File No. 333-48721 CIK #1025242
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D. C. 20549-1004
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 1
to
Form S-6
For Registration under the Securities Act of 1933 of
Securities of Unit Investment Trusts Registered on
Form N-8B-2
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 96
(Exact Name of Trust)
Van Kampen Funds Inc.
(Exact Name of Depositor)
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
(Complete address of Depositor's principal executive offices)
VAN KAMPEN FUNDS INC. CHAPMAN AND CUTLER
Attention: A. Thomas Smith III, General Counsel Attention: Mark J. Kneedy
One Parkview Plaza 111 West Monroe Street
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181 Chicago, Illinois 60603
(Name and complete address of agents for service)
( X ) Check if it is proposed that this filing will become effective
on July 26, 1999 pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485.
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 96
REIT Income and Growth Trust, Series 2
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PROSPECTUS PART ONE
NOTE: Part I of this Prospectus may not be distributed unless accompanied by
Part II. Please retain both parts of this Prospectus for future reference.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 96 is comprised
of one unit investment trust, REIT Income and Growth Trust, Series 2 (the
"Trust"). The Trust offers investors the opportunity to purchase Units
representing proportionate interests in a fixed portfolio of equity securities
issued by publicly traded real estate investment trusts.
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE
UNITS OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
The date of this Prospectus is July 26, 1999
Van Kampen Focus Portfolios (SM)
A Division of Van Kampen Funds Inc.
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 96
REIT Income and Growth Trust, Series 2
Summary of Essential Financial Information
As of May 4, 1999
Sponsor: Van Kampen Funds Inc.
Supervisor: Van Kampen Investment Advisory Corp.
(An affiliate of the Sponsor)
Evaluator: American Portfolio Evaluation Services
(A division of an affiliate of the Sponsor)
Trustee: The Bank of New York
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
REIT Income
and Growth
Trust
----------------
General Information
<S> <C>
Number of Units 3,708,316.666
Fractional Undivided Interest in Trust per Unit 1/3,708,316.666
Public Offering Price:
Aggregate Value of Securities in Portfolio (1) $ 32,493,610
Aggregate Value of Securities per Unit (including accumulated dividends) $ 8.76
Sales charge 3.25% (3.359% of Aggregate Value of Securities excluding principal cash)
per Unit (3) $ .25
Public Offering Price per Unit (2)(3) $ 9.01
Redemption Price per Unit $ 8.76
Secondary Market Repurchase Price per Unit $ 8.76
Excess of Public Offering Price per Unit Over Redemption Price per Unit $ .25
Supervisor's Annual Supervisory Fee Maximum of $.0025 per Unit
Evaluator's Annual Fee Maximum of $.0025 per Unit
Evaluation Time Close of the New York Stock Exchange
Initial Date of Deposit April 16, 1998
Mandatory Termination Date April 16, 2001
Minimum Termination Value .................... The Trust may be terminated
if the net asset value of such Trust is less than $500,000 unless the
net asset value of the Trust deposits has exceeded $15,000,000, then
the Trust Agreement may be terminated if the net asset value of the
Trust is less than $3,000,000.
Special Information
Estimated Net Annual Dividends per Unit $.62718
Trustee's Annual fee $.008 per Unit
Estimated Annual Organizational Expenses per unit (4) $.0069 per Unit
Income Distribution Record Date TENTH day of March, June, September and December
Income Distribution Date TWENTY-FIFTH day of March, June, September and December
Capital Account Record Date TENTH day of December
Capital Account Distribution Date TWENTY-FIFTH day of December
</TABLE>
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(1) Equity Securities listed on a national securities exchange are value
at the closing sale price, or if no such price exists, or if the
Equity Securities are not listed, at the closing bid price thereof.
(2) Anyone ordering Units will have added to the Public Offering Price a
pro rata share of any cash in the Income and Capital Accounts.
(3) Effective on each April 16, the secondary sales charge will decrease
by .5 of 1% to a minimum sales charge of 2.75%. See "Public Offering
Offering Price" in Part Two.
(4) The Trust (and therefore Unitholders) will bear all or a portion of
its organizational costs (including costs of preparing the
registration statement, the trust indenture and other closing
documents, registering Units with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and states, the initial audit of the Trust portfolio and
the initial fees and expenses of the Trustee but not including the
expenses incurred in the preparation and printing of brochures and
other advertising materials and any other selling expenses) as is
common for mutual funds. Total organizational expenses will be
amortized over the life of the trust.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PER UNIT INFORMATION
1999 (1)
------------
<S> <C>
Net asset value per Unit at beginning of period........................................................ $ 10.00
============
Net asset value per Unit at end of period.............................................................. $ 8.02
============
Distributions to Unitholders of investment income including accumulated dividends paid
on Units redeemed (average Units outstanding for entire period)..................................... $ 0.57
============
Distributions to Unitholders from Equity Security redemption proceeds (average Units
outstanding for entire period)...................................................................... $ --
============
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of Equity Securities (per Unit outstanding at
end of period)...................................................................................... $ (1.90)
============
Units outstanding at end of period..................................................................... 3,998,784
</TABLE>
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(1) For the period from April 16, 1998 (date of deposit) through March 31,
1999.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
To the Board of Directors of Van Kampen Funds Inc. and the Unitholders of Van
Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 96 (REIT Income and
Growth Trust, Series 2):
We have audited the accompanying statement of condition (including the
analysis of net assets) and the related portfolio of Van Kampen American Capital
Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 96 (REIT Income and Growth Trust, Series 2) as
of March 31, 1999 and the related statements of operations and changes in net
assets for the period from April 16,1998 (date of deposit) through March 31,
1999. These statements are the responsibility of the Trustee and the Sponsor.
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on such statements based on our
audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurances about whether the financial statements are free of
material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our
procedures included confirmation of securities owned at March 31, 1999 by
correspondence with the Trustee. An audit also includes assessing the accounting
principles used and significant estimates made by the Trustee and the Sponsor,
as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe
our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of Van Kampen American Capital
Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 96 (REIT Income and Growth Trust, Series 2) as
of March 31, 1999 and the results of operations and changes in net assets for
the period from April 16,1998 (date of deposit) through March 31, 1999, in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.
GRANT THORNTON LLP
Chicago, Illinois
May 21, 1999
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
REIT INCOME AND GROWTH TRUST, SERIES 2
Statements of Condition
March 31, 1999
REIT Income
and Growth
Trust
---------------
Trust property
<S> <C>
Securities at market value, (cost $39,687,819) (note 1) $ 32,103,927
Accumulated dividends 141,777
Organizational Cost 51,189
Receivable for securities sold 154,575
---------------
$ 32,451,468
===============
Liabilities and interest to Unitholders
Cash overdraft $ 199,605
Redemptions payable 153,086
Accrued Organizational Cost 12,654
Interest to Unitholders 32,086,123
---------------
$ 32,451,468
===============
Analyses of Net Assets
Interest of Unitholders (3,998,784 Units of fractional undivided interest outstanding)
Cost to original investors of 7,115,792 Units (note 1) $ 69,730,747
Less initial underwriting commission (note 3) --
---------------
69,730,747
Less redemption of 3,117,008 Units 28,540,241
---------------
41,190,506
Undistributed net investment income
Net investment income 4,222,720
Less distributions to Unitholders 2,880,070
---------------
1,342,650
Realized gain (loss) on Security sale (2,863,141)
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of Securities (note 2) (7,583,892)
Distributions to Unitholders of Security sale proceeds --
---------------
Net asset value to Unitholders $ 32,086,123
===============
Net asset value per Unit (3,998,784 Units outstanding) $ 8.02
===============
</TABLE>
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
REIT INCOME AND GROWTH TRUST, SERIES 2
Statements of Operations
Period from April 16, 1998 (date of deposit) through March 31, 1999
1999
--------------
Investment income
<S> <C>
Dividend income.................................................................................. $ 4,324,157
Expenses
Trustee fees and expenses..................................................................... 46,569
Evaluator fees................................................................................ 14,262
Supervisory fees.............................................................................. 14,262
Audit fees.................................................................................... 750
Organizational fees........................................................................... 25,594
--------------
Total expenses............................................................................. 101,437
--------------
Net investment income......................................................................... 4,222,720
Realized gain (loss) from Security sale
Proceeds......................................................................................... 28,396,068
Cost............................................................................................. 31,259,209
--------------
Realized gain (loss).......................................................................... (2,863,141)
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of Securities.................................. (7,583,892)
--------------
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS............................... $ (6,224,313)
==============
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
Period from April 16, 1998 (date of deposit) through March 31, 1999
1999
--------------
Increase (decrease) in net assets Operations:
Net investment income............................................................................ $ 4,222,720
Realized gain (loss) on Securities............................................................... (2,863,141)
Net Change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of Securities............................... (7,583,892)
--------------
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations............................... (6,224,313)
Distributions to Unitholders from:
Net investment income............................................................................ (2,880,070)
Security sale proceeds........................................................................... --
Redemption of Units................................................................................. (28,540,241)
--------------
Total increase (decrease)..................................................................... (37,644,624)
Net asset value to Unitholders
Beginning of period.............................................................................. 116,763
Additional Securities purchased from the proceeds of Unit Sales.................................. 69,613,984
--------------
End of period (including undistributed net investment income of $1,342,650)...................... $ 32,086,123
==============
</TABLE>
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
REIT GROWTH AND INCOME TRUST PORTFOLIO as of March 31, 1999
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Valuation of
Number Market Value Securities
of Shares Name of Issuer Per Share (Note 1)
- --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
358,158 Brandywine Realty Trust $ 16.2500 $ 5,820,068
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
211,939 BRE Properties, Incorporated 22.6250 4,795,120
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
252,833 Highwoods Properties, Inc. 23.5625 5,957,377
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
249,106 Hospitality Properties Trust 27.0625 6,741,431
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
238,371 Kimco Realty Corporation 36.8750 8,789,931
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1,310,407 $ 32,103,927
=============== ===============
</TABLE>
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The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.
REIT INCOME AND GROWTH TRUST, SERIES 2
Notes to Financial Statements
March 31, 1999
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NOTE 1 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Security Valuation - Securities listed on a national securities exchange are
valued at the last closing sales price or, if no such price exists, or if the
Equity Securities are not listed at the closing bid price thereof.
Security Cost - The original cost to the Trust of the Securities was based,
for Securities listed on a national securities exchange on the closing sale
prices on the exchange or the closing asked prices if not listed. The cost was
determined on the day of the various Dates of Deposit.
Unit Valuation - The redemption price per Unit is the pro rata share of each
Unit based upon (1) the cash on hand in the Trust or monies in the process of
being collected, (2) the Securities in the Trust based on the value as described
in Note 1 and (3) accumulated dividends thereon, less accrued expenses of the
Trust, if any.
Federal Income Taxes - Each Unitholder is considered to be the owner of a pro
rata portion of the trust and, accordingly, no provision has been made for
Federal Income Taxes.
Other - The financial statements are presented on the accrual basis of
accounting. Any realized gains or losses from securities transactions are
reported on an identified cost basis.
