PROSPECTUS |
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FRANKLIN TAX-FREE TRUST |
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Class A |
Class A1 |
Class C |
Class R6 |
Advisor Class | ||
Franklin Federal Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Income Fund |
FKQTX |
FKITX |
FCITX |
FITQX |
FITZX | |
Franklin Federal Limited-Term Tax-Free Income Fund |
FFLQX |
FFTFX |
— |
FFTRX |
FTFZX | |
Franklin High Yield Tax-Free Income Fund |
FHYQX |
FRHIX |
FHYIX |
FHYRX |
FHYVX | |
Franklin Massachusetts Tax-Free Income Fund |
FMAQX |
FMISX |
FMAIX |
FKTMX |
FMAHX | |
Franklin New Jersey Tax-Free Income Fund |
FNJQX |
FRNJX |
FNIIX |
FNJRX |
FNJZX |
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
TF1 P 07/23 |
Contents
Fund Summaries
Fund Details
Your Account
For More Information
Back Cover
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
To provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders’ capital.
These
tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell
shares of the Fund.
Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.
(fees paid directly from your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class C |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
| |
Maximum
Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Maximum
Deferred Sales Charge |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
| |
1. |
There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $250,000 or more (see "Investment of $250,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. |
2 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class C |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
|
Management fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total annual Fund operating expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2 |
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
2.
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
|
|
1 Year |
|
3 Years |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
Class A |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class A1 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class C |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class R6 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Advisor Class |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Class C |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
3 |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
The
Fund 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 transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund
shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in
annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance.
During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was
Although the Fund does not have restrictions on the maturity of the securities it may buy, the Fund does maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of three to 10 years.
The Fund only buys municipal securities rated, at the time of purchase, in one of the top four ratings categories by one or more U.S. nationally recognized rating services (or unrated or short-term rated securities of comparable credit quality).
The Fund does not necessarily focus its investments in a particular state. The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in municipal securities issued by U.S. territories.
Although the investment manager will search for investments across a large number of municipal securities that finance different types of projects, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects.
The investment manager selects securities that it believes will provide the best balance between risk and return within the Fund’s range of allowable investments and typically invests with a long-term time horizon. This means it generally holds securities in the Fund’s portfolio for income purposes, although the investment manager may sell a security at any time if it believes it could help the Fund meet its goal. With a focus on income, individual securities are considered for purchase or sale based on various factors and considerations, including credit profile, risk, structure, pricing, portfolio impact, duration management, restructuring, opportunistic trading and tax loss harvesting opportunities.
4 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Interest Rate When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply of and demand for bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes.
Credit An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments or repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's or government's credit rating may affect a security's value. A change in the credit rating of a municipal bond insurer that insures securities in the Fund’s portfolio may affect the value of the securities it insures, the Fund’s share price and Fund performance. The Fund might also be adversely impacted by the inability of an insurer to meet its insurance obligations.
Liquidity From time to time, the trading market for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs, which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous. Reduced liquidity will also generally lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be relatively volatile.
Tax Legislative and Political Changes The municipal securities market could be significantly affected by adverse political and legislative changes or litigation at the federal or state level. The value of municipal bonds is closely tied to the benefits of tax-exempt income to investors. Significant revisions of federal income tax laws or regulations revising income tax rates or the tax-exempt character of municipal bonds, or even proposed changes and deliberations on this topic by the federal government, could cause municipal bond prices to fall. For example, lower federal income tax rates would reduce certain relative advantages of owning municipal bonds, and lower state income tax rates could have similar effects. In addition, the application of corporate minimum tax rates to financial statement income may have the effect of reducing demand for municipal bonds among corporate investors, which may in turn impact municipal bond prices.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
5 |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Tax-Exempt Securities Failure of a municipal security issuer to comply with applicable tax requirements may make income paid thereon taxable, resulting in a decline in the security’s value. In addition, there could be changes in applicable tax laws or tax treatments that reduce or eliminate the current federal income tax exemption on municipal securities or otherwise adversely affect the current federal or state tax status of municipal securities.
Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19 and its subsequent variants, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. The long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers is not known. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets; reduced liquidity of many instruments; and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time.
States The Fund’s portfolio is generally widely diversified among issuers of municipal securities. However, to the extent that the Fund has exposure from time to time to the municipal securities of a particular state, events in that state may affect the Fund’s investments and performance. These events may include economic or political policy changes, tax base erosion, unfunded pension and healthcare liabilities, constitutional limits on tax increases, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, and changes in the credit ratings assigned to municipal issuers of the state. The same is true of events in U.S. territories, to the extent that the Fund has exposure to any particular territory at any given time.
Focus The Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects, such as utilities, hospitals, higher education and transportation. A change that affects one project, such as proposed legislation on the financing of the project, a shortage of the materials needed for the project, or a declining need for the project, would likely affect all similar projects, thereby increasing market risk.
Income The Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.
Prepayment Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it
6 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest. Also, if a security has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Prepayments generally increase when interest rates fall.
Inflation The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Bond Insurers Market conditions or changes to ratings criteria could adversely impact the ratings of municipal bond insurance companies. Downgrades and withdrawal of ratings from municipal bond insurers have substantially limited the availability of insurance sought by municipal bond issuers thereby reducing the supply of insured municipal securities.
Because of the consolidation among municipal bond insurers the Fund is subject to additional risks including the risk that credit risk may be concentrated among fewer insurers and the risk that events involving one or more municipal bond insurers could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the securities insured by an insurer and on the municipal markets as a whole.
Unrated Debt Securities Unrated debt securities determined by the investment manager to be of comparable quality to rated securities which the Fund may purchase may pay a higher interest rate than such rated debt securities and be subject to a greater risk of illiquidity or price changes. Less public information is typically available about unrated securities or issuers.
Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
7 |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
obligations to the Fund or the investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.
8 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
(figures reflect sales charges)
For periods ended December 31, 2022
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Since Inception |
| |
Franklin Federal Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
Franklin Federal Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A1 |
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
| |
Franklin Federal Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Class C |
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
| |
Franklin Federal Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Class R6 |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
1 | |
Franklin Federal Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Advisor Class |
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
1. |
Since inception August 1, 2017. |
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
9 |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Historical performance for Class A shares in the bar chart and table above prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A1 shares and has been adjusted to reflect differences in Rule 12b-1 fees between classes.
The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Investment Manager
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
Portfolio Managers
Ben Barber, CFA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Daniel Workman, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Francisco Rivera
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
James Conn, CFA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 1999.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, A1 and C, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.
Taxes
The Fund's distributions are primarily exempt from regular federal income tax. A portion of these distributions, however, may be subject to federal alternative minimum tax and state and local taxes. The Fund may also make distributions that are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains.
10 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL INTERMEDIATE-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
11 |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL LIMITED-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
To provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders’ capital.
These
tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell
shares of the Fund.
Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.
(fees paid directly from your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
| |
Maximum
Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Maximum
Deferred Sales Charge |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
| |
1. |
There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $250,000 or more (see "Investment of $250,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. |
12 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL LIMITED-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
|
Management fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total annual Fund operating expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2 |
- |
|
- |
|
- |
|
- |
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
2.
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
|
|
1 Year |
|
3 Years |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
Class A |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class A1 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class R6 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Advisor Class |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
The Fund 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 transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
13 |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL LIMITED-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
fiscal
year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was
Although the Fund does not have restrictions on the maturity of the securities it may buy, the Fund does maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of five years or less.
The Fund only buys municipal securities rated, at the time of purchase, in one of the top four ratings categories by one or more U.S. nationally recognized rating services (or unrated or short-term rated securities of comparable credit quality).
The Fund does not necessarily focus its investments in a particular state. The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in municipal securities issued by U.S. territories.
Although the investment manager will search for investments across a large number of municipal securities that finance different types of projects, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects.
The investment manager selects securities that it believes will provide the best balance between risk and return within the Fund’s range of allowable investments and typically invests with a long-term time horizon. This means it generally holds securities in the Fund’s portfolio for income purposes, although the investment manager may sell a security at any time if it believes it could help the Fund meet its goal. With a focus on income, individual securities are considered for purchase or sale based on various factors and considerations, including credit profile, risk, structure, pricing, portfolio impact, duration management, restructuring, opportunistic trading and tax loss harvesting opportunities.
14 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL LIMITED-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Interest Rate When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply of and demand for bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes.
