PROSPECTUS July 7, 1995
EVERGREEN(SM) MONEY MARKET FUNDS (Evergreen logo appears here)
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
CLASS A SHARES
CLASS B SHARES
The EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUNDS (the "Funds") are designed to
provide investors with current income, stability of principal and
liquidity. This Prospectus provides information regarding the Class A
offered by the Funds and the Class B shares offered by the EVERGREEN MONEY
MARKET FUND. Each Fund is, or is a series of, an open-end, diversified,
management investment company. This Prospectus sets forth concise
information about the Funds that a prospective investor should know before
investing. The address of the Funds is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase,
New York 10577.
A "Statement of Additional Information" for the Funds dated July
7, 1995 has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is
incorporated by reference herein. The Statement of Additional Information
provides information regarding certain matters discussed in this Prospectus
and other matters which may be of interest to investors, and may be
obtained without charge by calling the Funds at (800) 807-2940. There can
be no assurance that the investment objective of any Fund will be achieved.
Investors are advised to read this Prospectus carefully.
THE SHARES OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF
FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, ARE NOT ENDORSED OR
GUARANTEED BY FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, AND ARE NOT
INSURED OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND
INVOLVE RISK, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRINCIPAL.
AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUNDS IS NEITHER INSURED NOR GUARANTEED BY THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT, AND THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THAT THE FUNDS WILL BE ABLE TO
MAINTAIN A STABLE NET ASSET VALUE OF $1.00 PER SHARE.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
KEEP THIS PROSPECTUS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
EVERGREEN(SM) is a Service Mark of Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
Copyright 1995, Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS 2
EXPENSE INFORMATION 3
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 5
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
Investment Objectives and Policies 10
Investment Practices and Restrictions 13
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Investment Advisers 14
Sub-Adviser 15
Distribution Plans and Agreements 16
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
How to Buy Shares 16
How to Redeem Shares 18
Exchange Privilege 19
Shareholder Services 20
Effect of Banking Laws 21
OTHER INFORMATION
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 21
General Information 22
</TABLE>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information contained elsewhere in this Prospectus. See "Description of the
Funds" and "Management of the Funds".
The Investment Adviser to EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND and EVERGREEN TAX
EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND is Evergreen Asset Management Corp. ("Evergreen Asset")
which, with its predecessors, has served as an investment adviser to the
Evergreen Funds since 1971. Evergreen Asset is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
First Union National Bank of North Carolina ("FUNB"), which in turn is a
subsidiary of First Union Corporation, one of the ten largest bank holding
companies in the United States. The Capital Management Group of FUNB ("CMG")
serves as investment adviser to EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND.
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND seeks as high a level of current income as is
consistent with preserving capital and providing liquidity. The Fund will invest
only in high quality money market instruments.
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND seeks as high a level of current
income exempt from Federal income tax as is consistent with preserving capital
and providing liquidity. The Fund invests substantially all of its assets in
short-term municipal securities, the interest from which is exempt from Federal
income tax.
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND (formerly First Union Treasury Money
Market Portfolio) seeks to achieve stability of principal and current income
consistent with stability of principal.
Each Fund seeks to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share
although no assurances can be given that such a stable net asset value will be
maintained.
THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT THE INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE OF ANY FUND WILL BE
ACHIEVED.
2
<PAGE>
EXPENSE INFORMATION
The table set forth below summarizes the shareholder transaction costs
associated with an investment in Class A shares of each Fund, and in the case of
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND, Class B Shares. For further information see
"Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares" and "General Information -- Other
Classes of Shares".
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Class B Shares
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES Class A Shares (Evergreen Money Market Fund only)
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases None None
Sales Charge on Dividend Reinvestments None None
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (as a % of None 5% during the first year, 4% during the
original purchase price or redemption second year, 3% during the third and fourth
proceeds, whichever is lower) years, 2% during the fifth year, 1% during
the sixth and seventh years and 0% after the
seventh year
Redemption Fee None None
Exchange Fee None None
</TABLE>
The following tables show for each Fund the estimated annual operating
expenses (as a percentage of average net assets) attributable to each Class of
Shares, together with examples of the cumulative effect of such expenses on a
hypothetical $1,000 investment in each Class for the periods specified assuming
(i) a 5% annual return, and (ii) redemption at the end of each period and,
additionally for Class B shares, no redemption at the end of each period.
In the following examples (i) the expenses for Class B Shares assume
deduction at the time of redemption (if applicable) of the maximum contingent
deferred sales charge applicable for that time period and (ii) the expenses for
Class B Shares reflect the conversion to Class A Shares eight years after
purchase (years eight through ten, therefore, reflect Class A expenses).
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND (A)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES* at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50% .50%
After 1 Year $ 10 $ 67 $ 17
12b-1 Fees ** .30% 1.00%
After 3 Years $ 32 $ 84 $ 54
Other Expenses .21% .21%
After 5 Years $ 56 $ 113 $ 93
After 10 Years $ 123 $ 175 $175
Total 1.01% 1.71%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND (B)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLES
ANNUAL OPERATING Assuming Redemption
EXPENSES* at End of Period
Class A Class A
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50%
After 1 Year $ 9
12b-1 Fees ** .30%
After 3 Years $ 27
Other Expenses .05%
After 5 Years $ 47
After 10 Years $105
Total .85%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLES
ANNUAL OPERATING Assuming Redemption
EXPENSES* at End of Period
Class A Class A
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .35%
After 1 Year $ 7
Administrative Fees .06%
After 3 Years $ 23
12b-1 Fees** .30%
After 5 Years $ 40
Other Expenses .05%
After 10 Years $ 90
Total .76%
</TABLE>
3
<PAGE>
(a) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of EVERGREEN
MONEY MARKET FUND and FIRST UNION MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO.
(b) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of EVERGREEN TAX
EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND and FIRST UNION TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO.
Evergreen Asset has agreed to reimburse EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND and
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND to the extent that the Fund's aggregate
annual operating expenses (including the Adviser's fee, but excluding taxes,
interest, brokerage commissions, Rule 12b-1 distribution fees and shareholder
services fees and extraordinary expenses) exceed 1% of the average net assets
for any fiscal year.
*The annual operating expenses and examples do not reflect the voluntary fee
waivers of .39 of 1% of average net assets for EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND and
.30 of 1% of average net assets for EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND for
the fiscal period ended August 31, 1994, and .28 of 1% of average net assets for
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND for the fiscal period ended December 31,
1994.
**Class A Shares can pay up to .75 of 1% of average net assets as a 12b-1 Fee.
For the foreseeable future, the Class A Share's 12b-1 Fees will be limited to
.30 of 1% of average net assets. For Class B Shares of EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET
FUND, a portion of the 12b-1 Fees equivalent to .25 of 1% of average net assets
will be shareholder servicing related. Distribution related 12b-1 fees will be
limited to .75 of 1% of average net assets as permitted under the rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
From time to time, each Fund's investment adviser may, at its discretion, waive
its fee or reimburse a Fund for certain of its expenses in order to reduce a
Fund's expense ratio. The investment adviser may cease these voluntary waivers
or reimbursements at any time.
The purpose of the foregoing table is to assist an investor in
understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in each Class of
Shares of the Funds will bear directly or indirectly. The amounts set forth both
in the tables and in the examples are estimated amounts based on the experience
of each Fund for the most recent fiscal period. Such expenses have been restated
to reflect current fee arrangements and in the case of Funds that did not offer
all of the above-referenced Classes of shares during such periods, the amounts
set forth in the tables are based on the expenses incurred by the Classes which
were offered. THE EXAMPLES SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A REPRESENTATION OF PAST OR
FUTURE EXPENSES OR ANNUAL RETURN. ACTUAL EXPENSES AND ANNUAL RETURN MAY BE
GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN. For a more complete description of the various
costs and expenses borne by the Funds see "Management of the Funds". As a result
of asset-based sales charges, long-term shareholders may pay more than the
economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charges permitted under the
rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
4
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The tables on the following pages present, for each Fund, financial
highlights for a share outstanding throughout each period indicated. The
information in the tables for the five most recent fiscal years or the life of
the fund if shorter for EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND has been audited by
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, the Fund's independent auditors, for EVERGREEN MONEY
MARKET FUND and EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND has, except as noted
otherwise, been audited by Price Waterhouse LLP, each Fund's independent
auditors. A report of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP or Price Waterhouse LLP, as the case
may be, on the audited information with respect to each Fund is incorporated by
reference in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information. The following
information for each Fund should be read in conjunction with the financial
statements and related notes which are incorporated by reference in the Fund's
Statement of Additional Information.
