreements which require such intermediaries to provide detailed account information, including trading history, upon request of the Portfolios.

The Portfolios rely on the financial intermediaries to monitor frequent, short-term trading within a Portfolio by their customers. You should review the materials provided to you by your financial intermediary including, in the case of a Variable Contract, the prospectus that describes the contract or, in the case of a Qualified Plan, the plan documentation for its policies regarding frequent, short-term trading. With trading information received as a result of these agreements, the Portfolios may make a determination that certain trading activity is harmful to the Portfolios and their shareholders, even if such activity is not strictly prohibited by the intermediaries’ excessive trading policy. As a result, a shareholder investing directly or indirectly in the Portfolios may have their trading privileges suspended without violating the stated excessive trading policy of the intermediary. The Portfolios reserve the right, in their sole discretion and without prior notice, to reject, restrict or refuse purchase orders whether directly or by exchange including purchase orders that have been accepted by a financial intermediary. The Portfolios seek assurances from the financial intermediaries that they have procedures adequate to monitor and address frequent, short-term trading. There is, however, no guarantee that the procedures of the financial intermediaries will be able to curtail frequent, short-term trading activity.

The Portfolios believe that market timing or frequent, short-term trading in any account, including a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan account, is not in the best interest of the Portfolios or their shareholders. Due to the disruptive nature of this activity, it can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to invest assets in an orderly, long-term manner. Frequent trading can disrupt the management of the Portfolios and raise their expenses through: increased trading and transaction costs; forced and unplanned portfolio turnover; lost opportunity costs; and large asset swings that decrease a Portfolio’s ability to provide maximum investment return to all shareholders. This in turn can have an adverse effect on a Portfolio’s performance.

Portfolios that invest in foreign securities may present greater opportunities for market timers and thus be at a greater risk for excessive trading. If an event occurring after the close of a foreign market, but before the time a Portfolio computes its current NAV, causes a change in the price of the foreign security and such price is not reflected in the Portfolio’s current NAV, investors may attempt to take advantage of anticipated price movements in securities held by the Portfolios based on such pricing discrepancies. This is often referred to as “price arbitrage.” Such price arbitrage opportunities may also occur in portfolios which do not invest in foreign securities. For example, if trading in a security held by a Portfolio is halted and does not resume prior to the time the Portfolio calculates its NAV, such “stale pricing” presents an opportunity for investors to take advantage of the pricing discrepancy. Similarily, Portfolios that hold thinly-traded securities, such as certain small-capitalization securities, may be exposed to varying levels of pricing arbitrage. The Portfolios have adopted fair valuation policies and procedures intended to reduce the Portfolios’ exposure to price arbitrage, stale pricing, and other potential pricing discrepancies. However, to the extent that a Portfolio’s NAV does not immediately reflect these changes in market conditions, short-term trading may dilute the value of Portfolio shares, which negatively affects long-term shareholders.

Although the policies and procedures known to the Portfolios that are followed by the financial intermediaries that use the Portfolios and the monitoring by the Portfolios are designed to discourage frequent, short-term trading, none of these measures can eliminate the possibility that frequent, short-term trading activity in the Portfolios will occur. Moreover, decisions about allowing trades in the Portfolios may be required. These decisions are inherently subjective, and will be made in a manner that is in the best interest of a Portfolio’s shareholders.

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

ING mutual funds may be offered as investment options in Variable Contracts issued by affiliated and non-affiliated insurance companies and in Qualified Plans. Fees derived from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) may be paid to insurance companies, broker-dealers and companies that service Qualified Plans for selling the Portfolio’s shares and/or for servicing shareholder accounts. In addition, a Portfolio’s Adviser, Distributor, Administrator or their affiliated entities, out of their own resources and without additional cost to the Portfolio or its shareholders, may pay additional compensation to these insurance companies, broker-dealers, or companies that service Qualified Plans. The Adviser, Distributor, Administrator, or affiliated entities of a Portfolio may also share their profits with affiliated insurance companies or other ING entities through inter-company payments.

For non-affiliated insurance companies and Qualified Plans, payments from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) as well as payments (if applicable) from the Portfolio’s Adviser and/or Distributor generally are based upon an annual percentage of the average net assets held in the Portfolio by those companies. A Portfolio’s Adviser and Distributor may make payments for administrative, record keeping, or other services that insurance companies or Qualified Plans provide to facilitate investment in the Portfolio. These payments as well as payments from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) may also provide incentive for insurance companies or Qualified Plans to make the Portfolio available through Variable Contracts or Qualified Plans, and thus they may promote the distribution of the shares of the Portfolio.

As of the date of this Prospectus, the Distributor has entered into agreements with the following non-affiliated insurance companies: Zürich Kemper Life Insurance Company; Symetra Life Insurance Company; and First Fortis Life Insurance Company. Fees payable under these agreements are at annual rates that range from 0.15% to 0.25%. This is computed as a percentage of the average aggregate amount invested in a Portfolio by Variable Contract holders through the relevant insurance company’s Variable Contracts.

The insurance companies issuing Variable Contracts or Qualified Plans that use a Portfolio as investment options may also pay fees to third parties in connection with distribution of the Variable Contracts and for services provided to Variable Contract owners. Entities that service Qualified Plans may also pay fees to third parties to help service the Qualified Plans or the accounts of their participants. A Portfolio, the Adviser, and the Distributor are not parties to these arrangements. Variable Contract owners should consult the prospectus and statement of additional information for their Variable Contracts for a discussion of these payments and should consult with their agent or broker. Qualified Plan participants should consult with their pension servicing agent.

Ultimately, the agent or broker selling the Variable Contract to you could have a financial interest in selling you a particular product to increase the compensation they receive. Please make sure you read fully each prospectus and discuss any questions you have with your agent or broker.

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

Dividends and Distributions

Each Portfolio declares and pays dividends from net investment income at least annually. Each Portfolio will also pay distributions from net realized capital gains, reduced by available capital losses, at least annually. All dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolios at the NAV of such shares on the payment date unless a participating insurance company’s separate account is permitted to hold cash and elects to receive payment in cash. From time to time, a portion of a Portfolio’s dividends may constitute a return of capital.

Tax Matters

Holders of Variable Contracts should refer to the prospectus for their contracts for information regarding the tax consequences of owning such contracts and should consult their tax advisers before investing.

Each Portfolio intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) for federal income tax purposes by satisfying the requirements under Subchapter M of the Code, including requirements with respect to diversification of assets, distribution of income and sources of income. As a RIC, a Portfolio generally will not be subject to tax on its net investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains.

Each Portfolio also intends to comply with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code and the underlying regulations for Variable Contracts so that owners of these contracts should not be subject to federal tax on distributions of dividends and income from a Portfolio to the insurance company’s separate accounts.

Since the sole shareholders of the Portfolios will be separate accounts or other permitted investors, no discussion is included herein as to the federal income tax consequences at the shareholder level. For information concerning the federal income tax consequences to purchasers of the policies, see the attached prospectus for the policy.

See the SAI for further information about tax matters.

THE TAX STATUS OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN A PORTFOLIO DEPENDS UPON THE FEATURES OF YOUR VARIABLE CONTRACT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO THE PROSPECTUS FOR THE VARIABLE CONTACT.

INDEX DESCRIPTIONS

The Morgan Stanley Capital International - Europe, Australasia, and Far East® (“MSCI EAFE®”) Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of securities listed on exchanges in Europe, Australasia and the Far East.

The Russell 2000® Growth Index measures the performance of the small-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000 companies with higher price-to-value ratios and higher forecasted growth values.

The Russell 2000® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000® Index. The Russell 3000® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of 3,000 U.S. companies based on total market capitalization.

The Russell Midcap® Growth Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those companies included in the Russell Midcap® Index with relatively higher price-to-book ratio and higher forecasted growth values.

The Russell Midcap® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the 800 smallest companies in the Russell 1000® Index.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The following financial highlights are intended to help you understand each Portfolio’s Class S shares’ financial performance for the past five years or, if shorter, the period of the class’ operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. The total returns represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a share of the Portfolios (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from the Portfolios’ financial statements that were audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Trust’s financial statements, are included in the annual shareholder report, which is incorporated by reference into the SAI for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and is available upon request.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (continued)

Selected data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year or period.

Income (loss)
from
investment
operations
Less distributions
Ratios to average net assets
Supplemental
data
Net asset value, beginning
of year or period
Net investment income (loss)
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss)
Total from investment
operations
From net investment income
From net realized gains
From return of capital
Total distributions
Payment by affiliates
Net asset value,
end of year or period
Total Return(1)
Expenses before
reductions/additions(2)(3)
Expenses, net of fee waivers
and/or recoupments, if any(2)(3)
Expenses, net of all
reductions/additions(2)(3)
Net investment income
(loss)(2)(3)
Net assets, end of year or
period
Portfolio turnover rate
Year or Period ended
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
($000’s)
(%)
ING International Value Portfolio
Class S
12-31-09 6.93 0.11 1.68 1.79 0.12 0.12 8.60 26.13 1.30 1.21 1.21 1.44 12,076 214
12-31-08 14.39 0.25 (5.66) (5.41) 0.28 1.78 2.06 0.01 6.93 (42.31)(d) 1.31 1.20 1.20 2.35 9,782 207
12-31-07 15.41 0.23 1.64 1.87 0.24 2.65 2.89 14.39 13.06 1.44 1.20 1.20 1.44 13,668 202
12-31-06 12.88 0.28 3.39 3.67 0.32 0.82 1.14 15.41 28.81 1.44 1.20 1.20 2.00 7,007 146
12-31-05 12.92 0.13 0.92 1.05 0.29 0.80 1.09 12.88 9.04 1.47 1.20 1.20 1.05 2,847 125
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
Class S
12-31-09 6.29 0.02 2.56 2.58 0.01 0.01 8.86 41.04 1.15 0.89 0.89 0.25 333,376 169
12-31-08 10.10 (0.00)* (3.81) (3.81) 0.00* 6.29 (37.72)(a) 1.13 0.90 0.90 (0.02) 249,953 191
12-31-07 8.05 (0.06) 2.11 2.05 10.10 25.47 1.14 1.10 1.10 (0.59) 33,491 186
12-31-06 7.48 (0.05) 0.62 0.57 8.05 7.62 1.20 1.10 1.10 (0.53) 33,810 139
12-31-05 6.79 (0.04) 0.73 0.69 7.48 10.16 1.22 1.10 1.10 (0.51) 41,989 90
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
Class S
12-31-09 12.05 (0.05) 3.75 3.70 15.75 30.71 1.21 1.17 1.17 (0.36) 62,253 139
12-31-08 21.68 (0.05) (6.49) (6.54) 3.10 3.10 0.01 12.05 (34.59)(c) 1.18 1.10 1.10 (0.26) 54,163 148
12-31-07 19.74 (0.03) 1.97 1.94 21.68 9.83 1.15 1.10 1.10 (0.14) 105,212 97
12-31-06 17.57 (0.11) 2.28 2.17 19.74 12.35 1.18 1.10 1.10 (0.55) 122,526 84
12-31-05 16.14 (0.12) 1.55 1.43 17.57 8.86 1.21 1.10 1.10 (0.72) 118,854 83

See Accompanying Notes to Financial Highlights

ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(1) Total return is calculated assuming reinvestment of all dividends, capital gain distributions and return of capital, if any, at net asset value and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract charges. Total return for periods less than one year is not annualized.
(2) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(3) Expense ratios reflect operating expenses of a Portfolio. Expenses before reductions/additions do not reflect amounts reimbursed by the Investment Adviser and/or Distributor or reductions from brokerage commission recapture arrangements or other expense offset arrangements and do not represent the amount paid by a Portfolio during periods when reimbursements or reductions occur. Expenses net of fee waivers reflect expenses after reimbursement by the Investment Adviser or Distributor but prior to reductions from brokerage commission recapture arrangements or other expense offset arrangements. Expenses net of all reductions/additions represent the net expenses paid by a Portfolio. Net investment income (loss) is net of all such additions or reductions.
(4) Commencement of operations.
Calculated using average number of shares outstanding throughout the period.
* Amount is more than $(0.005) or less than $0.005.
** Amount is less than $500.
Impact of waiving the advisory fee for the ING Institutional Prime Money Market Fund holding has less than 0.005% impact on the expense ratio and net investment income or loss ratio.
(a) There was no impact on total return due to payment by affiliate in 2008.
(b) For ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio amount was previously reported as $8.20 and has been corrected to reflect the actual NAV. For ING International Value Portfolio amount was previously reported as $15.38 and has been corrected to reflect the actual NAV.
(c) Excluding a $110,798 payment by affiliate in 2008, ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio total return would have been 24.72%, (34.52)% and (34.64)% for Classes ADV, I and S, respectively.
(d) Excluding a $729,720 payment by affiliate in 2008, ING International Value Portfolio total return would have been (43.18)%, (42.86)% and (42.43)% on Classes ADV, I and S, respectively.
  

TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION

You’ll find more information about the Portfolios in our:

ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORTS

In the Portfolios’ annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, you will find a discussion of the recent market conditions and principal investment strategies that significantly affected the Portfolios’ performance during the last fiscal year, the financial statements and the independent registered public accounting firm’s reports (in the annual shareholder report only).

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Portfolios. The SAI is legally part of this Prospectus (it is incorporated by reference). A copy has been filed with the SEC.

Please write, call or visit our website for a free copy of the current annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, the SAI or other Portfolio information.

To make shareholder inquiries contact:

The ING Funds

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

1-800-992-0180

or visit our website at www.ingfunds.com

This information may also be reviewed or obtained from the SEC. In order to review the information in person, you will need to visit the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. or call 202-551-8090 for information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. Otherwise, you may obtain the information for a fee by contacting the SEC at:

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Public Reference Section
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549

or at the e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov

Or obtain the information at no cost by visiting the SEC’s Internet website at http://www.sec.gov.

When contacting the SEC, you will want to refer to the Portfolios’ SEC file number. The file number is as follows:

ING Variable Products Trust 811-8220
ING International Value Portfolio
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
PRO.INGPILS-10     (0410-043010)


Table of Contents
Prospectus April 30, 2010

  • ING International Value PortfolioS2/IIVPX
  • ING MidCap Opportunities PortfolioS2/IMOPX
  • ING SmallCap Opportunities PortfolioS2/ISCTX

Each Portfolio’s shares may be offered to insurance company separate accounts serving as investment options under variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contracts”), qualified pension and retirement plans (“Qualified Plans”), custodial accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates in connection with the creation or management of the Portfolios, other investment companies, and other pemitted investors.
NOT ALL PORTFOLIOS MAY BE AVAILABLE IN ALL JURISDICTIONS, UNDER ALL VARIABLE CONTRACTS OR UNDER ALL QUALIFIED PLANS.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities nor has the SEC judged whether the information in this Prospectus is accurate or adequate. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

INVESTMENTS


Table Of Contents
SUMMARY SECTION
ING International Value Portfolio
1
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
5
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
8
KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION
11
Fundamental Policies
11
Non-Fundamental Investment Policies
11
Portfolio Diversification
11
Investor Diversification
11
Temporary Defensive Strategies
11
Percentage and Rating Limitations
12
Investment Not Guaranteed
12
Shareholder Reports
12
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS
13
Additional Information About The Investment Objectives
13
Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies
13
Additional Information About the Portfolios’ Risks
13
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
18
MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS
19
The Investment Adviser
19
The Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers
19
The Administrator
20
The Distributor
21
HOW SHARES ARE PRICED
22
HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES
23
Distribution Plan and Shareholder Service Plan
23
FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING
24
PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
25
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
26
INDEX DESCRIPTIONS
27
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
28
ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
30
TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION
Backcover

ING International Value Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

S2
Management Fee 0.85%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees 0.50%
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.10%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses 1.55%
Waivers and Reimbursements1 (0.14)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.41%
1 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.40% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years. The distributor is also contractually obligated to waive 0.10% of the 0.25% distribution fee through May 1, 2011. There is no guarantee that the distribution fee waiver will continue after May 1, 2011. The distribution fee waiver will only renew if the distributor elects to renew it.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
S2 $ 144 474 827 1,823

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 214% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of issuers located in a number of different countries outside of the United States. The Portfolio invests primarily in companies with a large market capitalization, but may also invest in small- and mid-sized companies. The Portfolio generally invests in common and preferred stocks, warrants, and convertible securities. The Portfolio may invest in companies located in countries with emerging securities markets when the Sub-Adviser believes they present attractive investment opportunities. The Portfolio may invest in government debt securities of developed foreign countries. The Portfolio also may invest up to 35% of its assets in securities of U.S. issuers, including investment-grade government and corporate debt securities.

The Portfolio may invest in derivative instruments including futures, options and swaps.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act).

The Sub-Adviser primarily uses a bottom-up fundamental analysis to identify stocks which it believes offer good value relative to their peers in the same industry, sector or region. It also uses a top-down analysis to identify important themes or issues which may affect the investment environment in certain regions or sectors and to estimate regional market risks. In conducting its fundamental analysis, the Sub-Adviser focuses on various factors including valuation of the companies, catalysts to stock price appreciation, quality of management, and financial measures, especially cash flow and cash flow return on capital.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Convertible Securities  Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stock at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt securities, such as interest rate and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the stocks into which they convert, they are subject to market risk.

Credit   Prices of bonds and other debt securities can fall if the issuer’s actual or perceived financial health deteriorates, whether because of broad economic or issuer-specific reasons. In severe cases, the issuer could be late in paying interest or principal, or could fail to pay altogether.

Currency   To the extent that the Portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

Derivative Instruments  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of the Portfolio and reduce its returns.

Foreign Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments. Foreign investment risks typically are greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

Interest Rate  With bonds and other debt securities, a rise in interest rates generally causes values to fall. Falling interest rates will cause the income of bonds and other debt securities to decline over time. The higher the credit quality of the security, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is likely to be to interest rate risk.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods.

Market Capitalization  Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories - large, mid and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stock of mid- and small-sized companies causing the Portfolio that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in larger, fully-valued companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, and a more limited trading market for their stock as compared with larger companies. As a result, stock of mid- and small-capitalization companies may decline significantly in market downturns.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: ”investment risk“ and ”borrower default risk.“ Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

ING International Value Portfolio

Sovereign Debt  These securities are issued or guaranteed by foreign government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. Some of these reasons may include cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of its debt position to its economy or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debts that a government does not pay or bankruptcy proceeding by which all or part of sovereign debt that a government entity has not repaid may be collected.

U.S. Goverment Securities and Obligations  U.S. government securities are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored enterprises. U.S. government securities are subject to market and interest rate risk, and may be subject to varying degrees of credit risk.

Value Investing  Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. Because the Class S2 shares of the Portfolio did not have a full calendar year of operations as of December 31, 2009, the following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. The Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance has been adjusted for the higher expenses of the Class S2 shares. The Class S2 shares and Class I shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar performance because they invest in the same portfolio of securities. However, Class I shares’ performance would be higher than Class S2 shares’ performance because of the higher expenses paid by Class S2 shares. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The bar chart below shows the Portfolio’s adjusted Class I shares’ performance from year to year.

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 2nd, 2009, 26.75% and Worst quarter: 4th, 2008, (21.44)%

Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs 10 Yrs Inception
Date
Class I (adjusted) % 26.67 2.77 2.83 08/08/97
MSCI EAFE® Index1 % 31.78 3.54 1.17
1 The index returns include the reinvestment of dividends and distributions net of withholding taxes, but do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
Philip A. Schwartz John Pairaktaridis
Portfolio Manager
(since 07/02)
Assistant Portfolio Manager
(since 01/09)
Joseph Vultaggio
Assistant Portfolio Manager
(since 01/09)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

ING International Value Portfolio
TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING International Value Portfolio

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

S2
Management Fee 0.72%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees 0.50%
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.08%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses1 1.41%
Waivers and Reimbursements2 (0.15)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.26%
1 Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses may be higher than the Portfolio’s ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Portfolio and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
2 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.30% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years. In addition, effective May 2, 2010, the adviser is contractually obligated to further limit expenses to 1.25% through May 2, 2011. There is no guarantee the additional expense limit will continue after May 2, 2011. The additional expense limitation will only renew if the adviser elects to renew it. The distributor is also contractually obligated to waive 0.10% of the 0.25% distribution fee through May 1, 2011. There is no guarantee the distribution fee waiver will continue after May 1, 2011. The distribution fee waiver will continue only if the distributor elects to renew it.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
S2 $ 128 431 757 1,678

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 169% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of mid-sized U.S. companies. The Portfolio will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this investment policy.

The Portfolio normally invests in companies that the Sub-Adviser believes have above average prospects for growth. For this Portfolio, mid-sized companies are those companies with market capitalizations that fall within the range of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index at the time of purchase. Capitalization of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index change with market conditions. The market capitalization of companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index as of December 31, 2009, ranged from $262.5 million to $15.5 billion.

The Portfolio may also invest in derivative instruments and foreign securities.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act”).

In managing the Portfolio, the Sub-Adviser uses a stock selection process that combines the discipline of quantitative screens with rigorous fundamental security analysis. The quantitative screens focus the fundamental analysis by identifying the stocks of companies with strong business momentum that demonstrate relative price strength, and have a perceived value not reflected in the current price. The objective of the fundamental analysis is to confirm the persistence of the company’s revenue and earnings growth and validate the Sub-Adviser’s expectations for earnings estimate revisions, particularly relative to consensus. A determination of reasonable valuation for individual securities is based on the judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Currency   To the extent that the Portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

Derivative Instruments  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of the Portfolio and reduce its returns.

Foreign Investments  Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Portfolio experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due to smaller markets, differing reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or political changes or diplomatic developments.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth-oriented securities in which the Portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor value-oriented securities or may not favor equities at all.

Mid-Capitalization Company  Investments in mid-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volume typical on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may have limited market stability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. Because the Class S2 shares of the Portfolio did not have a full calendar year of operations as of December 31, 2009, the following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. The Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance has been adjusted for the higher expenses of the Class S2 shares. The Class S2 shares and Class I shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar performance because they invest in the same portfolio of securities. However, Class I shares’ performance would be higher than Class S2 shares’
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
performance because of the higher expenses paid by Class S2 shares. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The bar chart below shows the Portfolio’s adjusted Class I shares’ performance from year to year.

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 4th, 2001, 23.00% and Worst quarter: 3rd, 2001, (28.11)%

Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
(or since
inception)
Inception
Date
Class I (adjusted) % 40.92 5.28 (1.40) 05/05/00
Russell Midcap® Growth Index1 % 46.29 2.40 (1.46)2
Russell Midcap® Index1 % 40.48 2.43 4.642
1 The index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes.
2 Reflects index performance since the date closest to the Class’ inception for which data is available.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
Jeff Bianchi James Hasso
Portfolio Manager (since 07/05) Portfolio Manager (since 04/10)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

The Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation.

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO

The table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table does not reflect fees or expenses that are, or may be, imposed under an insurance company separate account serving as an investment option under variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contract”) or a qualified pension or retirement plan (“Qualified Plan”). For more information on these charges, please refer to the documents governing your Variable Contract or consult your plan administrator.

Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses
Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

S2
Management Fee 0.75%
Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees 0.50%
Administrative Services Fee 0.10%
Other Expenses 0.11%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 0.01%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses1 1.47%
Waivers and Reimbursements2 (0.13)%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Waivers and Reimbursements 1.34%
1 Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses may be higher than the Portfolio’s ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Portfolio’s Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Portfolio and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
2 The adviser is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.32% through May 1, 2011; the obligation does not extend to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio or the adviser upon written notice at least 90 days prior to the end of the then current term or upon termination of the management agreement and is subject to possible recoupment by the adviser within three years. The distributor is also contractually obligated to waive 0.10% of the 0.25% distribution fee through May 1, 2011.There is no guarantee the distribution fee waiver will continue after May 1, 2011. The distribution fee waiver will only renew if the distributor elects to renew it.
Expense Example $

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Portfolio with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect expenses and charges which are, or may be, imposed under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Yr 3 Yrs 5 Yrs 10 Yrs
S2 $ 136 450 786 1,736

The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the three-, five-, and ten-year periods.

Portfolio Turnover % of average value of portfolio

The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transactions costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 139% of the average value of its portfolio.

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of smaller, lesser-known U.S. companies. The Portfolio will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this investment policy.

The Portfolio normally invests in companies that the Sub-Adviser believes have above average prospects for growth. For this Portfolio, smaller companies are those with market capitalizations that fall within the range of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index at the time of purchase. The Russell 2000® Growth Index is an index that measures the performance of small growth companies. Capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index will change with market conditions. The market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Growth Index as of December 31, 2009, ranged from $17 million to $5.7 billion.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder (“1940 Act”).

The Sub-Adviser uses a disciplined combination of quantitative screens and bottom-up fundamental security analysis to build a broadly diversified portfolio of companies that the Sub-Adviser believes will have improving bottom lines, with reasonable valuation, and whose stocks demonstrate relative strength. The focus of company analysis is upon the prospects for continuing bottom-line growth, balance sheet strength, and cash flow characteristics. A proprietary measure is used to determine relative stock price strength. A determination of reasonable valuation for individual securities is based on the judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising, among others.

The Portfolio also may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 331/3% of its assets.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

You could lose money on an investment in the Portfolio. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Portfolio performance or cause the Portfolio to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.

Company   The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Investment Model  The Sub-Adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors.

Liquidity   If a security is illiquid, the Portfolio might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount the Portfolio could realize upon disposition. The Portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. The Portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the Portfolio.

Market   Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth-oriented securities in which the Portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor value-oriented securities or may not favor equities at all.

Other Investment Companies  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because the Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Securities Lending  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

Small-Capitalization Company  Investments in small-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management.

An investment in the Portfolio is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Portfolio. Because the Class S2 shares of the Portfolio did not have a full calendar year of operations as of December 31, 2009, the following bar chart shows the changes in the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance from year to year, and the table compares the Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index/indices for the same period. The Portfolio’s Class I shares’ performance has been adjusted for the higher expenses of the Class S2 shares. The Class S2 shares and Class I shares of the Portfolio would have substantially similar performance because they invest in the same portfolio of securities. However, Class I shares’ performance would be higher than Class S2 shares’ performance because of the higher expenses paid by Class S2 shares. The Portfolio’s performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations in effect, if any, performance would have been lower. Performance in the Average Annual Total Returns table does not include insurance-related charges imposed under a Variable Contract or expenses related to a Qualified Plan. If these charges or expenses were included, performance would be lower. Thus, you should not compare the Portfolio’s performance directly with the performance information of other investment products without taking into account all insurance-related charges and expenses payable under your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan. The Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results.

The bar chart below shows the Portfolio’s adjusted Class I shares’ performance from year to year.

Calendar Year Total Returns
(as of December 31 of each year)

Best quarter: 2nd, 2009, 22.71% and Worst quarter: 3rd, 2001, (29.44)%

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
Average Annual Total Returns%
(for the periods ended December 31, 2009)

1 Yr 5 Yrs 10 Yrs Inception
Date
Class I (adjusted) % 30.53 2.62 (3.67) 05/06/94
Russell 2000® Growth Index1 % 34.47 0.87 (1.37)
Russell 2000® Index1 % 27.17 0.51 3.51
1 The index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes.

PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Investment Adviser Sub-Adviser
ING Investments, LLC ING Investment Management Co.
Portfolio Managers
James Hasso Steve Salopek
Portfolio Manager (since 10/08) Portfolio Manager (since 07/05)

PURCHASE AND SALE OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Purchase and sale of shares may be made only by separate accounts of insurance companies serving as investment options under Variable Contracts or by Qualified Plans, custodian accounts, and certain investment advisers and their affiliates, other investment companies, or permitted investors. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company, or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or sale from, an investment option corresponding to the Portfolio and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolio’s behalf.

TAX INFORMATION

Distributions made by the Portfolio to a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, and exchanges and redemptions of Portfolio shares made by a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan, ordinarily do not cause the corresponding contract holder or plan participant to recognize income or gain for federal income tax purposes. See the accompanying contract prospectus or the governing documents of your Qualified Plan for information regarding the federal income tax treatment of the distributions to your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan and the holders of the contracts or plan participants.

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

If you invest in the Portfolio through a Variable Contract issued by an insurance company or through a Qualified Plan that, in turn, was purchased or serviced through an insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Portfolio and its adviser or distributor or their affiliates may: (1) make payments to the insurance company issuer of the Variable Contract or to the company servicing the Qualified Plan; and (2) make payments to the insurance company, broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by: (1) influencing the insurance company or the company servicing the Qualified Plan to make the Portfolio available as an investment option for the Variable Contract or the Qualified Plan; or (2) by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Variable Contract or the pension servicing agent and/or the Portfolio over other options. Ask your salesperson or Qualified Plan administrator or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION

This Prospectus contains information about certain funds within the ING Funds family and is designed to provide you with important information to help you with your investment decisions. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.

The Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this Prospectus. It identifies investment restrictions, more detailed risk descriptions, a description of how the bond rating system works and other information that may be helpful to you in your decision to invest. You may obtain a copy, without charge, from the Portfolios.

Other ING Funds may also be offered to the public that have similar names, investment objectives and principal investment strategies as those of the Portfolios. You should be aware that a Portfolio is likely to differ from these other ING Funds in size and cash flow pattern. Accordingly, the performance of a Portfolio can be expected to vary from those of other ING Funds.

Other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds may invest in the Portfolios. So long as the Portfolios accept investments by other investment companies, they will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”) or under the terms of an exemptive order granted by the SEC.

Each Portfolio is a series of ING Variable Products Trust (“Trust”), a Massachusetts business trust. The Portfolios are managed by ING Investments, LLC (“ING Investments” or “Adviser”).

The Portfolios’ shares are classified into four classes of shares, Adviser Class (“Class ADV”), Class I, Class S, and Service 2 Class (“Class S2”) shares. The classes of shares of each Portfolio are identical except for different expenses, certain related rights and certain shareholder services. All share classes of each Portfolio have a common investment objective and investment portfolio. Only Class S2 shares are offered in this Prospectus. Class S2 shares are not subject to any sales loads.

Fundamental Policies

Fundamental investment policies contained in the SAI may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Board of Trustees (“Board”) and/or the Adviser may change any other policies and investment strategies.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Certain Portfolios have adopted non-fundamental investment policies to invest the Portfolio’s assets in securities that are consistent with the Portfolio’s name. For more information about these policies, please consult the SAI.

Portfolio Diversification

Each Portfolio is diversified, as defined in the 1940 Act. A diversified fund may not, as to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer and may not purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities). A non-diversified fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its assets that it may invest in the obligations of a single issuer.

Investor Diversification

Although each Portfolio is designed to serve as a diversified investment portfolio of securities, no single mutual fund can provide an appropriate investment program for all investors. You should evaluate each Portfolio in the context of your personal financial situation, investment objectives and other investments.

Temporary Defensive Strategies

When the Adviser or Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to a Portfolio anticipates unusual market or other conditions, the Portfolio may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure. In such circumstances, that Portfolio may invest in securities believed to present less risk, such as cash, cash equivalents, money market fund shares and other money market instruments, debt securities that are high quality or higher quality than normal, more liquid securities, or others. While a Portfolio invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment objective. A Portfolio’s defensive investment position may not be effective in protecting its value. It is impossible to predict accurately how long such alternative strategies may be utilized. The types of defensive positions in which a Portfolio may engage are identified and discussed in the SAI.

KEY PORTFOLIO INFORMATION (continued)

Percentage and Rating Limitations

The percentage and rating limitations on Portfolio investments listed in this Prospectus apply at the time of investment.

Investment Not Guaranteed

Please note your investment is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

Shareholder Reports

Each Portfolio’s fiscal year ends December 31. Each Portfolio will send financial statements to its shareholders at least semi-annually. An annual shareholder report containing financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm will be sent to shareholders every year.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS

Additional Information About The Investment Objectives

Each Portfolio’s investment objective is non-fundamental and each Portfolio’s investment objective may be changed by a vote of the Portfolio’s Board, without shareholder approval. A Portfolio will provide 60 days’ prior written notice of any change in a non-fundamental investment objective. There is no guarantee the Portfolios will achieve their respective investment objective.

Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies

For a complete description of a Portfolio’s principal investment strategies, please see the the respective Portfolio’s summary prospectus.

Additional Information About the Portfolios’ Risks

All mutual funds involve risk — some more than others — and there is always the chance that you could lose money or not earn as much as you hope. A Portfolio’s risk profile is largely a factor of the principal securities in which it invests and investment techniques that it uses. Below is a discussion of the risks associated with certain of the types of securities in which the Portfolios may invest and certain of the investment practices that the Portfolios may use. For more information about these and other types of securities and investment techniques that may be used by the Portfolios, see the SAI.

Many of the investment techniques and strategies discussed in this Prospectus and in the SAI are discretionary which means that the Adviser or sub-adviser can decide whether to use them. The Portfolios may invest in these securities or use these techniques as part of the Portfolios’ principal investment strategies. However, the Adviser or sub-adviser may also use these investment techniques or make investments in securities that are not a part of the Portfolios’ principal investment strategies.

The discussions below expand on the risks included in a Portfolio’s summary section of the Prospectus. Please see the SAI for a further discussion of the principal and other investment strategies employed by each Portfolio.

Company.  The price of a given company’s stock could decline or underperform for many reasons including, among others, poor management, financial problems, or business challenges. If a company declares bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Convertible Securities.  Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt securities, such as interest rate and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the stocks into which they convert, they are subject to market risk.

The value of a convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the value of the underlying security because of the conversion or exercise feature. However, the value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying security. A convertible security may also provide income and be subject to interest rate risk. Convertible securities may be lower-rated securities subject to greater levels of credit risk. In the event the issuer of a convertible security is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, a portfolio could lose money. A portfolio may be forced to convert a convertible security before it otherwise would do so, which may decrease the portfolio’s returns.

Credit.  Prices of bonds and other debt securities can fall if the issuer’s actual or perceived financial health deteriorates, whether because of broad economic or issuer-specific reasons. In severe cases, the issuer could be late in paying interest or principal, or could fail to pay altogether.

Currency.  To the extent that a portfolio invests directly in foreign currencies or in securities denominated in or that trade in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged. Currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency rates may be affected by changes in interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, by the imposition of currency controls, or other political or economic developments in the United States or abroad. As a result, a portfolio’s investments in foreign currency or foreign currency-denominated securities may reduce the value of the portfolio’s assets.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) Derivative Instruments.  Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying securities, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in interest rates and liquidity risk. The use of certain derivatives may also have a leveraging effect which may increase the volatility of a portfolio and reduce its returns. Generally, derivatives are sophisticated financial instruments whose performance is derived, at least in part, from the performance of an underlying asset or assets. Derivatives include, among other things, swap agreements, options, forwards and futures. The investment of a portfolio’s assets required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the portfolio; therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the portfolio; thus exaggerating any increase or decrease in the net asset value of the portfolio. Investments in derivatives are generally negotiated over-the-counter with a single counterparty and as a result are subject to credit risks related to the counterparty’s ability to perform its obligations and further that any deterioration in the counterparty’s creditworthiness could adversely affect the value of the derivative. In addition, derivatives and their underlying securities may experience periods of illiquidity which could cause a portfolio to hold a security it might otherwise sell, or to sell a security it otherwise might hold at inopportune times or for prices that do not reflect current market value. A portfolio’s adviser or sub-adviser might imperfectly judge the direction of the market. For instance, if a derivative is used as a hedge to offset investment risk in another security, the hedge might not correlate to the market’s movements and may have unexpected or undesired results such as a loss or a reduction in gains to a portfolio.

Foreign Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets.  To the extent a portfolio invests in securities of issuers in markets outside the United States, its share price may be more volatile than if it invested in securities of issuers in the U.S. market due to, among other things, the following factors: comparatively unstable political, social and economic conditions, and limited or ineffectual judicial systems; comparatively small market sizes, making securities less liquid and securities prices more sensitive to the movements of large investors and more vulnerable to manipulation; governmental policies or actions, such as high taxes, restrictions on currency movements, trade or diplomatic disputes, creation of monopolies, and the seizure of private property through confiscatory taxation and expropriation or nationalization of company assets; incomplete, outdated, or unreliable information about securities issuers due to less stringent market regulation and accounting standards; comparatively undeveloped markets and weak banking and financial systems; market inefficiencies, such as higher transaction costs, and administrative difficulties, such as delays in processing transactions; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, which could reduce gains or widen losses. In addition, foreign taxes could reduce the income available to distribute to shareholders, and special U.S. tax considerations could apply to foreign investments. Depositary receipts are subject to risks of foreign investments and might not always track the price of the underlying foreign security.

Foreign investment risks typically are greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets, for such reasons as social or political unrest, heavy economic dependence on agriculture or exports (particularly commodities), undeveloped or overburdened infrastructures, vulnerability to natural disasters, significant and unpredictable government intervention in markets or the economy, currency devaluations, runaway inflation, environmental problems, and business practices that depart from norms for developed countries and less developed or liquid markets for securities generally.

Interest Rate.  With bonds and other debt securities, a rise in interest rates generally causes values to fall. Falling interest rates will cause the income of bonds and other debt securities to decline over time. The higher the credit quality of the security, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is likely to be to interest rate risk.

Investment Model.  The sub-adviser’s proprietary model may not adequately allow for existing or unforeseen market factors or the interplay between such factors. The proprietary models used by a sub-adviser to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on the sub-adviser’s understanding of the interplay of market factors and do not assure successful investment. The markets, or the price of individual securities, may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

Liquidity.  If a security is illiquid, the adviser or sub-adviser might be unable to sell the security at a time when a portfolio’s sub-adviser might wish to sell, and the security could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of the portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, which could vary from the amount a portfolio could realize upon disposition. A portfolio may make investments that become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perception. A portfolio could lose money if it cannot sell a security at the time and price that would be most beneficial to the portfolio.

Market.  Stock prices are volatile and are affected by the real or perceived impacts of such factors as economic conditions and political events. The stock market tends to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when stock prices generally decline. Any given stock market segment may remain out of favor with investors for a short MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) or long period of time, and stocks as an asset class may underperform bonds or other asset classes during some periods. From time to time, the stock market may not favor the growth- or value-oriented securities in which a portfolio invests. Rather, the market could favor securities to which a portfolio is not exposed or may not favor equities at all.

Market Capitalization.  Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories - large, mid and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stock of mid- and small-sized companies causing a portfolio that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in larger, fully-valued companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, and a more limited trading market for their stock as compared with larger companies. As a result, stock of mid- and small-capitalization companies may decline significantly in market downturns.

Mid-Capitalization Company.  Investments in mid-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volume typical on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may have limited market stability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general.

Other Investment Companies.  The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, is the risk that the value of the securities underlying an investment company might decrease. Because a portfolio may invest in other investment companies, you will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the portfolio.

Other investment companies include exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and Holding Company Depositary Receipts (“HOLDRs”), among others. ETFs are exchange-traded investment companies that are, in many cases, designed to provide investment results corresponding to an equity index. The main risk of investing in other investment companies is that the value of the underlying securities held by the investment company might decrease. The value of the underlying securities can fluctuate in response to activities of individual companies or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Additional risks of investments in ETFs include: (i) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade at a discount to its net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; or (iii) trading may be halted if the listing exchanges’ officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts trading generally. Because HOLDRs concentrate in the stock of a particular industry, trends in that industry may have a dramatic impact on their value.

To seek to achieve a return on uninvested cash or for other reasons, a portfolio may invest its assets in ING Institutional Prime Money Market Fund and/or one or more other money market funds advised by ING affiliates (“ING Money Market Funds”). A portfolio’s purchase of shares of an ING Money Market Fund will result in the portfolio paying a proportionate share of the expenses of the ING Money Market Fund. A portfolio’s adviser will waive its fee in an amount equal to the advisory fee received by the adviser of the ING Money Market Fund in which the portfolio invests resulting from the portfolio’s investment into the ING Money Market Fund.

Securities Lending.  Securities lending involves two primary risks: “investment risk” and “borrower default risk.” Investment risk is the risk that a portfolio will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that a portfolio will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner.

To generate additional income, a portfolio may lend securities to financial institutions that are believed to be creditworthy by the adviser. When lending securities, a portfolio will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. A portfolio retains its custodian to serve as its securities lending agent for these activities.

When a portfolio lends its securities, it is responsible for investing the cash it receives as collateral from the borrower, and the portfolio could incur losses in connection with the investment of such collateral, often referred to as “investment risk.” A portfolio will minimize investment risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high-quality instruments of short maturity.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) A portfolio may also lose money from the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security in a timely manner, often referred to as “borrower default risk.” In the event of a borrower default, a portfolio will be protected to the extent the portfolio is able to exercise its rights in the collateral promptly and the value of such collateral is sufficient to purchase replacement securities. In addition, a portfolio will be protected by its securities lending agent, which has agreed to indemnify the portfolio from losses resulting from borrower default.

Small-Capitalization Company.  Investments in small-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management.

Sovereign Debt.  These securities are issued or guaranteed by foreign government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. Some of these reasons may include cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of its debt position to its economy or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debts that a government does not pay or bankruptcy proceeding by which all or part of sovereign debt that a government entity has not repaid may be collected.

Value Investing.  Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The sub-adviser may be wrong in its assessment of a company’s value and the securities a portfolio holds may not reach their full values. A particular risk of a portfolio’s value approach is that some holdings may not recover and provide the capital growth anticipated or a security judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, a portfolio’s relative performance may suffer.

The discussion below includes risks that are not described in any of the Portfolios’ summaries but which, nevertheless, are a risk to all of the Portfolios.

Counterparty.  The entity with whom a portfolio conducts portfolio-related business (such as trading or securities lending), or that underwrites, distributes or guarantees investments or agreements that the portfolio owns or is otherwise exposed to, may refuse or may become unable to honor its obligations under the terms of a transaction or agreement. As a result, that portfolio may sustain losses and be less likely to achieve its investment objective. These risks may be greater when engaging in over-the-counter transactions.

Duration.  One measure of risk for fixed-income securities is duration. Duration measures the sensitivity of a bond’s price to interest rate movements and is one of the tools used by a portfolio manager in selection of fixed-income securities. Historically, the maturity of a bond was also used as a proxy for the sensitivity of a bond’s price to changes in interest rates, otherwise known as a bond’s interest rate risk or volatility. According to this measure, the longer the maturity of a bond, the more its price will change for a given change in market interest rates. However, this method ignores the amount and timing of all cash flows from the bond prior to final maturity. Duration is a measure of average life of a bond on a present value basis which was developed to incorporate a bond’s yield, coupons, final maturity and call features into one measure. For point of reference, the duration of a noncallable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 5 years is approximately 4.5 years and the duration of a noncallable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 10 years is approximately 8 years. Material changes in interest rates may impact the duration calculation.

Increase in Expenses.  Your actual cost of investing in a portfolio may be higher or lower than the expenses shown in the portfolio’s “Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, expense ratios may be higher than those shown if the portfolio’s assets decrease. The portfolio’s assets may decrease and portfolio expense ratios increase for many reasons, including volatility in the portfolio’s net asset value caused by volatility in the secondary markets for assets in which the portfolio invests.

Investment By Other Funds.  Various other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds, including some ING funds, may invest in a portfolio. If investments by these other funds result in large inflows or outflows of cash from the portfolio, the portfolio’s performance or realization of capital gains could be affected. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS  (continued) transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on portfolio management. For example, these transactions could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. The adviser or sub-adviser will monitor transactions by the funds-of funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects on a portfolio and funds-of-funds as a result of these transactions.

Manager.  A portfolio is subject to manager risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The adviser, the sub-adviser or each individual portfolio manager will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for a portfolio, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. Many sub-advisers of equity funds employ styles that are characterized as “value” or “growth.” However, these terms can have different application by different managers. One sub-adviser’s value approach may be different from another, and one sub-adviser’s growth approach may be different from another. For example, some value managers employ a style in which they seek to identify companies that they believe are valued at a more substantial or “deeper discount” to a company’s net worth than other value managers. Therefore, some funds that are characterized as growth or value can have greater volatility than other funds managed by other managers in a growth or value style.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

Portfolio Holdings Information

A description of the policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Portfolio’s portfolio securities is available in the SAI. Each Portfolio posts its portfolio holdings schedule on the ING Funds’ website on a calendar-quarter basis. The portfolio holdings schedule is available on the ING Funds’ website 30 calendar days following the end of the previous calendar quarter. The portfolio holdings schedule is as of the last day of the preceding calendar quarter (e.g., each Portfolio will post the quarter-ending June 30 holdings on July 31). Each Portfolio may also post its complete or partial portfolio holdings on its website as of a specified date.

Each Portfolio’s portfolio holdings schedule will, at a minimum, remain available on the ING Funds’ website until a Portfolio files a Form N-CSR or Form N-Q with the SEC for the period that includes the date as of which the website information is current.

The ING Funds’ website is located at www.ingfunds.com.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS

The Investment Adviser

ING Investments, an Arizona limited liability company, serves as the investment adviser to the Portfolios. ING Investments has overall responsibility for the management of the Portfolios. ING Investments oversees all investment advisory and portfolio management services for the Portfolios.

ING Investments is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. ING Investments is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep N.V. (“ING Groep”)(NYSE:ING). ING Groep is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 75 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 125,000 people, ING Groep comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand. ING Investments became an investment management firm in April 1995.

ING Groep has adopted a formal restructuring plan that was approved by the European Commission in November 2009 under which the ING life insurance businesses, including the retirement services and investment management businesses, which include the Adviser and its affiliates, would be divested by ING Groep by the end of 2013. While there can be no assurance that it will be carried out, the restructuring plan presents certain risks, including uncertainty about the effect on the businesses of the ING entities that service the Portfolios and potential termination of the Portfolios’ existing advisory agreements, which may trigger the need for shareholder approval of new agreements.

ING Investments’ principal office is located at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. As of December 31, 2009, ING Investments managed approximately $46.5 billion in assets.

The Adviser receives a monthly fee for its services based on the average daily net assets of each Portfolio.

Management Fees

The following table shows the aggregate annual management fee paid by each Portfolio for the most recent fiscal year as a percentage of that Portfolio’s average daily net assets:

Management Fees
ING International Value Portfolio 0.85%
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio 0.72%
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio 0.75%

The Adviser is responsible for all of its own costs, including costs of its personnel required to carry out its investment advisory duties.

For information regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the investment advisory and investment sub-advisory relationships (if applicable), please refer to the Portfolios’ annual shareholder report dated December 31, 2009.

The Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers

The Adviser has engaged a sub-adviser to provide the day-to-day management of each Portfolio’s portfolio. The sub-adviser is an affiliate of ING Investments.

The Adviser acts as a ‘‘manager-of-manager’’ for the Portfolios. The Adviser delegates to the sub-advisers of the Portfolios the responsibility for investment management, subject to the Adviser’s oversight. The Adviser is responsible for monitoring the investment program and performance of the sub-advisers of the Portfolios.

From time to time, the Adviser may also recommend the appointment of additional sub-advisers or replacement of non-affiliated sub-advisers to the Portfolios’ Board. It is not expected that ING Investments would normally recommend replacement of affiliated sub-advisers as part of its oversight responsibilities. The Portfolios and the Adviser have received exemptive relief from the SEC to permit the Adviser, with the approval of the Portfolios’ Board, to appoint an additional non-affiliated sub-adviser or to replace an existing sub-adviser with a non-affiliated sub-adviser, as well as change the terms of a contract with a non-affiliated sub-adviser, without submitting the contract to a vote of the Portfolios’ shareholders. The Portfolios will notify shareholders of any change in the identity of a sub-adviser of the Portfolios, the addition of a sub-adviser to the Portfolios, or any change in the terms of a contract with a non-affiliated sub-adviser. In this event, the names of the Portfolios and their investment strategies may also change.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS (continued) Under the terms of each sub-advisory agreement, the agreement can be terminated by the Adviser or a Portfolio’s Board. In the event a sub-advisory agreement is terminated, the sub-adviser may be replaced subject to any regulatory requirements or the Adviser may assume day-to-day investment management of a Portfolio.

ING Investment Management Co.

ING Investment Management Co. (‘‘ING IM’’ or ‘‘Sub-Adviser’’), a Connecticut corporation, was founded in 1972 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. ING IM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep and is an affiliate of ING Investments. ING IM has acted as adviser or sub-adviser to mutual funds since 1994 and has managed institutional accounts since 1972. The principal office of ING IM is located at 230 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10169. As of December 31, 2009, ING IM managed approximately $61.3 billion in assets.

The following individuals are the Portfolio Managers of ING International Value Portfolio. Mr. Schwartz is primarily responsible for making investment decisions on behalf of the Portfolio. Mr. Pairaktaridis and Mr. Vultaggio support Mr. Schwartz and assist in the management of the Portfolio.

Philip A. Schwartz, CFA, is Head of International Equity and Senior Portfolio Manager for the international value strategy and has extensive experience covering international markets. Mr. Schwartz is responsible for managing portfolios as well as designing and implementing the international value investment process. Prior to joining ING Investment Management in 1993, Mr. Schwartz was with European investment firm Cheuvreux de Virieu in Paris and New York.

John Pairaktaridis, Assistant Portfolio Manager and International Research Analyst, joined ING IM in 2004. Prior to joining ING IM, he was a portfolio analyst at Neuberger Berman, LLC.

Joseph Vultaggio, Assistant Portfolio Manager and Senior International Research Analyst, joined ING IM in 1994. Mr. Vultaggio is responsible for the European markets.

The following individuals jointly share responsibility for the day-to-day management of ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio.

Jeff Bianchi, Portfolio Manager, joined ING IM in 1994. Before assuming his current responsibilities, Mr. Bianchi provided quantitative analysis for the firm’s small-capitalization equity strategies.

James Hasso, Portfolio Manager, has been with ING IM since 2006. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Hasso had been a senior research analyst with First Investors Corporation from 2004-2006. Prior to that, Mr. Hasso served as a senior research analyst and associate portfolio manager with Valenzuela Capital Partners LLC from 2001-2002.

The following individuals jointly share responsiblity for the day-to-day management of ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio.

James Hasso, Portfolio Manager, has been with ING IM since 2006. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Hasso had been a senior research analyst with First Investors Corporation from 2004-2006. Prior to that, Mr. Hasso served as a senior research analyst and associate portfolio manager with Valenzuela Capital Partners LLC from 2001-2002.

Steve Salopek, Portfolio Manager, joined ING IM in June 2005. Prior to joining ING IM, Mr. Salopek served as a portfolio manager with Banc One Investment Advisers from 1999-2004, where he directed $700 million in small-capitalization growth assets.

Additional Information Regarding the Portfolio Managers

The SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager and each portfolio manager’s ownership of securities in the Portfolios.

The Administrator

ING Funds Services, LLC (“Administrator”) serves as administrator to each Portfolio and receives an annual administrative services fee equal to 0.10% of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets.

The administrative services provided to each Portfolio includes acting as a liaison among the various service providers to the Portfolio, including the custodian, portfolio accounting agent, Sub-Adviser, and the insurance companies to which a Portfolio offers its shares. The Administrator also reviews the Portfolios for compliance with applicable legal requirements and monitors the Sub-Adviser for compliance with requirements under applicable law and with the investment policies and restrictions of the Portfolios.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PORTFOLIOS (continued) The Distributor

ING Funds Distributor, LLC (“Distributor”) is the principal underwriter and distributor of each Portfolio. It is a Delaware limited liability corporation with its principal offices at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258.

The Distributor is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org or the Public Disclosure Hotline at 800-289-9999.

HOW SHARES ARE PRICED

The net asset value (“NAV”) per share for each class of each Portfolio is determined each business day as of the close of regular trading (“Market Close”) on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time unless otherwise designated by the NYSE). The Portfolios are open for business every day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is closed on all weekends and on all national holidays and Good Friday. Portfolio shares will not be priced on those days. To the extent a Portfolio invests in other open-end funds (other than ETFs), the Portfolio will calculate its NAV using the NAV of the funds in which it invests as described in that fund’s prospectus. The NAV per share of each class of each Portfolio is calculated by taking the value of the Portfolio’s assets attributable to that class, subtracting the Portfolio’s liabilities attributable to that class, and dividing by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding.

In general, assets are valued based on actual or estimated market value, with special provisions for assets not having readily available market quotations and short-term debt securities, and for situations where market quotations are deemed unreliable. Investments in securities maturing in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost which, when combined with accrued interest, approximates market value. Securities prices may be obtained from automated pricing services. Shares of investment companies held by the Portfolios (other than ETF shares) will generally be valued at the latest NAV reported by that investment company. The prospectuses for those investment companies explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.

Trading of foreign securities may not take place every day the NYSE is open. Also, trading in some foreign markets and on some electronic trading networks may occur on weekends or holidays when a Portfolio’s NAV is not calculated. As a result, the NAV of a Portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem a Portfolio’s shares. When market quotations are not available or are deemed unreliable, a Portfolio will use a fair value for the security that is determined in accordance with procedures adopted by the Portfolio’s Board. The types of securities for which such fair value pricing might be required include, but are not limited to:

  • Foreign securities, where a foreign security whose value at the close of the foreign market on which it principally trades likely would have changed by the time of the close of the NYSE, or the closing value is otherwise deemed unreliable;
  • Securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring;
  • Securities whose trading has been halted or suspended;
  • Fixed-income securities that have gone into default and for which there are no current market value quotations; and
  • Securities that are restricted as to transfer or resale.

The Portfolios or the Adviser may rely on the recommendations of a fair value pricing service approved by the Portfolios’ Board in valuing foreign securities. Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuing securities that have readily available market quotations. The Adviser will make such determinations in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Portfolios’ Board. Fair value determinations can also involve reliance on quantitative models employed by a fair value pricing service. There can be no assurance that a Portfolio could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the Portfolio determines its NAV per share.

When your Variable Contract or Qualified Plan is buying shares of a Portfolio, it will pay the NAV that is next calculated after the order from the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan Participant is received in proper form. When the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan Participant is selling shares, it will normally receive the NAV that is next calculated after the order form is received from the Variable Contract Holder or Qualified Plan participant in proper form. Investments will be processed at the NAV next calculated after an order is received and accepted by a Portfolio or its designated agent. In order to receive that day’s price, your order must be received by Market Close.

The Portfolios reserve the right to suspend the offering of shares or to reject any specific purchase order. The Portfolios may suspend redemptions or postpone payments when the NYSE is closed or when trading is restricted for any reason or under emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC.

HOW TO BUY AND SELL SHARES

Each Portfolio’s shares may be offered to insurance company separate accounts serving as investment options under Variable Contracts, Qualified Plans outside the separate account context, custodial accounts, certain investment advisers and their affiliates in connection with the creation or management of the Portfolios, other investment companies and other investors as permitted by the diversification and other requirements of section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and the underlying U.S. Treasury Regulations. Certain Portfolios may not be available as investment options in your Variable Contract, through your Qualified Plan or other investment company. Please refer to the prospectus for the appropriate insurance company separate account, investment company or your plan documents for information on how to direct investments in, or redemptions from, an investment option corresponding to one of the Portfolios and any fees that may apply. Participating insurance companies and certain other designated organizations are authorized to receive purchase orders on the Portfolios’ behalf.

The Portfolios currently do not foresee any disadvantages to investors if a Portfolio serves as an investment option for Variable Contracts and it offers its shares directly to Qualified Plans and other permitted investors. However, it is possible that the interest of owners of Variable Contracts, Qualified Plans and other permitted, for which a Portfolio serves as an investment option, might at some time be in conflict because of differences in tax treatment or other considerations. The Board directed the Adviser to monitor events to identify any material conflicts between Variable Contract owners, Qualified Plans and other permitted investors and would have to determine what action, if any, should be taken in the event of such conflict. If such a conflict occurred, an insurance company participating in the Portfolio might be required to redeem the investment of one or more of its separate accounts from the Portfolio or a Qualified Plan, investment company or other permitted investor might be required to redeem its investment, which might force the Portfolio to sell securities at disadvantageous prices. The Portfolios may discontinue sales to a Qualified Plan and require plan participants with existing investments in the Portfolio to redeem those investments if the Qualified Plan loses (or in the opinion of the Adviser, is at risk of losing) its Qualified Plan status.

In addition, each Portfolio’s shares may be purchased by certain other management investment companies, including through fund-of-fund arrangements with ING affiliated funds. In some cases the Portfolio may serve as a primary or significant investment vehicle for the fund-of-funds. From time to time, a Portfolio may experience large investments or redemptions due to allocation or rebalancing by these funds-of-funds. While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on Portfolio management. For example, a Portfolio may be required to sell securities or invest cash at times when it would not otherwise do so. These transactions could also have tax consequences if sales or securities result in gains and could also increase transaction costs or portfolio turnover. The Adviser and each Sub-Adviser will monitor transactions by the funds-of-funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects on a Portfolio as a result of these transactions. So long as a Portfolio accepts investments by other investment companies, it will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or under the terms of an exemptive order granted by the SEC.

