MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN
ON BEHALF OF
FRANKLIN OHIO INSURED TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
This Multiple Class Plan (the "Plan") has been adopted by a majority of
the Board of Trustees of FRANKLIN TAX-FREE TRUST (the "Investment Company")
for its series, FRANKLIN OHIO INUSRED TAX-FREE INCOME FUND (the "Fund"). The
Board has determined that the Plan, including the expense allocation, is in
the best interests of each class of the Fund and the Investment Company as a
whole. The Plan sets forth the provisions relating to the establishment of
multiple classes of shares of the Fund, and supersedes any Plan previously
adopted for the Fund.
1. The Fund shall offer three classes of shares, to be known as Class
A Shares, Class B Shares and Class C Shares.
2. Class A Shares shall carry a front-end sales charge ranging from 0%
- 4.25%, and Class C Shares shall carry a front-end sales charge of 1.00%.
Class B Shares shall not be subject to any front-end sales charges.
3. Class A Shares shall not be subject to a contingent deferred sales
charge ("CDSC"), except in the following limited circumstances. On
investments of $1 million or more, a contingent deferred sales charge of
1.00% of the lesser of the then-current net asset value or the original net
asset value at the time of purchase applies to redemptions of those
investments within the contingency period of 12 months from the calendar
month following their purchase. The CDSC is waived in certain circumstances,
as described in the Fund's prospectus.
Class B Shares shall be subject to a CDSC with the following CDSC
schedule: (a) Class B Shares redeemed within 2 years of their purchase shall
be assessed a CDSC of 4% on the lesser of the then-current net asset value or
the original net asset value at the time of purchase; (b) Class B Shares
redeemed within the third and fourth years of their purchase shall be
assessed a CDSC of 3% on the lesser of the then-current net asset value or
the original net asset value at the time of purchase; (c) Class B Shares
redeemed within 5 years of their purchase shall be assessed a CDSC of 2% on
the lesser of the then-current net asset value or the original net asset
value at the time of purchase; and (d) Class B Shares redeemed within 6 years
of their purchase shall be assessed a CDSC of 1% on the lesser of the
then-current net asset value or the original net asset value at the time of
purchase. The CDSC is waived in certain circumstances described in the
Fund's prospectus.
Class C Shares redeemed within 18 months of their purchase shall be
assessed a CDSC of 1.00% on the lesser of the then-current net asset value or
the original net asset value at the time of purchase. The CDSC is waived in
certain circumstances as described in the Fund's prospectus.
4. The distribution plan adopted by the Investment Company pursuant to
Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the "Rule
12b-1 Plan") associated with the Class A Shares may be used to reimburse
Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. (the "Distributor") or others for
expenses incurred in the promotion and distribution of the Class A Shares.
Such expenses include, but are not limited to, the printing of prospectuses
and reports used for sales purposes, expenses of preparing and distributing
sales literature and related expenses, advertisements, and other
distribution-related expenses, including a prorated portion of the
Distributor's overhead expenses attributable to the distribution of the Class
A Shares, as well as any distribution or service fees paid to securities
dealers or their firms or others who have executed a servicing agreement with
the Investment Company for the Class A Shares, the Distributor or its
affiliates.
The Rule 12b-1 Plan associated with the Class B Shares has two
components. The first component is an asset-based sales charge to be
retained by Distributor to compensate Distributor for amounts advanced to
securities dealers or their firms or others with respect to the sale of Class
B Shares. In addition, such payments may be retained by the Distributor to
be used in the promotion and distribution of Class B Shares in a manner
similar to that described above for Class A Shares. The second component is
a shareholder servicing fee to be paid to securities dealers or others who
provide personal assistance to shareholders in servicing their accounts.
The Rule 12b-1 Plan associated with the Class C Shares has two
components. The first component is a shareholder servicing fee, to be paid
to broker-dealers, banks, trust companies and others who maintain shareholder
accounts or provide personal assistance to shareholders in servicing their
accounts. The second component is an asset-based sales charge to be retained
by the Distributor during the first year after the sale of shares and, in
subsequent years, to be paid to dealers or retained by the Distributor to be
used in the promotion and distribution of Class C Shares, in a manner similar
to that described above for Class A Shares.
The Rule 12b-1 Plans for the Class A, Class B and Class C Shares shall
operate in accordance with Rule 2830(d) of the Conduct Rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
5. The only difference in expenses as between Class A, Class B and
Class C Shares shall relate to differences in Rule 12b-1 plan expenses, as
described in the applicable Rule 12b-1 Plans; however, to the extent that the
Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses of one Class are the same as the Rule 12b-1 Plan
expenses of another Class, such classes shall be subject to the same expenses.
6. There shall be no conversion features associated with the Class A
and Class C Shares. Each Class B Share, however, shall be converted
automatically, and without any action or choice on the part of the holder of
the Class B Shares, into Class A Shares on the conversion date specified, and
in accordance with the terms and conditions approved by the Franklin Tax-Free
Trust's Board of Trustees and as described, in each fund's prospectus
relating to the Class B Shares, as such prospectus may be amended from time
to time; provided, however, that the Class B Shares shall be converted
automatically into Class A Shares to the extent and on the terms permitted by
the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations adopted
thereunder.
7. Shares of Class A, Class B and Class C may be exchanged for shares
of another investment company within the Franklin Templeton Group of Funds
according to the terms and conditions stated in each fund's prospectus, as it
may be amended from time to time, to the extent permitted by the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations adopted thereunder.
8. Each class will vote separately with respect to any Rule 12b-1 Plan
related to, or which now or in the future may affect, that class.
9. On an ongoing basis, the Board members, pursuant to their fiduciary
responsibilities under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and otherwise, will
monitor the Fund for the existence of any material conflicts between the
Board members interests of the various classes of shares. The Board members,
including a majority of the independent Board members, shall take such action
as is reasonably necessary to eliminate any such conflict that may develop.
Franklin Advisers, Inc. and Franklin/Templeton Distributors, Inc. shall be
responsible for alerting the Board to any material conflicts that arise.
10. All material amendments to this Plan must be approved by a majority
of the Board members, including a majority of the Board members who are not
interested persons of the Investment Company.
11. I, Karen L. Skidmore, Assistant Secretary of the Franklin Group of
Funds, do hereby certify that this Multiple Class Plan was adopted by
FRANKLIN TAX-FREE TRUST, on behalf of its series FRANKLIN OHIO INSURED
TAX-FREE INCOME FUND, by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust on February
1, 2000.
/s/ Karen L. Skidmore
Karen L. Skidmore
Assistant Secretary
