<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 12/31/98
000 C000000 0000202679
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 PIONEER TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
001 B000000 811-7597
001 C000000 6177427825
002 A000000 60 STATE STREET
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
002 D020000 1820
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 PIONEER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-8255
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02109
008 D040001 1820
010 A000001 PIONEER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
010 B000001 801-8255
010 C010001 BOSTON
010 C020001 MA
010 C030001 02109
010 C040001 1820
011 A000001 PIONEER FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC.
011 B000001 8-41256
011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
011 C030001 02109
<PAGE> PAGE 2
011 C040001 1820
012 A000001 PIONEERING SERVICES CORPORATION
012 B000001 84-1359
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
012 C040001 1820
013 A000001 ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
013 B030001 02110
013 B040001 2812
015 A000001 BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN & CO.
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02109
015 C040001 1975
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 36
019 C000000 PIONEERFDS
020 C000001 0
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 0
022 A000001 BROWN BROTHERS
022 B000001 13-4973745
022 C000001 155829
022 D000001 161142
022 A000002 BAUM, GEORGE
022 B000002 43-1661917
022 C000002 37732
022 D000002 24849
022 A000003 FIRST UNION
022 B000003 56-1529080
022 C000003 43060
022 D000003 17806
022 A000004 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000004 13-2518466
022 C000004 29326
022 D000004 22649
022 A000005 DAIN RAUSCHER
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 B000005 41-0212020
022 C000005 13375
022 D000005 32719
022 A000006 SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
022 B000006 13-1912900
022 C000006 23649
022 D000006 17883
022 A000007 PIPER JAFFREY
022 B000007 41-0953246
022 C000007 18611
022 D000007 19672
022 A000008 PAINEWEBBER
022 B000008 13-2638166
022 C000008 16859
022 D000008 2235
022 A000009 CRAIGIE, INC.
022 B000009 54-0294670
022 C000009 2163
022 D000009 12861
022 A000010 HOUGH, WILLIAM R.
022 B000010 59-2246010
022 C000010 5409
022 D000010 8777
023 C000000 393764
023 D000000 411621
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 N
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
028 A010000 3526
028 A020000 1098
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 5939
028 B010000 2175
028 B020000 1067
028 B030000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 B040000 4706
028 C010000 2518
028 C020000 1039
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 5118
028 D010000 4000
028 D020000 1041
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 4453
028 E010000 2134
028 E020000 1038
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 4342
028 F010000 4106
028 F020000 9792
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 3665
028 G010000 18459
028 G020000 15075
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 28223
028 H000000 8402
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 448
030 B000000 4.50
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 50
031 B000000 0
032 000000 398
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 21
036 A000000 N
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
041 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 100
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 1112
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 5
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 250000
048 A020000 0.500
048 B010000 50000
048 B020000 0.480
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 300000
048 K020000 0.450
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 N
054 C000000 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 6
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 1000
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.9
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 98.1
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 7.5
064 A000000 Y
064 B000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 N
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 N
070 J020000 N
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 L010000 N
070 L020000 N
070 M010000 N
070 M020000 N
070 N010000 N
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 N
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 211983
071 B000000 233236
071 C000000 405666
071 D000000 52
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 22257
072 C000000 0
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 1992
072 G000000 0
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 414
072 J000000 68
072 K000000 0
072 L000000 36
072 M000000 19
072 N000000 47
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 107
072 R000000 38
072 S000000 1
072 T000000 1112
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 22
072 X000000 3856
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 18401
072AA000000 12007
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 5848
072DD010000 17981
072DD020000 385
072EE000000 11188
<PAGE> PAGE 8
073 A010000 0.0000
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 0.3384
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 0
074 B000000 0
074 C000000 3820
074 D000000 399768
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 0
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 0
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 4
074 M000000 6515
074 N000000 410107
074 O000000 1621
074 P000000 358
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 686
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 407442
074 U010000 32730
074 U020000 1177
074 V010000 0.00
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 11789
074 Y000000 21708
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 411588
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 9
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 N
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A000000 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE CO.