Distribution Plan and Shareholder Service Plan

Each Portfolio has a Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan (“12b-1 Plan”) in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act for the Class S2 shares. These payments are made to the Distributor on an ongoing basis as compensation for services the Distributor provides and expenses it bears in connection with the marketing and other fees to support the sale and distribution of the Class S2 shares and for shareholder services provided by securities dealers (including the Adviser) and other financial intermediaries and plan administrators that provide administrative services relating to Class S2 shares and their shareholders, including Variable Contract owners or Qualified Plan participants with interests in the Portfolios. The annual distribution and shareholder service fees under the 12b-1 Plan may equal up to 0.50% (0.25% for distribution fees and 0.25% for shareholder service fees) of the average daily net assets of each Portfolio. The Distributor has agreed to waive 0.10% of the distribution fees. The distribution fee waiver will continue through at least May 1, 2011. There is no guarantee that this waiver will continue after that date. Because these fees are paid out of a Portfolio’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING

The Portfolios are intended for long-term investment and not as short-term trading vehicles. Accordingly, organizations or individuals that use market timing investment strategies and make frequent transfers should not purchase shares of a Portfolio. Shares of the Portfolios are primarily sold through omnibus account arrangements with financial intermediaries, as investment options for Variable Contracts issued by insurance companies and as investment options for Qualified Plans. Omnibus accounts generally do not identify customers’ trading activity on an individual basis. The Portfolios’ administrator has agreements which require such intermediaries to provide detailed account information, including trading history, upon request of the Portfolios.

The Portfolios rely on the financial intermediaries to monitor frequent, short-term trading within a Portfolio by their customers. You should review the materials provided to you by your financial intermediary including, in the case of a Variable Contract, the prospectus that describes the contract or, in the case of a Qualified Plan, the plan documentation for its policies regarding frequent, short-term trading. With trading information received as a result of these agreements, the Portfolios may make a determination that certain trading activity is harmful to the Portfolios and their shareholders, even if such activity is not strictly prohibited by the intermediaries’ excessive trading policy. As a result, a shareholder investing directly or indirectly in the Portfolios may have their trading privileges suspended without violating the stated excessive trading policy of the intermediary. The Portfolios reserve the right, in their sole discretion and without prior notice, to reject, restrict or refuse purchase orders whether directly or by exchange including purchase orders that have been accepted by a financial intermediary. The Portfolios seek assurances from the financial intermediaries that they have procedures adequate to monitor and address frequent, short-term trading. There is, however, no guarantee that the procedures of the financial intermediaries will be able to curtail frequent, short-term trading activity.

The Portfolios believe that market timing or frequent, short-term trading in any account, including a Variable Contract or Qualified Plan account, is not in the best interest of the Portfolios or their shareholders. Due to the disruptive nature of this activity, it can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to invest assets in an orderly, long-term manner. Frequent trading can disrupt the management of the Portfolios and raise their expenses through: increased trading and transaction costs; forced and unplanned portfolio turnover; lost opportunity costs; and large asset swings that decrease a Portfolio’s ability to provide maximum investment return to all shareholders. This in turn can have an adverse effect on a Portfolio’s performance.

Portfolios that invest in foreign securities may present greater opportunities for market timers and thus be at a greater risk for excessive trading. If an event occurring after the close of a foreign market, but before the time a Portfolio computes its current NAV, causes a change in the price of the foreign security and such price is not reflected in the Portfolio’s current NAV, investors may attempt to take advantage of anticipated price movements in securities held by the Portfolios based on such pricing discrepancies. This is often referred to as “price arbitrage.” Such price arbitrage opportunities may also occur in portfolios which do not invest in foreign securities. For example, if trading in a security held by a Portfolio is halted and does not resume prior to the time the Portfolio calculates its NAV, such “stale pricing” presents an opportunity for investors to take advantage of the pricing discrepancy. Similarily, Portfolios that hold thinly-traded securities, such as certain small-capitalization securities, may be exposed to varying levels of pricing arbitrage. The Portfolios have adopted fair valuation policies and procedures intended to reduce the Portfolios’ exposure to price arbitrage, stale pricing, and other potential pricing discrepancies. However, to the extent that a Portfolio’s NAV does not immediately reflect these changes in market conditions, short-term trading may dilute the value of Portfolio shares, which negatively affects long-term shareholders.

Although the policies and procedures known to the Portfolios that are followed by the financial intermediaries that use the Portfolios and the monitoring by the Portfolios are designed to discourage frequent, short-term trading, none of these measures can eliminate the possibility that frequent, short-term trading activity in the Portfolios will occur. Moreover, decisions about allowing trades in the Portfolios may be required. These decisions are inherently subjective, and will be made in a manner that is in the best interest of a Portfolio’s shareholders.

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

ING mutual funds may be offered as investment options in Variable Contracts issued by affiliated and non-affiliated insurance companies and in Qualified Plans. Fees derived from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) may be paid to insurance companies, broker-dealers and companies that service Qualified Plans for selling the Portfolio’s shares and/or for servicing shareholder accounts. In addition, a Portfolio’s Adviser, Distributor, Administrator or their affiliated entities, out of their own resources and without additional cost to the Portfolio or its shareholders, may pay additional compensation to these insurance companies, broker-dealers, or companies that service Qualified Plans. The Adviser, Distributor, Administrator, or affiliated entities of a Portfolio may also share their profits with affiliated insurance companies or other ING entities through inter-company payments.

For non-affiliated insurance companies and Qualified Plans, payments from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) as well as payments (if applicable) from the Portfolio’s Adviser and/or Distributor generally are based upon an annual percentage of the average net assets held in the Portfolio by those companies. A Portfolio’s Adviser and Distributor may make payments for administrative, record keeping, or other services that insurance companies or Qualified Plans provide to facilitate investment in the Portfolio. These payments as well as payments from a Portfolio’s Distribution and/or Service Plans (if applicable) may also provide incentive for insurance companies or Qualified Plans to make the Portfolio available through Variable Contracts or Qualified Plans, and thus they may promote the distribution of the shares of the Portfolio.

As of the date of this Prospectus, the Distributor has entered into agreements with the following non-affiliated insurance companies: Zürich Kemper Life Insurance Company; Symetra Life Insurance Company; and First Fortis Life Insurance Company. Fees payable under these agreements are at annual rates that range from 0.15% to 0.25%. This is computed as a percentage of the average aggregate amount invested in a Portfolio by Variable Contract holders through the relevant insurance company’s Variable Contracts.

The insurance companies issuing Variable Contracts or Qualified Plans that use a Portfolio as investment options may also pay fees to third parties in connection with distribution of the Variable Contracts and for services provided to Variable Contract owners. Entities that service Qualified Plans may also pay fees to third parties to help service the Qualified Plans or the accounts of their participants. A Portfolio, the Adviser, and the Distributor are not parties to these arrangements. Variable Contract owners should consult the prospectus and statement of additional information for their Variable Contracts for a discussion of these payments and should consult with their agent or broker. Qualified Plan participants should consult with their pension servicing agent.

Ultimately, the agent or broker selling the Variable Contract to you could have a financial interest in selling you a particular product to increase the compensation they receive. Please make sure you read fully each prospectus and discuss any questions you have with your agent or broker.

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

Dividends and Distributions

Each Portfolio declares and pays dividends from net investment income at least annually. Each Portfolio will also pay distributions from net realized capital gains, reduced by available capital losses, at least annually. All dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolios at the NAV of such shares on the payment date unless a participating insurance company’s separate account is permitted to hold cash and elects to receive payment in cash. From time to time, a portion of a Portfolio’s dividends may constitute a return of capital.

Tax Matters

Holders of Variable Contracts should refer to the prospectus for their contracts for information regarding the tax consequences of owning such contracts and should consult their tax advisers before investing.

Each Portfolio intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) for federal income tax purposes by satisfying the requirements under Subchapter M of the Code, including requirements with respect to diversification of assets, distribution of income and sources of income. As a RIC, a Portfolio generally will not be subject to tax on its net investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains.

Each Portfolio also intends to comply with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code and the underlying regulations for Variable Contracts so that owners of these contracts should not be subject to federal tax on distributions of dividends and income from a Portfolio to the insurance company’s separate accounts.

Since the sole shareholders of the Portfolios will be separate accounts or other permitted investors, no discussion is included herein as to the federal income tax consequences at the shareholder level. For information concerning the federal income tax consequences to purchasers of the policies, see the attached prospectus for the policy.

See the SAI for further information about tax matters.

THE TAX STATUS OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN A PORTFOLIO DEPENDS UPON THE FEATURES OF YOUR VARIABLE CONTRACT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO THE PROSPECTUS FOR THE VARIABLE CONTACT.

INDEX DESCRIPTIONS

The Morgan Stanley Capital International - Europe, Australasia, and Far East® (“MSCI EAFE®”) Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of securities listed on exchanges in Europe, Australasia and the Far East.

The Russell 2000® Growth Index measures the performance of the small-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000 companies with higher price-to-value ratios and higher forecasted growth values.

The Russell 2000® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000® Index. The Russell 3000® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of 3,000 U.S. companies based on total market capitalization.

The Russell Midcap® Growth Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those companies included in the Russell Midcap® Index with relatively higher price-to-book ratio and higher forecasted growth values.

The Russell Midcap® Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the 800 smallest companies in the Russell 1000® Index.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The following financial highlights are intended to help you understand each Portfolio’s Class S2 shares’ financial performance for the past five years or, if shorter, the period of the class’ operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. The total returns represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in a share of the Portfolios (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from the Portfolios’ financial statements that were audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Trust’s financial statements, are included in the annual shareholder report, which is incorporated by reference into the SAI for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and is available upon request.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (continued)

Selected data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year or period.

Income (loss)
from
investment
operations
Less distributions
Ratios to average net assets
Supplemental
data
Net asset value, beginning
of year or period
Net investment income (loss)
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss)
Total from investment
operations
From net investment income
From net realized gains
From return of capital
Total distributions
Payment by affiliates
Net asset value,
end of year or period
Total Return(1)
Expenses before
reductions/additions(2)(3)
Expenses, net of fee waivers
and/or recoupments, if any(2)(3)
Expenses, net of all
reductions/additions(2)(3)
Net investment income
(loss)(2)(3)
Net assets, end of year or
period
Portfolio turnover rate
Year or Period ended
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
($)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
($000’s)
(%)
ING International Value Portfolio
Class S2
02-27-09(4) - 12-31-09 5.43 0.09 3.01 3.10 0.11 0.11 8.42 57.63 1.55 1.41 1.41 1.39 5 214
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
Class S2
02-27-09(4) - 12-31-09 5.55 0.01 3.34 3.35 0.01 0.01 8.89 60.41 1.40 1.04

1.04 0.14 5 169
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
Class S2
02-27-09(4) - 12-31-09 9.88 (0.06) 5.89 5.83 15.71 59.01 1.46 1.33 1.33 (0.54) 5 139

See Accompanying Notes to Financial Highlights

ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(1) Total return is calculated assuming reinvestment of all dividends, capital gain distributions and return of capital, if any, at net asset value and does not reflect the effect of insurance contract charges. Total return for periods less than one year is not annualized.
(2) Annualized for periods less than one year.
(3) Expense ratios reflect operating expenses of a Portfolio. Expenses before reductions/additions do not reflect amounts reimbursed by the Investment Adviser and/or Distributor or reductions from brokerage commission recapture arrangements or other expense offset arrangements and do not represent the amount paid by a Portfolio during periods when reimbursements or reductions occur. Expenses net of fee waivers reflect expenses after reimbursement by the Investment Adviser or Distributor but prior to reductions from brokerage commission recapture arrangements or other expense offset arrangements. Expenses net of all reductions/additions represent the net expenses paid by a Portfolio. Net investment income (loss) is net of all such additions or reductions.
(4) Commencement of operations.
Calculated using average number of shares outstanding throughout the period.
* Amount is more than $(0.005) or less than $0.005.
** Amount is less than $500.
Impact of waiving the advisory fee for the ING Institutional Prime Money Market Fund holding has less than 0.005% impact on the expense ratio and net investment income or loss ratio.
(a) There was no impact on total return due to payment by affiliate in 2008.
(b) For ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio amount was previously reported as $8.20 and has been corrected to reflect the actual NAV. For ING International Value Portfolio amount was previously reported as $15.38 and has been corrected to reflect the actual NAV.
(c) Excluding a $110,798 payment by affiliate in 2008, ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio total return would have been 24.72%, (34.52)% and (34.64)% for Classes ADV, I and S, respectively.
(d) Excluding a $729,720 payment by affiliate in 2008, ING International Value Portfolio total return would have been (43.18)%, (42.86)% and (42.43)% on Classes ADV, I and S, respectively.
  

TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION

You’ll find more information about the Portfolios in our:

ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORTS

In the Portfolios’ annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, you will find a discussion of the recent market conditions and principal investment strategies that significantly affected the Portfolios’ performance during the last fiscal year, the financial statements and the independent registered public accounting firm’s reports (in the annual shareholder report only).

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Portfolios. The SAI is legally part of this Prospectus (it is incorporated by reference). A copy has been filed with the SEC.

Please write, call or visit our website for a free copy of the current annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, the SAI or other Portfolio information.

To make shareholder inquiries contact:

The ING Funds

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

1-800-992-0180

or visit our website at www.ingfunds.com

This information may also be reviewed or obtained from the SEC. In order to review the information in person, you will need to visit the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. or call 202-551-8090 for information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. Otherwise, you may obtain the information for a fee by contacting the SEC at:

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Public Reference Section
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549

or at the e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov

Or obtain the information at no cost by visiting the SEC’s Internet website at http://www.sec.gov.

When contacting the SEC, you will want to refer to the Portfolios’ SEC file number. The file number is as follows:

ING Variable Products Trust 811-8220
ING International Value Portfolio
ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio
PRO.INGPILS2-10     (0410-043010)


Table of Contents

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ING VARIABLE PRODUCTS TRUST

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

(800) 992-0180

April 30, 2010

ING International Value Portfolio

Class/Ticker: ADV/IVIVX; I/IIVIX; S/IVPIX; S2/IIVPX

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

Class/Ticker: ADV/IAMOX; I/IIMOX; S/ISMOX; S2/IMOPX

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

Class/Ticker: ADV/ISOPX; I/IVSOX; S/IVPOX; S2/ISCTX

Adviser Class (“Class ADV”), Class I, Class S, and Service 2 Class (“Class S2”) shares

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) relates to the series listed above (each a “Portfolio” and collectively the “Portfolios”) of ING Variable Products Trust (“Trust”). A prospectus or prospectuses dated April 30, 2010 (each, a “Prospectus” and collectively the “Prospectuses”) that provide the basic information you should know before investing in the Portfolios, may be obtained without charge from the Portfolios or the Portfolios’ principal underwriter, ING Funds Distributor, LLC (“Distributor”), at the address or phone number written above. This SAI is not a Prospectus, but is incorporated therein by reference and should be read in conjunction with each Prospectus, which has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

The information in this SAI expands on the information contained in the Prospectuses and any supplements thereto. The Portfolios’ financial statements and the independent registered public accounting firm’s report thereon, included in the annual shareholder report dated December 31, 2009, are incorporated herein by reference. Copies of the Prospectuses and annual or unaudited semi-annual shareholder reports may be obtained upon request and without charge by contacting the Trust at the address or phone number written above. Capitalized terms used, but not defined, in this SAI have the same meaning as in the Prospectuses and some additional terms are defined in this SAI.

Shares of the Portfolios are sold to insurance company separate accounts, so that the Portfolios may serve as investment options under variable life insurance policies and variable annuity contracts issued by insurance companies (“Variable Contracts”). The Portfolios may also sell their shares to certain other investors, such as qualified pension and retirement plans, insurance companies, and any investment adviser to the Portfolios (but only in connection with the creation or management of the Portfolios), as well as to the general accounts of any insurance company whose separate account holds shares of the Portfolios. Shares of the Portfolios are currently offered to separate accounts (“Separate Accounts”) of insurance companies. Shares of the Portfolios may also be made available to certain affiliated investment companies under fund-of-funds arrangements consistent with Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”) and U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.817-5. For information on allocating premiums and cash values under the terms of the Variable Contracts, see the prospectus for your Variable Contract.

 

1


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

HISTORY OF THE TRUST

   3

SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION OF PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS AND RISKS

   4

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

   49

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

   54

DISCLOSURE OF THE PORTFOLIOS’ PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

   54

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

   57

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE TRUSTEES

   67

COMPENSATION OF TRUSTEES

   73

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

   75

ADVISER

   77

EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT

   79

SUB-ADVISER

   80

ADMINISTRATOR

   84

DISTRIBUTION OF TRUST SHARES

   85

SHAREHOLDER SERVICE AND DISTRIBUTION PLANS (CLASS ADV AND CLASS S2 SHARES)

   86

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN (CLASS S SHARES)

   87

CODE OF ETHICS

   89

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES

   89

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

   89

NET ASSET VALUE

   93

PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS AND EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS

   95

TAX CONSIDERATIONS

   96

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

   100

OTHER INFORMATION

   101

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

   101

CUSTODIANS/ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGENT

   102

TRANSFER AGENT

   102

LEGAL COUNSEL

   102

PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER

   102

APPENDIX A

   A-1

APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES

   B-1

 

2


Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

This SAI is designed to elaborate upon information contained in the Portfolios’ Prospectuses, including the discussion of certain securities and investment techniques. The more detailed information contained in this SAI is intended for investors who have read the Prospectuses and are interested in a more detailed explanation of certain aspects of some of the Portfolios’ securities and investment techniques. Some of the Portfolios’ investment techniques are described only in the Prospectuses and are not repeated herein.

HISTORY OF THE TRUST

The Trust is a Massachusetts business trust established under an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated December 17, 1993 as an open-end management investment company.

The Trust is authorized to issue multiple series and classes of shares each with different objectives, policies, and restrictions. The Trust currently has three Portfolios.

The Portfolios include ING International Value Portfolio (“International Value Portfolio”); ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio (“MidCap Opportunities Portfolio”); and ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio (“SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio”).

The Trust changed its name on April 30, 2000, from the “Northstar Galaxy Trust” to the “Pilgrim Variable Products Trust.” Effective May 1, 2002, the Trust changed its name from “Pilgrim Variable Products Trust” to “ING Variable Products Trust,” and the names of each of the following Portfolios were changed as follows:

 

Old Name

  

New Name

Pilgrim VP International Value Portfolio

   ING VP International Value Portfolio

Pilgrim VP MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

   ING VP MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

Pilgrim VP SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

   ING VP SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

Effective February 25, 2004, Class R shares of the Trust were renamed as Class I shares in order to avoid confusion and provide consistency within the share class structure across the ING family of funds. The current Class R fee structure is identical to that of other Class I shares within the ING Funds complex having no upfront sales load, contingent deferred sales charge, or service or distribution fees.

Effective April 29, 2005, Class ADV shares were added to the Trust.

Effective January 23, 2009, Class S2 shares were added to the Trust.

Effective May 1, 2009, the names of each of the following Portfolios were changed as follows:

 

Old Name

  

New Name

ING VP International Value Portfolio

   ING International Value Portfolio

ING VP MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

   ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

ING VP SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

   ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

 

3


Table of Contents

SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION OF PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS AND RISKS

Diversification

Each Portfolio is “diversified” within the meaning of the 1940 Act. In order to qualify as diversified, a Portfolio must diversify its holdings so that at all times at least 75% of the value of its total assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), securities issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the United States or its agencies or instrumentalities, securities of other investment companies, and other securities (for this purpose other securities of any one issuer are limited to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the total assets of the Portfolio and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer).

Investments, Strategies and Risks

The table on the following pages identifies various securities and investment techniques used by the adviser and the sub-adviser in managing the Portfolios. The table has been marked to indicate those securities and investment techniques that the adviser and the sub-adviser may use to manage a Portfolio. A Portfolio may use any or all of these techniques at any one time, and the fact that a Portfolio may use a technique does not mean that the technique will be used. The securities and investment techniques are subject to limitations imposed by a Portfolio’s investment objective, policies and restrictions described in that Portfolio’s Prospectuses and/or this SAI, as well as federal securities laws. There can be no assurance that any of the Portfolios will achieve their investment objectives. The Portfolios’ policies, strategies, and practices are non-fundamental unless otherwise indicated. A more detailed description of the securities and investment techniques, as well as the risks associated with those securities and investment techniques, that the Portfolios utilize, follows the table. The descriptions of the securities and investment techniques in this section supplement the discussion of principal investment strategies contained in each Portfolio’s Prospectuses. Where a particular type of security or investment technique is not discussed in a Portfolio’s Prospectuses, that security or investment technique is not a principal investment strategy.

Unless otherwise noted, a Portfolio may invest up to 5% of its net assets in any type of security or investment noted in this SAI that the adviser or the sub-adviser reasonably believe is compatible with the investment objectives and policies of that Portfolio.

 

Asset Class(1)

   MidCap
Opportunities
Portfolio
   SmallCap
Opportunities
Portfolio
   International
Value
Portfolio

EQUITY INVESTMENTS

        

Common Stocks and Other Equity Securities

   X    X    X

Convertible and Synthetic Convertible Securities

   X    X    X

Initial Public Offerings

   X    X    X

Other Investment Companies(2)

   X    X    X

Preferred Stock

   X    X    X

Private Funds

   X    X    X

Real Estate Securities and Real Estate Investment Trusts

        

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Companies

        

 

4


Table of Contents

Asset Class(1)

   MidCap
Opportunities
Portfolio
   SmallCap
Opportunities
Portfolio
   International
Value
Portfolio

Unseasoned Companies

   X    X    X

FIXED-INCOME INVESTMENTS

        

Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities

         X

Asset-Backed Securities

        

Banking Industry and Savings Industry Obligations

   X    X    X

Corporate Debt Securities(3)

   X    X    X

Credit-Linked Notes

        

Floating or Variable Rate Instruments

   X    X    X

Government National Mortgage Association Certificates

   X    X    X

Government Trust Certificates

   X    X    X

Guaranteed Investment Contracts

   X    X    X

Industrial Development Bonds & Pollution Control Bonds

   X    X    X

Interest/Principal Only Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities

   X    X    X

Loans Participations and Assignments

   X    X    X

Moral Obligations Bonds

        

Mortgage-Backed Securities(4)

   X    X    X

Municipal Securities(5)

   X    X    X

Municipal Lease Obligations

   X    X    X

Short-Term Investments

   X    X    X

Subordinated Mortgage Securities

   X    X    X

U.S. Government Securities

   X    X    X

Zero-Coupon and Pay-in-Kind Securities

   X    X    X

DERIVATIVES(6)

   X    X    X

Equity, Interest Rate, and Currency Swaps and Swap Options(7)

   X    X    X

Financial Futures Contracts & Related Options(8)

   X    X    X

Foreign Currency Options(9)

   X    X    X

Forward Currency Contracts

   X    X    X

Index-, Currency-, and Equity-Linked Debt Securities

         X

Over-the-Counter Options(10)

   X    X    X

Purchasing Options

   X    X    X

Stock Index Options

   X    X    X

Straddles

   X    X    X

Warrants

   X    X    X

Writing Option(11)

   X    X    X

Restricted & Illiquid Securities(12)

   X    X    X

To Be Announced Sale Commitments

   X    X    X

FOREIGN EQUITY AND DEBT INVESTMENTS

        

Depositary Receipts

   X    X    X

Emerging Market Securities(13)

   X    X    X

Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar Instruments

   X    X    X

Eurodollar Convertible Securities(14)

   X    X    X

 

5


Table of Contents

Asset Class(1)

   MidCap
Opportunities
Portfolio
   SmallCap
Opportunities
Portfolio
   International
Value
Portfolio

Foreign Bank Obligations

   X    X    X

Foreign Currency Exchange Transactions

   X    X    X

Foreign Mortgage Related Securities

   X    X    X

International Debt Securities

   X    X    X

Sovereign Debt Securities

   X    X    X

Supranational Agencies (10% max)

   X    X    X

OTHER INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RISKS

        

Borrowing(15)

   X    X    X

Concentration

        

Lending of Portfolio Securities(16)

   X    X    X

Hedging

   X    X    X

Repurchase Agreements(17)

   X    X    X

Restricted and Illiquid Securities

        

Reverse Repurchase Agreements & Dollar Roll Transactions(18)

   X    X    X

Senior Loans

        

Short Sales

   X    X    X

Temporary Defensive and Other Short-Term Positions

   X    X    X

When Issued Securities and Delayed-Delivery Transactions(19)

   X    X    X

 

( 1 )

Each Portfolio may invest in the following investment vehicles according to its investment strategy contained in the Prospectuses. That investment strategy may be modified by a Portfolios’ fundamental investment restrictions. The fundamental investment restrictions for each Portfolio precede this “Supplemental Description of Portfolio Investments and Risks.”

(2)

The Portfolios may invest in other investment companies to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations, and expemtive orders thereunder.

(3)

Corporate debt securities include corporate bonds, debentures, notes, and other similar corporate debt instruments.

(4)

The Portfolios may invest up to 5% of their net assets in Privately Issued Collateralized Mortgage Obligations, Interest Obligations, and Private Obligations. The Portfolios may invest in parallel-pay Collateralized Mortgage Obligations and Planned Amortization Class Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. MidCap Opportunities Portfolio may invest in privately issued Collateralized Mortgage Obligations.

(5)

The Portfolios indicated may purchase municipal debt in which scheduled payments of interest and principal are guaranteed by a private, non-governmental or governmental insurance company. The insurance does not guarantee the market value of the municipal debt or the value of the shares of the Portfolios.

(6)

International Value Portfolio may invest in derivative instruments for a variety of reasons, including to hedge certain market risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling particular securities or to increase potential income gain. Derivatives may provide a cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for International Value Portfolio to invest than “traditional” securities would.

(7)

A Portfolio will not enter into any of the derivatives transactions unless the unsecured senior debt on the claims paying ability of the other party is rated at least “high quality” at the time of purchase by at least one of the established rating agencies (i.e. AAA or AA by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services).

(8)

International Value Portfolio will engage in futures transactions only as a hedge against the risk of unexpected changes in the values of securities held or intended to be held by the Portfolio. As a general rule, International Value Portfolio will not purchase or sell futures if, immediately thereafter, more than 25% of its net assets would be hedged. In addition, International Value Portfolio will not purchase or sell futures or related options if, immediately thereafter, the sum of the amount of margin deposits on the Portfolio’s existing futures positions and premiums paid for such options would exceed 5% of the fair market value of the Portfolio’s net assets. International Value Portfolio will not enter into futures contracts if as a result the aggregate of the initial margin deposits in the Portfolio’s existing futures exceeds 5% of the fair market value of the Portfolio’s assets.

(9)

Use of currency hedging techniques may be limited by management’s need to protect the status of the Portfolios as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The Portfolios may purchase or sell options on currency only when the adviser or aub-adviser believes that a liquid secondary market exists for these options; however, no assurance can be given that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular option at any time.

(10)

The Portfolios may invest in over–the-counter options on U.S. government securities.

(11)

The Portfolios will not write call options on when-issued securities. In addition, SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio and MidCap Opportunities Portfolio will not sell a covered call option if, as a result, the aggregate market value of all portfolio securities of the Portfolio covering call options or subject to put options exceeds 10% of the market value of the Portfolio’s net assets.

(12)

Each Portfolio indicated above may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, measured at the time of investment.

 

6


Table of Contents
(13)

International Value Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its assets in securities of companies located in countries with emerging market securities.

(14)

The Portfolios indicated may invest, without limitation, in Eurodollar convertible securities that are convertible into foreign equity securities listed, or represented by American Depositary Receipts listed on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, or convertible into publicly traded common stocks of U.S. companies, and may invest up to 15% of its total assets in convertible securities, taken at market value, in Eurodollar convertible securities that are convertible into foreign equity securities which are not listed, or represented by American Depositary Receipts listed, on such exchanges.

(15)

SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio and International Value Portfolio may each borrow in accordance with the provisions provided under their respective “Investment Restrictions” section and as set forth in the Investment Company Act of 1940; not withstanding the foregoing, short-term credits necessary for settlements of securities transactions are not considered borrowings.

(16)

The Portfolios may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to 33-1/3% of total Portfolio assets to broker-dealers, major banks or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities deemed to be creditworthy by the adviser. No lending may be made with any companies affiliated with the adviser.

(17)

The Portfolios may enter into repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio securities. Such agreements may be considered to be loans by the Portfolios for purposes of the 1940 Act. Each repurchase agreement must be collateralized fully, in accordance with the provisions of Rule 5b-3 under the 1940 Act, at all times.

(18)

International Value Portfolio may not enter dollar roll agreements.

(19)

In order to secure prices or yields deemed advantageous at the time, the Portfolios indicated may purchase or sell securities on a when- issued or a delayed-delivery basis generally 15 – 45 days after the commitment is made. The Portfolios may not purchase when-issued securities or enter into firm commitments if, as a result, more than 15% of the Portfolio’s net assets would be segregated to cover such securities.

Equity Investments

Common Stocks and Other Equity Securities

Common stocks represent an equity (ownership) interest in a company. This ownership interest generally gives a Portfolio the right to vote on issues affecting the company’s organization and operations. Except for the Portfolios noted in the chart above as non-diversified or concentrated, such investments may be diversified over a cross-section of industries and individual companies. Some of these companies will be organizations with market capitalizations of $500 million or less or companies that have limited product lines, markets and financial resources and are dependent upon a limited management group. Examples of possible investments include emerging growth companies employing new technology, cyclical companies, initial public offerings of companies offering high growth potential, or other corporations offering good potential for high growth in market value. The securities of such companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than larger, more established companies both because the securities typically are traded in lower volume and because the issuers typically are subject to a greater degree to changes in earnings and prospects.

Other types of equity securities may also be purchased, such as preferred stock, convertible securities, or other securities that are exchangeable for shares of common stock.

Convertible and Synthetic Convertible Securities

A convertible security is a security that may be converted either at a stated price or rate within a specified period of time into a specified number of shares of common stock. By investing in convertible securities, a Portfolio seeks the opportunity, through the conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the common stock into which the securities are convertible, while investing at a better price than may be available on the common stock or obtaining a higher fixed-rate of return than is available on common stocks. The value of a convertible security is a function of its “investment value” (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its “conversion value” (the security’s worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The credit standing of the issuer and other factors may also affect the investment value of a convertible security. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value.

 

7


Table of Contents

The market value of convertible debt securities tends to vary inversely with the level of interest rates. The value of the security declines as interest rates increase and increases as interest rates decline. Although under normal market conditions longer term debt securities have greater yields than do shorter term debt securities of similar quality, they are subject to greater price fluctuations. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the instrument governing the convertible security. If a convertible security held by a Portfolio is called for redemption, the Portfolio must permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Rating requirements do not apply to convertible debt securities purchased by the Portfolios because the Portfolios purchase such securities for their equity characteristics.

“Synthetic” convertible securities are derivative positions composed of two or more different securities whose investment characteristics, taken together, resemble those of convertible securities. For example, a Portfolio may purchase a non-convertible debt security and a warrant or option, which enables the Portfolio to have a convertible-like position with respect to a company, group of companies or stock index. Synthetic convertible securities are typically offered by financial institutions and investment banks in private placement transactions. Upon conversion, a Portfolio generally receives an amount in cash equal to the difference between the conversion price and the then current value of the underlying security. Unlike a true convertible security, a synthetic convertible comprises two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the market value of a synthetic convertible is the sum of the values of its fixed-income component and its convertible component. For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible and a true convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations. The Portfolios may only invest in synthetic convertibles with respect to companies whose corporate debt securities are rated “A” or higher by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) and will not invest more than 15% of their respective net assets in such synthetic securities and other illiquid securities.

Initial Public Offerings (“IPOs”)

IPOs occur when a company first offers its securities to the public. Although companies can be any age or size at the time of their IPO, they are often smaller and have a limited operating history, which involves a greater potential for the value of their securities to be impaired following the IPO. Investors in IPOs can be adversely affected by substantial dilution in the value of their shares, by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders. In addition, all of the factors that affect stock market performance may have a greater impact on the shares of IPO companies.

The price of a company’s securities may be highly unstable at the time of its IPO and for a period thereafter due to market psychology prevailing at the time of the IPO, the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available and limited availability of investor information. As a result of this or other factors, a Portfolio’s adviser or sub-adviser might decide to sell an IPO security more quickly than it would otherwise, which may result in a significant gain or loss and greater transaction costs to the Portfolios. Any gains from shares held for one year or less will be treated as short-term gains, taxable as ordinary income to a Portfolio’s shareholders. In addition, IPO securities may be subject to varying patterns of trading volume and may, at times, be difficult to sell without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices.

 

8


Table of Contents

The effect of an IPO investment can have a magnified impact on a Portfolio’s performance when the Portfolio’s asset base is small. Consequently, IPOs may constitute a significant portion of the Portfolios’ returns particularly when the Portfolios are small. Since the number of securities issued in an IPO is limited, it is likely that IPO securities will represent a smaller component of a Portfolio’s assets as it increases in size and therefore have a more limited effect on the Portfolio’s performance in the future.

There can be no assurance that IPOs will continue to be available for the Portfolios to purchase. The number or quality of IPOs available for purchase by the Portfolios may vary, decrease, or entirely disappear. In some cases, the Portfolios may not be able to purchase IPOs at the offering price, but may have to purchase the shares in the aftermarket at a price greatly exceeding the offering price, making it more difficult for the Portfolios to realize a profit.

Other Investment Companies

An investment company is a company engaged in the business of pooling investors’ money and trading in securities for them. Examples include face-amount certificate companies, unit investment trusts and management companies. When a Portfolio invests in other investment companies, shareholders of the Portfolio bear their proportionate share of the underlying investment companies fees and expenses.

The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder. For so long as shares of the Portfolio are purchased by another Portfolio in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act, the Portfolio will not purchase securities of a registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

There are some potential disadvantages associated with investing in other investment companies. In addition to the advisory and operational fees, the Portfolio bears directly in connection with its own operation, the Portfolio would also bear its pro-rata portions of each other investment company’s advisory and operational expenses. When the Portfolio invests in other investment companies, you indirectly pay a proportionate share of the expenses of that other investment company (including management fees, administration fees, and custodial fees) in addition to the expenses of the Portfolio.

Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”) are investment companies whose goals are to track or replicate a desired index, such as a sector, market or global segment. ETFs are traded on exchanges and trade similarly to publicly-traded companies. ETFs also have risks and costs that are similar to publicly-traded companies. The goal of an ETF is to correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses of its underlying index. The risk of not correlating to the index is an additional risk borne by the investors of ETFs. Because ETFs trade on an exchange, they may not trade at net asset value (“NAV”). Sometimes, the prices of ETFs may vary significantly from the NAVs of the ETF’s underlying securities. Additionally, if the Portfolio elects to redeem its ETF shares rather than selling them on the secondary market, the Portfolio may receive the underlying securities which it must then sell in order to obtain cash. Additionally, when a Portfolio invests in ETFs, shareholders of the Portfolio bear their proportionate share of the underlying ETF’s fees and expenses.

Holding Company Depositary Receipts (“HOLDRs”) are trust-issued receipts that represent a Portfolio’s beneficial ownership of a specific group of stocks. HOLDRs involve risks similar to the risks of investing in common stock. For example, a Portfolio’s investments will decline in value if the underlying stocks decline in value. Because HOLDRs are not subject to concentration limits, the relative weight of an individual stock may increase substantially, causing the HOLDRs to be less diverse and creating more risk.

 

9


Table of Contents

The Portfolios may also invest in iShares MSCI Index Shares (“iShares”) iShares (formerly, World Equity Benchmark Shares (“WEBS”)). WEBS were a form of exchange-traded fund traded on the American Stock Exchange (“AMEX”). They were re-named iShares MSCI Index Shares on March 15, 2000. iShares track the performance of several international equity indices. Each country index series invests in an optimized portfolio of common stocks based on that country’s Morgan Stanley Capital International benchmark country index. The market prices of iShares are expected to fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the net asset value of their underlying indices and supply and demand of iShares on the AMEX. To date, iShares have traded at relatively modest discounts and premiums to their net asset values. However, iShares have a limited operating history and information is lacking regarding the actual performance and trading liquidity of iShares for extended periods or over complete market cycles. In addition, there is no assurance that the requirements of the AMEX necessary to maintain the listing of iShares will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting iShares should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the Portfolios’ shares could also be substantially and adversely affected. If such disruptions were to occur, the Portfolio could be required to reconsider the use of iShares as part of their investment strategy. (See, “Exchange- Traded Funds”)

The Portfolios may, consistent with their investment policies, purchase SPDRs. SPDRs are securities traded on the AMEX that represent ownership in the SPDR Trust, a trust which has been established to accumulate and hold a portfolio of common stocks that is intended to track the price performance and dividend yield of the S&P 500® Index. The SPDR Trust is sponsored by a subsidiary of the AMEX. SPDRs may be used for several reasons, including, but not limited to, facilitating the handling of cash flows or trading, or reducing transaction costs. The price movement of SPDRs may not perfectly parallel the price action of the S&P 500® Index.

Preferred Stock

Preferred stock, unlike common stock, offers a stated dividend rate payable from a corporation’s earnings. Such preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or non-cumulative, participating, or auction rate. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to maturity, a negative feature when interest rates decline. Dividends on some preferred stock may be “cumulative,” requiring all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends are paid on the issuer’s common stock. Preferred stock also generally has a preference over common stock on the distribution of a corporation’s assets in the event of liquidation of the corporation, and may be “participating,” which means that it may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. The rights of preferred stocks on the distribution of a corporation’s assets in the event of a liquidation are generally subordinate to the rights associated with a corporation’s debt securities.

Private Funds

Private Funds include U.S. or foreign private limited partnerships or other investment funds (“Private Funds”). Investments in Private Funds may be highly speculative and volatile. Because Private Funds generally are investment companies for purposes of the 1940 Act, the Portfolios ability to invest in them will be limited. In addition, Portfolio shareholders will remain subject to the Portfolios’ expenses while also bearing their pro rata share of the operating expenses of the Private Funds. The ability of the Portfolio to dispose of interests in Private Funds is very limited and involves risks, including loss of the Portfolios’ entire investment in the Private Fund.

Private investment funds include a variety of pooled investments. Generally, these pooled investments are structured as a trust, a special purpose vehicle, and are exempted from registration under the 1940 Act. As an investor, the Portfolios own a proportionate share of the trust. Typically, the trust does not employ

 

10


Table of Contents

a professional investment manager. Instead, the pooled investment tracks some index by investing in the issuers or securities that comprise the index. The Portfolios receive a stream of cash flows in the form of interest payments from the underlying assets or the proceeds from the sale of the underlying assets in the event those underlying assets are sold. However, some pooled investments may not dispose of the underlying securities regardless of the adverse events affecting the issuers depending on the investment strategy utilized. In this type of strategy, the pooled investment continues to hold the underlying securities as long as the issuers or securities remain members of the tracked index.

The pooled investments allow the Portfolios to synchronize the receipt of interest and principal payments and also, diversify some of the risks involved with investing in fixed-income securities. Because the trust holds securities of many issuers, the default of a few issuers would not impact the Portfolios significantly. However, the Portfolios bear any expenses incurred by the trust. In addition, the Portfolios assume the liquidity risks generally associated with the privately offered pooled investments.

Pooled investments that are structured as a trust contain many similarities to Private Funds that are structured as limited partnerships. The primary difference between the trust and the limited partnership structure is the redemption of the ownership interests. Typically, the ownership interests in a typical Private Fund are redeemable only by the general partners and thus, are restricted from transferring from one party to another. Conversely, the ownership interests in the trust are generally not redeemable by the trust, except under certain circumstances, and are transferable among the general public for publicly offered securities and “qualified purchasers” or “qualified institutional buyers” for privately offered securities.

The Portfolios cannot assure that they can achieve better results by investing in a pooled investment versus investing directly in the individual underlying assets.

Private investment funds also include investments in certain structured securities. Structured securities include notes, bonds or debentures that provide for the payment of principal of, and/or interest in, amounts determined by reference to changes in the value of specific currencies, interest rates, commodities, indices or other financial indicators (the “Reference”) or the relative change in two or more References. The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may be increased or decreased depending upon changes in the applicable Reference. The terms of structured securities may provide that under certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and, therefore, may result in the loss of the Portfolios’ investment. Structured securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the Reference may produce an increase or decrease in the interest rate or value of the security at maturity. In addition, the change in interest rate or the value of the security at maturity may be a multiple of the change in the value of the Reference. Consequently, leveraged structured securities entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt obligations. Structured securities may also be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to accurately price than less complex fixed-income investments.

Real Estate Securities and Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”)

The Portfolios’ investments in real estate securities are primarily in REITs and other real estate operating companies (“REOCs”). A REOC is a company that derives at least 50% of its gross revenues or net profits from either: (1) the ownership, development, construction, financing, management or sale of commercial, industrial or residential real estate; or (2) products or services related to the real estate industry, such as building supplies or mortgage servicing.

 

11


Table of Contents

A REIT is a corporation or business trust that meets the definitional requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (“Code.”) The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct from taxable income the dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level federal income tax and making the REIT a pass through vehicle for federal income tax purposes. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things, invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs), cash and government securities; derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property; and distribute annually 90% or more of its otherwise taxable income to shareholders.

REITs are sometimes informally characterized as Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs. An Equity REIT invests primarily in fee ownership or leasehold ownership of land and buildings; a Mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real property, which may secure construction, development, or long-term loans.

Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. Although a Portfolio will not invest directly in real estate, a Portfolio may invest in equity securities of issuers primarily engaged in or related to the real estate industry. Therefore, an investment in REITs is subject to certain risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include, among others: possible declines in the value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack of availability of mortgage Portfolios; overbuilding; extended vacancies of properties; increases in competition, property taxes and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws; costs resulting from the clean-up of, and liability to third parties for damages resulting from, environmental problems; casualty or condemnation losses; uninsured damages from floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents; changes in interest rates; and acts of terrorism, war or other acts of violence. To the extent that assets underlying a REIT’s investments are concentrated geographically, by property type or in certain other respects, the REIT may be subject to certain of the foregoing risks to a greater extent. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified, are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and self-liquidation. REITs are also subject to the possibilities of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code and failing to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act.

REITs (especially Mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to rise. During periods of declining interest rates, certain Mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, which prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by such Mortgage REITs. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable rate mortgage loans are reset periodically, yields on a REIT’s investment in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate obligations. Additionally, rising interest rates may cause investors in REITs to demand a higher annual yield from future distributions, which may in turn decrease market prices for equity securities issued by REITs. Mortgage REITs may also be affected by the ability of borrowers to repay when due the debt extended by the REIT and Equity REITs may be affected by the ability of tenants to pay rent.

Investing in REITs involves risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Furthermore, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Portfolio, a shareholder will bear not only his proportionate share of the expenses of the Portfolio, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the REITs. REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders.

 

12


Table of Contents

Small- and Mid-Capitalization Companies

Securities of small- and/or mid-capitalization companies may also be purchased. Investments in mid- and small-capitalization companies involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and the frequent lack of depth of management. The securities of smaller companies are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volumes typical on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may have limited market stability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established growth companies or the market averages in general. The trading volume of securities of mid-cap and small-cap companies is normally less than that of larger companies and, therefore, may disproportionately affect their market price, tending to make them rise more in response to buying demand and fall more in response to selling pressure than is the case with larger companies.

Unseasoned Companies

The Portfolios consider securities of companies with limited operating histories to be securities of companies with a record of less than three years’ continuous operation, even including the operations of any predecessors and parents. (These are sometimes referred to as “unseasoned issuers.”) These companies by their nature have only a limited operating history that can be used for evaluating the company’s growth prospects. As a result, investment decisions for these securities may place a greater emphasis on current or planned product lines and the reputation and experience of the company’s management and less emphasis on fundamental valuation factors than would be the case for more mature companies.

Fixed-Income Investments

Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities (“ARMS”)

ARMS are a form of pass-through mortgage securities collateralized by mortgages with adjustable rather than fixed rates. Generally, ARMS have a specified maturity date and amortize principal over their life. In periods of declining interest rates, there is a reasonable likelihood that ARMS will experience increased rates of prepayment of principal. However, the major difference between ARMS and fixed-rate mortgage securities is that the interest rate and the rate of amortization of principal of ARMS can and do change in accordance with movements in a particular, pre-specified, published interest rate index.

The amount of interest on ARMS is calculated by adding a specified amount, the “margin,” to the index, subject to limitations on the maximum and minimum interest that can be charged to the mortgagor during the life of the mortgage or to maximum and minimum changes to that interest rate during a given period. Because the interest rates on ARMS generally move in the same direction as market interest rates, the market value of ARMS tends to be more stable than that of long-term fixed rate securities.

There are two main categories of indices which serve as benchmarks for periodic adjustments to coupon rates on ARMS: those based on U.S. Treasury securities and those derived from a calculated measure such as a cost of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates. Commonly utilized indices include the one-year and five-year constant maturity Treasury Note rates, the three-month Treasury Bill rate, the 180-day Treasury Bill rate, rates on longer-term Treasury securities, the 11th District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds, the National Median Cost of Funds, the one-month or three-month London Interbank

 

13


Table of Contents

Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), the prime rate of a specific bank, or commercial paper rates. Some indices, such as the one-year constant maturity Treasury Note rate, closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels. Others, such as the 11th District Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds index (often related to ARMS issued by Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”)), tend to lag changes in market rate levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities are collateralized by short-term loans such as automobile loans, home equity loans, equipment leases or credit card receivables. The payments from the collateral are generally passed through to the security holder. As noted below with respect to Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”) and Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”), the average life for these securities is the conventional proxy for maturity. Asset-backed securities may pay all interest and principal to the holder, or they may pay a fixed rate of interest, with any excess over that required to pay interest going either into a reserve account or to a subordinate class of securities, which may be retained by the originator. The originator or other party may guarantee interest and principal payments. These guarantees often do not extend to the whole amount of principal, but rather to an amount equal to a multiple of the historical loss experience of similar portfolios.

The collateral behind certain types of collateral tend to have prepayment rates that do not vary with interest rates; the short-term nature of the loans may also tend to reduce the impact of any change in prepayment level. Other asset-backed securities, such as home equity asset-backed securities, have prepayment rates that are sensitive to interest rates. Faster prepayments will shorten the average life and slower prepayments will lengthen it. Asset-backed securities may be pass-through, representing actual equity ownership of the underlying assets, or pay-through, representing debt instruments supported by cash flows from the underlying assets.

The coupon rate of interest on mortgage-related and asset-backed securities is lower than the interest rates paid on the mortgages included in the underlying pool, by the amount of the fees paid to the mortgage pooler, issuer, and/or guarantor. Actual yield may vary from the coupon rate, however, if such securities are purchased at a premium or discount, traded in the secondary market at a premium or discount, or to the extent that the underlying assets are prepaid as noted above.

The principal on asset-backed securities, like mortgage-related securities, may normally be prepaid at any time, which will reduce the yield and market value of these securities. Asset-backed securities and commercial mortgage-backed securities generally experience less prepayment than residential mortgage-related securities. In periods of falling interest rates when liquidity is available to borrowers, the rate of prepayments tends to increase (as does price fluctuation) as borrowers are motivated to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, reinvestment of the prepayment proceeds by a Portfolio will generally be at lower rates of return than the return on the assets which were prepaid. Certain commercial mortgage-backed securities are issued in several classes with different levels of yield and credit protection. A Portfolio’s investments in commercial mortgage-backed securities with several classes may be in the lower classes that have greater risks than the higher classes, including greater interest rate, credit and prepayment risks. Certain commercial mortgage-backed securities are issued in several classes with different levels of yield and credit protection. While asset-backed securities are designed to allocate risk from pools of their underlying assets, the risk allocation techniques may not be successful, which could lead to the credit risk of these investments being greater than indicated by their ratings. The value of asset-backed securities may be further affected by downturns in the credit markets or the real estate market. It may be difficult to value these instruments because of the transparency or liquidity of some underlying investments, and these instruments may not be liquid. Finally, certain asset-backed securities are based on loans that are unsecured, which means that there is no collateral to seize if the underlying borrower defaults.

 

14


Table of Contents

Banking Industry and Savings Industry Obligations

Banking industry obligations include certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, and fixed time deposits. The Portfolios will not invest in obligations issued by a bank unless: (i) the bank is a U.S. bank and a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”); and (ii) the bank has total assets of at least $1 billion (U.S.) or, if not, the Portfolios’ investments are limited to the FDIC-insured amount of $250,000.

Certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, and fixed-time deposits may be acquired. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances acquired by the Portfolios will be dollar-denominated obligations of domestic or foreign banks or financial institutions which at the time of purchase have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations is fully insured by the U.S. government.

A Portfolio holding instruments of foreign banks or financial institutions may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those incurred by a Portfolio which invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. Domestic banks and foreign banks are subject to different governmental regulations with respect to the amount and types of loans, which may be made, and interest rates, which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry depends largely upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important part in the operations of the banking industry. Federal and state laws and regulations require domestic banks to maintain specified levels of reserves, limited in the amount which they can loan to a single borrower, and subject to other regulations designed to promote financial soundness. However, such laws and regulations do not necessarily apply to foreign bank obligations that a Portfolio may acquire.

In addition to purchasing certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, to the extent permitted under their respective investment objectives and policies stated above and in their Prospectuses, the Portfolios may make interest-bearing time or other interest-bearing deposits in commercial or savings banks. Fixed-time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate.

The Portfolios may invest in certificates of deposit (interest-bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. government.

Corporate Debt Securities

Corporate debt securities include corporate bonds, debentures, notes, and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities. The investment return on a corporate debt security reflects interest earnings and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of corporate debt

 

15


Table of Contents

obligations may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. There is also the risk that the issuers of the debt securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Bonds rated BBB or Baa, which are considered medium-grade category bonds, do not have economic characteristics that provide the high degree of security with respect to payment of principal and interest associated with higher rated bonds, and generally have some speculative characteristics. A bond will be placed in this rating category where interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present, but economic characteristics that provide longer term protection may be lacking. Any bond, and particularly those rated BBB- or Baa3, may be susceptible to changing conditions, particularly to economic downturns, which could lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and principal.

New issues of certain debt securities are often offered on a when-issued or firm-commitment basis; meaning, the payment obligation and the interest rate are fixed at the time the buyer enters into the commitment, but delivery and payment for the securities normally take place after the customary settlement time. The value of when-issued securities or securities purchased on a firm-commitment basis may vary prior to and after delivery depending on market conditions and changes in interest rate levels. However, a Portfolio will not accrue any income on these securities prior to delivery. The Portfolios will maintain in a segregated account with their custodian, or earmark on its records, an amount of cash or liquid assets equal to (on a daily marked-to-market basis) the amount of its commitment to purchase the when-issued securities or securities purchased on a firm-commitment basis.

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s” or “S&P”) do not rate many securities of foreign issuers; therefore, the selection of such securities depends, to a large extent, on the credit analysis performed or used by the Portfolios’ sub-advisers.

Floating or Variable Rate Instruments

Floating or variable rate bonds normally provide that the holder can demand payment of the obligation on short notice at par with accrued interest. Such bonds are frequently secured by letters of credit or other credit support arrangements provided by banks. Floating or variable rate instruments provide for adjustments in the interest rate at specified intervals (weekly, monthly, semiannually, etc.). A Portfolio would anticipate using these bonds as cash equivalents, pending longer-term investment of its funds. Other longer term fixed-rate bonds, with a right of the holder to request redemption at certain times (often annually, after the lapse of an intermediate term), may also be purchased by a Portfolio. These bonds are more defensive than conventional long-term bonds (protecting to some degree against a rise in interest rates), while providing greater opportunity than comparable intermediate term bonds since a Portfolio may retain the bond if interest rates decline. By acquiring these kinds of bonds, a Portfolio obtains the contractual right to require the issuer of the security, or some other person (other than a broker or dealer), to purchase the security at an agreed upon price, which right is contained in the obligation itself rather than in a separate agreement with the seller or some other person.

Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) Certificates

Certificates issued by the GNMA (“GNMA Certificates”) evidence an undivided interest in a pool of mortgage loans. GNMA Certificates differ from bonds, in that principal is paid back monthly as payments of principal, including prepayments, on the mortgages in the underlying pool are passed through to holders of GNMA Certificates representing interests in the pool, rather than returned in a lump sum at maturity. The GNMA Certificates that the Portfolios may purchase are the “modified pass-through” type.

GNMA Guarantee. The National Housing Act authorizes GNMA to guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest on securities backed by a pool of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) or the Farmers’ Home Administration (“FMHA”) or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (“VA”). GNMA is also empowered to borrow without limitation from the U.S. Treasury, if necessary, to make payments required under its guarantee.

 

16


Table of Contents

Life of GNMA Certificates. The average life of a GNMA Certificate is likely to be substantially less than the stated maturity of the mortgages underlying the securities. Prepayments of principal by mortgagors and mortgage foreclosures will usually result in the return of the greater part of principal investment long before the maturity of the mortgages in the pool. Foreclosures impose no risk of loss of the principal balance of a Certificate, because of the GNMA guarantee, but foreclosure may impact the yield to shareholders because of the need to reinvest proceeds of foreclosure. As prepayment rates of individual mortgage pools vary widely, it is not possible to predict accurately the average life of a particular issue of GNMA Certificates. However, statistics published by the FHA indicate that the average life of single family dwelling mortgages with 25- to 30-year maturities, the type of mortgages backing the vast majority of GNMA Certificates, is approximately 12 years. Prepayments are likely to increase in periods of falling interest rates. It is customary to treat GNMA Certificates as 30-year mortgage-backed securities that prepay fully in the twelfth year.

Yield Characteristics of GNMA Certificates. The coupon rate of interest of GNMA Certificates is lower than the interest rate paid on the VA-guaranteed or FHA-insured mortgages underlying the certificates, by the amount of the fees paid to GNMA and the issuer. The coupon rate by itself, however, does not indicate the yield that will be earned on GNMA Certificates. First, GNMA Certificates may be issued at a premium or discount rather than at par, and, after issuance, GNMA Certificates may trade in the secondary market at a premium or discount. Second, interest is earned monthly, rather than semi-annually as with traditional bonds; monthly compounding raises the effective yield earned. Finally, the actual yield of a GNMA Certificate is influenced by the prepayment experience of the mortgage pool underlying it. For example, if interest rates decline, prepayments may occur faster than had been originally projected and the yield to maturity and the investment income of the Portfolios would be reduced.

Government Trust Certificates

Government Trust Certificates represent an interest in a government trust, the property of which consists of (i) a promissory note of a foreign government no less than 90% of which is backed by the full faith and credit guaranty issued by the Federal Government of the United States (issued pursuant to Title III of the Foreign Operations, Export, Financing and Related Borrowers Programs Appropriations Act of 1998); and (ii) a security interest in obligations of the U.S. Treasury backed by the full faith and credit of the United States sufficient to support the remaining balance (no more than 10%) of all payments of principal and interest on such promissory note; provided that such obligations shall not be rated less than AAA or less than Aaa by an NRSRO.

Guaranteed Investment Contracts (“GICs”)

GICs are issued by insurance companies. Pursuant to such contracts, a Portfolio makes cash contributions to a deposit fund of the insurance company’s general account. The insurance company then credits the Portfolio on a monthly basis guaranteed interest, which is based on an index. The GICs provide that this guaranteed interest will not be less than a certain minimum rate. The insurance company may assess periodic charges against a GIC for expense and service costs allocable to it, and the charges will be deducted from the value of the deposit fund. In addition, because the Portfolios may not receive the principal amount of a GIC from the insurance company on seven days’ notice or less, the GIC is considered an illiquid investment, and, together with other instruments invested in by a Portfolio which are not readily marketable, will not exceed 15% of a Portfolio’s net assets. The term of a GIC will be one year or less. In determining average weighted portfolio maturity, a GIC will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period of time remaining until the next readjustment of the guaranteed interest rate.

 

17


Table of Contents

Industrial Development and Pollution Control Bonds. Tax-exempt industrial development bonds and pollution control bonds are revenue bonds and generally are not payable from the unrestricted revenues of an issuer. They are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to raise money to finance privately operated facilities for business, manufacturing, housing, sport complexes, and pollution control. Consequently, the credit quality of these securities is dependent upon the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds and any guarantor to meet its financial obligations.

Interest/Principal Only Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities (“SMBS”)

SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing.

