<PAGE> 1
VAN KAMPEN
TAX MANAGED EQUITY GROWTH FUND
Van Kampen Tax Managed Equity Growth Fund is a mutual fund with the investment
objective to seek to provide long-term capital appreciation on an after-tax
basis. The Fund's investment adviser seeks to achieve the Fund's investment
objective by investing primarily in growth-oriented equity securities while
attempting to minimize the impact of federal income taxes on shareholder
returns.
Shares of the Fund have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) or any state regulator, and neither the SEC nor any
state regulator has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
This prospectus is dated MARCH 7, 2000.
[VAN KAMPEN FUNDS LOGO]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
Risk/Return Summary................................ 3
Fees and Expenses of the Fund...................... 4
Investment Objective, Policies and Risks........... 5
Investment Advisory Services....................... 8
Purchase of Shares................................. 10
Redemption of Shares............................... 16
Distributions from the Fund........................ 18
Shareholder Services............................... 18
Federal Income Taxation............................ 20
</TABLE>
No dealer, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to give any
information or to make any representations, other than those contained in this
prospectus, in connection with the offer contained in this prospectus and, if
given or made, such other information or representations must not be relied upon
as having been authorized by the Fund, the Fund's investment adviser or the
Fund's distributor. This prospectus does not constitute an offer by the Fund or
by the Fund's distributor to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of
the securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is
unlawful for the Fund to make such an offer in such jurisdiction.
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RISK/RETURN SUMMARY
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Fund is a mutual fund with the investment objective to seek to provide
long-term capital appreciation on an after-tax basis.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Under normal market conditions, the Fund's investment adviser seeks to achieve
the Fund's investment objective by investing primarily in a portfolio of
growth-oriented equity securities while attempting to minimize the impact of
federal income taxes on shareholder returns.
The Fund's investment adviser seeks to minimize the impact of federal income
taxes on shareholder returns by employing certain tax sensitive investment
strategies such as:
- - Maintaining a long-term investment focus in an attempt to minimize portfolio
turnover, and, thus, reduce capital gains distributions made by the Fund.
- - In order to minimize taxable dividends to the extent possible without
subjecting the Fund to undue risk, investing principally in stocks which pay
relatively low (or no) dividends.
- - Selling securities to realize losses for purposes of offsetting capital gains
the Fund has realized or expects to realize.
- - When selling a security, selling, in most cases, the shares with the higher
cost basis first.
The Fund invests primarily in a portfolio of equity securities of companies with
market capitalizations of at least $1 billion that exhibit strong or
accelerating earnings growth. The Fund emphasizes individual security selection
and buys securities of companies based upon such factors as potential growth in
earnings, quality of management and business prospects. Portfolio securities are
typically sold when the Fund's investment adviser's assessments for growth of
such securities materially change.
The Fund invests in equity securities including common and preferred stocks,
convertible securities, rights and warrants to purchase common stocks,
depository receipts and other specialty securities having equity features. The
Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in securities of foreign issuers.
INVESTMENT RISKS
An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risks, and you could lose
money on your investment in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund
will achieve its investment objective.
MARKET RISK. Market risk is the possibility that the market values of securities
owned by the Fund will decline. Market risk may affect a single issuer,
industry, sector of the economy or the market as a whole. Investments in equity
securities generally are affected by changes in the stock markets, which
fluctuate substantially over time, sometimes suddenly and sharply. The Fund
emphasizes securities of growth-oriented companies. The market values of such
securities may be more volatile than those of other types of investments. The
returns on growth securities may or may not move in tandem with the returns on
other styles of investing or the overall stock markets. Different types of
stocks tend to shift in and out of favor depending on market and economic
conditions. Thus, the value of the Fund's investments will vary and at times may
be lower or higher than that of other types of funds. During an overall stock
market decline, stock prices of smaller companies (in which the Fund may invest)
often fluctuate more and may fall more than the stock prices of larger
companies.
TAX MANAGED INVESTING. Managing for after-tax returns may negatively impact the
Fund's performance. Since the Fund balances investment and tax considerations
when deciding whether to buy or sell securities, its pre-tax return may be lower
than that of a similar fund that is not tax managed. The Fund may therefore not
be a suitable investment for individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"), other tax-
exempt or tax-deferred accounts or for investors who are not sensitive to the
federal income tax consequences of their investments. Although the Fund strives
to avoid realizing taxable capital gains, it utilizes an active management style
and may realize capital gains on the sale of securities. For instance, portfolio
securities may be sold when the Fund's investment adviser believes that the tax
impact of the sale is outweighed by other factors such as the risks of holding
the security or the availability of other investments that have better potential
returns. There can be no assurance that your after-tax returns from the Fund
will be better than those you would earn from an investment in a growth fund
that is not tax managed. Changes in tax laws may limit the effective-ness of the
Fund's tax management strategies.
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FOREIGN RISKS. Because the Fund may own securities of foreign issuers, it may be
subject to risks not usually associated with owning securities of U.S. issuers.
These risks can include fluctuations in foreign currencies, foreign currency
exchange controls, political and economic instability, differences in financial
reporting, differences in securities regulation and trading, and foreign
taxation issues. The risks of investing in developing or emerging market
countries are greater than the risks generally associated with foreign
investment, including investment and trading limitations, greater credit and
liquidity concerns, greater political uncertainties, an economy's dependence on
international development assistance and greater foreign exchange risk and
currency transfer restrictions.
MANAGER RISK. As with any managed fund, the Fund's investment adviser may not be
successful in selecting the best-performing securities or investment techniques,
and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds.
INVESTOR PROFILE
In light of the Fund's investment objective and strategies, the Fund may be
appropriate for investors who:
- - Seek capital appreciation over the long term
- - Seek lower taxable distributions than a traditional equity growth fund (the
Fund may not be an appropriate investment for IRAs, other tax-exempt or
tax-deferred accounts or for investors who are not sensitive to the federal
income tax consequences of their investments)
- - Do not seek current income from their investment
- - Can withstand substantial volatility in the value of their Fund shares
- - Wish to add to their investment portfolio a fund that emphasizes a growth
style of investing primarily in equity securities while attempting to minimize
the impact of federal income taxes on shareholder returns (including investors
who have already contributed the maximum permitted amounts to IRAs or other
tax-deferred accounts, investors saving for childrens' educational expenses or
investors seeking more liquidity than that offered by variable annuities)
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank or other insured
depository institution. Your investment is not insured or guaranteed by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors. The Fund is
not intended to be a complete investment program, and investors should consider
their long-term investment goals and financial needs when making an investment
decision about the Fund. An investment in the Fund is intended to be a long-term
investment, and the Fund should not be used as a trading vehicle.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Fund had not commenced investment operations prior to the date of this
prospectus. Accordingly, the Fund had no investment performance as of the date
of this prospectus and thus had no historical calendar year annual performance
or comparative performance tables.
FEES AND EXPENSES
OF THE FUND
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
shares of the Fund.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Class A Class B Class C
Shares Shares Shares
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
SHAREHOLDER FEES
(fees paid directly from your investment)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Maximum sales charge
(load) imposed on
purchases (as a
percentage of
offering price) 5.75%(1) None None
................................................................
Maximum deferred
sales charge (load)
(as a percentage of
the lesser of
original purchase
price or redemption
proceeds) None(2) 5.00%(3) 1.00%(4)
................................................................
Maximum sales charge
(load) imposed on
reinvested dividends None None None
................................................................
Redemption fees None None None
................................................................
Exchange fee None None None
................................................................
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Class A Class B Class C
Shares Shares Shares
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Management fees .80% .80% .80%
................................................................
Distribution and/or
service (12b-1) .25% 1.00%(6) 1.00%(6)
fees(5)
................................................................
Other expenses(7) .50% .50% .50%
................................................................
Total annual fund
operating expenses 1.55% 2.30% 2.30%
................................................................
</TABLE>
(1) Reduced for purchases of $50,000 and over. See "Purchase of Shares -- Class
A Shares."
(2) Investments of $1 million or more are not subject to any sales charge at the
time of purchase, but a deferred sales charge of 1.00% may be imposed on
certain redemptions made within one year of the purchase. See "Purchase of
Shares -- Class A Shares."