Credit An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments or repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's or government's credit rating may affect a security's value. A change in the credit rating of a municipal bond insurer that insures securities in the Fund’s portfolio may affect the value of the securities it insures, the Fund’s share price and Fund performance. The Fund might also be adversely impacted by the inability of an insurer to meet its insurance obligations.
Liquidity From time to time, the trading market for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs, which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous. Reduced liquidity will also generally lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be relatively volatile.
Tax Legislative and Political Changes The municipal securities market could be significantly affected by adverse political and legislative changes or litigation at the federal or state level. The value of municipal bonds is closely tied to the benefits of tax-exempt income to investors. Significant revisions of federal income tax laws or regulations revising income tax rates or the tax-exempt character of municipal bonds, or even proposed changes and deliberations on this topic by the federal government, could cause municipal bond prices to fall. For example, lower federal income tax rates would reduce certain relative advantages of owning municipal bonds, and lower state income tax rates could have similar effects. In addition, the application of corporate minimum tax rates to financial statement income may have the effect of reducing demand for municipal bonds among corporate investors, which may in turn impact municipal bond prices.
Tax-Exempt Securities Failure of a municipal security issuer to comply with applicable tax requirements may make income paid thereon taxable, resulting in a decline in the security’s value. In addition, there could be changes in applicable tax laws or tax treatments that reduce or eliminate the current federal income tax exemption on municipal securities or otherwise adversely affect the current federal or state tax status of municipal securities.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
15 |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL LIMITED-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19 and its subsequent variants, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. The long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers is not known. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets; reduced liquidity of many instruments; and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time.
States The Fund’s portfolio is generally widely diversified among issuers of municipal securities. However, to the extent that the Fund has exposure from time to time to the municipal securities of a particular state, events in that state may affect the Fund’s investments and performance. These events may include economic or political policy changes, tax base erosion, unfunded pension and healthcare liabilities, constitutional limits on tax increases, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, and changes in the credit ratings assigned to municipal issuers of the state. The same is true of events in U.S. territories, to the extent that the Fund has exposure to any particular territory at any given time.
Focus The Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects, such as utilities, hospitals, higher education and transportation. A change that affects one project, such as proposed legislation on the financing of the project, a shortage of the materials needed for the project, or a declining need for the project, would likely affect all similar projects, thereby increasing market risk.
Income The Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.
Prepayment Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest. Also, if a security has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Prepayments generally increase when interest rates fall.
Inflation The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is
16 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL LIMITED-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Bond Insurers Market conditions or changes to ratings criteria could adversely impact the ratings of municipal bond insurance companies. Downgrades and withdrawal of ratings from municipal bond insurers have substantially limited the availability of insurance sought by municipal bond issuers thereby reducing the supply of insured municipal securities.
Because of the consolidation among municipal bond insurers the Fund is subject to additional risks including the risk that credit risk may be concentrated among fewer insurers and the risk that events involving one or more municipal bond insurers could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the securities insured by an insurer and on the municipal markets as a whole.
Unrated Debt Securities Unrated debt securities determined by the investment manager to be of comparable quality to rated securities which the Fund may purchase may pay a higher interest rate than such rated debt securities and be subject to a greater risk of illiquidity or price changes. Less public information is typically available about unrated securities or issuers.
Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
17 |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL LIMITED-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
18 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL LIMITED-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
(figures reflect sales charges)
For periods ended December 31, 2022
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Since Inception |
| |
Franklin Federal Limited-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
Franklin Federal Limited-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A1 |
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
Franklin Federal Limited-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Class R6 |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
1 | |
Franklin Federal Limited-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Advisor Class |
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
1. |
Since inception August 1, 2017. |
Historical performance for Class A shares in the bar chart and table above prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A1 shares and has been adjusted to reflect differences in Rule 12b-1 fees between classes.
The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Investment Manager
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
Portfolio Managers
Ben Barber, CFA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Daniel Workman, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Francisco Rivera
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
19 |
FRANKLIN
FEDERAL LIMITED-TERM TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
James Conn, CFA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since inception (2003).
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A and A1, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.
Taxes
The Fund's distributions are primarily exempt from regular federal income tax. A portion of these distributions, however, may be subject to federal alternative minimum tax and state and local taxes. The Fund may also make distributions that are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
20 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
To provide investors with a high current yield exempt from federal income taxes. Its secondary goal is capital appreciation to the extent possible and consistent with the Fund's principal investment goal.
These
tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell
shares of the Fund.
Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.
(fees paid directly from your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class C |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
| |
Maximum
Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Maximum
Deferred Sales Charge |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
| |
1. |
There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $250,000 or more (see "Investment of $250,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. |
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
21 |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class C |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
|
Management fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total annual Fund operating expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
2.
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
|
|
1 Year |
|
3 Years |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
Class A |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class A1 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class C |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class R6 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Advisor Class |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Class C |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
The Fund 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 transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating
22 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
expenses
or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal
year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was
The Fund may invest in municipal securities rated in any rating category (or unrated or short-term rated securities of comparable credit quality), including defaulted securities.
The Fund does not necessarily focus its investments in a particular state or territory, and will not invest more than 25% of its total assets in municipal securities of any one state or territory. The Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in municipal securities issued by U.S. territories.
Although the investment manager will search for investments across a large number of municipal securities that finance different types of projects, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects.
The investment manager selects securities that it believes will provide the best balance between risk and return within the Fund’s range of allowable investments and typically invests with a long-term time horizon. This means it generally holds securities in the Fund’s portfolio for income purposes, although the investment manager may sell a security at any time if it believes it could help the Fund meet its goal. With a focus on income, individual securities are considered for purchase or sale based on various factors and considerations, including credit profile, risk, structure, pricing, portfolio impact, duration management, restructuring, opportunistic trading and tax loss harvesting opportunities.
When selecting securities for the Fund’s portfolio, the investment manager may consider existing market conditions, the availability of lower-rated securities, and whether the difference in yields between higher and lower-rated securities justifies the higher risk of lower-rated securities.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
23 |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Interest Rate When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply of and demand for bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes.
Credit An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments or repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's or government's credit rating may affect a security's value. A change in the credit rating of a municipal bond insurer that insures securities in the Fund’s portfolio may affect the value of the securities it insures, the Fund’s share price and Fund performance. The Fund might also be adversely impacted by the inability of an insurer to meet its insurance obligations.
Liquidity From time to time, the trading market for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs, which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous. Reduced liquidity will also generally lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be relatively volatile.
Tax Legislative and Political Changes The municipal securities market could be significantly affected by adverse political and legislative changes or litigation at the federal or state level. The value of municipal bonds is closely tied to the benefits of tax-exempt income to investors. Significant revisions of federal income tax laws or regulations revising income tax rates or the tax-exempt character of municipal bonds, or even proposed changes and deliberations on this topic by the federal government, could cause municipal bond prices to fall. For example, lower federal income tax rates would reduce certain relative advantages of owning municipal bonds, and lower state income tax rates could have similar effects. In addition, the application of corporate minimum tax rates to financial statement income may have the effect of reducing demand for municipal bonds among corporate investors, which may in turn impact municipal bond prices.
Tax-Exempt Securities Failure of a municipal security issuer to comply with applicable tax requirements may make income paid thereon taxable, resulting in a decline in the security’s value. In addition, there could be changes in applicable tax laws or tax treatments that reduce or eliminate the current federal income tax exemption on municipal securities or otherwise adversely affect the current federal or state tax status of municipal securities.
24 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19 and its subsequent variants, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. The long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers is not known. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets; reduced liquidity of many instruments; and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time.
High-Yield Debt Securities Issuers of lower-rated or “high-yield” debt securities (also known as “junk bonds”) are not as strong financially as those issuing higher credit quality debt securities. High-yield debt securities are generally considered predominantly speculative by the applicable rating agencies as their issuers are more likely to encounter financial difficulties because they may be more highly leveraged, or because of other considerations. In addition, high yield debt securities generally are more vulnerable to changes in the relevant economy, such as a recession or a sustained period of rising interest rates, that could affect their ability to make interest and principal payments when due. The prices of high-yield debt securities generally fluctuate more than those of higher credit quality. High-yield debt securities are generally more illiquid (harder to sell) and harder to value.
States The Fund’s portfolio is generally widely diversified among issuers of municipal securities. However, to the extent that the Fund has exposure from time to time to the municipal securities of a particular state, events in that state may affect the Fund’s investments and performance. These events may include economic or political policy changes, tax base erosion, unfunded pension and healthcare liabilities, constitutional limits on tax increases, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, and changes in the credit ratings assigned to municipal issuers of the state. The same is true of events in U.S. territories, to the extent that the Fund has exposure to any particular territory at any given time.