SMBS are structured with two or more classes of securities that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have at least one class receiving only a small portion of the interest and a larger portion of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other classes will receive primarily interest and only a small portion of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the Interest-Only or “IO” class), while the other class will receive the entire principal (the Principal-Only or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on such security’s yield to maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Portfolio may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in these securities. The determination of whether a particular government-issued IO or PO backed by fixed-rate mortgages is liquid is made by the adviser or the sub-adviser under guidelines and standards established by a Portfolio’s Board. Such a security may be deemed liquid if it can be disposed of promptly in the ordinary course of business at a value reasonably close to that used in the calculation of net asset value per share.

Risks of Investing in Mortgage-Backed Securities

Investments in mortgage-backed securities involve certain risks. In periods of declining interest rates, prices of fixed-income securities tend to rise. However, during such periods, the rate of prepayment of mortgages underlying mortgage-backed securities tends to increase, with the result that such prepayments must be reinvested by the issuer at lower rates. The rate of prepayments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-backed security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective maturity of the security beyond what was anticipated at the time of the purchase. Unanticipated rates of prepayment on underlying mortgages can be expected to increase the volatility of such securities. In addition, the value of these securities may fluctuate in response to the market’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuers of mortgage-related securities owned by a Portfolio. Because investments in mortgage-backed securities are interest rate sensitive, the ability of the issuer to reinvest favorably in underlying mortgages may be limited by government regulation or tax policy. For example, action by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to limit the growth of the nation’s money supply may cause interest rates to rise and thereby reduce the volume of new residential mortgages. Additionally, although mortgages and mortgage-backed securities are generally supported by some form of government or private guarantees and/or insurance, there is no assurance that private guarantors or insurers will be able to meet their obligations. Further, SMBS are likely to experience greater price volatility than other types of mortgage securities. The yield to maturity on the interest only class is extremely sensitive, both to changes in prevailing interest rates and to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying mortgage assets. Similarly, the yield to maturity on

 

18


Table of Contents

CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to prepayments on the related underlying mortgage assets. In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are made. A Portfolio could fail to fully recover its initial investment in a CMO residual or a SMBS.

Loan Participation and Assignments

A Portfolio’s investment in loan participations typically will result in the Portfolio having a contractual relationship only with the lender and not with the borrower. A Portfolio will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing a participation, a Portfolio generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any right of set-off against the borrower, and the Portfolio may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, a Portfolio may be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling a participation, a Portfolio may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower.

When a Portfolio purchases a loan assignment from lenders, it will acquire direct rights against the borrowers on the loan. Because assignments are arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, however, the rights and obligations acquired by the Portfolio as the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender. Because there is no liquid market for such securities, the Portfolio anticipates that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and a Portfolio’s ability to dispose of particular assignments or participations when necessary to meet redemptions of Portfolio shares, to meet the Portfolio’s liquidity needs or when necessary in response to a specific economic event, such as deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for assignments and participations also may make it more difficult for a Portfolio to value these securities for purposes of calculating its net asset value.

Moral Obligation Securities

Municipal securities may include “moral obligation” securities, which are usually issued by special purpose public authorities. A moral obligation bond is a type of state-issued municipal bond which is backed by a moral, not a legal obligation. If the issuer of moral obligation bonds cannot fulfill its financial responsibilities from current revenues, it may draw upon a reserve fund, the restoration of which is a moral commitment but not a legal obligation of the state or municipality, which created the issuer.

Mortgage-Backed Securities

Mortgage-backed securities include U.S. government agency mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities, including the GNMA, FNMA and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Association (“FHLMC”). These instruments might be considered derivatives. The primary risks associated with these instruments are the risk that their value will change with changes in interest rates and prepayment risk. (See, “U.S. Government Securities”)

 

19


Table of Contents

One type of mortgage-backed security includes certificates that represent pools of mortgage loans assembled for sale to investors by various governmental and private organizations. These securities provide a monthly payment, which consists of both an interest and a principal payment that is in effect a “pass-through” of the monthly payment made by each individual borrower on his or her residential mortgage loan, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying residential property, refinancing, or foreclosure, net of fees or costs that may be incurred.

“Pass-through” certificates, such as those issued by GNMA, entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, regardless of whether the mortgagor actually makes the payment. A major governmental guarantor of pass-through certificates is GNMA. GNMA guarantees, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, the timely payments of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers). Certificates issued by GNMA are backed by pools of FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed mortgages. Other governmental include FNMA and FHLMC (though these certificates are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government). FNMA purchases residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/services that include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual saving banks, commercial banks, credit unions, and mortgage bankers.

The prices of high coupon U.S. government agency mortgage-backed securities do not tend to rise as rapidly as those of traditional fixed-rate securities at times when interest rates are decreasing, and tend to decline more slowly at times when interest rates are increasing.

Certain Portfolios may also purchase mortgage-backed securities issued by commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers that also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may in addition be the originators of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the pass-through certificates. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of return than governmental pools because there are no direct or indirect governmental guarantees of payments in the private pools. However, the timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance. The insurance and guarantees are issued by government entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers.

It is expected that governmental or private entities may create mortgage loan pools offering pass-through investments in addition to those described above. As new types of pass-through securities are developed and offered to investors, the adviser or the sub-adviser may, consistent with the Portfolios’ investment objectives, policies and restrictions, consider making investments in such new types of securities.

Other types of mortgage-backed securities in which the Portfolios indicated above may invest include debt securities that are secured, directly or indirectly, by mortgages on commercial real estate or residential rental properties, or by first liens on residential manufactured homes (as defined in section 603(6) of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974), whether such manufactured homes are considered real or personal property under the laws of the states in which they are located. Securities in this investment category include, among others, standard mortgage-backed bonds and newer CMOs. Mortgage-backed bonds are secured by pools of mortgages, but unlike pass-through securities, payments to bondholders are not determined by payments on the mortgages. The bonds consist of a single class, with interest payable periodically and principal payable on the stated date of maturity. CMOs have characteristics of both pass-through securities and mortgage-backed bonds. CMOs are secured by pools of mortgages, typically in the form of “guaranteed” pass-through certificates such as GNMA, FNMA, or FHLMC securities. The payments on the collateral securities determine the payments to bondholders, but there is not a direct “pass-through” of payments. CMOs are structured into

 

20


Table of Contents

multiple classes, each bearing a different date of maturity. Monthly payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, is first returned to investors holding the shortest maturity class. Investors holding the longest maturity class receive principal only after the shorter maturity classes have been retired.

CMOs are issued by entities that operate under order from the SEC exempting such issuers from the provisions of the 1940 Act. Until recently, the staff of the SEC had taken the position that such issuers were investment companies and that, accordingly, an investment by an investment company (such as the Portfolios) in the securities of such issuers was subject to the limitations imposed by Section 12 of the 1940 Act. However, in reliance on SEC staff interpretations, certain Portfolios may invest in securities issued by certain “exempted issuers” without regard to the limitations of Section 12 of the 1940 Act. In its interpretation, the SEC staff defined “exempted issuers” as unmanaged, fixed asset issuers that: (a) invest primarily in mortgage-backed securities; (b) do not issue redeemable securities as defined in Section 2(a)(32) of the 1940 Act; (c) operate under the general exemptive orders exempting them from all provisions of the 1940 Act; and (d) are not registered or regulated under the 1940 Act as investment companies.

An additional class of mortgage-backed securities includes parallel-pay CMOs and Planned Amortization Class CMOs (“PAC Bonds”). Parallel-pay CMOs are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PAC Bonds generally call for payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date.

Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of mortgage-backed securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, a Portfolio that holds mortgage-backed securities may exhibit additional volatility. This is known as extension risk. In addition, mortgage-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates decline and liquidity is available to borrowers, borrowers may pay off their mortgage sooner than expected. This can reduce the returns of a Portfolio because a Portfolio will have to reinvest that money at the lower prevailing interest rates. Many mortgage-backed securities are designed to allocate risk from pools of their underlying assets. However, such risk allocation techniques may not be successful, which could lead to the credit risk of these investments being greater than indicated by their ratings. The value of mortgage-backed securities may be further affected by downturns in the credit markets or the real estate market. It may be difficult to value the mortgage-backed securities because of the transparency or liquidity of some underlying investments, and these instruments may not be liquid.

Some of these mortgage-backed securities may have exposure to subprime loans or subprime mortgages, which are loans to persons with impaired credit ratings. However, it may be difficult to determine which securities have exposure to subprime loans or mortgages. Furthermore, the risk allocation techniques employed by these instruments may not be successful, which could lead to the credit risk of these instruments being greater than indicated by their ratings. The value of these instruments may be further affected by downturns in the credit markets or the real estate market. It may be difficult to value these instruments because of concerns about their transparency. These instruments may not be liquid.

Privately issued CMOs are arrangements in which the underlying mortgages are held by the issuer, which then issues debt collateralized by the underlying mortgage assets. Such securities may be backed by mortgage insurance, letters of credit or other credit enhancing features. They are, however, not guaranteed by any government agency and are secured by the collateral held by the issuer. Privately Issued CMOs are subject to prepayment risk due to the possibility that prepayments on the underlying assets will alter the cash flow.

 

21


Table of Contents

In connection with the purchase of certain asset-backed securities and commercial mortgage-backed securities (“TALF ABS”), a Portfolio may borrow from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York under its Term Asset-Back Securities Loan Facility (“TALF”). Pursuant to the TALF Program, a Portfolio may receive one or more three- to five-year term non-recourse loans to purchase TALF ABS in return for the payment of a haircut amount (usually 5% - 15% of the loan amount) and a pledge of the TALF ABS.

Municipal Lease Obligations

Municipal lease obligations are lease obligations or installment purchase contract obligations of municipal authorities or entities. Although lease obligations do not constitute general obligations of the municipality for which its taxing power is pledged, a lease obligation is ordinarily backed by the municipality’s covenant to budget for, appropriate and make the payment due under the lease obligation. They may also purchase “certificates of participation,” which are securities issued by a particular municipality or municipal authority to evidence a proportionate interest in base rental or lease payments relating to a specific project to be made by the municipality, agency or authority. However, certain lease obligations contain “non-appropriation” clauses, which provide that the municipality has no obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in any year unless money is appropriated for such purpose for such year. Although “non-appropriation” lease obligations are secured by the leased property; disposition of the property in the event of default and foreclosure might prove difficult. In addition, these securities represent a relatively new type of financing, and certain lease obligations may therefore be considered to be illiquid securities.

The Portfolios will attempt to minimize the special risks inherent in municipal lease obligations and certificates of participation by purchasing only lease obligations which meet the following criteria: (1) rated A or better by at least one NRSRO; (2) secured by payments from a governmental lessee which has actively traded debt obligations; (3) determined by the adviser or the sub-adviser to be critical to the lessee’s ability to deliver essential services; and (4) contain legal features which the adviser or the sub-adviser deems appropriate, such as covenants to make lease payments without the right of offset or counterclaim, requirements for insurance policies, and adequate debt service reserve funds.

Municipal Securities

Municipal securities are debt obligations issued by state and local governments, territories and possessions of the United States, regional government authorities, and their agencies and instrumentalities (“municipal securities”). Municipal securities include both notes (which have maturities of less than one year) and bonds (which have maturities of one year or more) that bear fixed or variable rates of interest.

In general, “municipal securities” debt obligations are issued to obtain funds for a variety of public purposes, such as the construction, repair, or improvement of public facilities including airports, bridges, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, streets, water, and sewer works. Municipal securities may be issued to refinance outstanding obligations as well as to raise funds for general operating expenses and lending to other public institutions and facilities.

The two principal classifications of municipal securities are “general obligation” securities and “revenue” securities. General obligation securities are secured by the issuer’s pledge of its full faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Characteristics and methods of enforcement of general obligation bonds vary according to the law applicable to a particular issuer, and the taxes that can be levied for the payment of debt service may be limited or unlimited as to rates or amounts of special assessments. Revenue securities are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility, a class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax. Revenue bonds are issued to finance a wide variety of capital projects including: electric, gas, water and sewer systems; highways,

 

22


Table of Contents

bridges, and tunnels; port and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. Although the principal security behind these bonds may vary, many provide additional security in the form of a debt service reserve fund the assets of which may be used to make principal and interest payments on the issuer’s obligations. Housing finance authorities have a wide range of security, including partially or fully insured mortgages, rent subsidized and collateralized mortgages, and the net revenues from housing or other public projects. Some authorities are provided further security in the form of a state’s assistance (although without obligation) to make up deficiencies in the debt service reserve fund.

Insured municipal debt may also be purchased, in which scheduled payments of interest and principal are guaranteed by a private, non-governmental or governmental insurance company. The insurance does not guarantee the market value of the municipal debt or the value of the shares of the Portfolio.

Securities of issuers of municipal obligations are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. In addition, the obligations of such issuers may become subject to laws enacted in the future by Congress, state legislatures or referenda extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or upon the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Furthermore, as a result of legislation or other conditions, the power or ability of any issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its municipal obligations may be materially affected.

Short-Term Municipal Obligations. These securities include the following:

Tax Anticipation Notes are used to finance working capital needs of municipalities and are issued in anticipation of various seasonal tax revenues, to be payable from these specific future taxes. They are usually general obligations of the issuer, secured by the taxing power of the municipality for the payment of principal and interest when due.

Revenue Anticipation Notes are issued in expectation of receipt of other kinds of revenue, such as federal revenues available under the Federal Revenue Sharing Program. They also are usually general obligations of the issuer.

Bond Anticipation Notes normally are issued to provide interim financing until long-term financing can be arranged. The long-term bonds then provide the money for the repayment of the notes.

Construction Loan Notes are sold to provide construction financing for specific projects. After successful completion and acceptance, many projects receive permanent financing through the FNMA or the GNMA.

Short-Term Discount Notes (tax-exempt commercial paper) are short-term (365 days or less) promissory notes issued by municipalities to supplement their cash flow.

Short-Term Investments

Commercial Paper, Short-Term Notes, and Other Corporate Obligations

Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations. Issues of commercial paper and short-term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year.

 

23


Table of Contents

Corporate obligations include bonds and notes issued by corporations to finance longer-term credit needs than supported by commercial paper. While such obligations generally have maturities of ten years or more, the Portfolios may purchase corporate obligations which have remaining maturities of one year or less from the date of purchase and which are rated “AA” or higher by S&P or “Aa” or higher by Moody’s or a comparable rating agency.

Commercial paper and short-term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase “A-2” or higher by S&P, “Prime-1” or “Prime-2” by Moody’s, or similarly rated by another NRSRO or, if unrated, will be determined by the adviser or the sub-adviser to be of comparable quality. These rating symbols are described in the Appendix.

Subordinated Mortgage Securities

Subordinated mortgage securities have certain characteristics and certain associated risks. In general, the subordinated mortgage securities in which the Portfolios may invest consist of a series of certificates issued in multiple classes with a stated maturity or final distribution date. One or more classes of each series may be entitled to receive distributions allocable only to principal, principal prepayments, interest or any combination thereof prior to one or more other classes, or only after the occurrence of certain events, and may be subordinated in the right to receive such distributions on such certificates to one or more senior classes of certificates. The rights associated with each class of certificates are set forth in the applicable pooling and servicing agreement, form of certificate and offering documents for the certificates.

The subordination terms are usually designed to decrease the likelihood that the holders of senior certificates will experience losses or delays in the receipt of their distributions and to increase the likelihood that the senior certificate holders will receive aggregate distributions of principal and interest in the amounts anticipated. Generally, pursuant to such subordination terms, distributions arising out of scheduled principal, principal prepayments, interest or any combination thereof that otherwise would be payable to one or more other classes of certificates of such series (i.e., the subordinated certificates) are paid instead to holders of the senior certificates. Delays in receipt of scheduled payments on mortgage loans and losses on defaulted mortgage loans are typically borne first by the various classes of subordinated certificates and then by the holders of senior certificates.

In some cases, the aggregate losses in respect of defaulted mortgage loans that must be borne by the subordinated certificates and the amount of the distributions otherwise distributable on the subordinated certificates that would, under certain circumstances, be distributable to senior certificate holders may be limited to a specified amount. All or any portion of distributions otherwise payable to holders of subordinated certificates may, in certain circumstances, be deposited into one or more reserve accounts for the benefit of the senior certificate holders. Since a greater risk of loss is borne by the subordinated certificate holders, such certificates generally have a higher stated yield than the senior certificates.

A series of certificates may consist of one or more classes as to which distributions allocable to principal will be allocated. The method by which the amount of principal to be distributed on the certificates on each distribution date is calculated and the manner in which such amount could be allocated among classes varies and could be effected pursuant to a fixed schedule, in relation to the occurrence of certain events or otherwise. Special distributions are also possible if distributions are received with respect to the mortgage assets, such as is the case when underlying mortgage loans are prepaid.

A mortgage-backed security that is senior to a subordinated residential mortgage security will not bear a loss resulting from the occurrence of a default on an underlying mortgage until all credit enhancement protecting such senior holder is exhausted. For example, the senior holder will only suffer a credit loss after all subordinated interests have been exhausted pursuant to the terms of the subordinated residential mortgage security. The primary credit risk to the Portfolios by investing in subordinated residential

 

24


Table of Contents

mortgage securities is potential losses resulting from defaults by the borrowers under the underlying mortgages. The Portfolios would generally realize such a loss in connection with a subordinated residential mortgage security only if the subsequent foreclosure sale of the property securing a mortgage loan does not produce an amount at least equal to the sum of the unpaid principal balance of the loan as of the date the borrower went into default, the interest that was not paid during the foreclosure period and all foreclosure expenses.

The adviser will seek to limit the risks presented by subordinated residential mortgage securities by reviewing and analyzing the characteristics of the mortgage loans that underlie the pool of mortgages securing both the senior and subordinated residential mortgage securities. The adviser has developed a set of guidelines to assist in the analysis of the mortgage loans underlying subordinated residential mortgage securities. Each pool purchase is reviewed against the guidelines. The Portfolios seek opportunities to acquire subordinated residential mortgage securities where, in the view of the adviser, the potential for a higher yield on such instruments outweighs any additional risk presented by the instruments. The adviser will seek to increase yield to shareholders by taking advantage of perceived inefficiencies in the market for subordinated residential mortgage securities.

U.S. Government Securities

Each Portfolio may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or other U.S. government agencies or federally-chartered corporate entities referred to as “instrumentalities.” The obligations of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities in which a Portfolio may invest may or may not be guaranteed or supported by the “full faith and credit” of the United States. “Full faith and credit” means generally that the taxing power of the U.S. government is pledged to the payment of interest and repayment of principal on a security. If a security is not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the owner of the security must look principally to the agency issuing the obligation for repayment. The owner might be able to assert a claim against the United States if the issuing agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. The Portfolios will invest in securities of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities only if the sub-adviser is satisfied that the credit risk with respect to such instrumentality is minimal.

The Portfolios also may invest in U.S. Treasury obligations, obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies. U.S. Treasury obligations include Treasury bills, Treasury notes and Treasury bonds, and are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States as to timely payments of interest and repayments of principal. Obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies include direct obligations and mortgage-backed securities that have different levels of credit support from the government. Some are supported by full faith and credit of the U.S. government, such as GNMA pass-through mortgage certificates, some are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances, such as FNMA, others are supported only by the credit of the entity that issued them, such as FHLMC obligations.

In September 2008, FNMA and FHLMC were each placed into conservatorship by the U.S. government under the authority of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), an agency of the U.S. government, with a stated purpose to preserve and conserve FNMA’s and FHLMC’s assets and property and to put FNMA and FHLMC in a sound and solvent condition. In addition, the U.S. Treasury took the following additional steps with respect to FNMA and FHLMC: (i) a commitment of indefinite duration to maintain the positive net worth of FNMA and FHLMC in exchange for senior preferred stock and warrants for common stock of the entities; (ii) the establishment of a new secured lending credit facility that is available to FNMA and FHLMC until December 2009; and (iii) a temporary program to purchase FNMA and FHLMC mortgage-backed securities. More recently it was announced that purchase of FNMA and FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would continue through the first quarter of 2010. No assurance can be given that the purposes of the conservatorship and related actions under the authority of FHFA will be met or that the U.S. Treasury initiatives discussed above will be successful.

 

25


Table of Contents

Zero-Coupon and Pay-In-Kind Securities

Zero-coupon, or deferred interest securities, are debt obligations that do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to maturity or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest (the “cash payment date”) and therefore are issued and traded at a discount from their face amounts or par value. The discount varies, depending on the time remaining until maturity or cash payment date, prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the security and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. The discount, in the absence of financial difficulties of the issuer, decreases as the final maturity or cash payment date of the security approaches. The market prices of zero-coupon and delayed interest securities generally are more volatile than the market prices of securities that pay interest periodically and are likely to respond to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than do non-zero-coupon securities having similar maturities and credit quality. Current federal income tax law requires holders of zero-coupon securities to report as interest income each year the portion of the original issue discount on such securities (other than tax-exempt original issue discount from a zero- coupon security) that accrues that year, even though the holders receive no cash payments of interest during the year.

Pay-in-kind securities are securities that pay interest or dividends through the issuance of additional securities. A Portfolio will be required to report as income annual inclusions of original issue discount over the life of such securities as if it were paid on a current basis, although no cash interest or dividend payments are received by the Portfolio until the cash payment date or the securities mature. Under certain circumstances, the Portfolios could also be required to include accrued market discount or capital gain with respect to its pay-in-kind securities.

The risks associated with lower rated debt securities apply to these securities. Zero-coupon and pay-in-kind securities are also subject to the risk that in the event of a default, a Portfolio may realize no return on its investment, because these securities do not pay cash interest.

Derivatives

Generally, derivatives can be characterized as financial instruments whose value is derived, at least in part, from the value of an underlying asset or assets. Types of derivatives include options, futures contracts, options on futures and forward contracts. Derivative instruments may be used for a variety of reasons, including enhancing return, hedging certain market risks, or providing a substitute for purchasing or selling particular securities. Derivatives may provide a cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for the Portfolio to invest than “traditional” securities would.

Derivatives can be volatile and involve various types and degrees of risk, depending upon the characteristics of the particular derivative and the portfolio as a whole. Derivatives permit a Portfolio to increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, to which its portfolio is exposed in much the same way as the Portfolio can increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, of its portfolio by making investments in specific securities.

Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through privately negotiated transactions referred to as over-the-counter derivatives. Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency, which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. This guarantee usually is supported by a daily payment system (i.e., margin requirements) operated by the clearing agency in order to reduce overall credit risk. As a result, unless the clearing agency defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated with derivatives purchased on an exchange. By contrast, no clearing

 

26


Table of Contents

agency guarantees over-the-counter derivatives. Therefore, each party to an over-the-counter derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default. Accordingly, the Portfolios will consider the creditworthiness of counterparties to over-the-counter derivatives in the same manner as they would review the credit quality of a security to be purchased by a Portfolio. Over-the-counter derivatives are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since the other party to the transaction may be the only investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be interested in bidding for it.

Financial Futures Contracts and Related Options.

Financial futures contracts and related options may be used to hedge against changes in the market value of portfolio securities or securities that it intends to purchase. A Portfolio could purchase a financial futures contract (such as an interest rate futures contract or securities index futures contract) to protect against a decline in the value of its portfolio or to gain exposure to securities which the Portfolio otherwise wishes to purchase. Hedging is accomplished when an investor takes a position in the futures market opposite to his cash market position. There are two types of hedges — long (or buying) and short (or selling) hedges. Historically, prices in the futures market have tended to move in concert with cash market prices, and prices in the futures market have maintained a fairly predictable relationship to prices in the cash market. Thus, a decline in the market value of securities in a Portfolio’s portfolio may be protected against to a considerable extent by gains realized on futures contracts sales. Similarly, it is possible to protect against an increase in the market price of securities that a Portfolio may wish to purchase in the future by purchasing futures contracts. Upon entering into a futures contract, a Portfolio will be required to deposit with a broker an amount of cash or cash equivalents equal to approximately 1% to 5% of the contract price, which amount is subject to change by the exchange on which the contract is traded or by the broker.

Financial futures contracts, which are traded on a recognized exchange or board of trade, may be used. Financial futures contracts consist of interest rate futures contracts and securities index futures contracts. A public market presently exists in interest rate futures contracts covering long-term U.S. Treasury bonds, U.S. Treasury notes, three-month U.S. Treasury bills and GNMA certificates. Securities index futures contracts are currently traded with respect to the S&P 500® Index and such other broad-based stock market indices as the New York Stock Exchange Composite Stock Index and the Value Line Composite Stock Price Index. A clearing corporation associated with the exchange or board of trade on which a financial futures contract trades assumes responsibility for the completion of transactions and also guarantees that open futures contracts will be performed.

An interest rate futures contract obligates the seller of the contract to deliver, and the purchaser to take delivery of, the interest rate securities called for in the contract at a specified future time and at a specified price. A stock index assigns relative values to the common stocks included in the index, and the index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the common stocks so included. A stock index futures contract is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to a specified dollar amount times the difference between the stock index value at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the futures contract is originally struck. An option on a financial futures contract gives the purchaser the right to assume a position in the contract (a long position if the option is a call and short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option.

Options on interest rate futures involve the purchase of a put option on an interest rate futures contract to hedge against a decline in the value of its portfolio securities as a result of rising interest rates. The purchase of a call option on an interest rate futures contract is to hedge against the risk of an increase in the price of securities it intends to purchase resulting from declining interest rates. The selling of put and call options on interest rates futures contracts is utilized as part of a closing sale transaction to terminate its option positions.

 

27


Table of Contents

In contrast to the situation when a Portfolio purchases or sells a security, no security is delivered or received by the Portfolio upon the purchase or sale of a financial futures contract. Initially, a Portfolio will be required to segregate with its custodian bank an amount of cash and/or liquid assets. This amount is known as initial margin and is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract. The current initial margin deposit required per contract is approximately 5.00% of the contract amount. Brokers may establish deposit requirements higher than this minimum. Subsequent payments, called variation margin, will be made to and from the account on a daily basis as the price of the futures contract fluctuates. This process is known as marking to market. At the time of purchase of a futures contract or a call option on a futures contract, an amount of cash, U.S. government securities or other appropriate high-grade securities equal to the market value of the futures contract minus a Portfolio’s initial margin deposit with respect thereto will be segregated with the Portfolio’s custodian bank to collateralize fully the position and thereby ensure that it is not leveraged. The extent to which a Portfolio may enter into financial futures contracts and related options may also be limited by the requirements of the Code for qualification as a Regulated Investment Company (“RIC”).

The writer of an option on a futures contract is required to deposit margin pursuant to requirements similar to those applicable to futures contracts. Upon exercise of an option on a futures contract, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s margin account. This amount will be equal to the amount by which the market price of the futures contract at the time of exercise exceeds, in the case of a call, or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option on the futures contract.

Although financial futures contracts by their terms call for actual delivery or acceptance of securities, in most cases the contracts are closed out before the settlement date without the making or taking of delivery. Closing out is accomplished by effecting an offsetting transaction. A futures contract sale is closed out by effecting a futures contract purchase for the same aggregate amount of securities and the same delivery date. If the sale price exceeds the offsetting purchase price, the seller immediately would be paid the difference and would realize a gain. If the offsetting purchase price exceeds the sale price, the seller immediately would pay the difference and would realize a loss. Similarly, a futures contract purchase is closed out by effecting a futures contract sale for the same securities and the same delivery date. If the offsetting sale price exceeds the purchase price, the purchaser would realize a gain, whereas if the purchase price exceeds the offsetting sale price, the purchaser would realize a loss.

A Portfolio will pay commissions on financial futures contracts and related options transactions. These commissions may be higher than those that would apply to purchases and sales of securities directly.

Limitations and Risks on Futures Contracts and Related Options

The purchase of options involves certain risks. If a put option purchased by a Portfolio is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price, the Portfolio will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put option is purchased to hedge against price movements in a particular security, the price of the put option may move more or less than the price of the related security. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when a Portfolio seeks to close out an option position. Furthermore, if trading restrictions or suspensions are imposed on the options markets, a Portfolio may be unable to close out a position. Positions in futures contracts and related options may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for such contracts or options. A Portfolio will enter into an option or futures position only if there appears to be a liquid secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid

 

28


Table of Contents

secondary market will exist for any particular option or futures contract at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close out a futures or related option position. In the case of a futures position, in the event of adverse price movements a Portfolio would continue to be required to make daily margin payments. In this situation, if the Portfolio has insufficient cash to meet daily margin requirements it may have to sell portfolio securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, a Portfolio may be required to take or make delivery of the securities underlying the futures contracts it holds. The inability to close out futures positions also could have an adverse impact on a Portfolio’s ability to hedge its portfolio effectively.

There are several risks in connection with the use of futures contracts as a hedging device. While hedging can provide protection against an adverse movement in market prices, it can also preclude a hedger’s opportunity to benefit from a favorable market movement. In addition, investing in futures contracts and options on futures contracts will cause the Portfolios to incur additional brokerage commissions and may cause an increase in a Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate. The successful use of futures contracts and related options also depends on the ability of the adviser or the sub-adviser to forecast correctly the direction and extent of market movements within a given time frame. To the extent market prices remain stable during the period a futures contract or option is held by a Portfolio or such prices move in a direction opposite to that anticipated, a Portfolio may realize a loss on the hedging transaction that is not offset by an increase in the value of its portfolio securities. As a result, the return of the Portfolio for the period may be less than if it had not engaged in the hedging transaction.

The use of futures contracts involves the risk of imperfect correlation in movements in the price of futures contracts and movements in the price of the securities that are being hedged. If the price of the futures contract moves more or less than the price of the securities being hedged, a Portfolio will experience a gain or loss that will not be completely offset by movements in the price of the securities. It is possible that, where a Portfolio has sold futures contracts to hedge its portfolio against a decline in the market, the market may advance and the value of securities held in the Portfolio’s portfolio may decline. If this occurred, a Portfolio would lose money on the futures contract and would also experience a decline in value in its portfolio securities. Where futures are purchased to hedge against a possible increase in the prices of securities before a Portfolio is able to invest its cash (or cash equivalents) in securities (or options) in an orderly fashion, it is possible that the market may decline; if the Portfolio then determines not to invest in securities (or options) at that time because of concern as to possible further market decline or for other reasons, the Portfolio will realize a loss on the futures that would not be offset by a reduction in the price of the securities purchased.

The market prices of futures contracts may be affected if participants in the futures market elect to close out their contracts through off-setting transactions rather than to meet margin deposit requirements. In such a case, distortions in the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets could result. Price distortions could also result if investors in futures contracts opt to make or take delivery of the underlying securities rather than to engage in closing transactions due to the resultant reduction in the liquidity of the futures market. In addition, due to the fact that, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the cash market, increased participation by speculators in the futures market could cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortions in the futures market and because of the imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of securities and movements in the prices of futures contracts, a correct forecast of market trends may still not result in a successful transaction.

Compared to the purchase or sale of futures contracts, the purchase of put or call options on futures contracts involves less potential risk for a Portfolio because the maximum amount at risk is the premium paid for the options plus transaction costs. However, there may be circumstances when the purchase of an option on a futures contract would result in a loss to a Portfolio while the purchase or sale of the futures contract would not have resulted in a loss, such as when there is no movement in the price of the underlying securities.

 

29


Table of Contents

Foreign Currency Futures Contracts. Foreign currency future contracts may be used for hedging purposes. A foreign currency futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a foreign currency at a specified price and time. A public market exists in futures contracts covering several foreign currencies, including the Australian dollar, the Canadian dollar, the British pound, the Japanese yen, the Swiss franc, and certain multinational currencies such as the European euro. Other foreign currency futures contracts are likely to be developed and traded in the future. The Portfolios will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.

Foreign Currency Options

A put or call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell or purchase a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. The Portfolios use foreign currency options separately or in combination to control currency volatility. Among the strategies employed to control currency volatility is an option collar. An option collar involves the purchase of a put option and the simultaneous sale of call option on the same currency with the same expiration date but with different exercise (or “strike”) prices. Generally, the put option will have an out-of-the-money strike price, while the call option will have either an at-the-money strike price or an in-the-money strike price. Foreign currency options are derivative securities. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits, which may limit the ability of the Portfolios to reduce foreign currency risk using such options.

As with other kinds of option transactions, writing options on foreign currency constitutes only a partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received. The Portfolios could be required to purchase or sell foreign currencies at disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The purchase of an option on foreign currency may constitute an effective hedge against exchange rate fluctuations; however, in the event of exchange rate movements adverse to a Portfolio’s position, the Portfolio may forfeit the entire amount of the premium plus related transaction costs.

Forward Currency Contracts

Forward currency contracts are entered into in anticipation of changes in currency exchange rates. A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. For example, a Portfolio might purchase a particular currency or enter into a forward currency contract to preserve the U.S. dollar price of securities it intends to or has contracted to purchase. Alternatively, it might sell a particular currency on either a spot or forward basis to hedge against an anticipated decline in the dollar value of securities it intends to or has contracted to sell. Although this strategy could minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, it could also limit any potential gain from an increase in the value of the currency.

Index-, Currency-, and Equity-Linked Securities.

“Index-linked” or “commodity-linked” notes are debt securities of companies that call for interest payments and/or payment at maturity in different terms than the typical note where the borrower agrees to make fixed interest payments and to pay a fixed sum at maturity. Principal and/or interest payments on an index-linked note depend on the performance of one or more market indices, such as the S&P 500®

 

30


Table of Contents

Index or a weighted index of commodity futures such as crude oil, gasoline and natural gas. They may also invest in “equity linked” and “currency-linked” debt securities. At maturity, the principal amount of an equity-linked debt security is exchanged for common stock of the issuer or is payable in an amount based on the issuer’s common stock price at the time of maturity. Currency-linked debt securities are short-term or intermediate term instruments having a value at maturity, and/or an interest rate, determined by reference to one or more foreign currencies. Payment of principal or periodic interest may be calculated as a multiple of the movement of one currency against another currency, or against an index.

Index- and currency-linked securities are derivative instruments, which may entail substantial risks. Such instruments may be subject to significant price volatility. The company issuing the instrument may fail to pay the amount due on maturity. The underlying investment or security may not perform as expected by the adviser or the sub-adviser. Markets, underlying securities and indexes may move in a direction that was not anticipated by the adviser or the sub-adviser. Performance of the derivatives may be influenced by interest rate and other market changes in the United States and abroad. Certain derivative instruments may be illiquid. (See, “Illiquid Securities”)

Over-the-Counter Options (“OTC Options”)

OTC Options and the assets used as cover for written OTC Options are illiquid securities. The Portfolios intend to establish standards for the creditworthiness of the primary dealers with which it may enter into OTC Option contracts and those standards, as modified from time to time, will be implemented and monitored by the adviser or the sub-adviser. Under these special arrangements, the Portfolios will enter into contracts with dealers that provide that the Portfolios have the absolute right to repurchase an option it writes at any time at a repurchase price which represents the fair market value, as determined in good faith through negotiation between the parties, but that in no event will exceed a price determined pursuant to a formula contained in the contract. Although the specific details of the formula may vary between contracts with different dealers, the formula will generally be based on a multiple of the premium received by the Portfolios for writing the option, plus the amount, if any, by which the option is “in-the-money.” The formula will also include a factor to account for the difference between the price of the security and the strike price of the option if the option is written “out-of-the-money.” “Strike price” refers to the price at which an option will be exercised. “Cover assets” refers to the amount of cash or liquid assets that must be segregated to collateralize the value of the futures contracts written by the Portfolios. Under such circumstances, the Portfolios will treat as illiquid that amount of the cover assets equal to the amount by which the formula price for the repurchase of the option is greater than the amount by which the market value of the security subject to the option exceeds the exercise price of the option (the amount by which the option is “in-the-money”). Although each agreement will provide that the Portfolios’ repurchase price shall be determined in good faith (and that it shall not exceed the maximum determined pursuant to the formula), the formula price will not necessarily reflect the market value of the option written. Therefore, the Portfolios might pay more to repurchase the OTC Option contract than the Portfolio would pay to close out a similar exchange-traded option.

Purchasing Options

Purchasing Put and Call Options: Put and call options are derivative securities traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges, including the AMEX, Chicago Board Options Exchange, Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Pacific Stock Exchange, and New York Stock Exchange. The Portfolios will engage in trading of such derivative securities exclusively for non-speculative hedging purposes.

If a put option is purchased, the Portfolios acquire the right to sell the underlying security at a specified price at any time during the term of the option (for “American-style” options) or on the option expiration date (for “European-style” options). Purchasing put options may be used as a portfolio investment

 

31


Table of Contents

strategy when the adviser or the sub-adviser perceives significant short-term risk but substantial long-term appreciation for the underlying security. The put option acts as an insurance policy, as it protects against significant downward price movement while it allows full participation in any upward movement. If the Portfolios hold a stock which the adviser or the sub-adviser believes has strong fundamentals, but for some reason may be weak in the near term, the Portfolios may purchase a put option on such security, thereby giving itself the right to sell such security at a certain strike price throughout the term of the option. Consequently, the Portfolios will exercise the put only if the price of such security falls below the strike price of the put. The difference between the put’s strike price and the market price of the underlying security on the date the Portfolios exercises the put, less transaction costs, is the amount by which the Portfolios hedge against a decline in the underlying security. If during the period of the option the market price for the underlying security remains at or above the put’s strike price, the put will expire worthless, representing a loss of the price the Portfolios paid for the put, plus transaction costs. If the price of the underlying security increases, the premium paid for the put option less any amount for which the put may be sold reduces the profit the Portfolios realizes on the sale of the securities.

If a call option is purchased, it acquires the right to purchase the underlying security at a specified price at any time during the term of the option. The purchase of a call option is a type of insurance policy to hedge against losses that could occur if the Portfolios have a short position in the underlying security and the security thereafter increases in price. The Portfolios will exercise a call option only if the price of the underlying security is above the strike price at the time of exercise. If during the option period the market price for the underlying security remains at or below the strike price of the call option, the option will expire worthless, representing a loss of the price paid for the option, plus transaction costs. If a Portfolio purchases the call option to hedge a short position in the underlying security and the price of the underlying security thereafter falls, the premium paid for the call option less any amount for which such option may be sold reduces the profit the Portfolio realizes on the cover of the short position in the security.

Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be sold when it has remaining value by a purchaser through a “closing sale transaction,” which is accomplished by selling an option of the same series as the option previously purchased. The Portfolios generally will purchase only those options for which the adviser or the sub-adviser believes there is an active secondary market to facilitate closing transactions.

Stock Index Options

Stock index options include put and call options with respect to the S&P 500® Index and other stock indices. These may be purchased as a hedge against changes in the values of portfolio securities or securities which it intends to purchase or sell, or to reduce risks inherent in the ongoing management of the Portfolios.

The distinctive characteristics of options on stock indices create certain risks not found in stock options generally. Because the value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index rather than the price of a particular stock, whether the Portfolios will realize a gain or loss on the purchase or sale of an option on an index depends upon movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market generally rather than movements in the price of a particular stock. Accordingly, successful use by a Portfolio of options on a stock index depends on the adviser’s or sub-adviser’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the stock market generally. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the price of individual stocks.

Index prices may be distorted if circumstances disrupt trading of certain stocks included in the index, such as if trading were halted in a substantial number of stocks included in the index. If this happens, a Portfolio could not be able to close out options, which it had purchased, and if restrictions on exercise

 

32


Table of Contents

were imposed, the Portfolio might be unable to exercise an option it holds, which could result in substantial losses to the Portfolio. The Portfolios purchase put or call options only with respect to an index which the adviser or the sub-adviser believes includes a sufficient number of stocks to minimize the likelihood of a trading halt in the index.

Swaps.

Securities Swaps Securities swaps, a technique primarily used to indirectly participate in the securities market of a country from which a Portfolio would otherwise be precluded for lack of an established securities custody and safekeeping system. A Portfolio deposits an amount of cash with its custodian (or the broker, if legally permitted) in an amount equal to the selling price of the underlying security. Thereafter, a Portfolio pays or receives cash from the broker equal to the change in the value of the underlying security.

Interest and Currency Swaps. Interest rate and currency swap transactions and purchase or sell interest rate and currency caps and floors may be used, as well as entering into currency swap cap transactions. An interest rate or currency swap involves an agreement between a Portfolio and another party to exchange payments calculated as if they were interest on a specified (“notional”) principal amount (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments by one party for fixed rate payments by the other). An interest rate cap or floor entitles the purchaser, in exchange for a premium, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the seller of the cap or floor, to the extent that a specified reference rate exceeds or falls below a predetermined level. A Portfolio usually enters into such transactions on a “net” basis, with the Portfolio receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payment streams. The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Portfolio’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each swap is accrued on a daily basis, and an amount of cash or high-quality liquid securities having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained in a segregated account by the Trust’s custodian. If a Portfolio enters into a swap on other than a net basis, or sells caps or floors, the Portfolio maintains a segregated account in the full amount accrued on a daily basis of the Portfolio’s obligations with respect to the transaction. Such segregated accounts are maintained in accordance with applicable regulations of the SEC.

A Portfolio will not enter into any of these derivative transactions unless the unsecured senior debt or the claims paying ability of the other party to the transaction is rated at least “high quality” at the time of purchase by at least one of the established rating agencies (e.g., AAA or AA by S&P). The swap market has grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and agents utilizing standard swap documentation, and the adviser or the sub-adviser has determined that the swap market has become relatively liquid. Swap transactions do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal, and the risk of loss with respect to such transactions is limited to the net amount of payments that the Portfolio is contractually obligated to make or receive. Caps and floors are more recent innovations for which standardized documentation has not yet been developed; accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps. Caps and floors purchased by a Portfolio are considered to be illiquid assets.

Interest Rate Swaps

As indicated above, an interest rate swap is a contract between two entities (“counterparties”) to exchange interest payments (of the same currency) between the parties. In the most common interest rate swap structure, one counterparty agrees to make floating rate payments to the other counterparty, which in turn makes fixed-rate payments to the first counterparty. Interest payments are determined by applying the respective interest rates to an agreed upon amount, referred to as the “notional principal amount.” In most such transactions, the floating rate payments are tied to the LIBOR, which is the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. As there is no exchange of principal amounts, an interest rate swap is not an investment or a borrowing.

 

33


Table of Contents

Cross-Currency Swaps. A cross-currency swap is a contract between two counterparties to exchange interest and principal payments in different currencies. A cross-currency swap normally has an exchange of principal at maturity (the final exchange); an exchange of principal at the start of the swap (the initial exchange) is optional. An initial exchange of notional principal amounts at the spot exchange rate serves the same function as a spot transaction in the foreign exchange market (for an immediate exchange of foreign exchange risk). An exchange at maturity of notional principal amounts at the spot exchange rate serves the same function as a forward transaction in the foreign exchange market (for a future transfer of foreign exchange risk). The currency swap market convention is to use the spot rate rather than the forward rate for the exchange at maturity. The economic difference is realized through the coupon exchanges over the life of the swap. In contrast to single currency interest rate swaps, cross-currency swaps involve both interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk.

Swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise change an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. It is different from a forward swap, which is a commitment to enter into a swap that starts at some future date with specified rates. A swap option may be structured European-style (exercisable on the pre-specified date) or American-style (exercisable during a designated period). The right pursuant to a swap option must be exercised by the right holder. The buyer of the right to a swap option is said to own a call.

Caps and Floors. Interest rate caps and floors and currency swap cap transactions. An interest rate cap is a right to receive periodic cash payments over the life of the cap equal to the difference between any higher actual level of interest rates in the future and a specified strike (or “cap”) level. The cap buyer purchases protection for a floating rate move above the strike. An interest rate floor is the right to receive periodic cash payments over the life of the floor equal to the difference between any lower actual level of interest rates in the future and a specified strike (or “floor”) level. The floor buyer purchases protection for a floating rate move below the strike. The strikes are typically based on the three-month LIBOR (although other indices are available) and are measured quarterly. Rights arising pursuant to both caps and floors are exercised automatically if the strike is in the money. Caps and floors eliminate the risk that the buyer fails to exercise an in-the-money option.

Risks Associated with Swaps, Caps and Floors

The risks associated with interest rate and currency swaps and interest rate caps and floors are similar to those described above with respect to dealer options. In connection with such transactions, a Portfolio relies on the other party to the transaction to perform its obligations pursuant to the underlying agreement. If there were a default by the other party to the transaction, the Portfolio would have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreement, but could incur delays in obtaining the expected benefit of the transaction or loss of such benefit. In the event of insolvency of the other party, the Portfolio might be unable to obtain its expected benefit. In addition, while each Portfolio will seek to enter into such transactions only with parties which are capable of entering into closing transactions with the Portfolio, there can be no assurance that a Portfolio will be able to close out such a transaction with the other party, or obtain an offsetting position with any other party, at any time prior to the end of the term of the underlying agreement. This may impair a Portfolio’s ability to enter into other transactions at a time when doing so might be advantageous.

 

34


Table of Contents

Straddles

A straddle, which may be used for hedging purposes, is a combinations of put and call options on the same underlying security used for hedging purposes to adjust the risk and return characteristics of a Portfolio’s overall position. A possible combined position would involve writing a covered call option at one strike price and buying a call option at a lower price, in order to reduce the risk of the written covered call option in the event of a substantial price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.

Warrants

A warrant gives the holder a right to purchase at any time during a specified period a predetermined number of shares of common stock at a fixed price. Unlike convertible debt securities or preferred stock, warrants do not pay a fixed dividend. Additionally, warrants do not have any voting rights. Investments in warrants involve certain risks, including the possible lack of a liquid market for resale of the warrants, potential price fluctuations as a result of speculation or other factors, and failure of the price of the underlying security to reach or have reasonable prospects of reaching a level at which the warrant can be prudently exercised (in which event the warrant may expire without being exercised, resulting in a loss of a Portfolio’s entire investment therein).

Put and call index warrants are instruments whose values vary depending on the change in the value of one or more specified securities indices (“Index Warrants”). Index Warrants are generally issued by banks or other financial institutions and give the holder the right, at any time during the term of the warrant, to receive upon exercise of the warrant a cash payment from the issuer, based on the value of the underlying index at the time of exercise. In general, if the value of the underlying index rises above the exercise price of the Index Warrant, the holder of a call warrant will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise, based on the difference between the value of the index and the exercise price of the warrant; if the value of the underlying index falls, the holder of a put warrant will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise, based on the difference between the exercise price of the warrant and the value of the index. The holder of a warrant would not be entitled to any payments from the issuer at any time when, in the case of a call warrant, the exercise price is greater than the value of the underlying index, or, in the case of a put warrant, the exercise price is less than the value of the underlying index. If a Portfolio were not to exercise an Index Warrant prior to its expiration, then the Portfolio would lose the amount of the purchase price paid by it for the warrant. Certain Portfolios will normally use Index Warrants in a manner similar to their use of options on securities indices. The risks of using Index Warrants are generally similar to those relating to its use of index options. Unlike most index options, however, Index Warrants are issued in limited amounts and are not obligations of a regulated clearing agency, but are backed only by the credit of the bank or other institution that issues the warrant. Also, Index Warrants generally have longer terms than index options. Index Warrants are not likely to be as liquid as certain index options backed by a recognized clearing agency. In addition, the terms of Index Warrants may limit a Portfolio’s ability to exercise the warrants at such time, or in such quantities, as the Portfolio would otherwise wish to do.

Writing Options

Covered call options are considered “covered” if a Portfolio owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute right to acquire the security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or cash equivalents in such amount as are held in a segregated account by the custodian). The writer of a call option receives a premium and gives the purchaser the right to buy the security underlying the option at the exercise price. The writer has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security against payment of the exercise price during the option period. If

 

35


Table of Contents

the writer of an exchange-traded option wishes to terminate his obligation, he may effect a “closing purchase transaction.” This is accomplished by buying an option of the same series as the option previously written. A writer may not effect a closing purchase transaction after it has been notified of the exercise of an option.

Effecting a closing transaction in the case of a written call option will permit a Portfolio to write another call option on the underlying security with either a different exercise price, expiration date or both. Also, effecting a closing transaction allows the cash or proceeds from the concurrent sale of any securities subject to the option to be used for other investments of the Portfolio. If the Portfolio desires to sell a particular security from its portfolio on which it has written a call option, it will effect a closing transaction prior to or concurrent with the sale of the security. A Portfolio realizes a gain from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is less than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are more than the premium paid to purchase the option. A Portfolio realizes a loss from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is more than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are less than the premium paid to purchase the option. However, because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security, appreciation of the underlying security owned by the Portfolio generally offsets, in whole or in part, any loss to the Portfolio resulting from the repurchase of a call option.

Risks of Investing in Options on Securities and Indices

There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and indices. Options may be more volatile than the underlying instruments and, therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying instruments themselves. There are also significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objective. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of option of underlying securities; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or clearing corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by a clearing corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events. The extent to which a Portfolio may enter into options transactions may be limited by the Code requirements for qualification of the Portfolio as a RIC. (See, “Tax Considerations”)

In addition, foreign option exchanges do not afford to participants many of the protections available in United States option exchanges. For example, there may be no daily price fluctuation limits in such exchanges or markets, and adverse market movements could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over a period of time. Although the purchaser of an option cannot lose more than the amount of the premium plus related transaction costs, this entire amount could be lost. Moreover, a Portfolio as an option writer could lose amounts substantially in excess of its initial investment, due to the margin and collateral requirements typically associated with such option writing.

 

36


Table of Contents

Foreign and Emerging Market Investments

The Portfolios may invest in equity and debt securities of foreign issuers.

Securities of foreign issuers traded outside of the United States have certain common characteristics and risks. Foreign financial markets, while growing in volume, have, for the most part, substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable domestic companies. The foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Delivery of securities may not occur at the same time as payment in some foreign markets. Delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the assets of a Portfolio is uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of the Portfolios to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause the Portfolios to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the Portfolios due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio security or, if the Portfolios have entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible liability to the purchaser.

As foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those applicable to domestic companies, there may be less publicly available information about certain foreign companies than about domestic companies. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, financial institutions and issuers in foreign countries than there is in the United States. A foreign government may impose exchange control regulations that may have an impact on currency exchange rates, and there is the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political or social instability, or diplomatic developments that could affect U.S. investments in those countries.

Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the value of securities denominated or quated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and the realized appreciation or depreciation of investments so far a U.S. investors are concerned. Foreign securities markets, while growing in volume, have, for the most part, substantially less volume than U.S. markets. Securities of foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Transactional costs in non-U.S. securities markets are generally higher than in U.S. securities markets. In addition, transactions in foreign securities may involve greater time from the trade date until settlement than domestic securities transactions and involve the risk of possible losses through the holding of securities by custodians and securities depositories in foreign countries.

Although the Portfolios will use reasonable efforts to obtain the best available price and the most favorable execution with respect to all transactions and the adviser or the sub-adviser will consider the full range and quality of services offered by the executing broker or dealer when making these determinations, fixed commissions on many foreign stock exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges. Certain foreign governments levy withholding taxes against dividend and interest income, or may impose other taxes. Although in some countries a portion of these taxes are recoverable, the non-recovered portion of foreign withholding taxes will reduce the income received by the Portfolios on these investments. However, these foreign withholding taxes are not expected to have a significant impact on a Portfolio with an investment objective of long-term capital appreciation because any income earned by the Portfolio should be considered incidental.

 

37


Table of Contents

Emerging Market Securities

The risks of investing in foreign securities may be intensified in the case of investments in issuers domiciled or doing substantial business in emerging markets or countries with limited or developing capital markets. Security prices in emerging markets can be significantly more volatile than in the more developed nations of the world, reflecting the greater uncertainties of investing in less established markets and economies. In particular, countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, present the risk of sudden adverse government action and even nationalization of businesses, restrictions on foreign ownership, or prohibitions of repatriation of assets, and may have less protection of property rights than more developed countries. The economies of countries with emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates. Local securities markets may trade a small number of securities and may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. Transaction settlement and dividend collection procedures may be less reliable in emerging markets than in developed markets. Securities of issuers located in countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements.

Depositary Receipts

American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs,”) Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), and European Depsoitary Receipts (“EDRs”) or other similar securities represent securities of foreign issuers. These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities they represent. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying foreign securities and are typically designed for U.S. investors and held either in physical form or in book entry form. EDRs are receipts issued by a European financial institution evidencing a similar arrangement but may be listed and traded on a European exchange as well as in the United States. Typically these securities are traded on the Luxembourg exchange in Europe. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are similar to EDRs although they may be held through foreign clearing agents such as EuroClear Bank and other foreign depositaries.

Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar Instruments

Eurodollar instruments are bonds that pay interest and principal in U.S. dollars held in banks outside the United States, primarily in Europe. Eurodollar instruments are usually issued on behalf of multinational companies and foreign governments by large underwriting groups composed of banks and issuing houses from many countries. Yankee Dollar instruments are U.S. dollar denominated bonds issued in the United States by foreign banks and corporations. These investments involve risks that are different from investments in securities issued by U.S. issuers, and may carry same risks as investing in foreign securities.

Eurodollar Convertible Securities

Eurodollar convertible securities are fixed-income securities of a U.S. issuer or a foreign issuer that are issued outside the United States and are convertible into equity securities of the same or a different issuer. Interest and dividends on Eurodollar securities are payable in U.S. dollars outside of the United States. The Portfolios may invest without limitation in Eurodollar convertible securities that are convertible into foreign equity securities listed, or represented by ADRs listed, on the New York Stock Exchange or the AMEX or convertible into publicly traded common stock of U.S. companies. The Portfolios may also invest up to 15% of their respective total assets invested in convertible securities, taken at market value, in Eurodollar convertible securities that are convertible into foreign equity securities which are not listed, or represented by ADRs listed, on such exchanges.

 

38


Table of Contents

Foreign Bank Obligations

Obligations of foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks involve somewhat different investment risks from those affecting obligations of U.S. banks, including the possibilities that liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments; the obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of U.S. banks; a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations; foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized; foreign governmental restrictions (such as foreign exchange controls) may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations; and the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks. In addition, the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to U.S. banks. In that connection, foreign banks are not subject to examination by any U.S. government agency or instrumentality.

Foreign Currency Exchange Transactions

Because the Portfolios that invest in foreign securities may buy and sell securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, and receive interest, dividends and sale proceeds in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the Portfolios may enter into foreign currency exchange transactions to convert to and from different foreign currencies and to convert foreign currencies to and from the U.S. dollar. The Portfolios either enter into these transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market, or use forward foreign currency contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies. A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement to exchange one currency for another for example, to exchange a certain amount of U.S. dollars for a certain amount of Korean won at a future date. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts are included in the group of instruments that can be characterized as derivatives. Neither spot transactions for forward foreign currency exchange contracts eliminate fluctuations in the prices of a Portfolio’s portfolio securities or in foreign exchange rates, or prevent loss if the prices of these securities should decline.

Although these transactions tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time they tend to limit any potential gain that might be realized should the value of the hedged currency increase. The precise matching of the forward contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible because the future value of these securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures. The projection of currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the successful execution of a hedging strategy is highly uncertain. Use of currency hedging techniques may also be limited by management’s need to protect the status of the Portfolio as a RIC under the Code.

Foreign Mortgage-Related Securities

Foreign mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of mortgage loans made to residential home buyers domiciled in a foreign country. These include mortgage loans made by trust and mortgage loan companies, credit unions, chartered banks, and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations (e.g., Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and First Australian National Mortgage Acceptance Corporation Limited). The mechanics of these mortgage-related securities are generally the same as those issued in the United States. However, foreign mortgage markets may differ materially from the U.S. mortgage market with respect to matters such as the size of loan pools, pre-payment experience, and maturities of loans.

 

39


Table of Contents

International Debt Securities

International debt securities represent debt obligations (which may be denominated in U.S. dollar or in non-U.S. currencies) of any rating issued or guaranteed by foreign corporations, certain supranational entities (such as the World Bank) and foreign governments (including political subdivisions having taxing authority) or their agencies or instrumentalities, including ADRs. These debt obligations may be bonds (including sinking fund and callable bonds), debentures and notes, together with preferred stocks, pay-in-kind securities, and zero-coupon securities.

In determining whether to invest in debt obligations of foreign issuers, a Portfolio would consider the relative yields of foreign and domestic debt securities, the economies of foreign countries, the condition of such countries’ financial markets, the interest rate climate of such countries and the relationship of such countries’ currency to the U.S. dollar. These factors are judged on the basis of fundamental economic criteria (e.g., relative inflation levels and trends, growth rate forecasts, balance of payments status and economic policies) as well as technical and political data. Subsequent foreign currency losses may result in the Portfolios having previously distributed more income in a particular period than was available from investment income, which could result in a return of capital to shareholders. A Portfolio’s portfolio of foreign securities may include those of a number of foreign countries, or depending upon market conditions, those of a single country.