Organizational Costs - The trust will bear all or a portion of its
organizational costs, which will be deferred and amortized over the life of the
trust.
NOTE 2 - PORTFOLIO
Unrealized Appreciation and Depreciation - An analysis of net unrealized
appreciation (depreciation) at March 31, 1999 is as follows:
REIT Income
and Growth
Trust
-----------
Unrealized Appreciation $ 168,185
Unrealized Depreciation (7,752,077)
-----------
$(7,583,892)
===========
NOTE 3- OTHER
Marketability - Although it is not obligated to do so, the Sponsor intends to
maintain a market for Units and to continuously offer to purchase Units at
prices, subject to change at any time, based upon the value of the Securities in
the portfolio of the Trust valued as described in Note 1, plus accumulated
dividends to the date of settlement. If the supply of Units exceeds demand, or
for other business reasons, the Sponsor may discontinue purchases of Units at
such prices. In the event that a market is not maintained for the Units, a
Unitholder desiring to dispose of his Units may be able to do so only by
tendering such units to the Trustee for redemption at the redemption price.
Cost to Investors - The cost to original investors equaled the underlying
value of the Securities per Unit on the date of an investor's purchase. The
secondary market public offering price includes the underlying value of the
Securities, cash held in the Trust, and a sales charge of 3.25% of the Public
Offering Price of the Units. Effective April 16, 1999, the secondary sales
charge will decrease by .5 of 1% to a sales charge of 2.75%.
Compensation of Evaluator and Supervisor - The Supervisor receives a fee for
providing portfolio supervisory services for the Trust ($.0025 per Unit, not to
exceed the aggregate cost of the Supervisor for providing such services to all
applicable Trusts). The Evaluator receives and annual fee for regularly
evaluating the Trust's portfolio. Both fees may be adjusted for increases under
the category "All Services Less Rent of Shelter" in the Consumer Price Index.
NOTE 4 - REDEMPTION OF UNITS
During the period ended March 31, 1999, 3,117,008 Units were presented for
redemption.
Van Kampen
Focus Portfolios(SM)
A Division of Van Kampen Funds Inc.
REIT Income and Growth Trust
Prospectus Part Two
Units are not deposits or obligations of any bank
or government agency and are not guaranteed.
This Prospectus contains two parts.
No one may use this Prospectus Part Two
unless accompanied by Prospectus Part One.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of the
Trust units or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any
contrary representation is a criminal offense.
THE TRUST
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This series of the REIT Income and Growth Trust (the "Trust") is one of
several unit investment trusts created under separate series of Van Kampen
American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust (the "Fund"). Your Trust was created
under the laws of the State of New York pursuant to a Trust Indenture and
Agreement (the "Trust Agreement"), dated the Initial Date of Deposit, among Van
Kampen Funds Inc., as Sponsor, American Portfolio Evaluation Services, a
division of Van Kampen Investment Advisory Corp., as Evaluator, Van Kampen
Investment Advisory Corp., as Supervisor, and The Bank of New York, as Trustee.
The Trust offers investors the opportunity to purchase Units representing
proportionate interests in a portfolio of actively traded equity securities
issued by real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). Diversification of assets in
the Trust will not eliminate the risk of loss always inherent in the ownership
of securities.
On the Initial Date of Deposit, the Sponsor deposited with the Trustee the
Securities, including delivery statements relating to contracts for the purchase
of certain such Securities and an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a
financial institution in the amount required for such purchases. Thereafter, the
Trustee, in exchange for such Securities (and contracts) so deposited, delivered
to the Sponsor documentation evidencing the ownership of Units of the Trust.
Unless otherwise terminated as provided in the Trust Agreement, the Trust will
terminate on the Mandatory Termination Date and Securities then held will within
a reasonable time thereafter be liquidated or distributed by the Trustee.
Additional Units of the Trust may be issued at any time by depositing in the
Trust (i) additional Securities, (ii) contracts to purchase securities together
with cash or irrevocable letters of credit or (iii) cash (or a letter of credit)
with instructions to purchase additional Securities. As additional Units are
issued by the Trust as a result of the deposit of additional Securities, the
aggregate value of the Securities in the Trust will be increased and the
fractional undivided interest in the Trust represented by each Unit will be
decreased. The Sponsor may continue to make additional deposits of Securities or
cash with instructions to purchase Securities into the Trust following the
Initial Date of Deposit, provided that such additional deposits will be in
amounts which will maintain, as nearly as practicable, the same percentage
relationship among each Equity Security in the Trust's portfolio. Any deposit of
additional Equity Securities will duplicate, as nearly as practicable, this
actual proportionate relationship and not the original proportionate
relationship. Any such difference may be due to the sale, redemption or
liquidation of any of the Equity Securities deposited in the Trust on the
initial, or any subsequent, Date of Deposit. If the Sponsor deposits cash,
however, existing and new investors may experience a dilution of their
investments and a reduction in their anticipated income because of fluctuations
in the prices of the Securities between the time of the cash deposit and the
purchase of the Securities and because the Trust will pay the associated
brokerage fees.
Each Unit of the Trust initially offered represents an undivided interest in
the Trust. To the extent that any Units are redeemed by the Trustee or
additional Units are issued as a result of additional Securities being deposited
by the Sponsor, the fractional undivided interest in the Trust represented by
each unredeemed Unit will increase or decrease accordingly, although the actual
interest in the Trust represented by such fraction will remain unchanged. Units
will remain outstanding until redeemed upon tender to the Trustee by
Unitholders, which may include the Sponsor, or until the termination of the
Trust Agreement.
OBJECTIVES AND SECURITIES SELECTION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The objective of the Trust is to provide the potential for high current
income and capital appreciation. The Securities for Series 1 were selected by
Wheat First Union based on the anticipated fundamental outlook for the REIT and
its stock price as well as the need/willingness of the REIT to issue additional
stock. In selecting REITs for the Trust, the following factors among others were
considered: valuation, balance sheet strength, potential to outperform the
general REIT market and diversification by geography and property type.
Approximately 225 REITs trade on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock
Exchange or Nasdaq Stock Market according to the National Association of Real
Estate Investment Trusts ("NAREIT"). Of these, approximately 19 REITs fell
within the coverage universe considered for the Trust. The Trust portfolio was
selected from this pool based on the need and willingness of the REITs to issue
additional stock.
The Securities for Series 2 were selected by Legg Mason Wood Walker
Incorporated in accordance with portfolio weighting and diversification criteria
specified by the Sponsor and the selections were approved by the Sponsor. The
Securities were selected from a list of REIT companies from materials provided
by the Sponsor and Legg Mason.
General. An investor will be subject to taxation on the dividend income
received from the Trust and on gains from the sale or liquidation of Securities
(see "Federal Taxation"). Investors should be aware that there is not any
guarantee that the objectives of the Trust will be achieved because they are
subject to the continuing ability of the respective Security issuers to continue
to declare and pay dividends and because the market value of the Securities can
be affected by a variety of factors. Common stocks may be especially susceptible
to general stock market movements and to volatile increases and decreases of
value as market confidence in and perceptions of the issuers change. Investors
should be aware that there can be no assurance that the value of the underlying
Securities will increase or that the issuers of the Equity Securities will pay
dividends on outstanding common shares. Any distributions of income will
generally depend upon the declaration of dividends by the issuers of the
Securities and the declaration of any dividends depends upon several factors
including the financial condition of the issuers and general economic
conditions.
Investors should note that the above criteria were applied to the Equity
Securities selected for inclusion in the Trust as of the Initial Date of
Deposit. Subsequent to the Initial Date of Deposit, the Securities may no longer
meet such criteria. Should an Equity Security no longer meet such criteria, such
Equity Security will not, simply as a result of such fact, be removed from the
portfolio of the Trust.
Investors should be aware that the Trust is not a "managed" fund and as a
result the adverse financial condition of a company will not result in its
elimination from the portfolio except under extraordinary circumstances (see
"Trust Administration--Portfolio Administration"). In addition, Securities will
not be sold by the Trust to take advantage of market fluctuations or changes in
anticipated rates of appreciation. Investors should note in particular that the
Securities were selected by the Sponsor as of the Initial Date of Deposit. The
Trust may continue to purchase or hold Securities originally selected through
this process even though the evaluation of the attractiveness of the Securities
may have changed and, if the evaluation were performed again at that time, the
Securities would not be selected for the Trust.
TRUST PORTFOLIO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Trust consists of different issues of Equity Securities issued by
publicly traded real estate investment trusts. All of the Equity Securities are
listed on a national securities exchange, the NASDAQ National Market System or
are traded in the over-the-counter market.
The Trust consists of (a) the Securities listed under "Portfolio" as may
continue to be held from time to time in the Trust, (b) any additional
Securities acquired and held by the Trust pursuant to the provisions of the
Trust Agreement and (c) any cash held in the Income and Capital Accounts.
Neither the Sponsor nor the Trustee shall be liable in any way for any failure
in any of the Securities. However, should any contract for the purchase of any
of the Securities initially deposited hereunder fail, the Sponsor will, unless
substantially all of the moneys held in the Trust to cover such purchase are
reinvested in substitute Securities in accordance with the Trust Agreement,
refund the cash and sales charge attributable to such failed contract to all
Unitholders on the next distribution date.
Because certain of the Equity Securities from time to time may be sold under
certain circumstances described herein, and because the proceeds from such
events will in most cases be distributed to Unitholders and will not be
reinvested, no assurance can be given that the Trust will retain for any length
of time its present size and composition. Although the portfolio is not managed,
the Sponsor may instruct the Trustee to sell Equity Securities under certain
limited circumstances. See "Trust Administration--Portfolio Administration."
Equity Securities, however, will not be sold by the Trust to take advantage of
market fluctuations or changes in anticipated rates of appreciation or
depreciation.
RISK FACTORS
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General. An investment in Units should be made with an understanding of the
risks which an investment in common stocks entails, including the risk that the
financial condition of the issuers of the Equity Securities or the general
condition of the common stock market may worsen and the value of the Equity
Securities and therefore the value of the Units may decline. Common stocks are
especially susceptible to general stock market movements and to volatile
increases and decreases of value as market confidence in and perceptions of the
issuers change. These perceptions are based on unpredictable factors including
expectations regarding government economic, monetary and fiscal policies,
inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, global or
regional political, economic or banking crises. Shareholders of common stocks
have rights to receive payments from the issuers of those common stocks that are
generally subordinate to those of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations
or preferred stocks of, such issuers. Shareholders of common stocks of the type
held by the Trust have a right to receive dividends only when and if, and in the
amounts, declared by the issuer's board of directors and have a right to
participate in amounts available for distribution by the issuer only after all
other claims on the issuer have been paid or provided for. Common stocks do not
represent an obligation of the issuer and, therefore, do not offer any assurance
of income or provide the same degree of protection of capital as do debt
securities. The issuance of additional debt securities or preferred stock will
create prior claims for payment of principal, interest and dividends which could
adversely affect the ability and inclination of the issuer to declare or pay
dividends on its common stock or the rights of holders of common stock with
respect to assets of the issuer upon liquidation or bankruptcy. The value of
common stocks is subject to market fluctuations for as long as the common stocks
remain outstanding, and thus the value of the Equity Securities in the portfolio
may be expected to fluctuate over the life of the Trust to values higher or
lower than those prevailing on the Initial Date of Deposit or at the time a
Unitholder purchases Units.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and
debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the entity, have
generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with
the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks
issued by, the issuer. Cumulative preferred stock dividends must be paid before
common stock dividends and any cumulative preferred stock dividend omitted is
added to future dividends payable to the holders of cumulative preferred stock.
