Notes to Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
A. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies
DWS Massachusetts Tax-Free Fund (the "Fund") is a non-diversified series of DWS State Tax-Free Income Series (the "Trust"), which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust. The Fund may be affected by economic and political developments in the state of Massachusetts.
The Fund offers multiple classes of shares which provide investors with different purchase options. Class A shares are offered to investors subject to an initial sales charge. Class B shares of the Fund are closed to new purchases, except exchanges or the reinvestment of dividends or other distributions. Class B shares were offered to investors without an initial sales charge and are subject to higher ongoing expenses than Class A shares and a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares six years after issuance. Class C shares are offered to investors without an initial sales charge but are subject to higher ongoing expenses than Class A shares and a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions within one year of purchase. Class C shares do not automatically convert to another class. Class S shares are not subject to initial or contingent deferred sales charges and are generally not available to new investors except under certain circumstances.
Investment income, realized and unrealized gains and losses, and certain fund-level expenses and expense reductions, if any, are borne pro rata on the basis of relative net assets by the holders of all classes of shares, except that each class bears certain expenses unique to that class such as distribution and service fees, services to shareholders and certain other class-specific expenses. Differences in class-level expenses may result in payment of different per share dividends by class. All shares of the Fund have equal rights with respect to voting subject to class-specific arrangements.
The Fund's financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America which require the use of management estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The policies described below are followed consistently by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements.
Security Valuation.
Investments are stated at value determined as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on each day the exchange is open for trading.
Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund's investments. These inputs are summarized in three broad levels. Level 1 includes quoted prices in active markets for identical securities. Level 2 includes other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, and credit risk). Level 3 includes significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund's own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments). The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
Municipal debt securities are valued at prices supplied by independent pricing services approved by the Fund's Board, whose valuations are intended to reflect the mean between the bid and asked prices. If the pricing services are unable to provide valuations, the securities are valued at the mean of the most recent bid and asked quotations or evaluated prices, as applicable, obtained from one or more broker-dealers. Such services may use various pricing techniques which take into account appropriate factors such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other data, as well as broker quotes. These securities are generally categorized as Level 2.
Swap contracts are valued daily based upon prices supplied by a Board approved pricing vendor, if available, and otherwise are valued at the price provided by the broker-dealer. Swap contracts are generally categorized as Level 2.
Securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or for which the above valuation procedures are deemed not to reflect fair value are valued in a manner that is intended to reflect their fair value as determined in accordance with procedures approved by the Board and are generally categorized as Level 3. In accordance with the Fund's valuation procedures, factors used in determining value may include, but are not limited to, the type of the security; the size of the holding; the initial cost of the security; the existence of any contractual restrictions on the security's disposition; the price and extent of public trading in similar securities of the issuer or of comparable companies; quotations or evaluated prices from broker-dealers and/or pricing services; information obtained from the issuer, analysts, and/or the appropriate stock exchange (for exchange-traded securities); an analysis of the company's or issuer's financial statements; an evaluation of the forces that influence the issuer and the market(s) in which the security is purchased and sold and with respect to debt securities; the maturity, coupon, creditworthiness, currency denomination, and the movement of the market in which the security is normally traded. The value determined under these procedures may differ from published values for the same securities.
Disclosure about the classification of fair value measurements is included in a table following the Fund's Investment Portfolio.
New Accounting Pronouncement.
In December 2011, Accounting Standards Update 2011-11 (ASU 2011-11), Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities, was issued and is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. ASU 2011-11 is intended to enhance disclosure requirements on the offsetting of financial assets and liabilities. Management is currently evaluating the application of ASU 2011-11 and its impact, if any, on the Fund's financial statements.
Inverse Floaters.
The Fund invests in inverse floaters. Inverse floaters are debt instruments with a weekly floating rate of interest that bears an inverse relationship to changes in the short-term interest rate market. Inverse floaters are created by depositing a fixed-rate municipal bond into a special purpose trust (the "Trust"). In turn the Trust issues a short-term floating rate note and an inverse floater. The income stream from the underlying bond in the Trust is divided between the floating rate note and the inverse floater. The income provided by the inverse floater bears an inverse relationship with the short-term rate paid to the floating rate note holder. The short-term floating rate note is issued in a face amount equal to some fraction of the underlying bond's par amount and is paid to a third party, usually a tax-exempt money market fund, at rates that generally reset weekly. The inverse floater earns all of the interest from the underlying fixed-rate bond less the amount of interest paid on the floating rate note and the expenses of the Trust. The inverse floater represents an investment in the underlying bond on a leveraged basis; the Fund bears all of the price risk of the underlying bond in the Trust and receives all the benefits from any potential appreciation of the underlying bond's value. The floating rate notes issued by the Trust are valued at cost, which approximates fair value.
By holding the inverse floater, the Fund has the right to collapse the Trust by causing the holders of the floating rate instrument to tender their notes at par and have the broker transfer the underlying bond to the Fund. The floating rate note holder can also elect to tender the note for redemption at par at each reset date. The Fund accounts for these transactions as a form of secured borrowing, by reflecting the value of the underlying bond in the investments of the Fund and the amount owed to the floating rate note holder as a liability under the caption "Payable for floating rate notes issued" in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Income earned on the underlying bond is included in interest income, and interest paid on the floaters and the expenses of the Trust are included in "Interest expense and fees on floating rate notes issued" in the Statement of Operations.
The Fund may enter into shortfall and forbearance agreements by which the Fund agrees to reimburse the Trust, in certain circumstances, for the difference between the liquidation value of the underlying bond held by the Trust and the liquidation value of the floating rate notes plus any shortfalls in interest cash flows. This could potentially expose the Fund to losses in excess of the value of the Fund's inverse floater investments. In addition, the value of inverse floaters may decrease significantly when interest rates increase. The market for inverse floaters may be more volatile and less liquid than other municipal bonds of comparable maturity. The Trust could be terminated outside of the Fund's control, resulting in a reduction of leverage and disposal of portfolio investments at inopportune times and prices. Investments in inverse floaters generally involve greater risk than in an investment in fixed-rate bonds.
The weighted average outstanding daily balance of the floating rate notes issued during the six months ended September 30, 2012 was $62,860,000, with a weighted average interest rate of 0.79%.