(3) The maximum deferred sales charge is 5.00% in the first year after purchase,
declining thereafter as follows:
Year 1-5.00%
Year 2-4.00%
Year 3-3.00%
Year 4-2.50%
Year 5-1.50%
After-None
See "Purchase of Shares -- Class B Shares."
(4) The maximum deferred sales charge is 1.00% in the first year after purchase
and 0.00% thereafter. See "Purchase of Shares -- Class C Shares."
(5) Class A Shares are subject to an annual service fee of up to 0.25% of the
average daily net assets attributable to such class of shares. Class B
Shares and Class C Shares are each subject to a combined annual distribution
and service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets attributable
to such class of shares. See "Purchase of Shares."
(6) Because distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees are paid out of the Fund's
assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of
your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales
charges.
(7) Other expenses have been estimated for the Fund's current fiscal year.
Example:
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in
the Fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods
indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The
example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Fund's operating expenses remain the same each year. Although your actual costs
may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
One Three
Year Years
- -------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Class A Shares $724 $1,036
.................................................
Class B Shares $733 $1,018
.................................................
Class C Shares $333 $718
.................................................
</TABLE>
You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
One Three
Year Years
- -------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Class A Shares $724 $1,036
.................................................
Class B Shares $233 $718
.................................................
Class C Shares $233 $718
.................................................
</TABLE>
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE,
POLICIES AND RISKS
The Fund's investment objective is to seek to provide long-term capital
appreciation on an after-tax basis. The Fund's investment objective may be
changed by the Fund's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, but no
change is anticipated. If there is a change in the investment objective of the
Fund, shareholders should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate
investment in light of their then current financial positions and needs. There
are risks inherent in all investments in securities; accordingly, there can be
no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund's investment adviser seeks to achieve
the Fund's investment objective by investing primarily in a portfolio of
growth-oriented equity securities while attempting to minimize the impact of
federal income taxes on shareholder returns.
In managing the Fund, the Fund's investment adviser seeks to employ investment
strategies that attempt to achieve high after-tax returns by balancing
investment and tax considerations when deciding whether to buy or sell
securities. The Fund is designed to minimize income distributions and the
distributions of capital gains. The Fund may use, but is not limited to, the
following tax management techniques and strategies:
- - Maintaining a long-term investment focus in an attempt to minimize portfolio
turnover, and, thus, reduce capital gains distributions made by the Fund.
- - In order to minimize taxable dividends to the extent possible without
subjecting the Fund to undue risk, investing principally in stocks which pay
relatively low (or no) dividends.
- - Selling securities to realize losses for purposes of offsetting capital gains
the Fund has realized or expects to realize.
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- - When selling a security, selling, in most cases, the shares with the higher
cost basis first.
The Fund's tax managed strategy can generally be expected to lead to lower
distributions of income and realized capital gains than funds managed without
regard to tax considerations. The Fund is actively managed, however, and there
can be no assurance that taxable distributions can always be avoided.
The Fund invests primarily in a portfolio of equity securities of companies with
market capitalizations of at least $1 billion that exhibit strong or
accelerating earnings growth. The Fund's investment adviser emphasizes a
"bottom-up" stock selection process, seeking attractive growth investments on an
individual company basis. In selecting securities for investment, the Fund's
investment adviser seeks those companies with the potential for consistent or
rising earnings growth and compelling business strategies. Investments in
growth-oriented equity securities may have above-average volatility of price
movement. Because prices of equity securities fluctuate, the value of an
investment in the Fund will vary based upon the Fund's investment performance.
The Fund attempts to reduce overall exposure to risk by adhering to a
disciplined program of intensive research, careful security selection and the
continual monitoring of the Fund's investments.
The Fund generally follows a flexible investment program seeking attractive
growth opportunities on an individual company basis. Fundamental research drives
the investment process. The Fund emphasizes companies that the Fund's investment
adviser believes are positioned to deliver stronger earnings growth than
originally anticipated by the market. The Fund's investment adviser continually
and rigorously studies company developments including business strategy,
management's focus and financial results, and closely monitors analysts' views
and expectations in seeking to identify such companies. The Fund's investment
adviser expects that many of the companies in which the Fund invests will, at
the time of investment, be experiencing high rates of earnings growth. The
securities of such companies may trade at higher price to earnings ratios
relative to more established companies and rates of earnings growth may be
volatile. However, the valuation of a security is of secondary importance in the
Fund's investment program and is viewed in context of the security's potential
for sustainable earnings growth and its ability to produce earnings higher than
the market initially anticipated.
The Fund invests primarily in common stocks. Common stocks are shares of a
corporation or other entity that entitle the holder to a pro rata share of the
profits of the corporation, if any, without preference over any other class of
securities, including such entity's debt securities, preferred stock and other
senior equity securities. Common stock usually carries with it the right to vote
and frequently an exclusive right to do so.
While the Fund invests primarily in common stocks, it also may invest in other
equity securities including preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and
warrants to purchase common stocks, depositary receipts and other specialty
securities having equity features. Preferred stock generally has a preference as
to dividends and liquidation over an issuer's common stock but ranks junior to
debt securities in an issuer's capital structure. Unlike interest payments on
debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the
issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or
mandatory redemption provisions.
A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other
security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of
common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer or into
cash within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A
convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or
accrued on debt securities or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the
convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before
conversion, convertible securities generally have characteristics similar to
both debt and equity securities. The value of convertible securities tends to
decline as interest rates rise and, because of the conversion feature, tends to
vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying equity securities.
Convertible securities ordinarily provide a stream of income with generally
higher yields than those of common stock of the same or similar issuers.
Convertible securities generally rank senior to common stock in a corporation's
capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible
securities. Convertible securities generally do not participate directly in any
dividend increases or decreases of the underlying equity securities although the
market prices of the convertible securities may be affected by any dividend
changes or other changes in the underlying equity securities.
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Rights and warrants entitle the holder to buy equity securities at a specific
price for a specific period of time. Rights typically have a substantially
shorter duration than do warrants. Rights and warrants may be considered more
speculative and less liquid than certain other types of investments in that they
do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the
underlying securities nor do they represent any rights in the assets of the
issuing company. Rights and warrants may lack a secondary market.
The Fund may invest in companies of any capitalization range including
securities of medium-and smaller-sized companies. The securities of medium-and
smaller-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market
movements and may have lower trading volumes or more erratic trading than
securities of large-sized companies or the market averages in general. To the
extent the Fund invests in medium- and smaller-sized companies, it will be
subject to greater investment risk than that assumed through its investment in
the securities of large-sized companies.
RISKS OF INVESTING IN
SECURITIES OF FOREIGN ISSUERS
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in securities of foreign
issuers. Securities of foreign issuers may be denominated in U.S. dollars or in
currencies other than U.S. dollars. Investments in foreign securities present
certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of U.S.
issuers. These risks include fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates,
political, economic or legal developments (including war or other instability,
expropriation of assets, nationalization and confiscatory taxation), the
imposition of foreign exchange limitations (including currency blockage),
withholding taxes on dividend or interest payments or capital transactions or
other restrictions, higher transaction costs (including higher brokerage,
custodial and settlement costs and currency conversion costs) and possible
difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations or taking judicial action. Also,
foreign securities may not be as liquid and may be more volatile than comparable
domestic securities.
In addition, there often is less publicly available information about many
foreign issuers, and issuers of foreign securities are subject to different,
often less comprehensive, auditing, accounting and financial reporting
disclosure requirements than domestic issuers. There is generally less
government regulation of stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies abroad
than in the U. S., and, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is a
possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, or diplomatic
developments which could affect investment in those countries. Because there is
usually less supervision and governmental regulation of exchanges, brokers and
dealers than there is in the U.S., the Fund may experience settlement
difficulties or delays not usually encountered in the U.S.
Delays in making trades in foreign securities relating to volume constraints,
limitations or restrictions, clearance or settlement procedures, or otherwise
could impact returns and result in temporary periods when assets of the Fund are
not fully invested or attractive investment opportunities are foregone.
The Fund may invest in securities of issuers in developing or emerging market
countries. Investments in securities of issuers in developing or emerging market
countries are subject to greater risks than investments in securities of
developed countries since emerging market countries tend to have economic
structures that are less diverse and mature and political systems that are less
stable than developed countries.