080 B000000 NONE
080 C000000 25000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 36
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
SIGNATURE ROBERT P. NAULT
TITLE ASST. SECRETARY
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000202679
<NAME> PIONEER TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 001
<NAME> PIONEER TAX-FREE INCOME FUND CLASS A
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 376054944
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 403587702
<RECEIVABLES> 6515231
<ASSETS-OTHER> 4373
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 410107306
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 1620557
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1044430
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 2664987
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 379056977
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 32730448
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 34002418
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 35920
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 816664
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 27532758
<NET-ASSETS> 407442319
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 22257400
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 3856065
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 18401335
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 12007205
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (5848257)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 6158948
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 17980683
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 10813748
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 2187317
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 5221565
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 1762278
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (13644893)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 2217
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1991781
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 3910262
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 401360399
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.17
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.55
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.19
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.55
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.34
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.02
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.93
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000202679
<NAME> PIONEER TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 002
<NAME> PIONEER TAX-FREE INCOME FUND CLASS B
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 376054944
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 403587702
<RECEIVABLES> 6515231
<ASSETS-OTHER> 4373
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 410107306
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 1620557
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1044430
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 2664987
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 379056977
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 904102
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 462174
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 35920
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 816664
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 27532758
<NET-ASSETS> 407442319
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 22257400
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 3856065
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 18401335
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 12007205
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (5848257)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 6158948
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 289800
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 287687
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 520467
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 112747
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 34208
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (13644893)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 2217
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1991781
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 3910262
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 7692066
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.09
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.46
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.18
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.46
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.34
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 11.93
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.64
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000202679
<NAME> PIONEER TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 003
<NAME> PIONEER TAX-FREE INCOME FUND CLASS C
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 376054944
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 403587702
<RECEIVABLES> 6515231
<ASSETS-OTHER> 4373
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 410107306
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 1620557
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1044430
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 2664987
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 379056977
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 273127
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 135697
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 35920
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 816664
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 27532758
<NET-ASSETS> 407442319
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 22257400
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 3856065
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 18401335
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 12007205
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (5848257)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 6158948
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 94932
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 86889
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 252146
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 120497
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 5781
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (13644893)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 2217
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1991781
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 3910262
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2535663
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.11
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.46
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.17
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.46
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.34
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 11.94
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.63
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
To the Shareowners and the Board of Trustees of
Pioneer Tax-Free Income Fund
In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements of Pioneer
Tax-Free Income Fund for the year ended December 31, 1998, we considered its
internal control, including control activities for safeguarding securities, in
order to determine our auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing our
opinion on the financial statements and to comply with the requirements of Form
N-SAR, not to provide assurance on internal control.
The management of Pioneer Tax-Free Income Fund is responsible for establishing
and maintaining internal control. In fulfilling this responsibility, estimates
and judgments by management are required to assess the expected benefits and
related costs of controls. Generally, controls that are relevant to an audit
pertain to the entity's objective of preparing financial statements for external
purposes that are fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles. Those controls include the safeguarding of assets against
unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition.
Because of inherent limitations in internal control, error or fraud may occur
and not be detected. Also, projection of any evaluation of internal control to
future periods is subject to the risk that it may become inadequate because of
changes in conditions or that the effectiveness of the design and operation may
deteriorate.
Our consideration of internal control would not necessarily disclose all matters
in internal control that might be material weaknesses under standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A
material weakness is a condition in which the design or operation of one or more
of the internal control components does not reduce to a relatively low level the
risk that misstatements caused by error or fraud in amounts that would be
material in relation to the financial statements being audited may occur and not
be detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course of
performing their assigned functions. However, we noted no matters involving
internal control and its operation, including controls for safeguarding
securities, that we consider to be material weaknesses as defined above as of
December 31, 1998.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of management, the
Board of Trustees of Pioneer Tax-Free Income Fund, and the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
/s/ ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
February 12, 1999