When-Issued/Delayed Delivery Securities.
The Fund may purchase securities with delivery or payment to occur at a later date beyond the normal settlement period. At the time the Fund enters into a commitment to purchase a security, the transaction is recorded and the value of the security is reflected in the net asset value. The price of such security and the date when the security will be delivered and paid for are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. The value of the security may vary with market fluctuations. No interest accrues to the Fund until payment takes place. At the time the Fund enters into this type of transaction, it is required to segregate cash or other liquid assets at least equal to the amount of the commitment.
Certain risks may arise upon entering into when-issued or delayed delivery securities from the potential inability of counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts or if the issuer does not issue the securities due to political, economic or other factors. Additionally, losses may arise due to changes in the value of the underlying securities.
Federal Income Taxes.
The Fund's policy is to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, which are applicable to regulated investment companies, and to distribute all of its taxable and tax-exempt income to its shareholders.
Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, net capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely, and their character is retained as short-term and/or long-term. Previously, net capital losses were carried forward for eight years and treated as short-term losses. As a transition rule, the Act requires that post-enactment net capital losses be used before pre-enactment net capital losses.
At March 31, 2012, the Fund had a net tax basis capital loss carryforward of post-enactment losses of approximately $9,034,000, which may be applied against any realized net taxable capital gains indefinitely, including short-term losses ($7,971,000) and long-term losses ($1,063,000).
The Fund has reviewed the tax positions for the open tax years as of March 31, 2012 and has determined that no provision for income tax is required in the Fund's financial statements. The Fund's federal tax returns for the prior three fiscal years remain open subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service.
Distribution of Income and Gains.
Net investment income of the Fund is declared as a daily dividend and is distributed to shareholders monthly. Net realized gains from investment transactions, in excess of available capital loss carryforwards, would be taxable to the Fund if not distributed, and, therefore, will be distributed to shareholders at least annually.
The timing and characterization of certain income and capital gain distributions are determined annually in accordance with federal tax regulations which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These differences primarily relate to accretion of market discount on debt securities and certain securities sold at a loss. As a result, net investment income (loss) and net realized gain (loss) on investment transactions for a reporting period may differ significantly from distributions during such period. Accordingly, the Fund may periodically make reclassifications among certain of its capital accounts without impacting the net asset value of the Fund.
The tax character of current year distributions will be determined at the end of the current fiscal year.
Expenses.
Expenses of the Trust arising in connection with a specific fund are allocated to that fund. Other Trust expenses which cannot be directly attributed to a fund are apportioned among the funds in the Trust based upon the relative net assets or other appropriate measures.
Contingencies.
In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts with service providers that contain general indemnification clauses. The Fund's maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet been made. However, based on experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss to be remote.
Other.
Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade date plus one basis for daily net asset value calculations. However, for financial reporting purposes, investment transactions are reported on trade date. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Realized gains and losses from investment transactions are recorded on an identified cost basis. All premiums and discounts are amortized/accreted for financial reporting purposes, with the exception of securities in default of principal.
Statement of Cash Flows.
Information on financial transactions which have been settled through the receipt and disbursement of cash is presented in the Statement of Cash Flows. The cash amount shown in the Statement of Cash Flows represents the cash position at the Fund's custodian bank at September 30, 2012.
B. Derivative Instruments
Interest Rate Swap Contracts.
For the six months ended September 30, 2012, the Fund invested in interest rate swap contracts to manage the duration of the Investment Portfolio. The use of interest rate swaps is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. In an interest rate swap, the Fund agrees to pay to the other party to the interest rate swap (which is known as the "counterparty") a fixed rate payment in exchange for the counterparty agreeing to pay to the Fund a variable rate payment, or the Fund agrees to receive from the counterparty a fixed rate payment in exchange for the counterparty agreeing to receive from the Fund a variable rate payment, the accruals for which would begin at a specified date in the future (the "effective date"). The payment obligations are based on the notional amount of the swap. Certain risks may arise when entering into swap transactions including counterparty default, liquidity or unfavorable changes in interest rates. In connection with these agreements, securities and or cash may be identified as collateral in accordance with the terms of the swap agreements to provide assets of value and recourse in the event of default. The maximum counterparty credit risk is the net present value of the cash flows to be received from or paid to the counterparty over the term of the interest rate swap contract, to the extent that this amount is beneficial to the Fund, in addition to any related collateral posted to the counterparty by the Fund. This risk may be partially reduced by a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty. The Fund generally intends, but is not obligated, to terminate its interest rate swaps before the effective date. Payments received or made are recorded as realized gain or loss in the Statement of Operations. The value of the swap is adjusted daily based upon a price supplied by a Board approved pricing vendor and the change in value is recorded as unrealized appreciation or depreciation. An upfront payment, if any, made by the Fund is recorded as an asset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. An upfront payment, if any, received by the Fund is recorded as a liability in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Payments received or made are recorded as realized gain or loss in the Statement of Operations.
A summary of the open interest rate swap contracts as of September 30, 2012 is included in a table following the Fund's Investment Portfolio. For the six months ended September 30, 2012, the investment in interest rate swap contracts had a total notional amount generally indicative of a range from $27,200,000 to $33,075,000.
The following table summarizes the value of the Fund's derivative instruments held as of September 30, 2012 and the related location in the accompanying Statement of Assets and Liabilities, presented by primary underlying risk exposure:
|
Liability Derivative
|
|
Swap Contracts
|
|
|
Interest Rate Contracts (a)
|
|
$
|
(1,902,811
|
)
|
The above derivative is located in the following Statement of Assets and Liabilities account:
(a) Unrealized depreciation on interest rate swap contracts
Additionally, the amount of unrealized and realized gains and losses on derivative instruments recognized in Fund earnings during the six months ended September 30, 2012 and the related location in the accompanying Statement of Operations is summarized in the following tables by primary underlying risk exposure:
|
Realized Gain (Loss)
|
|
Swap Contracts
|
|
|
Interest Rate Contracts (a)
|
|
$
|
(3,516,000
|
)
|
The above derivative is located in the following Statement of Operations account:
(a) Net realized gain (loss) from interest rate swap contracts
|
Change in Net Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)
|
|
Swap Contracts
|
|
|
Interest Rate Contracts (a)
|
|
$
|
437,270
|
|
The above derivative is located in the following Statement of Operations account:
(a) Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on interest rate swap contracts
C. Purchases and Sales of Securities
During the six months ended September 30, 2012, purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) aggregated $97,962,491 and $97,485,637, respectively.