Investments in securities of issuers in non-industrialized countries generally involve more risk and may be considered highly speculative. Although a portion of the Portfolios’ investment income may be received or realized in foreign currencies, the Portfolios would be required to compute and distribute its income in U.S. dollars and absorb the cost of currency fluctuations and the cost of currency conversions. Investment in foreign securities involves considerations and risks not associated with investment in securities of U.S. issuers. For example, foreign issuers are not required to use generally accepted accounting principles. If foreign securities are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (“1933 Act”), the issuer does not have to comply with the disclosure requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“1934 Act”). The values of foreign securities investments will be affected by incomplete or inaccurate information available to the adviser as to foreign issuers, changes in currency rates, exchange control regulations or currency blockage, expropriation or nationalization of assets, application of foreign tax laws (including withholding taxes), changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy. In addition, it is generally more difficult to obtain court judgments outside the United States.

Sovereign Debt Securities

Sovereign debt securities issued by governments of foreign countries. The sovereign debt in which the Portfolios may invest may be rated below investment grade. These securities usually offer higher yields than higher rated securities but are also subject to greater risk than higher rated securities. Brady Bonds represent a type of sovereign debt. These obligations were created under a debt restructuring plan introduced by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Nicholas F. Brady, in which foreign entities issued these obligations in exchange for their existing commercial bank loans. Brady Bonds have been issued by Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, and Uruguay, and may be issued by other emerging countries.

 

40


Table of Contents

Supranational Organizations

The Portfolios that are authorized to invest in securities of foreign issuers may invest in equity and/or debt securities issued or guaranteed by Supranational Organizations, such as obligations issued or guaranteed by the Asian Development Bank, which is an international development bank established to lend funds, promote investment and provide technical assistance to member nations in the Asian and Pacific regions; the Inter-American Development Bank; the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (commonly referred to as the World Bank), which was chartered to finance development projects in developing member countries; the African Development Bank; the European Coal and Steel Community; the European Economic Community; the European Investment Bank and the Nordic Investment Bank. These agencies are not considered government securities and are not supported directly or indirectly by the U.S. government.

Restrictions on Foreign Investments

Some developing countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities such as a Portfolio. As illustrations, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company or limit the investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of a company that may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. Certain countries may restrict investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests.

The manner in which foreign investors may invest in companies in certain developing countries, as well as limitations on such investments, also may have an adverse impact on the operations of a Portfolio that invests in such countries. For example, a Portfolio may be required in certain countries to invest initially through a local broker or other entity and then have the shares purchased re-registered in the name of a Portfolio. Re-registration may in some instances not be able to occur on timely basis, resulting in a delay during which a Portfolio may be denied certain of its rights as an investor, including rights as to dividends or to be made aware of certain corporate actions. There also may be instances where a Portfolio places a purchase order but is subsequently informed, at the time of re-registration, that the permissible allocation of the investment to foreign investors has been filled, depriving a Portfolio of the ability to make its desired investment at that time.

Substantial limitations may exist in certain countries with respect to a Portfolio’s ability to repatriate investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. A Portfolio could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to a Portfolio of any restrictions on investments. No more than 15% of a Portfolio’s net assets may be comprised, in the aggregate, of assets that are: (i) subject to material legal restrictions on repatriation; or (ii) invested in illiquid securities. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operations of the Portfolio. In certain countries, banks or other financial institutions may be among the leading companies or have actively traded securities. The 1940 Act restricts each Portfolio’s investments in any equity securities of an issuer that, in its most recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from “securities related activities,” as defined by the rules thereunder. The provisions may restrict the Portfolio’s investments in certain foreign banks and other financial institutions.

Foreign Currency Risk is the risk that changes in foreign exchange rates will affect, favorably or unfavorably, the U.S. dollar value of foreign securities. In a period when the U.S. dollar generally rises against foreign currencies, the returns on foreign stocks for a U.S. investor will be diminished. By contrast, in a period when the U.S. dollar generally declines, the returns on foreign securities will be enhanced. Unfavorable changes in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the relevant foreign currencies, therefore, will adversely affect the value of a Portfolio’s shares.

 

41


Table of Contents

Risks of Investing in Foreign Securities

Investments in foreign securities involve certain inherent risks, including the following:

Market Characteristics. Settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets, and may include delays beyond periods customary in the United States. Foreign security trading practices, including those involving securities settlement where Portfolio assets may be released prior to receipt of payment or securities, may expose the Portfolios to increased risk in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a foreign broker-dealer. Transactions in options on securities, futures contracts, futures options and currency contracts may not be regulated as effectively on foreign exchanges as similar transactions in the United States, and may not involve clearing mechanisms and related guarantees. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by the imposition of different exercise terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States. The value of a Portfolio’s positions may also be adversely impacted by delays in its ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States.

Legal and Regulatory Matters. In addition to nationalization, foreign governments may take other actions that could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of interest, including restrictions on foreign investment, expropriation of goods and imposition of taxes, currency restrictions and exchange control regulations.

Taxes. The interest payable on certain of the Portfolios’ foreign portfolio securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thus reducing the net amount of income available for distribution to a Portfolio’s shareholders. A shareholder otherwise subject to U.S. federal income taxes may, subject to certain limitations, be entitled to claim a credit or deduction of U.S. federal income tax purposes for his proportionate share of such foreign taxes paid by a Portfolio.

Costs. The expense ratios of a Portfolio that invests in foreign securities is likely to be higher than those of investment companies investing in domestic securities, since the cost of maintaining the custody of foreign securities is higher. In considering whether to invest in the securities of a foreign company, the adviser or the sub-adviser considers such factors as the characteristics of the particular company, differences between economic trends and the performance of securities markets within the United States and those within other countries, and also factors relating to the general economic, governmental and social conditions of the country or countries where the company is located. The extent to which a Portfolio will be invested in foreign companies and countries and depository receipts will fluctuate from time to time within the limitations described in the Prospectuses, depending on the adviser’s or sub-adviser’s assessment of prevailing market, economic and other conditions.

Other Investment Practices and Risks

Borrowing

The Portfolios may borrow money from banks only if immediately after such borrowing, the value of the Portfolios’ assets, including the amount borrowed less its liabilities, is equal to at least 300% of the amount borrowed, plus all outstanding borrowings. If a Portfolio borrows money, its share price may be subject to greater fluctuation until the borrowing is paid off. If a Portfolio makes additional investments while borrowings are outstanding, this may be considered a form of leverage. Under the 1940 Act, each Portfolio is required to maintain continuous asset coverage of 300% with respect to such borrowings and to sell (within three days) sufficient portfolio holdings to restore such coverage if it should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or otherwise, even if such liquidations of a Portfolio’s holdings may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint.

 

42


Table of Contents

Leveraging by means of borrowing may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of portfolio securities or the Portfolio’s NAV, and money borrowed will be subject to interest and other costs (which may include commitment fees and/or the cost of maintaining minimum average balances) which may or may not exceed the income received from the securities purchased with borrowed funds.

Hedging

Hedging against changes in financial markets, currency rates and interest rates may be utilized. One form of hedging is with “derivatives.” Derivatives (as described above) are instruments whose value is linked to, or derived from, another instrument, like an index or a commodity. Hedging transactions involve certain risks. There can be no assurances that a Portfolio will be employing a hedging transaction at any given time, or that any hedging transaction actually used will be successful. Although a Portfolio may benefit from hedging, unanticipated changes in interest rates or securities prices may result in greater losses for the Portfolio than if it did not hedge. If the Portfolio does not correctly predict a hedge, it may lose money. In addition, each Portfolio pays commissions and other costs in connection with hedging transactions.

Risks Associated With Hedging Transactions.

Hedging transactions have special risks associated with them, including possible default by the counterparty to the transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent the adviser’s view as to certain market movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of a hedging transaction could result in losses greater than if it had not been used. Use of call options could result in losses to a Portfolio, force the sale or purchase of portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices lower than current market values, or cause the Portfolio to hold a security it might otherwise sell. Currency hedging involves some of the same risks and considerations as other transactions with similar instruments. Currency transactions can result in losses to a Portfolio if the currency being hedged fluctuates in value to a degree or in a direction that is not anticipated. Further, the risk exists that the perceived linkage between various currencies may not be present or may not be present during the particular time that a Portfolio is engaging in portfolio hedging. Currency transactions are also subject to risks different from those of other portfolio transactions. Because currency control is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic planning and policy, purchases and sales of currency and related instruments can be adversely affected by government exchange controls, limitations or restrictions on repatriation of currency, and manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments. These forms of governmental actions can result in losses to a Portfolio if it is unable to deliver or receive currency or monies in settlement of obligations and could also cause hedges it has entered into to be rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring transaction costs.

In addition, a Portfolio pays commissions and other costs in connection with such investments. Losses resulting from the use of hedging transactions will reduce a Portfolio’s NAV, and possibly income, and the losses can be greater than if hedging transactions had not been used.

Risks of Hedging Transactions Outside of the United States

When conducted outside the United States, hedging transactions may not be regulated as rigorously as in the United States, may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees, and will be subject to the risk of government actions affecting trading in, or the price of, foreign securities, currencies and other instruments. The value of positions taken as part of non-U.S. hedging transactions also could be adversely

 

43


Table of Contents

affected by: (1) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors; (2) lesser availability of data on which to make trading decisions than in the United States; (3) delays in a Portfolio’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States; (4) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States; and (5) lower trading volume and liquidity.

One form of hedging that may be utilized by the Portfolios is to make contracts to purchase securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time (“forward commitments”) because new issues of securities are typically offered to investors, such as the Portfolios, on that basis. Forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date. This risk is in addition to the risk of decline in the value of the Portfolios’ other assets. Although the Portfolios will enter into such contracts with the intention of acquiring securities, the Portfolios may dispose of a commitment prior to settlement if the adviser deems it appropriate to do so. The Portfolios may realize short-term profits or losses upon the sale of forward commitments.

Lending of Portfolio Securities

In order to generate additional income, certain Portfolios may lend portfolio securities to broker-dealers, major banks, or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities. No lending may be made with any companies affiliated with the adviser. These loans earn income for the Portfolios and are collateralized by cash, securities or letters of credit. The Portfolios might experience a loss if the financial institution defaults on the loan.

The borrower at all times during the loan must maintain with the Portfolio cash or cash equivalent collateral or provide to the Portfolios an irrevocable letter of credit equal in value to at least 100% of the value of the securities loaned. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the Portfolios any interest paid on such securities, and the Portfolios may invest the cash collateral and earn additional income, or it may receive an agreed-upon amount of interest income from the borrower who has delivered equivalent collateral or a letter of credit. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Portfolios or the borrower at any time. The Portfolios may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan and may pay a negotiated portion of the income earned on the cash to the borrower or placing broker. As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements may be utilized, with respect to portfolio securities. Such agreements may be considered to be loans by the Portfolios for purposes of the 1940 Act. Each repurchase agreement must be collateralized fully, in accordance with the provisions of Rule 5b-3 under the 1940 Act, at all times. Pursuant to such repurchase agreements, a Portfolio acquires securities from financial institutions such as brokers, dealers and banks, subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase and the Portfolio’s agreement to resell such securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price. The term of such an agreement is generally quite short, possibly overnight or for a few days, although it may extend over a number of months (up to one year) from the date of delivery. The repurchase price generally equals the price paid by a Portfolio plus interest negotiated on the basis of current short-term rates (which may be more or less than the rate on the underlying portfolio security). The securities underlying a repurchase agreement will be marked to market every business day so that the value of the collateral is at least equal to the value of the loan, including the accrued interest thereon, and the adviser or the sub-adviser will monitor the value of the collateral. Securities subject to repurchase agreements will be held by the custodian or in the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book-Entry System or an equivalent foreign system. If the seller defaults on its repurchase obligation, a Portfolio holding the repurchase agreement will suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from a sale of the underlying securities is less than the repurchase price under the agreement.

 

44


Table of Contents

Bankruptcy or insolvency of such a defaulting seller may cause a Portfolio’s rights with respect to such securities to be delayed or limited. To mitigate this risk, each Portfolio may only enter into repurchase agreements that qualify for an exclusion from any automatic stay of creditors’ rights against the counterparty under applicable insolvency law in the event of the counterparty’s insolvency.

Restricted and Illiquid Securities

Generally, a security is considered illiquid if it cannot be disposed of within seven days. Its illiquidity might prevent the sale of such a security at a time when the adviser or the sub-adviser might wish to sell, and these securities could have the effect of decreasing the overall level of a Portfolio’s liquidity. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, requiring the Portfolios to rely on judgments that may be somewhat subjective in determining value, which could vary from the amount that a Portfolio could realize upon disposition. Because of the nature of these securities, a considerable period of time may elapse between the Portfolios’ decision to dispose of these securities and the time when the Portfolios are able to dispose of them, during which time the value of the securities could decline. The expenses of registering restricted securities (excluding securities that may be resold by the Portfolios pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act) may be negotiated at the time such securities are purchased by the Portfolios. When registration is required before the securities may be resold, a considerable period may elapse between the decision to sell the securities and the time when the Portfolios would be permitted to sell them. Thus, the Portfolios may not be able to obtain as favorable a price as that prevailing at the time of the decision to sell. The Portfolios may also acquire securities through private placements. Such securities may have contractual restrictions on their resale, which might prevent their resale by the Portfolios at a time when such resale would be desirable. Securities that are not readily marketable will be valued by the Portfolios in good faith pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees (“Board”).

Restricted securities, including private placements, are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale. They can be eligible for purchase without SEC registration by certain institutional investors known as “qualified institutional buyers,” and under the Portfolios’ procedures, restricted securities could be treated as liquid. However, some restricted securities may be illiquid and restricted securities that are treated as liquid could be less liquid than registered securities traded on established secondary markets. The Portfolios may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, measured at the time of investment. Each Portfolio will adhere to a more restrictive investment limitation on its investments in illiquid or restricted securities as required by the securities laws of those jurisdictions where shares of the Portfolios are registered for sale.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Roll Transactions

Reverse repurchase agreement transactions involve the sale of U.S. government securities held by a Portfolio, with an agreement that the Portfolio will repurchase such securities at an agreed upon price and date. A Portfolio may employ reverse repurchase agreements when necessary to meet unanticipated net redemptions so as to avoid liquidating other portfolio investments during unfavorable market conditions. At the time it enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, a Portfolio will place in a segregated custodial account cash and/or liquid assets having a dollar value equal to the repurchase price. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings under the 1940 Act. Reverse repurchase agreements, together with other permitted borrowings, may constitute up to 33 1/3% of a Portfolio’s total assets. Under the 1940 Act, a Portfolio is required to maintain continuous asset coverage of 300% with respect to borrowings and to sell (within three days) sufficient portfolio holdings to restore such coverage if it should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or otherwise, even if such liquidations of a Portfolio’s holdings may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint. Leveraging by means of borrowing may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of portfolio securities or a

 

45


Table of Contents

Portfolio’s NAV, and money borrowed will be subject to interest and other costs (which may include commitment fees and/or the cost of maintaining minimum average balances) which may or may not exceed the income received from the securities purchased with borrowed funds.

In order to enhance portfolio returns and manage prepayment risks, certain Portfolios may engage in dollar roll transactions with respect to mortgage securities issued by GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC. In a dollar roll transaction, a Portfolio sells a mortgage security held in the portfolio to a financial institution such as a bank or broker-dealer, and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a substantially similar security (same type, coupon and maturity) from the institution at a later date at an agreed upon price. The mortgage securities that are repurchased will bear the same interest rate as those sold, but generally will be collateralized by different pools of mortgages with different prepayment histories. During the period between the sale and repurchase, a Portfolio will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. Proceeds of the sale will be invested in short-term instruments, and the income from these investments, together with any additional fee income received on the sale, could generate income for a Portfolio exceeding the yield on the sold security. When a Portfolio enters into a dollar roll transaction, cash and/or liquid assets of the Portfolio, in a dollar amount sufficient to make payment for the obligations to be repurchased, are segregated with its custodian at the trade date. These securities are marked daily and are maintained until the transaction is settled.

Whether a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll transaction produces a gain for a Portfolio depends upon the “costs of the agreements” (e.g., a function of the difference between the amount received upon the sale of its securities and the amount to be spent upon the purchase of the same or “substantially the same” security) and the income and gains of the securities purchased with the proceeds received from the sale of the mortgage security. If the income and gains on the securities purchased with the proceeds of the agreements exceed the costs of the agreements, then a Portfolio’s NAV will increase faster than otherwise would be the case; conversely, if the income and gains on such securities purchased fail to exceed the costs of the structure, net asset value will decline faster than otherwise would be the case. Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar roll transactions, as leveraging techniques, may increase a Portfolio’s yield in the manner described above; however, such transactions also increase a Portfolio’s risk to capital and may result in a shareholder’s loss of principal.

Senior Loans

Certain Portfolios may invest in investment companies that invest primarily in interests in variable or floating rate loans or notes (“Senior Loans”). Senior Loans in most circumstances are fully collateralized by assets of a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other business entity. Senior Loans vary from other types of debt in that they generally hold a senior position in the capital structure of a borrower. Thus, Senior Loans are generally repaid before unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, subordinated debt, trade creditors, and preferred or common stockholders.

Substantial increases in interest rates may cause an increase in loan defaults as borrowers may lack resources to meet higher debt service requirements. The value of a Portfolio’s assets may also be affected by other uncertainties such as economic developments affecting the market for Senior Loans or affecting borrowers generally.

Senior Loans usually include restrictive covenants which must be maintained by the borrower. Under certain interests in Senior Loans, an investment company investing in a Senior Loan may have an obligation to make additional loans upon demand by the borrower. Senior Loans, unlike certain bonds, usually do not have call protection. This means that interests, while having a stated one- to ten-year term, may be prepaid, often without penalty. The rate of such prepayments may be affected by, among other things, general business and economic conditions, as well as the financial status of the borrower. Prepayment would cause the actual duration of a Senior Loan to be shorter than its stated maturity.

 

46


Table of Contents

Credit Risk. Information about interests in Senior Loans generally is not in the public domain, and interests are generally not currently rated by any nationally recognized rating service. Senior Loans are subject to the risk of nonpayment of scheduled interest or principal payments. Issuers of Senior Loans generally have either issued debt securities that are rated lower than investment grade, or, if they had issued debt securities, such debt securities would likely be rated lower than investment grade. However, unlike other types of debt securities, Senior Loans are generally fully collateralized.

In the event of a failure to pay scheduled interest or principal payments on Senior Loans, an investment company investing in that Senior Loan could experience a reduction in its income, and would experience a decline in the market value of the particular Senior Loan so affected, and may experience a decline in the NAV or the amount of its dividends. In the event of a bankruptcy of the borrower, the investment company could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing the Senior Loan.

Collateral. Senior Loans typically will be secured by pledges of collateral from the borrower in the form of tangible assets and intangible assets. In some instances, an investment company may invest in Senior Loans that are secured only by stock of the borrower or its subsidiaries or affiliates. The value of the collateral may decline below the principal amount of the Senior Loan subsequent to an investment in such Senior Loan. In addition, to the extent that collateral consists of stock of the borrower or its subsidiaries or affiliates, there is a risk that the stock may decline in value, be relatively illiquid, or may lose all or substantially all of its value, causing the Senior Loan to be under collateralized.

Limited Secondary Market. Although it is growing, the secondary market for Senior Loans is currently limited. There is no organized exchange or board of trade on which Senior Loans may be traded; instead, the secondary market for Senior Loans is an unregulated inter-dealer or inter-bank market. Accordingly, Senior Loans may be illiquid. In addition, Senior Loans generally require the consent of the borrower prior to sale or assignment. These consent requirements may delay or impede a Portfolio’s ability to sell Senior Loans. In addition, because the secondary market for Senior Loans may be limited, it may be difficult to value Senior Loans. Market quotations may not be available and valuation may require more research than for liquid securities. In addition, elements of judgment may play a greater role in the valuation, because there is less reliable, objective data available.

Hybrid Loans. The growth of the syndicated loan market has produced loan structures with characteristics similar to Senior Loans but which resemble bonds in some respects, and generally offer less covenant or other protections than traditional Senior Loans while still being collateralized (“Hybrid Loans”). With Hybrid Loans, a Portfolio may not possess a senior claim to all of the collateral securing the Hybrid Loan. Hybrid Loans also may not include covenants that are typical of Senior Loans, such as covenants requiring the maintenance of minimum interest coverage ratios. As a result, Hybrid Loans present additional risks besides those associated with traditional Senior Loans, although they may provide a relatively higher yield. Because the lenders in Hybrid Loans waive or forego certain loan covenants, their negotiating power or voting rights in the event of a default may be diminished. As a result, the lenders’ interests may not be represented as significantly as in the case of a conventional Senior Loan. In addition, because an investment company’s security interest in some of the collateral may be subordinate to other creditors, the risk of nonpayment of interest or loss of principal may be greater than would be the case with conventional Senior Loans.

 

47


Table of Contents

Short Sales

A short sale is a transaction in which a Portfolio sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in market price. A Portfolio may make short sales to offset a potential decline in a long position or a group of long positions, or if the Sub-Adviser believes that a decline in the price of a particular security or group of securities is likely.

A Portfolio’s obligation to replace the security borrowed in connection with the short sale will be secured by collateral deposited with a broker, consisting of cash or securities acceptable to the broker. A Portfolio is not required to liquidate an existing short sale position solely because a change in market values has caused one or more of these percentage limitations to be exceeded.

Short Sales Against the Box

A short sale “against the box” is a short sale where, at the time of the short sale, the Portfolio owns or has the immediate and unconditional right, at no added cost, to obtain the identical security. Short sales against the box are not subject to the percentage limitations on short sales described in the Prospectuses.

Subordinated and Unsecured Loans. Certain investment companies may invest in subordinated and unsecured loans. The primary risk arising from a holder’s subordination is the potential loss in the event of default by the issuer of the loans. Subordinated loans in insolvency bear an increased share, relative to senior secured lenders, of the ultimate risk that the borrower’s assets are insufficient to meet its obligations to its creditors. Unsecured loans are not secured by any specific collateral of the borrower. They do not enjoy the security associated with collateralization and may pose a greater risk of nonpayment of interest or loss of principal than do secured loans.

To Be Announced Sale Commitments (“TBA”)

TBA sale commitments involve commitments where the unit price and the estimated principal amount are established upon entering into the contract, with the actual principal amount being within a specified range of the estimate. A Portfolio will enter into TBA sale commitments to hedge its portfolio positions or to sell mortgage-backed securities it owns under delayed delivery arrangements. Proceeds of TBA sale commitments are not received until the contractual settlement date. During the time a TBA sale commitment is outstanding, the Portfolio will maintain, in a segregated account, cash or marketable securities in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price. Unsettled TBA sale commitments are valued at current market value of the underlying securities. If the TBA sale commitment is closed through the acquisition of an offsetting purchase commitment, the Portfolio realizes a gain or loss on the commitment without regard to any unrealized gain or loss on the underlying security. If a Portfolio delivers securities under the commitment, the Portfolio realizes a gain or loss from the sale of the securities, based upon the unit price established at the date the commitment was entered into.

When-Issued Securities and Delayed-Delivery Transactions

In order to secure prices or yields deemed advantageous at the time certain Portfolios may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or a delayed-delivery basis generally 15 to 45 days after the commitment is made. The Portfolios will enter into a when-issued transaction for the purpose of acquiring portfolio securities and not for the purpose of leverage. In such transactions, delivery of the securities occurs beyond the normal settlement periods, but no payment or delivery is made by, and no interest accrues to, the Portfolios prior to the actual delivery or payment by the other party to the transaction. Due to fluctuations in the value of securities purchased on a when-issued or a delayed-delivery basis, the yields obtained on such securities may be higher or lower than the yields available in the market on the dates

 

48


Table of Contents

when the investments are actually delivered to the buyers. Similarly, the sale of securities for delayed-delivery can involve the risk that the prices available in the market when delivery is made may actually be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Each Portfolio will establish a segregated account with the custodian consisting of cash and/or liquid assets in an amount equal to the amount of its when-issued and delayed-delivery commitments which will be “marked to market” daily. Each Portfolio will only make commitments to purchase such securities with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, but the Portfolio may sell these securities before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy. In these cases, a Portfolio may realize a taxable capital gain or loss. When a Portfolio engages in when-issued, forward commitment, and delayed delivery transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in a Portfolio’s incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price credited to be advantageous.

When the time comes to pay for the securities acquired on a delayed delivery basis, a Portfolio will meet its obligations from the available cash flow, sale of the securities held in the segregated account, sale of other securities or, although it would not normally expect to do so, from sale of the when-issued securities themselves (which may have a market value greater or less than the Portfolio’s payment obligation). Depending on market conditions, the Portfolios could experience fluctuations in share price as a result of delayed delivery or when-issued purchases.

Temporary Defensive and Other Short-Term Positions

Investing in certain short-term, high-quality debt instruments and in U.S. government securities is done for the following purposes: (i) to meet anticipated day-to-day operating expenses; (ii) pending the adviser’s or the sub-adviser’s ability to invest cash inflows; (iii) to permit the Portfolio to meet redemption requests; and (iv) for temporary defensive purposes. A Portfolio for which the investment objective is capital appreciation may also invest in such securities if the Portfolio’s assets are insufficient for effective investment in equities.

Although it is expected that each Portfolio will normally be invested consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the short-term instruments in which a Portfolio may invest include: (i) short-term obligations of the U.S. government and its agencies, instrumentalities, authorities or political subdivisions; (ii) other short-term debt securities; (iii) commercial paper, including master notes; (iv) bank obligations, including certificates of deposit, fixed-time deposits and bankers’ acceptances; and (v) repurchase agreements. The Portfolios will normally invest in short-term instruments that do not have a maturity of greater than one year. To the extent a Portfolio is engaged in temporary defensive investments, it will not be pursuing its investment objective.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

Fundamental Investment Restrictions

The following investment restrictions are considered fundamental, which means they may be changed only with the approval of the holders of a majority of a Portfolio’s outstanding voting securities, defined in the 1940 Act as the lesser of: (i) 67% or more of that Portfolio’s voting securities present at a shareholders’ meeting if the holders of more than 50% of that Portfolio’s outstanding shares are present in person or by proxy; or (ii) more than 50% of that Portfolio’s outstanding voting securities. Certain Portfolios have adopted non-fundamental investment policies to invest the assets of a Portfolio in securities that are consistent with the Portfolio’s name. The investment objectives and all other investment policies or practices are considered by the Portfolios to be non-fundamental and accordingly may be changed without shareholder approval. All percentage limitations set forth below apply immediately after purchase or initial investment, and any subsequent changes in any applicable

 

49


Table of Contents

percentage resulting from market fluctuations will not require elimination of any security from a Portfolio The investment objective of each Portfolio is a non-fundamental policy. Shareholders will be provided at least 60 days’ prior written notice of any change to a Portfolio’s non-fundamental investment objective.

International Value Portfolio.

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Portfolio may not:

 

1. issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, borrow money or pledge its assets, except that the Portfolio may borrow on an unsecured basis from banks for temporary or emergency purposes or for the clearance of transactions in amounts not exceeding 10% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed), provided that it will not make investments while borrowings in excess of 5% of the value of its total assets are outstanding;

 

2. act as underwriter (except to the extent the Portfolio may be deemed to be an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its investment portfolio);

 

3. invest 25% or more of its total assets, calculated at the time of purchase and taken at market value, in any one industry (other than U.S. government securities), except that the Portfolio reserves the right to invest all of its assets in shares of another investment company;

 

4. purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate or real estate limited partnerships (although the Portfolio may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate, securities of companies which invest or deal in real estate and securities issued by real estate investment trusts);

 

5. purchase or sell commodities or commodity futures contracts, except that the Portfolio may purchase and sell stock index futures contracts for hedging purposes to the extent permitted under applicable federal and state laws and regulations and except that the Portfolio may engage in foreign exchange forward contracts; and

 

6. make loans of cash (except for purchases of debt securities consistent with the investment policies of the Portfolio and except for repurchase agreements).

MidCap Opportunities Portfolio.

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Portfolio may not:

 

1. borrow money except in conformity with the limits set forth in the 1940 Act; notwithstanding the foregoing, short-term credits necessary for settlements of securities transactions are not considered borrowings;

 

2. underwrite the securities of others;

 

3. purchase or sell real property, including real estate limited partnerships (the Portfolio may purchase marketable securities of companies that deal in real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts);

 

4. deal in commodities or commodity contracts, except in the manner described in the current Prospectuses and this SAI;

 

50


Table of Contents
5. make loans to other persons (but the Portfolio may, however, lend portfolio securities, up to 33% of net assets at the time the loan is made, to brokers, dealers or other financial institutions not affiliated with the Portfolio or the adviser, subject to conditions established by the adviser), and may purchase or hold participations in loans, in accordance with the investment objectives and policies of the Portfolio, as described in the current Prospectuses and SAI;

 

6. purchase on margin (except that for purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment of initial or variation margin in connection with futures contracts will not be deemed to be purchases of securities on margin);

 

7. sell short, except that the Portfolio may enter into short sales against the box;

 

8. invest more than 25% of its assets in any one industry or related group of industries;

 

9. with respect to 75% of the Portfolio’s assets, purchase a security (other than U.S. government obligations) if, as a result, more than 5% of the value of total assets of the Portfolio would be invested in securities of a single issuer; or

 

10. purchase a security if, as a result, more than 10% of any class of securities, or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer, would be held by the Portfolio.

With respect to each Portfolio’s concentration policy, industry classifications are in accordance with Global Industrial Classification Standards and Standard Industrial Classification (“SIC”) Codes. Industry classifications may be changed at any time to reflect changes in the market place.

SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio.

As a matter of fundamental policy, a Portfolio may not:

 

11. borrow money, issue senior securities, or pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets, except that it may: (i) borrow from banks, but only if immediately after such borrowing there is asset coverage of 300%; and (ii) enter into transactions in options, futures, and options on futures as described in the Portfolio’s Prospectuses and this SAI (the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with the writing of covered put and call options and the purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis and collateral arrangements with respect to initial or variation margin deposits for futures contracts will not be deemed to be pledges of the Portfolio’s assets);

 

12. underwrite the securities of others;

 

13. purchase or sell real property, including real estate limited partnerships (but the Portfolio may purchase marketable securities of companies which deal in real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts;

 

14. deal in commodities or commodity contracts except in the manner described in the current Prospectuses and this SAI;

 

15. make loans to other persons (but the Portfolio may, however, lend portfolio securities, up to 33% of net assets at the time the loan is made, to brokers or dealers or other financial institutions not affiliated with the Portfolio or the adviser, subject to conditions established by the adviser) (See “Risk Factors and Special Considerations: Securities Lending”), and may purchase or hold participations in loans in accordance with the investment objectives and policies of the Portfolio as described in the current Prospectuses and this SAI;

 

51


Table of Contents
16. participate in any joint trading accounts;

 

17. purchase on margin (except that for purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment of initial or variation margin in connection with futures contracts will not be deemed to be purchases of securities on margin);

 

18. sell short, except that the Portfolio may enter into short sales against the box in the manner described in the current Prospectuses and this SAI;

 

19. invest more than 25% of its assets in any one industry or related group of industries;

 

20. with respect to 75% of the Portfolio’s assets, purchase a security (other than U.S. government obligations) if, as a result, more than 5% of the value of total assets of the Portfolio would be invested in securities of a single issuer; and

 

21. with respect to 75% of the Portfolio’s assets, purchase a security if, as a result, more than 10% of any class of securities, or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer, would be held by the Portfolio.

As a fundamental policy, the Portfolio may borrow money from banks to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act. As an operating (non-fundamental) policy, the Portfolio does not intend to borrow any amount in excess of 10% of its respective assets, and would do so only for temporary emergency or administrative purposes. In addition, to avoid the potential leveraging of assets, the Portfolio will not make additional investments when its borrowings are in excess of 5% of its total assets. If the Portfolio should determine to expand its ability to borrow beyond the current operating policy, the Portfolio’s Prospectuses would be amended and shareholders would be notified.

Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions

The following policies are non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.

International Value Portfolio

The Portfolio:

 

1. may not purchase any security if as a result the Portfolio would hold more than 10% of any class of voting securities of an issuer (taking all common stock issues as a single class, all preferred stock issues as a single class, and all debt issues as a single class), except that the Portfolio reserves the right to invest all of its assets in a class of voting securities of another investment company;

 

2. may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder; and

 

3. may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.

 

52


Table of Contents

MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

The Portfolio:

 

1. may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder; and

 

2. may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.

SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

The Portfolio:

 

1. may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, as amended, and the rules, regulations, and exemptive orders thereunder; and

 

2. may not invest more than 15% of its net assets (determined at the time of investment) in illiquid securities, including securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale (which may include private placements and those Rule 144A securities under the Securities of Act of 1933 (“1933 Act”) for which the Trustees, pursuant to procedures adopted by the Portfolio, have determined there is no liquid secondary market), repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days, options traded over the counter that a Portfolio has purchased, securities being used to cover options the Portfolio has written, securities for which market quotations are not readily available, or other securities which legally or in the adviser’s or Trustees’ opinion may be deemed illiquid.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

The Board has also adopted the following non-fundamental investment policies for each of the following Portfolios to invest at least 80% of the assets of the Portfolio in securities that are consistent with the Portfolio’s name. These policies may be changed upon Board approval and 60 days’ prior notice to shareholders. If, subsequent to an investment, the 80% requirement is no longer met, a Portfolio’s future investments will be made in a manner that will bring the Portfolio into compliance with this policy.

MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

The Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of mid-sized U.S. companies.

SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

The Portfolio normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in the common stocks of small-capitalization U.S. companies.

 

53


Table of Contents

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

A change in securities held in the portfolio of a Portfolio is known as “portfolio turnover” and may involve the payment by a Portfolio of dealer mark-ups or brokerage or underwriting commissions and other transaction costs on the sale of securities, as well as on the reinvestment of the proceeds in other securities. Portfolio turnover rate for a fiscal year is the percentage determined by dividing the lesser of the cost of purchases or proceeds from sales of portfolio securities by the average of the value of portfolio securities during such year, all excluding securities whose maturities at acquisition were one year or less. A Portfolio cannot accurately predict its turnover rate, however the rate will be higher when a Portfolio finds it necessary to significantly change its portfolio to adopt a temporary defensive position or respond to economic or market events. A high turnover rate would increase expenses and may involve realization of capital gains by the Portfolios. Each Portfolio’s historical turnover rates are included in the Financial Highlights tables in the Prospectuses.

From 2007 to 2008 SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio experienced an increase in annualized turnover due primarily to the sharp increase in volatility experienced in the U.S. equities markets in 2008.

DISCLOSURE OF THE PORTFOLIOS’ PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

The Portfolios are required to file their complete portfolio holdings schedule with the SEC on a quarterly basis. This schedule is filed with the Portfolios’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports on Form N-CSR for the second and fourth fiscal quarters and on Form N-Q for the first and third fiscal quarters.

In addition, the Portfolios post their portfolio holdings schedule on ING’s website on a calendar-quarter basis and it is available on the ING Funds’ website 30 calendar days following the end of the previous calendar quarter. The Funds may also post their complete or partial portfolio holdings on their website as of a specified date. The portfolio holdings schedule is as of the last day of the previous calendar quarter (i.e., each Portfolio will post the quarter-ending June 30 holdings on July 31).

Each Portfolio also compile a list composed of their ten largest holdings (“Top Ten”). This information is produced monthly, and is made available on ING’s website, on the tenth day of each month. The Top Ten holdings information is as of the last day of the previous month.

Investors (both individual and institutional), financial intermediaries that distribute the Portfolios’ shares and most third parties may receive the Portfolios’ annual or semi-annual shareholder reports, or view on ING’s website, the Portfolios’ portfolio holdings schedule. The Top Ten list also is provided in quarterly Portfolio descriptions that are included in the offering materials of variable life insurance products and variable annuity contracts.

Other than in regulatory filings or on ING’s website, the Portfolios may provide their portfolio holdings to certain unaffiliated third-parties and affiliates when the Portfolios have a legitimate business purpose for doing so. Unless otherwise noted below, a Portfolio’s disclosure of its portfolio holdings will be on an as-needed basis, with no lag time between the date of which the information is requested and the date the information is provided. Specifically, a Portfolio’s disclosure of its portfolio holdings may include disclosure:

 

   

to the Portfolio’s independent registered public accounting firm, named herein, for use in providing audit opinions;

 

   

to financial printers for the purpose of preparing Portfolio regulatory filings;

 

   

for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition;

 

54


Table of Contents
   

to a new investment adviser or sub-adviser prior to the commencement of its management of the Portfolios;

 

   

to rating agencies and ranking agencies such as Bloomberg, Morningstar, Lipper and S&P, such agencies may receive more raw data for the Portfolios than is posted on the Portfolios’ website;

 

   

to consultants for use in providing asset allocation advice in connection with an investment by affiliated funds-of-funds in the Portfolios;

 

   

to service providers, such as proxy voting and class action services providers, on a daily basis, in connection with their providing services benefiting the Portfolios; or

 

   

to a third party for purposes of effecting in-kind redemptions of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of portfolio assets and minimal impact on remaining Portfolios’ shareholders.

In all instances of such disclosure the receiving party, by agreement, is subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on such information.

The Board has adopted policies and procedures (“Policies”) designed to ensure that disclosure of information regarding the Portfolios’ portfolio securities is in the best interests of Portfolios’ shareholders, including procedures to address conflicts between the interests of the Portfolios’ shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Portfolios’ adviser, sub-adviser, principal underwriter or any affiliated person of the Portfolios, their adviser, or principal underwriter, on the other. Such Policies authorize the Portfolios’ Administrator to implement the Board’s policies and direct the Administrator to document the expected benefit to shareholders. Among other considerations, the Administrator is directed to consider whether such disclosure may create an advantage for the recipient or its affiliates or their clients over that of the Portfolios’ shareholders. Similarly, the Administrator is directed to consider, among other things, whether the disclosure of portfolio holdings creates a conflict between the interests of shareholders and the interests of the adviser, sub-adviser, principal underwriter and their affiliates. The Board has authorized the senior officers of the Portfolios’ Administrator to authorize the release of the Portfolios’ portfolio holdings, as necessary, in conformity with the foregoing principles and to monitor for compliance with the Policies. The Portfolios’ administrator reports quarterly to the Board regarding the implementation of the Policies.

The Portfolios have the following ongoing arrangements with certain third parties to provide the Portfolios’ portfolio holdings:

 

Party

  

Purpose

   Frequency   

Time Lag Between Date of

Information and Date

Information Released

ISS Governance Services, a unit of RiskMetrics Group, Inc.

  

Proxy Voting & Class

Action Services

   Daily    None

Charles River Development

   Compliance    Daily    None

 

55


Table of Contents

All of the arrangements in the table above are subject to the Policies adopted by the Board to ensure such disclosure is for a legitimate business purpose and is in the best interests of the Portfolios and their shareholders. The Board must approve any material change to the Policies. The Policies may not be waived, or exceptions made, without the consent of ING’s Legal Department. All waivers and exceptions involving any of the Portfolios will be disclosed to the Board no later than its next regularly scheduled quarterly meeting. No compensation or other consideration may be received by the Portfolios, the adviser, or any other party in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings in accordance with the Policies.

 

56


Table of Contents

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

Information Regarding Individual Members of the Trust.

 

Name, Address and Age

   Position(s)
Held With
Trust
  

Term of Office and
Length of Time
Served(1)

  

Principal Occupation(s) –

During the Past 5 Years

   Number of
Portfolios in
Portfolio
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(2)(3)
  

Other Directorships Held

by Trustee During the Past

5 Years

Independent Trustees

Colleen D. Baldwin

7337 E. Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 49

   Trustee   

November 2007 –

Present

   Consultant, Glantuam Partners, LLC (January 2009 - Present); and Consultant (January 2005 to Present).    137    None.

John V. Boyer

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 56

   Trustee   

January 2005 –

Present

   President and Chief Executive Officer, Bechtler Arts Foundation (January 2008 – Present). Consultant (July 2007 – February 2008). Formerly; President and Chief Executive Officer, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (March 2006 – July 2007); and Executive Director, The Mark Twain House & Museum(4) (September 1989 – March 2006).    137    None.

 

57


Table of Contents

Name, Address and Age

   Position(s)
Held With
Trust
  

Term of Office and
Length of Time
Served(1)

  

Principal Occupation(s) –

During the Past 5 Years

   Number of
Portfolios in
Portfolio
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(2)(3)
  

Other Directorships Held

by Trustee During the Past

5 Years

Patricia W. Chadwick

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 61

   Trustee    January 2006 – Present    Consultant and President, Ravengate Partners LLC (January 2000 – Present).    137    Wisconsin Energy Corp. (June 2006 – Present) and The Royce Fund (2009 – Present).

Peter S. Drotch

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 68

   Trustee   

November 2007 –

Present

   Retired.    137    First Marblehead Corporation (September 2003 – Present) and BlackRock Funds (February 2005 – January 2007).

J. Michael Earley

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 64

   Trustee    February 2002 – Present    Retired. Formerly, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bankers Trust Company, N.A., Des Moines (June 1992 – December 2008).    137    Banks Trust Company, N.A. Des Moines (June 1992 – 2009) and Midamerica Financial Corporation (December 2002 – 2009).

Patrick W. Kenny

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 67

   Trustee    January 2005 – Present    Retired. Formerly, President and Chief Executive Officer, International Insurance Society (June 2001 – June 2009).    137    Assured Guaranty Ltd. (April 2004 – Present) and Odyssey Re Holdings Corp (November 2006 – October 2009).

Sheryl K. Pressler

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 59

   Trustee    January 2006 – Present    Consultant (May 2001 – Present).    137    Stillwater Mining Company (May 2002 – Present).

Roger B. Vincent

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 64

   Chairman
and
Trustee
   February 2002 – Present    President, Springwell Corporation (March 1989 – Present).    137    UGI Corporation (February 2006 – Present), UGI Utilities, Inc. (February 2006 – Present) and AmeriGas Partners, L.P. (February 1998 – February 2006).

 

58


Table of Contents

Name, Address and Age

   Position(s)
Held With
Trust
  

Term of Office and
Length of Time
Served(1)

  

Principal Occupation(s) –

During the Past 5 Years

   Number of
Portfolios in
Portfolio
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(2)(3)
  

Other Directorships Held

by Trustee During the Past

5 Years

Trustees who are “Interested Persons”

Robert W. Crispin(5)

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 63

   Trustee   

November 2007 –

Present

   Retired. Formerly, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ING Investment Management Co. (July 2001 – December 2007).    137    Intact Financial Corporattion (December 2004 – Present).

Shaun P. Mathews(5)

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 54

   Trustee   

November 2007 –

Present

   President and Chief Executive Officer, ING Investments, LLC(6) (November 2006 – Present). Formerly, Head of ING Mutual Funds and Investment Products (November 2004 – November 2006).    182    ING Retirement Holdings, Inc. (September 1998 – Present); ING Services Holding Company, Inc. (May 2000 – Present); ING Financial Advisers, LLC (April 2002 –Present); Southland Life Insurance Company (June 2002 – Present); ING Capital Corporation, LLC and ING Funds Distributor, LLC(7) (December 2005 – Present); ING Funds Services, LLC(8), ING Investments, LLC( 6 ), and ING Pilgrim Funding, Inc. (March 2006 – Present); and Directed Services LLC(9) (December 2006 – Present).

 

(1) Trustees serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The tenure of each Trustee is subject to the Board’s retirement policy, which states that each “Independent Trustee”, as defined in the 1940 Act, shall retire from service as a Trustee at the conclusion of the first regularly scheduled quarterly meeting of the Board that is held after the Trustee reaches the age of 72. An unanimous vote of the Board may extend the retirement date of a Trustee for up to one year. An extension may be permitted if the retirement would trigger a requirement to hold a meeting of shareholders of the Trust under applicable law, whether for purposes of appointing a successor to the Trustee or if otherwise necessary under applicable law, in which the extension would apply until such time as the shareholder meeting can be held or is no longer needed.
(2) As of March 31, 2010.
(3) For the purposes of this table, (except for Mr. Mathews), “Fund Complex” means the following investment companies: ING Asia Pacific High Divided Equity Income Fund; ING Equity Trust; ING Funds Trust; ING Global Advantage and Premium Opportunity Fund ;ING Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund; ING Infrastructure, Industrials, and Materials Fund; ING International High Dividend Equity Income Fund; ING Investors Trust; ING Mayflower Trust; ING Mutual Funds; ING Partners, Inc.; ING Prime Rate Trust; ING Risk Managed Natural Resources Fund; ING Senior Income Fund; ING Separate Portfolios Trust; ING Variable Insurance Trust; and ING Variable Products Trust. For Mr. Mathews, the “Fund Complex” also includes the following investment companies: ING Balanced Portfolio, Inc.; ING Intermediate Bond Portfolio; ING Money Market Portfolio; ING Series Fund, inc.; ING Strategic Allocation Portfolio, Inc., ING Variable Funds; and ING Variable Portfolios, Inc.
(4) Mr. Boyer held a seat on the Board of Directors of The Mark Twain House & Museum from September 1989 – November 2005. ING Groep N.V. affiliates make non-material, charitable contributions to The Mark Twain House & Museum.

 

59


Table of Contents
(5) Messrs. Crispin and Mathews are deemed “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the 1940 Act because of their affiliation with ING Groep, N.V., the parent corporation of the adviser, ING Investments, LLC, and the distributor, ING Funds Distributor, LLC.
(6) ING Investments, LLC was previously named ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC. ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC is the successor in interest to ING Pilgrim Investments, Inc. which was previously known as Pilgrim Investments, Inc. and before that was known as Pilgrim America Investments, Inc.
(7) ING Funds Distributor, LLC is the successor in interest to ING Funds Distributor, Inc., which was previously known as ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. and before that was known as Pilgrim Securities, Inc., and before that was known as Pilgrim America Securities, Inc.
(8) ING Funds Services, LLC was previously named ING Pilgrim Group, LLC. ING Pilgrim Group, LLC is the successor in interest to ING Pilgrim, Inc. which was previously known as Pilgrim Group, Inc. and prior to that was known as Pilgrim America Group, Inc.
(9) Directed Services LLC is the successor in interest to Directed Services Inc.

Information Regarding Officers of the Trust

Set forth in the table below is information regarding each Officer of the Trust:

 

Name, Address and Age

  

Positions Held with the Trust

  

Term of Office and Length of Time
Served(1)

  

Principal Occupation(s) During the
Last Five Years

Shaun P. Mathews

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 54

   President and Chief Executive Officer    November 2006 – Present    President and Chief Executive Officer, ING Investments, LLC(2) (November 2006 – Present). Formerly, Head of ING Mutual Funds and Investment Products (November 2004 – November 2006).

Stanley D. Vyner

230 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10169

Age: 59

  

Executive Vice President

Chief Investment Risk Officer

  

November 1999 – Present

September 2009 – Present

   Executive Vice President, ING Investments, LLC(2) (July 2000 – Present) and Chief Investment Risk Officer, ING Investments, LLC(2) (January 2003 – Present).

Michael J. Roland

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 51

   Executive Vice President    February 2002 – Present    Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, ING Investments, LLC(2) and ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (January 2007 – Present). Formerly, Executive Vice President and Head of Product Management (January 2005 –January 2007); Chief Compliance Officer, ING Investments, LLC(2) and Directed Services LLC(4) (October 2004 – December 2005).

 

60


Table of Contents

Name, Address and Age

  

Positions Held with the Trust

  

Term of Office and Length of Time
Served(1)

  

Principal Occupation(s) During the
Last Five Years

Joseph M. O’Donnell

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 55

  

Executive Vice President

Chief Compliance Officer

  

March 2006 – Present

November 2004 – Present

   Chief Compliance Officer of the ING Funds (November 2004 – Present); Executive Vice President of the ING Funds (March 2006 – Present). Chief Compliance Officer of ING Investments, LLC(2) (March 2006 – July 2008 and October 2009 – Present); Investment Advisor Chief Compliance Officer, Directed Services LLC(4) (March 2006 –July 2008 and October 2009 – Present). Formerly, Investment Advisor Chief Compliance Officer, ING Life Insurance and Annuity Company (March 2006 – December 2006).

Todd Modic

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 42

   Senior Vice President, Chief/ Principal Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary    March 2005 – Present    Senior Vice President, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (March 2005 – Present).

Kimberly A. Anderson

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 45

   Senior Vice President    November 2003 – Present    Senior Vice President, ING Investments, LLC(2) (October 2003 – Present).

Robert Terris

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 39

   Senior Vice President    May 2006 – Present    Senior Vice President, Head of Division Operations, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (May 2006 – Present). Formerly, Vice President of Administration, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (October 2001 – May 2006).

William Evans

10 State House Square

Hartford, Connecticut 06103

Age: 37

   Vice President    September 2007 – Present    Senior Vice President (2010 – Present) and Manager Research and Selection Group (April 2007 – Present). Formerly, Vice President, U.S. Mutual Funds and Investment Products (May 2005 – April 2007).

Robyn L. Ichilov

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 42

   Vice President and Treasurer    November 1999 – Present    Vice President and Treasurer, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (November 1995 – Present) and ING Investments, LLC(2) (August 1997 – Present).

Lauren D. Bensinger

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 56

   Vice President    February 2003 – Present    Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, ING Funds Distributor, LLC(5) (August 1995 – Present); Vice President, ING Investments, LLC(2) and ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (February 1996 – Present); and Director of Compliance, ING Investments, LLC(2) (October 2004 – Present).

Maria M. Anderson

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 51

   Vice President    September 2004 – Present    Vice President, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (September 2004 – Present).

Denise Lewis

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 46

   Vice President    January 2007 – Present    Vice President, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (December 2006 – Present). Formerly, Senior Vice President, UMB Investment Services Group, LLC (November 2003 – December 2006).

Kimberly K. Springer

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 52

   Vice President    March 2006 – Present    Vice President, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (December 2006 – Present) and Managing Paralegal Registration Statements (June 2003 – Present). Formerly, Assistant Vice President, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (August 2004 – March 2006).

 

61


Table of Contents

Name, Address and Age

  

Positions Held with the Trust

  

Term of Office and Length of Time
Served(1)

  

Principal Occupation(s) During the
Last Five Years

Craig Wheeler

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 40

   Assistant Vice President    May 2008 – Present    Assistant Vice President – Director of Tax, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (March 2008 – Present). Formerly, Tax Manager, ING Funds Services, LLC(3) (March 2005 – March 2008) .

Huey P. Falgout, Jr.

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 46

   Secretary    August 2003 – Present    Chief Counsel, ING Americas, U.S. Legal Services (October 2003 – Present).

Theresa K. Kelety

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 47

   Assistant Secretary    August 2003 – Present    Senior Counsel, ING Americas, U.S. Legal Services (April 2008 – Present). Formerly, Counsel, ING Americas, U.S. Legal Services (April 2003 – April 2008).

Kathleen Nichols

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

Age: 34

   Assistant Secretary    May 2008 – Present    Counsel, ING Americas, U.S. Legal Services (February 2008 – Present). Formerly, Associate, Ropes & Gray LLP (September 2005 – February 2008).

 

(1) The Officers hold office until the next annual meeting of the Trustees and until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.
(2) ING Investments, LLC was previously named ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC. ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC is the sucessor in interest to ING Pilgrim Investments, Inc., which was previously known as Pilgrim Investments, Inc. and before that was known as Pilgrim America Investments, Inc.
(3) ING Funds Services, LLC was previously named ING Pilgrim Group, LLC. ING Pilgrim Group, LLC is the sucessor in interest to ING Pilgrim Group, Inc., which was previously known as Pilgrim Group, Inc. and before that was known as Pilgrim America Group, Inc.
(4) Directed Services LLC is the successor in interest to Directed Services Inc.
(5) ING Funds Distributor, LLC is the sucessor in interest to ING Funds Distributor, Inc., which was previously known as ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc., and before that was known as Pilgrim Securities, Inc., and before that was known as Pilgrim America Securities, Inc.

 

62


Table of Contents

The Board of Trustees

The Trust and each of its Portfolios is governed by the Trust’s Board, which oversees the Trust’s business and affairs. The Board delegates the day-to-day management of the Trust and its Portfolios to the Trust’s officers and to various service providers that have been contractually retained to provide such day-to-day services. The ING entities that render services to the Portfolios do so pursuant to contracts that have been approved by the Board. The Trustees are experienced executives who, among other duties, oversee each Portfolio’s activities, review contractual arrangements with companies that provide services to each Portfolio, and review each Portfolio’s investment performance.

The Board Leadership Structure and Related Matters

The Board is currently comprised of ten members, eight of whom are independent or disinterested persons, which means that they are not “interested persons” of the Portfolios as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”). The Trust is one of 17 registered investment companies (with a total of approximately 137 separate series) and all of the Trustees serve as members of, as applicable, each investment company’s Board of Trustees or Board of Directors. The Board employs substantially the same leadership structure with respect to each of these investment companies.

One of the Independent Trustees, currently Roger B. Vincent, serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Trust. The responsibilities of the Board Chairman include: coordinating with management in the preparation of agendas for Board meetings; presiding at Board meetings; between Board meetings, serving as a primary liaison with other Trustees, officers of the Trust, management personnel and legal counsel to the Independent Trustees; and such other duties as the Board periodically may determine. Mr. Vincent holds no position with any firm that is a sponsor of the Trust.

The Board performs many of its oversight and other activities through the committee structure described below in the “Board Committees” section. Each Committee operates pursuant to a written Charter approved by the Board. The Board currently conducts regular meetings eight (8) times a year. Six of these regular meetings consist of sessions held over a two-day period and two of these meetings consist of a one-day session. In addition, during the course of a year, the Board and many its Committees typically hold special meetings by telephone or in person to discuss specific matters that require action prior to their next regular meetings.

The Board believes that its leadership structure is an effective means of empowering the Trustees to perform their fiduciary and other duties. For example, the Board’s committee structure faciliates, as appropriate, the ability of individual Board members to receive detailed presentations on topics under their review and to develop increased familiarity with respect to such topics and with key personnel at relevant service providers. At least annually, with guidance from its Nominating and Governance Committee, the Board analyzes whether there are potential means to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Board’s operations.

Board Committees

Audit Committee. The Board has established an Audit Committee whose functions include, among things, meeting with the independent registered public accounting firm of the Trust to review the scope of the Trust’s audit, the Trust’s financial statements and accounting controls, and meeting with management concerning these matters, internal audit activities and other matters. The Audit Committee currently consists of four (4) Independent Trustees. The following Trustees serve as members of the Audit Committee: Mses. Chadwick and Pressler, and Messrs. Drotch and Earley. Mr. Earley currently serves as the Chairperson of the Audit Committee. Messrs. Drotch and Earley have each been designated as an

 

63


Table of Contents

Audit Committee Financial Expert under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Audit Committee, which currently meets regularly four (4) times per year, held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

Compliance Committee. The Board has established a Compliance Committee for the purpose of, among others things: (1) coordinating activities between the Board and the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) of the Portfolios; (2) facilitating information flow among Board members and the CCO between Board meetings; (3) working with the CCO and management to identify the types of reports to be submitted by the CCO to the Compliance Committee and the Board; (4) coordinating CCO oversight activities with other ING Fund boards; (5) making recommendations regarding the role, performance and oversight of the CCO; (6) overseeing the implementation of the Portfolios’ valuation procedures and the fair value determinations made with respect to securities held by the Portfolios for which market value quotations are not readily available; (7) overseeing management’s administration of proxy voting; and (8) overseeing the effectiveness of brokerage usage by the Trust’s adviser or sub-adviser, as applicable, and compliance with regulations regarding the allocation of brokerage for services. The Compliance Committee currently consists of four (4) Independent Trustees: Messrs. Boyer, Kenny, and Vincent and Ms. Baldwin. Mr. Kenny currently serves as Chairperson of the Compliance Committee. The Compliance Committee, which currently meets regularly four (4) times per year, held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

Contracts Committee. The Board has established a Contracts Committee for the purpose of overseeing the annual renewal process relating to investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements and, at the discretion of the Board, other agreements or plans involving the Portfolios. The responsibilities of the Contracts Committee include, among other things: (1) identifying the scope and format of information to be provided by services providers in connection with applicable contract approvals or renewals; (2) providing guidance to independent legal counsel regarding specific information requests to be made by such counsel on behalf of the Trustees; (3) evaluating regulatory and other developments that might have an impact on applicable approval and renewal processes; (4) reporting to the Trustees its recommendations and decisions regarding the foregoing matters; (5) assisting in the preparation of a written record of the factors considered by Trustees relating to the approval and renewal of advisory and sub-advisory agreements; (6) recommending to the Board specific steps to be taken by it regarding the contracts approval and renewal process, including, for example, proposed schedules of meetings by the Trustees; and (7) otherwise providing assistance in connection with Board decisions to renew, reject or modify agreements or plans. The Contracts Committee currently consists of five (5) Independent Trustees. The following Trustees serve as members of the Contracts Committee: Mses. Chadwick and Pressler and Messrs. Boyer, Drotch, and Vincent. Ms. Pressler currently serves as Chairperson of the Contracts Committee. The Contracts Committee, which currently meets regularly seven (7) times per year, held nine (9) meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

Executive Committee. The Board has established an Executive Committee whose function is to act on behalf of the full Board between meetings when necessary. The Executive Committee currently consists of three (3) Independent Trustees and two (2) Trustees who are “interested persons,” as defined in the 1940 Act. The following Trustees currently serve as members of the Executive Committee: Ms. Pressler and Messrs. Boyer, Crispin, Mathews and Vincent. Mr. Vincent, Chairman of the Board, currently serves as Chairperson of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee, which meets on an “as needed” basis, held three (3) meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

Investment Review Committees. The Board has established two Investment Review Committees to, among others things, monitor the investment performance of the Portfolios and make recommendations to the Board with respect to investement management activities performed by the adviser and sub-advisers on behalf of the Portfolios, and to review and make recommendations regarding proposals by management to retain new or additional sub-advisers for a Portfolio.