Preferred stockholders are also generally entitled to rights on liquidation
which are senior to those of common stockholders.
Whether or not the Equity Securities are listed on a national securities
exchange, the principal trading market for the Equity Securities may be in the
over-the-counter market. As a result, the existence of a liquid trading market
for the Equity Securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in
the Equity Securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made for
any of the Equity Securities, that any market for the Equity Securities will be
maintained or of the liquidity of the Equity Securities in any markets made. In
addition, the Trust may be restricted under the Investment Company Act of 1940
from selling Equity Securities to the Sponsor. The price at which the Equity
Securities may be sold to meet redemptions, and the value of the Trust, will be
adversely affected if trading markets for the Equity Securities are limited or
absent.
The Trust Agreement authorizes the Sponsor to increase the size of each Trust
and the number of Units thereof by the deposit of additional Securities, or cash
(or a letter of credit) with instructions to purchase additional Securities, in
the Trust and the issuance of a corresponding number of additional Units. If the
Sponsor deposits cash, existing and new investors may experience a dilution of
their investments and a reduction in their anticipated income because of
fluctuations in the prices of the Securities between the time of the cash
deposit and the purchase of the Securities and because each Trust will pay the
associated brokerage fees.
Unitholders will be unable to dispose of any of the Equity Securities in the
portfolio, as such, and will not be able to vote the Equity Securities. As the
holder of the Equity Securities, the Trustee will have the right to vote all of
the voting stocks in the Trust and will vote such stocks in accordance with the
instructions of the Sponsor. In the absence of any such instructions by the
Sponsor, the Trustee will vote such stocks so as to insure that the stocks are
voted as closely as possible in the same manner and the same general proportion
as are shares held by owners other than the Trust.
Like other investment companies, financial and business organizations and
individuals around the world, the Trust could be adversely affected if the
computer systems used by the Sponsor, Evaluator, Supervisor or Trustee or other
service providers to the Trust do not properly process and calculate
date-related information and data from and after January 1, 2000. This is
commonly known as the "Year 2000 Problem." The Sponsor, Evaluator, Supervisor
and Trustee are taking steps that they believe are reasonably designed to
address the Year 2000 Problem with respect to computer systems that they use and
to obtain reasonable assurances that comparable steps are being taken by the
Trust's other service providers. At this time, however, there can be no
assurance that these steps will be sufficient to avoid any adverse impact to the
Trust.
The Year 2000 Problem is expected to impact corporations, which may include
issuers of Securities contained in the Trust, to varying degrees based upon
various factors, including, but not limited to,their industry sector and degree
of technological sophistication. The Sponsor is unable to predict what impact,
if any, the Year 2000 Problem will have on issuers of the Securities contained
in the Trust.
REIT Risk Factors. The Trust is concentrated in REIT issuers. A portfolio
concentrated in a single industry may present more risk than a portfolio of more
broadly diversified investments. The Trust, and therefore Unitholders, may be
particularly susceptible to a negative impact resulting from adverse market
conditions or other factors affecting REITs because any negative impact on the
REIT or real estate industry will not be diversified among issuers within other
unrelated industries. In addition, due to the relative lack of diversity in the
portfolio in terms of number of issuers, a Unitholder may incur additional risk
compared to an investment in a more diversified portfolio. Accordingly, an
investment in the Trust should be made with an understanding of the risks
inherent in an investment in REITs specifically and in real estate generally (in
addition to securities market risks).
REITs are financial vehicles that have as their objective the pooling of
capital from a number of investors in order to participate directly in real
estate ownership or financing. REITs are generally fully integrated operating
companies that have interests in income-producing real estate. REITs are
differentiated by the types of real estate properties held and the actual
geographic location of properties and fall into two major categories: Equity
REITs emphasize direct property investment, holding their invested assets
primarily in the ownership of real estate or other equity interests, while
Mortgage REITs concentrate on real estate financing, holding their assets
primarily in mortgages secured by real estate. REITs obtain capital funds for
investment in underlying real estate assets by selling debt or equity securities
on the public or institutional capital markets or by bank borrowings. Thus, the
returns on common equities of the REITs in which the Trust invests will be
significantly affected by changes in costs of capital and, particularly in the
case of highly "leveraged"REITs (i.e., those with large amounts of borrowings
outstanding) by changes in the level of interest rates. The objective of an
Equity REIT is to purchase income-producing real estate properties in order to
generate high levels of cash flow from rental income and a gradual asset
appreciation, and they typically invest in properties such as office, retail,
industrial, hotel and apartment buildings and health care facilities. The
objectives of a Mortgage REIT is to invest primarily in mortgages secured by
real estate in order to generate cash flow from payments on the mortgage loans.
REITs are a creation of the tax law. REITs essentially operate as a
corporation or business trust with the advantage of exemption from corporate
income taxes provided the REIT satisfies the requirements of Sections 856
through 860 of the Code. The major tests for tax qualified status are that the
REIT(i) be managed by one or more trustees or directors, (ii) issue issue share
of transferable interest to its owners, (iii) have at least 100 shareholders,
(iv) have no more than 50% of the shares held by five or fewer individuals, (v)
invest substantially all of its capital in real estate related assets and derive
substantially all of its gross income from real estate related assets and (vi)
distribute at least 95% of its taxable income to its shareholders each year. If
any REIT in the Trust's portfolio should fail to qualify for such tax status,
the related shareholders (including the Trust) could be adversely affected by
the resulting tax consequences.
The underlying value of the Securities and the Trust's ability to make
distributions to Unitholders may be adversely affected by changes in the
national, state and local economic climate and real estate conditions (such as
oversupply of or reduced demand for space and changes in market rental rates),
perceptions of prospective tenants of the safety, convenience, and
attractiveness of the properties, the ability of the owner to provide adequate
management, maintenance and insurance, the ability to collect on a timely basis
all rents from tenants, tenant defaults, the cost of complying with the
Americans with Disabilities Act, increased competition from other properties,
obsolescence of properties, changes in the availability, cost and terms of
mortgage funds, the impact of present or future environmental legislation and
compliance with environmental laws, the ongoing need for capital improvements,
particularly in older properties, changes in real estate tax rates and other
operating expenses, regulatory and economic impediments to raising rents,
adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies, dependency on
management skills, civil unrest, acts of God, including earthquakes and other
natural disasters (which may result in uninsured losses), acts of war, adverse
changes in zoning laws, and other factors which are beyond the control of the
issuers of the REITs in the Trust.
The value of the REITs may at times be particularly sensitive to devaluation
in the event of rising interest rates. Equity REITs are less likely to be
affected by interest rate fluctuations than Mortgage REITs and the nature of the
underlying assets of an Equity REIT may be considered more tangible than that of
a Mortgage REIT. Equity REITs are more likely to be adversely affected by
changes in the value of the underlying property its owns than Mortgage REITs.
REITs may concentrate investments in specific geographic areas or in specific
property types, i.e., hotels, shopping malls, residential complexes, and office
buildings. The impact of economic conditions on REITs can also be expected to
vary with geographic location and property type. Investors should be aware that
REITs may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects.
REITs are also subject to defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation, the market's
perception of the REIT industry generally, and the possibility of failing to
qualify for pass-through of income under the Code, and to maintain exemption
from the 1940 Act. A default by a borrower or lessee may cause the REIT to
experience delays in enforcing its rights as mortgagee or lessor and to incur
significant costs related to protecting its investments. In addition, because
real estate generally is subject to real property taxes, the REITs in the Trust
may be adversely affected by underlying the REITs by taxing authorities.
Furthermore, because real estate is relatively liquid, the ability of REITs to
vary their portfolios in response to changes in economic and other conditions
may be limited and may adversely affect the value of the Units. There can be no
assurance that any REIT will be able to dispose of its underlying real estate
assets when advantageous or necessary.
The issuer of REITs generally maintains comprehensive insurance on presently
owned and subsequently acquired real property assets, including liability, fire
and extended coverage. However, certain types of loses may be uninsurable or not
be economically insurable for local risks to which the REITs may be susceptible.
There can be no assurance that insurance coverage will be sufficient to pay the
full current market value or current replacement cost of any lost investment.
Various factors might make it impractical to use insurance proceeds to replace a
facility after it has been damaged or destroyed. Under such circumstances, the
insurance proceeds received by a REIT might not be adequate to restore its
economic position with respect to such property.
Under various environmental laws, a current or previous owner or operator of
real property may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of hazardous
or toxic substances on, under, or in such property. Such laws often impose
liability whether or not the owner or operator caused or knew of the presence of
such hazardous or toxic substances and whether or not the storage of such
substances was in violation of a tenant's lease. In addition, the presence of
hazardous or toxic substances, or the failure to remediate such property
properly, may adversely affect the owner's ability to borrow using such real
property as collateral. No assurance can be given that one or more of the REITs
in the Trust may not be presently liable or potentially liable for any such
costs in connection with real estate assets they presently own or subsequently
acquire which such REITs are held in the Trust.
FEDERAL TAXATION
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The following is a general discussion of certain of the federal income tax
consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Units. The
summary is limited to investors who hold the Units as "capital assets"
(generally, property held for investment) within the meaning of Section 1221 of
the Code. Unitholders should consult their tax advisers in determining the
federal, state, local and any other tax consequences of the purchase, ownership
and disposition of Units in the Trust. For purposes of the following discussion
and opinion, it is assumed that each Security represents a share in an entity
treated as a real estate investment trust for federal income tax purposes.
In the opinion of Chapman and Cutler, special counsel for the Sponsor, under
existing law:
1. The Trust is not an association taxable as a corporation for federal
income tax purposes; each Unitholder will be treated as the owner of a pro rata
portion of each of the assets of the Trust under the Code; and the income of the
Trust will be treated as income of the Unitholders thereof under the Code. Each
Unitholder will be considered to have received his or her pro rata share of the
income derived from each Trust asset when such income is considered to be
received by the Trust.
2. Each Unitholder will be considered to have received all of the dividends
paid on his or her pro rata portion of each Security when such dividends are
considered to be received by the Trust. Unitholders will be taxed in this manner
regardless of whether distributions from the Trust are actually received by the
Unitholder or are automatically reinvested.