D. Related Parties
Management Agreement.
Under the Investment Management Agreement with Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. ("DIMA" or the "Advisor"), an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank AG, the Advisor directs the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives, policies and restrictions. The Advisor determines the securities, instruments and other contracts relating to investments to be purchased, sold or entered into by the Fund.
Under the Investment Management Agreement with the Advisor, the Fund pays a monthly management fee based on the Fund's average daily net assets, computed and accrued daily and payable monthly, at the following annual rates:
|
First $250 million of the Fund's average daily net assets
|
|
|
.450
|
%
|
|
Next $750 million of such net assets
|
|
|
.420
|
%
|
|
Next $1.5 billion of such net assets
|
|
|
.400
|
%
|
|
Next $2.5 billion of such net assets
|
|
|
.380
|
%
|
|
Next $2.5 billion of such net assets
|
|
|
.350
|
%
|
|
Next $2.5 billion of such net assets
|
|
|
.330
|
%
|
|
Next $2.5 billion of such net assets
|
|
|
.310
|
%
|
|
Over $12.5 billion of such net assets
|
|
|
.300
|
%
|
Accordingly, for the six months ended September 30, 2012, the fee pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement was equivalent to an annualized effective rate of 0.43% of the Fund's average daily net assets.
For the period from April 1, 2012 through September 30, 2012, the Advisor had contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or reimburse certain operating expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to maintain the operating expenses (excluding certain expenses such as extraordinary expenses, taxes, brokerage and interest) of each class as follows:
|
Class A
|
.88%
|
|
Class B
|
1.63%
|
|
Class C
|
1.63%
|
|
Class S
|
.73%
|
Effective October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013, the Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or reimburse certain operating expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to maintain the operating expenses (excluding certain expenses such as extraordinary expenses, taxes, brokerage and interest) of each class as follows:
|
Class A
|
.90%
|
|
Class B
|
1.65%
|
|
Class C
|
1.65%
|
|
Class S
|
.75%
|
In addition, the Advisor has voluntarily agreed to waive its fees and/or reimburse certain operating expenses to the extent necessary to maintain the operating expenses (excluding certain expenses such as extraordinary expenses, taxes, brokerage and interest) at 0.63% through July 31, 2012 and 0.65% effective August 1, 2012 for Class S. This voluntary waiver or reimbursement may be terminated at any time at the option of the Advisor.
Administration Fee.
Pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement, DIMA provides most administrative services to the Fund. For all services provided under the Administrative Services Agreement, the Fund pays the Advisor an annual fee ("Administration Fee") of 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets, computed and accrued daily and payable monthly. For the six months ended September 30, 2012, the Administration Fee was $259,709, of which $43,657 is unpaid.
Service Provider Fees.
DWS Investments Service Company ("DISC"), an affiliate of the Advisor, is the transfer agent, dividend-paying agent and shareholder service agent for the Fund. Pursuant to a sub-transfer agency agreement between DISC and DST Systems, Inc. ("DST"), DISC has delegated certain transfer agent, dividend-paying agent and shareholder service agent functions to DST. DISC compensates DST out of the shareholder servicing fee it receives from the Fund. For the six months ended September 30, 2012, the amounts charged to the Fund by DISC were as follows:
|
Services to Shareholders
|
|
Total Aggregated
|
|
|
Waived
|
|
|
Unpaid at September 30, 2012
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
$
|
2,806
|
|
|
$
|
2,806
|
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
Class B
|
|
|
124
|
|
|
|
71
|
|
|
|
15
|
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
1,037
|
|
|
|
1,037
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Class S
|
|
|
43,310
|
|
|
|
43,310
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
47,277
|
|
|
$
|
47,224
|
|
|
$
|
15
|
|
In addition, for the six months ended September 30, 2012, the Advisor reimbursed the Fund $117,572 of non-affiliated sub-recordkeeping expenses for Class S shares.
Distribution and Service Fees.
Under the Fund's Class B and Class C 12b-1 Plans, DWS Investments Distributors, Inc. ("DIDI"), an affiliate of the Advisor, receives a fee ("Distribution Fee") of 0.75% of average daily net assets of each of Class B and C shares. In accordance with the Fund's Underwriting and Distribution Services Agreement, DIDI enters into related selling group agreements with various firms at various rates for sales of Class B and C shares. For the six months ended September 30, 2012, the Distribution Fee was as follows:
|
Distribution Fee
|
|
Total Aggregated
|
|
|
Unpaid at September 30, 2012
|
|
|
Class B
|
|
$
|
1,662
|
|
|
$
|
258
|
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
80,104
|
|
|
|
14,965
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
81,766
|
|
|
$
|
15,223
|
|
In addition, DIDI provides information and administrative services for a fee ("Service Fee") to Class A, B and C shareholders at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets for each such class. DIDI in turn has various agreements with financial services firms that provide these services and pays these fees based upon the assets of shareholder accounts the firms service. For the six months ended September 30, 2012, the Service Fee was as follows:
|
Service Fee
|
|
Total Aggregated
|
|
|
Waived
|
|
|
Unpaid at September 30, 2012
|
|
|
Annualized Effective Rate
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
$
|
94,204
|
|
|
$
|
111
|
|
|
$
|
50,910
|
|
|
|
.24
|
%
|
|
Class B
|
|
|
462
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
266
|
|
|
|
.21
|
%
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
26,702
|
|
|
|
1,237
|
|
|
|
13,461
|
|
|
|
.24
|
%
|
|
|
|
$
|
121,368
|
|
|
$
|
1,348
|
|
|
$
|
64,637
|
|
|
|
|
|
Underwriting Agreement and Contingent Deferred Sales Charge.
DIDI is the principal underwriter for the Fund. Underwriting commissions paid in connection with the distribution of Class A shares for the six months ended September 30, 2012 aggregated $12,975.