In addition to the increased risks of investing in foreign securities, there are
often increased transactions costs associated with investing in foreign
securities including the costs incurred in connection with converting
currencies, higher foreign brokerage or dealer costs, and higher settlement
costs or custodial costs.
Many European countries have adopted or are in the process of adopting a single
European currency, commonly referred to as the "euro." It is still unclear what
the long-term consequences of the euro conversion will be on foreign exchange
rates, interest rates and the value of European securities which may adversely
affect the Fund.
Investors should carefully consider the risks of foreign investments before
investing in the Fund.
OTHER INVESTMENTS AND RISK FACTORS
For cash management purposes, the Fund may engage in repurchase agreements with
broker-dealers, banks and other financial institutions in order to earn a return
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on temporarily available cash. Such transactions are subject to the risk of
default by the other party.
The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers, banks or other
recognized institutional borrowers of securities in order to generate income on
the loaned security and any collateral received. The Fund may incur lending fees
and other costs in connection with securities lending, and securities lending is
subject to the risk of default by the other party.
The Fund may from time to time sell securities short. A short sale is a
transaction in which the Fund sells a security in anticipation that the market
price of such security will decline. The Fund may sell securities it owns or has
the right to acquire at no added cost (i.e., "against the box") or it does not
own. When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short
and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale in
order to satisfy its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the
sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is
often obligated to pay over any payments received on such borrowed securities.
The Fund's obligation to replace the borrowed security will be secured by
collateral of cash or liquid securities. Depending on arrangements made with the
broker-dealer from which it borrowed the security, the Fund may not receive any
payments (including interest) on its collateral. If the price of the security
sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund
replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a capital loss; conversely,
if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. The Fund, however,
may take advantage of hedging exceptions permitted under the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), to defer the taxable event. Any gain will
be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above.
Although the Fund's gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security
short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of the Fund's net assets in illiquid securities
and certain restricted securities. Such securities may be difficult or
impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. Thus, the
Fund may have to sell such securities at a lower price, sell other securities
instead to obtain cash or forego other investment opportunities.
Further information about these types of investments and other investment
practices that may be used by the Fund is contained in the Fund's Statement of
Additional Information.
The Fund balances investment and tax considerations when deciding whether to buy
and sell securities. A strategy of the Fund is to minimize capital gain
producing portfolio turnover. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may sell
securities and recognize gains when the investment adviser deems it advisable in
order to take advantage of new investment opportunities, or when the Fund's
investment adviser believes the potential for capital appreciation has lessened,
or for other reasons. The Fund's portfolio turnover rate may vary from year to
year. A high portfolio turnover rate (100% or more) increases a fund's
transactions costs (including brokerage commissions or dealer costs) and may
result in the realization of more short-term capital gains than if a fund had a
lower portfolio turnover rate. Increases in a fund's transactions costs would
adversely impact the fund's performance.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE STRATEGY. When market conditions dictate a more "defensive"
investment strategy, the Fund may on a temporary basis hold cash or invest a
portion or all of its assets in money-market instruments including obligations
of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, obligations of
foreign sovereignties, other high-quality debt securities, including prime
commercial paper, repurchase agreements and bank obligations, such as bankers'
acceptances and certificates of deposit (including Eurodollar certificates of
deposit). Under normal market conditions, the potential for capital appreciation
on these securities will tend to be lower than the potential for capital growth
on other securities that may be owned by the Fund. In taking such a defensive
position, the Fund would not be pursuing and may not achieve its investment
objective.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
INVESTMENT ADVISER
THE ADVISER. Van Kampen Investment Advisory Corp. is the Fund's investment
adviser (the "Adviser" or "Advisory Corp."). The Adviser is a
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wholly owned subsidiary of Van Kampen Investments Inc. ("Van Kampen
Investments"). Van Kampen Investments is a diversified asset management company
with more than two million retail investor accounts, extensive capabilities for
managing institutional portfolios, and more than $90 billion under management or
supervision as of December 31, 1999. Van Kampen Investments' more than 50 open-
end and 39 closed-end funds and more than 2,700 unit investment trusts are
professionally distributed by leading authorized dealers nationwide. Van Kampen
Funds Inc., the distributor of the Fund (the "Distributor") and the sponsor of
the funds mentioned above, is also a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Kampen
Investments. Van Kampen Investments is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of
Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. The Adviser's principal office is located at 1
Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181-5555.
ADVISORY AGREEMENT. The Fund retains the Adviser to manage the investment of its
assets and to place orders for the purchase and sale of its portfolio
securities. Under an investment advisory agreement between the Adviser and the
Fund (the "Advisory Agreement"), the Fund pays the Adviser a monthly fee
computed based upon an annual rate applied to the average daily net assets of
the Fund as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Average Daily Net Assets % Per Annum
- ------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
First $500 million 0.80% of 1.00%
................................................
Next $500 million 0.75% of 1.00%
................................................
Over $1 billion 0.70% of 1.00%
................................................
</TABLE>
The Fund's average daily net assets are determined by taking the average of all
of the determinations of the net assets during a given calendar month. Such fee
is payable for each calendar month as soon as practicable after the end of that
month.
The Adviser furnishes offices, necessary facilities and equipment and provides
administrative services to the Fund. The Fund reimburses the Adviser for the
cost of the Fund's accounting services, which include maintaining its financial
books and records and calculating its daily net asset value. The Fund also pays
all charges and expenses of its day-to-day operations, including the
compensation of trustees of the Fund (other than those who are affiliated
persons of the Adviser, Distributor or Van Kampen Investments), the charges and
expenses of legal counsel and independent accountants, distribution fees,
service fees, custodian fees, the costs of providing reports to shareholders,
and all other ordinary business expenses not specifically assumed by the
Adviser.
The Adviser may utilize, at its own expense, credit analysis, research and
trading support services provided by its affiliate, Van Kampen Asset Management
Inc. ("Asset Management").
INVESTMENT SUBADVISER
Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management Inc. (the "Subadviser") is the
Subadviser of the Fund. The Subadviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan
Stanley Dean Witter & Co., and is an affiliate of the Adviser. The Subadviser
conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of
portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. At
December 31, 1999, the Subadviser, together with its affiliated institutional
asset management companies, managed assets of approximately $184.8 billion,
including assets under fiduciary advice. The Subadviser's principal office is
located at 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020. On December 1,
1998, Morgan Stanley Asset Management Inc. changed its name to Morgan Stanley
Dean Witter Investment Management Inc. but continues to do business in certain
instances using the name Morgan Stanley Asset Management.
SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT. The Adviser has entered into a subadvisory agreement with
the Subadviser to assist the Adviser in performing its investment advisory
functions. The Adviser pays the Subadviser on a monthly basis a portion of the
net advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund.
GENERAL
From time to time, the Adviser, the Subadviser or the Distributor may
voluntarily undertake to reduce the Fund's expenses by reducing the fees payable
to them or by reducing other expenses of the Fund in accordance with such
limitations as the Adviser, the Subadviser or Distributor may establish.
PERSONAL INVESTMENT POLICIES. The Fund, the Adviser, the Subadviser and the
Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics designed to recognize the fiduciary
relationship among the Fund, the Adviser, the Subadviser and the Distributor and
their respective employees. The Codes of Ethics permit directors, trustees,
officers and employees to buy and sell securities for their personal accounts
subject
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to certain restrictions. Persons with access to certain sensitive information
are subject to pre-clearance and other procedures designed to prevent conflicts
of interest.
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT. The Fund's portfolio managers are Philip W. Friedman,
William S. Auslander and Margaret K. Johnson.
Mr. Friedman is a Managing Director of the Subadviser and of Morgan Stanley &
Co. Incorporated and leads its Institutional Equity Group. Prior to joining the
Subadviser in 1997, Mr. Friedman was the North American Director of Equity
Research at Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated. From 1990 to 1995, he was a
member of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated's Equity Research team. Mr. Friedman
graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa; Summa Cum Laude)
in Economics. He also holds an M.B.A. from J.L. Kellogg School of Management at
Northwestern University.
Mr. Auslander is a Principal of the Subadviser and Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated and a Portfolio Manager in the Institutional Equity Group. He
joined the Subadviser in 1995 as an equity analyst in the Institutional Equity
Group. Prior to joining the Subadviser, Mr. Auslander was an equity analyst at
Icahn & Co. for nine years. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin at
Madison with a B.A. in Economics and received an M.B.A. from Columbia University
in 1993.