Focus The Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects, such as utilities, hospitals, higher education and transportation. A change that affects one project, such as proposed legislation on the financing of the project, a shortage of the materials needed for the project, or a declining need for the project, would likely affect all similar projects, thereby increasing market risk.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
25 |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Income The Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.
Prepayment Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest. Also, if a security has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Prepayments generally increase when interest rates fall.
Inflation The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Bond Insurers Market conditions or changes to ratings criteria could adversely impact the ratings of municipal bond insurance companies. Downgrades and withdrawal of ratings from municipal bond insurers have substantially limited the availability of insurance sought by municipal bond issuers thereby reducing the supply of insured municipal securities.
Because of the consolidation among municipal bond insurers the Fund is subject to additional risks including the risk that credit risk may be concentrated among fewer insurers and the risk that events involving one or more municipal bond insurers could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the securities insured by an insurer and on the municipal markets as a whole.
Unrated Debt Securities Unrated debt securities determined by the investment manager to be of comparable quality to rated securities which the Fund may purchase may pay a higher interest rate than such rated debt securities and be subject to a greater risk of illiquidity or price changes. Less public information is typically available about unrated securities or issuers.
Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not
26 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
27 |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
(figures reflect sales charges)
For periods ended December 31, 2022
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Since Inception |
| |
Franklin High Yield Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
Franklin High Yield Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A1 |
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
Franklin High Yield Tax-Free Income Fund - Class C |
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
Franklin High Yield Tax-Free Income Fund - Class R6 |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
1 | |
Franklin High Yield Tax-Free Income Fund - Advisor Class |
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
1. |
Since inception August 1, 2017. |
The figures in the average annual total returns table above reflect the Class A and Class A1 shares maximum front-end sales charge of 3.75%. Prior to March 1, 2019, Class A and Class A1 shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales
28 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
charge of 4.25%. If the prior maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25% was reflected, performance for Class A and Class A1 shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.
Historical performance for Class A shares in the bar chart and table above prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A1 shares and has been adjusted to reflect differences in Rule 12b-1 fees between classes.
The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Investment Manager
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
Portfolio Managers
Ben Barber, CFA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Daniel Workman, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2009.
Francisco Rivera
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2004.
James Conn, CFA
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, A1 and C, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
29 |
FRANKLIN
HIGH YIELD TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Taxes
The Fund's distributions are primarily exempt from regular federal income tax. A portion of these distributions, however, may be subject to federal alternative minimum tax and state and local taxes. The Fund may also make distributions that are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
30 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
To provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders’ capital. The Fund also tries to provide a maximum level of income exempt from personal income taxes, if any, for resident shareholders of Massachusetts.
These
tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell
shares of the Fund.
Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.
(fees paid directly from your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class C |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
| |
Maximum
Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Maximum
Deferred Sales Charge |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
| |
1. |
There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $250,000 or more (see "Investment of $250,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. |
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
31 |
FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class C |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
|
Management fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total annual Fund operating expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
Total annual Fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
2.
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by management for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
|
|
1 Year |
|
3 Years |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
Class A |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class A1 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class C |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class R6 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Advisor Class |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Class C |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
32 |
Prospectus |
franklintempleton.com |
FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
The
Fund 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 transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund
shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in
annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance.
During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was
The Fund only buys municipal securities rated, at the time of purchase, in one of the top four ratings categories by one or more U.S. nationally recognized rating services (or unrated or short-term rated securities of comparable credit quality).
Because of its historical investment policy of investing in insured municipal securities, the Fund’s portfolio may consist to a large extent of insured municipal securities. Insured municipal securities are covered by insurance policies that guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest. The premium costs, however, are typically reflected in a lower yield and/or higher price for the insured bond. It is important to note that insurance does not guarantee the market value of an insured security, or the Fund’s share price or distributions, and shares of the Fund are not insured.
The Fund also may invest up to 35% of its total assets in municipal securities issued by U.S. territories.
Although the investment manager will search for investments across a large number of municipal securities that finance different types of projects, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects.
The investment manager selects securities that it believes will provide the best balance between risk and return within the Fund’s range of allowable investments and typically invests with a long-term time horizon. This means it generally holds
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Prospectus |
33 |
FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
securities in the Fund’s portfolio for income purposes, although the investment manager may sell a security at any time if it believes it could help the Fund meet its goal. With a focus on income, individual securities are considered for purchase or sale based on various factors and considerations, including credit profile, risk, structure, pricing, portfolio impact, duration management, restructuring, opportunistic trading and tax loss harvesting opportunities. The investment manager also may consider the cost of insurance when selecting securities for the Fund.
Interest Rate When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply of and demand for bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes.
Credit An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments or repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's or government's credit rating may affect a security's value. A change in the credit rating of a municipal bond insurer that insures securities in the Fund’s portfolio may affect the value of the securities it insures, the Fund’s share price and Fund performance. The Fund might also be adversely impacted by the inability of an insurer to meet its insurance obligations.
Liquidity From time to time, the trading market for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs, which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous. Reduced liquidity will also generally lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be relatively volatile.
Tax Legislative and Political Changes The municipal securities market could be significantly affected by adverse political and legislative changes or litigation at the federal or state level. The value of municipal bonds is closely tied to the benefits of
34 |
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FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
tax-exempt income to investors. Significant revisions of federal income tax laws or regulations revising income tax rates or the tax-exempt character of municipal bonds, or even proposed changes and deliberations on this topic by the federal government, could cause municipal bond prices to fall. For example, lower federal income tax rates would reduce certain relative advantages of owning municipal bonds, and lower state income tax rates could have similar effects. In addition, the application of corporate minimum tax rates to financial statement income may have the effect of reducing demand for municipal bonds among corporate investors, which may in turn impact municipal bond prices.
Tax-Exempt Securities Failure of a municipal security issuer to comply with applicable tax requirements may make income paid thereon taxable, resulting in a decline in the security’s value. In addition, there could be changes in applicable tax laws or tax treatments that reduce or eliminate the current federal income tax exemption on municipal securities or otherwise adversely affect the current federal or state tax status of municipal securities.
Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19 and its subsequent variants, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. The long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers is not known. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets; reduced liquidity of many instruments; and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time.
Massachusetts The Fund invests predominantly in Massachusetts municipal securities. Therefore, events in Massachusetts are likely to affect the Fund’s investment and its performance. These events may include economic or political policy changes, tax base erosion, unfunded pension and healthcare liabilities, state constitutional limits on tax increases, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, and changes in the credit ratings assigned to municipal issuers of Massachusetts. The same is true of events in other states or U.S. territories, to the extent that the Fund has exposure to any other state or territory at any given time.
Focus The Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects, such as utilities, hospitals, higher education and transportation. A change that affects one project, such as proposed legislation
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35 |
FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
on the financing of the project, a shortage of the materials needed for the project, or a declining need for the project, would likely affect all similar projects, thereby increasing market risk.
Income The Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.
Prepayment Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest. Also, if a security has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Prepayments generally increase when interest rates fall.
Inflation The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Bond Insurers Market conditions or changes to ratings criteria could adversely impact the ratings of municipal bond insurance companies. Downgrades and withdrawal of ratings from municipal bond insurers have substantially limited the availability of insurance sought by municipal bond issuers thereby reducing the supply of insured municipal securities.
Because of the consolidation among municipal bond insurers the Fund is subject to additional risks including the risk that credit risk may be concentrated among fewer insurers and the risk that events involving one or more municipal bond insurers could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the securities insured by an insurer and on the municipal markets as a whole.
Unrated Debt Securities Unrated debt securities determined by the investment manager to be of comparable quality to rated securities which the Fund may purchase may pay a higher interest rate than such rated debt securities and be subject to a greater risk of illiquidity or price changes. Less public information is typically available about unrated securities or issuers.
Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
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FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.
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37 |
FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
(figures reflect sales charges)
For periods ended December 31, 2022
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Since Inception |
| |
Franklin Massachusetts Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
Franklin Massachusetts Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A1 |
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
| |
Franklin Massachusetts Tax-Free Income Fund - Class C |
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
| |
Franklin Massachusetts Tax-Free Income Fund - Class R6 |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
1 | |
Franklin Massachusetts Tax-Free Income Fund - Advisor Class |
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
1. |
Since inception August 1, 2017. |
38 |
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FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
The figures in the average annual total returns table above reflect the Class A and Class A1 shares maximum front-end sales charge of 3.75%. Prior to March 1, 2019, Class A and Class A1 shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25%. If the prior maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25% was reflected, performance for Class A and Class A1 shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.