3. Each Unitholder will have a taxable event when the Trust disposes of a
Security (whether by sale, taxable exchange, liquidation, redemption, or
otherwise) or upon the sale or redemption of Units by such Unitholder (except to
the extent an In-kind distribution of Securities is received by such Unitholder
as described below). The price a Unitholder pays for his or her Units is
allocated among his pro rata portion of each Security held by the Trust (in
proportion to the fair market values thereof on the valuation date nearest the
date the Unitholder purchased his or her Units) in order to determine his or her
tax basis for his or her pro rata portion of each Security held by the Trust.
Unitholders should consult their own tax advisers with regard to the calculation
of basis. For federal income tax purposes, a Unitholder's pro rata portion of
dividends (other than capital gains dividends of a REIT, as described below), as
defined by Section 316 of the Code, paid with respect to a Security held by the
Trust is taxable as ordinary income to the extent of such corporation's current
and accumulated "earnings and profits." A Unitholder's pro rata portion of
dividends paid on such Security which exceeds such current and accumulated
earnings and profits will first reduce a Unitholder's tax basis in such
Security, and to the extent that such dividends exceed a Unitholder's tax basis
in such Security shall generally be treated as capital gain. In general, the
holding period for such capital gain will be determined by the period of time a
Unitholder has held his or her Units. The issuers of the Securities intend to
qualify under special federal income tax rules as "real estate investment
trusts" (each a "REIT," shares of such issuers held by the Trust shall be
referred to collectively as the "REITShares"). Because Unitholders are deemed to
directly own a pro rata portion of the REIT Shares as discussed above,
Unitholders are advised to consult their tax advisers for information relating
to the tax consequences of owning the REIT Shares. Provided an issuer qualifies
as a REIT, certain distributions by such issuers on the REITShares may qualify
as "capital gain dividends," taxable to shareholders (and, accordingly, to the
Unitholders as owners of a pro rata portion of the REIT Shares) as long-term
capital gains, regardless of how long a shareholder has owned such shares. In
addition, distributions of income or capital gains declared on REIT Shares in
October, November or December will be deemed to have been paid to shareholders
(and, accordingly, to the Unitholders as owners of a pro rata portion of the
REIT Shares) on December 31 of the year they are declared, even when paid by a
REITduring the following January and received by shareholders or Unitholders in
such following year.
4. A Unitholder's portion of gain, if any, upon the sale or redemption of
Units or the disposition of Securities held by the Trust will generally be
considered a capital gain (except in the case of a dealer or a financial
institution). A Unitholder's portion of loss, if any, upon the sale or
redemption of Units or the disposition of Securities held by the Trust, will
generally be considered a capital loss (except in the case of a dealer or a
financial institution). Unitholders should consult their tax advisers regarding
the recognition of gains and losses for federal income tax purposes, as special
rules, described below, apply to a Unitholder's pro rata portion of the REIT
Shares.
Dividends Received Deduction. Dividends received on the Securities (so long
as such Securities qualify as REIT shares) are not eligible for the dividends
received deduction.
Limitations on Deductibility of Trust Expenses by Unitholders. Each
Unitholder's pro rata share of each expense paid by the Trust is deductible by
the Unitholder to the same extent as if the expense had been paid directly by
such Unitholder. It should be noted that as a result of the Tax Reform Act of
1986, certain miscellaneous itemized deductions, such as investment expenses,
tax return preparation fees and employee business expenses will be deductible by
an individual only to the extent they exceed 2% of such individual's adjusted
gross income. Unitholders may be required to treat some or all of the expenses
of the Trust as miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to this limitation.
Unitholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the limitations on the
deductibility of Trust expenses.
Recognition of Taxable Gain or Loss Upon Disposition of Securities by the
Trust or Disposition of Units. As discussed above, a Unitholder may recognize
taxable gain (or loss) when a Security is disposed of by the Trust or if the
Unitholder disposes of a Unit. However, any loss realized by a Unitholder with
respect to the disposition of his or her pro rata portion of the REIT Shares, to
the extent such Unitholder has owned his or her Units for less than six months
or the Trust has held the REIT Shares for less than six months, will be treated
as long-term capital loss to the extent of such Unitholder's pro rata portion of
any capital gain dividends received (or deemed to have been received) with
respect to the REITShares. The Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform
Act of 1998 (the "1998 Tax Act") provides that for taxpayers other than
corporations, net capital gain (which is defined as net long-term capital gain
over net short-term capital loss for the taxable year) realized from property
(with certain exclusions) is generally subject to a maximum marginal stated tax
rate of 20% (10% in the case of certain taxpayers in the lowest tax bracket).
However, capital gain realized from assets held more than one year that is
considered unrecaptured section 1250 gain is taxed at a maximum marginal stated
tax rate of 25%. Capital gain or loss is long-term if the holding period for the
asset is more than one year, and is short-term if the holding period for the
asset is one year or less. The date on which a Unit is acquired (i.e., the
"trade date") is excluded for purposes determining the holding period of the
Unit. The legislation is generally effective retroactively for amounts properly
taken into account on or after January 1, 1998. Capital gains realized from
assets held for one year or less are taxed at the same rates as ordinary income.
Note, however, that the 1998 Tax Act (and the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
(the "1997 Act")) provide that the application of the rules described above in
the case of pass-through entities such as REITs will be prescribed in future
Treasury Regulations. The Internal Revenue Service has released preliminary
guidance which provides that, in general, pass-through entities such as REITs
may designate their capital gains dividends as either a 20% rate gain
distribution, an unrecaptured section 1250 gain distribution, or a 28% rate gain
distribution, depending on the nature of the gain received by the pass-through
entity. Unitholders should consult their own tax advisors as to the tax rate
applicable to capital gain dividends.
In addition, please note that capital gains may be recharacterized as
ordinary income in the case of certain financial transactions that are
considered "conversion transactions" effective for transactions entered into
after April 30, 1993. Unitholders and prospective investors should consult their
tax advisers regarding the potential effect of this provision on their
investment in Units.
If a Unitholder disposes of a Unit, he or she is deemed thereby to have
disposed of his entire pro rata interest in all assets of the Trust involved
including his pro rata portion of all the Securities represented by the Unit.
The 1997 Act includes provisions that treat certain transactions designed to
reduce or eliminate risk of loss and opportunities for gain (e.g., short sales,
off-setting notional principal contracts, futures or forward contracts, or
similar transactions) as constructive sales for purposes of recognition of gain
(but not loss) and for purposes of determining the holding period.
Unitholders should consult their own tax advisers with regard to any such
constructive sale rules.
Special Tax Consequences of In-Kind Distributions Upon Termination of the
Trust. A Unitholder may, under certain circumstances, request an "In-Kind
Distribution"upon the termination of the Trust. See "Administration of the
Trust--Amendment and Termination." As previously discussed, prior to the
termination of the Trust, a Unitholder is considered as owning a pro rata
portion of each of the Trust assets for federal income tax purposes. The receipt
of an In-Kind Distribution will result in a Unitholder receiving an undivided
interest in whole shares of Securities plus, possibly, cash.
The potential tax consequences that may occur under an In-Kind Distribution
will depend on whether or not a Unitholder receives cash in addition to
Securities. A "Security" for this purpose is a particular class of stock issued
by a particular REIT. A Unitholder will not recognize gain or loss if a
Unitholder only receives Securities in exchange for his or her pro rata portion
in the Securities held by the Trust. However, if a Unitholder also receives cash
in exchange for a fractional share of a Security held by the Trust, such
Unitholder will generally recognize gain or loss based upon the difference
between the amount of cash received by the Unitholder and his tax basis in such
fractional share of a Security held by the Trust.
Because the Trust will own many Securities, a Unitholder who requests an
In-Kind Distribution will have to analyze the tax consequences with respect to
each Security owned by the Trust. If a Unitholder is deemed to recognize gain or
loss on the In-Kind Distribution because cash is received in addition to
Securities, the amount of taxable gain (or loss) recognized upon such exchange
will generally equal the sum of the gain (or loss) recognized under the rules
described above by such Unitholder with respect to each Security owned by the
Trust. Unitholders who request an In-Kind Distribution are advised to consult
their tax advisers in this regard.
Computation of the Unitholder's Tax Basis. Initially, a Unitholder's tax
basis in his or her Units will generally equal the price paid by such Unitholder
for his or her Units. The cost of the Units is allocated among the Securities
held in the Trust in accordance with the proportion of the fair market values of
such Securities on the valuation date nearest the date the Units are purchased
in order to determine such Unitholder's tax basis for his pro rata portion of
each Security.
A Unitholder's tax basis in his Units and his pro rata portion of a Security
held by the Trust will be reduced to the extent dividends paid with respect to
such Security are received by the Trust which are not taxable as ordinary income
and are not capital gain dividends as described above.
General. Each Unitholder will be requested to provide the Unitholder's
taxpayer identification number to the Trustee and to certify that the Unitholder
has not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that payments to the
Unitholder are subject to back-up withholding. If the proper taxpayer
identification number and appropriate certification are not provided when
requested, distributions by the Trust to such Unitholder (including amounts
received upon the redemption of Units) will be subject to back-up withholding.
Distributions by the Trust (other than those that are not treated as United
States source income, if any) will generally be subject to United States income
taxation and withholding in the case of Units held by non-resident alien
individuals, foreign corporations or other non-United States persons. Such
persons should consult their tax advisers.
Unitholders will be notified annually of the amount of dividends includable
in the Unitholder's gross income and amounts of Trust expenses which may be
claimed as itemized deductions.
The foregoing discussion relates only to the tax treatment of United States
Unitholders ("U.S. Unitholders") with regard to United States Federal income
taxes; Unitholders may be subject to foreign, state and local taxation. As used
herein, the term "U.S. Unitholder" means an owner of a Unit in the Trust that
(a) is (i) for United States Federal income tax purposes a citizen or resident
of the United States, (ii) a corporation, partnership or other entity created or
organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any political
subdivision thereof, or (iii) an estate or trust the income of which is subject
to United States Federal income taxation regardless of its source or (b) does
not qualify as a U.S. Unitholder in paragraph (a) but whose income from a Unit
is effectively connected with such Unitholder's conduct of a United States trade
or business. The term also includes certain former citizens of the United States
whose income and gain on the Units will be taxable. Unitholders should consult
their tax advisors regarding potential foreign, state or local taxation with
respect to the Units.
Unitholders desiring to purchase Units for tax-deferred plans and Individual
Retirement Accounts ("IRAs") should consult their financial advisor for details
on establishing such accounts. Units may also be purchased by persons who
already have self-directed plans established.
TRUST OPERATING EXPENSES
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Compensation of Sponsor, Supervisor and Evaluator. The Sponsor will not
receive any fees in connection with its activities relating to the Trust.