Further information about a Fund's performance is contained in the Fund's
annual report to shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND -- Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NOVEMBER 2,
TEN MONTHS 1987*
SIX MONTHS ENDED ENDED THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 AUGUST 31, YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31, OCTOBER 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 # 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period............... $1.00 $ 1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income.............................. .02 .03 .03 .04 .07 .08 .09 .07
Total from investment operations................. .02 .03 .03 .04 .07 .08 .09 .07
Less distributions to shareholders from net
investment income................................ (.02) (.03) (.03) (.04) (.07) (.08) (.09) (.07)
Net asset value, end of period..................... $1.00 $ 1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
TOTAL RETURN+...................................... 2.4% 2.9% 3.2% 4.2% 6.7% 8.4% 9.4% 7.4%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (in millions)............ $244 $273 $299 $358 $438 $458 $408 $161
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)..................................... .54%++ .32%++ .39% .36% .30% .35% .38% .43%++
Net investment income (a)........................ 4.88%++ 3.46%++ 3.19% 4.18% 6.53% 8.08% 9.42% 7.26%++
</TABLE>
# On September 21, 1994, the Fund changed its fiscal year end from October 31
to August 31.
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated for the periods indicated and is not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED TEN MONTHS
FEBRUARY 28, ENDED NOVEMBER 2, 1987
1995 AUGUST 31, YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31, THROUGH
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 OCTOBER 31, 1988
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.............................. .74% .71% .71% .72% .70% .69% .75% .93%
Net investment income................. 4.68% 3.07% 2.87% 3.82% 6.13% 7.74% 9.05% 6.76%
</TABLE>
5
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND -- CLASS A AND B SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES
JANUARY 4, 1995* JANUARY 26, 1995*
THROUGH THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED) (UNAUDITED)
<S> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period.................................................. $ 1.000 $ 1.000
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income............................................................... .008 .004
Total income from investment operations............................................. .008 .004
Less distributions to shareholders from net investment income......................... (.008) (.004)
Net asset value, end of period........................................................ $ 1.000 $ 1.000
TOTAL RETURN+......................................................................... .8% .4%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)............................................. $668 $35
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)........................................................................ .85%++ 1.56%++
Net investment income (a)........................................................... 5.40%++ 5.03%++
</TABLE>
* Commencement of class operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value. Contingent deferred sales
charge is not reflected. Total return is calculated for the periods indicated
and is not annualized.
++ Annualized. Due to the recent commencement of their offering, the ratios for
Class A and Class B shares are not necessarily comparable to that of the
Class Y shares, and are not necessarily indicative of future ratios.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES
JANUARY 4, 1995 JANUARY 26, 1995
THROUGH THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED) (UNAUDITED)
<S> <C> <C>
Expenses................................................... 1.30% 2.00%
Net investment income...................................... 4.95% 4.59%
</TABLE>
6
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND -- CLASS Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS ENDED
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income................ .02 .02 .03 .04 .05 .06
Total from investment operations... .02 .02 .03 .04 .05 .06
Less distributions to shareholders from
net investment income................ (.02 ) (.02) (.03) (.04) (.05) (.06)
Net asset value, end of period......... $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
TOTAL RETURN+.......................... 1.7% 2.5% 2.6% 3.7% 5.5% 6.2%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (in
millions)............................ $387 $402 $401 $417 $510 $311
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)......................... .51% ++ .34% .34% .32% .28% .31%
Net investment income (a)............ 3.34% ++ 2.47% 2.58% 3.72% 5.23% 5.94%
<CAPTION>
NOVEMBER 2,
1988* THROUGH
AUGUST 31, 1989
<S> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period $1.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income................ .05
Total from investment operations... .05
Less distributions to shareholders from
net investment income................ (.05)
Net asset value, end of period......... $1.00
TOTAL RETURN+.......................... 5.5%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (in
millions)............................ $109
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)......................... .24%++
Net investment income (a)............ 6.77%++
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated for the period indicated and is not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS ENDED NOVEMBER 2, 1988
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, THROUGH AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses............................... .64% .64% .63% .63% .66% .71% .79%
Net investment income.................. 3.21% 2.17% 2.29% 3.41% 4.85% 5.54% 6.22%
</TABLE>
7
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND -- CLASS A SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JANUARY 5, 1995*
THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED)
<S> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period...................................................................... $ 1.000
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income................................................................................... .005
Total from investment operations........................................................................ .005
Distributions to shareholders from net investment income.................................................. (.005)
Net asset value, end of period............................................................................ $ 1.000
TOTAL RETURN+............................................................................................. .5%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)................................................................. $144
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................................................................................ .83%++
Net investment income (a)............................................................................... 3.53%++
</TABLE>
* Commencement of class operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized.
++ Annualized. Due to the recent commencement of its offering, the ratios for
Class A shares are not necessarily comparable to that of the Class Y shares,
and are not necessarily indicative of future ratios.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JANUARY 5, 1995
THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED)
<S> <C>
Expenses................................................................ 1.30%
Net investment income................................................... 3.06%
</TABLE>
8
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS Y SHARES
MARCH 6, 1991* MARCH 6, 1991*
THROUGH THROUGH
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1992 1991 1994 1993 1992 1991
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning
of period................ $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Income from investment
operations:
Net investment income...... .04 .03 .03 .04 .04 .03 .04 .05
Less distributions to
shareholders from net
investment income........ (.04) (.03) (.03) (.04) (.04) (.03) (.04) (.05)
Net asset value, end of
period................... $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
TOTAL RETURN+.............. 3.8% 2.7% 3.4% 4.5% 4.1% 3.0% 3.7% 4.7%
Net assets, end of period
(000's omitted).......... $755,050 $261,475 $208,792 $ 99,549 $162,921 $366,109 $286,230 $265,109
Ratios to average net
assets:
Expenses (a)............. .50% .48% .48% .47%++ .20% .18% .17% 0.20%++
Net investment
income (a)............. 3.91% 2.70% 3.22% 4.95%++ 3.78% 3.00% 3.61% 5.53%++
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS Y SHARES
YEAR ENDED MARCH 6, 1991 YEAR ENDED MARCH 6, 1991
DECEMBER 31, THROUGH DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, THROUGH DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1992 1991 1994 1993 1992 1991
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses................ .78% .82% .82% 1.08% .48% .52% .52% .52%
Net investment income... 3.63% 2.36% 2.88% 4.34% 3.50% 2.66% 3.26% 5.21%
</TABLE>
10
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Evergreen Money Market Fund
The investment objective of Evergreen Money Market Fund is to achieve
as high a level of current income as is consistent with preserving capital and
providing liquidity. This objective is a fundamental policy and may not be
changed without shareholder approval. The Fund invests in high quality money
market instruments, which are determined to be of eligible quality under
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") rules and to present minimal credit
risk. Under SEC rules, eligible securities include First Tier Securities (i.e.,
securities rated in the highest short-term rating category) and Second Tier
Securities (i.e., securities which are not in the First Tier). The rules
prohibit the Fund from holding more than 5% of its value in Second Tier
Securities. The Fund's permitted investments include:
1. Marketable obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including issues of the United
States Treasury, such as bills, certificates of indebtedness, notes and bonds,
and issues of agencies and instrumentalities established under the authority of
an act of Congress. Some of these securities are supported by the full faith and
credit of the United States Government, others are supported by the right of the
issuer to borrow from the Treasury, and still others are supported only by the
credit of the agency or instrumentality. Agencies or instrumentalities whose
securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States
include, but are not limited to, the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers
Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business
Administration and Government National Mortgage Association. Examples of
agencies or instrumentalities whose securities are supported by the right of the
issuer to borrow from the Treasury include, but are not limited to, the Federal
Home Loan Bank, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal National Mortgage
Association and Tennessee Valley Authority. Agencies or instrumentalities whose
securities are supported only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality
include the Interamerican Development Bank and the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development. These obligations are supported by appropriated
but unpaid commitments of its member countries. There are no assurances that the
commitments will be undertaken in the future.
2. Commercial paper, including variable amount master demand notes,
that is rated in one of the two highest short-term rating categories by any two
of Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
("Moody's") or any other nationally recognized statistical rating organization
("SRO") (or by a single rating agency if only one of these agencies has assigned
a rating). The Fund will not invest more than 10% of its total assets, at the
time of the investment in question, in variable amount master demand notes. For
a description of these ratings see the Statement of Additional Information.
3. Corporate debt securities and bank obligations that are rated in one
of the two highest short-term rating categories by any two of S&P, Moody's and
any other SRO (or by a single rating agency if only one of these agencies has
assigned a rating).