Historical performance for Class A shares in the bar chart and table above prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A1 shares and has been adjusted to reflect differences in Rule 12b-1 fees between classes.
The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Investment Manager
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
Portfolio Managers
John Wiley
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Christopher Sperry, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
John Bonelli
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Michael Conn
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, A1 and C, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.
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39 |
FRANKLIN
MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Taxes
The Fund’s distributions are primarily exempt from regular federal and state income tax for individual residents of Massachusetts. A portion of these distributions, however, may be subject to federal alternative minimum tax. The Fund may also make distributions that are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
40 |
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FRANKLIN
NEW JERSEY TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
To provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes and from personal income taxes, if any, for resident shareholders of New Jersey as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders’ capital.
These
tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell
shares of the Fund.
Please note that the tables and examples below do not reflect any transaction fees that may be charged by financial intermediaries, or commissions that a shareholder may be required to pay directly to its financial intermediary when buying or selling Class R6 or Advisor Class shares.
(fees paid directly from your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class C |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
| |
Maximum
Sales Charge (Load) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Maximum
Deferred Sales Charge |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
| |
1. |
There is a 1% contingent deferred sales charge that applies to investments of $250,000 or more (see "Investment of $250,000 or More" under "Choosing a Share Class") and purchases by certain retirement plans without an initial sales charge on shares sold within 18 months of purchase. |
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NEW JERSEY TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
Class A |
|
Class A1 |
|
Class C |
|
Class R6 |
|
Advisor
|
Management fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total annual Fund operating expenses1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
|
|
1 Year |
|
3 Years |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
Class A |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class A1 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class C |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Class R6 |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
Advisor Class |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Class C |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
|
$ |
The
Fund 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 transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund
shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in
annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance.
During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was
42 |
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FRANKLIN
NEW JERSEY TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
personal income taxes, if any, of New Jersey. Although the Fund tries to invest all of its assets in tax-free securities, it is possible that up to 20% of the Fund's net assets may be in securities that pay interest that may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax and in securities that pay interest subject to other federal or state income taxes.
The Fund only buys municipal securities rated, at the time of purchase, in one of the top four ratings categories by one or more U.S. nationally recognized rating services (or unrated or short-term rated securities of comparable credit quality).
The Fund also may invest up to 35% of its total assets in municipal securities issued by U.S. territories.
Although the investment manager will search for investments across a large number of municipal securities that finance different types of projects, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects.
The investment manager selects securities that it believes will provide the best balance between risk and return within the Fund’s range of allowable investments and typically invests with a long-term time horizon. This means it generally holds securities in the Fund’s portfolio for income purposes, although the investment manager may sell a security at any time if it believes it could help the Fund meet its goal. With a focus on income, individual securities are considered for purchase or sale based on various factors and considerations, including credit profile, risk, structure, pricing, portfolio impact, duration management, restructuring, opportunistic trading and tax loss harvesting opportunities.
Interest Rate When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply of and demand for bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes.
Credit An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments or repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's or government's credit rating may affect a security's value. A change in the credit rating of a municipal bond insurer that insures securities in the Fund’s portfolio may affect the value of the securities it insures, the Fund’s share price and
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
43 |
FRANKLIN
NEW JERSEY TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Fund performance. The Fund might also be adversely impacted by the inability of an insurer to meet its insurance obligations.
Liquidity From time to time, the trading market for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs, which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous. Reduced liquidity will also generally lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be relatively volatile.
Tax Legislative and Political Changes The municipal securities market could be significantly affected by adverse political and legislative changes or litigation at the federal or state level. The value of municipal bonds is closely tied to the benefits of tax-exempt income to investors. Significant revisions of federal income tax laws or regulations revising income tax rates or the tax-exempt character of municipal bonds, or even proposed changes and deliberations on this topic by the federal government, could cause municipal bond prices to fall. For example, lower federal income tax rates would reduce certain relative advantages of owning municipal bonds, and lower state income tax rates could have similar effects. In addition, the application of corporate minimum tax rates to financial statement income may have the effect of reducing demand for municipal bonds among corporate investors, which may in turn impact municipal bond prices.
Tax-Exempt Securities Failure of a municipal security issuer to comply with applicable tax requirements may make income paid thereon taxable, resulting in a decline in the security’s value. In addition, there could be changes in applicable tax laws or tax treatments that reduce or eliminate the current federal income tax exemption on municipal securities or otherwise adversely affect the current federal or state tax status of municipal securities.
Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.
The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19 and its subsequent variants, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. The long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers is not known. Some sectors
44 |
Prospectus |
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FRANKLIN
NEW JERSEY TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets; reduced liquidity of many instruments; and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time.
New Jersey The Fund invests predominantly in New Jersey municipal securities. Therefore, events in New Jersey are likely to affect the Fund’s investment and its performance. These events may include economic or political policy changes, tax base erosion, unfunded pension and healthcare liabilities, constitutional limits on tax increases, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, and changes in the credit ratings assigned to municipal issuers of New Jersey. The same is true of events in other states or U.S. territories, to the extent that the Fund has exposure to any other state or territory at any given time.
Focus The Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects, such as utilities, hospitals, higher education and transportation. A change that affects one project, such as proposed legislation on the financing of the project, a shortage of the materials needed for the project, or a declining need for the project, would likely affect all similar projects, thereby increasing market risk.
Income The Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.
Prepayment Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest. Also, if a security has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Prepayments generally increase when interest rates fall.
Inflation The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Bond Insurers Market conditions or changes to ratings criteria could adversely impact the ratings of municipal bond insurance companies. Downgrades and withdrawal of ratings from municipal bond insurers have substantially limited the availability of insurance sought by municipal bond issuers thereby reducing the supply of insured municipal securities.
franklintempleton.com |
Prospectus |
45 |
FRANKLIN
NEW JERSEY TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
Because of the consolidation among municipal bond insurers the Fund is subject to additional risks including the risk that credit risk may be concentrated among fewer insurers and the risk that events involving one or more municipal bond insurers could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the securities insured by an insurer and on the municipal markets as a whole.
Unrated Debt Securities Unrated debt securities determined by the investment manager to be of comparable quality to rated securities which the Fund may purchase may pay a higher interest rate than such rated debt securities and be subject to a greater risk of illiquidity or price changes. Less public information is typically available about unrated securities or issuers.
Management The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.
46 |
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NEW JERSEY TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
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Prospectus |
47 |
FRANKLIN
NEW JERSEY TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
(figures reflect sales charges)
For periods ended December 31, 2022
|
|
1 Year |
|
5 Years |
|
10 Years |
|
Since Inception |
| |
Franklin New Jersey Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
Franklin New Jersey Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A1 |
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
| |
Franklin New Jersey Tax-Free Income Fund - Class C |
|
- |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
| |
Franklin New Jersey Tax-Free Income Fund - Class R6 |
|
- |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
1 | |
Franklin New Jersey Tax-Free Income Fund - Advisor Class |
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
| |
1. |
Since inception August 1, 2017. |
The figures in the average annual total returns table above reflect the Class A and Class A1 shares maximum front-end sales charge of 3.75%. Prior to March 1, 2019, Class A and Class A1 shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25%. If the prior maximum front-end sales charge of 4.25% was reflected, performance for Class A and Class A1 shares in the average annual total returns table would be lower.
Historical performance for Class A shares in the bar chart and table above prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A1 shares and has been adjusted to reflect differences in Rule 12b-1 fees between classes.
The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Investment Manager
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers)
Portfolio Managers
John Wiley
Senior Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Christopher Sperry, CFA
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
48 |
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FRANKLIN
NEW JERSEY TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
FUND
SUMMARIES
John Bonelli
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Michael Conn
Vice President of Advisers and portfolio manager of the Fund since 2020.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any business day online through our website at franklintempleton.com, by mail (Franklin Templeton Investor Services, P.O. Box 997151, Sacramento, CA 95899-7151), or by telephone at (800) 632-2301. For Class A, A1 and C, the minimum initial purchase for most accounts is $1,000 (or $25 under an automatic investment plan). Class R6 and Advisor Class are only available to certain qualified investors and the minimum initial investment will vary depending on the type of qualified investor, as described under "Your Account — Choosing a Share Class — Qualified Investors — Class R6" and "— Advisor Class" in the Fund's prospectus. There is no minimum investment for subsequent purchases.