 

64


Table of Contents

The Investment Review Committee for the Domestic Equity Funds (the “DE IRC”) currently consists of four (4) Independent Trustees and one (1) Trustee who is an “interested person” as defined by the 1940 Act. The following Trustees serve as members of the DE IRC: Mses. Chadwick and Pressler and Messrs. Crispin, Drotch, and Earley. Ms. Chadwick currently serves as Chairperson of the Investment Review Committee for the DE IRC. The DE IRC, which currently meets regularly six (6) times per year, held six (6) meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

The Investment Review Committee for the International/Balanced/Fixed-Income Funds (the “IBF IRC”) currently consists of four (4) Independent Trustees and one (1) Trustee who is an “intersted person” as defined by the 1940 Act. The following Trustees serve as members of the IBF IRC: Ms. Baldwin and Messrs. Boyer, Kenny, Mathews, and Vincent. Mr. Boyer currently serves as Chairperson of the IBF IRC. The IBF IRC, which currently meets regularly six (6) times per year, held nine (9) meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board has established a Nominating and Governance Committee for the purpose of, among other things: (1) identifying and recommending to the Board candidates it proposes for nomination to fill Independent Trustee vacancies on the Board; (2) reviewing workload and capabilities of Independent Trustees and recommending changes to the size or composition of the Board, as necessary; (3) monitoring regulatory developments and recommending modifications to the Committee’s responsibilities; (4) considering and, and if appropriate, recommending the creation of additional committees or changes to Trustee policies and procedures based on rule changes and “best practices” in corporate governance; (5) conducting an annual review of the membership and chairpersons of all Board committees and of practices relating to such membership and chairpersons; (6) undertaking a periodic study of compensation paid to independent board members of investment companies and making recommendations for any compensation changes for the Independent Trustees; (7) overseeing the Board’s annual self-evaluation process; (8) developing (with assistance from management) of an annual meeting calendar for the Board and its committees; and (9) overseeing actions to facilitate attendance by Independent Trustees at relevant educational seminars and similar programs.

In evaluating potential candidates to fill Independent Trustee vacancies on the Board, the Nominating and Governance Committee will consider a variety of factors, but it has not at this time set any specific minimum qualifications that must be met. Specific qualifications of candidates for Board membership will be based on the needs of the Board at the time of nomination. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominations received from shareholders and shall assess shareholder nominees in the same manner as it reviews nominees that it identifies initially as potential candidates. A shareholder nominee for Trustee should be submitted in writing to the Trust’s Secretary at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. Any such shareholder nomination should include at least the following information as to each individual proposed for nominations as Trustee: such person’s written consent to be named in a proxy statement as a nominee (if nominated) and to serve as a Trustee (if elected), and all information relating to such individual that is required to be disclosed in the solicitation of proxies for election of Trustees, or is otherwise required, in each case under applicable federal securities laws, rules and regulations, including such information as the Board may reasonably deem necessary to satisfy its oversight and due diligence duties.

The Secretary shall submit all nominations received in a timely manner to the Nominating and Governance Committee. To be timely, in connection with a shareholder meeting to elect Trustees, any such submission must be delivered to the Portfolios’ Secretary not earlier than the 90th day prior to such meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 60th day prior to such meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the meeting is first made, by either the disclosure in a press release or in a document publicly filed by the Portfolios with the SEC.

 

65


Table of Contents

The Nominating and Governance Committee currently consists of four (4) Independent Trustees. The Following Trustees serve as members of the Nominating and Governance Committee: Mses. Baldwin and Chadwick and Messrs. Kenny and Vincent. Ms. Baldwin currently serves as Chairperson of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee, which currently meets regularly four (4) times per year, held nine (9) meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

The Board’s Risk Oversight Role

The day-to-day management of various risks relating to the administration and operation of the Portfolios is the responsibility of management and other service providers retained by the Board or by management, most of whom employ professional personnel who have risk management responsibilities. The Board oversees this risk management function consistent with and as part of its oversight duties. The Board performs this risk management oversight function directly and, with respect to various matters, through its committees. The following description provides an overview of many, but not all, aspects of the Board’s oversight of risk management for the Portfolios. In this connection, the Board has been advised that it is not practicable to identify all of the risks that may impact the Portfolios or to develop procedures or controls that are designed to eliminate all such risk exposures, and that applicable securities law regulations do not contemplate that all such risks be identified and addressed.

The Board, working with management personnel and other service providers, has endeavored to identify the primary risks that confront the Portfolios. In general, these risks include, among others, investment risks, credit risks, liquidity risks, valuation risks, operational risks, reputational risks, regulatory risks, risks related to potential legislative changes and the risk of conflicts of interest affecting ING affiliates in managing the Portfolios. The Board has adopted and periodically reviews various policies and procedures that are designed to address these and other risks confronting the Portfolios. In addition, many service providers to the Portfolios have adopted their own policies, procedures and controls designed to address particular risks to the Portfolios. The Board and persons retained to render advice and service to the Board periodically review and/or monitor changes to and developments relating to the effectiveness of these policies and procedures.

The Board oversees risk management activities in part through receipt and review by the Board or its committees of regular and special reports, presentations and other information from officers of the Trust, including the CCOs for the Trust and its investment adviser and the Trust’s Chief Investment Risk Officer (“CIRO”), and from other service providers. For example, management personnel and the other persons make regular reports and presentations to: (1) the Compliance Committee regarding compliance with regulatory requirements; (2) the Investment Review Committees regarding investment activities and strategies that may pose particular risks; (3) the Audit Committee with respect to financial reporting controls and internal audit activities; (4) the Nominating and Governance Committee regarding corporate governance and best practice developments; and (5) the Contracts Committee regarding regulatory and related developments that might impact the retention of service providers to the Trust. The CIRO oversees an Investment Risk Department (“IRD”) that provides an independent source of analysis and research for Board members in connection with their oversight of the investment process and performance of portfolio managers. Among its other duties, the IRD seeks to identify and, where practicable, measure the investment risks being taken by each Portfolio’s portfolio managers. Although the IRD works closely with management of the Trust in performing its duties, the CIRO is directly accountable to and maintains an ongoing dialogue with the Independent Trustees.

 

66


Table of Contents

Qualifications of the Trustees

The Board believes that each of the Trustees is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust based on its review of the experience, qualifications, attributes and skills of each Trustee. The Board bases this conclusion on its consideration of various criteria, no one of which is controlling. Among others, the Board has considered the following factors with respect to each Trustee: strong character and high integrity; an ability to review, evaluate, analyze and discuss information provided; the ability to exercise effective business judgment in protecting shareholder interests while taking into account different points of views; a background in financial, investment, accounting, business, regulatory or other skills that would be relevant to the performance of a Trustee’s duties; the ability and willingness to commit the time necessary to perform his or her duties; and the ability to work in a collegial manner with other Board members. Each Trustee’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively is evidenced by his or her: experience in the investment management business; related consulting experience; other professional experience; experience serving on the boards of directors of other public companies; educational background and professional training; prior experience serving on the Board of Trustees of the Trust, as well as the boards of other investment companies in the ING Funds Complex and/or of other investment companies; and experience as attendees or participants in conferences and seminars that are focused on investment company matters and/or duties that are specific to board members of registered investment companies.

Information indicating certain of the specific experience and qualifications of each Trustee relevant to the Board’s belief that the Trustee should serve in this capacity is provided in the table above in the section entitled “Information Regarding Individual Board Members of the Trust.” That table includes, for each Trustee, positions held with the Trust, the length of such service, principal occupations during the past five years, the number of series within the ING Funds Complex for which the Trustee serves as a Board member and certain directorships held during the past five years. Set forth below are certain additional specific experiences, qualifications, attributes or skills that the Board believes support a conclusion that each Trustee should serve as a Board member in light of the Trust’s business and structure.

Colleen D. Baldwin has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2007. She also has served as the Chairperson of the Board’s Nominating and Governance Committee since 2009. Ms. Baldwin has been President of Glautaum Partners, LLC, a business consulting firm, since 2009. Prior to that, she served in senior positions at the following financial services firms: Chief Operating Officer for Ivy Asset Management, Inc. (2002-2004), a hedge fund manager; Chief Operating Officer and Head of Global Business and Product Development for AIG Global Investment Group (1995-2002), a global investment management firm; Senior Vice President at Bankers Trust Company (1994-1995); and Senior Managing Director at J.P. Morgan & Company (1987-1994). In addition to her undergraduate degree, Ms. Baldwin has an MBA degree from Pace University. These positions and experiences have provided Ms. Baldwin with a strong background in asset management matters and in the oversight of related service activities.

John V. Boyer has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2005. He also has served as Chairperson of the Trust’s IBF IRC since 2006 and, prior to that, as Chairperson of the Trust’s Compliance Committee. Since 2008, Mr. Boyer has been President of the Bechtler Arts Foundation for which, among his other duties, Mr. Boyer oversees all fiduciary aspects of the Foundation and assists in the oversight of the Foundation’s endowment portfolio. Previously, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (2006-2007) and as Executive Director of The Mark Twain House & Museum (1989-2006) where he was responsible for overseeing business operations, including endowment portfolios. He also served as a board member of certain predecessor mutual funds of the ING Fund Complex (1997-2005). In addition to his undergraduate degree, Mr. Boyer has an MFA degree from Princeton University. These positions and experiences have provided Mr. Boyer with a strong background in business management, asset management oversight and related service activities.

 

67


Table of Contents

Patricia W. Chadwick has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2006. She also has served as Chairperson of the Trust’s DE IRC since 2007. Since 2000, Ms. Chadwick has been the Founder and President of Ravengate Partners LLC, a consulting firm that provides advice regarding financial markets and the global economy. She also is a trustee of The Royce Fund (since 2009) and a director of Wisconsin Energy Corp. (since 2006) and AMICA Mutual Insurance Company (since 1992). Previously, she served in senior roles at several major financial services firms where her duties included the management of corporate pension funds, endowments and foundations, as well as management responsibilities for an asset management business. These positions and experiences have provided Ms. Chadwick with a strong background in asset management matters and in the oversight of related service providers.

Robert W. Crispin has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2007. He formerly served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ING Investment Management Co. (2001-2007), an investment sub-adviser to many of the funds in the ING Fund Complex, and in other senior positions in financial service firms. These positions and experiences have provided Mr. Crispin with a strong background in investment management and distribution activities and related administrative oversight activities, as well as with extensive knowledge of many of the Trust’s key service providers.

Peter S. Drotch has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2007. Prior to his retirement in 2000, he was a partner at the accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where he was the leader of the firm’s asset management practice group and acquired extensive experience with respect to audits and other financial matters relating to registered investment companies. Since his retirement, he also has served on the boards of registered investment companies in other fund comlexes (the State Street Research Funds and BlackRock Funds) from 2005 to 2007 and as a consultant with respect to investment company regulatory compliance matters. In addition to his undergraduate degree, Mr. Drotch is a Certified Public Accountant. These positions and experiences have provided Mr. Drotch with a strong background in financial reporting, compliance and internal control matters relating to registered investment companies.

J. Michael Earley has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2002. He also has served as Chairperson of the Trust’s Audit Committee since 2003. Mr. Earley retired in 2008 as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bankers Trust Company, N.A. (Des Moines, Iowa), where he had worked since 1992. He also has served on the boards of directors of that company (1992-2009) and of Midamerica Financial Corporation (2002-2009), and as a board member of certain predecessor mutual funds of the ING Fund Complex (1997-2002). In addition to his undergraduate degree, Mr. Earley has a JD degree from the University of Iowa. These positions and experiences have provided Mr. Earley with a strong background in management matters relating to financial institutions and with respect to financial reporting and internal controls matters.

Patrick W. Kenny has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2005. He also has served as the Chairperson of the Trust’s Compliance Committee since 2006. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer (2001-2009) of the International Insurance Society (insurance trade association), Executive Vice President (1998-2001) of Frontier Insurance Group (property and casualty insurance company), Senior Vice President (1995-1998) of SS&C Technologies (software and technology company), Chief Financial Officer (1988-1994) of Aetna Life & Casualty Company (multi-line insurance company), and as Partner (until 1988) of KPMG (accounting firm). Mr. Kenny currently serves (since 2004) on the board of directors of Assured

 

68


Table of Contents

Guaranty Ltd. (provider of financial guaranty insurance) and previously served on the boards of Odyssey Re Holdings Corporation (multi-line reinsurance company) (2006-2009) and of certain predecessor mutual funds of the ING Fund Complex (2002-2005). In addition to his undergraduate degree, Mr. Kenny has an MS degree from the University of Missouri and is a Certified Public Accountant. These positions and experiences have provided Mr. Kenny with a strong background in financial, accounting, insurance and management matters.

Shaun P. Mathews has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2007. He also is President and Chief Executive Officer of ING Investments, LLC (2006 to present). Mr. Mathews previously served as President of ING Mutual Funds and Investment Products (2004-2006) and several other senior management positions in various aspects of the financial services business. These positions and experiences have provided Mr. Mathews with extensive investment management, distribution and oversight experience, as well as with extensive direct knowledge of many of the Trust’s key service providers.

Sheryl K. Pressler has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2006. She also has served as Chairperson of the Trust’s Contracts Committee since 2007. Ms. Pressler has served as a consultant on financial matters since 2001. Previously, she held various senior positions involving financial services, including as Chief Executive Officer (2000-2001) of Lend Lease Real Estate Investments, Inc. (real estate investment management and mortgage servicing firm), Chief Investment Officer (1994-2000) of California Public Employees’ Retirement System (state pension fund), and Director of Retirement Funds Management (1981-1994) of McDonnell Douglas Corporation (aircraft manufacturer). In addition to her undergraduate degree, Ms. Pressler has an MBA degree from Washington University. These positions and experiences have provided Ms. Pressler with extensive experience in asset management and retirement service matters, as well as management oversight of such operations.

Roger B. Vincent has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the ING Fund Complex since 2002. He also has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees since 2007 and he previously served as Chairperson of the Contracts Committee and the DE IRC. Mr. Vincent currently is President (since 1989) of Springwell Corporation (corporate finance firm) and a Director of UGI Corporation and UGI Utilities, Inc. (since 2006). He previously worked for 20 years at Bankers Trust Company. He also previously served as a Director of AmeriGas Partners, L.P. (1998-2006), Tatham Offshore, Inc. (1996-2000) and Petrolane, Inc. (1993-1995), and as a board member of certain predecessor funds of the ING Fund Complex (1994-2002). Mr. Vincent is a frequent speaker or panelist at mutual fund industry conferences and seminars. In addition to his undergraduate degree, Mr. Vincent has an MBA degree from Harvard University. These positions and experiences have provided Mr. Vincent with extensive experience in financial management and oversight matters.

Trustee Ownership of Securities

In order to further align the interests of the Independent Trustees with shareholders, it is the policy of the Board for Independent Trustees to own, beneficially, shares of one or more funds in the ING Fund Complex at all times (“Ownership Policy”). For this purpose beneficial ownership of ING Fund shares includes in addition to direct ownership of ING Fund shares, ownership of a Variable Contract whose proceeds are invested in an ING Fund within the ING Fund Complex, as well as deferred compensation payments under the Board’s deferred compensation arrangements pursuant to which the future value of such payments is based on the notional value of designated ING Funds within the ING Fund Complex.

 

69


Table of Contents

Under this Ownership Policy, the initial value of investments in the ING Fund Complex that are beneficially owned by a Trustee must equal at least $100,000. Existing Trustees were provided with a reasonable amount of time, not to exceed three years, from the date upon which the minimum ownership requirement was set at $100,000 (in July 2007) in order to satisfy the foregoing requirements. The Ownership Policy provides that a new Trustee shall satisfy the foregoing requirements within a reasonable amount of time, not to exceed three years, after becoming a Trustee. A decline in the value of any ING Fund investments will not cause a Trustee to have to make any additional investments under this Ownership Policy. As of December 31, 2009, all Independent Trustees were in compliance with the Ownership Policy.

Investment in mutual funds of the ING Funds Complex by the Trustees pursuant to this Ownership Policy are subject to: (1) policies applied by the mutual funds of the ING Funds Complex to other similar investors, that are designed to prevent inappropriate market timing trading practices; and (2) to any provisions of the ING Funds’ Code of Ethics that otherwise apply to the Trustees.

 

70


Table of Contents

Set forth below is the dollar range of equity securities owned by each Trustee as of December 31, 2009.

 

Name of Trustee

   Dollar Range of Equity Securities in:    Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in all Registered
Investment Companies Overseen
by Trustee in Family of
Investment Companies
   International
Value
   MidCap
Opportunities
   SmallCap
Opportunities
  

Independent Trustees

           

Colleen D. Baldwin

   None    None    None    Over  $100,000(1)

John V. Boyer

   None    None    None    Over $100,000

Patricia W. Chadwick

   None    None    None    Over $100,000

Peter S. Drotch

   None    None    None    $50,001 - $100,000

J. Michael Earley

   None    None    None    Over $100,000

Patrick W. Kenny

   None    None    None    Over $100,000

Over $100,000(1)

Sheryl K. Pressler

   None    None    None    Over $100,000(1)

Roger B. Vincent

   None    None    None    Over $100,000

Over $100,000(1)

      International
Value
   MidCap
Opportunities
   SmallCap
Opportunities
   Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in all Registered
Investment Companies Overseen
by Trustee in Family of
Investment Companies

Trustees who are “Interested Persons”

           

Robert W. Crispin

   None    None    None    None

Shaun P. Mathews

   None    None    $10,001 - $50,000    Over $100,000

$10,001 -  $50,000(1)

 

(1) Held in a Deferred Compensation account.

 

71


Table of Contents

Independent Trustee Ownership of Securities

Set forth in the table below is information regarding each Independent Trustee’s (and his immediate family members) share ownership in securities of the Trust’s adviser or principal underwriter, and the ownership of securities in an entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with the adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust (not including registered investment companies) as of December 31, 2009.

 

Name of Trustee

   Name of Owners and
Relationship to Trustee
   Trust    Title of Class    Value of
Securities
   Percentage of
Class

Colleen D. Baldwin

   N/A    N/A    N/A    $ 0    N/A

John V. Boyer

   N/A    N/A    N/A    $ 0    N/A

Patricia W. Chadwick

   N/A    N/A    N/A    $ 0    N/A

Peter S. Drotch

   N/A    N/A    N/A    $ 0    N/A

J. Michael Earley

   N/A    N/A    N/A    $ 0    N/A

Patrick W. Kenny

   N/A    N/A    N/A    $ 0    N/A

Sheryl K. Pressler

   N/A    N/A    N/A    $ 0    N/A

Roger B. Vincent

   N/A    N/A    N/A    $ 0    N/A

 

72


Table of Contents

Compensation of Trustees

Each Trustee is reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with each meeting of the Board or any of its Committee meetings attended. Each Independent Trustee is compensated for his or her services, on a quarterly basis, according to a fee schedule adopted by the Board. The current fee schedule consists of an annual retainer, compensation for Board and Committee Chairpersons and additional compensation for attendance at regular scheduled meetings. The Board may from time to time designate other meetings as subject to compensation.

Effective January 1, 2010, each Portfolio pays each Trustee who is not an interested person of a Portfolio a pro rata share, as described below, of: (i) an annual retainer of $200,000; (ii) Mr. Vincent, as Chairman of the Board, receives an additional annual retainer of $80,000; (iii) Mses. Baldwin, Chadwick and Pressler and Messrs. Earley, Boyer and Kenny as Chairpersons of Committees of the Board, each receives an additional annual retainer of $25,000, $30,000, $65,000, $25,000, $30,000 and $25,000, respectively; (iv) $8,000 per attendance at any of the regularly scheduled meetings (four (4) quarterly meetings, two (2) auxiliary meetings, two (2) annual contract review meetings, and any other meetings as designated by the Board): and (v) out-of-pocket expenses. The pro rata share paid by each Portfolio is based on each Portfolio’s average net assets as a percentage of the average net assets of all the funds managed by the adviser or its affiliate, Directed Services LLC, for which the Trustees serve in common as Trustees.

Prior to January 1, 2010, each Portfolio paid each Trustee who was not an interested person of the Portfolio a pro rata share, as described above, of: (i) an annual retainer of $200,000; (ii) Mr. Vincent, as Chairperson of the Board, received an additional annual retainer of $75,000; (iii) Mses. Baldwin, Chadwick and Pressler and Messrs. Earley, Boyer, and Kenny, as Chairpersons of Committees of the Board, each received an additional annual retainer of $15,000, $40,000, $60,000, $30,000, $40,000, and $30,000, respectively; and (iv) out-of-pocket expenses.

For a period prior to May 9, 2007, compensation earned by Independent Trustees included both a current cash component and a conditional cash component that would be payable upon an Independent Trustee’s termination of service on the Board by reason of retirement, death or disability. Under this conditional compensation component, each person who was an Independent Trustee on or before May 9, 2007, and who will have served as an Independent Trustee for five or more years for one or more ING Funds prior to his or her retirement from the Board, death or disability, is entitled to a payment, as partial compensation for Board service prior to May 9, 2007. This payment will be in an amount equal to $400,000 if that person had served as Trustee for at least five years as of May 9, 2007, or in a lesser amount calculated based on the proportion of time served by such Trustee (as compared to five years) as of May 9, 2007. This amount shall be paid by the investment company registrants on whose Board the Independent Trustee was serving at the time of his or her retirement, provided that those registrants were operational as of May 9, 2007. An Independent Trustee can elect to receive his or her payment described above in a lump sum or in three substantially equal payments.

The following table sets forth information provided by the Portfolios’ adviser regarding compensation of Trustees by each Portfolio and other funds managed by the adviser and its affiliates for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009. Officers of the Trust and Trustees who are interested persons of the Trust do not receive any compensation from the Trust or any other funds managed by the adviser or its affiliates.

 

73


Table of Contents

Compensation Table

 

Name of Person, Position

   International
Value
   Mid Cap
Opportunities
   Small Cap
Opportunities
   Pension
Retirement
Benefits
Accrued as
Part of
Portfolio
Expenses
   Total
Compensation
From  Registrant
and

Fund/Portfolio
Complex Paid to
Trustee(1)(2)
 

Colleen D. Baldwin(3)

Trustee

   $ 1,312    $ 1,723    $ 406    N/A    $ 240,000 (4) 

John V. Boyer

Trustee

   $ 1,307    $ 1,723    $ 405    N/A    $ 240,000   

Patricia W. Chadwick

Trustee

   $ 1,307    $ 1,723    $ 405    N/A    $ 240,000   

Robert W. Crispin( 5 )

Interested Trustee

     N/A      N/A      N/A    N/A      N/A   

Peter S. Drotch

Trustee

   $ 1,089    $ 1,436    $ 338    N/A    $ 200,000   

J. Michael Early

Trustee

   $ 1,253    $ 1,651    $ 389    N/A    $ 230,000   

R. Barbara Gitenstein(6)

Trustee

   $ 762      1,036    $ 236    N/A    $ 133,333   

Patrick W. Kenny (3)

Trustee

   $ 1,253    $ 1,651    $ 389    N/A    $ 230,000   

Shaun P. Mathews( 5 )

Interested Trustee

     N/A      N/A      N/A    N/A      N/A   

Walter H. May(7)

Trustee

   $ 454    $ 575    $ 146    N/A    $ 87,333   

Sheryl K. Pressler

Trustee

   $ 1,416    $ 1,867    $ 439    N/A    $ 260,000   

Roger B. Vincent (3)

Chairman and Trustee

   $ 1,498    $ 1,974    $ 465    N/A    $ 275,000   

 

(1) Trustee compensation includes compensation paid by funds that are not discussed in the Prospectuses or SAI.
(2) Represents compensation from 137 funds (total in complex as of December 31, 2009).
(3) During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, Ms. Baldwin and Messrs. Kenny and Vincent deferred $50,000, $57,500 and $68,750 respectively, of their compensation from the Portfolio Complex.
(4) December 2009 includes a one-time payment of $25,000 for services as the Nominating and Governance Committee Chairperson.
(5) “Interested persons,” as defined in the 1940 Act, of the Trust because of the affiliated with ING Groep N.V., the parent corporation of the adviser and the distributor. Officers and Trustees who are interested persons do not receive any compensation from the Portfolios.
(6) Dr. Gitenstein retired as Trustee effective September 10, 2007. August 2009 includes a $133,333 retirement payout representing the final installment of three installments.
(7) Mr. May retired as Trustee effective January 11, 2007. January 2009 includes a $87,333 retirement payout representing the final installment of three installments.

 

74


Table of Contents

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

As April 7, 2010, Trustees and officers as a group owned less than 1% of any class of each Portfolio’s outstanding shares. As of that date, to the knowledge of management, no person owned beneficially or of record more than 5% of the outstanding shares of any class of the Portfolios, except as set forth below. Unless otherwise indicated below, the Trust has no knowledge as to whether all or any portion of the shares owned of record are also owned beneficially. Control is defined by the 1940 Act as the beneficial ownership, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, of more than 25 percent of the voting securities of the company. A control person may be able to take actions regarding its Portfolio without the consent or approval of shareholders.

 

Portfolio

  

Address

   Class of
Ownership
   Percentage of
Class
  Percentage
of Portfolio

ING International Value

  

ING

Enhanced K Choice

Trustee: Reliance Trust Company

400 Atrium Drive

Somerset, NJ 08873-4162

   Class ADV    100.0%   0.02%

ING International Value

  

ING Solution 2025 Portfolio

ATTN Carneen Stokes

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

   Class I    7.37%   7.16%

ING International Value

  

ING Solution 2035 Portfolio

ATTN Carneen Stokes

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

   Class I    8.67%   8.42%

ING International Value

  

ING Solution 2045 Portfolio

ATTN Carneen Stokes

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

   Class I    6.95%   6.75%

ING International Value

  

Reliastar Life Insurance Co.

FBO Select Life 1

RTE 5106 PO Box 20

Minneapolis, MN 55440-0020

   Class I    6.88%   6.68%

ING International Value

  

ING Life Insurance & Annuity CO

Aces Separate Acct B

ATTN Valuation Unit-TN41

One Orange Way B3N

Windsor, CT 06095

   Class I    66.14%   64.29%

ING International Value

  

ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company

1475 Dunwoody DR

West Chester, PA 19380-1478

   Class S    88.05%   2.54%
  

Reliastar Life Insurance Company

of New York

151 Farmington Ave TN41

Hartford, CT 06156-0001

   Class S    8.58%   0.38%

ING International Value

  

Reliastar Life Insurance Company

One Orange Way

Windsor, CT 06095-0001

   Class S2    100.0%   6.68%

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

ING National Trust

One Orange Way

Windsor, CT 06095

   Class ADV    96.74%   0.25%

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

ING Strategic Allocation Growth Portfolio

ATTN Carneen Stokes

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

   Class I    5.93%   2.49%

 

75


Table of Contents

Portfolio

  

Address

   Class of
Ownership
   Percentage of
Class
  Percentage
of Portfolio

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

ING Solution 2025 Portfolio

ATTN Carneen Stokes

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

   Class I    12.68%   5.33%

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

ING Solution 2035 Portfolio

ATTN Carneen Stokes

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

   Class I    12.43%   5.22%

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

ING Solution 2045 Portfolio

ATTN Carneen Stokes

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

   Class I    9.98%   4.19%

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

Mac & Co.

Attn: Mutual Fund OPS

PO Box 3198

Pittsburgh, PA 15230-3198

   Class I    6.68%   7.68%

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

Reliastar Life Insurance Co.

FBO Select III Non Qualified

RTE 5106 PO Box 20

Minneapolis, MN 55440-0020

   Class I    14.48%   6.08%

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

ING Life Insurance & Annuity CO

Aces Separate Acct B

ATTN Valuation Unit-TN41

One Orange Way B3N

Windsor, CT 06095

   Class I    12.84%   5.93%

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company

1475 Dunwoody DR

West Chester, PA 19380-1478

   Class S    96.81%   55.90%

ING MidCap Opportunities

  

Reliastar Life Insurance Company

One Orange Way

Windsor, CT 06095-0001

   Class S2    100.0%   6.08%

ING SmallCap Opportunities

  

ING

Enhanced K Choice

Trustee: Reliance Trust Company

400 Atrium Drive

Somerset, NJ 08873-4162

   Class ADV    80.02%   0.06%

ING SmallCap Opportunities

  

ING National Trust

One Orange Way

Windsor, CT 06095

   Class ADV    19.98%   6.67%

ING SmallCap Opportunities

  

Reliastar Life Insurance Co.

FBO Select Life 1

RTE 5106 PO Box 20

Minneapolis, MN 55440-0020

   Class I    37.14%   21.30%

ING SmallCap Opportunities

  

ING National Trust

One Orange Way

Windsor, CT 06095

   Class I    11.61%   6.67%

ING SmallCap Opportunities

  

Security Life Insurance of Denver

A VUL

RTE 5106 PO Box 20

Minneapolis, MN 55440-0020

   Class I    10.25%   6.86%

ING SmallCap Opportunities

  

ING Life Insurance & Annuity Co

Aces Separate Acct B

ATTN Valuation Unit-TN41

One Orange Way B3N

Windsor, CT 06095

   Class I    40.14%   24.45%

ING SmallCap Opportunities

  

ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company

1475 Dunwoody DR

West Chester, PA 19380-1478

   Class S    95.48%   40.64%

 

76


Table of Contents

Portfolio

  

Address

   Class of
Ownership
   Percentage of
Class
  Percentage
of Portfolio

ING SmallCap Opportunities

  

Reliastar Life Insurance Company

One Orange Way

Windsor, CT 06095-0001

   Class S2    100.0%   21.30%

ADVISER

The investment adviser for each Portfolio is ING Investments, LLC (“ING Investments” or “Adviser”) which is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and serves as an investment adviser to registered investment companies (or series thereof), as well as structured finance vehicles. The Adviser, subject to the authority of the Board, has the overall responsibility for the management of each of the Portfolios, subject to delegation of certain responsibilities to other investment advisers (“Sub-Adviser”). ING Investment Management Co. (“ING IM”) serves as Sub-Adviser to the Portfolios. The Adviser and the Sub-Adviser are indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries of ING Groep N.V. (“ING Groep”) (NYSE: ING). ING Groep is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, investments, life insurance and retirement services to over 75 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of about 125,000 people, ING Groep comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand. The principal executive offices of ING Groep are located at Amstelveensesweg 500, 1081 KL Amsterdam, P.O. Box 810, 1000 AV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

ING Groep has adopted a formal restructuring plan that was approved by the European Commission in November 2009 under which the ING life insurance businesses, including the retirement services and investment management businesses, which include the Adviser and its affiliates, would be divested by ING Groep by the end of 2013. While there can be no assurance that it will be carried out, the restructuring plan presents certain risks, including uncertainty about the effect on the businesses of the ING entities that service the Portfolios and potential termination of the Portfolios’ existing advisory agreements, which may trigger the need for shareholder approval of new agreements.

On March 1, 2002, the name of the Adviser changed from “ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC” to “ING Investments, LLC.” On February 26, 2001, the name of the Adviser changed from “ING Pilgrim Investments, Inc.” to “ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC”.

The Adviser serves pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Portfolios. The Advisory Agreement requires the Adviser to oversee the provision of all investment advisory and portfolio management services for each of the Portfolios. Pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser (“Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Adviser has delegated management responsibilities to the Sub-Adviser for each of the Portfolios. The Adviser oversees the investment management of the Sub-Adviser for the Portfolios.

The Advisory Agreement requires the Adviser to provide, subject to the supervision of the Board, investment advice and investment services to the Portfolios and to furnish advice and recommendations with respect to investment of each Portfolio’s assets and the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities. the Adviser also provides investment research and analysis. The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser is not subject to liability to the Portfolio for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services under the Advisory Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory Agreement.

 

77


Table of Contents

Prior to August 1, 2003, the Portfolios were directly managed by ING Investments. ING Investments undertook an internal reorganization that, among other things, integrated its portfolio management professionals across the United States under a common management structure known as ING Investment Management Americas, which includes ING IM. On August 1, 2003, ING IM became the Sub-Adviser to the Portfolios. One of the primary purposes of the integration plan was to promote consistently high levels of performance in terms of investment standards, research, policies and procedures in the portfolio management functions of the Portfolios. As a result of this integration plan, the operational and supervisory functions of each Portfolio’s Investment Advisory Agreement was separated from the portfolio management functions related to the Portfolios, with the former continuing to be provided by ING Investments and the latter provided by ING IM. The portfolio management personnel for the Portfolios did not change as a result of this internal reorganization.

After an initial two year period, the Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement continues in effect from year to year for each Portfolio so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by: (a) the Board; or (b) the vote of a “majority” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Portfolio’s outstanding shares voting as a single class; provided, that in either event the continuance is also approved by at least a majority of the Board of Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Adviser by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty with not less than sixty (60) days’ notice by the Board of Trustees or by a vote of the holders of a majority of a Portfolio’s outstanding shares voting as a single class, or upon not less than sixty (60) days’ notice by the Adviser. The Investment Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).

Approval of Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement

For information regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the investment advisory and investment sub-advisory relationships for each Portfolio, please refer to the annual shareholder report dated December 31, 2009.

Advisory Fees

The Adviser bears the expense of providing its services and pays the fees of the Sub-Adviser. For its services, each Portfolio pays the Adviser a monthly fee in arrears equal to the following as a percentage of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets during the month:

 

Portfolio

  

Annual Advisory Fee

International Value    0.85% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets.
MidCap Opportunities   

0.75% on the first $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.70% on the next $400 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.65% on the next $450 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets; and

0.60% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets in excess of $1.1 billion.

SmallCap Opportunities   

0.75% on the first $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.70% on the next $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.65% on the next $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.60% on the next $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets; and

0.55% on the Portfolio’s average daily net assets in excess of $1 billion.

 

78


Table of Contents

To seek to achieve a return on uninvested cash or for other reasons, a Portfolio may invest its assets in ING Institutional Prime Money Market Fund and/or one or more other money market funds advised by ING affiliates (“ING Money Market Funds”). A Portfolio’s purchase of shares of an ING Money Market Fund will result in the Portfolio paying a proportionate share of the expenses of the ING Money Market Fund. Each Portfolio’s Adviser will waive its fee in an amount equal to the Advisory fee received by the Adviser of the ING Money Market Fund in which the Portfolio invests resulting from the Portfolio’s investment into the ING Money Market Fund.

Total Advisory Fees Paid

The following table sets forth the total amounts the Portfolios paid to the Adviser for the last three fiscal years ended December 31:

 

Portfolio

   2009    2008    2007

International Value

   $ 3,226,709    $ 4,026,991    $ 5,155,227

MidCap Opportunities

   $ 3,662,737    $ 3,144,773    $ 798,978

SmallCap Opportunities

   $ 889,456    $ 1,166,075    $ 1,520,206

EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT

The Adviser has entered into an expense limitation agreement with the Trust on behalf of each Portfolio, pursuant to which the Adviser has agreed to waive or limit its fees. In connection with this agreement, the Adviser will assume other expenses so that the total annual ordinary operating expenses of these Portfolios (which excludes interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, other investment-related costs, extraordinary expenses such as litigation, other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of each Portfolio’s business, and expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by the Trust’s Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Adviser) do not exceed:

 

Portfolio

   Class ADV     Class I     Class S     Class S2  

International Value

   1.50   1.00   1.20   1.40

MidCap Opportunities(1)

   1.40   0.90   1.10   1.30

SmallCap Opportunities

   1.42   0.92   1.17   1.32

 

(1) Effective May 2, 2010, the Adviser is contractually obligated to further limit the Portfolio’s expenses to 1.35%, 0.85% 1.10%, and 1.25% for Class ADV, Class I, Class S, and Class S2 shares, respectively through May 2, 2011. There is no guarantee the additional expense limit will continue after May 2, 2011. The additional expense limit will continue only if the Adviser elects to renew it.

Each Portfolio will at a later date reimburse the Adviser for management fees waived or reduced and other expenses assumed by ING Investments during the previous thirty-six (36) months, but only if, after such reimbursement, the Portfolio’s expense ratio does not exceed the percentage described above. The Adviser will only be reimbursed for fees waived or expenses assumed after the effective date of the expense limitation agreement.

The expense limitation agreement provides that these expense limitations shall continue until May 1, 2011 for all Portfolios. The expense limitations are contractual and shall renew automatically for one-year terms unless the Adviser provides written notice to the Trust of the termination of the agreement to the Independent Chairman of the Board within ninety (90) days of the end of the then-current term or upon termination of the Advisory Agreement. The expense limitation agreement also may be terminated by the Trust, without payment of any penalty, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Adviser at its principal place of business.

 

79


Table of Contents

SUB-ADVISER

The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser, with the approval of the Trust’s Board, may select and employ investment advisers to serve as Sub-Adviser for the Portfolios, and shall monitor the Sub-Adviser’s investment programs and results, and coordinate the investment activities of the Sub-Adviser to ensure compliance with regulatory restrictions. The Adviser pays all of its expenses arising from the performance of its obligations under the Advisory Agreement, including all fees payable to the Sub-Adviser and executive salaries and expenses of the Trustees and officers of the Trust who are employees of the Adviser or its affiliates. The Sub-Adviser pays all of its expenses arising from the performance of its obligations under the Sub-Advisory Agreement.

Subject to the expense reimbursement provisions described in this SAI, other expenses incurred in the operation of the Portfolios are borne by the Portfolios, including, without limitation, investment advisory fees; brokerage commissions; interest; legal fees and expenses of attorneys; fees of independent registered public accounting firms, transfer agents and dividend disbursing agents, accounting agents, and custodians; the expense of obtaining quotations for calculating each Portfolio’s NAV; taxes, if any, and the preparation of each Portfolio’s tax returns; cost of stock certificates and any other expenses (including clerical expenses) of issue, sale, repurchase or redemption of shares; fees and expenses of registering and maintaining the registration of shares of the Portfolio’s under federal and state laws and regulations; expenses of printing and distributing reports, notices and proxy materials to existing shareholders; expenses of printing and filing reports and other documents filed with governmental agencies; expenses of annual and special shareholder meetings; expenses of printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information to existing shareholders; fees and expenses of Trustees of the Trust who are not employees of the Adviser or Sub-Adviser, or their affiliates; membership dues in trade associations; insurance premiums; and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses.

Pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser dated August 7, 2001, as amended July 1, 2003, September 1, 2003, December 15, 2006 and September 15, 2007, ING IM acts as the Sub-Adviser to the Portfolios. In this capacity, ING IM, subject to the supervision and control of ING Investments and the Trustees, on behalf of the Portfolios, manages the Portfolios’ investments consistently with the Portfolios’ investment objectives, and executes any of the Portfolios’ investment policies that it deems appropriate to utilize from time to time. Fees payable under the Sub-Advisory Agreement accrue daily and are paid monthly by ING Investments. ING IM’s address is 230 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10169. ING IM is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep and an affiliate of ING Investments. The Sub-Advisory Agreement was last approved by the Trustees of the Portfolios on behalf of the Portfolios in November 2008. The Sub-Advisory Agreement may be terminated without payment of any penalty by ING Investments, the Trustees, or the shareholders on 60 days’ prior written notice. The Sub-Advisory Agreement may be terminated by ING IM upon three (3) months’ written notice unless each Portfolio or ING Investments requests additional time to find a replacement for ING IM, in which case ING IM shall allow the additional time requested by each Portfolio or ING Investments not to exceed three (3) additional months beyond the initial three-month notice period. Otherwise, the Sub-Advisory Agreement will remain in effect for two years and will thereafter, continue in effect from year to year, subject to the annual approval of the Trustees of each Portfolio, or the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Portfolio, and the vote, cast in person at a meeting duly called and held, of a majority of the Trustees of each Portfolio who are not parties to the Sub-Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party.

 

80


Table of Contents

The Portfolios and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC that allows the Adviser to enter into new investment sub-advisory agreements with a non-affiliated sub-adviser and to materially amend the Sub-Advisory agreements with the approval of a Portfolio’s Board, but without shareholder approval. In accordance with the exemptive order received from the SEC, an information statement describing any sub-adviser changes will be provided to shareholders within 90 days of the change. The Adviser remains responsible for providing general management services to each Portfolio, including overall supervisory responsibility for the general management services to each Portfolio, including overall supervisory responsibility for the general management and investment of each Portfolio’s assets, and, subject to the review and approval of the Board, will among other things: (i) set a Portfolio’s overall investment strategies; (ii) evaluate, select and recommend a sub-adviser to manage all or part of a Portfolio’s assets; (iii) when appropriate, allocate and reallocate a Portfolio’s assets among multiple sub-advisers; (iv) monitor and evaluate the investment performance of the sub-advisers; and (v) implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the sub-adviser complies with a Portfolio’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions.

Sub-Advisory Fees

As compensation to the Sub-Adviser for its services, the Adviser pays the Sub-Adviser a monthly fee in arrears equal to the following as a percentage of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets managed during the month:

 

Portfolio

  

Sub-Advisory Fee

International Value    0.3825% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets.
MidCap Opportunities   

0.3375% on the first $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.3150% on the next $400 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.2925% on the next $450 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets; and

0.2700% on the Portfolio’s average daily net assets in excess of $1.1 billion.

SmallCap Opportunities   

0.3375% on the first $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.3150% on the next $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.2925% on the next $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets;

0.2700% on the next $250 million of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets; and

0.2475% of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets in excess of $1 billion.

The Portfolios may seek to achieve a return on uninvested cash or for other reasons, a Portfolio may invest its assets in ING Institutional Prime Money market Fund and/or one or more other money market funds advised by ING affiliates (“ING Money Market Funds”). A Portfolio’s purchase of shares of an ING Money Market Fund will result in the Portfolio paying a proportionate share of the expenses of the ING Money Market Fund. The Portfolio’s Sub-Adviser will waive its fee in an amount equal to the sub-advisory fee received by the sub-adviser of the ING Money Market Fund in which the Portfolio invests resulting from the Portfolio’s investment into the ING Money Market Fund.

 

81


Table of Contents

Sub-Advisory Fees Paid

The following chart sets forth the total amounts paid by the Adviser to the Sub-Adviser for the last three fiscal years ended December 31:

 

     Sub-Advisory Fees

Portfolio

   2009    2008    2007

International Value

   $ 1,452,018    $ 1,988,066    $ 2,319,849

MidCap Opportunities

   $ 1,648,232    $ 1,415,648    $ 359,541

SmallCap Opportunities

   $ 400,256    $ 524,871    $ 684,094

Other Information About Portfolio Managers

Portfolio Managers

International Value Portfolio, MidCap Opportunities Portfolio, and SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

Sub-Adviser: ING IM

Other Accounts Managed

The following table shows the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts managed by each portfolio manager as of December 31, 2009:

 

Portfolio Managers

   Registered Investment
Companies
   Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles
   Other Accounts
   Number of
Accounts*
   Total Assets    Number of
Accounts*
   Total Assets    Number of
Accounts*
   Total Assets

Jeff Bianchi

   2    $ 840,404,509    3    $ 99,966,862    33    $ 1,950,175,876

James Hasso

   2    $ 243,304,653    0    $ 0    3    $ 211,671,532

John Pairaktaridis

   2    $ 1,249,651,124    0    $ 0    0    $ 0

Steve Salopek

   4    $ 875,152,609    3    $ 151,944,575    7    $ 455,840,206

Philip A. Schwartz

   2    $ 1,249,651,124    0    $ 0    6    $ 3,521,561

Joseph Vultaggio

   2    $ 1,249,651,124    0    $ 0    0    $ 0

 

* There were no accounts for which an advisory fee is based on performance

Potential Material Conflicts of Interest

A portfolio manager may be subject to potential conflicts of interest because the portfolio manager is responsible for other accounts in addition to a Portfolio. These other accounts may include, among others, other mutual funds, separately managed advisory accounts, commingled trust accounts, insurance separate accounts, wrap fee programs, and hedge funds. Potential conflicts may arise out of the implementation of differing investment strategies for a portfolio manager’s various accounts, the allocation of investment opportunities among those accounts or differences in the advisory fees paid by the portfolio manager’s accounts.

 

82


Table of Contents

A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of a portfolio manager’s responsibility for multiple accounts with similar investment guidelines. Under these circumstances, a potential investment may be suitable for more than one of the portfolio manager’s accounts, but the quantity of the investment available for purchase is less than the aggregate amount the accounts would ideally devote to the opportunity. Similar conflicts may arise when multiple accounts seek to dispose of the same investment.

A portfolio manager may also manage accounts whose objectives and policies differ from that of a Portfolio. These differences may be such that under certain circumstances, trading activity appropriate for one account managed by the portfolio manager may not be appropriate for a Portfolio. For example, if an account were to sell a significant position in a security, which could cause the market price of that security to decrease, while the Portfolio, maintained its position in that security.

A potential conflict may arise when a portfolio manager is responsible for accounts that have different advisory fees – the difference in the fees may create an incentive for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another, for example, in terms of access to particularly appealing investment opportunities. This conflict may be heightened where an account is subject to a performance-based fee. As part of its compliance program, ING IM has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to address the potential conflicts of interest described above.

Finally, a potential conflict of interest may arise because the investment mandates for certain other accounts, such as hedge funds, may allow extensive use of short sales, which, in theory, could allow them to enter into short positions in securities where other accounts hold long positions. ING IM has policies and procedures reasonably designed to limit and monitor short sales by the other accounts to avoid harm to the Portfolios.

Compensation

Compensation consists of: (a) fixed base salary; (b) bonus which is based on ING IM performance, 3- and 5- year pre-tax performance of the accounts the portfolio managers are primarily and jointly responsible for relative to account benchmarks and peer universe performance, and revenue growth of the accounts they are responsible for; and (c) long-term equity awards tied to the performance of our parent company, ING Groep.

Portfolio managers are also eligible to participate in an annual incentive plan. The overall design of the ING IM annual incentive plan was developed to closely tie pay to performance, structured in such a way as to drive performance and promote retention of top talent. As with base salary compensation, individual target awards are determined and set based on external market data and internal comparators. Investment performance is measured on both relative and absolute performance in all areas. ING IM has defined indices (here the Russell MidCap® Growth Index for Jeff Bianchi and James Hasso as Portfolio Managers for MidCap Opportunities Portfolio, the Russell 2000® Growth Index for Mr. Hasso and Mr. Salopek as Portfolio Managers to SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio and the MSCI EAFE® Index for Philip A. Schwartz as Portfolio Manager to International Value Portfolio and Joseph Vultaggio and John Pairaktaridis as Assistant Portfolio Managers to International Value Portfolio) and, where applicable, peer groups including but not limited to Russell, Morningstar, Lipper and Barclay’s and set performance goals to appropriately reflect requirements for each investment firm. The measures for each team are outlined on a “scorecard” that is reviewed on an annual basis. These scorecards reflect a comprehensive approach to measuring investment performance versus both benchmarks and peer groups over one- and three-year periods and year-to-date net cash flow (changes in the accounts’ net assets not attributable in the value of all accounts’ investments) for all accounts managed by the team. The results for overall IIM scorecards are calculated on an asset weighted performance basis of the individual team scorecards.

 

83


Table of Contents

Investment professionals’ performance measures for bonus determinations are weighted by 25% being attributable to the overall ING IM performance and 75% attributable to their specific team results (60% investment performance and 15% net cash flow).

Based on job function, internal comparators and external market data, portfolio managers participate in the ING Long-Term Incentive Plan. Plan awards are based on the current year’s performance as defined by the ING IM component of the annual incentive plan. The awards vest in three years and are paid in a combination of ING restricted stock, stock options and restricted performance units.

Portfolio managers whose fixed base salary compensation exceeds a particular threshold may participate in ING’s deferred compensation plan. The plan provides an opportunity to invest deferred amounts of compensation in mutual funds, ING stock or at an annual fixed interest rate. Deferral elections are done on an annual basis and the amount of compensation deferred is irrevocable.

Portfolio Managers Ownership of Securities

The following table shows the dollar range of shares of the Portfolio owned by each portfolio manager as of December 31, 2009, including investments by their immediate family members and amounts invested through retirement and deferred compensation plans:

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Portfolio Name

   Dollar Range of
Portfolio Shares
Owned

Jeff Bianchi

   MidCap Opportunities Portfolio    None

James Hasso

  

MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

   $1 - $10,000

John Pairaktaridis

   International Value Portfolio    None

Steve Salopek

   SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio    None

Philip A. Schwartz

   International Value Portfolio    None

Joseph Vultaggio

   International Value Portfolio    None

ADMINISTRATOR

ING Funds Services, LLC (“Administrator”) serves as administrator for the Portfolios pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement. The Administrator is an affiliate of ING Investments. The address of the Administrator is 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road Scottsdale, AZ 85258. Subject to the supervision of the Board, the Administrator provides the overall business management and administrative services necessary to properly conduct the Portfolios’ business, except for those services performed by ING Investments under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Adviser under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the custodian under the Custodian Agreement, the transfer agent for the Portfolios under the Transfer Agency Agreement and such other service providers as may be retained by the Portfolios from time to time. According to the Administrative Services Agreement, the Administrator will pay all expenses incurred by it in connection with its activities, except such expenses as are assumed by the Trust under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the expenses of software licensing and similar products used in the preparation of registration statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information, shareholder reports and notices, proxy materials, and other documents filed with governmental agencies. The Administrator acts as liaison among these service providers to the Portfolios.

 

84


Table of Contents

The Administrator is also responsible for monitoring the Portfolios in compliance with applicable legal requirements and the investment policies and restrictions of the Portfolios.

The Administrative Services Agreement may be cancelled by the Board of the Trust on behalf of a Portfolio, without payment of any penalty, by a vote of a majority of the Trustees upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Administrator, or by the Administrator at any time, without the payment of any penalty upon ninety (90) days’ written notice to the Trust.

Administrative Services Fee

The Administrative Services Fee is accrued daily against the value of each Portfolio’s net assets and is payable by each Portfolio monthly. The fee is computed daily and payable monthly, at an annual rate of 0.10% of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets.

Administrative Services Fees Paid

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009, 2008, and 2007, the Portfolios paid ING Investments and the Administrator the following administrative fees:

 

     Administrative Fees

Portfolio

   2009    2008    2007

International Value

   $ 379,609    $ 473,758    $ 515,517

MidCap Opportunities

   $ 505,386    $ 433,403    $ 106,530

SmallCap Opportunities

   $ 118,593    $ 155,475    $ 202,693

DISTRIBUTION OF TRUST SHARES

The Distributor serves as the Portfolios’ distributor and principal underwriter. The Distributor’s principal executive offices are located at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. The Distributor is not obligated to sell a specific amount of the Portfolio’s shares. The Distributor bears all expenses of providing distribution services including the costs of sales presentations, mailings, advertising, and any other marketing efforts by the Distributor in connection with the distribution or sale of the shares.

The Trustees have classified shares of each of the Portfolios into four classes: Class ADV shares; Class I shares; Class S shares; and Class S2 shares. Shares of each class of each Portfolio represent an equal pro rata interest in a Portfolio and, generally, have identical voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights, preferences, powers, restrictions, limitations, qualifications and terms and conditions, except that: (a) each class has a different designation; (b) each class of shares bears any expenses attributable to that class; and (c) each class has exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to it or its distribution arrangements or service arrangements and each class has separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of any other class. In addition, the Class ADV, Class I, Class S, and Class S2 shares have the features described below:

The Class ADV shares are not subject to an initial sales charge or contingent deferred sales charges, but are subject to a shareholder servicing fee of 0.25% of average daily net assets per annum and a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee of 0.25% of average daily net assets per annum.

 

85


Table of Contents

The Class I shares are not subject to an initial sales charge, contingent deferred sales charge, shareholder service fee or a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee.

The Class S shares are not subject to an initial sales charge, contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) or Rule 12b-1 distribution fee, but are subject to a shareholder service fee of 0.25% of average daily net assets per annum.

The Class S2 shares are not subject to an initial sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge, but are subject to a shareholder service fee of 0.25% of average daily net assets per annum and a Rule 12b-1 distribution fee of 0.25% of average daily net assets per annum.

Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans (Class ADV and Class S2 Shares)

Class ADV shares and Class S2 shares of the Portfolios are each subject to a Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under each Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan, the Distributor is paid an annual shareholder service fee at the rate of 0.25% and an annual distribution fee at the rate of 0.25%, on an annualized basis, of the average daily net assets regardless of expenses of the Class ADV and Class S2 shares of each Portfolio. The Distributor has agreed to waive 0.10% of the distribution fee for Class S2 shares of the Portfolios. The expense waiver will continue through at least May 1, 2011. There is no guarantee that this waiver will continue after that date. The Portfolios will notify their Class S2 shareholders if they intend to pay the Distributor more than 0.15% (not to exceed 0.25% under the current Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan) for Class S2 shares in the future.

The shareholder service fee may be used to compensate securities dealers (including the Distributor) and other financial institutions, plan administrators and organizations for servicing shareholder accounts. The distribution fee may be used to cover expenses incurred in promoting the sale of Class ADV and Class S2 shares, including: (a) the costs of printing and distributing to prospective investors Prospectuses, statements of additional information and sale literature; (b) payments to investment professionals and other persons who provide support services in connection with the distribution of shares; (c) overhead and other distribution related expenses; and (d) accruals for interest on the amount of the forgoing expenses that exceed the distribution fee. The Distributor may re-allow all or a portion of these fees to broker-dealers entering into selling agreements with it, including its affiliates.

The Distributor is required to report in writing to the Board at least quarterly on the amounts and purpose of any payment made under the Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans and any related agreements, as well as to furnish the Board with such other information as may reasonably be requested in order to enable the Board to make an informed determination whether the Plan should be continued. The terms and provisions of the Shareholder and Distribution Plans relating to required reports, term and approval are consistent with the requirements of Rule 12b-1.

The Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans continue from year to year, provided such continuance is approved annually by vote of the Board, including a majority of Independent Trustees. The Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans may not be amended to increase the amount to be spent for the shareholder services provided by the Distributor without shareholder approval. All amendments to the Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans must be approved by the Board in the manner described above. The Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees upon not more than thirty (30) days notice to any other party to the Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans. All persons who are under common control of the Portfolios could be deemed to have a financial interest in the Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans. No other interested person of the Portfolios has a financial interest in the Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans.

 

86


Table of Contents

In approving the Shareholder Service and Distribution Plans, the Board considered all the features of the distribution system, including: (1) the advantages to the shareholders of economies of scale resulting from growth in the Portfolios’ assets and potential continued growth; (2) the services provided to the Portfolios and its shareholders by the Distributor; and (3)  the Distributor’s shareholder distribution-related expenses and costs.

Shareholder Services Plan (Class S Shares)

Class S shares of each Portfolio are subject to a Shareholder Services Plan ( “Plan”). Under the Plan, the Distributor is entitled to use proceeds from the Plan. To pay for services including, but not limited to: teleservicing support in connection with the Portfolios; delivery and responding to inquiries respecting Trust prospectuses, reports, notices, proxies and proxy statements and other information respecting the Portfolios; facilitation of the tabulation of Variable Contract owners’ votes in the event of a meeting of Trust shareholders; the conveyance of information relating to shares purchased and redeemed and share balances to the Trust, its transfer agent, or the Distributor as may be reasonably requested; provision of support services including providing information about the Trust and its Portfolios and answering questions concerning the Trust and its Portfolios, including questions respecting Variable Contract owners’ interests in one or more Portfolios; provision and administration of Variable Contract features for the benefit of Variable Contract owners participating in the Trust, including fund transfers, dollar cost averaging, asset allocation, Portfolio rebalancing, earnings sweep, and pre-authorized deposits and withdrawals; and provision of other services as may be agreed upon from time to time.