In addition, DIDI receives any contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") from Class B share redemptions occurring within six years of purchase and Class C share redemptions occurring within one year of purchase. There is no such charge upon redemption of any share appreciation or reinvested dividends. The CDSC is based on declining rates ranging from 4% to 1% for Class B and 1% for Class C, of the value of the shares redeemed. For the six months ended September 30, 2012, the CDSC for Class B and C shares aggregated $1,004 and $267, respectively. A deferred sales charge of up to 0.50% is assessed on certain redemptions of Class A shares.
Typesetting and Filing Service Fees.
Under an agreement with DIMA, DIMA is compensated for providing typesetting and certain regulatory filing services to the Fund. For the six months ended September 30, 2012, the amount charged to the Fund by DIMA included in the Statement of Operations under "reports to shareholders" aggregated $11,041, of which $3,850 is unpaid.
Trustees' Fees and Expenses.
The Fund paid retainer fees to each Trustee not affiliated with the Advisor, plus specified amounts to the Board Chairperson and to each committee Chairperson.
E. Line of Credit
The Fund and other affiliated funds (the "Participants") share in a $375 million revolving credit facility provided by a syndication of banks. The Fund may borrow for temporary or emergency purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests that otherwise might require the untimely disposition of securities. The Participants are charged an annual commitment fee, which is allocated based on net assets, among each of the Participants. Interest is calculated at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Federal Funds Rate plus 1.25 percent plus if LIBOR exceeds the Federal Funds Rate the amount of such excess. The Fund may borrow up to a maximum of 33 percent of its net assets under the agreement. The Fund had no outstanding loans at September 30, 2012.
F. Share Transactions
The following table summarizes share and dollar activity in the Fund:
|
|
|
Six Months Ended
September 30, 2012
|
|
|
Year Ended
March 31, 2012
|
|
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Dollars
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Dollars
|
|
|
Shares sold
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
|
1,225,390
|
|
|
$
|
18,544,865
|
|
|
|
2,143,278
|
|
|
$
|
31,237,805
|
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
336,687
|
|
|
|
5,075,093
|
|
|
|
428,878
|
|
|
|
6,241,347
|
|
|
Class S
|
|
|
1,817,361
|
|
|
|
27,458,425
|
|
|
|
3,311,512
|
|
|
|
48,220,786
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
51,078,383
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
85,699,938
|
|
|
Shares issued to shareholders in reinvestment of distributions
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
|
85,602
|
|
|
$
|
1,294,062
|
|
|
|
135,201
|
|
|
$
|
1,958,708
|
|
|
Class B
|
|
|
229
|
|
|
|
3,458
|
|
|
|
756
|
|
|
|
10,893
|
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
16,053
|
|
|
|
242,640
|
|
|
|
28,955
|
|
|
|
418,117
|
|
|
Class S
|
|
|
313,475
|
|
|
|
4,738,355
|
|
|
|
674,089
|
|
|
|
9,735,728
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
6,278,515
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
12,123,446
|
|
|
Shares redeemed
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
|
(504,502
|
)
|
|
$
|
(7,611,771
|
)
|
|
|
(670,020
|
)
|
|
$
|
(9,621,372
|
)
|
|
Class B
|
|
|
(8,661
|
)
|
|
|
(129,794
|
)
|
|
|
(12,227
|
)
|
|
|
(176,138
|
)
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
(65,327
|
)
|
|
|
(984,100
|
)
|
|
|
(252,933
|
)
|
|
|
(3,642,292
|
)
|
|
Class S
|
|
|
(2,557,713
|
)
|
|
|
(38,561,325
|
)
|
|
|
(3,112,070
|
)
|
|
|
(44,849,052
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
(47,286,990
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
(58,288,854
|
)
|
|
Net increase (decrease)
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
|
806,490
|
|
|
$
|
12,227,156
|
|
|
|
1,608,459
|
|
|
$
|
23,575,141
|
|
|
Class B
|
|
|
(8,432
|
)
|
|
|
(126,336
|
)
|
|
|
(11,471
|
)
|
|
|
(165,245
|
)
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
287,413
|
|
|
|
4,333,633
|
|
|
|
204,900
|
|
|
|
3,017,172
|
|
|
Class S
|
|
|
(426,877
|
)
|
|
|
(6,364,545
|
)
|
|
|
873,531
|
|
|
|
13,107,462
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
10,069,908
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
39,534,530
|
|
Information About Your Fund's Expenses
As an investor of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: ongoing expenses and transaction costs. Ongoing expenses include management fees, distribution and service (12b-1) fees and other Fund expenses. Examples of transaction costs include sales charges (loads), redemption fees and account maintenance fees, which are not shown in this section. The following tables are intended to help you understand your ongoing expenses (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to help you compare these expenses with the ongoing expenses of investing in other mutual funds. In the most recent six-month period, the Fund limited these expenses; had it not done so, expenses would have been higher. The example in the table is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period and held for the entire period (April 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012).
The tables illustrate your Fund's expenses in two ways:
•
Actual Fund Return.
This helps you estimate the actual dollar amount of ongoing expenses (but not transaction costs) paid on a $1,000 investment in the Fund using the Fund's actual return during the period. To estimate the expenses you paid over the period, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the "Expenses Paid per $1,000" line under the share class you hold.
•
Hypothetical 5% Fund Return.
This helps you to compare your Fund's ongoing expenses (but not transaction costs) with those of other mutual funds using the Fund's actual expense ratio and a hypothetical rate of return of 5% per year before expenses. Examples using a 5% hypothetical fund return may be found in the shareholder reports of other mutual funds. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period.
