John Hancock Freedom 529 offers the Education Planning Center for college planning

BOSTON, Oct. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Investments today announced that the John Hancock Freedom 529 education savings plan has launched the Education Planning Center, a complimentary, online suite of college planning tools for clients. Through the secure site, clients can:

• Establish each child's individual education goals
• Search for schools and scholarships
• Get information to attend a college fair or plan a campus visit
• Prep for and schedule required tests
• Find financial aid resources
• Monitor the college application process

"This tool offers families and their financial advisors a single destination to navigate the complex task of getting a child to college," said John P. Bryson, head of portfolio consulting and college savings for John Hancock Investments. "With the cost of higher education continuing to climb, college is becoming an increasingly significant savings challenge. It was important to us to be a source of useful information and practical financial guidance to make the process easier."  

In addition to offering background on the significant benefits of using 529 plans for saving for college and comprehensive information on all the stages of college planning, John Hancock Freedom 529 is also making saving through its plan more attractive by:

• Reducing the initial investment minimum from $1,000 to $250, effective November 1, 2018
• Enabling beneficiaries of the plan to attend the University of Alaska at the in-state tuition rate regardless of where they live – representing a potential annual savings of more than $16,000 – if they've held an account for at least the two years immediately preceding enrollment.*

"We're pleased to offer a plan that's designed to help make the dream of a college education more attainable. The plan's unique multimanager platform provides investors and their advisors access to specialized expertise from more than 20 of the nation's leading money management firms, as well as diversification by asset class and investment style," said Mr. Bryson.

* University of Alaska Fairbanks, May 2018.

About John Hancock Investments

John Hancock has helped individuals and institutions build and protect wealth since 1862. Today, we are one of the strongest and most-recognized financial brands. We serve investors globally through a unique multimanager approach: We search the world to find proven portfolio teams with specialized expertise for every strategy we offer, then we apply robust investment oversight to ensure they continue to meet our uncompromising standards and serve the best interests of our shareholders. Our approach to asset management has led to a diverse set of investments deeply rooted in investor needs, along with strong risk-adjusted returns across asset classes. 

About John Hancock and Manulife  

John Hancock is a division of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and as Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were over CAD$1.1 trillion (US$849 billion) as of June 30, 2018. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com.

One of the largest life insurers in the United States, John Hancock supports approximately 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, and education savings plans. We also offer advice through Signator, a network of independent financial advisors. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

If your state or your designated beneficiary's state offers a 529 plan, you may want to consider what, if any, potential state income-tax or other state benefits it offers, such as financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors, before investing. State tax or other benefits should be one of many factors to be considered prior to making an investment decision. Please consult with your financial, tax, or other advisor about how these state benefits, if any, may apply to your specific circumstances. You may also contact your state 529 plan or any other 529 education savings plan to learn more about their features. Please contact your financial advisor or call 866-222-7498 to obtain a Plan Disclosure Document or prospectus for any of the underlying funds. The Plan Disclosure Document contains complete details on investment objectives, risks, fees, charges, and expenses, as well as more information about municipal fund securities and the underlying investment companies that should be considered before investing. Please read the Plan Disclosure Document carefully prior to investing.

John Hancock Freedom 529 is an education savings plan offered by the Education Trust of Alaska, managed by T. Rowe Price, and distributed by John Hancock Distributors LLC through other broker-dealers that have a selling agreement with John Hancock Distributors LLC. John Hancock Distributors LLC is a member of FINRA and is listed with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). © 2019 John Hancock. All rights reserved. Information included in this material is believed to be accurate as of the printing date.

529 PLANS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED, MAY LOSE VALUE, AND ARE NOT BANK OR STATE GUARANTEED.

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SOURCE John Hancock Investments