Under the terms of the Plan, each Portfolio makes payments to the Distributor at an annual rate of 0.25% of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets attributable to its Class S shares. The Distributor has agreed to contractually waive 0.05% of the shareholder services fee for International Value Portfolio and MidCap Opportunities Portfolio through May 1, 2011. There is no guarantee that this waiver will continue after this date. The expenses of the Plan are borne solely by the Class S shares of each Portfolio.

The Plan has been approved by the Board, including all of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act, and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan (“Independent Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose. The Plan must be renewed annually by the Board, including the Independent Trustees. The Plan may be terminated as to a Portfolio at any time, without any penalty, by such Trustees on sixty (60) days’ written notice.

Any material amendments to the Plan must be approved by the Independent Trustees.

Total distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor for the costs of promotion and distribution with respect to each class of shares for the following Portfolios paid to the Distributor for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 were as follows:

 

Distribution Expenses

   Class ADV    Class I    Class S    Class S2

International Value

           

Advertising

   $ 1    $ 0    $ 126    $ 0

Printing

   $ 7    $ 0    $ 2,385    $ 1

Salaries/Commissions

   $ 11    $ 35,411    $ 1,384    $ 0

Broker servicing

   $ 66    $ 7,414    $ 18,422    $ 0

 

87


Table of Contents

Distribution Expenses

   Class ADV     Class I    Class S    Class S2

Miscellaneous

   $ 0      $ 121    $ 2    $ 0
                            

Total

   $ 85      $ 42,946    $ 22,319    $ 1
                            

MidCap Opportunities

          

Advertising

   $ 14      $ 0    $ 3,214    $ 0

Printing

   $ 258      $ 0    $ 61,058    $ 1

Salaries/Commissions

   $ 449      $ 31,440    $ 25,205    $ 0

Broker servicing

   $ 1,330      $ 3,204    $ 579,731    $ 0

Miscellaneous

   $ 0      $ 44    $ 79    $ 0
                            

Total

   $ 2,051      $ 34,688    $ 669,287    $ 1
                            

SmallCap Opportunities

          

Advertising

   $ 2      $ 0    $ 566    $ 0

Printing

   $ 29      $ 0    $ 10,755    $ 1

Salaries/Commissions

   $ 94      $ 22,506    $ 5,665    $ 0

Broker servicing

   $ 284      $ 5,778    $ 92,128    $ 0

Miscellaneous

   $ (3   $ 109    $ 17    $ 0
                            

Total

   $ 406      $ 28,393    $ 109,131    $ 1
                            

Shareholder Services Fees Paid

The Class S shares of the Portfolios paid the following fees under the Shareholder Service Plan for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009, 2008, and 2007:

 

     Shareholder Services Plan

Portfolio

   2009    2008    2007

International Value

   $ 27,041    $ 31,862    $ 26,197

MidCap Opportunities

   $ 690,007    $ 593,826    $ 84,078

SmallCap Opportunities

   $ 137,300    $ 202,898    $ 296,608

The Class ADV of shares of the Portfolios paid the following fees under the Shareholder and Distribution Plan for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009, 2008, and 2007:

 

Portfolio

   2009    2008     2007

International Value

   $ 62    $ 4      $ 8

MidCap Opportunities

   $ 1,174    $ 8      $ 8

SmallCap Opportunities

   $ 262    $ 2 (1)      N/A

 

(1) The Portfolio’s Class ADV shares commenced operations December 16, 2008. The fees paid under the Shareholder and Distribution Plan for Class ADV shares of the Portfolio reflect the period from December 16, 2008 through December 31, 2008.

 

88


Table of Contents

The Class S2 shares of the Portfolios paid the following fees under the Shareholder and Distribution Plan for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009, 2008, and 2007:

 

Portfolio

   2009(1)    2008    2007

International Value

   $ 18    N/A    N/A

MidCap Opportunities

   $ 16    N/A    N/A

SmallCap Opportunities

   $ 16    N/A    N/A

 

(1) The Portfolio’s Class S2 shares commenced operations February 27, 2009. The fees paid under the Shareholder and Distribution Plan for Class S2 shares of the Portfolio reflect the period from February 27, 2009 through December  31, 2009.

CODE OF ETHICS

The Portfolios, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, and the Distributor have adopted a code of ethics (“Code of Ethics” or written supervisory procedures) in accordance with Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act governing personal trading activities of all Trustees, officers of the Portfolios and persons who, in connection with their regular functions, play a role in the recommendation of any purchase or sale of a security by each Portfolio or obtain information pertaining to such purchase or sale. The Code of Ethics is intended to prohibit fraud against the Portfolios that may arise from personal trading of securities that may be purchased or held by a Portfolio or of Portfolio shares. The Code of Ethics also prohibits short-term trading of the Trust by persons subject to the Code of Ethics. Personal trading is permitted by such persons subject to certain restrictions; however they are generally required to pre-clear all security transactions with the Trust’s Compliance Department and to report all transactions on a regular basis. The Sub-Adviser has adopted its own Codes of Ethics to govern the personal trading activities of their personnel.

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES

The Board has adopted proxy voting procedures and guidelines to govern the voting of proxies relating to the Portfolios’ portfolio securities. The proxy voting procedures delegate to the Adviser the authority to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities, and provide a method for responding to potential conflicts of interest. In delegating voting authority to the Adviser, the Board has also approved the Adviser’s proxy voting procedures, which require the Adviser to vote proxies in accordance with the Portfolios’ proxy voting procedures and guidelines. An independent proxy voting service has been retained to assist in the voting of Portfolio proxies through the provision of vote analysis, implementation and recordkeeping and disclosure services. In addition, the Compliance Committee oversees the implementation of the Portfolios’ proxy voting procedures. A copy of the proxy voting procedures of the Portfolios, including procedures of the Adviser, is attached hereto as Appendix B. No later than August 31st of each year, information regarding how the Portfolios voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the one-year period ending June 30th is available through the ING Funds’ website (www.ingfunds.com) or by accessing the SEC’s EDGAR database (www.sec.gov).

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

The Adviser or the Sub-Adviser for each Portfolio places orders for the purchase and sale of investment securities for a Portfolio, pursuant to authority granted in the Advisory Agreement or Sub-Advisory Agreements. Subject to policies and procedures approved by the Portfolios’ Board, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser has discretion to make decisions relating to placing these orders, including, where applicable, selecting the brokers or dealers that will execute the purchase and sale of investment securities, negotiating the commission or other compensation paid to the broker or dealer executing the trade, or using an electronic trading network (“ECN”) or alternative trading system (“ATS”).

 

89


Table of Contents

In situations where the Sub-Adviser resigns or the Adviser otherwise assumes day to day management of a Portfolio pursuant to its Advisory Agreement with a Portfolio, the Adviser will perform the services described herein as being performed by the Sub-Adviser.

How Securities Transactions are Effected

Purchases and sales of securities on a securities exchange (which include most equity securities) are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In transactions on securities exchanges in the United States, these commissions are negotiated, while on many foreign securities exchanges commissions are fixed. Securities traded in the over-the-counter markets (such as fixed-income securities and some equity securities) are generally traded on a “net” basis with market makers acting as dealers; in these transactions, the dealers act as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer. Transactions in certain over-the-counter securities also may be effected on an agency basis, when, in the Adviser’s or the Sub-Adviser’s opinion, the total price paid (including commission) is equal to or better than the best total price available from a market maker. In underwritten offerings, securities are usually purchased at a fixed price, which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid. The Adviser or the Sub-Adviser may also place trades using an ECN or ATS.

How the Sub-Adviser Selects Broker-Dealers

The Adviser or the Sub-Adviser has a duty to seek to obtain best execution of a Portfolio’s orders, taking into consideration a full range of factors designed to produce the most favorable overall terms reasonably available under the circumstances. In selecting brokers and dealers to execute trades, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser may consider both the characteristics of the trade and the full range and quality of the brokerage services available from eligible broker-dealers. This consideration often involves qualitative as well as quantitative judgments. Factors relevant to the nature of the trade may include, among others, price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dollar spread), the size of the order, the nature and characteristics (including liquidity) of the market for the security, the difficulty of execution, the timing of the order, potential market impact, and the need for confidentiality, speed, and certainty of execution. Factors relevant to the range and quality of brokerage services available from eligible brokers and dealers may include, among others, the firms’ execution, clearance, settlement, and other operational facilities; willingness and ability to commit capital or take risk in positioning a block of securities, where necessary; special expertise in particular securities or markets; ability to provide liquidity, speed and anonymity; the nature and quality of other brokerage and research services provided to the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser (consistent with the “safe harbor” described below); and the firms’ general reputation, financial condition and responsiveness to the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, as demonstrated in the particular transaction or other transactions. Subject to its duty to seek best execution of a Portfolio’s orders, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser may select broker-dealers that participate in commission recapture programs that have been established for the benefit of a Portfolio. Under these programs, the participating broker-dealers will return to a Portfolio (in the form of a credit to the Portfolio) a portion of the brokerage commissions paid to the broker-dealers by a Portfolio. Theses credits are used to pay certain expenses of a Portfolio. These commission recapture payments benefit the Portfolios, and not the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser.

 

90


Table of Contents

The Safe Harbor for Soft Dollar Practices

In selecting broker-dealers to execute a trade for a Portfolio, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser may consider the nature and quality of brokerage and research services provided to the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser as a factor in evaluating the most favorable overall terms reasonably available under the circumstances. As permitted by Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser may cause a Portfolio to pay a broker-dealer a commission for effecting a securities transaction for a Portfolio that is in excess of the commission which another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction, if the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser makes a good faith determination that the broker’s commission paid by the Portfolio is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the broker-dealer, viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or the Adviser’s or the Sub-Adviser’s overall responsibilities to a Portfolio and its other investment advisory clients. The practice of using a portion of a Portfolio’s commission dollars to pay for brokerage and research services provided to the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser is sometimes referred to as “soft dollars.” Section 28(e) is sometimes referred to as a “safe harbor,” because it permits this practice, subject to a number of restrictions, including the Adviser’s or the Sub-Adviser’s compliance with certain procedural requirements and limitations on the type of brokerage and research services that qualify for the safe harbor.

Brokerage and Research Products and Services Under the Safe Harbor – Research products and services may include, but are not limited to, general economic, political, business and market information and reviews, industry and company information and reviews, evaluations of securities and recommendations as to the purchase and sale of securities, financial data on a company or companies, performance and risk measuring services and analysis, stock price quotation services, computerized historical financial databases and related software, credit rating services, analysis of corporate responsibility issues, brokerage analysts’ earning estimates, computerized links to current market data, software dedicated to research, and portfolio modeling. Research services may be provided in the form of reports, computer-generated data feeds and other services, telephone contacts, and personal meetings with securities analysts, as well as in the form of meetings arranged with corporate officers and industry spokespersons, economists, academics and governmental representatives. Brokerage products and services assist in the execution, clearance and settlement of securities transactions, as well as functions incidental thereto, including but not limited to related communication and connectivity services and equipment, and software related to order routing, market access, algorithmic trading, and other trading activities. On occasion, a broker-dealer may furnish the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser with a service that has a mixed use (that is, the service is used both for brokerage and research activities that are within the safe harbor and for other activities). In this case, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser is required to reasonably allocate the cost of the service, so that any portion of the service that does not qualify for the safe harbor is paid for by the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser from its own funds, and not by portfolio commissions paid by a Portfolio.

Benefits to the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser – Research products and services provided to the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser by broker-dealers that effect securities transactions for a Portfolio may be used by the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser in servicing all of its accounts. Accordingly, not all of these services may be used by the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser in connection with that Portfolio or any of the Portfolios. Some of these products and services are also available to the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser for cash, and some do not have an explicit cost or determinable value. The research received does not reduce the advisory fees paid to the Adviser or the sub-advisory fees payable to the Sub-Adviser for services provided to the Portfolios. The Adviser’s or the Sub-Adviser’s expenses would likely increase if the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser had to generate these research products and services through its own efforts, or if it paid for these products or services itself.

 

91


Table of Contents

Broker-Dealers that are Affiliated with the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser

Portfolio transactions may be executed by brokers affiliated with ING Groep, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, so long as the commission paid to the affiliated broker is reasonable and fair compared to the commission that would be charged by an unaffiliated broker in a comparable transaction.

Prohibition on Use of Brokerage Commissions for Sales or Promotional Activities

The placement of portfolio brokerage with broker-dealers who have sold shares of a Portfolio is subject to rules adopted by the SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). Under these rules, the Sub-Adviser may not consider a broker’s promotional or sales efforts on behalf of any Portfolio when selecting a broker dealer for portfolio transactions, and neither a Portfolio nor the Sub-Adviser may enter into an agreement under which a Portfolio directs brokerage transactions (or revenue generated from such transactions) to a broker-dealer to pay for distribution of Portfolio shares. Each Portfolio has adopted policies and procedures, approved by the Board, that are designed to attain compliance with these prohibitions.

Principal Trades and Research

Purchases of securities for a Portfolio also may be made directly from issuers or from underwriters. Purchase and sale transactions may be effected through dealers which specialize in the types of securities which the Portfolios will be holding. Dealers and underwriters usually act as principals for their own account. Purchases from underwriters will include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers will include the spread between the bid and the asked price. If the execution and price offered by more than one dealer or underwriter are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer or underwriter which has provided such research or other services as mentioned above.

More Information about trading in Fixed-Income Securities

Purchases and sales of fixed-income securities will usually be principal transactions. Such securities often will be purchased or sold from or to dealers serving as market makers for the securities at a net price. Each Portfolio may also purchase such securities in underwritten offerings and will, on occasion, purchase securities directly from the issuer. Generally, fixed-income securities are traded on a net basis and do not involve brokerage commissions. The cost of executing fixed-income securities transactions consists primarily of dealer spreads and underwriting commissions.

In purchasing and selling fixed-income securities, it is the policy of the Portfolios to obtain the best results, while taking into account the dealer’s general execution and operational facilities, the type of transaction involved and other factors, such as the dealer’s risk in positioning the securities involved. While the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive spreads or commissions, a Portfolio will not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available.

Transition Management

Changes in the Sub-Adviser and investment personnel and reorganizations of a Portfolio may result in the sale of a significant portion or even all of a Portfolio’s portfolio securities. This type of change will increase trading costs and the portfolio turnover for the affected Portfolio. The Portfolio, the Adviser, or the Sub-Adviser may engage a broker-dealer to provide transition management services in connection with a change in Sub-Adviser, reorganization, or other changes.

 

92


Table of Contents

Allocation of Trades

Some securities considered for investment by a Portfolio may also be appropriate for other clients served by that Portfolio’s Sub-Adviser. If the purchase or sale of securities consistent with the investment policies of a Portfolio and one or more of these other clients is considered at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be placed on an aggregate basis and allocated among the Portfolio and such other clients in a manner deemed fair and equitable, over time, by the Sub-Adviser and consistent with the Sub-Adviser’s written policies and procedures. The Sub-Adviser may use different methods of allocating the results aggregated trades. The Sub-Adviser’s relevant policies and procedures and the results of aggregated trades in which a Portfolio participated are subject to periodic review by the Board. To the extent any of the Portfolios seek to acquire (or dispose of) the same security at the same time, one or more of the Portfolios may not be able to acquire (or dispose of) as large a position in such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher (or receive a lower) price for such security. It is recognized that in some cases, this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or value of the security insofar as the Portfolios are concerned. However, over time, a Portfolio’s ability to participate in aggregate trades is expected to provide better execution for the Portfolio.

Cross-Transactions

The Board has adopted a policy allowing trades to be made between affiliated registered investment companies or series thereof provided they meet the terms of Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act.

Total Brokerage Commissions Paid

The following charts show the brokerage commission paid for the following fiscal years ended December 31:

 

Portfolio

   2009     2008     2007

International Value

   $ 2,398,430 (1)    $ 2,834,939 (1)    $ 3,544,419

MidCap Opportunities

   $ 1,952,409 (2)    $ 1,645,200 (2)    $ 325,095

SmallCap Opportunities

   $ 566,292 (1)    $ 616,050 (2)    $ 534,973

 

(1) The decrease in the brokerage commissions paid by the Portfolio is due to a decrease in trading activity of the Portfolio.
(2) The increase in the brokerage commissions paid by the Portfolio is due to an increase in the trading activity of the Portfolio.

Of the total commissions paid during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009, 2008, and 2007, the Portfolios received $241,895, $261,742, and $277,976, respectively by firms which provided research, statistical or other services to ING Investments. ING Investments has not separately identified a portion of such commissions as applicable to the provision of such research, statistical or otherwise.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009, 2008, and 2007, none of the Portfolios used affiliated brokers to execute portfolio transactions.

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, the Portfolios did not acquire securities of their regular brokers or dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parents.

NET ASSET VALUE

As noted in the Prospectuses, the NAV and offering price of each class of each Portfolio’s shares will be determined once daily as of the close of regular trading (“Market Close”) on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time unless otherwise designated by the NYSE) during

 

93


Table of Contents

each day on which the NYSE is open for trading. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE is 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.

Portfolio securities listed or traded on a national securities exchange will be valued at the last reported sale price on the valuation day. Securities traded on an exchange for which there has been no sale that day and other securities traded in the over-the-counter market will be valued at the mean between the last reported bid and asked prices on the valuation day. Portfolio securities reported by NASDAQ will be valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price on the valuation day. In cases in which securities are traded on more than one exchange, the securities are valued on the exchange that is normally the primary market. Investments in securities maturing in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which, when combined with accrued interest, approximates market value. This involves valuing a security at cost on the date of acquisition and thereafter assuming a constant accretion of a discount or amortization of a premium to maturity, regardless of the impact of fluctuating interest rates on the market value of the instrument. While this method provides certainty in valuation, it may result in periods during which value, as determined by amortized cost, is higher or lower than the price the Portfolios would receive if it sold the instrument. (See the “How Shares are Priced” section of the Prospectuses) The long-term debt obligations held in a Portfolio’s portfolio will be valued at the mean between the most recent bid and asked prices as obtained from one or more dealers that make markets in the securities when over-the counter market quotations are readily available.

Securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available (which may include certain restricted securities which are subject to limitations as to their sale) or are deemed unreliable are valued at their fair values as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Portfolios’ Board, in accordance with methods that are specifically authorized by the Board. Securities traded on exchanges, including foreign exchanges, which close earlier than the time that a Portfolio calculates its NAV, may also be valued at their fair values as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of a Portfolio’s Board, in accordance with methods that are specifically authorized by the Board. The valuation techniques applied in any specific instance are likely to may vary from case to case. With respect to a restricted security, for example, consideration is generally given to the cost of the investment, the market value of any unrestricted securities of the same class at the time of valuation, the potential expiration of restrictions on the security, the existence of any registration rights, the costs to the Portfolios related to registration of the security, as well as factors relevant to the issuer itself. Consideration may also be given to the price and extent of any public trading in similar securities of the issuer or comparable companies’ securities.

The value of a foreign security traded on an exchange outside the United States is generally based on its price on the principal foreign exchange where it trades as of the time a Portfolio determines its NAV or if the foreign exchange closes prior to the time the Portfolio determines its NAV, the most recent closing price of the foreign security on its principal exchange. Trading in certain non-U.S. securities may not take place on all days on which the NYSE is open. Further, trading takes place in various foreign markets on days on which the NYSE is not open. Consequently, the calculation of a Portfolio’s NAV may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of securities held by the Portfolio in foreign securities markets. Further, the value of a Portfolio’s assets may be significantly affected by foreign trading on days when a shareholder cannot purchase or redeem shares of the Portfolio. In calculating a Portfolio’s NAV, foreign securities in foreign currency are converted to U.S. dollar equivalents.

If a significant event which is likely to impact the value of one or more foreign securities held by a Portfolio occurs after the time at which the market for foreign securities held by a Portfolio closes but before the time that the Portfolio’s NAV is calculated, such event may cause the closing price on the foreign exchange to not represent a readily available reliable market value quotation for such securities at

 

94


Table of Contents

the time the Portfolio determines its NAV. In such a case, the Portfolio will use the fair value of such securities as determined under the Portfolio’s valuation procedures. Events after the close of trading on a foreign market that could require the Portfolio to fair value some or all of its foreign securities include, among others, securities trading in the United States and other markets, corporate announcements, natural, and other disasters, and political and other events. Among other elements of analysis in determination of a security’s fair value, the Board has authorized the use of one or more independent research services to assist with such determinations. An independent research service may use statistical analyses and quantitative models to help determine fair value as of the time a Portfolio calculates its NAV. There can be no assurance that such models accurately reflect the behavior of the applicable markets or the effect of such behavior of such markets on the fair value of securities, nor that such markets will continue to behave in a fashion that is consistent with such models. Unlike the closing price of a security on an exchange, fair value determinations employ elements of judgment. Consequently, the fair value assigned to a security may not represent the actual value that a Portfolio could obtain if it were to sell the security at the time of the close of the NYSE. Pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board, the Portfolio is not obligated to use the fair valuations suggested by any research service, and valuation recommendations provided by such research services may be overridden if other events have occurred, or if other fair valuations are determined in good faith to be more accurate. Unless an event is such that it causes the Portfolio to determine the closing prices for one or more securities do not represent readily available reliable market quotations at the time of the close of the foreign market on which they are traded and the close of regular trading on the NYSE will not be reflected in the Portfolio’s NAV.

Options on securities, currencies, futures, and other financial instruments purchased by the Portfolio are valued at their last bid price in the case of listed options or at the average of the last bid prices obtained from dealers in the case of OTC Options.

The fair value of other assets is added to the value of all securities positions to arrive at the value of a Portfolio’s total assets. A Portfolio’s liabilities, including accruals for expenses, are deducted from its total assets. Once the total value of a Portfolio’s net assets is so determined, that value is then divided by the total number of shares outstanding (excluding treasury shares), and the result, rounded to the nearest cent, is the NAV per share.

In computing the NAV for a class of shares of a Portfolio, all class-specific liabilities incurred or accrued are deducted from the class’ net assets. The resulting net assets are divided by the number of shares of the class outstanding at the time of the valuation and the result (adjusted to the nearest cent) is the NAV per share.

Orders received by dealers prior to Market Close will be confirmed at the offering price computed as of the close of Market Close provided the order is received by the Transfer Agent prior to Market Close that same day. It is the responsibility of the dealer to insure that all orders are transmitted timely to the Portfolio. Orders received by dealers after Market Close will be confirmed at the next computed offering price as described in the Prospectuses.

PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS AND EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS

The Distributor, a Delaware limited liability company, which is located at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258, serves as the Trust’s Distributor pursuant to a Distribution Agreement with the Trust. The Distributor is not obligated to sell any specific amount of Trust shares and the offering is continuous.

 

95


Table of Contents

For information on purchases and redemptions of shares, see “How to Buy and Sell Shares” in the Trust’s Prospectuses. The Trust may suspend the right of redemption of shares of any Portfolio and may postpone payment for more than seven days for any period: (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday closings or during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (ii) when the SEC determines that a state of emergency exists which may make payment or transfer not reasonably practicable; (iii) as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of the security holders of the Portfolios; or (iv) at any other time when the Portfolios may, under applicable laws and regulations, suspend payment on the redemption of their shares.

If you invest in a Portfolio through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a commission or transaction fee by the financial intermediary for the purchase and sale of Portfolio shares.

Shares of any Portfolio may be exchanged for shares of any other Portfolio. Exchanges are treated as a redemption of shares of one Portfolio and a purchase of shares of one or more of the other Portfolios and are effected at the respective NAV per share of each Portfolio on the date of the exchange. The Trust reserves the right to modify or discontinue its exchange privilege at any time without notice.

Variable Contract owners do not deal directly with the Trust with respect to the purchase, redemption, or exchange of shares of a Portfolio, and should refer to the prospectus for the Variable Contract for information on allocation of premiums and on transfers of account value among divisions of the insurance company Separate Accounts that invest in the Portfolios.

The Trust reserves the right to discontinue offering shares of one or more Portfolios at any time. In the event that a Portfolio ceases offering its shares, any investments allocated by the insurance company to such Portfolio will be invested in the fixed account portfolio or any successor to such Portfolio.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

All Portfolios declare and pay dividends quarterly. Any net long-term capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) for any Portfolio will be declared and paid at least once annually. Net realized short-term capital gains may be declared and paid more frequently.

TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences relating to the ownership of shares in a Portfolio by the separate accounts of life insurance companies for the purpose of funding variable insurance policies. Unless otherwise stated, this summary deals only with the status of each Portfolio as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code and the application of the diversification rules under section 817(h) of the Code. It does not deal with any other federal, state, local or foreign tax consequences, including the possible effect of leveraged investments or the treatment of hedging devices. It also does not deal with insurance companies that are not domiciled in the United States. This summary is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder (the “Treasury Regulations”) and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as of the date hereof, all of which is subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. Any such changes may be applied retroactively in a manner that could cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below, possibly adversely affecting a beneficial owner of the Portfolio.

Each Portfolio intends to qualify as a RIC under the provisions of Subchapter M of the Code. If a Portfolio qualifies as a RIC and complies with the appropriate provisions of the Code, it will be relieved of federal income tax on the amounts of income it distributes.

 

96


Table of Contents

To qualify to be taxed as a RIC, a Portfolio generally must, among other things: (a) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign currencies, net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership, and other income (including gains from certain options, futures, and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in securities or foreign currencies; (b) diversify its holdings so that at the end of each quarter of the taxable year; (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Portfolio’s assets is represented by cash, cash items, U.S. government securities, the securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities of any one issuer limited for the purposes of this calculation to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Portfolios total assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other RICs), of two or more issuers which the Portfolio controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships; and (c) distribute in each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income and its net tax-exempt interest income. If a Portfolio does not meet all of these Code requirements, it will be taxed as an ordinary corporation and its distributions (to the extent of available earnings and profits) will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income (except to the extent a shareholder is exempt from tax).

Generally, in order to avoid a 4% nondeductible excise tax, a Portfolio must distribute to its shareholders during the calendar year the following amounts:

 

   

98% of the Portfolio’s ordinary income for the calendar year;

 

   

98% of the Portfolio’s capital gain net income (all capital gains, both long-term and short-term, minus all such capital losses), all computed as if the Portfolio were on a taxable year ending October 31 of the year in question and beginning the previous November 1; and

 

   

any untaxed undistributed ordinary income or capital gain net income for the prior year.

The excise tax generally is inapplicable to any RIC whose sole shareholders are either tax-exempt pension trusts or separate accounts of life insurance companies funding Variable Contracts. Although the Portfolios believe that they are not subject to the excise tax, they intend to make the distributions required to avoid the imposition of such a tax.

Each Portfolio also intends to comply with the separate diversification requirements imposed by Section 817(h) of the Code and the regulations thereunder on certain insurance company Separate Accounts. These requirements, which are in addition to the diversification requirements imposed on the Portfolios by the 1940 Act and Subchapter M of the Code, place certain limitations on assets of each insurance company Separate Account used to fund Variable Contracts. Because Section 817(h) and those regulations treat the assets of a Portfolio as assets of the related Separate Account, these regulations are imposed on the assets of the Portfolio. Specifically, the regulations provide that, after a one year start-up period or except as permitted by the “safe harbor” described below, as of the end of each calendar quarter or within thirty (30) days thereafter no more than 55% of the total assets of the Portfolio 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 and 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 under Subchapter M of the Code are satisfied and no more than 55% of the value of the account’s total assets is attributable to cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities and securities of other RICs. Failure by a Portfolio either to qualify as a RIC or to satisfy the Section 817(h) requirements would generally cause the Variable Contracts to lose their favorable tax status and require a contract holder to include in

 

97


Table of Contents

ordinary income any income accrued under the contracts for the current and all prior taxable years. Under certain circumstances described in the applicable Treasury Regulations, inadvertent failure to satisfy the applicable diversification requirements may be corrected, but such a correction would require a payment to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) based on the tax contract holders would have incurred if they were treated as receiving the income on the contract for the period during which the diversification requirements were not satisfied. Any such failure may also result in adverse tax consequences for the insurance company issuing the contracts. Failure by a Portfolio to qualify as a RIC would also subject it to federal and state income taxation on all of its taxable income and gain, whether or not distributed to shareholders.

For purposes of these alternative diversification tests, a segregated asset account investing in shares of a RIC will be entitled to “look through” the RIC to its pro rata portion of the RIC’s assets, provided that the shares of such RIC are generally held only by segregated asset accounts of insurance companies and certain fund managers in connection with the creation or management of a Portfolio (a “Closed Fund”).

If the segregated asset account upon which a Variable Contract is based is not “adequately diversified” under the foregoing rules of each calendar quarter, then: (a) the Variable Contract is not treated as a life insurance contract or annuity contract under the Code for all subsequent periods; and (b) the holders of such contract must include as ordinary income, “the income on the contract” for each taxable year. Further, the income on a life insurance contract for all prior taxable years is treated as received or accrued during the taxable year of the policyholder in which the contract ceases to meet the definition of a “life insurance contract” under the Code. The “income on the contract” is, generally the excess of: (i) the sum of the increase in the net surrender value of the contract during the taxable year and the cost of the life insurance protection provided under the contract during the taxable year and the cost of the life insurance protection provided under the contract during the year, over (ii) the premiums paid under the contract during the taxable year. In addition, if a Portfolio does not constitute a Closed Fund, the holders of the contracts and annuities which invest in the Portfolio through a segregated asset account may be treated as owners of Portfolio shares and may be subject to tax on distributions made by the Portfolio.

For a Variable Contract to qualify for tax deferral, assets in the Separate Accounts supporting the contract must be considered to be owned by the insurance company and not by the contract owner. Under current U.S. tax law, if a contract owner has excessive control over the investments made by a Separate Account, or the underlying fund, the contract owner will be taxed currently on income and gains from the account or fund. In other words, in such a case of “investor control” the contract owner would not derive the tax benefits normally associated with variable life insurance or variable annuities.

Generally, according to the IRS, there are two ways that impermissible investor control may exist. The first relates to the design of the contract or the relationship between the contract and a Separate Account or underlying fund. For example, at various times, the IRS has focused on, among other factors, the number and type of investment choices available pursuant to a given Variable Contract, whether the contract offers access to funds that are available to the general public, the number of transfers that a contract owner may make from one investment option to another, and the degree to which a contract owner may select or control particular investments.

With respect to this first aspect of investor control, we believe that the design of our contracts and the relationship between our contracts and the Portfolios satisfy the current view of the IRS on this subject, such that the investor control doctrine should not apply. However, because of some uncertainty with respect to this subject and because the IRS may issue further guidance on this subject, we reserve the right to make such changes as we deem necessary or appropriate to reduce the risk that your contract might not qualify as a life insurance contract or as an annuity for tax purposes.

 

98


Table of Contents

The second way that impermissible investor control might exist concerns your actions. Under the IRS pronouncements, you may not select or control particular investments, other than choosing among broad investment choices such as selecting a particular Portfolio. You may not select or direct the purchase or sale of a particular investment of a Portfolio. All investment decisions concerning the Portfolios must be made by the portfolio manager for such Portfolio in his or her sole and absolute discretion, and not by the contract owner. Furthermore, under the IRS pronouncements, you may not communicate directly or indirectly with such a portfolio manager or any related investment officers concerning the selection, quality, or rate of return of any specific investment or group of investments held by a Portfolio.

Finally, the IRS may issue additional guidance on the investor control doctrine, which might further restrict your actions or features of the variable contract. Such guidance could be applied retroactively. If any of the rules outlined above are not complied with, the IRS may seek to tax you currently on income and gains from a Portfolio such that you would not derive the tax benefits normally associated with variable life insurance or variable annuities. Although highly unlikely, such an event may have an adverse impact on the fund and other variable contracts.

You should review your variable contract’s prospectus and SAI and consult your tax adviser as to the possible application of the “investors control” doctrine to you.

The discussion of “Taxes” in the Prospectuses, in conjunction with the foregoing, is a general summary of applicable provisions of the Code and Treasury Regulations now in effect as currently interpreted by the courts and the IRS. The Code and these Treasury Regulations, as well as the current interpretations thereof, may be changed at any time.

For information concerning the federal income tax consequences to the holders of a Variable Contract, such holders should consult the prospectus for their particular contract.

Tax Loss Carry-Forwards

Tax loss carry-forwards were the following as of December 31, 2009:

 

Portfolio

   Amount     Expiration Dates

MidCap Opportunities

   $ (1,322,139   2010
   $ (54,086,947   2015
   $ (114,814,679   2016
   $ (7,734,796   2017
          

Total

   $ (177,958,561 )*   
          

SmallCap Opportunities

   $ (4,304,469   2016
   $ (25,170,643   2017
          

Total

   $ (29,475,112  
          

International Value

   $ (94,304,310   2016
   $ (104,716,147   2017
          

Total

   $ (199,020,457  
          

 

* Utilization of these capital losses is subject to annual limitation under section 382 of the Code.

 

99


Table of Contents

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Each Portfolio may, from time to time, include its total return in advertisements or reports to shareholders or prospective investors. Performance information for the Portfolios will not be advertised or included in sales literature unless accompanied by comparable performance information for a Separate Account to which the Portfolios offer their shares.

Total Return. Standardized quotations of average annual total return for a Portfolio will be expressed in terms of the average annual compounded rate of return for a hypothetical investment in the Portfolio over periods of 1, 5 and 10 years (or up to the life of the Portfolio), calculated pursuant to the following formula: P(1 + T) to the power of n = ERV (where P = a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000, T = the average annual total return, n = the number of years, and ERV = the ending redeemable value of a hypothetical $1,000 payment made at the beginning of the period). All total return figures reflect the deduction of Portfolio expenses (on an annual basis), and assume that all dividends and distributions on shares are reinvested when paid.

For periods prior to the Class S inception date, Class S performance represents the historical performance of Class I shares, adjusted to reflect the Class S shares’ 0.25% service fee. Performance information will be computed separately for each class. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

The table below provides the average annual total returns of each class of the Portfolios for the period ended December 31, 2009. Each Portfolio’s past performance is no guarantee of future results. Because Class S2 shares of the Portfolios did not have a full calendar year of operations as of December 31, 2009, the table below shows the Portfolios’ Class I shares’ performance adjusted to reflect the higher expenses of the Class S2 shares.

 

Portfolio/Share Class

   One Year     Five Year     Ten Year     Since
Inception
    Inception
Date

International Value Portfolio

          

Class ADV

   26.88   —        —        (6.65 )%    12/29/06

Class I (adjusted for Class ADV shares)

   26.55   2.67   2.73   —        08/08/97

Class I

   27.18   3.18   3.24   —        08/08/97

Class S

   26.13   2.94   —        4.62   03/19/02

Class I (adjusted for Class S shares)

   26.92   2.98   3.04   —        08/08/97

Class I (adjusted for Class S2 shares)

   26.67   2.77   2.83   —        08/08/97

MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

          

Class ADV

   40.65   —        —        2.88   12/29/06

Class I (adjusted for Class ADV shares)

   40.79   5.18   —        (1.50 )%    05/05/00

Class I

   41.44   5.70   —        (1.01 )%    05/05/00

Class S

   41.04   5.49   —        2.61   05/07/01

Class I (adjusted for Class S shares)

   41.20   5.49   —        (1.21 )%    05/05/00

Class I (adjusted for Class S2 shares)

   40.92   5.28   —        (1.40 )%    05/05/00

SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

          

Class ADV

   30.32   —        —        55.09   11/20/08

Class I (adjusted for Class ADV shares)

   30.40   2.51   (3.77 )%    —        05/06/94

Class I

   31.05   3.02   (3.28 )%    —        05/06/94

Class S

   30.71   2.80   —        (1.91 )%    05/03/01

Class I (adjusted for Class S shares)

   30.72   2.77   (3.53 )%    —        05/06/94

Class I (adjusted for Class S2 shares)

   30.53   2.62   (3.67 )%    —        05/06/94

 

100


Table of Contents

Performance information for the Portfolios may be compared in reports and promotional literature, to: (i) the Morgan Stanley Capital International – Europe, Australasia, and Far East® Index (“MSCI EAFE® Index”), Russell 1000® Growth Index, Russell 1000® Index, Russell 1000® Value Index, Russell Midcap® Growth Index, Russell Midcap® Index, Russell 2000® Growth Index, Russell 2000® Index, Dow Jones Industrial Average (“DJIA”), or other unmanaged indices so that investors may compare each Portfolio’s results with those of a group of unmanaged securities widely regarded by investors as representative of the securities markets general; (ii) other groups of mutual funds tracked by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., a widely used independent research firm which ranks mutual funds by overall performance, investment objectives, and assets, or tracked by other services, companies, publications, or persons who rank mutual funds on overall performance or other criteria; (iii) the Consumer Price Index (measure for inflation) to assess the real rate of return from an investment in the Portfolio; and (iv) well known monitoring sources of certificates of deposit performance rates such as Federal Reserve Bulletin, American Bankers, Tower Data/The Wall Street Journal. Unmanaged indices may assume the reinvestment of dividends but generally do not reflect deductions for administrative and management costs and expenses.

The Portfolios also may quote annual, average annual and annualized total return and aggregate total return performance data, both as a percentage and as a dollar amount based on a hypothetical $10,000 investment for various periods other than those noted below. Such data will be computed as described above, except that the rates of return calculated will not be average annual rates, but rather, actual annual, annualized or aggregate rates of return.

Quotations of yield or total return for the Portfolios will not take into account charges and deductions against the Separate Account to which the Portfolios’ shares are sold or charges and deductions against the Variable Contracts issued by ReliaStar Life Insurance Company or its affiliates. The Portfolios’ yield and total return should not be compared with mutual funds that sell their shares directly to the public since the figures provided do not reflect charges against the Separate Account or the Variable Contracts. Performance information for any Portfolio reflects only the performance of a hypothetical investment in the Portfolio during the particular time period in which the calculations are based. Performance information should be considered in light of the Portfolios’ investment objectives and policies, characteristics and quality of the portfolios and the market conditions during the given time period, and should not be considered as a representation of what may be achieved in the future.

OTHER INFORMATION

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust. KPMG LLP provides audit services, tax return preparation and assistance and consultation in connection with review of SEC filings. KPMG LLP is located at 99 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.

 

101


Table of Contents

Custodians/Accounting Services Agent

The cash and securities owned by each of the Portfolios will be held by The Bank of New York Mellon, One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286, as Custodian, which takes no part in the decisions relating to the purchase or sale of a Trust’s portfolio securities.

Transfer Agent

PNC Global Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc., 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 serves as the Transfer Agent and dividend-paying agent for the Portfolios.

Legal Counsel

Legal matters for the Trust are passed upon by Dechert LLP, 1775 I Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006.

Principal Underwriter

Shares of the Portfolio are offered on a continuous basis. The Portfolio’s principal underwriter is ING Funds Distributor, LLC, 7337 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. ING Funds Distributor, LLC is a Delaware Corporation and is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of ING Groep N.V. and an affiliate of ING Investments, LLC. As principal underwriter for the Portfolio, ING Funds Distributor, LLC has agreed to use its best efforts to distribute the shares of the Portfolio thereof.

Capitalization and Voting Rights

The authorized capital of the Trust is an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.01 each. All shares when issued are fully paid, non-assessable, and redeemable. Shares have no preemptive rights. All shares have equal voting, dividend and liquidation rights. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees if they choose to do so, and in such event the holders of the remaining shares voting for the election of Trustees will not be able to elect any person or persons to the Board. Generally, there will not be annual meetings of shareholders. There will normally be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by shareholders, at which time the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders’ meeting for the election of Trustees. Shareholders may, in accordance with the Trust’s Declaration of Trust, cause a meeting of shareholders to be held for the purpose of voting on the removal of Trustees. Meetings of the shareholders will be called upon written request of shareholders holding in the aggregate not less than 10% of the outstanding shares of the affected Portfolio or class having voting rights. Except as set forth above and subject to the 1940 Act, the Trustees will continue to hold office and appoint successor Trustees.

The Board may classify or reclassify any un-issued shares into shares of any series by setting or changing in any one or more respects, from time to time, prior to the issuance of such shares, the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or qualifications of such shares. Any such classification or reclassification will comply with the provisions of the 1940 Act. The Board of Trustees may create additional series (or classes of series) of shares without shareholder approval. Any series or class of shares may be terminated by a vote of the shareholders of such series or class entitled to vote or by the Trustees by written notice to shareholders of such series or class. In accordance with current laws, it is anticipated that an insurance company issuing a Variable Contract that participates in the Trust will request voting instructions from Variable Contract owners and will vote shares or other voting interests in the separate account in proportion to the voting instructions received.

 

102


Table of Contents

Reports to Shareholders

The fiscal year of the Trust ends on December 31. Each Portfolio will send financial statements to its shareholders at least semi-annually. An annual shareholder report containing financial statements audited by an independent registered public accounting firm will be sent to shareholders each year.

Shareholder and Trustee Responsibility

Shareholders of a Massachusetts business trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for the obligations of the Trust. The risk of a shareholder incurring any financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations. The Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and provides that notice of the disclaimer must be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or Trustees. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust and also provides for the Trust to reimburse the shareholder for all legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any such claim or liability.

Under the Declaration of Trust, the trustees or officers are not liable for actions or failure to act; however, they are not protected from liability by reason of their willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of their office. The Trust provides indemnification to its trustees and officers as authorized by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Financial Statements

The Financial Statements and the independent registered public accounting firm’s reports thereon, appearing in each Portfolio’s annual shareholder report for the period ending December 31, 2009, are incorporated by reference in this SAI. Each Portfolio’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports are available upon request and without charge by calling 1-800-992-0180.

Registration Statement

A registration statement has been filed with the SEC under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act. The Prospectuses and this SAI do not contain all information set forth in the registration statement, its amendments and exhibits thereto that the Trust has filed with the SEC, Washington, D.C., to all of which reference is hereby made.

 

103


Table of Contents

APPENDIX A

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) Corporate Bond Ratings

Aaa - Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edge.” Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.

Aa - Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which made the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities.

A - Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.

Baa - Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements maybe lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.

Ba - Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.

B - Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.

Caa - Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.

Ca - Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.

C - Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.

Note: Moody’s may apply numerical modifiers, 1, 2 and 3 in each generic rating classification from Aa through B in its corporate bond rating system. The modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category.

 

A-1


Table of Contents

Description of Standard & Poor’s Corporation’s (“S&P”) Corporate Debt Ratings

AAA - Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.

AA - Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree.

A - Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.

BBB - Debt rated BBB is regarded as having adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for debt in this category than for debt in higher rated categories.

BB, B, CCC, CC, C - Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded, on balance, as predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. BB indicates the lowest degree of speculation and C the highest degree of speculation. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures and adverse conditions.

CI — rating CI is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is being paid.

D — Debt rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P 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 if debt service payments are jeopardized.

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

 

A-2


Table of Contents

APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES


Table of Contents

ING FUNDS

 

 

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES

Effective Date: July 10, 2003

Revision Date: March 25, 2010

 

 

 

I. INTRODUCTION

The following are the Proxy Voting Procedures and Guidelines (the “Procedures and Guidelines”) of the ING Funds set forth on Exhibit 1 attached hereto and each portfolio or series thereof, except for any “Sub-Adviser-Voted Series” identified on Exhibit 1 and further described in Section III below (each non-Sub-Adviser-Voted Series hereinafter referred to as a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”). The purpose of these Procedures and Guidelines is to set forth the process by which each Fund subject to these Procedures and Guidelines will vote proxies related to the equity assets in its investment portfolio (the “portfolio securities”). The term “proxies” as used herein shall include votes in connection with annual and special meetings of equity stockholders but not those regarding bankruptcy matters and/or plans of reorganization. The Procedures and Guidelines have been approved by the Funds’ Boards of Trustees/Directors1 (each a “Board” and collectively, the “Boards”), including a majority of the independent Trustees/Directors2 of the Board. These Procedures and Guidelines may be amended only by the Board. The Board shall review these Procedures and Guidelines at its discretion, and make any revisions thereto as deemed appropriate by the Board.

 

II. COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE

The Boards hereby delegate to the Compliance Committee of each Board (each a “Committee” and collectively, the “Committees”) the authority and responsibility to oversee the implementation of these Procedures and Guidelines, and where applicable, to make determinations on behalf of the Board with respect to the voting of proxies on behalf of each Fund. Furthermore, the Boards hereby delegate to each Committee the authority to review and approve material changes to proxy voting procedures of any Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”). The Proxy Voting Procedures of the Adviser (the “Adviser Procedures”) are attached hereto as Exhibit 2. Any determination regarding the voting of proxies of each Fund

 

 

1

Reference in these Procedures to one or more Funds shall, as applicable, mean those Funds that are under the jurisdiction of the particular Board or Compliance Committee at issue. No provision in these Procedures is intended to impose any duty upon the particular Board or Compliance Committee with respect to any other Fund.

 

2

The independent Trustees/Directors are those Board members who are not “interested persons” of the Funds within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

B-1


Table of Contents

that is made by a Committee, or any member thereof, as permitted herein, shall be deemed to be a good faith determination regarding the voting of proxies by the full Board. Each Committee may rely on the Adviser through the Agent, Proxy Coordinator and/or Proxy Group (as such terms are defined for purposes of the Adviser Procedures) to deal in the first instance with the application of these Procedures and Guidelines. Each Committee shall conduct itself in accordance with its charter.

 

III. DELEGATION OF VOTING AUTHORITY

Except as otherwise provided for herein, the Board hereby delegates to the Adviser to each Fund the authority and responsibility to vote all proxies with respect to all portfolio securities of the Fund in accordance with then current proxy voting procedures and guidelines that have been approved by the Board. The Board may revoke such delegation with respect to any proxy or proposal, and assume the responsibility of voting any Fund proxy or proxies as it deems appropriate. Non-material amendments to the Procedures and Guidelines may be approved for immediate implementation by the President or Chief Financial Officer of a Fund, subject to ratification at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Compliance Committee.

A Board may elect to delegate the voting of proxies to the Sub-Adviser of a portfolio or series of the ING Funds. In so doing, the Board shall also approve the Sub-Adviser’s proxy policies for implementation on behalf of such portfolio or series (a “Sub-Adviser-Voted Series”). Sub-Adviser-Voted Series shall not be covered under these Procedures and Guidelines but rather shall be covered by such Sub-Adviser’s proxy policies, provided that the Board, including a majority of the independent Trustees/Directors1, has approved them on behalf of such Sub-Adviser-Voted Series, and ratifies any subsequent changes at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Compliance Committee and the Board.

When a Fund participates in the lending of its securities and the securities are on loan at record date, proxies related to such securities will not be forwarded to the Adviser by the Fund’s custodian and therefore will not be voted. However, the Adviser shall use best efforts to recall or restrict specific securities from loan for the purpose of facilitating a “material” vote as described in the Adviser Procedures.

Funds that are “funds-of-funds” will “echo” vote their interests in underlying mutual funds, which may include ING Funds (or portfolios or series thereof) other than those set forth on Exhibit 1 attached hereto. This means that, if the fund-of-funds must vote on a proposal with respect to an underlying investment company, the fund-of-funds will vote its interest in that underlying fund in the same proportion all other shareholders in the investment company voted their interests.

A fund that is a “feeder” fund in a master-feeder structure does not echo vote. Rather, it passes votes requested by the underlying master fund to its shareholders. This means that, if the feeder fund is solicited by the master fund, it will request instructions from its own shareholders, either directly or, in the case of an insurance-dedicated Fund, through an insurance product or retirement plan, as to the manner in which to vote its interest in an underlying master fund.

 

 

1

The independent Trustees/Directors are those Board members who are not “interested persons” of the Funds within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

B-2


Table of Contents

When a Fund is a feeder in a master-feeder structure, proxies for the portfolio securities owned by the master fund will be voted pursuant to the master fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures. As such, and except as otherwise noted herein with respect to vote reporting requirements, feeder Funds shall not be subject to these Procedures and Guidelines.

 

IV. APPROVAL AND REVIEW OF PROCEDURES

Each Fund’s Adviser has adopted proxy voting procedures in connection with the voting of portfolio securities for the Funds as attached hereto in Exhibit 2. The Board hereby approves such procedures. All material changes to the Adviser Procedures must be approved by the Board or the Compliance Committee prior to implementation; however, the President or Chief Financial Officer of a Fund may make such non-material changes as they deem appropriate, subject to ratification by the Board or the Compliance Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

 

V. VOTING PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES

The Guidelines that are set forth in Exhibit 3 hereto specify the manner in which the Funds generally will vote with respect to the proposals discussed therein.

Unless otherwise noted, the defined terms used hereafter shall have the same meaning as defined in the Adviser Procedures

 

  A. Routine Matters

The Agent shall be instructed to submit a vote in accordance with the Guidelines where such Guidelines provide a clear “For,” “Against,” “Withhold” or “Abstain” on a proposal. However, the Agent shall be directed to refer any proxy proposal to the Proxy Coordinator for instructions as if it were a matter requiring case-by-case consideration under circumstances where the application of the Guidelines is unclear, it appears to involve unusual or controversial issues, or an Investment Professional (as such term is defined for purposes of the Adviser Procedures) recommends a vote contrary to the Guidelines.

 

  B. Matters Requiring Case-by-Case Consideration

The Agent shall be directed to refer proxy proposals accompanied by its written analysis and voting recommendation to the Proxy Coordinator where the Guidelines have noted “case-by-case” consideration.

Upon receipt of a referral from the Agent, the Proxy Coordinator may solicit additional research from the Agent, Investment Professional(s), as well as from any other source or service.

 

B-3


Table of Contents

Except in cases in which the Proxy Group has previously provided the Proxy Coordinator with standing instructions to vote in accordance with the Agent’s recommendation, the Proxy Coordinator will forward the Agent’s analysis and recommendation and/or any research obtained from the Investment Professional(s), the Agent or any other source to the Proxy Group. The Proxy Group may consult with the Agent and/or Investment Professional(s), as it deems necessary.

The Proxy Coordinator shall use best efforts to convene the Proxy Group with respect to all matters requiring its consideration. In the event quorum requirements cannot be timely met in connection with a voting deadline, it shall be the policy of the Funds to vote in accordance with the Agent’s recommendation, unless the Agent’s recommendation is deemed to be conflicted as provided for under the Adviser Procedures, in which case no action shall be taken on such matter (i.e., a “Non-Vote”).

 

  1. Within-Guidelines Votes: Votes in Accordance with a Fund’s Guidelines and/or, where applicable, Agent Recommendation

In the event the Proxy Group, and where applicable, any Investment Professional participating in the voting process, recommend a vote Within Guidelines, the Proxy Group will instruct the Agent, through the Proxy Coordinator, to vote in this manner. Except as provided for herein, no Conflicts Report (as such term is defined for purposes of the Adviser Procedures) is required in connection with Within-Guidelines Votes.

 

  2. Non-Votes: Votes in Which No Action is Taken

The Proxy Group may recommend that a Fund refrain from voting under circumstances including, but not limited to, the following: (1) if the economic effect on shareholders’ interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant, e.g., proxies in connection with fractional shares, securities no longer held in the portfolio of an ING Fund or proxies being considered on behalf of a Fund that is no longer in existence; or (2) if the cost of voting a proxy outweighs the benefits, e.g., certain international proxies, particularly in cases in which share blocking practices may impose trading restrictions on the relevant portfolio security. In such instances, the Proxy Group may instruct the Agent, through the Proxy Coordinator, not to vote such proxy. The Proxy Group may provide the Proxy Coordinator with standing instructions on parameters that would dictate a Non-Vote without the Proxy Group’s review of a specific proxy. It is noted a Non-Vote determination would generally not be made in connection with voting rights received pursuant to class action participation; while a Fund may no longer hold the security, a continuing economic effect on shareholders’ interests is likely.

Reasonable efforts shall be made to secure and vote all other proxies for the Funds, but, particularly in markets in which shareholders’ rights are limited, Non-Votes may also occur in connection with a Fund’s related inability to timely access ballots or other proxy information in connection with its portfolio securities.

 

B-4


Table of Contents

Non-Votes may also result in certain cases in which the Agent’s recommendation has been deemed to be conflicted, as described in V.B. above and V.B.4. below.

 

  3. Out-of-Guidelines Votes: Votes Contrary to Procedures and Guidelines, or Agent Recommendation, where applicable, Where No Recommendation is Provided by Agent, or Where Agent’s Recommendation is Conflicted

If the Proxy Group recommends that a Fund vote contrary to the Procedures and Guidelines, or the recommendation of the Agent, where applicable, if the Agent has made no recommendation on a matter and the Procedures and Guidelines are silent, or the Agent’s recommendation on a matter is deemed to be conflicted as provided for under the Adviser Procedures, the Proxy Coordinator will then request that all members of the Proxy Group, including any members who abstained from voting on the matter or were not in attendance at the meeting at which the relevant proxy is being considered, and each Investment Professional participating in the voting process complete a Conflicts Report (as such term is defined for purposes of the Adviser Procedures). As provided for in the Adviser Procedures, the Proxy Coordinator shall be responsible for identifying to Counsel potential conflicts of interest with respect to the Agent.

If Counsel determines that a conflict of interest appears to exist with respect to the Agent, any member of the Proxy Group or the participating Investment Professional(s), the Proxy Coordinator will then contact the Compliance Committee(s) and forward to such Committee(s) all information relevant to their review, including the following materials or a summary thereof: the applicable Procedures and Guidelines, the recommendation of the Agent, where applicable, the recommendation of the Investment Professional(s), where applicable, any resources used by the Proxy Group in arriving at its recommendation, the Conflicts Report and any other written materials establishing whether a conflict of interest exists, and findings of Counsel (as such term is defined for purposes of the Adviser Procedures). Upon Counsel’s finding that a conflict of interest exists with respect to one or more members of the Proxy Group or the Advisers generally, the remaining members of the Proxy Group shall not be required to complete a Conflicts Report in connection with the proxy.

If Counsel determines that there does not appear to be a conflict of interest with respect to the Agent, any member of the Proxy Group or the participating Investment Professional(s), the Proxy Coordinator will instruct the Agent to vote the proxy as recommended by the Proxy Group.

 

B-5


Table of Contents
  4. Referrals to a Fund’s Compliance Committee

A Fund’s Compliance Committee may consider all recommendations, analysis, research and Conflicts Reports provided to it by the Agent, Proxy Group and/or Investment Professional(s), and any other written materials used to establish whether a conflict of interest exists, in determining how to vote the proxies referred to the Committee. The Committee will instruct the Agent through the Proxy Coordinator how to vote such referred proposals.

The Proxy Coordinator shall use best efforts to timely refer matters to a Fund’s Committee for its consideration. In the event any such matter cannot be timely referred to or considered by the Committee, it shall be the policy of the Funds to vote in accordance with the Agent’s recommendation, unless the Agent’s recommendation is conflicted on a matter, in which case no action shall be taken on such matter (i.e., a “Non-Vote”).

The Proxy Coordinator will maintain a record of all proxy questions that have been referred to a Fund’s Committee, all applicable recommendations, analysis, research and Conflicts Reports.

 

VI. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

In all cases in which a vote has not been clearly determined in advance by the Procedures and Guidelines or for which the Proxy Group recommends an Out-of-Guidelines Vote, and Counsel has determined that a conflict of interest appears to exist with respect to the Agent, any member of the Proxy Group, or any Investment Professional participating in the voting process, the proposal shall be referred to the Fund’s Committee for determination so that the Adviser shall have no opportunity to vote a Fund’s proxy in a situation in which it or the Agent may be deemed to have a conflict of interest. In the event a member of a Fund’s Committee believes he/she has a conflict of interest that would preclude him/her from making a voting determination in the best interests of the beneficial owners of the applicable Fund, such Committee member shall so advise the Proxy Coordinator and recuse himself/herself with respect to determinations regarding the relevant proxy.

 

VII. REPORTING AND RECORD RETENTION

Annually in August, each Fund will post its proxy voting record, or a link thereto, for the prior one-year period ending on June 30th on the ING Funds’ website. The proxy voting record for each Fund will also be available on Form N-PX in the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website. For any Fund that is a feeder in a master/feeder structure, no proxy voting record related to the portfolio securities owned by the master fund will be posted on the ING Funds’ website or included in the Fund’s Form N-PX; however, a cross-reference to the master fund’s proxy voting record as filed in the SEC’s EDGAR database will be included in the Fund’s Form N-PX and posted on the ING Funds’ website. If any feeder fund was solicited for vote by its underlying master fund during the reporting period, a record of the votes cast by means of the pass-through process described in Section III above will be included on the ING Funds’ website and in the Fund’s Form N-PX.