Please note that the expenses shown in these tables are meant to highlight your ongoing expenses only and do not reflect any transaction costs. The "Expenses Paid per $1,000" line of the tables is useful in comparing ongoing expenses only and will not help you determine the relative total expense of owning different funds. An account maintenance fee of $6.25 per quarter for Class S shares may apply for certain accounts whose balances do not meet the applicable minimum initial investment. This fee is not included in these tables. If it was, the estimate of expenses paid for Class S shares during the period would be higher, and account value during the period would be lower, by this amount.
|
Expenses and Value of a $1,000 Investment
for the six months ended September 30, 2012 (Unaudited)
|
|
|
Actual Fund Return
|
|
Class A
|
|
|
Class B
|
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
Class S
|
|
|
Beginning Account Value 4/1/12
|
|
$
|
1,000.00
|
|
|
$
|
1,000.00
|
|
|
$
|
1,000.00
|
|
|
$
|
1,000.00
|
|
|
Ending Account Value 9/30/12
|
|
$
|
1,050.80
|
|
|
$
|
1,046.10
|
|
|
$
|
1,046.20
|
|
|
$
|
1,052.00
|
|
|
Expenses Paid per $1,000*
|
|
$
|
5.04
|
|
|
$
|
8.87
|
|
|
$
|
8.87
|
|
|
$
|
3.76
|
|
|
Hypothetical 5% Fund Return
|
|
Class A
|
|
|
Class B
|
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
Class S
|
|
|
Beginning Account Value 4/1/12
|
|
$
|
1,000.00
|
|
|
$
|
1,000.00
|
|
|
$
|
1,000.00
|
|
|
$
|
1,000.00
|
|
|
Ending Account Value 9/30/12
|
|
$
|
1,020.16
|
|
|
$
|
1,016.39
|
|
|
$
|
1,016.39
|
|
|
$
|
1,021.41
|
|
|
Expenses Paid per $1,000*
|
|
$
|
4.96
|
|
|
$
|
8.74
|
|
|
$
|
8.74
|
|
|
$
|
3.70
|
|
* Expenses are equal to the Fund's annualized expense ratio for each share class, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 183 (the number of days in the most recent six-month period), then divided by 365.
|
Annualized Expense Ratios
|
Class A
|
Class B
|
Class C
|
Class S
|
|
DWS Massachusetts Tax-Free Fund
†
|
.98%
|
1.73%
|
1.73%
|
.73%
|
†
Includes interest expense and fees on short-term floating rate notes issued in conjunction with inverse floating rate securities of 0.10% for each class.
For more information, please refer to the Fund's prospectus.
Investment Management Agreement Approval
The Board of Trustees approved the renewal of DWS Massachusetts Tax-Free Fund's investment management agreement (the "Agreement") with Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. ("DWS") in September 2012.
In terms of the process that the Board followed prior to approving the Agreement, shareholders should know that:
•
In September 2012, all of the Fund's Trustees were independent of DWS and its affiliates.
•
The Trustees met frequently during the past year to discuss fund matters and dedicated a substantial amount of time to contract review matters. Over the course of several months, the Board's Contract Committee, in coordination with the Board's Fixed Income and Quant Oversight Committee, reviewed comprehensive materials received from DWS, independent third parties and independent counsel. These materials included an analysis of the Fund's performance, fees and expenses, and profitability compiled by the Fund's independent fee consultant. The Board also received extensive information throughout the year regarding performance of the Fund.
•
The Independent Trustees regularly meet privately with their independent counsel to discuss contract review and other matters. In addition, the Independent Trustees were also advised by the Fund's independent fee consultant in the course of their review of the Fund's contractual arrangements and considered a comprehensive report prepared by the independent fee consultant in connection with their deliberations (the "IFC Report").
•
In connection with reviewing the Agreement, the Board also reviewed the terms of the Fund's Rule 12b-1 plan, distribution agreement, administrative services agreement, transfer agency agreement and other material service agreements.
•
Based on its evaluation of the information provided, the Contract Committee presented its findings and recommendations to the Board. The Board then reviewed the Contract Committee's findings and recommendations.
In connection with the contract review process, the Contract Committee and the Board considered the factors discussed below, among others. The Board also considered that DWS and its predecessors have managed the Fund since its inception, and the Board believes that a long-term relationship with a capable, conscientious advisor is in the best interests of the Fund. The Board considered, generally, that shareholders chose to invest or remain invested in the Fund knowing that DWS managed the Fund, and that the Agreement was approved by the Fund's shareholders. DWS is part of Deutsche Bank, a major global banking institution that is engaged in a wide range of financial services. The Board believes that there are advantages to being part of a global asset management business that offers a wide range of investing expertise and resources, including hundreds of portfolio managers and analysts with research capabilities in many countries throughout the world.
As part of the contract review process, the Board carefully considered the fees and expenses of each DWS fund overseen by the Board in light of the fund's performance. In many cases, this led to a negotiation with DWS of lower expense caps for the coming year than had previously been in place. As part of these negotiations, the Board indicated that it would consider relaxing these new lower caps in future years following sustained improvements in performance, among other considerations.
In June 2012, Deutsche Bank ("DB"), DWS's parent company, announced that DB's new management team had concluded the strategic review of its global asset management business announced in late 2011 by DB's prior management team, and would combine its Asset Management (of which DWS is a part) and Wealth Management divisions. Prior to approving the investment management agreements, the Independent Trustees were apprised of the expected management and structure of the new combined Asset & Wealth Management division ("AWM") and DWS. DB also advised the Independent Trustees that the U.S. asset management business is a critical and integral part of DB and AWM, and that DB would be reinvesting a significant portion of the substantial savings it expects to realize by combining its Asset Management and Wealth Management divisions into a combined AWM division, including enhancements to its investment capabilities. DB also confirmed its commitment to maintaining strong legal and compliance groups within the combined division.
While shareholders may focus primarily on fund performance and fees, the Fund's Board considers these and many other factors, including the quality and integrity of DWS's personnel and such other issues as back-office operations, fund valuations, and compliance policies and procedures.
Nature, Quality and Extent of Services.