However, Van Kampen Investment Advisory Corp., which is an affiliate of the
Sponsor, will receive an annual supervisory fee which is not to exceed the
amount set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial Information" in Part One
for providing portfolio supervisory services for the Trust. Such fee (which is
based on the number of Units outstanding on January 1 of each year for which
such compensation relates except during the initial offering period in which
event the calculation is based on the number of Units outstanding at the end of
the month of such calculation) may exceed the actual costs of providing such
supervisory services for this Trust, but at no time will the total amount
received for portfolio supervisory services rendered to all unit investment
trusts by the Supervisor in any calendar year exceed the aggregate cost to the
Supervisor of supplying such services in such year. In addition, the Evaluator,
which is a division of Van Kampen Investment Advisory Corp., shall receive the
annual per Unit evaluation fee set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial
Information" in Part One (which amount is based on the number of Units
outstanding on January 1 of each year for which such compensation relates except
during the initial offering period in which event the calculation is based on
the number of Units outstanding at the end of the month of such calculation) for
regularly evaluating the Trust portfolio. The foregoing fees are payable as
described under "General" below. Both of the foregoing fees may be increased
without approval of the Unitholders by amounts not exceeding proportionate
increases under the category "All Services Less Rent of Shelter" in the Consumer
Price Index published by the United States Department of Labor or, if such
category is no longer published, in a comparable category. The Sponsor will
receive sales commissions and may realize other profits (or losses) in
connection with the sale of Units and the deposit of the Securities as described
under "Public Offering--Sponsor Compensation."
Trustee's Fee. For its services the Trustee will receive the annual per Unit
fee from the Trust set forth under "Summary of Essential Financial Information"
in Part One (which amount is based on the number of Units outstanding on January
1 of each year for which such compensation relates except during the initial
offering period in which event the calculation is based on the number of Units
outstanding at the end of the month of such calculation). The Trustee's fees are
payable as described under "General" below. The Trustee benefits to the extent
there are funds for future distributions, payment of expenses and redemptions in
the Capital and Income Accounts since these Accounts are non-interest bearing to
Unitholders and the amounts earned by the Trustee are retained by the Trustee.
Part of the Trustee's compensation for its services to the Trust is expected to
result from the use of these funds. Such fees may be increased without approval
of the Unitholders by amounts not exceeding proportionate increases under the
category "All Services Less Rent of Shelter" in the Consumer Price Index
published by the United States Department of Labor or, if such category is no
longer published, in a comparable category. For a discussion of the services
rendered by the Trustee pursuant to its obligations under the Trust Agreement,
see "Rights of Unitholders--Reports Provided" and "Trust Administration."
Miscellaneous Expenses. Expenses incurred in establishing the Trust,
including the cost of the initial preparation of documents relating to the Trust
(including the Prospectus, Trust Agreement and certificates), federal and state
registration fees, the initial fees and expenses of the Trustee, legal and
accounting expenses, payment of closing fees and any other out-of-pocket
expenses, will be paid by the Trust and amortized over the life of the Trust.
The following additional charges are or may be incurred by the Trust: (a) normal
expenses (including the cost of mailing reports to Unitholders) incurred in
connection with the operation of the Trust, (b) fees of the Trustee for
extraordinary services, (c) expenses of the Trustee (including legal and
auditing expenses) and of counsel designated by the Sponsor, (d) various
governmental charges, (e) expenses and costs of any action taken by the Trustee
to protect the Trust and the rights and interests of Unitholders, (f)
indemnification of the Trustee for any loss, liability or expenses incurred in
the administration of the Trust without negligence, bad faith or wilful
misconduct on its part, (g) accrual of costs associated with liquidating the
securities and (h) expenditures incurred in contacting Unitholders upon
termination of the Trust. Your Trust may pay the expenses of updating its
registration statement each year. Unit investment trust sponsors have
historically paid these expenses. The expenses set forth herein are payable as
described under "General" below.
General. The fees and expenses are payable monthly out of the Income Account,
if sufficient, or from the Capital Account. When such fees and expenses are paid
by or owing to the Trustee, they are secured by a lien on the Trust's portfolio.
If the balance in the Income or Capital Accounts is insufficient to provide for
amounts payable by the Trust, Equity Securities will be sold from the Trust to
pay such amounts. These sales will result in capital gains or losses to
Unitholders. See "Federal Taxation".
PUBLIC OFFERING
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General. Units are offered at the Public Offering Price. The Public Offering
Price is based on the aggregate underlying value of the Securities in the
Trust's portfolio and cash, if any, in the Income and Capital Accounts held or
owned by the Trust. The sales charge for secondary market transactions is
described under "Offering Price" below.
Offering Price. The Public Offering Price of the Units will vary from the
amounts stated under "Summary of Essential Financial Information" in accordance
with fluctuations in the prices of the underlying Securities in the Trust.
As indicated above, the price of the Units was established by dividing the
aggregate underlying value of the Securities by the number of Units outstanding.
The Public Offering Price shall also include the proportionate share of any cash
held in the Capital Account. Such price determination as of the close of
business on the day before the Initial Date of Deposit was made on the basis of
an evaluation of the Securities in the Trust prepared by Interactive Data
Corporation, a firm regularly engaged in the business of evaluating, quoting or
appraising comparable securities. After the close of business on the day before
the Initial Date of Deposit, the Evaluator will appraise or cause to be
appraised daily the value of the underlying Securities as of the Evaluation Time
on days the New York Stock Exchange is open and will adjust the Public Offering
Price of the Units commensurate with such valuation. Such Public Offering Price
will be effective for all orders received prior to the Evaluation Time on each
such day. Orders received by the Trustee or Sponsor for purchases, sales or
redemptions after that time, or on a day when the New York Stock Exchange is
closed, will be held until the next determination of price. The secondary market
sales charge is initially 3.25% of the Public Offering Price per Unit (3.359% of
the aggregate value of the Securities) and will be reduced by .5 of 1% on each
anniversary of the Initial Date of Deposit, commencing in 1999, to a minimum of
2.75%.
Unitholders of any Van Kampen-sponsored unit investment trust may utilize
their redemption or termination proceeds to purchase Units in the secondary
market subject to a sales charge of 2.25%.
For secondary market transactions, employees, officers and directors
(including their spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents,
siblings, mothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, and
trustees, custodians or fiduciaries for the benefit of such persons) of Van
Kampen Funds Inc. and its affiliates, dealers and their affiliates and vendors
providing services to the Sponsor may purchase Units at the Public Offering
Price less the applicable dealer concession.
Units may be purchased in the secondary market at the Public Offering Price
less the concession the Sponsor typically allows to brokers and dealers for
purchases (see "Public Offering--Unit Distribution') by (1) investors who
purchase Units through registered investment advisers, certified financial
planners and registered broker-dealers who in each case either charge periodic
fees for financing planning, investment advisory or asset management service, or
provide such services in connection with the establishment of an investment
account for which a comprehensive "wrap fee" charge is imposed, (2) bank trust
departments investing funds over which they exercise exclusive discretionary
investment authority and that are held in a fiduciary, agency, custodial or
similar capacity, (3) any person who for at least 90 days, has been an officer,
director or bona fide employee of any firm offering Units for sale to investors
or their immediate family members (a spouse or child under 21 of such person)
and (4) officers and directors of bank holding companies that make Units
available directly or through subsidiaries or bank affiliates. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary in this Prospectus, such investors, bank trust
departments, firm employees and bank holding company officers and directors who
purchase Units through this program will not receive sales charge reductions for
quantity purchases.
The value of the Equity Securities during the initial offering period is
determined on each business day by the Evaluator in the following manner: If the
Equity Securities are listed on a securities exchange this evaluation is
generally based on the closing sale prices on that exchange (unless it is
determined that these prices are inappropriate as a basis for valuation) or, if
there is no closing sale price on that exchange, at the closing ask prices. If
the Equity Securities are not so listed or, if so listed and the principal
market therefor is other than on the exchange, the evaluation shall generally be
based on the current ask price on the over-the-counter market (unless it is
determined that these prices are inappropriate as a basis for evaluation). If
current ask prices are unavailable, the evaluation is generally determined (a)
on the basis of current ask prices for comparable securities, (b) by appraising
the value of the Equity Securities on the ask side of the market or (c) by any
combination of the above.
In offering the Units to the public, neither the Sponsor nor any
broker-dealers are recommending any of the individual Securities in the Trust
but rather the entire pool of Securities, taken as a whole, which are
represented by the Units.
Unit Distribution. Units repurchased in the secondary market, if any, may be
offered by this Prospectus at the secondary market Public Offering Price in the
manner described above.
The Sponsor intends to qualify the Units for sale in a number of states.
Broker-dealers or others will be allowed a concession or agency commission in
connection with the distribution of Units. Any discount provided to investors
will be borne by the selling dealer or agent. However, for transactions
involving unitholders of other Van Kampen American Capital-sponsored unit
investment trusts who utilize redemption or termination proceeds of such trusts
to purchase Units of the Trust during the secondary market, the total concession
or agency commission will amount to 1.50% per Unit. For secondary market
transactions, the concession or agency commission will amount to 70% of the
sales charge applicable to the transaction. The breakpoint concessions or agency
commissions are applied on either a Unit or dollar basis utilizing a breakpoint
equivalent of $10 per Unit and will be applied on whichever basis is more
favorable to the broker-dealer. The breakpoints will be adjusted to take into
consideration purchase orders stated in dollars which cannot be completely
fulfilled due to requirement that only whole Units be issued.
Certain commercial banks are making Units of the Trust available to their
customers on an agency basis. A portion of the sales charge (equal to the agency
commission referred to above) is retained by or remitted to the banks. Under the
Glass-Steagall Act, banks are prohibited from underwriting Trust Units; however,
the Glass-Steagall Act does permit certain agency transactions and the banking
regulators have not indicated that these particular agency transactions are not
permitted under such Act. In addition, state securities laws on this issue may
differ from the interpretations of federal law expressed herein and banks and
financial institutions may be required to register as dealers pursuant to state
law.
To facilitate the handling of transactions, sales of Units shall normally be
limited to transactions involving a minimum of 100 Units (25 Units for
tax-sheltered retirement plans) except as stated herein and may vary by selling
firm. In connection with fully disclosed transactions with the Sponsor, the
minimum purchase requirement will be that number of Units set forth in the
contract between the Sponsor and the related broker or agent. The Sponsor
reserves the right to reject, in whole or in part, any order for the purchase of
Units and to change the amount of the concession or agency commission to dealers
and others from time to time.
Sponsor and Other Compensation. The Sponsor realized a profit or a loss, as
the case may be, as a result of the difference between the price paid for the
Securities by the Sponsor and the cost of such Securities to the Trust on the
Initial Date of Deposit. The Sponsor may further realize additional profit or
loss as a result of the possible fluctuations in the market value of the
Securities in the Trust after a date of deposit, since all proceeds received
from purchasers of Units (excluding dealer concessions and agency commissions
allowed, if any) will be retained by the Sponsor.
Broker-dealers of the Trust, banks and/or others may be eligible to
participate in a program in which such firms receive from the Sponsor a nominal
award for each of their representatives who have sold a minimum number of units
of unit investment trusts created by the Sponsor during a specified time period.