Taxes
The Fund’s distributions are primarily exempt from regular federal and state income tax for individual residents of New Jersey. A portion of these distributions, however, may be subject to federal alternative minimum tax. The Fund may also make distributions that are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
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Investment Goal
Each of the Federal Intermediate-Term Fund's and the Federal Limited-Term Fund's investment goal is to provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders' capital.
The High Yield Fund's principal investment goal is to provide investors with a high current yield exempt from federal income taxes. Its secondary goal is capital appreciation to the extent possible and consistent with the Fund's principal investment goal.
The Massachusetts Fund’s investment goal is to provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders’ capital. The Massachusetts Fund also tries to provide a maximum level of income exempt from personal income taxes, if any, for resident shareholders of Massachusetts.
The New Jersey Fund's investment goal is to provide investors with as high a level of income exempt from federal income taxes and from personal income taxes, if any, for resident shareholders of New Jersey as is consistent with prudent investment management and the preservation of shareholders' capital.
Hereafter, unless otherwise noted, each of the Federal Intermediate-Term Fund, Federal Limited-Term Fund, High Yield Fund, Massachusetts Fund and New Jersey Fund are referred to as "the Fund."
Principal Investment Policies and Practices
Under normal market conditions, each Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in securities whose interest is free from federal income taxes, including the federal alternative minimum tax. The Fund applies this test to its net assets, except for the Federal Intermediate-Term Fund, the Federal Limited-Term Fund and the Massachusetts Fund, each of which applies this test to its total assets. In addition, under normal market conditions, each state Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that pay interest free from the personal income taxes, if any, of that Fund's state.
Although the Fund tries to invest all of its assets in tax-free securities, it is possible that up to 20% of the Fund's net assets (or total assets with respect to the Federal Intermediate-Term Fund, the Federal Limited-Term Fund and the Massachusetts Fund) may be invested in securities that pay interest that may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax and in securities that pay interest subject to other federal or state income taxes.
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The Fund, except the High Yield Fund, only buys municipal securities rated in one of the top four ratings categories by one or more U.S. nationally recognized rating services (or unrated or short-term rated securities of comparable credit quality). This limitation generally is applied at the time of purchase and a downgrade of a particular security below one of the top four ratings categories will not automatically cause the Fund to sell the security. The investment manager will, however, take such downgrade into account when analyzing the portfolio. The High Yield Fund may invest in municipal securities rated in any rating category, including securities of issuers that are, or are about to be, involved in reorganizations, financial restructurings, or bankruptcy (generally referred to as “distressed debt”). Such investments typically involve the purchase of lower-rated or defaulted debt securities, comparable unrated debt securities, or other indebtedness (or participations in the indebtedness) of such issuers. The High-Yield Fund currently does not intend to invest more than 10% of its assets in defaulted securities.
None of the Funds have restrictions on the maturity of the securities they may buy; however, the Federal Intermediate-Term Fund maintains a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of three to 10 years and the Federal Limited-Term Fund maintains a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of five years or less.
The Fund also may invest up to 35% of its total assets in municipal securities issued by U.S. territories. The Federal Intermediate-Term, Federal Limited-Term and High Yield Funds do not necessarily focus their investments in a particular state or territory. The High Yield Fund will not invest more than 25% of its total assets in the municipal securities of any one state or territory.
When selecting securities for the High Yield Fund's portfolio, the investment manager may consider existing market conditions, the availability of lower-rated securities, and whether the difference in yields between higher and lower-rated securities justifies the higher risk of lower-rated securities.
Municipal securities are issued by state and local governments, their agencies and authorities, as well as by the District of Columbia and U.S. territories and possessions, such as Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to borrow money for various public and private projects. Municipal securities generally pay a fixed, floating or variable rate of interest, and require that the amount borrowed (principal) be repaid at maturity.
The Fund may invest in insured municipal securities, which are covered by insurance policies that guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest. The Fund generally purchases bonds that have insurance in place so it does not pay insurance premiums directly. The premium costs, however, are reflected in a lower yield and/or higher price for the insured bond. When the Fund believes that it could be beneficial, the Fund may purchase insurance for an uninsured bond directly from a qualified municipal bond insurer, in which case the Fund pays the insurance
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premium directly to the insurance company. The investment manager may also consider the cost of insurance when selecting securities for the Fund. It is important to note that insurance does not guarantee the market value of an insured security, or the Fund's share price or distributions, and shares of the Fund are not insured.
The Fund also may invest in municipal lease obligations. Municipal lease obligations generally are issued to support a government’s infrastructure by financing or refinancing equipment or property acquisitions or the construction, expansion or rehabilitation of public facilities. In such transactions, equipment or property is leased to a state or local government, which, in turn, pays lease payments to the lessor consisting of interest and principal payments on the obligations.
The Fund may invest in variable and floating rate securities, primarily variable rate demand notes, the interest rates of which change either at specific intervals or whenever a benchmark rate changes. While this feature helps protect against a decline in the security’s market price when interest rates rise, it lowers the Fund’s income when interest rates fall. The Fund may also invest in zero coupon and deferred interest securities.
Although the investment manager will search for investments across a large number of municipal securities that finance different types of projects, from time to time, based on economic conditions, the Fund may have significant positions in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects.
The investment manager selects securities that it believes will provide the best balance between risk and return within the Fund's range of allowable investments and typically invests with a long-term time horizon. This means it generally holds securities in the Fund's portfolio for income purposes, although the investment manager may sell a security at any time if it believes it could help the Fund meet its goal. With a focus on income, individual securities are considered for purchase or sale based on various factors and considerations, including credit profile, risk, structure, pricing, portfolio impact, duration management, restructuring, opportunistic trading and tax loss harvesting opportunities.
Temporary Investments
When the investment manager believes market or economic conditions are unusual or unfavorable for investors, the investment manager may invest up to 100% of the Fund's assets in a temporary defensive manner by holding all or a substantial portion of its assets in cash, cash equivalents or other high quality short-term investments such as variable rate demand notes. Temporary defensive investments generally may include securities that pay taxable interest. The investment manager also may invest in these types of securities or hold cash when securities meeting the Fund's investment criteria are unavailable or to maintain
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liquidity. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to achieve its investment goal.
Interest Rate
Interest rate changes can be sudden and unpredictable, and are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply of and demand for bonds. Changes in government or central bank policy, including changes in tax policy or changes in a central bank’s implementation of specific policy goals, may have a substantial impact on interest rates. There can be no guarantee that any particular government or central bank policy will be continued, discontinued or changed, nor that any such policy will have the desired effect on interest rates. Debt securities generally tend to lose market value when interest rates rise and increase in value when interest rates fall. A rise in interest rates also has the potential to cause investors to rapidly sell fixed income securities. A substantial increase in interest rates may also have an adverse impact on the liquidity of a debt security, especially those with longer maturities or durations. Securities with longer maturities or durations or lower coupons or that make little (or no) interest payments before maturity tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes.
Credit The Fund could lose money on a debt security if the issuer or borrower is unable or fails to meet its obligations, including failing to make interest payments and/or to repay principal when due. Changes in an issuer's financial strength, the market's perception of the issuer's financial strength or an issuer's or security's credit rating, which reflects a third party's assessment of the credit risk presented by a particular issuer or security, may affect debt securities' values. The Fund may incur substantial losses on debt securities that are inaccurately perceived to present a different amount of credit risk by the market, the investment manager or the rating agencies than such securities actually do.
The Fund’s portfolio securities may be supported by credit enhancements provided by an insurance company, bank, or other foreign or domestic entity. For example, some municipal securities are insured by a policy that guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest. Other municipal securities may be backed by letters of credit, guarantees, or escrow or trust accounts containing high quality securities, including securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, to secure the payment of principal and interest. Securities supported by credit enhancements have the credit risk of the entity providing the credit support. To the extent the Fund holds these securities, a change in the credit rating of the entity providing credit support may affect the value of the securities it supports, the Fund’s share price and Fund performance. The Fund might also be adversely impacted by the inability of an entity providing credit support to meet its obligations.
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Liquidity Liquidity risk exists when the markets for particular securities or types of securities or other investments are or become relatively illiquid so that the Fund is unable, or it becomes more difficult for the Fund, to sell the security or other investment at the price at which the Fund has valued the security. Illiquidity may result from political, economic or issuer specific events; supply/demand imbalances; changes in a specific market’s size or structure, including the number of participants; or overall market disruptions. Securities or other investments with reduced liquidity or that become illiquid may involve greater risk than securities with more liquid markets. Market prices or quotations for illiquid securities may be volatile, and there may be large spreads between bid and ask prices. Reduced liquidity may have an adverse impact on market price and the Fund's ability to sell particular securities when necessary to meet the Fund's liquidity needs, which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous. An investment may become illiquid if the Fund and its affiliates receive material non-public information about the issuer or the investment. To the extent that the Fund and its affiliates hold a significant portion of an issuer's outstanding securities, the Fund may be subject to greater liquidity risk than if the issuer's securities were more widely held.