4. Unrated corporate debt securities, commercial paper and bank
obligations that are issued by an issuer that has outstanding a class of
short-term debt instruments (i.e., instruments having a maturity of 366 days or
less) that (A) is comparable in priority and security to the unrated securities
and (B) meets the rating requirements of paragraphs 2 or 3 above.
5. Unrated corporate debt securities, commercial paper and bank
obligations issued by domestic and foreign companies which have an outstanding
long-term debt issue rated in the top two rating categories by a SRO and
determined by the Trustees to be of comparable quality.
6. Unrated corporate debt securities, commercial paper and bank
obligations otherwise determined by the Trustees to be of comparable quality.
7. Repurchase agreements with respect to the securities described
in paragraphs 1 through 6 above.
The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in bank certificates
of deposit and bankers' acceptances payable in U.S. dollars and issued by
foreign banks (including U.S. branches of foreign banks) or by foreign branches
of U.S. banks. These investments involve risks that are different from
investments in domestic securities. These risks may include future unfavorable
political and economic developments, possible withholding taxes, seizure of
foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations or other governmental
restrictions which might affect the payment of principal or interest on the
securities in the Fund's portfolio. Additionally, there may be less publicly
available information about foreign issuers.
The Fund may invest in commercial paper and other short-term corporate
obligations which meet the rating criteria specified in paragraphs 3 and 4 above
which are issued in private placements pursuant to Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act"). Such securities are not registered for
purchase and sale by the public under the Act. The Fund has been informed that
the staff of the SEC does not consider such securities to be readily marketable.
The Fund will not invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities which
are not readily marketable (including private placement securities) and in
repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
The investment objective of Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund is
to achieve as high a level of current income exempt from Federal income tax, as
is consistent with preserving capital and providing liquidity. This objective is
a fundamental policy and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The
Fund will seek to achieve its objective by investing substantially all of its
assets in a diversified portfolio of short-term (i.e., with remaining maturities
not exceeding 397 days) debt obligations issued by states, territories and
possessions of the United States and by the District of Columbia, and their
political subdivisions and duly constituted authorities, the interest from which
is exempt from Federal income tax. Such securities are generally known as
Municipal Securities (see "Municipal Securities" below.)
The Fund will invest in Municipal Securities only if they are
determined to be of eligible quality under SEC rules and to present minimum
credit risk. Municipal Securities in which the Fund may invest include: (i)
municipal securities that are rated in one of the top two short-term rating
categories by any two of S&P, Moody's or any other nationally recognized SRO (or
by a single rating agency if only one of these agencies has assigned a rating);
(ii) municipal securities that are issued by an issuer that has outstanding a
class of short-term debt instruments (i.e., having a maturity of 366 days or
less) that (A) is comparable in priority and security to such instruments and
(B) meets the rating requirements above; and (iii) bonds with a remaining
maturity of 397 days or less that are rated no lower than one of the top two
long-term rating categories by any SRO and determined by the Trustees to be of
comparable quality. For a description of such ratings see the Statement of
Additional Information. The Fund may also purchase Municipal Securities which
are unrated at the time of purchase up to a maximum of 20% of its total assets,
if such securities are determined by the Fund's Trustees to be of comparable
quality. Certain Municipal Securities (primarily variable rate demand notes) may
be entitled to the benefit of standby letters of credit or similar commitments
issued by banks or other financial institutions and, in such instances, the
Trustees will take into account the obligation of the bank in assessing the
quality of such security. The ability of the Fund to meet its investment
objective is necessarily subject to the ability of municipal issuers to meet
their payment obligations.
Interest income on certain types of bonds issued after August 7, 1986
to finance nongovernmental activities is an item of "tax-preference" subject to
the Federal alternative minimum tax for individuals and corporations. To the
extent the Fund invests in these "private activity" bonds (some of which were
formerly referred to as "industrial development" bonds), individual and
corporate shareholders, depending on their status, may be subject to the
alternative minimum tax on the part of the Fund's distributions derived from the
bonds. As a matter of fundamental policy, which may not be changed without
shareholder approval, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in
Municipal Securities, the interest from which is not subject to the Federal
alternative minimum tax.
Municipal Securities. As noted above, the Fund will invest substantially all of
its assets in Municipal Securities. These include municipal bonds, short-term
municipal notes and tax exempt commercial paper. "Municipal bonds" are debt
obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes that are exempt
from Federal income tax in the opinion of issuer's counsel. The two principal
classifications of municipal bonds are "general obligation" and "revenue" bonds.
General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its full faith,
credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds
are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class
of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or
other specific source such as from the user of the facility being financed. The
term "municipal bonds" also includes "moral obligation" issues which are
normally issued by special purpose authorities. Industrial development bonds
("IDBs") and private activity bonds ("PABs") are in most cases revenue bonds and
are not payable from the unrestricted revenues of the issuer. The credit quality
of IDBs and PABs is usually directly related to the credit standing of the
corporate user of the facilities being financed. Participation interests are
interests in municipal bonds, including IDBs and PABs, and floating and variable
rate obligations that are owned by banks. These interests carry a demand feature
permitting the holder to tender them back to the bank, which demand feature is
backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of the bank. A put bond
is a municipal bond which gives the holder the unconditional right to sell the
bond back to the issuer at a specified price and exercise date, which is
typically well in advance of the bond's maturity date. "Short-term municipal
notes" and "tax exempt commercial paper" include tax anticipation notes, bond
anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes and other forms of short-term
loans. Such notes are issued with a short-term maturity in anticipation of the
receipt of tax funds, the proceeds of bond placements and other revenues.
Floating Rate and Variable Rate Obligations. Municipal Securities also include
certain variable rate and floating rate municipal obligations with or without
demand features. These variable rate securities do not have fixed interest
rates; rather, those rates fluctuate based upon changes in specified market
rates, such as the prime rate, or are adjusted at predesignated periodic
intervals. Such securities must comply with conditions established by the SEC
under which they may be considered to have remaining maturities of 397 days or
less. Certain of these obligations may carry a demand feature that gives the
Fund the right to demand prepayment of the principal amount of the security
prior to its maturity date. The demand obligation may or may not be backed by
letters of credit or other guarantees of banks or other financial institutions.
Such guarantees may enhance the quality of the security. As a matter of
fundamental policy, which may not be changed without shareholder approval, the
Fund will limit the value of its investments in any floating or variable rate
securities which are not readily marketable and in all other not readily
marketable securities to 10% or less of its total assets.
Stand-by Commitments. The Fund may also acquire "stand-by commitments" with
respect to Municipal Securities held in its portfolio. Under a stand-by
commitment, a dealer agrees to purchase, at the Fund's option, specified
Municipal Securities at a specified price. The Fund expects that stand-by
commitments generally will be available without the payment of direct or
indirect consideration. However, if necessary and advisable, the Fund may pay
for stand-by commitments either separately in cash or by paying a higher price
for portfolio securities which are acquired subject to such a commitment (thus
reducing the yield to maturity otherwise available for the same securities). The
total amount paid in either manner for outstanding stand-by commitments held in
the Fund's portfolio will not exceed 10% of the value of the Fund's total assets
calculated immediately after each stand-by commitment is acquired. The Fund will
enter into stand-by commitments only with banks and broker-dealers that, in the
judgment of the Fund's investment adviser, present minimal credit risks.
Taxable Investments. The Fund may temporarily invest up to 20% of the Fund's net
assets in taxable securities under any one or more of the following
circumstances: (a) pending investment of proceeds of sale of Fund shares or of
portfolio securities, (b) pending settlement of purchases of portfolio
securities, and (c) to maintain liquidity for the purpose of meeting anticipated
redemptions. In addition, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its
total assets in taxable securities for defensive purposes. The Fund may invest
for defensive purposes during periods when the Fund's assets available for
investment exceed the available Municipal Securities that meet the Fund's
quality and other investment criteria. Taxable securities in which the Fund may
invest on a short-term basis include obligations of the United States
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including repurchase agreements
with banks or securities dealers involving such securities; time deposits
maturing in not more than seven days; other debt securities rated within the two
highest ratings assigned by an SRO; commercial paper rated in the highest grade
by Moody's or S&P; and certificates of deposit issued by United States branches
of United States banks with assets of $1 billion or more.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund
The investment objective of Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund, which
is a matter of fundamental policy that may not be changed without shareholder
approval, is to maintain stability of principal while earning current income.
However, the Fund will only attempt to seek income to the extent consistent with
stability of principal and, therefore, investments will only be made in
short-term United States Treasury obligations with an average dollar-weighted
maturity of 90 days or less. As a matter of investment strategy, the Fund's
investment adviser intends to maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity for
the Fund of 60 days or less.
Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund is suitable for conservative
investors seeking high current yields plus relative safety. The Fund provides a
reasonable means of maximizing opportunities and minimizing risks resulting from
changing interest rates.
The short-term United States Treasury obligations in which the Fund
invests are issued by the U.S. Government and are fully guaranteed as to
principal and interest by the United States. Such securities will have a
maturity date that is 397 days or less from the date of acquisition unless they
are purchased under an agreement that provides for repurchase of the securities
from the Fund within 397 days from the date of acquisition. The Fund may also
retain Fund assets in cash.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RESTRICTIONS
General. The Funds invest only in securities that have remaining maturities of
397 days (thirteen months) or less at the date of purchase. For this purpose,
floating rate or variable rate obligations (described under Evergreen Tax Exempt
Money Market Fund, above), which are payable on demand, but which may otherwise
have a stated maturity in excess of this period, will be deemed to have
remaining maturities of less than 397 days pursuant to conditions established by
the SEC. The Funds maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of
ninety days or less. The Funds follow these policies to maintain a stable net
asset value of $1.00 per share, although there is no assurance they can do so on
a continuing basis. The market value of the obligations in a Fund's portfolio
can be expected to vary inversely to changes in prevailing interest rates. If a
portfolio security is no longer of eligible quality, a Fund shall dispose of
such security in an orderly fashion as soon as reasonably practicable, unless
the Trustees determine, in light of market conditions or other factors, that
disposal of the instrument would not be in the best interests of the Fund and
its shareholders.
The ability of each Fund to meet its investment objective is
necessarily subject to the ability of the issuers of securities in which the
Funds invest to meet their payment obligations. In addition, the portfolio of
each Fund will be affected by general changes in interest rates which will
result in increases or decreases in the value of the obligations held by the
Fund. Investors should recognize that, in periods of declining interest rates,
the yield of a Fund will tend to be somewhat higher than prevailing market
rates, and in periods of rising interest rates, the yield of a Fund will tend to
be somewhat lower. Also, when interest rates are falling, the inflow of net new
money to a Fund from the continuous sale of its shares will likely be invested
in portfolio instruments producing lower yields than the balance of the Fund's
portfolio, thereby reducing the current yield of the Fund. In periods of rising
interest rates, the opposite can be expected to occur.
Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may enter into repurchase agreements. A
repurchase agreement is an arrangement pursuant to which a buyer purchases a
security and simultaneously agrees to resell it to the vendor at a price that
results in an agreed-upon market rate of return which is effective for the
period of time (which is normally one to seven days, but may be longer) the
buyer's money is invested in the security. The arrangement results in a fixed
rate of return that is not subject to market fluctuations during a Fund's
holding period. Repurchase agreements may be entered into with member banks of
the Federal Reserve System, including, the Fund's custodian or "primary dealers"
(as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) in United States
Government securities. Each Fund will require continued maintenance of
collateral with its Custodian in an amount equal to, or in excess of, the
repurchase price (including accrued interest). In the event a vendor defaults on
its repurchase obligation, a Fund might suffer a loss to the extent that the
proceeds from the sale of the collateral were less than the repurchase price. If
the vendor becomes the subject of bankruptcy proceedings, a Fund might be
delayed in selling the collateral. Each Fund's investment adviser will review
and continually monitor the creditworthiness of each institution with which the
Fund enters into a repurchase agreement to evaluate these risks. A Fund may not
enter into repurchase agreements if, as a result, more than 10% of a Fund's
total assets would be invested in repurchase agreements maturing in more than
seven days and in other securities that are not readily marketable.
Securities Lending. In order to generate income and to offset expenses,
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen Money Market Fund may lend
portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. Each
Fund's investment adviser will monitor the creditworthiness of such borrowers.
Loans of securities by Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund or Evergreen Money
Market Fund, if and when made, may not exceed 30% of a Fund's total assets and
will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or United States Government
securities that are maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100%
of the current market value of the loaned securities, including accrued
interest. While such securities are on loan, the borrower will pay a Fund any
income accruing thereon, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral in
portfolio securities, thereby increasing its return. A Fund will have the right
to call any such loan and obtain the securities loaned at any time on five days'
notice. Any gain or loss in the market price of the loaned securities which
occurs during the term of the loan would affect a Fund and its investors. A Fund
may pay reasonable fees in connection with such loans.
When-Issued Securities. Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen
Treasury Money Market Fund may purchase securities on a "when-issued" basis
(i.e., for delivery beyond the normal settlement date at a stated price and
yield). A Fund generally would not pay for such securities or start earning
interest on them until they are received. However, when a Fund purchases
securities on a when-issued basis, it assumes the risks of ownership at the time
of purchase, not at the time of receipt. Failure of the issuer to deliver a
security purchased by a Fund on a when-issued basis may result in the Fund
incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to make an alternative investment.
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund does not expect that commitments to
purchase when-issued securities will normally exceed 25% of its total assets and
Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund does not expect that such commitments will
exceed 20% of its total assets. The Funds do not intend to purchase when-issued
securities for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of their investment
objective.
Illiquid Securities. The Funds may invest up to 10% of their net assets in
illiquid securities and other securities which are not readily marketable,
including repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. In the
case of Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen Money Market Fund,
securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of
1933, which have been determined to be liquid, will not be considered by each
Fund's investment adviser to be illiquid or not readily marketable and,
therefore, are not subject to the aforementioned 10% limit. The inability of a
Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable investments readily or at
a reasonable price could impair the Fund's ability to raise cash for redemptions
or other purposes. The liquidity of securities purchased by a Fund which are
eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A will be monitored by each Fund's
investment adviser on an ongoing basis, subject to the oversight of the
Trustees. In the event that such a security is deemed to be no longer liquid, a
Fund's holdings will be reviewed to determine what action, if any, is required
to ensure that the retention of such security does not result in a Fund having
more than 10% of its assets invested in illiquid or not readily marketable
securities.
Other Investment Policies. The Funds may borrow money for temporary or emergency
purposes in amounts not in excess of 10% of the value of a Fund's total assets
in the case of Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen Money Market
Fund and one-third of the value of Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund's total
assets, including the amount borrowed. As another means of borrowing both
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen Money Market Fund may agree
to sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and
broker-dealers and to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price
(a "reverse repurchase agreement") at the time of such borrowing in amounts up
to 5% of the value of their total assets. A Fund will not purchase any
securities whenever any borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements) are
outstanding. If either Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund or Evergreen Money
Market Fund enter into a reverse repurchase agreement, they will place in a
segregated custodial account cash, United States Government securities or liquid
high grade debt obligations having a value equal to the repurchase price
(including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure
that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve
the risk that the market value of the securities sold by a Fund may decline
below the repurchase price of those securities.
Other Investment Restrictions. Each Fund has adopted additional investment
restrictions that are set forth in the Statement of Additional Information.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
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INVESTMENT ADVISERS
The management of each Fund is supervised by the Trustees of the Trust
under which the Fund has been established ("Trustees"). Evergreen Asset
Management Corp. ("Evergreen Asset") has been retained to serve as investment
adviser to Evergreen Money Market Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market
Fund. Evergreen Asset succeeded on June 30, 1994 to the advisory business of the
same name, but under different ownership, which was organized in 1971. Evergreen
Asset, with its predecessors, has served as investment adviser to the Evergreen
Group of Mutual Funds since 1971. Evergreen Asset is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of First Union National Bank of North Carolina ("FUNB"). The address of
Evergreen Asset is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York 10577. FUNB is a
subsidiary of First Union Corporation ("First Union"), one of the ten largest
bank holding companies in the United States. Stephen A. Lieber and Nola Maddox
Falcone serve as the chief investment officers of Evergreen Asset and, along
with Theodore J. Israel, Jr., were the owners of Evergreen Asset's predecessor
and the former general partners of Lieber & Company, which, as described below,
provides certain subadvisory services to Evergreen Asset in connection with its
duties as investment adviser to the aforementioned Funds. The Capital Management
Group of FUNB ("CMG") serves as investment adviser to Evergreen Treasury Money
Market Fund.
First Union is a bank holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North
Carolina, and had $77.9 billion in consolidated assets as of March 31, 1995.
First Union and its subsidiaries provide a broad range of financial services to
individuals and businesses through offices in 36 states. The Capital Management
Group of FUNB manages or otherwise oversees the investment of over $36 billion
in assets belonging to a wide range of clients, including all the series of
Evergreen Investment Trust (formerly known as First Union Funds). First Union
Brokerage Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of FUNB, is a registered
broker-dealer that is principally engaged in providing retail brokerage services
consistent with its federal banking authorizations. First Union Capital Markets
Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union, is a registered broker-dealer
principally engaged in providing, consistent with its federal banking
authorizations, private placement, securities dealing, and underwriting
services.