In addition, at various times the Sponsor may implement other programs under
which the sales forces of brokers, dealers, banks and/or others may be eligible
to win other nominal awards for certain sales efforts, or under which the
Sponsor will reallow to such brokers, dealers, banks and/or others that sponsor
sales contests or recognition programs conforming to criteria established by the
Sponsor, or participate in sales programs sponsored by the Sponsor, an amount
not exceeding the total applicable sales charges on the sales generated by such
persons at the public offering price during such programs. Also, the Sponsor in
its discretion may from time to time pursuant to objective criteria established
by the Sponsor pay fees to qualifying entities for certain services or
activities which are primarily intended to result in sales of Units of the
Trust. The Sponsor may also offer marketing allowances to broker-dealers. Such
payments are made by the Sponsor out of its own assets, and not out of the
assets of the Trust. These programs will not change the price Unitholders pay
for their Units or the amount that the Trust will receive from the Units sold.
A person will become the owner of Units on the date of settlement provided
payment has been received. Cash, if any, made available to the Sponsor prior to
the date of settlement for the purchase of Units may be used in the Sponsor's
business and may be deemed to be a benefit to the Sponsor, subject to the
limitations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
As stated under "Public Market" below, the Sponsor intends to maintain a
secondary market for Units of the Trust. In so maintaining a market, the Sponsor
will also realize profits or sustain losses in the amount of any difference
between the price at which Units are purchased and the price at which Units are
resold (which price includes the applicable sales charge). In addition, the
Sponsor will also realize profits or sustain losses resulting from a redemption
of such repurchased Units at a price above or below the purchase price for such
Units, respectively.
Public Market. Although it is not obligated to do so, the Sponsor intends to
maintain a market for the Units offered hereby and offer continuously to
purchase Units at prices, subject to change at any time, based upon the
aggregate underlying value of the Equity Securities in the Trust (computed as
indicated under "Offering Price" above and "Rights of Unitholders--Redemption of
Units"). If the supply of Units exceeds demand or if some other business reason
warrants it, the Sponsor may either discontinue all purchases of Units or
discontinue purchases of Units at such prices. In the event that a market is not
maintained for the Units and the Unitholder cannot find another purchaser, a
Unitholder desiring to dispose of his Units may be able to dispose of such Units
only by tendering them to the Trustee for redemption at the Redemption Price.
See "Rights of Unitholders--Redemption of Units." A Unitholder who wishes to
dispose of his Units should inquire of his broker as to current market prices in
order to determine whether there is in existence any price in excess of the
Redemption Price and, if so, the amount thereof.
Tax-Sheltered Retirement Plans. Units of the Trust are available for purchase
in connection with certain types of tax-sheltered retirement plans, including
Individual Retirement Accounts for individuals, Simplified Employee Pension
Plans for employees, qualified plans for self-employed individuals, and
qualified corporate pension and profit sharing plans for employees. The purchase
of Units of the Trust may be limited by the plans' provisions and does not
itself establish such plans. The minimum purchase for retirement plans is 25
Units and may vary by selling firm.
RIGHTS OF UNITHOLDERS
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Certificates. The Trustee is authorized to treat as the record owner of Units
that person who is registered as such owner on the books of the Trustee.
Ownership of Units of the Trust will be evidenced by certificates unless a
Unitholder or the Unitholder's registered broker-dealer makes a written request
to the Trustee that ownership be in book entry form. Units are transferable by
making a written request to the Trustee and, in the case of Units evidenced by a
certificate, by presentation and surrender of such certificate to the Trustee
properly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of
transfer. A Unitholder must sign such written request, and such certificate or
transfer instrument, exactly as his name appears on the records of the Trustee
and on the face of any certificate representing the Units to be transferred with
the signature guaranteed by a participant in the Securities Transfer Agents
Medallion Program ("STAMP") or such other signature guarantee program in
addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP as may be accepted by the Trustee. In
certain instances the Trustee may require additional documents such as, but not
limited to, trust instruments, certificates of death, appointments as executor
or administrator or certificates of corporate authority. Certificates will be
issued in denominations of one Unit or any whole multiple thereof.
Although no such charge is now made or contemplated, the Trustee may require
a Unitholder to pay a reasonable fee for each certificate reissued or
transferred and to pay any governmental charge that may be imposed in connection
with each such transfer or interchange. Destroyed, stolen, mutilated or lost
certificates will be replaced upon delivery to the Trustee of satisfactory
indemnity, evidence of ownership and payment of expenses incurred. Mutilated
certificates must be surrendered to the Trustee for replacement.
Distributions of Income and Capital. Any dividends received by the Trust with
respect to the Equity Securities therein are credited by the Trustee to the
Income Account. Other receipts (e.g., capital gains, proceeds from the sale of
Securities, etc.) are credited to the Capital Account of the Trust. Proceeds
from the sale of Securities to meet redemptions of Units shall be segregated
within the Capital Account from proceeds from the sale of Securities made to
satisfy the fees, expenses and charges of the Trust.
The Trustee will distribute any income received with respect to any of the
Securities in the Trust on or about the Income Distribution Dates to Unitholders
of record on the preceding Income Record Dates. See "Summary of Essential
Financial Information" in Part One. Proceeds received on the sale of any
Securities in the Trust, to the extent not used to meet redemptions of Units,
pay the deferred sales charge or pay fees and expenses, will be distributed
annually on the Capital Account Distribution Date to Unitholders of record on
the preceding Capital Account Record Date. Proceeds received from the
disposition of any of the Securities after a record date and prior to the
following distribution date will be held in the Capital Account and not
distributed until the next distribution date applicable to such Capital Account.
The Trustee is not required to pay interest on funds held in the Capital or
Income Accounts (but may itself earn interest thereon and therefore benefits
from the use of such funds).
The distribution to Unitholders as of each record date will be made on the
following distribution date or shortly thereafter and shall consist of each
Unitholder's pro rata share of the cash in the Income Account. Because dividends
are not received by the Trust at a constant rate throughout the year, such
distributions to Unitholders are expected to fluctuate from distribution to
distribution. Persons who purchase Units will commence receiving distributions
only after such person becomes a record owner. Notification to the Trustee of
the transfer of Units is the responsibility of the purchaser, but in the normal
course of business such notice is provided by the selling broker-dealer.
At the end of the initial offering period and as of the tenth day of each
month thereafter, the Trustee will deduct from the Capital Account amounts
necessary to pay the expenses of the Trust (as determined on the basis set forth
under "Trust Operating Expenses"). The Trustee also may withdraw from the Income
and Capital Accounts such amounts, if any, as it deems necessary to establish a
reserve for any governmental charges payable out of the Trust. Amounts so
withdrawn shall not be considered a part of the Trust's assets until such time
as the Trustee shall return all or any part of such amounts to the appropriate
accounts. In addition, the Trustee may withdraw from the Income and Capital
Accounts such amounts as may be necessary to cover redemptions of Units.
Reinvestment Option. Unitholders of the Trust may elect to have each
distribution of income, capital gains and/or capital on their Units
automatically reinvested in additional Units of the Trust pursuant to the
"Automatic Reinvestment Option" (to the extent Units may be lawfully offered for
sale in the state in which the Unitholder resides). To participate in the
reinvestment plan, a Unitholder may either contact his or her broker or agent or
file with the Trustee a written notice of election at least five days prior to
the Record Date for which the first distribution is to apply. A Unitholder's
election to participate in the reinvestment plan will apply to all Units of the
Trust owned by such Unitholder and such election will remain in effect until
changed by the Unitholder.
Reinvestment plan distributions may be reinvested in Units already held in
inventory by the Sponsor (see "Public Offering--Public Market") or, until such
time as additional Units cease to be issued by the Trust (see "The Trust"),
distributions may be reinvested in such additional Units. If Units are
unavailable in the secondary market, distributions which would otherwise have
been reinvested shall be paid in cash to the Unitholder on the applicable
Distribution Date.
Purchases of additional Units made pursuant to the reinvestment plan will be
made based on the net asset value for Units of the Trust as of the Evaluation
Time on the related Distribution Dates. Under the reinvestment plan, the Trust
will pay the Unitholder's distributions to the Trustee which in turn will
purchase for such Unitholder full and fractional Units of the Trust and will
send such Unitholder a statement reflecting the reinvestment.
Unitholders may also elect to have each distribution of income, capital gains
and/or capital on their Units automatically reinvested in shares of certain Van
Kampen or Morgan Stanley mutual funds which are registered in the Unitholder's
state of residence. Such mutual funds are hereinafter collectively referred to
as the "Reinvestment Funds".
Each Reinvestment Fund has investment objectives which differ in certain
respects from those of the Trust. The prospectus relating to each Reinvestment
Fund describes the investment policies of such fund and sets forth the
procedures to follow to commence reinvestment. A Unitholder may obtain a
prospectus for the respective Reinvestment Funds from Van Kampen Funds Inc. at
One Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181. Texas residents who desire
to reinvest may request that a broker-dealer registered in Texas send the
prospectus relating to the respective fund.
After becoming a participant in a reinvestment plan, each distribution of
income, capital gains and/or capital on the participant's Units will, on the
applicable distribution date, automatically be applied, as directed by such
person, as of such distribution date by the Trustee to purchase shares (or
fractions thereof) of the applicable Reinvestment Fund at a net asset value as
computed as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on such date.
Unitholders with an existing Guaranteed Reinvestment Option (GRO) Program
account (whereby a sales charge is imposed on distribution reinvestments) may
transfer their existing account into a new GRO account which allows purchases of
Reinvestment Fund shares at net asset value as described above. Confirmations of
all reinvestments by a Unitholder into a Reinvestment Fund will be mailed to the
Unitholder by such Reinvestment Fund.
A participant may at any time prior to five days preceding the next
succeeding distribution date, by so notifying the Trustee in writing, elect to
terminate his or her reinvestment plan and receive future distributions on his
or her Units in cash. There will be no charge or other penalty for such
termination. The Sponsor, each Reinvestment Fund, and its investment adviser
shall have the right to suspend or terminate the reinvestment plan at any time.
Reports Provided. The Trustee shall furnish Unitholders in connection with
each distribution a statement of the amount of income and the amount of other
receipts (received since the preceding distribution), if any, being distributed,
expressed in each case as a dollar amount representing the pro rata share of
each Unit outstanding. For as long as the Sponsor deems it to be in the best
interest of the Unitholders, the accounts of the Trust shall be audited, not
less frequently than annually, by independent certified public accountants, and
the report of such accountants shall be furnished by the Trustee to Unitholders
upon request. Within a reasonable period of time after the end of each calendar
year, the Trustee shall furnish to each person who at any time during the
calendar year was a registered Unitholder (i) a statement as to the Income
Account: income received, deductions for applicable taxes and for fees and
expenses of the Trust, for redemptions of Units, if any, and the balance
remaining after such distributions and deductions, expressed in each case both
as a total dollar amount and as a dollar amount representing the pro rata share
of each Unit outstanding on the last business day of such calendar year; (ii) a
statement as to the Capital Account: the dates of disposition of any Securities
and the net proceeds received therefrom, deductions for payment of applicable
taxes, fees and expenses of the Trust held for distribution to Unitholders of
record as of a date prior to the determination and the balance remaining after
such distributions and deductions expressed both as a total dollar amount and as
a dollar amount representing the pro rata share of each Unit outstanding on the
last business day of such calendar year; (iii) a list of the Securities held and
the number of Units outstanding on the last business day of such calendar year;
(iv) the Redemption Price per Unit based upon the last computation thereof made
during such calendar year; and (v) amounts actually distributed during such
calendar year from the Income and Capital Accounts, separately stated, expressed
as total dollar amounts.