Ms. Johnson is a Managing Director of the Subadviser and Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated. Ms. Johnson also serves as Product Manager and a Fund Manager in
the Institutional Equity Group. She joined the Subadviser in 1984 and worked as
an Analyst in the Marketing and Fiduciary Advisor areas. Ms. Johnson became an
Equity Analyst in 1986 and a Fund Manager in 1989. She holds a B.A. degree from
Yale College and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
PURCHASE OF SHARES
GENERAL
The Fund offers three classes of shares designated as Class A Shares, Class B
Shares and Class C Shares. By offering three classes of shares, the Fund permits
each investor to choose the class of shares that is most beneficial given the
amount to be invested and the length of time the investor expects to hold the
shares.
Initial investments must be at least $1,000 for each class of shares, and
subsequent investments must be at least $25 for each class of shares. Minimum
investment amounts may be waived by the Distributor for plans involving periodic
investments.
Each class of shares represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments
of the Fund and has the same rights except that (i) Class A Shares generally
bear the sales charge expenses at the time of purchase while Class B Shares and
Class C Shares bear the sales charge expenses at the time of redemption and any
expenses (including higher distribution fees and transfer agency costs)
resulting from such deferred sales charge arrangement, (ii) each class of shares
has exclusive voting rights with respect to approvals of the Rule 12b-1
distribution plan and service plan (each as described below) under which its
distribution fee and/or service fee is paid, (iii) each class of shares has
different exchange privileges, (iv) certain classes of shares are subject to a
conversion feature and (v) certain classes of shares have different shareholder
service options available.
The offering price of the Fund's shares is based upon the Fund's net asset value
per share (plus sales charges, where applicable). The net asset values per share
of the Class A Shares, Class B Shares and Class C Shares are generally expected
to be substantially the same. In certain circumstances, however, the per share
net asset values of the classes of shares may differ from one another,
reflecting the daily expense accruals of the higher distribution fees and
transfer agency costs applicable to the Class B Shares and Class C Shares and
the differential in the dividends that may be paid on each class of shares.
The net asset value per share for each class of shares of the Fund is determined
once daily as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the
"Exchange") (currently 4:00 p.m., New York time) each day the Exchange is open
for trading except on any day on which no purchase or redemption orders are
received or there is not a sufficient degree of trading in the Fund's portfolio
securities such that the Fund's net asset value per share might be materially
affected. The Fund's Board of Trustees reserves the right to calculate the net
asset value per share and adjust the offering price based thereon more
frequently than once daily if deemed desirable. Net asset value per share for
each class is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's portfolio
securities,
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<PAGE> 11
cash and other assets (including accrued interest) attributable to such class,
less all liabilities (including accrued expenses) attributable to such class, by
the total number of shares of the class outstanding. Such computation is made by
using prices as of the close of trading on the Exchange and (i) valuing
securities listed or traded on a national securities exchange at the last
reported sale price, and if there has been no sale that day, at the mean between
the last reported bid and asked prices, (ii) valuing over-the-counter securities
at the last reported sale price from the National Association of Securities
Dealers Automated Quotations ("NASDAQ") and, if there has been no sale on that
day, at the mean between the last reported bid and asked prices and (iii)
valuing securities for which market quotations are not readily available and any
other assets at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser in
accordance with procedures established by the Fund's Board of Trustees. Debt
securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less are valued on an
amortized cost basis, which approximates market value.
The Fund has adopted a distribution plan (the "Distribution Plan") with respect
to each class of its shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). The Fund also has adopted a service
plan (the "Service Plan") with respect to each class of its shares. Under the
Distribution Plan and the Service Plan, the Fund pays distribution fees in
connection with the sale and distribution of its shares and service fees in
connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders and the
maintenance of such shareholders' accounts.
The amount of distribution and service fees varies among the classes offered by
the Fund. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing
basis, these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund. By
purchasing a class of shares subject to higher distribution and service fees,
you may pay more over time than on a class of shares with other types of sales
charge arrangements. Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic
equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charges permitted by the rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"). The net income
attributable to a class of shares will be reduced by the amount of the
distribution and service fees and other expenses of the Fund associated with
such class of shares. To assist investors in comparing classes of shares, the
tables under the heading "Fees and Expenses of the Fund" provide a summary of
sales charges and expenses and an example of the sales charges and expenses of
the Fund applicable to each class of shares.
The shares are offered to the public on a continuous basis through the
Distributor as principal underwriter, which is located at 1 Parkview Plaza,
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181-5555. Shares also are offered through members
of the NASD who are acting as securities dealers ("dealers") and NASD members or
eligible non-NASD members who are acting as brokers or agents for investors
("brokers"). "Dealers" and "brokers" are sometimes referred to herein as
"authorized dealers."
Shares may be purchased on any business day by completing the application
accompanying this prospectus and forwarding the application, directly or through
an authorized dealer, to the Fund's shareholder service agent, Van Kampen
Investor Services Inc. ("Investor Services"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Van
Kampen Investments. When purchasing shares of the Fund, investors must specify
whether the purchase is for Class A Shares, Class B Shares or Class C Shares by
selecting the correct Fund number on the account application form accompanying
the prospectus. Sales personnel of authorized dealers distributing the Fund's
shares are entitled to receive compensation for selling such shares and may
receive differing compensation for selling Class A Shares, Class B Shares or
Class C Shares.
The offering price for shares is based upon the next calculation of net asset
value per share (plus sales charges, where applicable) after an order is
received by Investor Services. Orders received by authorized dealers prior to
the close of the Exchange are priced based on the date of receipt provided such
order is transmitted to Investor Services prior to Investor Services' close of
business on such date. Orders received by authorized dealers after the close of
the Exchange or transmitted to Investor Services after its close of business are
priced based on the date of the next computed net asset value per share provided
they are received by Investor Services prior to Investor Services' close of
business on such date. It is the responsibility of authorized dealers to
transmit orders received by them to Investor Services so they will be received
in a timely manner.
The Fund and the Distributor reserve the right to refuse any order for the
purchase of shares. The Fund also reserves the right to suspend the sale of the
Fund's shares in response to conditions in the
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<PAGE> 12
securities markets or for other reasons. Shares of the Fund may be sold in
foreign countries where permissible.
Investor accounts will automatically be credited with additional shares of the
Fund after any Fund distributions, such as dividends and capital gain dividends,
unless the investor instructs the Fund otherwise. Investors wishing to receive
cash instead of additional shares should contact the Fund at (800) 341-2911 or
by writing to the Fund, c/o Van Kampen Investor Services Inc., PO Box 218256,
Kansas City, MO 64121-8256.
CLASS A SHARES
Class A Shares of the Fund are sold at net asset value plus an initial maximum
sales charge of up to 5.75% of the offering price (or 6.10% of the net amount
invested), reduced on investments of $50,000 or more as follows:
CLASS A SHARES
SALES CHARGE SCHEDULE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
As % of As % of
Size of Offering Net Amount
Investment Price Invested
- ----------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Less than $50,000 5.75% 6.10%
..........................................................
$50,000 but less than
$100,000 4.75% 4.99%
..........................................................
$100,000 but less than
$250,000 3.75% 3.90%
..........................................................
$250,000 but less than
$500,000 2.75% 2.83%
..........................................................
$500,000 but less than
$1,000,000 2.00% 2.04%
..........................................................
$1,000,000 or more * *
..........................................................
</TABLE>
* No sales charge is payable at the time of purchase on investments of $1
million or more, although for such investments the Fund may impose a
contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on certain redemptions made within
one year of the purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is assessed on
an amount equal to the lesser of the then current market value or the cost of
the shares being redeemed. Accordingly, no sales charge is imposed on
increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price.
No sales charge is imposed on Class A Shares received from reinvestment of
dividends or capital gain dividends.
Under the Distribution Plan and Service Plan, the Fund may spend up to a total
of 0.25% per year of the Fund's average daily net assets with respect to the
Class A Shares of the Fund. From such amount, under the Service Plan, the Fund
may spend up to 0.25% per year of the Fund's average daily net assets with
respect to the Class A Shares of the Fund.