Evergreen Asset manages investments, provides various administrative
services and supervises the daily business affairs of Evergreen Money Market
Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund, subject to the authority of the
Trustees. Evergreen Asset is entitled to receive from each Fund an annual fee
equal to .50 of 1% of average daily net assets of each Fund on the first $1
billion in assets and .45 of 1% of average daily net assets in excess of $1
billion. However, Evergreen Asset has in the past, and may in the future,
voluntarily waive all or a portion of its fee for the purpose of reducing each
Fund's expense ratio. For the fiscal period ended August 31, 1994 Evergreen
Asset waived a portion of the advisory fee payable by the Evergreen Money Market
Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund as set forth in the section
entitled "Financial Highlights". The total expenses as a percentage of average
daily net assets on an annualized basis for Evergreen Money Market Fund and
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund for the fiscal period ended August 31,
1994 are also set forth in the section entitled "Financial Highlights". CMG
manages investments and supervises the daily business affairs of Evergreen
Treasury Money Market Fund and, as compensation therefor, is entitled to receive
an annual fee equal to .35 of 1% of average daily net assets of Evergreen
Treasury Money Market Fund. For the fiscal period ended December 31, 1994 CMG
waived a portion of the advisory fee payable by the Evergreen Treasury Money
Market Fund as set forth in the section entitled "Financial Highlights". The
total annualized operating expenses of Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund for
its most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 1994 are also set forth in the
section entitled "Financial Highlights". Evergreen Asset serves as administrator
to Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund and is entitled to receive a fee based
on the average daily net assets of the Fund at a rate based on the total assets
of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset for which CMG or Evergreen
Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in accordance with the
following schedule: .050% of the first $7 billion; .035% on the next $3 billion;
.030% on the next $5 billion; .020% on the next $10 billion; .015% on the next
$5 billion; and .010% on assets in excess of $30 billion. Furman Selz
Incorporated, the parent of Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., distributor for
the Evergreen group of mutual funds, serves as sub-administrator to Evergreen
Treasury Money Market Fund and is entitled to receive a fee from the Fund
calculated on the average daily net assets of the Fund at a rate based on the
total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset for which CMG
or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in accordance
with the following schedule: .0100% of the first $7 billion; .0075% on the next
$3 billion; .0050% on the next $15 billion; and .0040% on assets in excess of
$25 billion. The total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen
Asset for which CMG or Evergreen Asset serve as investment adviser as of March
31, 1995 were approximately $8 billion.
SUB-ADVISER
Evergreen Asset has entered into sub-advisory agreements with Lieber &
Company which provides that Lieber & Company's research department and staff
will furnish Evergreen Asset with information, investment recommendations,
advice and assistance, and will be generally available for consultation on the
portfolios of Evergreen Money Market Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market
Fund. Lieber & Company will be reimbursed by Evergreen Asset in connection with
the rendering of services on the basis of the direct and indirect costs of
performing such services. There is no additional charge to Evergreen Money
Market Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund for the services provided
by Lieber & Company. The address of Lieber & Company is 2500 Westchester Avenue,
Purchase, New York 10577. Lieber & Company is an indirect, wholly-owned,
subsidiary of First Union.
<PAGE>
DISTRIBUTION PLANS AND AGREEMENTS
Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 permits an
investment company to pay expenses associated with the distribution of its
shares in accordance with a duly adopted plan. Each Fund has adopted for its
Class A shares and Evergreen Money Market Fund for its Class B shares, a "Rule
12b-1 plan" (each, a "Plan" or collectively the "Plans"). Pursuant to each Plan,
a Fund may incur distribution-related and shareholder servicing-related expenses
which may not exceed an annual rate of .75 of 1% of the Fund's aggregate average
daily net assets attributable to Class A shares and 1.00% of the Fund's
aggregate average daily net assets attributable to the Class B shares. Payments
with respect to Class A shares under the Plan are currently voluntarily limited
to .30 of 1% of each Fund's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to
Class A shares. The Plans provide that a portion of the fee payable thereunder
may constitute a service fee to be used for providing ongoing personal services
and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Service fee payments to
financial intermediaries for such purposes will not to exceed .25% of the
aggregate average daily net assets attributable to each Class of shares of each
Fund.
Each Fund has also entered into a distribution agreement (each a
"Distribution Agreement" or collectively the "Distribution Agreements") with,
Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc. ("EFD"). Pursuant to the Distribution
Agreements, each Fund will compensate EFD for its services as EFD at a rate
which may not exceed an annual rate of .30 of 1% of a Fund's aggregate average
daily net assets attributable to Class A shares and .75 of 1% of aggregate
average daily net assets attributable to the Class B shares of the Evergreen
Money Market Fund. The Distribution Agreements provide that EFD will use the
distribution fee received from a Fund for payments (i) to compensate
broker-dealers or other persons for distributing shares of the Funds, including
interest and principal payments made in respect of amounts paid to
broker-dealers or other persons that have been financed (EFD may assign its
rights to receive compensation under the Plans to secure such financings), (ii)
to otherwise promote the sale of shares of the Fund, and (iii) to compensate
broker-dealers, depository institutions and other financial intermediaries for
providing administrative, accounting and other services with respect to the
Fund's shareholders. The financing of payments made by EFD to compensate
broker-dealers or other persons for distributing shares of the Funds may be
provided by First Union or its affiliates. The Evergreen Money Market Fund may
also make payments under its Class B Plan, in amounts up to .25 of 1% of the
Fund's aggregate average daily net assets on an annual basis attributable to
Class B shares, to compensate organizations, which may include EFD and Evergreen
Asset or its affiliates, for personal services rendered to shareholders and/or
the maintenance of shareholder accounts or for engaging other to render such
services.
The Funds may not pay any distribution or services fees during any
fiscal period in excess of the amounts set forth above. Since EFD's compensation
under the Distribution Agreements is not directly tied to the expenses incurred
by EFD, the amount of compensation received by it under the Distribution
Agreements during any year may be more or less than its actual expenses and may
result in a profit to EFD. Distribution expenses incurred by EFD in one fiscal
year that exceed the level of compensation paid to EFD for that year may be paid
from distribution fees received from a Fund in subsequent fiscal years.
The Plans are in compliance with rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. which effectively limit the annual asset-based sales
charges and service fees that a mutual fund may pay on a class of shares to .75
of 1% and .25 of 1%, respectively, of the average annual net assets attributable
to that class. The rules also limit the aggregate of all front-end, deferred and
asset-based sales charges imposed with respect to a class of shares by a mutual
fund that also charges a service fee to 6.25% of cumulative gross sales of
shares of that class, plus interest at the prime rate plus 1% per annum.
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PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
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HOW TO BUY SHARES
You can purchase shares of any of the Funds through broker-dealers,
banks or other financial intermediaries, or directly through EFD. The minimum
initial investment is $1,000, which may be waived in certain situations. There
is no minimum for subsequent investments. Share certificates are not issued. In
states where EFD is not registered as a broker-dealer shares of a Fund will only
be sold through other broker-dealers or other financial institutions that are
registered. See the Share Purchase Application and Statement of Additional
Information for more information. Only Class A shares of Evergreen Money Market
Fund, Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market
Fund, and Class B shares of Evergreen Money Market Fund are offered through this
Prospectus (See "General Information" - Other Classes of Shares).
Class A Shares. Class A shares of the Evergreen Money Market Funds can be
purchased at net asset value without an initial sales charge. Certain
broker-dealers or other financial institutions may impose a fee in connection
with purchases at net asset value.
Class B Shares-Deferred Sales Charge Alternative. You can purchase Class B
shares of the Evergreen Money Market Fund at net asset value without an initial
sales charge. However, you may pay a contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC")
if you redeem shares within seven years after purchase. Shares obtained from
dividend or distribution reinvestment are not subject to the CDSC. The amount of
the CDSC (expressed as a percentage of the lesser of the current net asset value
or original cost) will vary according to the number of years from the purchase
of Class B shares as set forth below.
Year Since Purchase Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
FIRST 5%
SECOND 4%
THIRD and FOURTH 3%
FIFTH 2%
SIXTH and SEVENTH 1%
The CDSC is deducted from the amount of the redemption and is paid to EFD. The
CDSC will be waived on redemptions of shares following the death or disability
of a shareholder, to meet distribution requirements for certain qualified
retirement plans or in the case of certain redemptions made under a Fund's
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan, and may be waived in other situations. Class B
shares are subject to higher distribution and/or shareholder service fees than
Class A shares for a period of seven years (after which they convert to Class A
shares) . The higher fees mean a higher expense ratio, so Class B shares pay
correspondingly lower dividends and may have a lower net asset value than Class
A shares. See the Statement of Additional Information for further details.