In order to comply with federal and state tax reporting requirements,
Unitholders will be furnished, upon request to the Trustee, evaluations of the
Securities in the Trust furnished to it by the Evaluator.
Redemption of Units. A Unitholder may redeem all or a portion of his Units by
tender to the Trustee at its Unit Investment Trust Division, 101 Barclay Street,
20th Floor, New York, New York 10286 and, in the case of Units evidenced by a
certificate, by tendering such certificate to the Trustee, duly endorsed or
accompanied by proper instruments of transfer with signature guaranteed (or by
providing satisfactory indemnity, as in connection with lost, stolen or
destroyed certificates) and by payment of applicable governmental charges, if
any. No redemption fee will be charged. On the third business day following such
tender, the Unitholder will be entitled to receive in cash an amount for each
Unit equal to the Redemption Price per Unit next computed after receipt by the
Trustee of such tender of Units. The "date of tender" is deemed to be the date
on which Units are received by the Trustee, except that as regards Units
received after the Evaluation Time the date of tender is the next day on which
the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and such Units will be deemed to
have been tendered to the Trustee on such day for redemption at the redemption
price computed on that day.
The Trustee is empowered to sell Securities in order to make funds available
for redemption if funds are not otherwise available in the Capital and Income
Accounts to meet redemptions. The Securities to be sold will be selected by the
Trustee from those designated on a current list provided by the Supervisor for
this purpose. Units so redeemed shall be cancelled.
Unitholders tendering 1,000 Units or more for redemption may request from the
Trustee a distribution in kind ("In Kind Distribution") of an amount and value
of Securities per Unit equal to the Redemption Price per Unit as determined as
of the evaluation next following the tender. An In Kind Distribution on
redemption of Units will be made by the Trustee through the distribution of each
of the Securities in book-entry form to the account of the Unitholder's bank or
broker-dealer at Depository Trust Company. The tendering Unitholder will receive
his pro rata number of whole shares of each of the Securities comprising the
portfolio and cash from the Capital Account equal to the fractional shares to
which the tendering Unitholder is entitled. In implementing these redemption
procedures, the Trustee shall make any adjustments necessary to reflect
differences between the Redemption Price of the Securities distributed in kind
as of the date of tender. If funds in the Capital Account are insufficient to
cover the required cash distribution to the tendering Unitholder, the Trustee
may sell Securities according to the criteria discussed above. For the tax
consequences related to an In Kind Distribution see "Federal Taxation."
To the extent that Securities are redeemed in kind or sold, the size of the
Trust will be, and the diversity of the Trust may be, reduced. Sales may be
required at a time when Securities would not otherwise be sold and may result in
lower prices than might otherwise be realized. The price received upon
redemption may be more or less than the amount paid by the Unitholder depending
on the value of the Securities in the portfolio at the time of redemption.
The Redemption Price per Unit (as well as the secondary market Public
Offering Price) will be determined on the basis of the aggregate underlying
value of the Equity Securities in the Trust, plus or minus cash, if any, in the
Income and Capital Accounts. While the Trustee has the power to determine the
Redemption Price per Unit when Units are tendered for redemption, such authority
has been delegated to the Evaluator which determines the price per Unit on a
daily basis. The Redemption Price per Unit is the pro rata share of each Unit in
the Trust determined on the basis of (i) the cash on hand in the Trust, (ii) the
value of the Securities in the Trust and (iii) dividends receivable on the
Equity Securities trading ex-dividend as of the date of computation, less (a)
amounts representing taxes or other governmental charges payable out of the
Trust and (b) the accrued expenses of the Trust. The Evaluator may determine the
value of the Equity Securities in the Trust in the following manner: if the
Equity Securities are listed on a national securities exchange this evaluation
is generally based on the closing sale prices on that exchange (unless it is
determined that these prices are inappropriate as a basis for valuation) or, if
there is no closing sale price on that exchange, at the closing bid prices. If
the Equity Securities are not so listed or, if so listed and the principal
market therefore is other than on the exchange, the evaluation shall generally
be based on the current bid price on the over-the-counter market (unless these
prices are inappropriate as a basis for evaluation). If current bid prices are
unavailable, the evaluation is generally determined (a) on the basis of current
bid prices for comparable securities, (b) by appraising the value of the Equity
Securities on the bid side of the market or (c) by any combination of the above.
The right of redemption may be suspended and payment postponed for any period
during which the New York Stock Exchange is closed, other than for customary
weekend and holiday closings, or any period during which the Securities and
Exchange Commission determines that trading on that Exchange is restricted or an
emergency exists, as a result of which disposal or evaluation of the Securities
in the Trust is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the
Securities and Exchange Commission may by order permit.
TRUST ADMINISTRATION
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Sponsor Purchases of Units. The Trustee shall notify the Sponsor of any
tender of Units for redemption. If the Sponsor's bid in the secondary market at
that time equals or exceeds the Redemption Price per Unit, it may purchase such
Units by notifying the Trustee before the close of business on the next
succeeding business day and by making payment therefor to the Unitholder not
later than the day on which the Units would otherwise have been redeemed by the
Trustee. Units held by the Sponsor may be tendered to the Trustee for redemption
as any other Units.
The offering price of any Units acquired by the Sponsor will be in accord
with the Public Offering Price described in the then currently effective
prospectus describing such Units. Any profit resulting from the resale of such
Units will belong to the Sponsor which likewise will bear any loss resulting
from a lower offering or redemption price subsequent to its acquisition of such
Units.
Portfolio Administration. The portfolio of the Trust is not "managed" by the
Sponsor, Supervisor or the Trustee; their activities described herein are
governed solely by the provisions of the Trust Agreement. Traditional methods of
investment management for a managed fund typically involve frequent changes in a
portfolio of securities on the basis of economic, financial and market analyses.
The Trust, however, will not be managed. The Trust Agreement, however, provides
that the Sponsor may (but need not) direct the Trustee to dispose of an Equity
Security in certain events such as the issuer having defaulted on the payment on
any of its outstanding obligations or the price of an Equity Security has
declined to such an extent or other such credit factors exist so that in the
opinion of the Sponsor, the retention of such Securities would be detrimental to
the Trust. Pursuant to the Trust Agreement and with limited exceptions, the
Trustee may sell any securities or other properties acquired in exchange for
Equity Securities such as those acquired in connection with a merger or other
transaction. If offered such new or exchanged securities or property, the
Trustee shall reject the offer. However, in the event such securities or
property are nonetheless acquired by the Trust, they may be accepted for deposit
in the Trust and either sold by the Trustee or held in the Trust pursuant to the
direction of the Sponsor (who may rely on the advice of the Supervisor).
Therefore, except as stated under "Trust Portfolio" for failed securities and as
provided in this paragraph, the acquisition by the Trust of any securities other
than the Securities is prohibited. Proceeds from the sale of Securities (or any
securities or other property received by the Trust in exchange for Equity
Securities) are credited to the Capital Account for distribution to Unitholders
or to pay fees and expenses of the Trust.
As indicated under "Rights of Unitholders--Redemption of Units" above, the
Trustee may also sell Securities designated by the Supervisor, or if not so
directed, in its own discretion, for the purpose of redeeming Units of the Trust
tendered for redemption and the payment of expenses.
When your Trust sells Securities, the composition and diversity of the Equity
Securities may be altered. In order to obtain the best price for the Trust, it
may be necessary for the Supervisor to specify minimum amounts (generally 100
shares) in which blocks of Equity Securities are to be sold. In effecting
purchases and sales of a Trust's portfolio securities, the Sponsor may direct
that orders be placed with and brokerage commissions be paid to brokers,
including brokers which may be affiliated with the Trust, the Sponsor or dealers
participating in the offering of Units. In addition, in selecting among firms to
handle a particular transaction, the Sponsor may take into account whether the
firm has sold or is selling units of unit investment trusts which it sponsors.
Amendment or Termination. The Trust Agreement may be amended by the Trustee
and the Sponsor without the consent of any of the Unitholders (1) to cure any
ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision thereof which may be
defective or inconsistent, or (2) to make such other provisions as shall not
adversely affect the Unitholders (as determined in good faith by the Sponsor and
the Trustee), provided, however, that the Trust Agreement may not be amended to
increase the number of Units (except as provided in the Trust Agreement). The
Trust Agreement may also be amended in any respect by the Trustee and Sponsor,
or any of the provisions thereof may be waived, with the consent of the holders
of 51% of the Units then outstanding, provided that no such amendment or waiver
will reduce the interest in the Trust of any Unitholder without the consent of
such Unitholder or reduce the percentage of Units required to consent to any
such amendment or waiver without the consent of all Unitholders. The Trustee
shall advise the Unitholders of any amendment promptly after execution thereof.
The Trust may be liquidated at any time by consent of Unitholders
representing 66 2/3% of the Trust Units then outstanding or by the Trustee when
the value of the Trust, as shown by any evaluation, is less than that amount set
forth under Minimum Termination Value in "Summary of Essential Financial
Information" in Part One. The Trust will be liquidated by the Trustee in the
event that a sufficient number of Units not yet sold are tendered for redemption
by the Sponsor so that the net worth of the Trust would be reduced to less than
40% of the value of the Securities at the time they were deposited in the Trust.
If the Trust is liquidated because of the redemption of unsold Units the Sponsor
will refund to each purchaser of Units the entire sales charge paid by such
purchaser. The Trust Agreement will terminate upon the sale or other disposition
of the last Security held thereunder, but in no event will it continue beyond
the Mandatory Termination Date stated under "Summary of Essential Financial
Information" in Part One.
Commencing during the period beginning nine business days prior to, and no
later than, the Mandatory Termination Date, Equity Securities will begin to be
sold in connection with the termination of the Trust. The Sponsor will determine
the manner, timing and execution of the sales of the Equity Securities. The
Sponsor shall direct the liquidation of the Securities in such manner as to
effectuate orderly sales and a minimal market impact. In the event the Sponsor
does not so direct, the Securities shall be sold within a reasonable period and
in such manner as the Trustee, in its sole discretion, shall determine. Written
notice of any termination specifying the time or times at which Unitholders may
surrender their certificates for cancellation, if any are then issued and
outstanding, shall be given by the Trustee to each Unitholder so holding a
certificate at his address appearing on the registration books of the Trust
maintained by the Trustee. At least 30 days before the Mandatory Termination
Date the Trustee will provide written notice thereof to all Unitholders and will
include with such notice a form to enable Unitholders owning 1,000 or more Units
to request an In Kind Distribution rather than payment in cash upon the
termination of the Trust. To be effective, this request must be returned to the
Trustee at least five business days prior to the Mandatory Termination Date. On
the Mandatory Termination Date (or on the next business day thereafter if a
holiday) the Trustee will deliver each requesting Unitholder's pro rata number
of whole shares of each of the Equity Securities in the portfolio to the account
of the broker-dealer or bank designated by the Unitholder at Depository Trust
Company. The value of the Unitholder's fractional shares of the Equity
Securities will be paid in cash. Unitholders with less than 1,000 Units and
those not requesting an In Kind Distribution will receive a cash distribution
from the sale of the remaining Equity Securities within a reasonable time
following the Mandatory Termination Date. Regardless of the distribution
involved, the Trustee will deduct from the funds of the Trust any accrued costs,
expenses, advances or indemnities provided by the Trust Agreement, including
estimated compensation of the Trustee, costs of liquidation and any amounts
required as a reserve to provide for payment of any applicable taxes or other
governmental charges. Any sale of Equity Securities in the Trust upon
termination may result in a lower amount than might otherwise be realized if
such sale were not required at such time. The Trustee will then distribute to
each Unitholder his pro rata share of the balance of the Income and Capital
Accounts.