CLASS B SHARES
Class B Shares of the Fund are sold at net asset value and are subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within five years of purchase as
shown in the table as follows:
CLASS B SHARES
SALES CHARGE SCHEDULE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Contingent Deferred
Sales Charge
as a Percentage of
Dollar Amount
Year Since Purchase Subject to Charge
- ------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
First 5.00%
................................................
Second 4.00%
................................................
Third 3.00%
................................................
Fourth 2.50%
................................................
Fifth 1.50%
................................................
Sixth and After None
................................................
</TABLE>
The contingent deferred sales charge is assessed on an amount equal to the
lesser of the then current market value or the cost of the shares being
redeemed. Accordingly, no sales charge is imposed on increases in net asset
value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no sales charge is assessed
on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gain dividends. It
is presently the policy of the Distributor not to accept any order for Class B
Shares in an amount of $500,000 or more because it ordinarily will be more
advantageous for an investor making such an investment to purchase Class A
Shares.
The amount of the contingent deferred sales charge, if any, varies depending on
the number of years from the time of payment for each purchase of Class B Shares
until the time of redemption of such shares.
In determining whether a contingent deferred sales charge applies to a
redemption, it is assumed that the shares being redeemed first are any shares in
the shareholder's Fund account that are not subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge followed by shares held the longest in the shareholder's account.
Under the Distribution Plan, the Fund may spend up to 0.75% per year of the
Fund's average daily net assets with respect to the Class B Shares of the Fund.
In addition, under the Service Plan, the Fund may spend up to 0.25% per year of
the Fund's average
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<PAGE> 13
daily net assets with respect to the Class B Shares of the Fund.
CLASS C SHARES
Class C Shares of the Fund are sold at net asset value and are subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% of the dollar amount subject to charge
if redeemed within one year of purchase.
The contingent deferred sales charge is assessed on an amount equal to the
lesser of the then current market value or the cost of the shares being
redeemed. Accordingly, no sales charge is imposed on increases in net asset
value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no sales charge is assessed
on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gain dividends. It
is presently the policy of the Distributor not to accept any order for Class C
Shares in an amount of $1 million or more because it ordinarily will be more
advantageous for an investor making such an investment to purchase Class A
Shares.
In determining whether a contingent deferred sales charge applies to a
redemption, it is assumed that the shares being redeemed first are any shares in
the shareholder's Fund account that are not subject to a contingent deferred
sales charge followed by shares held the longest in the shareholder's account.
Under the Distribution Plan, the Fund may spend up to 0.75% per year of the
Fund's average daily net assets with respect to the Class C Shares of the Fund.
In addition, under the Service Plan, the Fund may spend up to 0.25% per year of
the Fund's average daily net assets with respect to the Class C Shares of the
Fund.
CONVERSION FEATURE
Class B Shares, including Class B Shares received from reinvestment of dividends
through the dividend reinvestment plan, automatically convert to Class A Shares
eight years after the end of the calendar month in which the shares were
purchased. Such conversion will be on the basis of the relative net asset values
per share, without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. The
conversion schedule applicable to a share of the Fund acquired through the
exchange privilege from another Van Kampen fund participating in the exchange
program is determined by reference to the Van Kampen fund from which such share
was originally purchased.
The conversion of such shares to Class A Shares is subject to the continuing
availability of an opinion of counsel to the effect that (i) the assessment of
the higher distribution fee and transfer agency costs with respect to such
shares does not result in the Fund's dividends or capital gain dividends
constituting "preferential dividends" under the federal income tax law and (ii)
the conversion of shares does not constitute a taxable event under federal
income tax law. The conversion may be suspended if such an opinion is no longer
available and such shares might continue to be subject to the higher aggregate
fees applicable to such shares for an indefinite period.
WAIVER OF CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGE
The contingent deferred sales charge is waived on redemptions of Class B Shares
and Class C Shares (i) within one year following the death or disability (as
disability is defined by federal income tax law) of a shareholder, (ii) for
required minimum distributions from an individual retirement account ("IRA") or
certain other retirement plan distributions, (iii) for withdrawals under the
Fund's systematic withdrawal plan but limited to 12% annually of the initial
value of the account, (iv) if no commission or transaction fee is paid to
authorized dealers at the time of purchase of such shares and (v) if made by
involuntary liquidation by the Fund of a shareholder's account as described
under the heading "Redemption of Shares." Subject to certain limitations, a
shareholder who has redeemed Class C Shares of the Fund may reinvest in Class C
Shares at net asset value with credit for any contingent deferred sales charge
if the reinvestment is made within 180 days after the redemption. For a more
complete description of contingent deferred sales charge waivers, please refer
to the Fund's Statement of Additional Information or contact your authorized
dealer.
QUANTITY DISCOUNTS
Investors purchasing Class A Shares may, under certain circumstances described
below, be entitled to pay reduced or no sales charges. Investors, or their
authorized dealers, must notify the Fund at the time of the purchase order
whenever a quantity discount is applicable to purchases. Upon such notification,
an investor will pay the lowest applicable sales charge. Quantity discounts may
be modified or terminated at any time. For more information about quantity
discounts, investors should contact their authorized dealer or the Distributor.
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<PAGE> 14
A person eligible for a reduced sales charge includes an individual, his or her
spouse and children under 21 years of age and any corporation, partnership or
sole proprietorship which is 100% owned, either alone or in combination, by any
of the foregoing; a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing for a single trust or
for a single fiduciary account, or a "company" as defined in Section 2(a)(8) of
the 1940 Act.
As used herein, "Participating Funds" refers to certain open-end investment
companies advised by Asset Management or Advisory Corp. and distributed by the
Distributor as determined from time to time by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
VOLUME DISCOUNTS. The size of investment shown in the Class A Shares sales
charge table applies to the total dollar amount being invested by any person in
shares of the Fund, or in any combination of shares of the Fund and shares of
other Participating Funds, although other Participating Funds may have different
sales charges.
CUMULATIVE PURCHASE DISCOUNT. The size of investment shown in the Class A Shares
sales charge table may also be determined by combining the amount being invested
in shares of the Participating Funds plus the current offering price of all
shares of the Participating Funds currently owned.
LETTER OF INTENT. A Letter of Intent provides an opportunity for an investor to
obtain a reduced sales charge by aggregating investments over a 13-month period
to determine the sales charge as outlined in the Class A Shares sales charge
table. The size of investment shown in the Class A Shares sales charge table
includes purchases of shares of the Participating Funds over a 13-month period
based on the total amount of intended purchases plus the value of all shares of
the Participating Funds previously purchased and still owned. An investor may
elect to compute the 13-month period starting up to 90 days before the date of
execution of a Letter of Intent. Each investment made during the period receives
the reduced sales charge applicable to the total amount of the investment goal.
The initial purchase must be for an amount equal to at least 5% of the minimum
total purchase amount of the level selected. If trades not initially made under
a Letter of Intent subsequently qualify for a lower sales charge through the
90-day backdating provisions, an adjustment will be made at the time of the
expiration of the Letter of Intent to give effect to the lower sales charge.
Such adjustment in sales charge will be used to purchase additional shares. The
Fund initially will escrow shares totaling 5% of the dollar amount of the Letter
of Intent to be held by Investor Services in the name of the shareholder. In the
event the Letter of Intent goal is not achieved within the specified period, the
investor must pay the difference between the sales charge applicable to the
purchases made and the reduced sales charge previously paid. Such payments may
be made directly to the Distributor or, if not paid, the Distributor will
liquidate sufficient escrowed shares to obtain the difference.
OTHER PURCHASE PROGRAMS
Purchasers of Class A Shares may be entitled to reduced or no initial sales
charges in connection with the unit investment trust reinvestment program and
purchases by registered representatives of selling firms or purchases by persons
affiliated with the Fund or the Distributor. The Fund reserves the right to
modify or terminate these arrangements at any time.
UNIT INVESTMENT TRUST REINVESTMENT PROGRAM. The Fund permits unitholders of unit
investment trusts to reinvest distributions from such trusts in Class A Shares
of the Fund at net asset value per share and with no minimum initial or
subsequent investment requirement, if the administrator of an investor's unit
investment trust program meets certain uniform criteria relating to cost savings
by the Fund and the Distributor. The total sales charge for all other
investments made from unit investment trust distributions will be 1.00% of the
offering price (1.01% of net asset value). Of this amount, the Distributor will
pay to the authorized dealer, if any, through which such participation in the
qualifying program was initiated 0.50% of the offering price as a dealer
concession or agency commission. Persons desiring more information with respect
to this program, including the terms and conditions that apply to the program,
should contact their authorized dealer or the Distributor.