With respect to Class B shares, no CDSC will be imposed on: (1) the
portion of redemption proceeds attributable to increases in the value of the
account due to increases in the net asset value per Share, (2) Shares acquired
through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, (3) Shares held for more
than seven years after the end of the calendar month of acquisition, (4)
accounts following the death or disability of a shareholder, or (5) minimum
required distributions to a shareholder over the age of 70 1/2 from an IRA or
other retirement plan.
How the Funds Value Their Shares. The net asset value of each Fund's shares for
purposes of both purchases and redemptions is determined twice daily, at 12 noon
(Eastern time) and promptly after the regular close of the New York Stock
Exchange (the "Exchange") (usually 4 p.m. Eastern time) each business day (i.e.,
any weekday exclusive of days on which the Exchange or State Street is closed).
The Exchange is closed on New Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial
Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The net
asset value per share is calculated by taking the sum of the values of a Fund's
investments and any cash and other assets, subtracting liabilities, and dividing
by the total number of shares outstanding. All expenses, including the fees
payable to each Fund's investment adviser, are accrued daily. The securities in
a Fund's portfolio are valued on an amortized cost basis. Under this method of
valuation, a security is initially valued at its acquisition cost, and
thereafter, a constant straight-line amortization of any discount or premium is
assumed each day regardless of the impact of fluctuating interest rates on the
market value of the security. The market value of the obligations in a Fund's
portfolio can be expected to vary inversely to changes in prevailing interest
rates. As a result, the market value of the obligations in a Fund's portfolio
may vary from the value determined using the amortized cost method. Securities
which are not rated are normally valued on the basis of valuations provided by a
pricing service when such prices are believed to reflect the fair value of such
securities. Other assets and securities for which no quotations are readily
available are valued at the fair value as determined in good faith by the
Trustees.
Each Fund attempts to maintain its net asset value at $1.00 per share.
Under most conditions, management believes this will be possible, although there
can be no assurance that this will be achieved. Calculations are periodically
made to compare the value of a Fund's portfolio valued at amortized cost with
market values. If a deviation of 1/2 of 1% or more were to occur between the net
asset value calculated by reference to market values and a Fund's $1.00 per
share net asset value, or if there were other deviations which the Trustees
believed would result in a material dilution to shareholders or purchasers, the
Trustees would promptly consider what action, if any, should be initiated.
Additional Purchase Information. As a condition of this offering, if a purchase
is canceled due to nonpayment or because an investor's check does not clear, the
investor will be responsible for any loss a Fund or its investment adviser
incurs. If such investor is an existing shareholder, a Fund may redeem shares
from his or her account to reimburse a Fund or its investment adviser for any
loss. In addition, such investors may be prohibited or restricted from making
further purchases in any of the Evergreen mutual funds.
Shares of the Funds are sold at the net asset value per share next
determined after a shareholder's investment has been received. Investments by
federal funds wire will be effective upon receipt. Qualified institutions may
telephone orders for the purchase of Fund shares. Shares purchased by
institutions via telephone will receive the dividend declared on that day if the
telephone order is placed by 12 noon (Eastern time), and federal funds are
received the same day by 4 p.m. (Eastern time). Institutions should telephone
the Fund at the phone number on the front page of this Prospectus for additional
information on same day purchases by telephone. Investment checks received at
State Street will be invested on the date of receipt. Shareholders will begin
earning dividends the following business day.
General. The decision as to which Class of shares of Evergreen Money Market Fund
is more beneficial to you depends primarily on whether or not you wish to
exchange all or part of any Class B shares you purchase for Class B shares of
another Evergreen Fund at some future date. If you are not contemplating such an
exchange, it would probably be in your best interest to purchase Class A shares.
Consult your financial intermediary for further information. The compensation
received by dealers and agents may differ depending on whether they sell Class A
or Class B shares. There is no size limit on purchases of Class A shares.
In addition to any discount or commission paid to dealers, EFD will
from time to time pay to dealers additional cash or other incentives that are
conditioned upon the sale of a specified minimum dollar amount of shares of a
Fund and/or other Evergreen Mutual Funds. Such incentives will take the form of
payment for attendance at seminars, lunches, dinners, sporting events or theater
performances, or payment for travel, lodging and entertainment incurred in
connection with travel by persons associated with a dealer and their immediate
family members to urban or resort locations within or outside the United States.
Such a dealer may elect to receive cash incentives of equivalent amount in lieu
of such payments.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
You may "redeem", i.e., sell your shares in a Fund to the Fund on any
day the Exchange is open, either directly or through your financial
intermediary. The price you will receive is the net asset value (less any
applicable CDSC for Class B shares) next calculated after the Fund receives your
request in proper form. Proceeds generally will be sent to you within seven
days. However, for shares recently purchased by check, a Fund will not send
proceeds until it is reasonably satisfied that the check has been collected
(which may take up to 15 days).
Redeeming Shares Through Your Financial Intermediary. A Fund must receive
instructions from your financial intermediary before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for
you to receive that day's net asset value (less any applicable CDSC for Class B
shares). Your financial intermediary is responsible for furnishing all necessary
documentation to a Fund and may charge you for this service. Certain financial
intermediaries may require that you give instructions earlier than 4:00 p.m.
Redeeming Shares Directly by Mail or Telephone. Send a signed letter of
instruction or stock power form to State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State
Street") which is the registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent
for each Fund. Stock power forms are available from your financial intermediary,
State Street, and many commercial banks. Additional documentation is required
for the sale of shares by corporations, financial intermediaries, fiduciaries
and surviving joint owners. Signature guarantees are required for all redemption
requests for shares with a value of more than $10,000 or where the redemption
proceeds are to be mailed to an address other than that shown in the account
registration. A signature guarantee must be provided by a bank or trust company
(not a Notary Public), a member firm of a domestic stock exchange or by other
financial institutions whose guarantees are acceptable to State Street.
Shareholders may withdraw amounts of $1,000 or more from their accounts
by calling the phone number on the front page of this Prospectus between the
hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (Eastern time) each business day (i.e., any
weekday exclusive of days on which the Exchange or State Street's offices are
closed). The Exchange is closed on New Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday,
Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Redemption requests made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be processed using
the net asset value determined on the next business day. Such redemption
requests must include the shareholder's account name, as registered with a Fund,
and the account number. During periods of drastic economic or market changes,
shareholders may experience difficulty in effecting telephone redemptions.
Shareholders who are unable to reach a Fund by telephone should follow the
procedures outlined above for redemption by mail.
The telephone redemption service is not made available to shareholders
automatically. Shareholders wishing to use the telephone redemption service must
indicate this on the enclosed Share Purchase Application and choose how the
redemption proceeds are to be paid. Redemption proceeds will either (i) be
mailed by check to the shareholder at the address in which the account is
registered or (ii) be wired to an account with the same registration as the
shareholder's account in a Fund at a designated commercial bank. State Street
currently deducts a $5.00 wire charge from all redemption proceeds wired. This
charge is subject to change without notice. Redemption proceeds will be wired on
the same day if the request is made prior to 12 noon (Eastern time). Such
shares, however, will not earn dividends for that day. Redemption requests
received after 12 noon will earn dividends for that day, and the proceeds will
be wired on the following business day. A shareholder who decides later to use
this service, or to change instructions already given, should fill out a
Shareholder Services Form and send it to State Street Bank and Trust Company,
P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827, with such shareholder's
signature guaranteed by a bank or trust company (not a Notary Public), a member
firm of a domestic stock exchange or by other financial institutions whose
guarantees are acceptable to State Street. Shareholders should allow
approximately 10 days for such form to be processed. The Funds will employ
reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are
genuine. These procedures include requiring some form of personal identification
prior to acting upon instructions and tape recording of telephone instructions.
If a Fund fails to follow such procedures, it may be liable for any losses due
to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The Funds will not be liable for
following telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine. The Funds
reserve the right to refuse a telephone redemption if it is believed advisable
to do so. Procedures for redeeming Fund shares by telephone may be modified or
terminated without notice at any time.
Redemptions by Check. Upon request, each Fund will provide holders of Class A
shares, without charge, with checks drawn on the Fund that will clear through
State Street. Class B shares cannot be redeemed by check. Shareholders will be
subject to State Street's rules and regulations governing such checking
accounts. Checks will be sent usually within ten business days following the
date the account is established. Checks may be made payable to the order of any
payee in an amount of $250 or more. The payee of the check may cash or deposit
it like a check drawn on a bank. (Investors should be aware that, as in the case
with regular bank checks, certain banks may not provide cash at the time of
deposit, but will wait until they have received payment from State Street.) When
such a check is presented to State Street for payment, State Street, as the
shareholder's agent, causes the Fund to redeem a sufficient number of full and
fractional shares in the shareholder's account to cover the amount of the check.