Within 60 days of the final distribution, Unitholders will be furnished a
final distribution statement, in substantially the same form as the annual
distribution statement, of the amount distributable. At such time as the Trustee
in its sole discretion will determine that any amounts held in reserve are no
longer necessary, it will make distribution thereof to Unitholders in the same
manner.
Limitations on Liabilities. The Sponsor, the Evaluator, the Supervisor and
the Trustee shall be under no liability to Unitholders for taking any action or
for refraining from taking any action in good faith pursuant to the Trust
Agreement, or for errors in judgment, but shall be liable only for their own
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence (negligence in the case of
the Trustee) in the performance of their duties or by reason of their reckless
disregard of their obligations and duties hereunder. The Trustee shall not be
liable for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of the sale by the Trustee of
any of the Securities. In the event of the failure of the Sponsor to act under
the Trust Agreement, the Trustee may act thereunder and shall not be liable for
any action taken by it in good faith under the Trust Agreement.
The Trustee shall not be liable for any taxes or other governmental charges
imposed upon or in respect of the Securities or upon the interest thereon or
upon it as Trustee under the Trust Agreement or upon or in respect of the Trust
which the Trustee may be required to pay under any present or future law of the
United States of America or of any other taxing authority having jurisdiction.
In addition, the Trust Agreement contains other customary provisions limiting
the liability of the Trustee.
The Trustee, Sponsor, Supervisor and Unitholders may rely on any evaluation
furnished by the Evaluator and shall have no responsibility for the accuracy
thereof. Determinations by the Evaluator under the Trust Agreement shall be made
in good faith upon the basis of the best information available to it, provided,
however, that the Evaluator shall be under no liability to the Trustee, Sponsor
or Unitholders for errors in judgment. This provision shall not protect the
Evaluator in any case of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of its obligations and duties.
Sponsor. Van Kampen Funds Inc., a Delaware corporation, is the Sponsor of the
Trust. The Sponsor is an indirect subsidiary of Van Kampen Investments Inc. Van
Kampen Investments Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of MSAM Holdings II, Inc.,
which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co.
("MSDW").
MSDW, together with various of its directly and indirectly owned
subsidiaries, is engaged in a wide range of financial services through three
primary businesses: securities, asset management and credit services. These
principal businesses include securities underwriting, distribution and trading;
merger, acquisition, restructuring and other corporate finance advisory
activities; merchant banking; stock brokerage and research services; asset
management; trading of futures, options, foreign exchange commodities and swaps
(involving foreign exchange, commodities, indices and interest rates); real
estate advice, financing and investing; global custody, securities clearance
services and securities lending; and credit card services.
Van Kampen Funds Inc. specializes in the underwriting and distribution of
unit investment trusts and mutual funds with roots in money management dating
back to 1926. The Sponsor is a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc. and has offices at One Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
60181, (630) 684-6000 and 2800 Post Oak Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77056, (713)
993-0500. As of November 30, 1998, the total stockholders' equity of Van Kampen
Funds Inc. was $135,236,000 (audited). (This paragraph relates only to the
Sponsor and not to the Trust or to any other Series thereof. The information is
included herein only for the purpose of informing investors as to the financial
responsibility of the Sponsor and its ability to carry out its contractual
obligations. More detailed financial information will be made available by the
Sponsor upon request.)
As of March 31, 1999, the Sponsor and its Van Kampen affiliates managed or
supervised approximately $75 billion of investment products. The Sponsor and its
Van Kampen affiliates managed $64 billion of assets, consisting of $36.6 billion
for 50 open-end mutual funds, $19.5 billion for 39 closed-end funds and $8.2
billion for 106 institutional accounts. The Sponsor has also deposited more than
3,200 unit trusts amounting to approximately $35.4 billion of assets. All of Van
Kampen's open-end funds, closed-ended funds and unit investment trusts are
professionally distributed by leading financial firms nationwide. Based on
cumulative assets deposited, the Sponsor believes that it is the largest sponsor
of insured municipal unit investment trusts, primarily through the success of
its Insured Municipals Income Trust(R) or the IM-IT(R) trust. The Sponsor also
provides surveillance or evaluation services at cost for approximately $13.4
billion of unit investment trust assets outstanding. Since 1976, the Sponsor has
serviced over two million investor accounts, opened through retail distribution
firms.
If the Sponsor shall fail to perform any of its duties under the Trust
Agreement or become incapable of acting or shall become bankrupt or its affairs
are taken over by public authorities, then the Trustee may (i) appoint a
successor Sponsor at rates of compensation deemed by the Trustee to be
reasonable and not exceeding amounts prescribed by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, (ii) terminate the Trust Agreement and liquidate the Trust as
provided therein or (iii) continue to act as Trustee without terminating the
Trust Agreement.
Trustee. The Trustee is The Bank of New York, a trust company organized under
the laws of New York. The Bank of New York has its unit investment trust
division offices at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286, (800)
221-7668. The Bank of New York is subject to supervision and examination by the
Superintendent of Banks of the State of New York and the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System, and its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation to the extent permitted by law.
The duties of the Trustee are primarily ministerial in nature. It did not
participate in the selection of Securities for the Trust portfolio.
In accordance with the Trust Agreement, the Trustee shall keep proper books
of record and account of all transactions at its office for the Trust. Such
records shall include the name and address of, and the number of Units of the
Trust held by, every Unitholder of the Fund. Such books and records shall be
open to inspection by any Unitholder at all reasonable times during the usual
business hours. The Trustee shall make such annual or other reports as may from
time to time be required under any applicable state or federal statute, rule or
regulation (see "Rights of Unitholders--Reports Provided"). The Trustee is
required to keep a certified copy or duplicate original of the Trust Agreement
on file in its office available for inspection at all reasonable times during
the usual business hours by any Unitholder, together with a current list of the
Securities held in the Trust.
Under the Trust Agreement, the Trustee or any successor trustee may resign
and be discharged of its responsibilities created by the Trust Agreement by
executing an instrument in writing and filing the same with the Sponsor. The
Trustee or successor trustee must mail a copy of the notice of resignation to
all Unitholders then of record, not less than 60 days before the date specified
in such notice when such resignation is to take effect. The Sponsor upon
receiving notice of such resignation is obligated to appoint a successor trustee
promptly. If, upon such resignation, no successor trustee has been appointed and
has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notification, the retiring
Trustee may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a
successor. The Sponsor may remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee as
provided in the Trust Agreement at any time with or without cause. Notice of
such removal and appointment shall be mailed to each Unitholder by the Sponsor.
Upon execution of a written acceptance of such appointment by such successor
trustee, all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of the original trustee
shall vest in the successor. The resignation or removal of a Trustee becomes
effective only when the successor trustee accepts its appointment as such or
when a court of competent jurisdiction appoints a successor trustee. Any
corporation into which a Trustee may be merged or with which it may be
consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to
which a Trustee shall be a party, shall be the successor trustee. The Trustee
must be a banking corporation organized under the laws of the United States or
any state and having at all times an aggregate capital, surplus and undivided
profits of not less than $5,000,000.
OTHER MATTERS
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Legal Opinions. The legality of the Units offered hereby has been passed upon
by Chapman and Cutler, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, as
counsel for the Sponsor. Winston & Strawn has acted as counsel for the Trustee.
Independent Certified Public Accountants. The statement of condition and the
related securities portfolio included in this Prospectus have been audited by
Grant Thornton LLP, independent certified public accountants, as set forth in
their report in this Prospectus, and are included herein in reliance upon the
authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Title Page
The Trust................................................... 2
Objective and Securities Selection.......................... 2
Trust Portfolio............................................. 2
Risk Factors................................................ 3
Federal Taxation............................................ 4
Trust Operating Expenses.................................... 6
Public Offering............................................. 7
Rights of Unitholders....................................... 8
Trust Administration........................................ 10
Other Matters............................................... 12
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PROSPECTUS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Van Kampen
Focus Portfolios(SM)
A Division of Van Kampen Funds Inc.
REIT Income
and Growth Trust
Van Kampen Funds Inc.
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
2800 Post Oak Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77056
Please retain this Prospectus for future reference.
INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS. The statement of condition and
the related securities portfolio included in Part One of this Prospectus have
been audited by Grant Thornton LLP, independent certified public accountants, as
set forth in their report in Part One of this Prospectus, and are included
herein in reliance upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and
auditing.
Contents of Post-Effective Amendment
to Registration Statement
This Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement comprises the
following papers and documents:
The facing sheet
The prospectus
The signatures
The Consent of Independent Accountants
Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant,
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 96, certifies that
it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly
caused this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized, and its seal to be
hereunto affixed and attested, all in the City of Chicago and State of Illinois
on the 26th day of July, 1999.
Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity
Trust, Series 96
(Registrant)
By VAN KAMPEN FUNDS INC.
(Depositor)
By: Christine K. Putong
Assistant Secretary
(SEAL)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment to
the Registration Statement has been signed below on July 26, 1999 by the
following persons who constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of Van
Kampen Funds Inc.:
SIGNATURE TITLE
Richard F. Powers III Chairman and Chief Executive )
Officer )
John H. Zimmerman III President and Chief Operating )
Officer )
William R. Rybak Executive Vice President and )
Chief Financial Officer )
A. Thomas Smith III Executive Vice President, )
General Counsel and Secretary )
Michael H. Santo Executive Vice President )
Christine K. Putong ______________
(Attorney in Fact)*
- --------------------
* An executed copy of each of the related powers of attorney is filed herewith
or was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the
Registration Statement on Form S-6 of Van Kampen Focus Portfolios, Series 136
(File No. 333-70897) and the same are hereby incorporated herein by this
reference.
Consent of Independent Certified Public Accountants
We have issued our report dated May 21, 1999 accompanying the financial
statements of Van Kampen American Capital Equity Opportunity Trust, Series 96 as
of March 31, 1999, and for the period then ended, contained in this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Form S-6.
We consent to the use of the aforementioned report in the Post-Effective
Amendment and to the use of our name as it appears under the caption "Auditors".
Grant Thornton LLP
Chicago, Illinois
July 26, 1999