Tax Legislative and Political Changes The municipal securities market could be significantly affected by adverse political and legislative changes or litigation at the federal or state level. The value of municipal bonds is closely tied to the benefits of tax-exempt income to investors. Significant revisions of federal income tax laws or regulations revising income tax rates or the tax-exempt character of municipal bonds, or even proposed changes and deliberations on this topic by the federal government, could cause municipal bond prices to fall. For example, lower federal income tax rates would reduce certain relative advantages of owning municipal bonds, and lower state income tax rates could have similar effects. In addition, the application of corporate minimum tax rates to financial statement income may have the effect of reducing demand for municipal bonds among corporate investors, which may in turn impact municipal bond prices.
Tax-Exempt Securities While the Fund endeavors to purchase bona fide tax-exempt securities (i.e., a security issued as paying tax-exempt interest income), there are risks that: (a) a tax-exempt security may be reclassified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or a state tax authority, as paying taxable interest income instead and/or (b) future legislative, administrative or court actions could adversely impact the qualification of income from a tax-exempt security as tax-free. Such reclassifications or actions could cause interest from a security to become taxable, possibly retroactively, subjecting you to increased tax liability. In addition, such reclassifications or actions could cause the value of the security, and therefore the value of the Fund’s shares, to decline.
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Market The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The Fund’s investments may decline in value due to factors affecting individual issuers (such as the results of supply and demand), or sectors within the securities markets. The value of a security or other investment also may go up or down due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest rates or exchange rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Furthermore, events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments that affect one industry, such as the financial services industry, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds, have in the past and may in the future lead to market-wide liquidity problems, may spread to other industries, and could negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. In addition, unexpected events and their aftermaths, such as the spread of diseases; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; financial, political or social disruptions; terrorism and war; and other tragedies or catastrophes, can cause investor fear and panic, which can adversely affect the economies of many companies, sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. During a general downturn in the securities markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that securities or other investments held by the Fund will participate in or otherwise benefit from the advance.
The global outbreak of the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19 and its subsequent variants, has resulted in market closures and dislocations, extreme volatility, liquidity constraints and increased trading costs. The long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets; reduced liquidity of many instruments; and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time. The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks, have taken extraordinary actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets may not work as intended, and have resulted in a large expansion of government deficits and debt, the long term consequences of which are not known. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic, and measures taken to mitigate its effects, could result in disruptions to the services provided to the Fund by its service providers.
High-Yield Debt Securities High-yield debt securities (including loans) and unrated securities of similar credit quality (high-yield debt instruments or junk bonds) involve greater risk of a complete loss of the Fund's investment, or delays of
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interest and principal payments, than higher-quality debt securities or loans. Issuers of high-yield debt instruments are not as strong financially as those issuing securities of higher credit quality. High-yield debt instruments are generally considered predominantly speculative by the applicable rating agencies as these issuers are more likely to encounter financial difficulties because they may be more highly leveraged, or because of other considerations. In addition, high yield debt securities generally are more vulnerable to changes in the relevant economy, such as a recession or a sustained period of rising interest rates, that could affect their ability to make interest and principal payments when due. If an issuer stops making interest and/or principal payments, payments on the securities may never resume. These instruments may be worthless and the Fund could lose its entire investment.
The prices of high-yield debt instruments generally fluctuate more than higher-quality securities. Prices are especially sensitive to developments affecting the issuer's business or operations and to changes in the ratings assigned by rating agencies. In addition, the entire high-yield debt market can experience sudden and sharp price swings due to changes in economic conditions, stock market activity, large sustained sales by major investors, a high-profile default, or other factors.
High-yield debt instruments are generally less liquid than higher-quality securities. Many of these securities are not registered for sale under the federal securities laws and/or do not trade frequently. When they do trade, their prices may be significantly higher or lower than expected. At times, it may be difficult to sell these securities promptly at an acceptable price, which may limit the Fund's ability to sell securities in response to specific economic events or to meet redemption requests. As a result, certain high-yield debt instruments generally pose greater illiquidity and valuation risks.
Substantial declines in the prices of high-yield debt instruments can dramatically increase the yield of such instruments. The decline in market prices generally reflects an expectation that the issuer(s) may be at greater risk of defaulting on the obligation to pay interest and principal when due. Therefore, substantial increases in yield may reflect a greater risk by the Fund of losing some or part of its investment rather than reflecting any increase in income from the higher yield that the debt instrument may pay to the Fund on its investment.
State and U.S. Territories Because each state Fund invests predominantly in municipal securities of its state, events in that state are likely to affect the Fund's investments and its performance. These events may include economic or political policy changes, man-made or natural disasters, tax base erosion, unfunded pension and healthcare liabilities, state constitutional limits on tax increases, budget deficits and other financial difficulties, and changes in the credit ratings assigned to the state's municipal issuers. Any downgrade to the credit rating of the securities issued by the U.S. government may result in a downgrade of securities issued by the states or U.S. territories.
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A negative change in any one of these or other areas could affect the ability of a state's municipal issuers to meet their obligations. It is important to remember that economic, budget and other conditions within a particular state can be unpredictable and can change at any time. For these reasons, an investment in each state Fund involves more risk than an investment in a fund that does not focus on municipal securities of a single state. As with state municipal securities, events in any of the U.S. territories (e.g. Puerto Rico, Guam, Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands) where the Fund is invested may affect the Fund’s investments and its performance.
To the extent the Federal Intermediate-Term, Federal Limited-Term or High Yield Funds are invested significantly in a state or U.S. territory, events in that state or territory may affect their investments and their performance.
The discussion above does not include all relevant facts or economic or political conditions that may affect the ability of municipal issuers to meet their debt obligations, and is subject to change without notice. The information provided is based on data as of May 1, 2023, from historically reliable sources, but the investment manager has not independently verified it. This information could change quickly and without notice and is generally only updated annually.
Focus The Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in municipal securities that finance similar types of projects, such as utilities, hospitals, higher education and transportation. A change that affects one project, such as proposed legislation on the financing of the project, a shortage of the materials needed for the project, or a declining need for the project, would likely affect all similar projects, thereby increasing market risk.
Income The Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security. The Fund's income generally declines during periods of falling benchmark interest rates because the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives from existing investments (upon their maturity, prepayment, amortization, sale, call, or buy-back) at a lower rate of interest or return.
Prepayment Debt securities are subject to prepayment risk when the issuer can "call" the security, or repay principal, in whole or in part, prior to the security's maturity. When the Fund reinvests the prepayments of principal it receives, it may receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the existing security, potentially lowering the Fund's income, yield and its distributions to shareholders. Securities subject to partial or complete prepayment(s) may offer less potential for gains during a declining interest rate environment and have greater price volatility. Prepayment risk is greater in periods of falling interest rates for fixed-rate
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investments, and for floating or variable rate securities, rising interest rates generally increase the risk of refinancings or prepayments.
Inflation The market price of debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay a fixed rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
Bond Insurers Market conditions or changes to ratings criteria could adversely impact the ratings of municipal bond insurance companies. Rating agencies have lowered their ratings and withdrawn ratings on some municipal bond insurers. In such cases the insurance may be providing little or no enhancement of credit or resale value to the municipal security and the security rating will reflect the higher of the insurer rating or the rating of the underlying security.
Additional downgrades and withdrawal of ratings from municipal bond insurers would further limit the availability of insurance sought by municipal bond issuers thereby reducing the supply of insured municipal securities and potentially increasing the amount of unrated securities held by the Fund.
Market conditions have weakened the municipal bond insurance industry leading state regulators from time to time to require municipal bond insurers to suspend claims payments on outstanding insurance. Certain municipal bond insurers have withdrawn from the market. These circumstances have led to a consolidation among municipal bond insurers which have led to a decrease in the supply of insured municipal securities and a concentration of the insurance company credit risk on the securities in the Fund's portfolio amongst fewer municipal bond insurers. Due to this consolidation, events involving one or more municipal bond insurers could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the securities insured by an insurer and on the municipal markets as a whole.