Checks will be returned by State Street if there are insufficient or
uncollectable shares to meet the withdrawal amount. The check writing procedure
for withdrawal enables shareholders to continue earning income on the shares to
be redeemed up to but not including the date the redemption check is presented
to State Street for payment.
Shareholders wishing to use this method of redemption, should fill out
the appropriate part of the Share Purchase Application (including the Signature
Card) and mail the completed form to State Street Bank and Trust Company, P.O.
Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827. Shareholders requesting this service
after an account has been opened must contact State Street since additional
documentation will be required. Currently, there is no charge either for checks
or for the clearance of any checks. This service may be terminated or altered at
any time.
General. Under unusual circumstances, a Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone
payment for up to seven days or longer, as permitted by Federal securities law.
The Funds reserve the right to close an account that through redemption has
remained below $1,000 for 30 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written
notice to increase the account value before the account is closed. See the
Statement of Additional Information for further details.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
How To Exchange Shares. You may exchange some or all of your shares for shares
of the other Evergreen mutual funds through your financial intermediary, or by
telephone or mail as described below. An exchange which represents an initial
investment in another Evergreen mutual fund must amount to at least $1,000. Once
an exchange request has been telephoned or mailed, it is irrevocable and may not
be modified or canceled. Exchanges will be made on the basis of the relative net
asset values of the shares exchanged next determined after an exchange request
is received. Exchanges are subject to minimum investment and suitability
requirements.
Each of the Evergreen mutual funds has different investment objectives
and policies. For complete information, a prospectus of the fund into which an
exchange will be made should be read prior to the exchange. An exchange is
treated for Federal income tax purposes as a redemption and purchase of shares
and may result in the realization of a capital gain or loss. Shareholders are
limited to five exchanges per calendar year, with a maximum of three per
calendar quarter. This exchange privilege may be materially modified or
discontinued at any time by the Fund upon sixty days' notice to shareholders and
is only available in states in which shares of the fund being acquired may
lawfully be sold.
No CDSC will be imposed in the event Class B shares of the Evergreen
Money Market Fund are exchanged for Class B shares of other Evergreen mutual
funds. If you redeem shares, the CDSC applicable to the Class B shares of the
Evergreen Mutual Fund originally purchased for cash is applied. Also, Class B
shares will continue to age following an exchange for purposes of conversion to
Class A shares. An exchange of Class A shares of the Funds for Class A shares of
other Evergreen mutual funds not offered in this Prospectus would, to the extent
a waiver or reduction were not available, require the payment of the applicable
front-end sales charge.
Exchanges Through Your Financial Intermediary. A Fund must receive exchange
instructions from your financial intermediary before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for
you to receive that day's net asset value. Your financial intermediary is
responsible for furnishing all necessary documentation to a Fund and may charge
you for this service.
Exchanges by Telephone and Mail. You may exchange shares by telephone by calling
the telephone number on the front of this Prospectus. Exchange requests made
after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be processed using the net asset value
determined on the next business day. During periods of drastic economic or
market changes, shareholders may experience difficulty in effecting telephone
exchanges. You should follow the procedures outlined below for exchanges by mail
if you are unable to reach State Street by telephone. If you wish to use the
telephone exchange service you should indicate this on the enclosed Share
Purchase Application. As noted above, each Fund will employ reasonable
procedures to confirm that instructions for the redemption or exchange of shares
communicated by telephone are genuine. A telephone exchange may be refused by a
Fund or State Street if it is believed advisable to do so. Procedures for
exchanging Fund shares by telephone may be modified or terminated at any time.
Written requests for exchanges should follow the same procedures outlined for
written redemption requests in the section entitled "How to Redeem Shares",
however, no signature guarantee is required.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The Funds offer the following shareholder services. For more
information about these services or your account, contact EFD or the toll-free
number on the front page of this Prospectus. Some services are described in more
detail in the Share Purchase Application.
Systematic Investment Plan. You may make monthly or quarterly investments into
an existing account automatically in amounts of not less than $25.
Telephone Investment Plan. You may make investments into an existing account
electronically in amounts of not less than $100 or more than $25,000 per
investment. Telephone investment requests received by 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
will be credited to a shareholder's account two business days after the request
is received.
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan. When an account of $10,000 or more is opened or
when an existing account reaches that size, you may participate in the Fund's
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan by filling out the appropriate part of the Share
Purchase Application. Under this plan, you may receive (or designate a third
party to receive) a monthly or quarterly check in a stated amount of not less
than $100. Fund shares will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal
payments. All participants must elect to have their dividends and capital gain
distributions reinvested automatically. Any applicable Class B CDSC will be
waived with respect to redemptions occurring under a Systematic Cash Withdrawal
Plan during a calendar year to the extent that such redemptions do not exceed
10% of (i) the initial value of the account plus (ii) the value, at the time of
purchase, of any subsequent investments.
Investments Through Employee Benefit and Savings Plans. Certain qualified and
non-qualified benefit and savings plans may make shares of the Funds and the
other Evergreen mutual funds available to their participants. Each Fund's
investment adviser may provide compensation to organizations providing
administrative and recordkeeping services to plans which make shares of the
Evergreen mutual funds available to their participants.
Automatic Reinvestment Plan. For the convenience of investors, all dividends and
distributions are automatically reinvested in full and fractional shares of the
Fund at the net asset value per share at the close of business on the last
business day of each month, unless otherwise requested by a shareholder in
writing. If the transfer agent does not receive a written request for subsequent
dividends and/or distributions to be paid in cash at least three full business
days prior to a given record date, the dividends and/or distributions to be paid
to a shareholder will be reinvested. If you elect to receive dividends and
distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the checks, or
if the checks remain uncashed for six months, the checks will be reinvested into
your account at the then current net asset value.
Tax Sheltered Retirement Plans. You may open a pension and profit sharing
account in any Evergreen mutual fund (except those funds having an objective of
providing tax free income), including: (i) Individual Retirement Accounts
("IRAs") and Rollover IRAs; (ii) Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) for sole
proprietors, partnerships and corporations; and (iii) Profit-Sharing and Money
Purchase Pension Plans for corporations and their employees.
EFFECT OF BANKING LAWS
The Glass-Steagall Act and other banking laws and regulations presently
prohibit member banks of the Federal Reserve System ("Member Banks") or their
non-bank affiliates from sponsoring, organizing, controlling, or distributing
the shares of registered open-end investment companies such as the Funds. Such
laws and regulations also prohibit banks from issuing, underwriting or
distributing securities in general. However, under the Glass-Steagall Act and
such other laws and regulations, a Member Bank or an affiliate thereof may act
as investment adviser, transfer agent or custodian to a registered open-end
investment company and may also act as agent in connection with the purchase of
shares of such an investment company upon the order of their customer. Evergreen
Asset, since it is a subsidiary of FUNB, and CMG are subject to and in
compliance with the aforementioned laws and regulations.
Changes to applicable laws and regulations or future judicial or
administrative decisions could result in CMG or Evergreen Asset being prevented
from continuing to perform the services required under the investment advisory
contract or from acting as agent in connection with the purchase of shares of a
Fund by its customers. If CMG or Evergreen Asset were prevented from continuing
to provide the services called for under the investment advisory agreement, it
is expected that the Trustees would identify, and call upon each Fund's
shareholders to approve, a new investment adviser. If this were to occur, it is
not anticipated that the shareholders of any Fund would suffer any adverse
financial consequences.
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OTHER INFORMATION
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DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
The Funds declare substantially all of their net income as dividends on
each business day. Such dividends are paid monthly. Net income, for dividend
purposes, includes accrued interest and any market discount or premium that day,
less the estimated expenses of a Fund. Gains or losses realized upon the sale of
portfolio securities are not included in net income, but are reflected in the
net asset value of a Fund's shares. Distributions of any net realized capital
gains will be made annually or more frequently as required by the provisions of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The amount of
dividends may fluctuate from day to day, and the dividend may be omitted on a
day where Fund expenses exceed net investment income. Dividends and
distributions generally are taxable in the year in which they are paid, except
any dividends paid in January that were declared in the previous calendar
quarter may be treated as paid in the immediately preceding December.