The Board considered the terms of the Agreement, including the scope of advisory services provided under the Agreement. The Board noted that, under the Agreement, DWS provides portfolio management services to the Fund and that, pursuant to a separate administrative services agreement, DWS provides administrative services to the Fund. The Board considered the experience and skills of senior management and investment personnel, the resources made available to such personnel, the ability of DWS to attract and retain high-quality personnel, and the organizational depth and stability of DWS. The Board reviewed the Fund's performance over short-term and long-term periods and compared those returns to various agreed-upon performance measures, including market indices and a peer universe compiled by the independent fee consultant using information supplied by Lipper Inc. ("Lipper"), an independent fund data service. The Board also noted that it has put into place a process of identifying "Focus Funds" (e.g., funds performing poorly relative to their benchmark or a peer universe compiled by an independent fund data service), and receives more frequent reporting and information from DWS regarding such funds, along with DWS's remedial plans to address underperformance. The Board believes this process is an effective manner of identifying and addressing underperforming funds. Based on the information provided, the Board noted that for the one-, three- and five-year periods ended December 31, 2011, the Fund's performance (Class A shares) was in the 4th quartile, 3rd quartile and 1st quartile, respectively, of the applicable Lipper universe (the 1st quartile being the best performers and the 4th quartile being the worst performers). The Board also observed that the Fund has outperformed its benchmark in the three-year period and has underperformed its benchmark in the one- and five-year periods ended December 31, 2011. The Board noted the disappointing investment performance of the Fund in recent periods and continued to discuss with senior management of DWS the factors contributing to such underperformance.
Fees and Expenses.
The Board considered the Fund's investment management fee schedule, operating expenses and total expense ratios, and comparative information provided by Lipper and the independent fee consultant regarding investment management fee rates paid to other investment advisors by similar funds (1st quartile being the most favorable and 4th quartile being the least favorable). With respect to management fees paid to other investment advisors by similar funds, the Board noted that the contractual fee rates paid by the Fund, which include a 0.10% fee paid to DWS under the Fund's administrative services agreement, were higher than the median (4th quartile) of the applicable Lipper peer group (based on Lipper data provided as of December 31, 2011). The Board noted that the Fund's Class A shares total (net) operating expenses (excluding 12b-1 fees) were expected to be higher than the median (3rd quartile) of the applicable Lipper expense universe (based on Lipper data provided as of December 31, 2011, and analyzing Lipper expense universe Class A (net) expenses less any applicable 12b-1 fees) ("Lipper Universe Expenses"). The Board also reviewed data comparing each share class's total (net) operating expenses to the applicable Lipper Universe Expenses. The Board considered the Fund's management fee rate as compared to fees charged by DWS and certain of its affiliates for comparable mutual funds and considered differences in fund and fee structures between the DWS Funds. The Board also considered how the Fund's total (net) operating expenses compared to the total (net) operating expenses of a more customized peer group selected by Lipper (based on such factors as asset size). The Board also noted that the expense limitations agreed to by DWS helped to ensure that the Fund's total (net) operating expenses would remain competitive.
The information considered by the Board as part of its review of management fees included information regarding fees charged by DWS and its affiliates to similar institutional accounts and to similar funds offered primarily to European investors ("DWS Europe funds"), in each case as applicable. The Board observed that advisory fee rates for institutional accounts generally were lower than the management fees charged by similarly managed DWS U.S. mutual funds ("DWS Funds"), but also took note of the differences in services provided to DWS Funds as compared to institutional accounts. In the case of DWS Europe funds, the Board observed that fee rates for DWS Europe funds generally were higher than for similarly managed DWS Funds, but noted that differences in the types of services provided to DWS Funds relative to DWS Europe funds made it difficult to compare such fees.
On the basis of the information provided, the Board concluded that management fees were reasonable and appropriate in light of the nature, quality and extent of services provided by DWS.
Profitability.
The Board reviewed detailed information regarding revenues received by DWS under the Agreement. The Board considered the estimated costs and pre-tax profits realized by DWS from advising the DWS Funds, as well as estimates of the pre-tax profits attributable to managing the Fund in particular. The Board also received information regarding the estimated enterprise-wide profitability of DWS and its affiliates with respect to all fund services in totality and by fund. The Board and the independent fee consultant reviewed DWS's methodology in allocating its costs to the management of the Fund. Based on the information provided, the Board concluded that the pre-tax profits realized by DWS in connection with the management of the Fund were not unreasonable. The Board also reviewed information regarding the profitability of certain similar investment management firms. The Board noted that while information regarding the profitability of such firms is limited (and in some cases is not necessarily prepared on a comparable basis), DWS and its affiliates' overall profitability with respect to the DWS fund complex (after taking into account distribution and other services provided to the funds by DWS and its affiliates) was lower than the overall profitability levels of many comparable firms for which such data was available.
Economies of Scale.
The Board considered whether there are economies of scale with respect to the management of the Fund and whether the Fund benefits from any economies of scale. The Board noted that the Fund's management fee schedule includes fee breakpoints. The Board concluded that the Fund's fee schedule represents an appropriate sharing between the Fund and DWS of such economies of scale as may exist in the management of the Fund at current asset levels.
Other Benefits to DWS and Its Affiliates.
The Board also considered the character and amount of other incidental benefits received by DWS and its affiliates, including any fees received by DWS for administrative services provided to the Fund and any fees received by an affiliate of DWS for distribution services. The Board also considered benefits to DWS related to brokerage and soft-dollar allocations, including allocating brokerage to pay for research generated by parties other than the executing broker dealers, which pertain primarily to funds investing in equity securities, along with the incidental public relations benefits to DWS related to DWS Funds advertising and cross-selling opportunities among DWS products and services. The Board concluded that management fees were reasonable in light of these fallout benefits.
Compliance.
The Board considered the significant attention and resources dedicated by DWS to documenting and enhancing its compliance processes in recent years. The Board noted in particular (i) the experience and seniority of both DWS's chief compliance officer and the Fund's chief compliance officer; (ii) the large number of DWS compliance personnel; and (iii) the substantial commitment of resources by DWS and its affiliates to compliance matters.
Based on all of the information considered and the conclusions reached, the Board unanimously determined that the continuation of the Agreement is in the best interests of the Fund. In making this determination, the Board did not give particular weight to any single factor identified above. The Board considered these factors over the course of numerous meetings, certain of which were in executive session with only the Independent Trustees and their counsel present. It is possible that individual Trustees may have weighed these factors differently in reaching their individual decisions to approve the continuation of the Agreement.