Unrated Debt Securities Unrated debt securities determined by the investment manager to be of comparable credit quality to rated securities which the Fund may purchase may pay a higher interest rate than such rated debt securities and be subject to a greater risk of illiquidity or price changes. Less public information and independent credit analysis are typically available about unrated securities or issuers, and therefore they may be subject to greater risk of default.
Management The Fund is actively managed and could experience losses (realized and unrealized) if the investment manager’s judgment about markets, interest rates or the attractiveness, relative values, liquidity, or potential appreciation of particular investments made for the Fund's portfolio prove to be incorrect. There can be no guarantee that these techniques or the investment
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manager's investment decisions will produce the desired results. Additionally, legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment manager in connection with managing the Fund and may also adversely affect the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment goal.
Cybersecurity Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.
Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.
Municipal Lease Obligations Municipal lease obligations differ from other municipal securities because the relevant legislative body must appropriate the money each year to make the lease payments. If the money is not appropriated, the lease may be cancelled without penalty and investors who own the lease obligations may not be paid.
Debt Securities Ratings The use of credit ratings in evaluating debt securities can involve certain risks, including the risk that the credit rating may not reflect the issuer's current financial condition or events since the security was last rated by a rating agency. Credit ratings may be influenced by conflicts of interest or based on historical data that no longer apply or that are no longer accurate.
Illiquid Securities Certain securities are illiquid due to a limited trading market, financial weakness of the issuer, legal or contractual restrictions on resale or transfer, or are otherwise illiquid in the sense that they cannot be sold within seven
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days at approximately the price at which the Fund values them. Securities that are illiquid involve greater risk than securities with more liquid markets. Market quotations for such securities may be volatile and/or subject to large spreads between bid and ask prices. Illiquidity may have an adverse impact on market price and the Fund's ability to sell particular securities when necessary to meet the Fund's liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event.
Zero Coupon and Deferred Interest Securities These bonds tend to react more sharply to changes in interest rates than traditional bonds. The original discount on zero coupon or delayed interest bonds approximates the total amount of interest the bonds will accumulate over the period until maturity or the first cash payment date and compounds at a rate of interest reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. The discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or the cash payment date, as well as prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the market for the security, and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. The discount typically increases as interest rates rise, the market becomes less liquid or the creditworthiness of the issuer deteriorates. Because investors receive no cash prior to the maturity or cash payment date, an investment in debt securities issued at a discount generally has a greater potential for complete loss of principal and/or return than an investment in debt securities that make periodic interest payments. Such investments are more vulnerable to the creditworthiness of the issuer and any other parties upon which performance relies.
Banking Industry Because the Fund may invest in obligations for which banks and other financial institutions may provide liquidity guarantees or credit enhancements, it may be vulnerable to setbacks in that industry. Banks and other financial institutions are highly dependent on short-term interest rates and can be adversely affected by downturns in the U.S. and foreign economies or changes in banking regulations.
More detailed information about the Fund and its policies and risks and about municipal securities held by the Fund can be found in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI).
A description of the Fund's policies and procedures regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is also available in the Fund's SAI. Portfolio holdings information can be viewed online at franklintempleton.com.
Franklin Advisers, Inc. (Advisers or investment manager), One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403-1906, is each Fund’s investment manager. Advisers is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. (Resources). Together, Advisers and its affiliates manage, as of May 31, 2023, $1.40 trillion in assets, and have been in the investment management business since 1947.
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The Fund is managed by a team of dedicated professionals focused on investments in tax-free securities. The portfolio managers have responsibility for the day-to-day management of particular Funds and operate as a team to develop ideas and implement investment strategy for all the Funds. The portfolio managers of the Fund are as follows:
Ben Barber, CFA Senior Vice President of Advisers
Mr. Barber has been a portfolio manager of the Federal Intermediate-Term, Federal Limited-Term and High Yield Funds since 2020. He is the Director of Franklin’s Municipal Bond Department. Prior to joining Franklin Templeton, he was co-head of municipal bonds at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. He first joined Franklin Templeton in 1991 and rejoined again in 2020.
John
Bonelli
Vice
President of Advisers
Mr.
Bonelli has been a portfolio manager of the Massachusetts and New Jersey Funds
since 2020. He joined Franklin Templeton in 2010.
James Conn, CFA Senior Vice President of Advisers
Mr. Conn has been a portfolio manager of the Federal Intermediate-Term Fund since 1999, Federal Limited-Term Fund since inception in 2003 and High Yield Fund since 2020. He joined Franklin Templeton in 1996.
Michael Conn Vice President of Advisers
Mr. Conn has been a portfolio manager of the Massachusetts and New Jersey Funds since 2020. He joined Franklin Templeton in 2001.
Francisco Rivera Vice President of Advisers
Mr. Rivera has been a portfolio manager of the High Yield Fund since 2004 and the Federal Intermediate-Term and Federal Limited-Term Funds since 2020. He joined Franklin Templeton in 1994.
Christopher
Sperry, CFA Vice President of Advisers
Mr.
Sperry has been a portfolio manager of the Massachusetts and New Jersey Funds
since 2020. He joined Franklin Templeton in 1996.
John
Wiley
Senior
Vice President of Advisers
Mr.
Wiley has been a portfolio manager of the Massachusetts and New Jersey Funds
since 2020. He joined Franklin Templeton in 1989.
Daniel Workman, CFA Vice President of Advisers
Mr. Workman has been a portfolio manager of the High Yield Fund since 2009 Federal Intermediate-Term Fund and Federal Limited-Term Fund since 2020. He joined Franklin Templeton in 2003.
CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are trademarks owned by CFA Institute.
The portfolio managers of the Funds are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds' portfolio. Each manager has equal authority
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over all aspects of the Funds' investment portfolio, including but not limited to, purchases and sales of individual securities, portfolio risk assessment, and the management of daily cash balances in accordance with anticipated investment management requirements. The degree to which each portfolio manager may perform these functions, and the nature of these functions, may change from time to time. The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about portfolio manager compensation, other accounts that they manage and their ownership of Fund shares.
Each Fund pays Advisers a fee for managing the Fund’s assets.
Advisers has agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, acquired fund fees and expenses and certain non-routine expenses or costs, such as those relating to litigation, indemnification, reorganizations and liquidations) for certain Funds so that the ratio of total annual fund operating expenses will not exceed 0.46% for each share class other than Class R6 of Federal Intermediate-Term Fund and 0.40% for Class R6; 0.40% for each share class of Federal Limited-Term Fund; and 0.65% for each share class of Massachusetts Fund and New Jersey Fund. In addition, the transfer agent has agreed to limit its fees on Class R6 shares of each Fund so that transfer agency fees for that class do not exceed 0.02% for Federal Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Income Fund and 0.03% for each other Fund. These arrangements are expected to continue until June 30, 2024. During the terms, the fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreements may not be terminated or amended without approval of the board of trustees except to add series or classes, to reflect the extension of termination dates or to lower the waiver and expense limitation.
For the fiscal year ended February 28, 2023, the Fund paid Advisers an effective management fee equal to the following percentages of the Fund’s average net assets for investment management services.
Fund |
Effective management fee |
Federal Intermediate-Term Fund |
0.33% |
Federal Limited-Term Fund |
0.27% |
High Yield Fund |
0.45% |
Massachusetts Fund |
0.51% |
New Jersey Fund |
0.48% |
A discussion regarding the basis for the board of trustees’ approval of each Fund’s investment management agreement is available in each Fund’s annual report for the period ended February 28, 2023.
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Manager of Managers Structure (except for New Jersey Fund)
The investment manager and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the SEC that allows the Fund to operate in a “manager of managers” structure whereby the investment manager can appoint and replace both wholly-owned and unaffiliated sub-advisors, and enter into, amend and terminate sub-advisory agreements with such sub-advisors, each subject to board approval but without obtaining prior shareholder approval (Manager of Managers Structure). The Fund will, however, inform shareholders of the hiring of any new sub-advisor within 90 days after the hiring. The SEC exemptive order provides the Fund with greater flexibility and efficiency and alleviates the need for the Fund to incur the expense and delays associated with obtaining shareholder approval of such sub-advisory agreements.
The use of the Manager of Managers Structure with respect to the Fund is subject to certain conditions that are set forth in the SEC exemptive order. Under the Manager of Managers Structure, the investment manager has the ultimate responsibility, subject to oversight by the Fund's board of trustees, to oversee sub-advisors and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. The investment manager will also, subject to the review and approval of the Fund's board of trustees: set the Fund's overall investment strategy; evaluate, select and recommend sub-advisors to manage all or a portion of the Fund's assets; and implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that each sub-advisor complies with the Fund's investment goal, policies and restrictions. Subject to review by the Fund's board of trustees, the investment manager will allocate and, when appropriate, reallocate the Fund's assets among sub-advisors and monitor and evaluate the sub-advisors’ performance.