The administrator of such a unit investment trust must have an agreement with
the Distributor pursuant to which the administrator will (1) submit a single
bulk order and make payment with a single remittance for all investments in the
Fund during each distribution period by all investors who choose to invest in
the Fund through the program and (2) provide Investor Services with appropriate
backup data for each investor participating in the program in a computerized
format fully compatible with Investor Services' processing system.
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<PAGE> 15
In order to obtain these special benefits, the Fund requires that all dividends
and other distributions from the Fund must be reinvested in additional shares
and there can not be any systematic withdrawal program. There will be no minimum
for reinvestments from unit investment trusts. The Fund will send account
activity statements to such participants on a quarterly basis only, even if
their investments are made more frequently. The Fund reserves the right to
modify or terminate this program at any time.
NET ASSET VALUE PURCHASE OPTIONS. Class A Shares of the Fund may be purchased at
net asset value, upon written assurance that the purchase is made for investment
purposes and that the shares will not be resold except through redemption by the
Fund, by:
(1) Current or retired trustees or directors of funds advised by Morgan Stanley
Dean Witter & Co. and any of its subsidiaries and such persons' families and
their beneficial accounts.
(2) Current or retired directors, officers and employees of Morgan Stanley Dean
Witter & Co. and any of its subsidiaries; employees of an investment
subadviser to any fund described in (1) above or an affiliate of such
subadviser; and such persons' families and their beneficial accounts.
(3) Directors, officers, employees and, when permitted, registered
representatives, of financial institutions that have a selling group
agreement with the Distributor and their spouses and children under 21 years
of age when purchasing for any accounts they beneficially own, or, in the
case of any such financial institution, when purchasing for retirement plans
for such institution's employees; provided that such purchases are otherwise
permitted by such institutions.
(4) Registered investment advisers who charge a fee for their services, trust
companies and bank trust departments investing on their own behalf or on
behalf of their clients. The Distributor may pay authorized dealers through
which purchases are made an amount up to 0.50% of the amount invested, over
a 12-month period.
(5) Trustees and other fiduciaries purchasing shares for retirement plans which
invest in multiple fund families through broker-dealer retirement plan
alliance programs that have entered into agreements with the Distributor and
which are subject to certain minimum size and operational requirements.
Trustees and other fiduciaries should refer to the Statement of Additional
Information for further details with respect to such alliance programs.
(6) Beneficial owners of shares of Participating Funds held by a retirement plan
or held in a tax-advantaged retirement account who purchase shares of the
Fund with proceeds from distributions from such a plan or retirement account
other than distributions taken to correct an excess contribution.
(7) Accounts as to which a bank or broker-dealer charges an account management
fee ("wrap accounts"), provided the bank or broker-dealer has a separate
agreement with the Distributor.
(8) Trusts created under pension, profit sharing or other employee benefit plans
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the "Code"), or custodial accounts held by a bank created pursuant
to Section 403(b) of the Code and sponsored by nonprofit organizations
defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code and assets held by an employer
or trustee in connection with an eligible deferred compensation plan under
Section 457 of the Code. Such plans will qualify for purchases at net asset
value provided that (1) the total plan assets are at least $1 million or (2)
such shares are purchased by an employer sponsored plan with more than 100
eligible employees. Section 403(b) and similar accounts for which Van Kampen
Trust Company serves as custodian will not be eligible for net asset value
purchases based on the aggregate investment made by the plan or the number
of eligible employees, except under certain uniform criteria established by
the Distributor from time to time. A commission will be paid on purchases as
follows: 1.00% on sales to $2 million, plus 0.80% on the next $1 million,
plus 0.50% on the next $47 million, plus 0.25% on the excess over $50
million.
(9) Individuals who are members of a "qualified group." For this purpose, a
qualified group is one which (i) has been in existence for more than six
months, (ii) has a purpose other than to acquire shares of the Fund or
similar investments, (iii) has given and continues to give its endorsement
or authorization, on behalf of the group, for purchase
15
<PAGE> 16
of shares of the Fund and Participating Funds, (iv) has a membership that
the authorized dealer can certify as to the group's members and (v)
satisfies other uniform criteria established by the Distributor for the
purpose of realizing economies of scale in distributing such shares. A
qualified group does not include one whose sole organizational nexus, for
example, is that its participants are credit card holders of the same
institution, policy holders of an insurance company, customers of a bank or
broker-dealer, clients of an investment adviser or other similar groups.
Shares purchased in each group's participants account in connection with
this privilege will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of
1.00% in the event of redemption within one year of purchase, and a
commission will be paid to authorized dealers who initiate and are
responsible for such sales to each individual as follows: 1.00% on sales to
$2 million, plus 0.80% on the next $1 million and 0.50% on the excess over
$3 million.
The term "families" includes a person's spouse, children under 21 years of age,
grandchildren, parents, and a person's spouse's parents.
Purchase orders made pursuant to clause (4) may be placed either through
authorized dealers as described above or directly with Investor Services by the
investment adviser, trust company or bank trust department, provided that
Investor Services receives federal funds for the purchase by the close of
business on the next business day following acceptance of the order. An
authorized dealer may charge a transaction fee for placing an order to purchase
shares pursuant to this provision or for placing a redemption order with respect
to such shares. Authorized dealers will be paid a service fee as described above
on purchases made under options (3) through (9) above. The Fund may terminate,
or amend the terms of, offering shares of the Fund at net asset value to such
groups at any time.
REDEMPTION OF
SHARES
Generally shareholders may redeem for cash some or all of their shares without
charge by the Fund (other than applicable sales charge) at any time. As
described under the heading "Purchase of Shares," redemptions of Class B Shares
and Class C Shares may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. In
addition, certain redemptions of Class A Shares for shareholder accounts of $1
million or more may be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge.
Redemptions completed through an authorized dealer or a custodian/trustee of a
retirement plan account may involve additional fees charged by the dealer or
custodian/trustee.
Except as specified below under "Telephone Redemption Requests," payment for
shares redeemed generally will be made by check mailed within seven days after
receipt by Investor Services of the request and any other necessary documents in
proper form as described below. Such payment may be postponed or the right of
redemption suspended as provided by the rules of the SEC. Such payment may,
under certain circumstances, be paid wholly or in part by a distribution-in-kind
of portfolio securities which may result in brokerage costs and a gain or loss
for federal income tax purposes when such securities are sold. If the shares to
be redeemed have been recently purchased by check, Investor Services may delay
the payment of redemption proceeds until it confirms the purchase check has
cleared, which may take up to 15 days. A taxable gain or loss will be recognized
by the shareholder upon redemption of shares.
WRITTEN REDEMPTION REQUESTS. Shareholders may request a redemption of shares by
written request in proper form sent directly to Van Kampen Investor Services
Inc., PO Box 218256, Kansas City, MO 64121-8256. The request for redemption
should indicate the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, the Fund
name and class designation of such shares and the shareholder's account number.
The redemption request must be signed by all persons in whose names the shares
are registered. Signatures must conform exactly to the account registration. If
the proceeds of the redemption exceed $50,000, or if the proceeds are not to be
paid to the record owner at the record address, or if the record address has
changed within the previous 30 days, signature(s) must be guaranteed by one of
the following: a bank or trust company; a broker-dealer; a credit union; a
national securities exchange, registered securities association or clearing
agency; a savings and loan association; or a federal savings bank.
Generally, a properly signed written request with any required signature
guarantee is all that is required for a redemption request to be in proper form.
In some
16
<PAGE> 17
cases, however, additional documents may be necessary. In the case of
shareholders holding certificates, the certificates for the shares being
redeemed must be properly endorsed for transfer and must accompany the
redemption request. In the event a redemption is requested by and registered to
a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, estate or other legal entity, a
copy of the corporate resolution or other legal documentation appointing the
authorized signer and certified within the prior 120 days must accompany the
redemption request. Retirement plan distribution requests should be sent to the
custodian/trustee to be forwarded to Investor Services. Contact the
custodian/trustee for further information.
In the case of written redemption requests sent directly to Investor Services,
the redemption price is the net asset value per share next determined after the
request in proper form is received by Investor Services.