Summary of Management Fee Evaluation by Independent Fee Consultant
September 17, 2012
Pursuant to an Order entered into by Deutsche Investment Management Americas and affiliates (collectively, "DeAM") with the Attorney General of New York, I, Thomas H. Mack, have been appointed the Independent Fee Consultant for the DWS Funds (formerly the DWS Scudder Funds). My duties include preparing an annual written evaluation of the management fees DeAM charges the Funds, considering among other factors the management fees charged by other mutual fund companies for like services, management fees DeAM charges other clients for like services, DeAM's costs of supplying services under the management agreements and related profit margins, possible economies of scale if a Fund grows larger, and the nature and quality of DeAM's services, including fund performance. This report summarizes my evaluation for 2012, including my qualifications, the evaluation process for each of the DWS Funds, consideration of certain complex-level factors, and my conclusions. I served in substantially the same capacity in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Qualifications
For more than 35 years I have served in various professional capacities within the investment management business. I have held investment analysis and advisory positions, including securities analyst, portfolio strategist and director of investment policy with a large investment firm. I have also performed business management functions, including business development, financial management and marketing research and analysis.
Since 1991, I have been an independent consultant within the asset management industry. I have provided services to over 125 client organizations, including investment managers, mutual fund boards, product distributors and related organizations. Over the past ten years I have completed a number of assignments for mutual fund boards, specifically including assisting boards with management contract renewal.
I hold a Master of Business Administration degree, with highest honors, from Harvard University and Master of Science and Bachelor of Science (highest honors) degrees from the University of California at Berkeley. I am an independent director and audit committee financial expert for two closed-end mutual funds and have served in various leadership and financial oversight capacities with non-profit organizations.
Evaluation of Fees for each DWS Fund
My work focused primarily on evaluating, fund-by-fund, the fees charged to each of the 103 mutual fund portfolios in the DWS Fund family. For each Fund, I considered each of the key factors mentioned above, as well as any other relevant information. In doing so I worked closely with the Funds' Independent Directors in their annual contract renewal process, as well as in their approval of contracts for several new funds (documented separately).
In evaluating each Fund's fees, I reviewed comprehensive materials provided by or on behalf of DeAM, including expense information prepared by Lipper Analytical, comparative performance information, profitability data, manager histories, and other materials. I also accessed certain additional information from the Lipper and Morningstar databases and drew on my industry knowledge and experience.
To facilitate evaluating this considerable body of information, I prepared for each Fund a document summarizing the key data elements in each area as well as additional analytics discussed below. This made it possible to consider each key data element in the context of the others.
In the course of contract renewal, DeAM agreed to implement a number of fee and expense adjustments requested by the Independent Directors which will favorably impact future fees and expenses, and my evaluation includes the effects of these changes.
Fees and Expenses Compared with Other Funds
The competitive fee and expense evaluation for each fund focused on two primary comparisons:
The Fund's contractual management fee (the advisory fee plus the administration fee where applicable) compared with those of a group of typically 12-15 funds in the same Lipper investment category (e.g. Large Capitalization Growth) having similar distribution arrangements and being of similar size.
The Fund's total expenses compared with a broader universe of funds from the same Lipper investment category and having similar distribution arrangements.
These two comparisons provide a view of not only the level of the fee compared with funds of similar scale but also the total expense the Fund bears for all the services it receives, in comparison with the investment choices available in the Fund's investment category and distribution channel. The principal figure-of-merit used in these comparisons was the subject Fund's percentile ranking against peers.
DeAM's Fees for Similar Services to Others
DeAM provided management fee schedules for all of its US domiciled fund and non-fund investment management accounts in any of the investment categories where there is a DWS Fund. These similar products included the other DWS Funds, non-fund pooled accounts, institutional accounts and sub-advisory accounts. Using this information, I calculated for each Fund the fee that would be charged to each similar product, at the subject Fund's asset level.
Evaluating information regarding non-fund products is difficult because there are varying levels of services required for different types of accounts, with mutual funds generally requiring considerably more regulatory and administrative types of service as well as having more frequent cash flows than other types of accounts. Also, while mutual fund fees for similar fund products can be expected to be similar, there will be some differences due to different pricing conditions in different distribution channels (e.g. retail funds versus those used in variable insurance products), differences in underlying investment processes and other factors.
Costs and Profit Margins
DeAM provided a detailed profitability analysis for each Fund. After making some adjustments so that the presentation would be more comparable to the available industry figures, I reviewed profit margins from investment management alone, from investment management plus other fund services (excluding distribution) provided to the Funds by DeAM (principally shareholder services), and DeAM profits from all sources, including distribution. A later section comments on overall profitability.
Economies of Scale
Economies of scale — an expected decline in management cost per dollar of fund assets as fund assets grow — are very rarely quantified and documented because of inherent difficulties in collecting and analyzing relevant data. However, in virtually every investment category that I reviewed, larger funds tend to have lower fees and lower total expenses than smaller funds. To see how each DWS Fund compares with this industry observation, I reviewed:
The trend in Fund assets over the last five years and the accompanying trend in total expenses. This shows if the Fund has grown and, if so, whether total expense (management fees as well as other expenses) have declined as a percent of assets.
Whether the Fund has break-points in its management fee schedule, the extent of the fee reduction built into the schedule and the asset levels where the breaks take effect, and in the case of a sub-advised Fund how the Fund's break-points compare with those of the sub-advisory fee schedule.
How the Fund's contractual fee schedule compares with trends in the industry data. To accomplish this, I constructed a chart showing how actual latest-fiscal-year contractual fees of the Fund and of other similar funds relate to average fund assets, with the subject Fund's contractual fee schedule superimposed.
Quality of Service — Performance
The quality-of-service evaluation focused on investment performance, which is the principal result of the investment management service. Each Fund's performance was reviewed over the past 1, 3, 5 and 10 years, as applicable, and compared with that of other funds in the same investment category and with a suitable market index.
In addition, I calculated and reviewed risk-adjusted returns relative to an index of similar mutual funds' returns and a suitable market index. The risk-adjusted returns analysis provides a way of determining the extent to which the Fund's return comparisons are mainly the product of investment value-added (or lack thereof) or alternatively taking considerably more or less risk than is typical in its investment category.
I also received and considered the history of portfolio manager changes for each Fund, as this provided an important context for evaluating the performance results.
Complex-Level Considerations
While this evaluation was conducted mainly at the individual fund level, there are some issues relating to the reasonableness of fees that can alternatively be considered across the whole fund complex:
I reviewed DeAM's profitability analysis for all DWS Funds, with a view toward determining if the allocation procedures used were reasonable and how profit levels compared with public data for other investment managers.