The information is provided with respect to each Fund (hereafter the “Fund").
Income and Capital Gain Distributions
As a regulated investment company, the Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and gains it distributes to you. The Fund intends to declare income dividends from its net investment income each day that its net asset value (NAV) is calculated and pay them monthly. Your account begins to receive dividends on the day the Fund receives your investment, provided the investment is received by the Fund on any business day in good order prior to 1 p.m. Pacific time or the regularly scheduled close of the NYSE, whichever is earlier. Investments received after that time or paid by check will normally begin to earn dividends on the following business day. Dividends will be received by your account through the business day prior to the day on which your proceeds are sent to you. If your shares are purchased through a financial intermediary, you should check with your financial intermediary to determine when your purchase order will be effective.
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Capital gains, if any, may be paid at least annually. The Fund may distribute income dividends and capital gains more frequently, if necessary, in order to reduce or eliminate federal excise or income taxes on the Fund. The amount of any distribution will vary, and there is no guarantee the Fund will pay either income dividends or capital gain distributions. Your income dividends and capital gain distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares at net asset value (NAV) unless you elect to receive them in cash.
Annual statements. After the close of each calendar year, you will receive tax information from the Fund with respect to the federal income tax treatment of the Fund’s distributions and any taxable sales or exchanges of Fund shares occurring during the prior calendar year. If the Fund finds it necessary to reclassify its distributions or adjust the cost basis of any covered shares sold or exchanged after you receive your tax information, the Fund will send you revised tax information. Distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record in such month and paid in January are treated as if they were paid in December. Additional tax information about the Fund’s distributions is available at franklintempleton.com.
Avoid "buying a dividend." At the time you purchase your Fund shares, the Fund's net asset value may reflect undistributed taxable income, undistributed capital gains, or net unrealized appreciation in the value of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. For taxable investors, a subsequent distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment, would be taxable. Buying shares in the Fund just before it declares a distribution of taxable income or capital gains is sometimes known as “buying a dividend.”
Tax Considerations
The Fund's distributions are primarily exempt from regular federal income tax. A portion of these distributions, however, may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. Distributions from interest earned on the municipal securities of a particular state are also generally exempt from state income tax for individual residents of that state but will generally be taxable to non-residents. The Fund may also make distributions that are taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains. This is the case whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash.
Exempt-interest dividends. Most Fund distributions will consist of exempt-interest dividends that are exempt from regular federal income tax. A portion of these distributions from private activity bond interest may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax (AMT). Exempt-interest dividends are taken into account when determining the taxable portion of your social security or railroad retirement benefits. Exempt-interest dividends from interest earned on the municipal securities of a particular state are also generally exempt from that state's personal income
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tax. Because of these tax exemptions, a tax-free fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans or other tax-exempt investors.
Capital gains. Fund distributions of capital gains are generally subject to federal and state income tax. Fund distributions of short-term capital gains are subject to tax at ordinary rates. For federal income tax purposes, Fund distributions of long-term capital gains are taxable at the reduced long-term capital gains rates no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares. For single individuals with taxable income not in excess of $44,625 in 2023 ($89,250 for married individuals filing jointly), the long-term capital gains tax rate is 0%. For single individuals and joint filers with taxable income in excess of these amounts but not more than $492,300 or $553,850, respectively, the long-term capital gains tax rate is 15%. The rate is 20% for single individuals with taxable income in excess of $492,300 and married individuals filing jointly with taxable income in excess of $553,850. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax may also be imposed as discussed below.
Taxable income dividends. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities that pay income that is not tax-exempt. Distributions from this income, if any, are generally subject to federal and state income tax at ordinary rates. The Fund expects that none of its distributions will be qualified dividends subject to reduced rates of tax to individuals. A return-of-capital distribution is generally not taxable but will reduce the cost basis of your shares, and will result in a higher capital gain or a lower capital loss when you later sell your shares.
Reclassification risk. The IRS has announced that holders of tax-exempt securities (i.e., a security issued as paying tax-exempt interest income) such as the Fund have certain risks if the securities were issued in connection with abusive transactions, refinancing irregularities, or the misuse of proceeds from the security offering. While the Fund endeavors to purchase bona fide tax-exempt securities there are risks that: (a) a tax-exempt security may be reclassified by the IRS, or a state tax authority, as paying taxable interest income instead and/or (b) future legislative, administrative or court actions could adversely impact the qualification of income from a tax-exempt security as tax-free. Under 2017 legislation commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, interest paid on a bond issued after December 31, 2017 to advance refund another bond is subject to federal income tax. These events may create taxable income for the Fund and its shareholders and the Fund may be required to send to you and file with the IRS and state tax authorities information returns for the current or prior calendar years classifying (or reclassifying) some of its exempt-interest dividends as taxable dividends. On prior year dividends, you might need to file amended income tax returns and pay additional tax and interest to avoid additional penalties and to limit interest charges on these taxable dividends. In addition, such reclassifications or actions could cause the value of the security, and therefore the value of the Fund’s shares, to decline.
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Sales of Fund shares. When you sell your shares in the Fund, or exchange them for shares of a different Franklin Templeton or Legg Mason fund, you will generally recognize a taxable capital gain or loss for federal and state income tax purposes. If you have owned your Fund shares for more than one year, any net long-term capital gains will qualify for the reduced rates of federal income taxation on long-term capital gains. An exchange of your shares in one class of the Fund for shares of another class of the same Fund is not taxable and no gain or loss will be reported on the transaction.
Cost basis reporting. If you acquire shares in the Fund on or after January 1, 2012, generally referred to as “covered shares," and sell or exchange them after that date, the Fund is generally required to report cost basis information to you and the IRS annually. The Fund will compute the cost basis of your covered shares using the average cost method, the Fund’s “default method,” unless you contact the Fund to select a different method, or choose to specifically identify your shares at the time of each sale or exchange. If your account is held by your financial advisor or other broker-dealer, that firm may select a different default method. In these cases, please contact the firm to obtain information with respect to the available methods and elections for your account. Shareholders should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the Fund and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on their federal and state income tax returns. Additional information about cost basis reporting is available at franklintempleton.com/costbasis.
Medicare tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount. Net investment income does not include exempt-interest dividends. Any liability for this additional Medicare tax is reported on, and paid with, your federal income tax return.
Backup withholding. A shareholder may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income(including exempt-interest dividends) capital gains, or proceeds from the sale or exchange of Fund shares if the shareholder has provided either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, has failed to certify that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or has not certified that the shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. State backup withholding may also apply.
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Non-U.S. investors. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at 30% or a lower treaty rate on Fund dividends of ordinary income. Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. estate tax on the value of their shares. They are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding, claim any exemptions from withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are generally provided for capital gains realized on the sale of Fund shares, exempt-interest dividends, capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from net long-term capital gains, short-term capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from net short-term capital gains and interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income from U.S. sources. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding tax at source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains will be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
Other reporting and withholding requirements. Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution or a non-financial foreign entity within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) may be subject to a 30% withholding tax on income dividends (other than exempt-interest dividends) paid by the Fund. The FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided by such foreign entity if it provides the Fund, and in some cases, the IRS, information concerning the ownership of certain foreign financial accounts or other appropriate certifications or documentation concerning its status under FATCA. The Fund may be required to report certain shareholder account information to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties to comply with FATCA.
Other tax information. This discussion of "Distributions and Taxes" is for general information only and is not tax advice. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding your particular circumstances, and about any federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences before making an investment in the Fund. Additional information about the tax consequences of investing in the Fund may be found in the SAI.
The Financial Highlights present the Fund's financial performance for the past five years or since its inception. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends and capital gains. This information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the annual report, which is available upon request.
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Franklin Federal Intermediate-Term Tax-Free Income Fund - Class A
Year Ended February 28, | |||||||||||
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
a |
2019 |
b | |||||
Per
share operating performance |
|||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of year |
$11.82 |
$12.22 |
$12.39 |
$11.98 |
$11.87 |
||||||
Income from investment operationsc: |
|||||||||||
Net investment incomed |
0.26 |
0.23 |
0.26 |
0.27 |
0.15 |
||||||
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) |
(0.82 |
) |
(0.40 |
) |
(0.17 |
) |
0.43 |