AUTHORIZED DEALER REDEMPTION REQUESTS. Shareholders may place redemption
requests through an authorized dealer. The redemption price for such shares is
the net asset value per share next calculated after an order in proper form is
received by an authorized dealer provided such order is transmitted to the
Distributor prior to the Distributor's close of business on such day. It is the
responsibility of authorized dealers to transmit redemption requests received by
them to the Distributor so they will be received prior to such time. Redemptions
completed through an authorized dealer may involve additional fees charged by
the dealer.
TELEPHONE REDEMPTION REQUESTS. The Fund permits redemption of shares by
telephone and for redemption proceeds to be sent to the address of record for
the account or to the bank account of record as described below. A shareholder
automatically has telephone redemption privileges unless the shareholder
indicates otherwise by checking the applicable box on the application form
accompanying the prospectus. For accounts that are not established with
telephone redemption privileges, a shareholder may call the Fund at (800)
341-2911 to request that a copy of the Telephone Redemption Authorization form
be sent to the shareholder for completion. To redeem shares, contact the
telephone transaction line at (800) 421-5684. Shares may also be redeemed by
phone through FundInfo(R) (automated phone system) which is accessible 24 hours
a day, seven days a week at (800) 847-2424. Van Kampen Investments and its
subsidiaries, including Investor Services, and the Fund employ procedures
considered by them to be reasonable to confirm that instructions communicated by
telephone are genuine. Such procedures include requiring certain personal
identification information prior to acting upon telephone instructions, tape-
recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of
instructions communicated by telephone. If reasonable procedures are employed,
none of Van Kampen Investments, Investor Services or the Fund will be liable for
following telephone instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine.
Telephone redemptions may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach
Investor Services by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or
for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund's
other redemption procedure previously described. Requests received by Investor
Services prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, will be processed at the next
determined net asset value per share. These privileges are available for most
accounts other than retirement accounts or accounts with shares represented by
certificates. If an account has multiple owners, Investor Services may rely on
the instructions of any one owner.
For redemptions authorized by telephone, amounts of $50,000 or less may be
redeemed daily if the proceeds are to be paid by check and amounts of at least
$1,000 up to $1 million may be redeemed daily if the proceeds are to be paid by
wire. The proceeds must be payable to the shareholder(s) of record and sent to
the address of record for the account or wired directly to their predesignated
bank account. This privilege is not available if the address of record has been
changed within 30 days prior to a telephone redemption request. Proceeds from
redemptions payable by wire transfer are expected to be wired on the next
business day following the date of redemption. The Fund reserves the right at
any time to terminate, limit or otherwise modify this redemption privilege.
OTHER REDEMPTION INFORMATION. The Fund may redeem any shareholder account that
has a value on the date of the notice of redemption less than the minimum
initial investment as specified in this prospectus. At least 60 days' advance
written notice of any such involuntary redemption will be provided to the
shareholder and such shareholder will be given an opportunity to purchase the
required value of additional shares at the next determined net asset value
without sales charge. Any involuntary
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<PAGE> 18
redemption may only occur if the shareholder account is less than the minimum
initial investment due to shareholder redemptions.
DISTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FUND
In addition to any increase in the value of shares which the Fund may achieve,
shareholders may receive distributions from the Fund of dividends and capital
gain dividends.
DIVIDENDS. Dividends from stocks and interest earned from other investments are
the Fund's main sources of net investment income. The Fund's present policy,
which may be changed at any time by the Fund's Board of Trustees, is to
distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income at least
annually as dividends to shareholders. Dividends are automatically applied to
purchase additional shares of the Fund at the next determined net asset value
unless the shareholder instructs otherwise.
The per share dividends on Class B Shares and Class C Shares may be lower than
the per share dividends on Class A Shares as a result of the higher distribution
fees and transfer agency costs applicable to such classes of shares.
CAPITAL GAIN DIVIDENDS. The Fund may realize capital gains or losses when it
sells securities, depending on whether the sales prices for the securities are
higher or lower than purchase prices. The Fund distributes any capital gains to
shareholders at least annually. As in the case of dividends, capital gain
dividends are automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund at the
next determined net asset value unless the shareholder instructs otherwise.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
Listed below are some of the shareholder services the Fund offers to investors.
For a more complete description of the Fund's shareholder services, such as
investment accounts, share certificates, retirement plans, automated clearing
house deposits, dividend diversification and the systematic withdrawal plan,
please refer to the Statement of Additional Information or contact your
authorized dealer.
REINVESTMENT PLAN. A convenient way for investors to accumulate additional
shares is by accepting dividends and capital gain dividends in shares of the
Fund. Such shares are acquired at net asset value per share (without sales
charge) on the applicable payable date of the dividend or capital gain dividend.
Unless the shareholder instructs otherwise, the reinvestment plan is automatic.
This instruction may be made by telephone by calling (800) 341-2911 ((800)
421-2833 for the hearing impaired) or by writing to Investor Services. The
investor may, on the initial application or prior to any declaration, instruct
that dividends and/or capital gain dividends be paid in cash, be reinvested in
the Fund at net asset value, or be invested in another Van Kampen fund at net
asset value.
AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN. An automatic investment plan is available under which
a shareholder can authorize Investor Services to debit the shareholder's bank
account on a regular basis to invest predetermined amounts in the Fund.
Additional information is available from the Distributor or your authorized
dealer.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE. Shares of the Fund may be exchanged for shares of the same
class of any Participating Fund based on the next computed net asset value per
share of each fund after requesting the exchange without any sales charge,
subject to certain limitations. Shares of the Fund may be exchanged for shares
of any Participating Fund only if shares of that Participating Fund are
available for sale; however, during periods of suspension of sales, shares of a
Participating Fund may be available for sale only to existing shareholders of a
Participating Fund. Shareholders seeking an exchange into a Participating Fund
should obtain and read the current prospectus for such fund prior to
implementing an exchange. A prospectus of any of the Participating Funds may be
obtained from an authorized dealer or the Distributor.
To be eligible for exchange, shares of the Fund must have been registered in the
shareholder's name for at least 30 days prior to an exchange. Shares of the Fund
registered in a shareholder's name for less than 30 days may only be exchanged
upon receipt of prior approval of the Adviser. It is the policy of the Adviser,
under normal circumstances, not to approve such requests.
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<PAGE> 19
When shares that are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge are exchanged
among Participating Funds, the holding period for purposes of computing the
contingent deferred sales charge is based upon the date of the initial purchase
of such shares from a Participating Fund. When such shares are redeemed and not
exchanged for shares of another Participating Fund, the shares are subject to
the contingent deferred sales charge schedule imposed by the Participating Fund
from which such shares were originally purchased.
Exchanges of shares are sales of shares of one Participating Fund and purchases
of shares of another Participating Fund. The sale may result in a gain or loss
for federal income tax purposes. If the shares sold have been held for less than
91 days, the sales charge paid on such shares is carried over and included in
the tax basis of the shares acquired.
A shareholder wishing to make an exchange may do so by sending a written request
to Investor Services, or by contacting the telephone transaction line at (800)
421-5684, through FundInfo(R) (automated phone system) at (800) 847-2424 or
through the internet at www.vankampen.com. A shareholder automatically has these
telephone exchange privileges unless the shareholder indicates otherwise by
checking the applicable box on the application form accompanying the prospectus.
Van Kampen Investments and its subsidiaries, including Investor Services, and
the Fund employ procedures considered by them to be reasonable to confirm that
instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. Such procedures include
requiring certain personal identification information prior to acting upon
telephone instructions, tape-recording telephone communications, and providing
written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone. If reasonable
procedures are employed, none of Van Kampen Investments, Investor Services or
the Fund will be liable for following telephone instructions which it reasonably
believes to be genuine. If the exchanging shareholder does not have an account
in the fund whose shares are being acquired, a new account will be established
with the same registration, dividend and capital gain dividend options (except
dividend diversification) and authorized dealer of record as the account from
which shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified by the shareholder. In
order to establish a systematic withdrawal plan for the new account or reinvest
dividends from the new account into another fund, however, an exchanging
shareholder must submit a specific request. The Fund reserves the right to
reject any order to acquire its shares through exchange. In addition, the Fund
and other Participating Funds may restrict exchanges by shareholders engaged in
excessive trading by limiting or disallowing the exchange privileges to such
shareholders. For further information on these restrictions see the Fund's
Statement of Additional Information. The Fund may modify, restrict or terminate
the exchange privilege at any time on 60 days' notice to its shareholders of any
termination or material amendment.