I considered whether DeAM and affiliates receive any significant ancillary or "fallout" benefits that should be considered in interpreting the direct profitability results. These would be situations where serving as the investment manager of the Funds is beneficial to another part of the Deutsche Bank organization.
I considered how aggregated DWS Fund expenses had varied over the years, by asset class and in the context of trends in asset levels.
I considered how aggregated DWS Fund performance measures relative to appropriate peers had varied by asset class and over time.
I reviewed the structure of the DeAM organization, trends in staffing levels, and information on compensation of investment management and other professionals compared with industry data.
Findings
Based on the process and analysis discussed above, which included reviewing a wide range of information from management and external data sources and considering among other factors the fees DeAM charges other clients, the fees charged by other fund managers, DeAM's costs and profits associated with managing the Funds, economies of scale, possible fall-out benefits, and the nature and quality of services provided, in my opinion the management fees charged the DWS Funds are reasonable.
Thomas H. Mack
President, Thomas H. Mack & Co., Inc.
Account Management Resources
|
|
|
For More Information
|
|
The automated telephone system allows you to access personalized account information and obtain information on other DWS funds using either your voice or your telephone keypad. Certain account types within Classes A, B, C and S also have the ability to purchase, exchange or redeem shares using this system.
For more information, contact your financial advisor. You may also access our automated telephone system or speak with a DWS Investments representative by calling:
(800) 728-3337
|
|
Web Site
|
|
www.dws-investments.com
View your account transactions and balances, trade shares, monitor your asset allocation, and change your address, 24 hours a day.
Obtain prospectuses and applications,
blank forms, interactive worksheets, news about DWS funds, subscription to fund updates by e-mail, retirement planning information, and more.
|
|
Written Correspondence
|
|
DWS Investments
PO Box 219151
Kansas City, MO 64121-9151
|
|
Proxy Voting
|
|
The fund's policies and procedures for voting proxies for portfolio securities and information about how the fund voted proxies related to its portfolio securities during the 12-month period ended June 30 are available on our Web site — www.dws-investments.com (click on "proxy voting"at the bottom of the page) — or on the SEC's Web site — www.sec.gov. To obtain a written copy of the fund's policies and procedures without charge, upon request, call us toll free at (800) 728-3337.
|
|
Portfolio Holdings
|
|
Following the fund's fiscal first and third quarter-end, a complete portfolio holdings listing is filed with the SEC on Form N-Q. This form will be available on the SEC's Web site at www.sec.gov, and it also may be reviewed and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the SEC's Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling (800) SEC-0330. The fund's portfolio holdings are also posted on www.dws-investments.com from time to time. Please see the fund's current prospectus for more information.
|
|
Principal Underwriter
|
|
If you have questions, comments or complaints, contact:
DWS Investments Distributors, Inc.
222 South Riverside Plaza
Chicago, IL 60606-5808
(800) 621-1148
|
|
Investment Management
|
|
Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. ("DIMA" or the "Advisor"), which is part of Deutsche Asset Management, is the investment advisor for the fund. DIMA and its predecessors have more than 80 years of experience managing mutual funds and DIMA provides a full range of investment advisory services to both institutional and retail clients.
DIMA is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank AG. Deutsche Bank AG is a major global banking institution engaged in a wide variety of financial services, including investment management, retail, private and commercial banking, investment banking and insurance.
DWS Investments is the retail brand name in the U.S. for the asset management activities of Deutsche Bank AG and DIMA. As such, DWS is committed to delivering the investing expertise, insight and resources of this global investment platform to American investors.
|
|
|
|
Class A
|
Class B
|
Class C
|
Class S
|
|
Nasdaq Symbol
|
|
SQMAX
|
SQMBX
|
SQMCX
|
SCMAX
|
|
CUSIP Number
|
|
23337J 104
|
23337J 203
|
23337J 302
|
23337J 500
|
|
Fund Number
|
|
412
|
612
|
712
|
2012
|
|
FACTS
|
|
What Does DWS Investments Do With Your Personal Information?
|
|
Why?
|
|
Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.
|
|
What?
|
|
The types of personal information we collect and share can include:
•
Social Security number
• Account balances
•
Purchase and transaction history
•
Bank account information
•
Contact information such as mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number
|
|
How?
|
|
All financial companies need to share customers' personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers' personal information, the reasons DWS Investments chooses to share and whether you can limit this sharing.
|
|
Reasons we can share your personal information
|
Does DWS Investments share?
|
Can you limit this sharing?
|
|
For our everyday business purposes —
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders or legal investigations
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
For joint marketing with other financial companies
|
No
|
We do not share
|
|
For our affiliates' everyday business purposes —
information about your transactions and experiences
|
No
|
We do not share
|
|
For our affiliates' everyday business purposes —
information about your creditworthiness
|
No
|
We do not share
|
|
For non-affiliates to market to you
|
No
|
We do not share
|
|
Questions?
|
|
Call (800) 728-3337 or e-mail us at dws-investments.info@dws.com
|
|
Who we are
|
|
Who is providing this notice?
|
|
DWS Investments Distributors, Inc.; Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc.; DeAM Investor Services, Inc.; DWS Trust Company; the DWS Funds
|
|
What we do
|
|
How does DWS Investments protect my personal information?
|
|
To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.
|
|
How does DWS Investments collect my personal information?
|
|
We collect your personal information, for example. When you:
•
open an account
•
give us your contact information
•
provide bank account information for ACH or wire transactions
•
tell us where to send money
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seek advice about your investments
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Why can't I limit all sharing?
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Federal law gives you the right to limit only
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sharing for affiliates' everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness
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affiliates from using your information to market to you
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sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you
State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.
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Definitions
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Affiliates
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Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial or non-financial companies. Our affiliates include financial companies with the DWS or Deutsche Bank ("DB") name, such as DB AG Frankfurt and DB Alex Brown.
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Non-affiliates
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Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and non-financial companies.
Non-affiliates we share with include account service providers, service quality monitoring services, mailing service providers and verification services to help in the fight against money laundering and fraud.
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Joint marketing
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A formal agreement between non-affiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you. DWS Investments does not jointly market.
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Notes
Notes
Notes