 

B-6


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT 1

to the

ING Funds

Proxy Voting Procedures

ING ASIA PACIFIC HIGH DIVIDEND EQUITY INCOME FUND

ING EQUITY TRUST

ING FUNDS TRUST

ING GLOBAL ADVANTAGE AND PREMIUM OPPORTUNITY FUND

ING GLOBAL EQUITY DIVIDEND AND PREMIUM OPPORTUNITY FUND

ING INFRASTRUCTURE, INDUSTRIALS AND MATERIALS FUND

ING INTERNATIONAL HIGH DIVIDEND EQUITY INCOME FUND

ING INVESTORS TRUST1

ING MAYFLOWER TRUST

ING MUTUAL FUNDS

ING PARTNERS, INC.

ING PRIME RATE TRUST

ING RISK MANAGED NATURAL RESOURCES FUND

ING SENIOR INCOME FUND

ING SEPARATE PORTFOLIOS TRUST

ING VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST

ING VARIABLE PRODUCTS TRUST

 

 

1

Sub-Adviser-Voted Series: ING Franklin Mutual Shares Portfolio

 

B-7


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT 2

to the

ING Funds

Proxy Voting Procedures

ING INVESTMENTS, LLC,

ING INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CO.

AND

DIRECTED SERVICES LLC

 

 

PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES

 

 

 

I. INTRODUCTION

ING Investments, LLC, ING Investment Management Co. and Directed Services LLC (each an “Adviser” and collectively, the “Advisers”) are the investment advisers for the registered investment companies and each series or portfolio thereof (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) comprising the ING family of funds. As such, the Advisers have been delegated the authority to vote proxies with respect to securities for certain Funds over which they have day-to-day portfolio management responsibility.

The Advisers will abide by the proxy voting guidelines adopted by a Fund’s respective Board of Directors or Trustees (each a “Board” and collectively, the “Boards”) with regard to the voting of proxies unless otherwise provided in the proxy voting procedures adopted by a Fund’s Board.

In voting proxies, the Advisers are guided by general fiduciary principles. Each must act prudently, solely in the interest of the beneficial owners of the Funds it manages. The Advisers will not subordinate the interest of beneficial owners to unrelated objectives. Each Adviser will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will do the most to maximize shareholder value.

The following are the Proxy Voting Procedures of ING Investments, LLC, ING Investment Management Co. and Directed Services LLC (the “Adviser Procedures”) with respect to the voting of proxies on behalf of their client Funds as approved by the respective Board of each Fund.

Unless otherwise noted, best efforts shall be used to vote proxies in all instances.

 

B-8


Table of Contents
II. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

  A. Proxy Coordinator

The Proxy Coordinator identified in Appendix 1 will assist in the coordination of the voting of each Fund’s proxies in accordance with the ING Funds Proxy Voting Procedures and Guidelines (the “Procedures” or “Guidelines” and collectively the “Procedures and Guidelines”). The Proxy Coordinator is authorized to direct the Agent to vote a Fund’s proxy in accordance with the Procedures and Guidelines unless the Proxy Coordinator receives a recommendation from an Investment Professional (as described below) to vote contrary to the Procedures and Guidelines. In such event, and in connection with proxy proposals requiring case-by-case consideration (except in cases in which the Proxy Group has previously provided the Proxy Coordinator with standing instructions to vote in accordance with the Agent’s recommendation), the Proxy Coordinator will call a meeting of the Proxy Group (as described below).

Responsibilities assigned herein to the Proxy Coordinator, or activities in support thereof, may be performed by such members of the Proxy Group or employees of the Advisers’ affiliates as are deemed appropriate by the Proxy Group.

Unless specified otherwise, information provided to the Proxy Coordinator in connection with duties of the parties described herein shall be deemed delivered to the Advisers.

 

  B. Agent

An independent proxy voting service (the “Agent”), as approved by the Board of each Fund, shall be engaged to assist in the voting of Fund proxies for publicly traded securities through the provision of vote analysis, implementation, recordkeeping and disclosure services. The Agent is ISS Governance Services, a unit of RiskMetrics Group, Inc. The Agent is responsible for coordinating with the Funds’ custodians to ensure that all proxy materials received by the custodians relating to the portfolio securities are processed in a timely fashion. To the extent applicable, the Agent is required to vote and/or refer all proxies in accordance with these Adviser Procedures. The Agent will retain a record of all proxy votes handled by the Agent. Such record must reflect all the information required to be disclosed in a Fund’s Form N-PX pursuant to Rule 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act. In addition, the Agent is responsible for maintaining copies of all proxy statements received by issuers and to promptly provide such materials to the Adviser upon request.

The Agent shall be instructed to vote all proxies in accordance with a Fund’s Guidelines, except as otherwise instructed through the Proxy Coordinator by the Adviser’s Proxy Group or a Fund’s Compliance Committee (“Committee”).

The Agent shall be instructed to obtain all proxies from the Funds’ custodians and to review each proxy proposal against the Guidelines. The Agent also shall be requested to call the Proxy Coordinator’s attention to specific proxy proposals that although governed by the Guidelines appear to involve unusual or controversial issues.

 

B-9


Table of Contents

Subject to the oversight of the Advisers, the Agent shall establish and maintain adequate internal controls and policies in connection with the provision of proxy voting services voting to the Advisers, including methods to reasonably ensure that its analysis and recommendations are not influenced by conflict of interest, and shall disclose such controls and policies to the Advisers when and as provided for herein. Unless otherwise specified, references herein to recommendations of the Agent shall refer to those in which no conflict of interest has been identified.

 

  C. Proxy Group

The Adviser shall establish a Proxy Group (the “Group” or “Proxy Group”) which shall assist in the review of the Agent’s recommendations when a proxy voting issue is referred to the Group through the Proxy Coordinator. The members of the Proxy Group, which may include employees of the Advisers’ affiliates, are identified in Appendix 1, as may be amended from time at the Advisers’ discretion.

A minimum of four (4) members of the Proxy Group (or three (3) if one member of the quorum is either the Fund’s Chief Investment Risk Officer or Chief Financial Officer) shall constitute a quorum for purposes of taking action at any meeting of the Group. The vote of a simple majority of the members present and voting shall determine any matter submitted to a vote. Tie votes shall be broken by securing the vote of members not present at the meeting; provided, however, that the Proxy Coordinator shall ensure compliance with all applicable voting and conflict of interest procedures and shall use best efforts to secure votes from all or as many absent members as may reasonably be accomplished. A member of the Proxy Group may abstain from voting on any given matter, provided that quorum is not lost for purposes of taking action and that the abstaining member still participates in any conflict of interest processes required in connection with the matter. The Proxy Group may meet in person or by telephone. The Proxy Group also may take action via electronic mail in lieu of a meeting, provided that each Group member has received a copy of any relevant electronic mail transmissions circulated by each other participating Group member prior to voting and provided that the Proxy Coordinator follows the directions of a majority of a quorum (as defined above) responding via electronic mail. For all votes taken in person or by telephone or teleconference, the vote shall be taken outside the presence of any person other than the members of the Proxy Group and such other persons whose attendance may be deemed appropriate by the Proxy Group from time to time in furtherance of its duties or the day-to-day administration of the Funds. In its discretion, the Proxy Group may provide the Proxy Coordinator with standing instructions to perform responsibilities assigned herein to the Proxy Group, or activities in support thereof, on its behalf, provided that such instructions do not contravene any requirements of these Adviser Procedures or a Fund’s Procedures and Guidelines.

 

B-10


Table of Contents

A meeting of the Proxy Group will be held whenever (1) the Proxy Coordinator receives a recommendation from an Investment Professional to vote a Fund’s proxy contrary to the Procedures and Guidelines, or the recommendation of the Agent, where applicable, (2) the Agent has made no recommendation with respect to a vote on a proposal, or (3) a matter requires case-by-case consideration, including those in which the Agent’s recommendation is deemed to be conflicted as provided for under these Adviser Procedures, provided that, if the Proxy Group has previously provided the Proxy Coordinator with standing instructions to vote in accordance with the Agent’s recommendation and no issue of conflict must be considered, the Proxy Coordinator may implement the instructions without calling a meeting of the Proxy Group.

For each proposal referred to the Proxy Group, it will review (1) the relevant Procedures and Guidelines, (2) the recommendation of the Agent, if any, (3) the recommendation of the Investment Professional(s), if any, and (4) any other resources that any member of the Proxy Group deems appropriate to aid in a determination of a recommendation.

If the Proxy Group recommends that a Fund vote in accordance with the Procedures and Guidelines, or the recommendation of the Agent, where applicable, it shall instruct the Proxy Coordinator to so advise the Agent.

If the Proxy Group recommends that a Fund vote contrary to the Procedures and Guidelines, or the recommendation of the Agent, where applicable, or if the Agent’s recommendation on a matter is deemed to be conflicted, it shall follow the procedures for such voting as established by a Fund’s Board.

The Proxy Coordinator shall use best efforts to convene the Proxy Group with respect to all matters requiring its consideration. In the event quorum requirements cannot be timely met in connection with to a voting deadline, the Proxy Coordinator shall follow the procedures for such voting as established by a Fund’s Board.

 

  D. Investment Professionals

The Funds’ Advisers, sub-advisers and/or portfolio managers (each referred to herein as an “Investment Professional” and collectively, “Investment Professionals”) may submit, or be asked to submit, a recommendation to the Proxy Group regarding the voting of proxies related to the portfolio securities over which they have day-to-day portfolio management responsibility. The Investment Professionals may accompany their recommendation with any other research materials that they deem appropriate or with a request that the vote be deemed “material” in the context of the portfolio(s) they manage, such that lending activity on behalf of such portfolio(s) with respect to the relevant security should be reviewed by the Proxy Group and considered for recall and/or restriction. Input from the relevant sub-advisers and/or portfolio managers shall be given primary consideration in the Proxy Group’s determination of whether a given proxy vote is to be deemed material and the associated security accordingly restricted from lending. The determination that a vote is material in the context of a Fund’s portfolio shall not mean that such vote is considered material across all Funds voting that meeting. In order

 

B-11


Table of Contents

to recall or restrict shares timely for material voting purposes, the Proxy Group shall use best efforts to consider, and when deemed appropriate, to act upon, such requests timely, and requests to review lending activity in connection with a potentially material vote may be initiated by any relevant Investment Professional and submitted for the Proxy Group’s consideration at any time.

 

III. VOTING PROCEDURES

 

  A. In all cases, the Adviser shall follow the voting procedures as set forth in the Procedures and Guidelines of the Fund on whose behalf the Adviser is exercising delegated authority to vote.

 

  B. Routine Matters

The Agent shall be instructed to submit a vote in accordance with the Guidelines where such Guidelines provide a clear “For,” “Against,” “Withhold” or “Abstain” on a proposal. However, the Agent shall be directed to refer any proxy proposal to the Proxy Coordinator for instructions as if it were a matter requiring case-by-case consideration under circumstances where the application of the Guidelines is unclear, it appears to involve unusual or controversial issues, or an Investment Professional recommends a vote contrary to the Guidelines.

 

  C. Matters Requiring Case-by-Case Consideration

The Agent shall be directed to refer proxy proposals accompanied by its written analysis and voting recommendation to the Proxy Coordinator where the Guidelines have noted “case-by-case” consideration.

Upon receipt of a referral from the Agent, the Proxy Coordinator may solicit additional research from the Agent, Investment Professional(s), as well as from any other source or service.

Except in cases in which the Proxy Group has previously provided the Proxy Coordinator with standing instructions to vote in accordance with the Agent’s recommendation, the Proxy Coordinator will forward the Agent’s analysis and recommendation and/or any research obtained from the Investment Professional(s), the Agent or any other source to the Proxy Group. The Proxy Group may consult with the Agent and/or Investment Professional(s), as it deems necessary.

 

  1. Within-Guidelines Votes: Votes in Accordance with a Fund’s Guidelines and/or, where applicable, Agent Recommendation

In the event the Proxy Group, and where applicable, any Investment Professional participating in the voting process, recommend a vote Within Guidelines, the Proxy Group will instruct the Agent, through the Proxy Coordinator, to vote in this manner. Except as provided for herein, no Conflicts Report (as such term is defined herein) is required in connection with Within-Guidelines Votes.

 

B-12


Table of Contents
  2. Non-Votes: Votes in Which No Action is Taken

The Proxy Group may recommend that a Fund refrain from voting under circumstances including, but not limited to, the following: (1) if the economic effect on shareholders’ interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant, e.g., proxies in connection with fractional shares, securities no longer held in the portfolio of an ING Fund or proxies being considered on behalf of a Fund that is no longer in existence; or (2) if the cost of voting a proxy outweighs the benefits, e.g., certain international proxies, particularly in cases in which share blocking practices may impose trading restrictions on the relevant portfolio security. In such instances, the Proxy Group may instruct the Agent, through the Proxy Coordinator, not to vote such proxy. The Proxy Group may provide the Proxy Coordinator with standing instructions on parameters that would dictate a Non-Vote without the Proxy Group’s review of a specific proxy. It is noted a Non-Vote determination would generally not be made in connection with voting rights received pursuant to class action participation; while a Fund may no longer hold the security, a continuing economic effect on shareholders’ interests is likely.

Reasonable efforts shall be made to secure and vote all other proxies for the Funds, but, particularly in markets in which shareholders’ rights are limited, Non-Votes may also occur in connection with a Fund’s related inability to timely access ballots or other proxy information in connection with its portfolio securities.

Non-Votes may also result in certain cases in which the Agent’s recommendation has been deemed to be conflicted, as provided for in the Funds’ Procedures.

 

  3. Out-of-Guidelines Votes: Votes Contrary to Procedures and Guidelines, or Agent Recommendation, where applicable, Where No Recommendation is Provided by Agent, or Where Agent’s Recommendation is Conflicted

If the Proxy Group recommends that a Fund vote contrary to the Procedures and Guidelines, or the recommendation of the Agent, where applicable, if the Agent has made no recommendation on a matter and the Procedures and Guidelines are silent, or the Agent’s recommendation on a matter is deemed to be conflicted as provided for under these Adviser Procedures, the Proxy Coordinator will then implement the procedures for handling such votes as adopted by the Fund’s Board.

 

  4. The Proxy Coordinator will maintain a record of all proxy questions that have been referred to a Fund’s Compliance Committee, all applicable recommendations, analysis, research and Conflicts Reports.

 

B-13


Table of Contents
IV. ASSESSMENT OF THE AGENT AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

In furtherance of the Advisers’ fiduciary duty to the Funds and their beneficial owners, the Advisers shall establish the following:

 

  A. Assessment of the Agent

The Advisers shall establish that the Agent (1) is independent from the Advisers, (2) has resources that indicate it can competently provide analysis of proxy issues and (3) can make recommendations in an impartial manner and in the best interests of the Funds and their beneficial owners. The Advisers shall utilize, and the Agent shall comply with, such methods for establishing the foregoing as the Advisers may deem reasonably appropriate and shall do not less than annually as well as prior to engaging the services of any new proxy service. The Agent shall also notify the Advisers in writing within fifteen (15) calendar days of any material change to information previously provided to an Adviser in connection with establishing the Agent’s independence, competence or impartiality.

Information provided in connection with assessment of the Agent shall be forwarded to a member of the mutual funds practice group of ING US Legal Services (“Counsel”) for review. Counsel shall review such information and advise the Proxy Coordinator as to whether a material concern exists and if so, determine the most appropriate course of action to eliminate such concern.

 

  B. Conflicts of Interest

The Advisers shall establish and maintain procedures to identify and address conflicts that may arise from time to time concerning the Agent. Upon the Advisers’ request, which shall be not less than annually, and within fifteen (15) calendar days of any material change to such information previously provided to an Adviser, the Agent shall provide the Advisers with such information as the Advisers deem reasonable and appropriate for use in determining material relationships of the Agent that may pose a conflict of interest with respect to the Agent’s proxy analysis or recommendations. The Proxy Coordinator shall forward all such information to Counsel for review. Counsel shall review such information and provide the Proxy Coordinator with a brief statement regarding whether or not a material conflict of interest is present. Matters as to which a material conflict of interest is deemed to be present shall be handled as provided in the Fund’s Procedures and Guidelines.

In connection with their participation in the voting process for portfolio securities, each member of the Proxy Group, and each Investment Professional participating in the voting process, must act solely in the best interests of the beneficial owners of the applicable Fund. The members of the Proxy Group may not subordinate the interests of the Fund’s beneficial owners to unrelated objectives, including taking steps to reasonably insulate the voting process from any conflict of interest that may exist in connection with the Agent’s services or utilization thereof.

 

B-14


Table of Contents

For all matters for which the Proxy Group recommends an Out-of-Guidelines Vote, or for which a recommendation contrary to that of the Agent or the Guidelines has been received from an Investment Professional and is to be utilized, the Proxy Coordinator will implement the procedures for handling such votes as adopted by the Fund’s Board, including completion of such Conflicts Reports as may be required under the Fund’s Procedures. Completed Conflicts Reports should be provided to the Proxy Coordinator within two (2) business days and may be submitted to the Proxy Coordinator verbally, provided the Proxy Coordinator documents the Conflicts Report in writing. Such Conflicts Report should describe any known conflicts of either a business or personal nature, and set forth any contacts with respect to the referral item with non-investment personnel in its organization or with outside parties (except for routine communications from proxy solicitors). The Conflicts Report should also include written confirmation that any recommendation from an Investment Professional provided in connection with an Out-of-Guidelines Vote or under circumstances where a conflict of interest exists was made solely on the investment merits and without regard to any other consideration.

The Proxy Coordinator shall forward all Conflicts Reports to Counsel for review. Counsel shall review each report and provide the Proxy Coordinator with a brief statement regarding whether or not a material conflict of interest is present. Matters as to which a material conflict of interest is deemed to be present shall be handled as provided in the Fund’s Procedures and Guidelines.

 

V. REPORTING AND RECORD RETENTION

The Adviser shall maintain the records required by Rule 204-2(c)(2), as may be amended from time to time, including the following: (1) A copy of each proxy statement received regarding a Fund’s portfolio securities. Such proxy statements received from issuers are available either in the SEC’s EDGAR database or are kept by the Agent and are available upon request. (2) A record of each vote cast on behalf of a Fund. (3) A copy of any document created by the Adviser that was material to making a decision how to vote a proxy, or that memorializes the basis for that decision. (4) A copy of written requests for Fund proxy voting information and any written response thereto or to any oral request for information on how the Adviser voted proxies on behalf of a Fund. All proxy voting materials and supporting documentation will be retained for a minimum of six (6) years.

 

B-15


Table of Contents

APPENDIX 1

to the

Advisers’ Proxy Voting Procedures

Proxy Group for registered investment company clients of ING Investments, LLC, ING Investment Management Co. and Directed Services LLC:

 

Name

  

Title or Affiliation

Stanley D. Vyner

   Chief Investment Risk Officer and Executive Vice President, ING Investments, LLC

Todd Modic

   Senior Vice President, ING Funds Services, LLC and ING Investments, LLC; and Chief Financial Officer of the ING Funds

Maria Anderson

   Vice President of Fund Compliance, ING Funds Services, LLC

Karla J. Bos

   Proxy Coordinator for the ING Funds and Assistant Vice President – Proxy Voting, ING Funds Services, LLC

Julius A. Drelick III, CFA

   Vice President, Platform Product Management and Project Management, ING Funds Services, LLC

Harley Eisner

   Vice President of Financial Analysis, ING Funds Services, LLC

Theresa K. Kelety, Esq.

   Senior Counsel, ING Americas US Legal Services

Effective as of January 1, 2010

 

B-16


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT 3

to the

ING Funds

Proxy Voting Procedures

 

 

PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES OF THE ING FUNDS

 

 

 

I. INTRODUCTION

The following is a statement of the Proxy Voting Guidelines (“Guidelines”) that have been adopted by the respective Boards of Directors or Trustees of each Fund. Unless otherwise provided for herein, any defined term used herein shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Funds’ and Advisers’ Proxy Voting Procedures (the “Procedures”).

Proxies must be voted in the best interest of the Fund(s). The Guidelines summarize the Funds’ positions on various issues of concern to investors, and give a general indication of how Fund portfolio securities will be voted on proposals dealing with particular issues. The Guidelines are not exhaustive and do not include all potential voting issues.

The Advisers, in exercising their delegated authority, will abide by the Guidelines as outlined below with regard to the voting of proxies except as otherwise provided in the Procedures. In voting proxies, the Advisers are guided by general fiduciary principles. Each must act prudently, solely in the interest of the beneficial owners of the Funds it manages. The Advisers will not subordinate the interest of beneficial owners to unrelated objectives. Each Adviser will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will do the most to maximize shareholder value.

 

II. GUIDELINES

The following Guidelines are grouped according to the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders of U.S. issuers: Board of Directors, Proxy Contests, Auditors, Proxy Contest Defenses, Tender Offer Defenses, Miscellaneous, Capital Structure, Executive and Director Compensation, State of Incorporation, Mergers and Corporate Restructurings, Mutual Fund Proxies, and Social and Environmental Issues. An additional section addresses proposals most frequently found in global proxies.

General Policies

These Guidelines apply to securities of publicly traded companies and to those of privately held companies if publicly available disclosure permits such application. All matters for which such disclosure is not available shall be considered CASE-BY-CASE.

 

B-17


Table of Contents

It shall generally be the policy of the Funds to take no action on a proxy for which no Fund holds a position or otherwise maintains an economic interest in the relevant security at the time the vote is to be cast.

In all cases receiving CASE-BY-CASE consideration, including cases not specifically provided for under these Guidelines, unless otherwise provided for under these Guidelines, it shall generally be the policy of the Funds to vote in accordance with the recommendation provided by the Funds’ Agent, ISS Governance Services, a unit of RiskMetrics Group, Inc.

Unless otherwise provided for herein, it shall generally be the policy of the Funds to vote in accordance with the Agent’s recommendation in cases in which such recommendation aligns with the recommendation of the relevant issuer’s management or management has made no recommendation. However, this policy shall not apply to CASE-BY-CASE proposals for which a contrary recommendation from the Investment Professional for the relevant Fund has been received and is to be utilized, provided that incorporation of any such recommendation shall be subject to the conflict of interest review process required under the Procedures.

Recommendations from the Investment Professionals, while not required under the Procedures, are likely to be considered with respect to proxies for private equity securities and/or proposals related to merger transactions/corporate restructurings, proxy contests, or unusual or controversial issues. Such input shall be given primary consideration with respect to CASE-BY-CASE proposals being considered on behalf of the relevant Fund.

Except as otherwise provided for herein, it shall generally be the policy of the Funds not to support proposals that would impose a negative impact on existing rights of the Funds to the extent that any positive impact would not be deemed sufficient to outweigh removal or diminution of such rights.

The foregoing policies may be overridden in any case as provided for in the Procedures. Similarly, the Procedures provide that proposals whose Guidelines prescribe a firm voting position may instead be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis in cases in which unusual or controversial circumstances so dictate.

Interpretation and application of these Guidelines is not intended to supersede any law, regulation, binding agreement or other legal requirement to which an issuer may be or become subject. No proposal shall be supported whose implementation would contravene such requirements.

 

1. The Board of Directors

Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections

Unless otherwise provided for herein, the Agent’s standards with respect to determining director independence shall apply. These standards generally provide that, to be considered completely independent, a director shall have no material connection to the company other than the board seat.

 

B-18


Table of Contents

Agreement with the Agent’s independence standards shall not dictate that a Fund’s vote shall be cast according to the Agent’s corresponding recommendation. Votes on director nominees not subject to specific policies described herein should be made on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Where applicable and except as otherwise provided for herein, it shall be the policy of the Funds to lodge disagreement with an issuer’s policies or practices by withholding support from a proposal for the relevant policy or practice rather than the director nominee(s) to which the Agent assigns a correlation. Support shall be withheld from culpable nominees as appropriate, but if they are not standing for election (e.g., the board is classified), support shall generally not be withheld from others in their stead.

If application of the policies described herein would result in withholding votes from the majority of independent outside directors sitting on a board, or removal of such directors is likely to negatively impact majority board independence, primary consideration shall be given to retention of such independent outside director nominees unless the concerns identified are of such grave nature as to merit removal of the independent directors.

Where applicable and except as otherwise provided for herein, generally vote FOR nominees in connection with issues raised by the Agent if the nominee did not serve on the board or relevant committee during the majority of the time period relevant to the concerns cited by the Agent.

WITHHOLD support from a nominee who, during both of the most recent two years, attended less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings without a valid reason for the absences. DO NOT WITHHOLD support in connection with attendance issues for nominees who have served on the board for less than the two most recent years.

WITHHOLD support from a nominee in connection with poison pill or anti-takeover considerations (e.g., furtherance of measures serving to disenfranchise shareholders or failure to remove restrictive pill features or ensure pill expiration or submission to shareholders for vote) in cases for which culpability for implementation or renewal of the pill in such form can be specifically attributed to the nominee.

Provided that a nominee served on the board during the relevant time period, WITHHOLD support from a nominee who has failed to implement a shareholder proposal that was approved by (1) a majority of the issuer’s shares outstanding (most recent annual meeting) or (2) a majority of the votes cast for two consecutive years. However, in the case of shareholder proposals seeking shareholder ratification of a poison pill, generally vote FOR a nominee in such cases if the company has already implemented a policy that should reasonably prevent abusive use of the pill.

 

B-19


Table of Contents

If a nominee has not acted upon negative votes (WITHHOLD or AGAINST, as applicable based on the issuer’s election standard) representing a majority of the votes cast at the previous annual meeting, consider such nominee on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Generally, vote FOR nominees when:

 

  (1) The issue relevant to the majority negative vote has been adequately addressed or cured (issuers with nominees receiving majority negative votes related to adoption of poison pills without shareholder approval will be expected to provide compelling rationale if they do not elect to redeem the pill or put it to a vote), or

 

  (2) The Funds’ Guidelines or voting record do not support the relevant issue causing the majority negative vote.

WITHHOLD support from inside directors or affiliated outside directors who sit on the audit committee.

Vote FOR inside directors or affiliated outside directors who sit on the nominating or compensation committee, provided that such committee meets the applicable independence requirements of the relevant listing exchange.

Vote FOR inside directors or affiliated outside directors if the full board serves as the compensation or nominating committee OR has not created one or both committees, provided that the issuer is in compliance with all provisions of the listing exchange in connection with performance of relevant functions (e.g., performance of relevant functions by a majority of independent directors in lieu of the formation of a separate committee).

Compensation Practices:

It shall generally be the policy of the Funds that matters of compensation are best determined by an independent board and compensation committee. Votes on director nominees in connection with compensation practices should be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, and generally:

 

  (1) Where applicable and except as otherwise provided for herein, vote FOR nominees who did not serve on the compensation committee, or board, as applicable based on the Agent’s analysis, during the majority of the time period relevant to the concerns cited by the Agent.

 

  (2) In cases in which the Agent has identified a “pay for performance” disconnect, or internal pay disparity, as such issues are defined by the Agent, DO NOT WITHHOLD support from director nominees. However, generally do WITHHOLD support from nominees cited by the Agent for structuring or increasing equity compensation in a manner intended to deliver a consistent dollar value without regard to performance measures.

 

  (3) If the Agent recommends withholding support from nominees in connection with overly liberal change in control provisions, including those lacking a double trigger, vote FOR such nominees if mitigating provisions or board actions (e.g., clawbacks) are present but generally WITHHOLD support if they are not.

 

  (4) If the Agent recommends withholding support from nominees in connection with potential change in control payments or tax-gross-ups on change in control payments, vote FOR the nominees if the amount appears reasonable and no material governance concerns exist. Generally WITHHOLD support if the amount is so significant (individually or collectively) as to potentially influence an executive’s decision to enter into a transaction or to effectively act as a poison pill.

 

  (5)

If the Agent recommends withholding support from nominees in connection with their failure to seek a shareholder vote on plans to reprice, replace, buy back or exchange

 

B-20


Table of Contents
  options, generally WITHHOLD support from such nominees, except that cancellation of options would not be considered an exchange unless the cancelled options were regranted or expressly returned to the plan reserve for reissuance.

 

  (6) If the Agent recommends withholding support from nominees that have approved compensation that is ineligible for tax benefits to the company (e.g., under Section 162(m) of OBRA), vote FOR such nominees if the company has provided adequate rationale or disclosure or the plan itself is being put to shareholder vote at the same meeting. If the plan is up for vote, the provisions under Section 8., OBRA-Related Compensation Proposals, shall apply.

 

  (7) If the Agent recommends withholding support from nominees in connection with director compensation in the form of perquisites, generally vote FOR the nominees if the cost is reasonable in the context of the directors’ total compensation and the perquisites themselves appear reasonable given their purpose, the directors’ duties and the company’s line of business.

 

  (8) Generally WITHHOLD support from nominees in connection with long-term incentive plans, or total executive compensation packages, inadequately aligned with shareholders because they are overly cash-based/lack an appropriate equity component, except that such cases will be considered CASE-BY-CASE in connection with executives already holding significant equity positions. Generally consider nominees on a CASE-BY-CASE basis in connection with short-term incentive plans over which the nominee has exercised discretion to exclude extraordinary items, and WITHHOLD support if treatment of such items has been inconsistent (e.g., exclusion of losses but not gains).

 

  (9) If the Agent recommends withholding support from nominees in connection with executive compensation practices related to tax gross-ups, perquisites, provisions related to retention or recruitment, including contract length or renewal provisions, “guaranteed” awards, pensions/SERPs, severance or termination arrangements, vote FOR such nominees if the issuer has provided adequate rationale and/or disclosure, factoring in any overall adjustments or reductions to the compensation package at issue. Generally DO NOT WITHHOLD support solely due to such practices if the total compensation appears reasonable, but consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis compensation packages representing a combination of such provisions and deemed by the Agent to be excessive, and generally WITHHOLD support in such cases when named executives have material input into setting their own compensation.

 

  (10) If the Agent has raised issues of options backdating, consider members of the compensation committee, or board, as applicable, as well as company executives nominated as directors, on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

 

  (11) If shareholders have been provided with an advisory vote on executive compensation (say on pay), and practices not supported under these Guidelines have been identified, it shall generally be the policy of the Funds to align with the Agent when a vote AGAINST the say on pay proposal has been recommended in lieu of withholding support from certain nominees for compensation concerns. Issuers receiving negative recommendations on both director nominees and say on pay regarding issues not otherwise supported by these Guidelines will be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

 

B-21


Table of Contents
  (12) If the Agent has raised other considerations regarding poor compensation practices, consider nominees on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Accounting Practices:

 

  (1) Generally, vote FOR independent outside director nominees serving on the audit committee.

 

  (2) Where applicable and except as otherwise provided for herein, generally vote FOR nominees serving on the audit committee, or the company’s CEO or CFO if nominated as directors, who did not serve on that committee or have responsibility over the relevant financial function, as applicable, during the majority of the time period relevant to the concerns cited by the Agent.

 

  (3) If the Agent has raised concerns regarding poor accounting practices, consider the company’s CEO and CFO, if nominated as directors, and nominees serving on the audit committee on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Generally vote FOR nominees if the company has taken adequate steps to remediate the concerns cited, which would typically include removing or replacing the responsible executives, and if the concerns are not re-occurring and/or the company has not yet had a full year to remediate the concerns since the time they were identified.

 

  (4) If total non-audit fees exceed the total of audit fees, audit-related fees and tax compliance and preparation fees, the provisions under Section 3., Auditor Ratification, shall apply.

Board Independence:

It shall generally be the policy of the Funds that a board should be majority independent and therefore to consider inside director or affiliated outside director nominees in cases in which the full board is not majority independent on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Generally:

 

  (1) WITHHOLD support from the fewest directors whose removal would achieve majority independence across the remaining board, except that support may be withheld from additional nominees whose relative level of independence cannot be differentiated.

 

  (2) WITHHOLD support from all non-independent nominees, including the founder, chairman or CEO, if the number required to achieve majority independence is equal to or greater than the number of non-independent nominees.

 

  (3) Except as provided above, vote FOR non-independent nominees in the role of CEO, and when appropriate, founder or chairman, and determine support for other non-independent nominees based on the qualifications and contributions of the nominee as well as the Funds’ voting precedent for assessing relative independence to management, e.g., insiders holding senior executive positions are deemed less independent than affiliated outsiders with a transactional or advisory relationship to the company, and affiliated outsiders with a material transactional or advisory relationship are deemed less independent than those with lesser relationships.

 

  (4) Non-voting directors (e.g., director emeritus or advisory director) shall be excluded from calculations with respect to majority board independence.

 

  (5) When conditions contributing to a lack of majority independence remain substantially similar to those in the previous year, it shall generally be the policy of the Funds to vote on nominees in a manner consistent with votes cast by the Fund(s) in the previous year.

 

B-22


Table of Contents

Generally vote FOR nominees without regard to “over-boarding” issues raised by the Agent unless other concerns requiring CASE-BY-CASE consideration have been raised.

Generally, when the Agent recommends withholding support due to assessment that a nominee acted in bad faith or against shareholder interests in connection with a major transaction, such as a merger or acquisition, or if the Agent recommends withholding support due to other material failures or egregious actions, consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, factoring in the merits of the nominee’s performance and rationale and disclosure provided. If the Agent cites concerns regarding actions in connection with a candidate’s service on another board, vote FOR the nominee if the issuer has provided adequate rationale regarding the board’s process for determining the appropriateness of the nominee to serve on the board under consideration.

Performance Test for Directors

Consider nominees failing the Agent’s performance test, which includes market-based and operating performance measures, on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Input from the Investment Professional(s) for a given Fund shall be given primary consideration with respect to such proposals.

Support will generally be WITHHELD from nominees receiving a negative recommendation from the Agent due to sustained poor stock performance (measured by one- and three-year total shareholder returns) combined with multiple takeover defenses/entrenchment devices if the issuer:

 

  (1) Has a non-shareholder-approved poison pill in place, without provisions to redeem or seek approval in a reasonable period of time, and

 

  (2) Maintains a dual class capital structure, has authority to issue blank check preferred stock, or is a controlled company.

Nominees receiving a negative recommendation from the Agent due to sustained poor stock performance combined with other takeover defenses/entrenchment devices will be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Proposals Regarding Board Composition or Board Service

Generally, except as otherwise provided for herein, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals to impose new board structures or policies, including those requiring that the positions of chairman and CEO be held separately, except support proposals in connection with a binding agreement or other legal requirement to which an issuer has or reasonably may expect to become subject, and consider such proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if the board is not majority independent or pervasive corporate governance concerns have been identified. Generally, except as otherwise provided for herein, vote FOR management proposals to adopt or amend board structures or policies, except consider such proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if the board is not majority independent, pervasive corporate governance concerns have been identified, or the proposal may result in a material reduction in shareholders’ rights.

Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals:

 

   

Asking that more than a simple majority of directors be independent.

 

   

Asking that board compensation and/or nominating committees be composed exclusively of independent directors.

 

   

Limiting the number of public company boards on which a director may serve.

 

B-23


Table of Contents
   

Seeking to redefine director independence or directors’ specific roles (e.g., responsibilities of the lead director).

 

   

Requesting creation of additional board committees or offices, except as otherwise provided for herein.

 

   

Limiting the tenure of outside directors or impose a mandatory retirement age for outside directors (unless the proposal seeks to relax existing standards), but generally vote FOR management proposals in this regard.

Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals that seek creation of an audit, compensation or nominating committee of the board, unless the committee in question is already in existence or the issuer has availed itself of an applicable exemption of the listing exchange (e.g., performance of relevant functions by a majority of independent directors in lieu of the formation of a separate committee).

Stock Ownership Requirements

Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring directors to own a minimum amount of company stock in order to qualify as a director or to remain on the board.

Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection

Proposals on director and officer indemnification and liability protection should be evaluated on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, using Delaware law as the standard. Vote AGAINST proposals to limit or eliminate entirely directors’ and officers’ liability for monetary damages for violating the duty of care. Vote AGAINST indemnification proposals that would expand coverage beyond just legal expenses to acts, such as negligence, that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligation than mere carelessness. Vote FOR only those proposals providing such expanded coverage in cases when a director’s or officer’s legal defense was unsuccessful if:

 

  (1) The director was found to have acted in good faith and in a manner that he reasonably believed was in the best interests of the company, and

 

  (2) Only if the director’s legal expenses would be covered.

 

2. Proxy Contests

These proposals should generally be analyzed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Input from the Investment Professional(s) for a given Fund shall be given primary consideration with respect to proposals in connection with proxy contests being considered on behalf of that Fund.

Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections

Votes in a contested election of directors must be evaluated on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Reimburse Proxy Solicitation Expenses

Voting to reimburse proxy solicitation expenses should be analyzed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, generally voting FOR if associated nominees are also supported.

 

B-24


Table of Contents
3. Auditors

Ratifying Auditors

Generally, except in cases of poor accounting practices or high non-audit fees, vote FOR management proposals to ratify auditors. Consider management proposals to ratify auditors on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if the Agent cites poor accounting practices. If fees for non-audit services exceed 50 percent of total auditor fees as described below, consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, voting AGAINST management proposals to ratify auditors only if concerns exist that remuneration for the non-audit work is so lucrative as to taint the auditor’s independence. For purposes of this review, fees deemed to be reasonable, generally non-recurring, exceptions to the non-audit fee category (e.g., those related to an IPO) shall be excluded. If independence concerns exist or an issuer has a history of questionable accounting practices, also vote FOR shareholder proposals asking the issuer to present its auditor annually for ratification, but in other cases generally vote AGAINST.

Auditor Independence

Generally, consider shareholder proposals asking companies to prohibit their auditors from engaging in non-audit services (or capping the level of non-audit services) on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Audit Firm Rotation:

Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals asking for mandatory audit firm rotation.

 

4. Proxy Contest Defenses

Presentation of management and shareholder proposals on the same matter on the same agenda shall not require a Fund to vote FOR one and AGAINST the other.

Board Structure: Staggered vs. Annual Elections

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to classify the board or otherwise restrict shareholders’ ability to vote upon directors and FOR proposals to repeal classified boards and to elect all directors annually.

Shareholder Ability to Remove Directors

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals that provide that directors may be removed only for cause.

Generally, vote FOR proposals to restore shareholder ability to remove directors with or without cause.

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals that provide that only continuing directors may elect replacements to fill board vacancies.

Generally, vote FOR proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies.

Cumulative Voting

If the company maintains a classified board of directors, generally, vote AGAINST management proposals to eliminate cumulative voting, except that such proposals may be supported irrespective of classification in furtherance of an issuer’s plan to adopt a majority voting standard and vote FOR shareholder proposals to restore or permit cumulative voting.

 

B-25


Table of Contents

Time-Phased Voting

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to implement, and FOR proposals to eliminate, time-phased or other forms of voting that do not promote a one share, one vote standard.

Shareholder Ability to Call Special Meetings or to Act by Written Consent

Generally, vote FOR management or shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings or to take action by written consent. Consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis management proposals about which the Agent has cited anti-takeover concerns.

Shareholder Ability to Alter the Size of the Board

Generally, vote FOR proposals that seek to fix the size of the board or designate a range for its size.

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals that give management the ability to alter the size of the board outside of a specified range without shareholder approval.

 

5. Tender Offer Defenses

Poison Pills

Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals that ask a company to submit its poison pill for shareholder ratification, or to redeem its pill in lieu thereof, unless (1) shareholders have approved adoption of the plan, (2) a policy has already been implemented by the company that should reasonably prevent abusive use of the pill, or (3) the board had determined that it was in the best interest of shareholders to adopt a pill without delay, provided that such plan would be put to shareholder vote within twelve months of adoption or expire, and if not approved by a majority of the votes cast, would immediately terminate.

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis shareholder proposals to redeem a company’s poison pill.

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis management proposals to approve or ratify a poison pill or any plan that can reasonably be construed as an anti-takeover measure, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such proposals, considering factors such as rationale, trigger level and sunset provisions. Votes will generally be cast in a manner that seeks to preserve shareholder value and the right to consider a valid offer, voting AGAINST management proposals in connection with poison pills or anti-takeover activities that do not meet the Agent’s standards.

Fair Price Provisions

Vote proposals to adopt fair price provisions on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Generally, vote AGAINST fair price provisions with shareholder vote requirements greater than a majority of disinterested shares.

Greenmail

Generally, vote FOR proposals to adopt anti-greenmail charter or bylaw amendments or otherwise restrict a company’s ability to make greenmail payments.

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis anti-greenmail proposals when they are bundled with other charter or bylaw amendments.

 

B-26


Table of Contents

Pale Greenmail

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis restructuring plans that involve the payment of pale greenmail.

Unequal Voting Rights

Generally, vote AGAINST dual-class exchange offers and dual-class recapitalizations.

Supermajority Shareholder Vote Requirement

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote.

Generally, vote FOR management or shareholder proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements, unless the proposal also asks the issuer to mount a solicitation campaign or similar form of comprehensive commitment to obtain passage of the proposal, or, for companies with shareholder(s) with significant ownership levels, the Agent recommends retention of existing supermajority requirements in order to protect minority shareholder interests.

White Squire Placements

Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals to require approval of blank check preferred stock issues for other than general corporate purposes.

 

6. Miscellaneous

Amendments to Corporate Documents

Except to align with legislative or regulatory changes or when support is recommended by the Agent or Investment Professional (including, for example, as a condition to a major transaction such as a merger), generally, vote AGAINST proposals seeking to remove shareholder approval requirements or otherwise remove or diminish shareholder rights, e.g., by (1) adding restrictive provisions, (2) removing provisions or moving them to portions of the charter not requiring shareholder approval, or (3) in corporate structures such as holding companies, removing provisions in an active subsidiary’s charter that provide voting rights to parent company shareholders. This policy would also generally apply to proposals seeking approval of corporate agreements or amendments to such agreements that the Agent recommends AGAINST because a similar reduction in shareholder rights is requested.

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals for charter amendments that may support board entrenchment or may be used as an anti-takeover device, particularly if the proposal is bundled or the board is classified.

Generally, vote FOR proposals seeking charter or bylaw amendments to remove anti-takeover provisions.

Consider proposals seeking charter or bylaw amendments not addressed under these Guidelines on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Confidential Voting

Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals that request companies to adopt confidential voting, use independent tabulators, and use independent inspectors of election as long as the proposals include clauses for proxy contests as follows:

 

   

In the case of a contested election, management should be permitted to request that the dissident group honor its confidential voting policy.

 

B-27


Table of Contents
   

If the dissidents agree, the policy remains in place.

 

   

If the dissidents do not agree, the confidential voting policy is waived.

Generally, vote FOR management proposals to adopt confidential voting.

Proxy Access

Consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis shareholder proposals seeking access to management’s proxy material in order to nominate their own candidates to the board.

Majority Voting Standard

Except as otherwise provided for herein, it shall generally be the policy of the Funds to extend discretion to issuers to determine when it may be appropriate to adopt a majority voting standard. Generally, vote FOR management proposals, irrespective of whether the proposal contains a plurality carve-out for contested elections, but AGAINST shareholder proposals unless also supported by management, seeking election of directors by the affirmative vote of the majority of votes cast in connection with a meeting of shareholders, including amendments to corporate documents or other actions in furtherance of such standard, and provided such standard when supported does not conflict with state law in which the company is incorporated. For issuers with a history of board malfeasance or pervasive corporate governance concerns, consider such proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Bundled Proposals

Except as otherwise provided for herein, review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis bundled or “conditioned” proxy proposals, generally voting AGAINST bundled proposals containing one or more items not supported under these Guidelines if the Agent or an Investment Professional deems the negative impact, on balance, to outweigh any positive impact.

Shareholder Advisory Committees

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis proposals to establish a shareholder advisory committee.

Reimburse Shareholder for Expenses Incurred

Voting to reimburse expenses incurred in connection with shareholder proposals should be analyzed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Other Business

In connection with proxies of U.S. issuers, generally vote FOR management proposals for Other Business, except in connection with a proxy contest in which a Fund is not voting in support of management.

Quorum Requirements

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis proposals to lower quorum requirements for shareholder meetings below a majority of the shares outstanding.

 

B-28


Table of Contents

Advance Notice for Shareholder Proposals

Generally, vote FOR management proposals related to advance notice period requirements, provided that the period requested is in accordance with applicable law and no material governance concerns have been identified in connection with the issuer.

Multiple Proposals

Multiple proposals of a similar nature presented as options to the course of action favored by management may all be voted FOR, provided that support for a single proposal is not operationally required, no one proposal is deemed superior in the interest of the Fund(s), and each proposal would otherwise be supported under these Guidelines.

 

7. Capital Structure

Analyze on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Common Stock Authorization

Review proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Except where otherwise indicated, the Agent’s proprietary approach, utilizing quantitative criteria (e.g., dilution, peer group comparison, company performance and history) to determine appropriate thresholds and, for requests above such allowable threshold, a qualitative review (e.g., rationale and prudent historical usage), will generally be utilized in evaluating such proposals.

Generally vote FOR:

 

   

Proposals to authorize capital increases within the Agent’s allowable thresholds or those in excess but meeting Agent’s qualitative standards, but consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis those requests failing the Agent’s review for proposals in connection with which a contrary recommendation from the Investment Professional(s) has been received and is to be utilized (e.g., in support of a merger or acquisition proposal).

 

   

Proposals to authorize capital increases within the Agent’s allowable thresholds or those in excess but meeting Agent’s qualitative standards, unless the company states that the stock may be used as a takeover defense. In those cases, consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if a contrary recommendation from the Investment Professional(s) has been received and is to be utilized.

 

   

Proposals to authorize capital increases exceeding the Agent’s thresholds when a company’s shares are in danger of being delisted or if a company’s ability to continue to operate as a going concern is uncertain.

Generally, vote AGAINST:

 

   

Proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of a class of stock if the issuance which the increase is intended to service is not supported under these Guidelines.

 

   

Nonspecific proposals authorizing excessive discretion to a board.

Consider management proposals to make changes to the capital structure not otherwise addressed under these Guidelines CASE-BY-CASE, generally voting with the Agent’s recommendation unless a contrary recommendation has been received from the Investment Professional for the relevant Fund and is to be utilized.

 

B-29


Table of Contents

Dual Class Capital Structures

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of the class of stock that has superior voting rights in companies that have dual class capital structures, but consider CASE-BY-CASE if (1) bundled with favorable proposal(s), (2) approval of such proposal(s) is a condition of such favorable proposal(s), or (3) part of a recapitalization for which support is recommended by the Agent or an Investment Professional.

Generally, vote AGAINST management proposals to create or perpetuate dual class capital structures with unequal voting rights, and vote FOR shareholder proposals to eliminate them, in cases in which the relevant Fund owns the class with inferior voting rights, but generally vote FOR management proposals and AGAINST shareholder proposals in cases in which the relevant Fund owns the class with superior voting rights. Consider CASE-BY-CASE if bundled with favorable proposal(s), (2) approval of such proposal(s) is a condition of such favorable proposal(s), or (3) part of a recapitalization for which support is recommended by the Agent or an Investment Professional.

Consider management proposals to eliminate or make changes to dual class capital structures CASE-BY-CASE, generally voting with the Agent’s recommendation unless a contrary recommendation has been received from the Investment Professional for the relevant Fund and is to be utilized.

Stock Distributions: Splits and Dividends

Generally, vote FOR management proposals to increase common share authorization for a stock split, provided that the increase in authorized shares falls within the Agent’s allowable thresholds, but consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis those proposals exceeding the Agent’s threshold for proposals in connection with which a contrary recommendation from the Investment Professional(s) has been received and is to be utilized.

Reverse Stock Splits

Consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis management proposals to implement a reverse stock split. In the event the split constitutes a capital increase effectively exceeding the Agent’s allowable threshold because the request does not proportionately reduce the number of shares authorized, vote FOR the split if management has provided adequate rationale and/or disclosure.

Preferred Stock

Review proposals to increase the number of shares of preferred stock authorized for issuance on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, and except where otherwise indicated, generally utilize the Agent’s approach for evaluating such proposals. This approach incorporates both qualitative and quantitative measures, including a review of past performance (e.g., board governance, shareholder returns and historical share usage) and the current request (e.g., rationale, whether shares are blank check and declawed, and dilutive impact as determined through the Agent’s proprietary model for assessing appropriate thresholds).

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals authorizing the issuance of preferred stock or creation of new classes of preferred stock with unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights (“blank check” preferred stock), but vote FOR if the Agent or an Investment Professional so recommends because the issuance is required to effect a merger or acquisition proposal.

 

B-30


Table of Contents

Generally, vote FOR proposals to issue or create blank check preferred stock in cases when the company expressly states that the stock will not be used as a takeover defense. Generally vote AGAINST in cases where the company expressly states that, or fails to disclose whether, the stock may be used as a takeover defense, but vote FOR if the Agent or an Investment Professional so recommends because the issuance is required to address special circumstances such as a merger or acquisition.

Generally, vote FOR proposals to authorize or issue preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion, and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock appear reasonable.

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to increase the number of blank check preferred shares after analyzing the number of preferred shares available for issue given a company’s industry and performance in terms of shareholder returns.

Shareholder Proposals Regarding Blank Check Preferred Stock

Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals to have blank check preferred stock placements, other than those shares issued for the purpose of raising capital or making acquisitions in the normal course of business, submitted for shareholder ratification.

Adjustments to Par Value of Common Stock

Generally, vote FOR management proposals to reduce the par value of common stock.

Preemptive Rights

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis shareholder proposals that seek preemptive rights or management proposals that seek to eliminate them. In evaluating proposals on preemptive rights, consider the size of a company and the characteristics of its shareholder base.

Debt Restructurings

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan.

Share Repurchase Programs

Generally, vote FOR management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms, but vote AGAINST plans with terms favoring selected, non-Fund parties.

Generally, vote FOR management proposals to cancel repurchased shares.

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals for share repurchase methods lacking adequate risk mitigation or exceeding appropriate volume or duration parameters for the market.

Consider shareholder proposals seeking share repurchase programs on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with input from the Investment Professional(s) for a given Fund to be given primary consideration.

Tracking Stock

Votes on the creation of tracking stock are determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

 

B-31


Table of Contents
8. Executive and Director Compensation

Except as otherwise provided for herein, votes with respect to compensation and employee benefit plans should be determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such plans, which includes determination of costs and comparison to an allowable cap.

 

   

Generally, vote in accordance with the Agent’s recommendations FOR equity-based plans with costs within such cap and AGAINST those with costs in excess of it, except that plans above the cap may be supported if so recommended by the Agent or Investment Professional as a condition to a major transaction such as a merger.

 

   

Generally, vote AGAINST plans if the Agent suggests cost or dilution assessment may not be possible due to the method of disclosing shares allocated to the plan(s), except that such concerns arising in connection with evergreen provisions shall be considered CASE-BY-CASE, voted FOR if the company has provided a reasonable rationale and/or adequate disclosure regarding the plan as a whole.

 

   

Generally, vote FOR plans with costs within the cap if the primary considerations raised by the Agent pertain to matters that would not result in a negative vote under these Guidelines on the relevant board or committee member(s), or equity compensation burn rate or pay for performance as defined by Agent.

 

   

Generally, vote AGAINST plans administered by potential grant recipients.

 

   

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to eliminate existing shareholder approval requirements for material plan changes, unless the company has provided a reasonable rationale and/or adequate disclosure regarding the requested changes.

 

   

Generally vote AGAINST long-term incentive plans that are inadequately aligned with shareholders because they lack an appropriate equity component, except that such cases will be considered CASE-BY-CASE in connection with executives already holding significant equity positions.

 

   

Generally, vote AGAINST plans that contain an overly liberal change in control definition (e.g., does not result in actual change in control).

 

   

Consider plans CASE-BY-CASE if the Agent raises other considerations not otherwise provided for herein.

Restricted Stock or Stock Option Plans

Consider proposals for restricted stock or stock option plans, or the issuance of shares in connection with such plans, on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering factors such as level of disclosure and adequacy of vesting or performance requirements. Plans that do not meet the Agent’s criteria in this regard may be supported, but vote AGAINST if no disclosure is provided regarding either vesting or performance requirements.

Management Proposals Seeking Approval to Reprice Options

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis management proposals seeking approval to reprice, replace or exchange options, considering factors such as rationale, historic trading patterns, value-for-value exchange, vesting periods and replacement option terms. Generally, vote FOR proposals that meet the Agent’s criteria for acceptable repricing, replacement or exchange transactions, except that considerations raised by the Agent regarding burn rate or executive participation shall not be grounds for withholding support.

 

B-32


Table of Contents

Vote AGAINST compensation plans that (1) permit or may permit (e.g., history of repricing and no express prohibition against future repricing) repricing of stock options, or any form or alternative to repricing, without shareholder approval, (2) include provisions that permit repricing, replacement or exchange transactions that do not meet the Agent’s criteria (except regarding burn rate or executive participation as noted above), or (3) give the board sole discretion to approve option repricing, replacement or exchange programs.

Director Compensation

Votes on stock-based plans for directors are made on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s quantitative approach described above as well as a review of qualitative features of the plan in cases in which costs exceed the Agent’s threshold. DO NOT VOTE AGAINST plans for which burn rate is the sole consideration raised by the Agent.

Employee Stock Purchase Plans

Votes on employee stock purchase plans, and capital issuances in support of such plans, should be made on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such plans, except that negative recommendations by the Agent due to evergreen provisions will be reviewed CASE-BY-CASE, voted FOR if the company has provided a reasonable rationale and/or adequate disclosure regarding the plan as a whole.

OBRA-Related Compensation Proposals

Votes on plans intended to qualify for favorable tax treatment under the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA should be evaluated irrespective of the Agent’s assessment of board independence, provided that the board meets the independence requirements of the relevant listing exchange and no potential recipient under the plan(s) sits on the committee that exercises discretion over the related compensation awards. Unless the issuer has provided a compelling rationale, generally vote with the Agent’s recommendations AGAINST plans that deliver excessive compensation that fails to qualify for favorable tax treatment.

Amendments that Place a Cap on Annual Grants or Amend Administrative Features

Generally, vote FOR plans that simply amend shareholder-approved plans to include administrative features or place a cap on the annual grants any one participant may receive to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.

Amendments to Add Performance-Based Goals

Generally, vote FOR amendments to add performance goals to existing compensation plans to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.

Amendments to Increase Shares and Retain Tax Deductions Under OBRA

Votes on amendments to existing plans to increase shares reserved and to qualify the plan for favorable tax treatment under the provisions of Section 162(m) should be evaluated on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, generally voting FOR such plans that do not raise any negative concerns under these Guidelines.

 

B-33


Table of Contents

Approval of Cash or Cash-and-Stock Bonus Plans

Generally, vote FOR cash or cash-and-stock bonus plans to exempt the compensation from taxes under the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA, with primary consideration given to management’s assessment that such plan meets the requirements for exemption of performance-based compensation.

Shareholder Proposals Regarding Executive and Director Pay

Regarding the remuneration of individuals other than senior executives and directors, generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals that seek to expand or restrict disclosure or require shareholder approval beyond regulatory requirements and market practice. Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals that seek disclosure of executive or director compensation if providing it would be out of step with market practice and potentially disruptive to the business.

Unless evidence exists of abuse in historical compensation practices, and except as otherwise provided for herein, generally vote AGAINST shareholder proposals that seek to impose new compensation structures or policies, such as “claw back” recoupments or advisory votes.

Severance and Termination Payments

Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals to have parachute arrangements submitted for shareholder ratification (with “parachutes” defined as compensation arrangements related to termination that specify change in control events) and provided that the proposal does not include unduly restrictive or arbitrary provisions such as advance approval requirements.

Generally vote AGAINST shareholder proposals to submit executive severance agreements for shareholder ratification, unless such proposals specify change in control events, Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans, or deferred executive compensation plans, or ratification is required by the listing exchange.

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis all proposals to approve, ratify or cancel executive severance or termination arrangements, including those related to executive recruitment or retention, generally voting FOR such compensation arrangements if the issuer has provided adequate rationale and/or disclosure or support is recommended by the Agent or Investment Professional (e.g., as a condition to a major transaction such as a merger). However, vote in accordance with the Agent’s recommendations FOR new or materially amended plans, contracts or payments that require change in control provisions to be double-triggered and defined to require an actual change in control, except that plans, contracts or payments not meeting such standards may be supported if mitigating provisions or board actions (e.g., clawbacks) are present.

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)

Generally, vote FOR proposals that request shareholder approval in order to implement an ESOP or to increase authorized shares for existing ESOPs, except in cases when the number of shares allocated to the ESOP is “excessive” (i.e., generally greater than five percent of outstanding shares).

401(k) Employee Benefit Plans

Generally, vote FOR proposals to implement a 401(k) savings plan for employees.

 

B-34


Table of Contents

Holding Periods

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals requiring mandatory periods for officers and directors to hold company stock.

Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation (Say on Pay)

Generally, management proposals seeking ratification of the company’s compensation program will be voted FOR unless the program includes practices or features not supported under these Guidelines and the proposal receives a negative recommendation from the Agent. Unless otherwise provided for herein, proposals not receiving the Agent’s support due to concerns regarding severance/termination payments, incentive structures or vesting or performance criteria not otherwise supported by these Guidelines will be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, factoring in whether the issuer has made improvements to its overall compensation program and generally voting FOR if the company has provided a reasonable rationale and/or adequate disclosure regarding the matter(s) under consideration. For say on pay proposals not supported by the Agent and referencing incentive plan concerns:

 

  (1) Long-term incentive plans: Proposals will be voted AGAINST if they cite long-term incentive plans that are inadequately aligned with shareholders because they are cash-based or lack an appropriate equity component, except that such cases will be considered CASE-BY-CASE in connection with executives already holding significant equity positions.

 

  (2) Short-term incentive plans: Proposals will be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if they cite short-term incentive plans over which the board has exercised discretion to exclude extraordinary items, and voted AGAINST if treatment of such items has been inconsistent (e.g., exclusion of losses but not gains).

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals when named executives have material input into setting their own compensation.

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals presented by issuers subject to Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) provisions if there is inadequate discussion of the process for ensuring that incentive compensation does not encourage excessive risk-taking.

 

9. State of Incorporation

Voting on State Takeover Statutes

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freezeout provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, anti-greenmail provisions, and disgorgement provisions).

Voting on Reincorporation Proposals

Proposals to change a company’s state of incorporation should be examined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, generally supporting management proposals not assessed as a potential takeover defense, but if so assessed, weighing management’s rationale for the change. Generally, vote FOR management reincorporation proposals upon which another key proposal, such as a merger transaction, is contingent if the other key proposal is also supported. Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder reincorporation proposals not also supported by the company.

 

B-35


Table of Contents
10. Mergers and Corporate Restructurings

Input from the Investment Professional(s) for a given Fund shall be given primary consideration with respect to proposals regarding business combinations, particularly those between otherwise unaffiliated parties, or other corporate restructurings being considered on behalf of that Fund.

Generally, vote FOR a proposal not typically supported under these Guidelines if a key proposal, such as a merger transaction, is contingent upon its support and a vote FOR is accordingly recommended by the Agent or an Investment Professional.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Votes on mergers and acquisitions should be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Corporate Restructuring

Votes on corporate restructuring proposals, including demergers, minority squeezeouts, leveraged buyouts, spinoffs, liquidations, dispositions, divestitures and asset sales, should be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such proposals.

Adjournment

Generally, vote FOR proposals to adjourn a meeting to provide additional time for vote solicitation when the primary proposal is also voted FOR.

Appraisal Rights

Generally, vote FOR proposals to restore, or provide shareholders with, rights of appraisal.

Changing Corporate Name

Generally, vote FOR changing the corporate name.

 

11. Mutual Fund Proxies

Approving New Classes or Series of Shares

Generally, vote FOR the establishment of new classes or series of shares.

Authorizing the Board to Hire and Terminate Subadvisors Without Shareholder Approval

Generally, vote FOR these proposals.

Master-Feeder Structure

Generally, vote FOR the establishment of a master-feeder structure.

Establish Director Ownership Requirement

Generally, vote AGAINST shareholder proposals for the establishment of a director ownership requirement.

 

B-36


Table of Contents

The matters below should be examined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis:

 

   

Election of Directors

 

   

Converting Closed-end Fund to Open-end Fund

 

   

Proxy Contests

 

   

Investment Advisory Agreements

 

   

Preferred Stock Proposals

 

   

1940 Act Policies

 

   

Changing a Fundamental Restriction to a Nonfundamental Restriction

 

   

Change Fundamental Investment Objective to Nonfundamental

 

   

Name Rule Proposals

 

   

Disposition of Assets/Termination/Liquidation

 

   

Changes to the Charter Document

 

   

Changing the Domicile of a Fund

 

   

Change in Fund’s Subclassification

 

   

Distribution Agreements

 

   

Mergers

 

   

Reimburse Shareholder for Expenses Incurred

 

   

Terminate the Investment Advisor

 

12. Social and Environmental Issues

These issues cover a wide range of topics. In general, unless otherwise specified herein, vote CASE-BY-CASE. While a wide variety of factors may go into each analysis, the overall principle guiding all vote recommendations focuses on how or whether the proposal will enhance the economic value of the company. Because a company’s board is likely to have access to relevant, non-public information regarding a company’s business, such proposals will generally be voted in a manner intended to give the board (rather than shareholders) latitude to set corporate policy and oversee management.

Absent concurring support from the issuer, compelling evidence of abuse, significant public controversy or litigation, the issuer’s significant history of relevant violations; or activities not in step with market practice or regulatory requirements, or unless provided for otherwise herein, generally vote AGAINST shareholder proposals seeking to dictate corporate conduct, apply existing law, duplicate policies already substantially in place and/or addressed by the issuer, or release information that would not help a shareholder evaluate an investment in the corporation as an economic matter. Such proposals would generally include those seeking preparation of reports and/or implementation or additional disclosure of corporate policies related to issues such as consumer and public safety, environment and energy, labor standards and human rights, military business and political concerns, workplace diversity and non-discrimination, sustainability, social issues, vendor activities, economic risk or matters of science and engineering.

 

B-37


Table of Contents
13. Global Proxies

The foregoing Guidelines provided in connection with proxies of U.S. issuers shall also be applied to global proxies where applicable and not provided for otherwise herein. The following provide for differing regulatory and legal requirements, market practices and political and economic systems existing in various global markets.

Unless otherwise provided for herein, it shall generally be the policy of the Funds to vote AGAINST global proxy proposals in cases in which the Agent recommends voting AGAINST such proposal because relevant disclosure by the issuer, or the time provided for consideration of such disclosure, is inadequate. For purposes of these global Guidelines, “AGAINST” shall mean withholding of support for a proposal, resulting in submission of a vote of AGAINST or ABSTAIN, as appropriate for the given market and level of concern raised by the Agent regarding the issue or lack of disclosure or time provided.

In connection with practices described herein that are associated with a firm AGAINST vote, it shall generally be the policy of the Funds to consider them on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if the Agent recommends their support (1) as the issuer or market transitions to better practices (e.g., having committed to new regulations or governance codes) or (2) as the more favorable choice in cases in which shareholders must choose between alternate proposals.

Routine Management Proposals

Generally, vote FOR the following and other similar routine management proposals:

 

   

the opening of the shareholder meeting

 

   

that the meeting has been convened under local regulatory requirements

 

   

the presence of quorum

 

   

the agenda for the shareholder meeting

 

   

the election of the chair of the meeting

 

   

the appointment of shareholders to co-sign the minutes of the meeting

 

   

regulatory filings (e.g., to effect approved share issuances)

 

   

the designation of inspector or shareholder representative(s) of minutes of meeting

 

   

the designation of two shareholders to approve and sign minutes of meeting

 

   

the allowance of questions

 

   

the publication of minutes

 

   

the closing of the shareholder meeting

Consider proposals seeking authority to call shareholder meetings on less than 21 days’ notice on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to consider whether the issuer has provided clear disclosure of its compliance with any hurdle conditions for the authority imposed by applicable law and has historically limited it use of such authority to time-sensitive matters.

Discharge of Management/Supervisory Board Members

Generally, vote FOR management proposals seeking the discharge of management and supervisory board members, unless the Agent recommends AGAINST due to concern about the past actions of the company’s auditors or directors or legal action is being taken against the board by other shareholders, including when the proposal is bundled. Generally do not withhold

 

B-38


Table of Contents

support from such proposals in connection with remuneration practices otherwise supported under these Guidelines or as a means of expressing disapproval of broader practices of the issuer or its board.

Director Elections

Unless otherwise provided for herein, the Agent’s standards with respect to determining director independence shall apply. These standards generally provide that, to be considered completely independent, a director shall have no material connection to the company other than the board seat.

Agreement with the Agent’s independence standards shall not dictate that a Fund’s vote shall be cast according to the Agent’s corresponding recommendation. Further, unless otherwise provided for herein, the application of Guidelines in connection with such standards shall apply only in cases in which the nominee’s level of independence can be ascertained based on available disclosure. These policies generally apply to director nominees in uncontested elections; votes in contested elections, and votes on director nominees not subject to policies described herein, should be made on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with primary consideration in contested elections given to input from the Investment Professional(s) for a given Fund.

For issuers domiciled in Canada, Finland, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden or tax haven markets, generally vote AGAINST non-independent directors in cases in which the full board serves as the audit committee, or the company does not have an audit committee.

For issuers in all markets, including those in tax haven markets and those in Japan that have adopted the U.S.-style board-with-committees structure, vote AGAINST non-independent nominees to the audit committee, or, if the slate of nominees is bundled, vote AGAINST the slate. If the slate is bundled and audit committee membership is unclear or proposed as a separate agenda item, vote FOR if the Agent otherwise recommends support. For Canadian issuers, the Funds’ U.S. Guidelines with respect to audit committees shall apply; in addition, nominees (or slates of nominees) will be voted AGAINST if they do not comply with regulatory requirements to disclose audit fees broken down by category.

Negative recommendations from the Agent on slate ballots of nominees at Canadian issuers will be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if the board is classified or the Agent cites other concerns not otherwise supported by these Guidelines, generally voting AGAINST when concerns relate to dual class capital structures or other anti-takeover/entrenchment devices.

In tax haven markets, DO NOT VOTE AGAINST non-independent directors in cases in which the full board serves as the compensation committee, or the company does not have a compensation committee.

Vote FOR non-independent directors who sit on the compensation or nominating committees if such committee meets the applicable independence requirements of the relevant listing exchange.

 

B-39


Table of Contents

In cases in which committee membership is unclear, consider non-independent director nominees on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if no other issues have been raised in connection with his/her nomination.

Generally follow the Agent’s recommendations to vote AGAINST individuals nominated as outside/non-executive directors who do not meet the Agent’s standard for independence, unless the slate of nominees is bundled, in which case the proposal(s) to elect board members shall be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

For issuers in tax haven markets, generally withhold support (AGAINST or ABSTAIN, as appropriate) from bundled slates of nominees if the board is non-majority independent. For issuers in Canada and other global markets, generally follow the Agent’s standards for withholding support from bundled slates or non-independent directors (typically excluding the CEO), as applicable, if the board does not meet the Agent’s independence standards or the board’s independence cannot be ascertained due to inadequate disclosure.

For issuers in Japan, generally follow the Agent’s recommendations in furtherance of greater board independence and minority shareholder protections. Specifically, at listed subsidiary companies with publicly-traded parent companies, generally vote AGAINST reelection of top executives if the board after the shareholder meeting does not include at least two directors deemed independent under the Agent’s standards. At listed subsidiaries with the U.S.-style board-with-committees, generally also vote AGAINST nominating committee members who are insiders or affiliated outsiders if the board after the shareholder meeting does not include at least two directors deemed independent under the Agent’s standards. However, so that companies may have time to identify and recruit qualified candidates, for 2010, generally DO NOT VOTE AGAINST the reelection of executives if the company has at least one independent director.

Generally, withhold support (AGAINST or ABSTAIN, as appropriate) from nominees or slates of nominees presented in a manner not aligned with market practice and/or legislation, including:

 

   

Bundled slates of nominees (e.g., France, Hong Kong or Spain);

 

   

Simultaneous reappointment of retiring directors (e.g., South Africa);

 

   

In markets with term lengths capped by legislation or market practice, nominees whose terms exceed the caps or are not disclosed (except that bundled slates with such lack of disclosure shall be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis); or

 

   

Nominees whose names are not disclosed in advance of the meeting (e.g., Austria, Philippines, Hong Kong or South Africa) or far enough in advance relative to voting deadlines (e.g., Italy) to make an informed voting decision.

Such criteria will not generally provide grounds for withholding support in countries in which they may be identified as best practice but such legislation or market practice is not yet applicable, unless specific governance shortfalls identified by the Agent (e.g., director terms longer than four years) indicate diminished accountability to shareholders and so dictate that less latitude should be extended to the issuer.

Generally vote FOR nominees without regard to recommendations that the position of chairman should be separate from that of CEO or otherwise required to be independent, unless other concerns requiring CASE-BY-CASE consideration have been raised. The latter would include former CEOs proposed as board chairmen in markets such as the United Kingdom for which best practice and the Agent recommend against such practice.

 

B-40


Table of Contents

In cases in which cumulative or net voting applies, generally vote with Agent’s recommendation to support nominees asserted by the issuer to be independent, even if independence disclosure or criteria fall short of Agent’s standards.

Consider nominees for whom the Agent has raised concerns regarding scandals or internal controls on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, generally withholding support (AGAINST or ABSTAIN, as appropriate) from nominees or slates of nominees when:

 

   

The scandal or shortfall in controls took place at the company, or an affiliate, for which the nominee is being considered;

 

   

Culpability can be attributed to the nominee (e.g., nominee manages or audits relevant function), and

 

   

The nominee has been directly implicated, with resulting arrest and criminal charge or regulatory sanction.

Consider non-independent nominees on a CASE-BY-CASE basis when the Agent has raised concerns regarding diminished shareholder value as evidenced by a significant drop in share price, generally voting with Agent’s recommendation AGAINST such nominees when few, if any, outside directors are present on the board and:

 

   

The founding family has retained undue influence over the company despite a history of scandal or problematic controls;

 

   

The nominees have engaged in protectionist activities such as introduction of a poison pill or preferential and/or dilutive share issuances; or

 

   

Evidence exists regarding compliance or accounting shortfalls.

If the Agent recommends withholding support due to other material failures or egregious actions, the Funds’ U.S. Guidelines with respect such issues shall apply.

Consider nominees serving on the remuneration committee on a CASE-BY-CASE basis if the Agent recommends withholding support from nominees in connection with remuneration practices not otherwise supported by these Guidelines, including cases in which the issuer has not followed market practice by submitting a resolution on executive compensation.

For markets such as the tax havens, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and South Africa (and for outside directors in South Korea) in which nominees’ attendance records are adequately disclosed, the Funds’ U.S. Guidelines with respect to director attendance shall apply. The same two-year attendance policy shall be applied regarding attendance by directors and statutory auditors of Japanese companies if year-over-year data can be tracked by nominee. For issuers in Canada, generally vote AGAINST a slate of nominees if one or more nominees fail the attendance Guideline, unless the Agent cites compelling reasons for supporting the slate (e.g., the issuer’s commitment to replace slate elections with individual elections within a year).

Consider self-nominated director candidates on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such candidates, except that (1) an

 

B-41


Table of Contents

unqualified candidate will generally not be supported simply to effect a “protest vote” and (2) cases of multiple self-nominated candidates may be considered as a proxy contest if similar issues are raised (e.g., potential change in control).

Generally vote FOR nominees without regard to “over-boarding” issues raised by the Agent unless other concerns requiring CASE-BY-CASE consideration have been raised.

In cases where a director holds more than one board seat and corresponding votes, manifested as one seat as a physical person plus an additional seat as a representative of a legal entity, generally vote with the Agent’s recommendation to withhold support (AGAINST or ABSTAIN, as appropriate) from the legal entity and vote on the physical person.

Generally, vote with the Agent’s recommendation to withhold support (AGAINST or ABSTAIN, as appropriate) from nominees for whom support has become moot since the time the individual was nominated (e.g., due to death, disqualification or determination not to accept appointment).

Generally, vote with the Agent’s recommendation when more candidates are presented than available seats and no other provisions under these Guidelines apply.

For companies incorporated in tax haven markets but which trade exclusively in the U.S., the Funds’ U.S. Guidelines with respect to director elections shall apply.

Board Structure

Generally, vote FOR proposals to fix board size, but also support proposals seeking a board range if the range is reasonable in the context of market practice and anti-takeover considerations. Proposed article amendments in this regard shall be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such proposals.

Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection

Generally, vote in accordance with the Agent’s standards for indemnification and liability protection for officers and directors, voting AGAINST overly broad provisions.

Independent Statutory Auditors

With respect to Japanese companies that have not adopted the U.S.-style board-with-committees structure, vote AGAINST any nominee to the position of “independent statutory auditor” whom the Agent considers affiliated, e.g., if the nominee has worked a significant portion of his career for the company, its main bank or one of its top shareholders. Where shareholders are forced to vote on multiple nominees in a single resolution, vote AGAINST all nominees. In cases in which multiple slates of statutory auditors are presented, generally vote with the Agent’s recommendation, typically to support nominees deemed to be more independent and/or aligned with interests of minority shareholders.

Generally, vote AGAINST incumbent nominees at companies implicated in scandals or exhibiting poor internal controls.

 

B-42


Table of Contents

Key Committees

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals that permit non-board members to serve on the audit, compensation or nominating committee, provided that bundled slates may be supported if no slate nominee serves on the relevant committee(s). If not otherwise addressed under these Guidelines, consider other negative recommendations from the Agent regarding committee members on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Director and Statutory Auditor Remuneration

Consider director compensation plans on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such proposals, while also factoring in the merits of the rationale and disclosure provided.

Generally, vote FOR proposals to approve the remuneration of directors and auditors as long as the amount is not excessive (e.g., significant increases should be supported by adequate rationale and disclosure), there is no evidence of abuse, the recipient’s overall compensation appears reasonable, and the board and/or responsible committee meets exchange or market standards for independence.

For European issuers, vote AGAINST non-executive director remuneration if:

 

   

The advance general meeting documents do not specify fees paid to non-executive directors;

 

   

The company seeks to excessively increase the fees relative to market or sector practices without providing a reasonable rationale for the increase; or

 

   

It provides for granting of stock options or similarly structured equity-based compensation.

For Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) issuers, the Agent’s limits with respect to equity awards to non-employee directors shall apply.

Bonus Payments

With respect to Japanese companies, generally vote FOR retirement bonus proposals if all payments are for directors and auditors who have served as executives of the company. Generally vote AGAINST such proposals if one or more payments are for non-executive, affiliated directors or statutory auditors when one or more of the individuals to whom the grants are being proposed (1) has not served in an executive capacity for the company for at least three years or (2) has been designated by the company as an independent statutory auditor, regardless of the length of time he/she has served. In all markets, if issues have been raised regarding a scandal or internal controls, generally vote AGAINST bonus proposals for retiring directors or continuing directors or auditors when culpability can be attributed to the nominee (e.g., if a Fund is also voting AGAINST the nominee under criteria herein regarding issues of scandal or internal controls), unless bundled with bonuses for a majority of directors or auditors a Fund is voting FOR.

Stock Option Plans for Independent Internal Statutory Auditors

With respect to Japanese companies, follow the Agent’s guidelines with respect to proposals regarding option grants to independent internal statutory auditors or other outside parties, generally voting AGAINST such plans.

 

B-43


Table of Contents

Compensation Plans

Unless otherwise provided for herein, votes with respect to compensation plans, and awards thereunder or capital issuances in support thereof, should be determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such plans, considering quantitative or qualitative factors as appropriate for the market.

Amendment Procedures for Equity Compensation Plans and ESPPs

For TSX issuers, votes with respect to amendment procedures for security-based compensation arrangements and employee share purchase plans shall generally be cast in a manner designed to preserve shareholder approval rights, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s recommendation.

Shares Reserved for Equity Compensation Plans

Unless otherwise provided for herein, voting decisions shall generally be based on the Agent’s methodology, including classification of a company’s stage of development as growth or mature and the corresponding determination as to reasonability of the share requests.

Generally, vote AGAINST equity compensation plans (e.g., option, warrant, restricted stock or employee share purchase plans or participation in company offerings such as IPOs or private placements), the issuance of shares in connection with such plans, or related management proposals (e.g., article amendments) that:

 

   

Exceed Agent’s recommended dilution limits, including cases in which the Agent suggests dilution cannot be fully assessed (e.g., due to inadequate disclosure);

 

   

Provide deep or near-term discounts (or the equivalent, such as dividend equivalents on unexercised options) to executives or directors, unless discounts to executives are adequately mitigated by other requirements such as long-term vesting (e.g., Japan) or broad-based employee participation otherwise meeting the Agent’s standards (e.g., France);

 

   

Are administered with discretion by potential grant recipients, unless such discretion is deemed acceptable due to market practice or other mitigating provisions;

 

   

Provide for retirement benefits or equity incentive awards to outside directors if not in line with market practice (e.g., Australia, Belgium, The Netherlands);

 

   

Permit financial assistance in the form of non-recourse (or essentially non-recourse) loans in connection with executive’s participation;

 

   

For matching share plans, do not meet the Agent’s standards, considering holding period, discounts, dilution, participation, purchase price and performance criteria;

 

   

Provide for vesting upon change in control if deemed to evidence a conflict of interest or anti-takeover device or if the change in control definition is too liberal (e.g., does not result in actual change in control);

 

   

Provide no disclosure regarding vesting or performance criteria (provided that proposals providing disclosure in one or both areas, without regard to Agent’s criteria for such disclosure, shall be supported provided they otherwise satisfy these Guidelines);

 

   

Permit post-employment vesting if deemed inappropriate by the Agent;

 

   

Allow plan administrators to make material amendments without shareholder approval unless adequate prior disclosure has been provided, with such voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such plans; or

 

B-44


Table of Contents
   

Provide for retesting in connection with achievement of performance hurdles unless the Agent’s analysis indicates that (1) performance targets are adequately increased in proportion to the additional time available, (2) the retesting is de minimis as a percentage of overall compensation or is acceptable relative to market practice, or (3) the issuer has committed to cease retesting within a reasonable period of time.

Generally, vote FOR such plans/awards or the related issuance of shares that (1) do not suffer from the defects noted above, or (2) otherwise meet the Agent’s tests if the considerations raised by the Agent pertain primarily to performance hurdles, contract or notice periods, severance/termination payments relative to multiples of annual compensation, discretionary bonuses, recruitment awards, retention incentives, non-compete payments or vesting upon change in control (other than addressed above), if:

 

  (1) The company has provided adequate disclosure and/or a reasonable rationale regarding the relevant plan/award, practice or participation;

 

  (2) The recipient’s overall compensation appears reasonable;

 

  (3) Potential payments or awards are not so significant (individually or collectively) as to potentially influence an executive’s decision-making (e.g., to enter into a transaction that will result in a change of control payment) or to effectively act as a poison pill; and

 

  (4) The board and/or responsible committee meets exchange or market standards for independence.

Unless otherwise provided for herein, market practice of the primary country in which a company does business, or in which an employee is serving, as applicable, shall supersede that of the issuer’s domicile.

Consider proposals in connection with such plans or the related issuance of shares in other instances on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Remuneration Reports (Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation)

Generally, withhold support (AGAINST or ABSTAIN as appropriate for specific market and level of concerns identified by the Agent) from remuneration reports/advisory votes on compensation that include compensation plans that:

 

  (1) Permit practices or features not supported under these Guidelines, including financial assistance under the conditions described above;

 

  (2) Permit retesting excessive relative to market practice (irrespective of the Agent’s support for the report as a whole);

 

  (3) Cite long-term incentive plans deemed to be inadequately based on equity awards (e.g., cash-based plans or plans lacking an appropriate equity component);

 

  (4) Cite equity award valuation methods triggering a negative recommendation from the Agent;

 

  (5) For issuers in the United Kingdom, include components, metrics or rationales that have not been adequately disclosed;

 

  (6) For issuers in Australia, permit open market purchase of shares in support of equity grants in lieu of seeking shareholder approval, but only if the issuer has a history of significant negative votes when formally seeking approval for such grants; or

 

  (7)

Include provisions for retirement benefits or equity incentive awards to outside directors if not in line with market practice, except that reports will generally be voted

 

B-45


Table of Contents
  FOR if contractual components are reasonably aligned with market practices on a going-forward basis (e.g., existing obligations related to retirement benefits or terms contrary to evolving standards would not preclude support for the report).

Reports receiving the Agent’s support and not triggering the concerns cited above will generally be voted FOR. Unless otherwise provided for herein, reports not receiving the Agent’s support due to concerns regarding severance/termination payments, “leaver” status, incentive structures and vesting or performance criteria not otherwise supported by these Guidelines shall be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, generally voted FOR if:

 

  (1) The company has provided a reasonable rationale and/or adequate disclosure regarding the matter(s) under consideration;

 

  (2) The recipient’s overall compensation appears reasonable, and;

 

  (3) The board and/or responsible committee meets exchange or market standards for independence.

Reports with typically unsupported features may be voted FOR in cases in which the Agent recommends their initial support as the issuer or market transitions to better practices (e.g., having committed to new regulations or governance codes).

Shareholder Proposals Regarding Executive and Director Pay

The Funds’ U.S. Guidelines with respect to such shareholder proposals shall apply.

General Share Issuances

Unless otherwise provided for herein, voting decisions shall generally be based on the Agent’s practice to determine support for general issuance requests (with or without preemptive rights), or related requests to repurchase and reissue shares, based on their amount relative to currently issued capital, appropriate volume and duration parameters, and market-specific considerations (e.g., priority right protections in France, reasonable levels of dilution and discount in Hong Kong). Requests to reissue repurchased shares will not be supported unless a related general issuance request is also supported.

Consider specific issuance requests on a CASE-BY-CASE basis based on the proposed use and the company’s rationale.

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to issue shares (with or without preemptive rights), convertible bonds or warrants, to grant rights to acquire shares, or to amend the corporate charter relative to such issuances or grants in cases in which concerns have been identified by the Agent with respect to inadequate disclosure, inadequate restrictions on discounts, failure to meet the Agent’s standards for general issuance requests, or authority to refresh share issuance amounts without prior shareholder approval.

Generally, vote AGAINST nonspecific proposals authorizing excessive discretion to a board.

Increases in Authorized Capital

Unless otherwise provided for herein, voting decisions should generally be based on the Agent’s approach, as follows. Generally:

 

   

Vote FOR nonspecific proposals, including bundled proposals, to increase authorized capital up to 100 percent over the current authorization unless the increase would leave the company with less than 30 percent of its new authorization outstanding.

 

B-46


Table of Contents
   

Vote FOR specific proposals to increase authorized capital, unless:

 

   

The specific purpose of the increase (such as a share-based acquisition or merger) does not meet these Guidelines for the purpose being proposed; or

 

   

The increase would leave the company with less than 30 percent of its new authorization outstanding after adjusting for all proposed issuances.

 

   

Vote AGAINST proposals to adopt unlimited capital authorizations.

 

   

The Agent’s market-specific exceptions to the above parameters (e.g., The Netherlands, due to hybrid market controls) shall be applied.

Preferred Stock

Unless otherwise provided for herein, voting decisions should generally be based on the Agent’s approach, including:

 

   

Vote FOR the creation of a new class of preferred stock or issuances of preferred stock up to 50 percent of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders.

 

   

Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible preferred stock as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets the Agent’s guidelines on equity issuance requests.

 

   

Vote AGAINST the creation of (1) a new class of preference shares that would carry superior voting rights to the common shares or (2) blank check preferred stock unless the board states that the authorization will not be used to thwart a takeover bid.

Poison Pills/Protective Preference Shares

Generally, vote AGAINST management proposals in connection with poison pills or anti-takeover activities (e.g., disclosure requirements or issuances, transfers or repurchases) that do not meet the Agent’s standards. Generally vote in accordance with Agent’s recommendation to withhold support from a nominee in connection with poison pill or anti-takeover considerations when culpability for the actions can be specifically attributed to the nominee. Generally DO NOT VOTE AGAINST director remuneration in connection with poison pill considerations raised by the Agent.

Waiver on Tender-Bid Requirement

Generally, consider proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis seeking a waiver for a major shareholder from the requirement to make a buyout offer to minority shareholders, voting FOR when little concern of a creeping takeover exists and the company has provided a reasonable rationale for the request.

Approval of Financial Statements and Director and Auditor Reports

Generally, vote FOR management proposals seeking approval of financial accounts and reports, unless there is concern about the company’s financial accounts and reporting, which, in the case of related party transactions, would include concerns raised by the Agent regarding consulting agreements with non-executive directors but not severance/termination payments exceeding the Agent’s standards for multiples of annual compensation, provided the recipient’s overall compensation appears reasonable and the board and/or responsible committee meets exchange or market standards for independence. Unless otherwise provided for herein, reports not receiving the Agent’s support due to other concerns regarding severance/termination payments not otherwise supported by these Guidelines shall be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis,

 

B-47


Table of Contents

factoring in the merits of the rationale or disclosure provided and generally voted FOR if the overall compensation package and/or program at issue appears reasonable. Generally, vote AGAINST board-issued reports receiving a negative recommendation from the Agent due to concerns regarding independence of the board or the presence of non-independent directors on the audit committee. However, generally do not withhold support from such proposals in connection with remuneration practices otherwise supported under these Guidelines or as a means of expressing disapproval of broader practices of the issuer or its board.

Remuneration of Auditors

Generally, vote FOR proposals to authorize the board to determine the remuneration of auditors, unless there is evidence of excessive compensation relative to the size and nature of the company.

Indemnification of Auditors

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals to indemnify auditors.

Ratification of Auditors and Approval of Auditors’ Fees

For Canadian issuers, the Funds’ U.S. Guidelines with respect to auditors and auditor fees shall apply.

For other markets, generally, follow the Agent’s standards for proposals seeking auditor ratification or approval of auditors’ fees, which indicate a vote FOR such proposals for European companies in the MSCI EAFE index, provided the level of disclosure and independence meet the Agent’s standards. However, if fees for non-audit services (excluding significant, one-time events) exceed 50 percent of total auditor fees, consider on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, and vote FOR ratification of auditors or approval of auditors’ fees if it appears that remuneration for the non-audit work is not so lucrative as to taint the auditor’s independence.

In other cases, generally vote FOR such proposals unless there are material concerns raised by the Agent about the auditor’s practices or independence.

Audit Commission

Consider nominees to the audit commission on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such candidates.

Allocation of Income and Dividends

With respect to Japanese companies, consider management proposals concerning allocation of income and the distribution of dividends, including adjustments to reserves to make capital available for such purposes, on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, generally voting with the Agent’s recommendations to support such proposals unless:

 

   

The dividend payout ratio has been consistently below 30 percent without adequate explanation; or

 

   

The payout is excessive given the company’s financial position.

Generally vote FOR such proposals by issuers in other markets. In any markets, in the event management offers multiple dividend proposals on the same agenda, primary consideration shall be given to input from the relevant Investment Professional(s) and voted with the Agent’s recommendation if no input is received.

 

B-48


Table of Contents

Stock (Scrip) Dividend Alternatives

Generally, vote FOR most stock (scrip) dividend proposals, but vote AGAINST proposals that do not allow for a cash option unless management demonstrates that the cash option is harmful to shareholder value.

Debt Instruments

Generally, vote AGAINST proposals authorizing excessive discretion to a board to issue or set terms for debt instruments (e.g., commercial paper).

Debt Issuance Requests

When evaluating a debt issuance request, the issuing company’s present financial situation is examined. The main factor for analysis is the company’s current debt-to-equity ratio, or gearing level. A high gearing level may incline markets and financial analysts to downgrade the company’s bond rating, increasing its investment risk factor in the process. A gearing level up to 100 percent is considered acceptable.

Generally, vote FOR debt issuances for companies when the gearing level is between zero and 100 percent. Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis proposals where the issuance of debt will result in the gearing level being greater than 100 percent, or for which inadequate disclosure precludes calculation of the gearing level, comparing any such proposed debt issuance to industry and market standards, and with voting decisions generally based on the Agent’s approach to evaluating such requests.

Financing Plans

Generally, vote FOR the adoption of financing plans if they are in the best economic interests of shareholders.

Related Party Transactions

Consider related party transactions on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Generally, vote FOR approval of such transactions unless the agreement requests a strategic move outside the company’s charter or contains unfavorable or high-risk terms (e.g., deposits without security interest or guaranty).

Approval of Donations

Generally, vote AGAINST such proposals unless adequate, prior disclosure of amounts is provided; if so, single- or multi-year authorities may be supported.

Capitalization of Reserves

Generally, vote FOR proposals to capitalize the company’s reserves for bonus issues of shares or to increase the par value of shares.

Investment of Company Reserves

These proposals should generally be analyzed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with primary consideration given to input from the Investment Professional(s) for a given Fund.

 

B-49


Table of Contents

Article Amendments

Review on a CASE-BY-CASE basis all proposals seeking amendments to the articles of association.

Generally, vote FOR an article amendment if:

 

   

It is editorial in nature;

 

   

Shareholder rights are protected;

 

   

There is negligible or positive impact on shareholder value;

 

   

Management provides adequate reasons for the amendments or the Agent otherwise supports management’s position;

 

   

It seeks to discontinue and/or delist a form of the issuer’s securities in cases in which the relevant Fund does not hold the affected security type; or

 

   

The company is required to do so by law (if applicable).

Generally, vote AGAINST an article amendment if:

 

   

It removes or lowers quorum requirements for board or shareholder meetings below levels recommended by the Agent;

 

   

It reduces relevant disclosure to shareholders;

 

   

It seeks to align the articles with provisions of another proposal not supported by these Guidelines;

 

   

It is not supported under these Guidelines, is presented within a bundled proposal, and the negative impact, on balance, outweighs any positive impact; or

 

   

It imposes a negative impact on existing shareholder rights, including rights of the Funds, or diminishes accountability to shareholders to the extent that any positive impact would not be deemed to be sufficient to outweigh removal or diminution of such rights.

With respect to article amendments for Japanese companies:

 

   

Generally vote FOR management proposals to amend a company’s articles to expand its business lines.

 

   

Generally vote FOR management proposals to amend a company’s articles to provide for an expansion or reduction in the size of the board, unless the expansion/reduction is clearly disproportionate to the growth/decrease in the scale of the business or raises anti-takeover concerns.

 

   

If anti-takeover concerns exist, generally vote AGAINST management proposals, including bundled proposals, to amend a company’s articles to authorize the Board to vary the annual meeting record date or to otherwise align them with provisions of a takeover defense.

 

   

Generally follow the Agent’s guidelines with respect to management proposals regarding amendments to authorize share repurchases at the board’s discretion, voting AGAINST proposals unless there is little to no likelihood of a “creeping takeover” (major shareholder owns nearly enough shares to reach a critical control threshold) or constraints on liquidity (free float of shares is low), and where the company is trading at below book value or is facing a real likelihood of substantial share sales; or where this amendment is bundled with other amendments which are clearly in shareholders’ interest.

Other Business

In connection with global proxies, vote in accordance with the Agent’s market-specific recommendations on management proposals for Other Business, generally AGAINST.

 

B-50


Table of Contents

PART C

OTHER INFORMATION

ING VARIABLE PRODUCTS TRUST

(“REGISTRANT”)

 

ITEM 28. EXHIBITS

 

(a)    (1)   

Declaration of Trust - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 28, 1996 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (2) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 30, 1997 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (3) Certificate of Establishment and Designation dated April 24, 1997 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on May 16, 1997 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (4) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series dated November 12, 1997 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (5) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (6) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (7) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (8) Certificate of Establishment and Designation of Series - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 1


Table of Contents
  (9) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on January 28, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (10) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Establishment and Designation of Additional Series of Shares of Beneficial Interest; Establishment of Additional Series; Establishment of New Principal Place of Business - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 19 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 27, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (11) Abolition of Series of Shares of Beneficial Interests dated December 17, 2001- Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (12) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series dated March 1, 2002 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (13) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series dated April 22, 2002 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (14) ING Variable Products Trust Abolition of Series of Shares of Beneficial Interest dated February 25, 2003 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 28, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (15) Establishment and Declaration of Series – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (16) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust dated June 17, 1998 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (17) Establishment and Designation of Series dated July 29, 1998 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 2


Table of Contents
  (18) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust dated June 29, 1998 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (19) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series dated July 29, 1998 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (20) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series dated November 9, 1998 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (21) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series dated April 30, 1999 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (22) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series effective June 2, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (23) Abolition of Series of Shares of Beneficial Interest dated October 16, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (24) Establishment and Designation of Series and Classes dated November 11, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (25) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust dated February 21, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (26) Amended Establishment and Designation of Series and Classes of Shares (ING VP Growth + Value Portfolio) effective November 11, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 3


Table of Contents
  (27) Amended Establishment and Designation of Classes (Class R shares to Class I shares) dated February 25, 2004 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (28) Amended Establishment and Designation of Classes (ING VP Financial Services Portfolio) dated February 25, 2004 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (29) Abolition of Series of Shares of Beneficial Interest (ING VP International and ING VP International SmallCap Growth Portfolios) dated February 25, 2004 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (30) Amended Establishment and Designation of Classes dated April 4, 2005 (Class I shares of ING VP LargeCap Growth Portfolio) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 4, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (31) Establishment and Designation of Classes (Adviser Class of shares) dated April 29, 2005 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 4, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (32) Abolition of Series of Beneficial Interest (ING VP Disciplined LargeCap Portfolio and ING VP MagnaCap Portfolio) dated January 3, 2006 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 7, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (33) Abolition of Series of Beneficial Interest (ING VP Convertible Portfolio) dated May 16, 2006 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 7, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (34) Abolition of Series of Beneficial Interest (ING VP LargeCap Growth Portfolio) dated December 27, 2006 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 27, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (35) Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series – ING VP Financial Services Portfolio – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on November 18, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 4


Table of Contents
  (36) Abolition of Series of Beneficial Interest (ING VP Financial Services Portfolio) dated September 11, 2008 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on November 18, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (37) Abolition of Series of Beneficial Interest (ING VP High Yield Portfolio and ING VP Real Estate Portfolio) dated September 11, 2008 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on November 18, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (38) Establishment and Designation of Classes (Service 2 Class shares) dated January 23, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on February 20, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (39) Certificate of Amendment of Declaration of Trust and Redesignation of Series effective May 1, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Ammendment No. 40 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(b)    (1)   

By-laws - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 28, 1996 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amendment to the By-laws of Pilgrim Variable Products Trust effective July 26, 2000 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 27, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(c)    N/A   
(d)    (1)    Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement dated September 1, 2000 and amended and restated April 30, 2001 between ING Variable Products Trust (formerly, Pilgrim Variable Products Trust) and ING Investments, LLC (formerly, ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) First Amendment, effective as of September 2, 2004, to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 4, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 5


Table of Contents
  (ii) Second Amendment, effective December 15, 2006, to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement dated April 30, 2001, between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Investments, LLC – Filed herein.

 

  (iii) Amended and Restated Schedule A, effective November 30, 2009, with respect to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Investments, LLC – Filed herein.

 

  (iv) Side letter agreement lowering the management fee for ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio in accordance with the Expense Limitation Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Variable Products Trust from May 2, 2010 through and including May 2, 2011 – Filed herein.

 

  (2) Sub-Advisory Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Investment Management Co. (formerly, Aeltus Investment Management, Inc.) dated August 7, 2001 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 20 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 18, 2002 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) First Amendment, effective as of July 1, 2003, to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Investment Management Co. dated August 7, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (ii) Second Amendment, effective as of September 1, 2003, to the Sub-Advisory Agreement dated August 7, 2001 between ING Investments, LLC and ING Investment Management Co. – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (iii) Third Amendment, effective as of December 15, 2006, to the Sub-Advisory Agreement dated August 7, 2001 between ING Investments, LLC and ING Investment Management Co. – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 27, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 6


Table of Contents
  (iv) Fourth Amendment, effective as of September 15, 2007, to the Sub-Advisory Agreement dated August 7, 2001 between ING Investments, LLC and ING Investment Management Co. – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 25, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (v) Amended Schedule A, effective November 30, 2009, to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Investment Management Co. – Filed herein.

 

  (3) Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Variable Products Trust effective as of February 1, 2005 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 4, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) First Amendment, effective January 30, 2009, to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement, effective as of February 1, 2005 between ING Investment, LLC and ING Variable Products Trust – Filed herein.

 

  (ii) Amended Schedule A, effective November 30, 2009, to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Variable Products Trust – Filed herein.

 

  (iii) Side letter agreement (regarding Expense Limitation Recoupments) dated May 1, 2009 to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Variable Products Trust – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 40 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(e)    (1)   

Distribution Agreement between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Funds Distributor, LLC (formerly, ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc.) dated February 26, 2001 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Substitution Agreement dated October 8, 2002 by and between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Funds Distributor, LLC – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 25, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 7


Table of Contents
        (ii)    Amended and Restated Schedule of Portfolios dated November 30, 2009 to the Distribution Agreement between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Funds Distributor, LLC – Filed herein.
(f)    N/A        
(g)    (1)      Custody Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly, The Bank of New York) dated January 6, 2003 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.
        (i)    Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 2010, to the Custody Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed herein.
   (2)      Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon dated January 6, 2003 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.
        (i)    Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 2010, to the Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed herein.
        (ii)    Amended Schedule 2 to the Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon dated as of June 4, 2008 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on November 18, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.
   (3)      Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty with The Bank of New York Mellon dated August 7, 2003 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.
        (i)    Form of Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 210, to the Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty with The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed herein.
(h)    (1)      Amended and Restated Administrative Services Agreement between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Funds Services, LLC dated May 2, 1994, as amended May 1, 1997, as restated April 30, 2000, further restated on April 30, 2001 and as further amended and restated on November 30, 2008 - Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 40 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 8


Table of Contents
  (i) Amended and Restated Schedule A, dated November 30, 2009, to the Amended and Restated Administrative Services Agreement, dated May 2, 1994, between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Funds Services, LLC – Filed herein.

 

  (2) Agency Agreement with DST Systems, Inc. dated November 30, 2000 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amended and Restated Exhibit A, effective September 15, 2008, to the Agency Agreement with DST Systems, Inc.– Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on November 18, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (3) Transfer Agency Services Agreement with PNC Global Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc., dated February 25, 2009, effective April 20, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Ammendment No. 40 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 2010, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement, dated February 25, 2009 – Filed herein.

 

  (4) Fund Accounting Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon dated January 6, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 2010, to the Fund Accounting Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed herein.

 

  (5) Administrative and Shareholder Services Agreement with ING Funds Services, LLC and Golden American Life Insurance Company dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (6) Administrative and Shareholder Services Agreement with ING Pilgrim Group, LLC and ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 9


Table of Contents
  (i) Amendment to Administrative and Shareholder Services Agreement with ING Pilgrim Group, LLC and ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York executed August 30, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (7) Administrative and Shareholder Service Agreement with ING Pilgrim Group, LLC and Security Life of Denver Insurance Company dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (ii) Amendment to Administrative and Shareholder Services Agreement with ING Pilgrim Group, LLC and Security Life of Denver Insurance Company executed August 30, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (8) Administrative and Shareholder Service Agreement with ING Pilgrim Group, LLC and ReliaStar Life Insurance Company dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (iii) Amendment to Administrative and Shareholder Services Agreement with ING Pilgrim Group, LLC and ReliaStar Life Insurance Company executed August 30, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (9) Administrative and Shareholder Services Agreement with ING Funds Services, LLC and ING Insurance Company of America dated April 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (10) Administrative and Shareholder Services Agreement with ING Funds Services, LLC and ING Life Insurance and Annuity Company dated April 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 10


Table of Contents
  (11) Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Northern Life Insurance Company and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. dated April 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (12) Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Aetna Life Insurance and Annuity Company and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (iv) Amendment to Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Aetna Life Insurance and Annuity Company and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. executed August 30, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (13) Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Aetna Insurance Company of America and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (v) Amendment to Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Aetna Life Insurance Company of America and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. executed August 30, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (14) Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Golden American Life Insurance Company, ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (vi) Amendment to Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Golden American Life Insurance Company, ING Pilgrim Investments, LLC and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. executed August 30, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 11


Table of Contents
  (15) Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Security Life of Denver Insurance Company and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (vii) Amendment to Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Security Life of Denver Insurance Company and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. executed November 15, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (viii) Amendment to Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, Security Life of Denver Insurance Company and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. executed August 30, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (16) Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, ReliaStar Life Insurance Company and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (ix) Amendment to Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, ReliaStar Life Insurance Company and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. executed August 30, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (x) Amendment to Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, ReliaStar Life Insurance Company and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. executed September 22, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (17) Participation Agreement between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc. dated May 1, 2001 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 12


Table of Contents
  (xi) Amendment to Participation Agreement executed August 30, 2002 between Pilgrim Variable Products Trust, ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York and ING Pilgrim Securities, Inc.– Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 27, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (18) Participation Agreement between Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and ING Variable Products Trust effective April 26, 2006- Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on April 27, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amendment dated April 3, 2008 to Participation Agreement between Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company and ING Variable Products Trust – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 25, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (19) Allocation Agreement in reference to Fidelity Bond dated May 24, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amended Schedule A with Respect to the Allocation Agreement (Blanket Bond) dated May 2007 –Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 25, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (20) Allocation Agreement in reference to Directors and Officers Liability dated May 24, 2002 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 15, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amended Schedule A with Respect to the Allocation Agreement (Directors and Officers Liability) dated May 2007 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 25, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(i)    (1)    Legal Opinion of Dechert with respect to the Pilgrim VP MagnaCap Portfolio, Pilgrim VP Growth Opportunities Portfolio, and Pilgrim VP MidCap Opportunities Portfolio - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 27, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 13


Table of Contents
  (2) Legal Opinion of Dechert with respect to the Pilgrim VP Growth and Income, Pilgrim VP Financial Services, Pilgrim VP Convertible, Pilgrim VP Worldwide Growth, Pilgrim VP International, Pilgrim VP International SmallCap Growth, Pilgrim VP Emerging Countries and Pilgrim VP LargeCap Growth Portfolios – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 19 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 27, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (3) Legal Opinion and Consent of Dechert LLP with respect to Adviser Class shares of ING VP High Yield Bond, ING VP International Value, ING VP LargeCap Growth and ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolios and Class I shares of ING VP LargeCap Growth Portfolio as to the legality of securities being registered – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 4, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (5) Legal Opinion of Dechert LLP with respect to Adviser Class shares of ING VP SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio as to the legality of securities being registered – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on November 18, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (6) Legal Opinion of Dechert LLP with respect to Service 2 Class shares of the Registrant as to the legality of securities being registered – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on February 20, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

(j)    (1)    Consent of Dechert LLP – Filed herein.
   (2)    Consent of KPMG LLP – Filed herein.
(k)    N/A   
(l)    N/A   
(m)    (1)    Shareholder Services Plan (Class S Shares) approved on August 7, 2001- Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 2, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amended and Restated Schedule of Portfolios dated October, 2008 to the Shareholder Services Plan (Class S Shares) – as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on November 18, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 14


Table of Contents
  (ii) Waiver letter dated March 1, 2010 for Reduction in Fee Payable under the Shareholder Services Plan for Class S shares of ING International Value Portfolio and ING MidCap Opportunities from March 1, 2010 through and including May 1, 2011 – Filed herein.

 

  (2) Amended and Restated Shareholder Services Plan (Class S shares), effective March 1, 2009 – Filed herein.

 

  (i) Amended Schedule dated November 2009 to the Amended and Restated Shareholder Services Plan (Class S shares) – Filed herein.

 

  (3) Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan approved on January 6, 2005 (Adviser Class Shares)– Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 4, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amended Schedule A dated November 30, 2009 to Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan – Filed herein.

 

  (4) Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan with ING Variable Products Trust (Service 2 Class shares) approved November 14, 2008 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on February 20, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amended Schedule A dated November 30, 2009 to the Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan – Filed herein.

 

  (ii) Waiver letter dated May 1, 2010 for Reduction in Fee Payable under the ING Variable Products Trust Shareholder and Distribution Plan Service 2 Class shares – Filed herein.

 

(n)     (1)    Second Amended and Restated Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for ING Variable Products Trust approved November 14, 2008 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A on February 20, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

  (i) Amended Schedule A with respect to the Second Amended and Restated Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 dated November 30, 2009 – Filed herein.

 

(o)    N/A   

 

C - 15


Table of Contents
(p)    (1)    ING Funds and Advisers Code of Ethics effective as of June 1, 2004, amended on January 3, 2006 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 10, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.
   (2)    ING Investment Management, Co. Code of Ethics dated August 2006 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 7, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 29. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT

ING Variable Products Trust is a Massachusetts business trust for which separate financial statements are filed. As of April 7, 2010, no affiliated insurance companies owned more the 25% of the Registrant’s outstanding voting securities of the Registrant other than as listed below:

 

ING Life Insurance and Annuity Company

   % of Portfolio  

ING International Value Portfolio

   66.3

ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company

 

ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio

   55.9

ING SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio

   40.6

ILIAC and IUALIC are indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of ING Groep N.V.

 

ITEM 30. INDEMNIFICATION

Section 4.3 of Registrant's Declaration of Trust provides the following:

(a) Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in paragraph (b) below:

(i) every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against all liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Trustee or officer and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof; and

 

C - 16


Table of Contents

(ii) the word “claim,” “action,” “suit,” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, administrative or other, including appeals), actual or threatened; aria the words “liability” and “expenses” shall include, without limitation, attorneys fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities.

(b) No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Trustee or officer:

(i) against any liability to the Trust, a Series thereof, or the Shareholders by reason of a final adjudication by a court or other body before which a proceeding was brought that he engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office;

(ii) with respect to any matter as to which he shall have been finally adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust; or

(iii) in the event of a settlement or other disposition not involving a final adjudication as provided in paragraph (h) (i) or (b) (ii) resulting in a payment by a Trustee or officer, unless there has been a determination that such Trustee or officer did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office:

(a) by the court or other body approving the settlement or other disposition; or

(b) based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) by (x) vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the Disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter) or (y) written opinion of independent legal counsel.

(c) The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not affect any other rights to which any Trustee or officer may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be such Trustee or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators and assigns of such a person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which personnel of the Trust other than Trustees and officers may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.

 

C - 17


Table of Contents

(c) Expenses of preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding of the character described in paragraph (a) of this Section 4.3 may be advanced by the Trust prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the recipient to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under this Section 4.3, provided that either:

(i) such undertaking is secured by a surety bond or some other appropriate security provided by the recipient, or the Trust shall be insured against losses arising out of any such advances; or

(ii) a majority of the Disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the disinterested Trustees act on the matter) or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion shall determine, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the recipient ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

As used in this Section 4.3, a “Disinterested Trustee” is one who is not: (i) an Interested Person of the Trust (including anyone who has been exempted from being an Interested Person by any rule, regulation or order of the Commission); or (ii) involved in the claim, action, suit or proceeding.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to Trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a Trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any action suit or proceeding) is asserted by such Trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy, as expressed in the Act and be governed by final adjudication of such issue.

 

ITEM 31. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISERS

Information as to the directors and officers of ING Investments, LLC, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the directors and officers of ING Investments, LLC in the last two

 

C - 18


Table of Contents

years, is included in its application for registration as an investment adviser on Form ADV (File No. 801-48282) filed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

Information as to the directors and officers of ING Investment Management Co., together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the directors and officers of Aeltus Investment Management, Inc. in the last two years, is included in its application for registration as an investment adviser on Form ADV (File No. 801-09046) filed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

 

ITEM 32. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER

(a) ING Funds Distributor, LLC is the principal underwriter for ING Mutual Funds; ING Mayflower Trust; ING Funds Trust; ING Equity Trust; ING Prime Rate Trust; ING Senior Income Fund; ING Separate Portfolios Trust; ING Series Fund, Inc.; ING Variable Products Trust; ING Variable Insurance Trust; ING Balanced Portfolio, Inc.; ING Variable Portfolios, Inc.; ING Variable Funds; ING Intermediate Bond Portfolio; ING Money Market Portfolio; ING Separate Portfolios Trust; and ING Strategic Allocation Portfolios, Inc.

(b) Information as to the directors and officers of ING Funds Distributor, LLC, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the directors and officers of the Distributor in the last two years, is included in its application for registration as a broker-dealer on Form BD (File No. 8-48020) filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

(c) Not applicable.

 

ITEM 33. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

The Bank of New York Mellon at 100 Church Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10286 maintains records as Custodian and Fund Accounting Agent for the Registrant.

Examples of records maintained by The Bank of New York Mellon include:

(i) Receipts and delivery of securities including certificate numbers;

(ii) Receipts and disbursement of cash;

(iii) Records of securities in transfer, securities in physical possession, securities owned and securities loaned.

(iv) Shareholder Records.

 

C - 19


Table of Contents

All other records required by item 30(a) are maintained at the office of the Administrator, 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 and the offices of the Sub-Advisers.

The addresses of the Sub-Advisers are as follows:

ING Investment Management Co., 230 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10169; and ING Clarion Real Estate Securities L.P., 201 King of Prussia Road, Suite 600, Radnor, PA 19087.

 

ITEM 34. MANAGEMENT SERVICES

N/A

 

ITEM 35. UNDERTAKINGS

None

 

C - 20


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all the requirements for effectiveness of this Post Effective Amendment No. 42 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A pursuant to Rule 485(b) of the 1933 Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Scottsdale and State of Arizona on the 28th day of April, 2010.

 

ING VARIABLE PRODUCTS TRUST

By:

 

/S/    HUEY P. FALGOUT, JR.        

  Huey P. Falgout, Jr.
  Secretary

Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

TODD MODIC*    Senior Vice President Chief/Principal Financial Officer   April 28, 2010
JOHN V. BOYER*    Trustee   April 28, 2010
PATRICIA W. CHADWICK*    Trustee   April 28, 2010
J. MICHAEL EARLEY*    Trustee   April 28, 2010
PATRICK W. KENNY*    Trustee   April 28, 2010
SHAUN P. MATHEWS*    Interested Trustee and President and Chief Executive Officer   April 28, 2010
SHERYL K. PRESSLER*    Trustee   April 28, 2010
COLLEEN D. BALDWIN*    Trustee   April 28, 2010
PETER S. DROTCH*    Trustee   April 28, 2010
ROGER B. VINCENT*    Chairman and Trustee   April 28, 2010
ROBERT W. CRISPIN*    Interested Trustee   April 28, 2010

 

C - 21


Table of Contents

*By:

 

/S/    HUEY P. FALGOUT, JR.

  Huey P. Falgout, Jr.
  as Attorney-in-Fact**

 

** Powers of Attorney for Todd Modic and each Trustee were filed as attachments to Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form.N-1A filed on February 8, 2008 and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

C - 22


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX LIST

ING VARIABLE PRODUCTS TRUST

 

EXHIBIT NUMBER

 

EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION

(d)(1)(ii)   Second Amendment, effective December 15, 2006, to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement dated April 30, 2001, between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Investments, LLC
(d)(1)(iii)   Amended and Restated Schedule A, effective November 30, 2009, with respect to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Investments, LLC
(d)(1)(iv)   Side letter agreement lowering the management fee for ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio in accordance with the Expense Limitation Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Variable Products Trust from May 2, 2010 through and including May 2, 2011
(d)(2)(v)   Amended Schedule A, effective November 30, 2009, to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Investment Management Co.
(d)(3)(i)   First Amendment, effective January 30, 2009, to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement, effective as of February 1, 2005 between ING Investment, LLC and ING Variable Products Trust
(d)(3)(ii)   Amended Schedule A, effective November 30, 2009, to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement between ING Investments, LLC and ING Variable Products Trust
(e)(1)(ii)   Amended and Restated Schedule of Portfolios dated November 30, 2009 to the Distribution Agreement between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Funds Distributor, LLC
(g)(1)(i)   Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 2010, to the Custody Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon
(g)(2)(i)   Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 2010, to the Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon
(g)(3)(i)   Form of Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 2010, to the Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty with The Bank of New York Mellon
(h)(1)(i)   Amended and Restated Schedule A, dated November 30, 2009, to the Amended and Restated Administrative Services Agreement, dated May 2, 1994, between ING Variable Products Trust and ING Funds Services, LLC
(h)(3)(i)   Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 2010, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement, dated February 25, 2009

 

C - 23


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT NUMBER

 

EXHIBIT DESCRIPTION

(h)(4)(i)   Amended Exhibit A, effective April 30, 2010, to the Fund Accounting Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon
(j)(1)   Consent of Dechert LLP
(j)(2)   Consent of KPMG LLP
(m)(1)(ii)   Waiver letter dated March 1, 2010 for Reduction in Fee Payable under Shareholder Services Plan for Class S Shares of ING International Value Portfolio and ING MidCap Opportunities Portfolio
(m)(2)   Amended and Restated Shareholder Services Plan (Class S shares) effective March 1, 2009
(m)(2)(i)   Amended Schedule A dated November 30, 2009 to the Amended and Restated Shareholder Services Plan (Class S shares) effective March 1, 2009
(m)(3)(i)   Amended Schedule A dated November 30, 2009 to Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan
(m)(4)(i)   Amended Schedule A dated November 30, 2009 to the Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan
(m)(4)(ii)   Waiver letter dated May 1, 2010 for reduction in fee payable under the ING Variable Products Trust Shareholder and Distribution Plan for Service 2 Class shares
(n)(1)(i)   Amended Schedule A with respect to the Second Amended and Restated Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 dated November 30, 2009

 

C - 24