For purposes of determining the sales charge rate previously paid on Class A
Shares, all sales charges paid on the exchanged security and on any security
previously exchanged for such security or for any of its predecessors shall be
included. If the exchanged security was acquired through reinvestment, that
security is deemed to have been sold with a sales charge rate equal to the rate
previously paid on the security on which the dividend or distribution was paid.
If a shareholder exchanges less than all of such shareholder's securities, the
security upon which the highest sales charge rate was previously paid is deemed
exchanged first.
Exchange requests received on a business day prior to the time shares of the
funds involved in the request are priced will be processed on the date of
receipt. "Processing" a request means that shares of the fund which the
shareholder is redeeming will be redeemed at the net asset value per share next
determined on the date of receipt. Shares of the fund that the shareholder is
purchasing will also normally be purchased at the net asset value per share,
plus any applicable sales charge, next determined on the date of receipt.
Exchange requests received on a business day after the time shares of the funds
involved in the request are priced will be processed on the next business day in
the manner described herein.
INTERNET TRANSACTIONS. In addition to performing transactions on your account
through written instruction or by telephone, you may also perform certain
transactions through the internet. Please refer to our web site at
www.vankampen.com for further instruction. Van Kampen Investments and its
subsidiaries, including Investor Services, and the Fund employ procedures
considered by them to be reasonable to confirm that instructions communicated
through the internet are genuine. Such procedures include requiring use of a
personal identification number prior to acting upon internet instructions and
providing written confirmation of instructions communicated through the
internet. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Van Kampen
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<PAGE> 20
Investments, Investor Services or the Fund will be liable for following
instructions received through the internet which it reasonably believes to be
genuine. If an account has multiple owners, Investor Services may rely on the
instructions of any one owner.
FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION
Distributions of the Fund's investment company taxable income (generally taxable
income and net short-term capital gain) are taxable to shareholders as ordinary
income to the extent of the Fund's earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or
reinvested in additional shares. Distributions of the Fund's net capital gain
(which is the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital
loss) as capital gain dividends, if any, are taxable to shareholders as
long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional
shares, and regardless of how long the shares of the Fund have been held by such
shareholders. The Fund expects that its distributions will consist primarily of
ordinary income and capital gain dividends. Distributions in excess of the
Fund's earnings and profits will first reduce the adjusted tax basis of a
holder's shares and, after such adjusted tax basis is reduced to zero, will
constitute capital gains to such holder (assuming such shares are held as a
capital asset). Although distributions generally are treated as taxable in the
year they are paid, distributions declared in October, November or December,
payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such month and paid
during January of the following year will be treated as having been distributed
by the Fund and received by the shareholders on the December 31st prior to the
date of payment. The Fund will inform shareholders of the source and tax status
of all distributions promptly after the close of each calendar year.
The Fund's tax managed strategy can generally be expected to lead to lower
distributions of income and realized capital gains than funds managed without
regard to tax considerations. The Fund is actively managed, however, and there
can be no assurance that taxable distributions can always be avoided.
The sale or exchange of shares may be a taxable transaction for federal income
tax purposes. Shareholders who sell their shares will generally recognize a gain
or loss in an amount equal to the difference between their adjusted tax basis in
the shares sold and the amount received. If the shares are held as a capital
asset, the gain or loss will be a capital gain or loss. Any recognized capital
gains may be taxed at different rates depending on how long the shareholder held
such shares.
The Fund is required, in certain circumstances, to withhold 31% of dividends and
certain other payments, including redemptions, paid to shareholders who do not
furnish to the Fund their correct taxpayer identification number (in the case of
individuals, their social security number) and certain required certifications
or who are otherwise subject to backup withholding.
Foreign shareholders, including shareholders who are non-resident aliens, may be
subject to U.S. withholding tax on certain distributions (whether received in
cash or in shares) at a rate of 30% or such lower rate as prescribed by an
applicable treaty. Prospective foreign investors should consult their tax
advisers concerning the tax consequences to them of an investment in shares.
The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under federal
income tax law. If the Fund so qualifies and distributes each year to its
shareholders at least 90% of its investment company taxable income, the Fund
will not be required to pay federal income taxes on any income it distributes to
shareholders. If the Fund distributes less than an amount equal to the sum of
98% of its ordinary income and 98% of its capital gain net income, then the Fund
will be subject to a 4% excise tax on the undistributed amounts.
The federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information
only. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisers regarding the
specific federal tax consequences of purchasing, holding and disposing of
shares, as well as the effects of state, local and foreign tax law and any
proposed tax law changes.
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<PAGE> 21
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
AND OFFICERS
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
J. Miles Branagan Richard F. Powers, III*
Jerry D. Choate Phillip B. Rooney
Linda Hutton Heagy Fernando Sisto
R. Craig Kennedy Wayne W. Whalen*, Chairman
Mitchell M. Merin* Suzanne H. Woolsey
Jack E. Nelson Paul G. Yovovich
</TABLE>
OFFICERS
Richard F. Powers, III*
President
Dennis J. McDonnell*
Executive Vice President & Chief Investment Officer
A. Thomas Smith III*
Vice President and Secretary
Edward C. Wood III*
Vice President
Michael H. Santo*
Vice President
Peter W. Hegel*
Vice President
Stephen L. Boyd*
Vice President
John L. Sullivan*
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
* "Interested Persons" of the Fund, as defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
EXISTING SHAREHOLDERS OR PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS
Call your broker or (800) 341-2911
7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central time Monday through Friday
DEALERS
For dealer information, selling agreements, wire orders, or
redemptions, call the Distributor at (800) 421-5666
TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE FOR THE DEAF
For shareholder and dealer inquiries through Telecommunications Device for the
Deaf (TDD), call (800) 421-2833
FUNDINFO(R)
For automated telephone services, call (800) 847-2424
WEB SITE
www.vankampen.com
VAN KAMPEN TAX MANAGED EQUITY GROWTH FUND
1 Parkview Plaza
PO Box 5555
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181-5555
Investment Adviser
VAN KAMPEN INVESTMENT ADVISORY CORP.
1 Parkview Plaza
PO Box 5555
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181-5555
Investment Subadviser
MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT INC.
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Distributor
VAN KAMPEN FUNDS INC.
1 Parkview Plaza
PO Box 5555
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181-5555
Transfer Agent
VAN KAMPEN INVESTOR SERVICES INC.
PO Box 218256
Kansas City, MO 64121-8256
Attn: Van Kampen Tax Managed Equity Growth Fund
Custodian
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
225 West Franklin Street, PO Box 1713
Boston, MA 02105-1713
Attn: Van Kampen Tax Managed Equity Growth Fund
Legal Counsel
SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM (ILLINOIS)
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Independent Accountants
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
200 East Randolph Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
<PAGE> 22
VAN KAMPEN
TAX MANAGED EQUITY GROWTH FUND
PROSPECTUS
MARCH 7, 2000
A Statement of Additional Information, which
contains more details about the Fund, is
incorporated by reference in its entirety into
this prospectus.
You will find additional information about the
Fund in its annual and semiannual reports to
shareholders. The annual report explains the
market conditions and investment strategies
affecting the Fund's performance during its
last fiscal year.
You can ask questions or obtain a free copy of
the Fund's reports or its Statement of
Additional Information by calling (800)
341-2911 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Central
time, Monday through Friday.
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf users
may call (800) 421-2833. A free copy of the
Fund's reports can also be ordered from our
web site at www.vankampen.com.
Information about the Fund, including its
reports and Statement of Additional
Information, has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It
can be reviewed and copied at the SEC's Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC or on the
EDGAR database on the SEC's internet site
(http://www.sec.gov). Information on the
operation of the SEC's Public Reference Room
may be obtained by calling the SEC at
1-202-942-8090. You can also request copies of
these materials, upon payment of a duplicating
fee, by electronic request at the SEC's e-mail
address ([email protected]) or by writing the
Public Reference Section of the SEC,
Washington, DC 20549-0102.
[VAN KAMPEN FUNDS LOGO]
The Fund's Investment Company Act
File No. is 811-9279 .
TMCG PRO 03/00
