Hartford Funds Expands Fixed Income Offerings with Launch of Municipal Bond ETF

Hartford Funds today announced the listing of its fourth actively managed fixed income and 11th overall exchange-traded fund (“ETF”), Hartford Municipal Opportunities ETF (NYSE: HMOP). Sub-advised by Wellington Management Company LLP (“Wellington Management”), this actively managed ETF is designed to provide financial advisors and their clients with an investing strategy that seeks tax-exempt income by investing in opportunities in investment grade and high-yield municipal bonds.

“Investors are very tax-aware and, as interest rates go up, advisors are seeking fixed income strategies with the potential for greater after-tax returns and income,” said Vernon Meyer, Chief Investment Officer of Hartford Funds. “HMOP offers a diversified option for this challenge in a more tax-efficient ETF, while tapping into Wellington’s deep knowledge of managing municipal funds backed by credit research expertise.”

HMOP offers an actively managed municipal bond strategy that invests in investment grade and non-investment grade municipal securities across states, sectors, and different parts of the yield curve. The strategy seeks to deliver current income generally exempt from federal income taxes and long-term total return. HMOP has an expense ratio of 0.35 percent.

Wellington Management’s Brad W. Libby, Managing Director and Fixed Income Portfolio Manager/Credit Analyst, and Timothy D. Haney, CFA, Senior Managing Director and Fixed Income Portfolio Manager, and, will serve as the portfolio managers of the Hartford Municipal Opportunities ETF.

About Hartford Funds

Founded in 1996, Hartford Funds is a leading asset manager, which provides mutual funds, ETFs, and 529 college savings plans. Using its human-centric investing approach, Hartford Funds creates strategies and tools designed to address the needs and wants of investors. Leveraging partnerships with leading experts, Hartford Funds delivers insight into the latest demographic trends and investor behavior.

The firm’s line-up includes more than 55 mutual funds in a variety of styles and asset classes, as well as a variety of multifactor and active ETFs. Its mutual funds (with the exception of certain fund of funds) are sub-advised by Wellington Management or Schroder Investment Management North America Inc. The strategic beta ETFs offered by Hartford Funds are designed to help address investors’ evolving needs by leveraging a unique risk-optimized approach, which identifies risks within each asset class and then deliberately and systematically re-allocates capital toward risks more likely to enhance return potential. As of September 30, 2017, Hartford Funds had approximately $95.6 billion (excluding assets used in certain annuity products) in discretionary and non-discretionary assets under management. For more information about our investment family, visit http://www.hartfordfunds.com.

A "yield curve" represents a set of interest rates for a series of maturity dates.

"Tax-efficient" refers to minimized tax liability.

Important Risks: The Fund is new and has a limited operating history. All investments are subject to risk, including the possible loss of principal. There is no guarantee the Fund will achieve its stated objective. The net asset value (NAV) of the Fund's shares may fluctuate due to changes in the market value of the Fund's holdings, as well as the relative supply of and demand for the shares on an exchange. The Fund is actively managed and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Fixed Income risks include credit, liquidity, call, duration, and interest-rate risk. As interest rates rise, bond prices generally fall; these risks are currently heightened because interest rates are at, or near, historical lows. Investments in high-yield ("junk") bonds involve greater risk of price volatility, illiquidity, and default than higher-rated debt securities. Municipal securities may be adversely impacted by state/local, political, economic, or market conditions. Investors may be subject to the federal Alternative Minimum Tax as well as state and local income taxes. Capital gains, if any, are taxable.

Investors should carefully consider a fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other important information is contained in a fund’s full prospectus and summary prospectus, if available, which can be obtained by visiting hartfordfunds.com. Please read it carefully before investing.

Hartford Funds refers to Hartford Funds Management Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries, including the mutual funds’ and active ETFs’ investment manager, Hartford Funds Management Company, LLC (HFMC), the mutual funds’ distributor, Hartford Funds Distributors, LLC, Member FINRA, as well as Lattice Strategies LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of HFMC, which serves as the investment adviser to strategic beta exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Certain funds are sub-advised by Wellington Management Company LLP or Schroder Investment Management North America Inc. Schroder Investment Management North America Ltd. serves as a secondary sub-adviser to certain funds. All ETFs are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (ALPS). Hartford Funds is not affiliated with any fund sub-adviser or ALPS.

HIG-W

Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those discussed in The Hartford’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other filings The Hartford makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.

From time to time, The Hartford may use its website to disseminate material company information. Financial and other important information regarding The Hartford is routinely accessible through and posted on our website at http://ir.thehartford.com. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about The Hartford when you enroll your email address by visiting the "Email Alerts" section at http://ir.thehartford.com.

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HFA000224 12/15/18

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171214005029/en/

For Hartford FundsMeg McDermott, 212-279-3115 x238mmcdermott@prosek.com

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