Such dividends will be automatically reinvested in full and fractional
shares of a Fund on the last business day of each month. However, shareholders
who so inform the transfer agent in writing may have their dividends paid out in
cash monthly. Shareholders who invest by check will be credited with a dividend
on the business day following initial investment. Shareholders will receive
dividends on investments made by federal funds bank wire the same day the wire
is received provided that wire purchases are received by State Street by 12 noon
(Eastern time). Shares purchased by qualified institutions via telephone as
described in "How to Purchase Shares" will receive the dividend declared on that
day if the telephone order is placed by 12 noon (Eastern time), and federal
funds are received by 4 p.m. (Eastern time). All other wire purchases received
after 12 noon (Eastern time) will earn dividends beginning the following
business day. Dividends accruing on the day of redemption will be paid to
redeeming shareholders except for redemptions by check and where proceeds are
wired the same day. (See "How to Redeem Shares".)
Each Fund has qualified and intends to continue to qualify to be
treated as a regulated investment company under the Code. While so qualified, it
is expected that each Fund will not be required to pay any Federal income taxes
on that portion of its investment company taxable income and any net realized
capital gains it distributes to shareholders. The Code imposes a 4%
nondeductible excise tax on regulated investment companies, such as the Funds,
to the extent they do not meet certain distribution requirements by the end of
each calendar year. Each Fund anticipates meeting such distribution
requirements. The excise tax generally does not apply to the tax exempt income
of a regulated investment company (such as Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market
Fund) that pays exempt interest dividends. Except as noted below with respect to
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund, most shareholders of the Funds normally
will have to pay Federal income taxes and any state or local taxes on the
dividends and distributions they receive from a Fund.
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund will designate and pay
exempt-interest dividends derived from interest earned on qualifying tax exempt
obligations. Such exempt-interest dividends may be excluded by shareholders of
the Fund from their gross income for Federal income tax purposes, however, (1)
all or a portion of such exempt-interest dividends may be a specific preference
item for purposes of the Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum
taxes to the extent that they are derived from certain types of private activity
bonds issued after August 7, 1986, and (2) all exempt-interest dividends will be
a component of "adjusted current earnings" for purposes of the Federal corporate
alternative minimum tax. Dividends paid from taxable income, if any, and
distributions of any net realized short-term capital gains (whether from tax
exempt or taxable obligations) are taxable as ordinary income, even though
received in additional Fund shares. Market discount recognized on taxable and
tax-free bonds is taxable as ordinary income, not as excludable income.
Following the end of each calendar year, every shareholder of the Funds
will be sent applicable tax information and information regarding the dividends
and capital gain distributions made during the calendar year. Under current law,
the highest Federal income tax rate applicable to net long-term capital gains
realized by individuals is 28%. The rate applicable to corporations is 35%.
Since the Funds' gross income is ordinarily expected to be interest income, it
is not expected that the 70% dividends-received deduction for corporations will
be applicable. Specific questions should be addressed to the investor's own tax
adviser.
Each Fund is required by Federal law to withhold 31% of reportable
payments (which may include dividends, capital gain distributions and
redemptions) paid to certain shareholders. In order to avoid this backup
withholding requirement, you must certify on the Share Purchase Application, or
on a separate form supplied by State Street, that the investor's social security
or taxpayer identification number is correct and that the investor is not
currently subject to backup withholding or is exempt from backup withholding.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Portfolio Transactions. Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best
price and execution, a Fund may consider sales of its shares as a factor in the
selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions with the Fund.
Organization. The Evergreen Money Market Fund (formerly Evergreen Money Market
Trust) is a Massachusetts business trust organized in 1987, the Evergreen Tax
Exempt Money Market Fund is a separate investment series of the Evergreen
Municipal Trust, which is a Massachusetts business trust organized in 1988, and
the Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund is a separate investment series of
Evergreen Investment Trust (formerly First Union Funds), which is a
Massachusetts business trust organized in 1984.
The Funds do not intend to hold annual shareholder meetings;
shareholder meetings will be held only when required by applicable law.
Shareholders have available certain procedures for the removal of Trustees.
A shareholder in each class of a Fund will be entitled to his or her
share of all dividends and distributions from a Fund's assets, based upon the
relative value of such shares to those of other Classes of the Fund, and, upon
redeeming shares, will receive the then current net asset value of the Class of
shares of the Fund represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC.
The Trusts are empowered to establish, without shareholder approval, additional
investment series, which may have different investment objectives, and
additional classes of shares for any existing or future series. If an additional
series or class were established in a Fund, each share of the series or class
would normally be entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally, shares of
each series and class would vote together as a single class on matters, such as
the election of Trustees, that affect each series and class in substantially the
same manner. Class A, B and Y shares have identical voting, dividend,
liquidation and other rights, except that each class bears, to the extent
applicable, its own distribution and transfer agency expenses as well as any
other expenses applicable only to a specific class. Each class of shares votes
separately with respect to Rule 12b-1 distribution plans and other matters for
which separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law. Shares are
entitled to dividends as determined by the Trustees and, in liquidation of a
Fund, are entitled to receive the net assets of the Fund.
Registrar, Transfer Agent And Dividend-Disbursing Agent. State Street Bank and
Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827 acts as each
Fund's registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based
upon the number of shareholder accounts maintained for the Funds. The transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class B shares will be higher than the transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class A shares.
Principal Underwriter. EFD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Furman Selz
Incorporated, located 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, is the
principal underwriter of the Funds. Furman Selz Incorporated, also acts as
sub-administrator to Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund and which provides
certain sub-administrative services to Evergreen Asset in connection with its
role as investment adviser to Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and
Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund, including providing personnel to serve as
officers of the Funds.
Other Classes of Shares. Evergreen Money Market Fund offers three classes of
shares, Class A, Class B, and Class Y. Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
and Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund each offer two classes of shares, Class
A and Class Y. Class Y shares are not offered by this Prospectus and are only
available to (i) all shareholders of record in one or more of the Funds for
which Evergreen Asset serves as investment adviser as of December 30, 1994, (ii)
certain institutional investors and (iii) investment advisory clients of CMG,
Evergreen Asset or their affiliates. The dividends payable with respect to Class
A and Class B shares will be less than those payable with respect to Class Y
shares due to the distribution and distribution and shareholder servicing
related expenses borne by Class A and Class B shares and the fact that such
expenses are not borne by Class Y shares.
Performance Information. From time to time, a Fund may quote its yield in
advertisements or in reports to shareholders. Yield information may be useful in
reviewing the performance of a Fund and for providing a basis for comparison
with other investment alternatives. However, since net investment income of a
Fund changes in response to fluctuations in interest rates and Fund expenses,
any given yield quotation should not be considered representative of a Fund's
yields for any future period.
The method of calculating each Fund's yield is set forth in the
Statement of Additional Information. Before investing in the Evergreen Tax
Exempt Money Market Fund, the investor may want to determine which investment --
tax-free or taxable -- will result in a higher after-tax return. To do this, the
yield on the tax-free investment should be divided by the decimal determined by
subtracting from 1 the highest Federal tax rate to which the investor currently
is subject. For example, if the tax-free yield is 6% and the investor's maximum
tax bracket is 36%, the computation is:
6% Tax-Free Yield /(1 - .36 Tax Rate) = 6/.64 = 9.38%
Taxable Yield.
In this example, the investor's after-tax return will be higher from
the 6% tax-free investment if available taxable yields are below 9.38%.
Conversely, the taxable investment will provide a higher return when taxable
yields exceed 9.38%. This is only an example and is not necessarily reflective
of a Fund's yield. The tax equivalent yield will be lower for investors in the
lower income brackets.
Comparative performance information may also be used from time to time
in advertising or marketing the Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., IBC/Donoghue's Money Fund Report, Bank Rate Monitor
and other industry publications.
Liability Under Massachusetts Law. Under Massachusetts law, trustees and
shareholders of a business trust may, in certain circumstances, be held
personally liable for its obligations. The Declarations of Trust under which
Funds operate provide that no trustee or shareholder will be personally liable
for the obligations of the trust and that every written contract made by the
trust contain a provision to that effect. If any trustee or shareholder were
required to pay any liability of the trust, that person would be entitled to
reimbursement from the general assets of the trust.
Additional Information. This Prospectus and the Statement of Additional
Information, which have been incorporated by reference herein, do not contain
all the information set forth in the Registration Statements filed by the Trusts
with the Commission under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration
Statements may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may be
examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C.
9
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Evergreen Asset Management Corp., 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York
10577
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND, EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND
Capital Management Group of First Union National Bank, 201 South College
Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
CUSTODIAN & TRANSFER AGENT
State Street Bank & Trust Company, Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827
LEGAL COUNSEL
Sullivan & Worcester, 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
Price Waterhouse LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND, EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND
KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP One Mellon Bank Center Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
DISTRIBUTOR
Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
536120
<PAGE>
PROSPECTUS July 7, 1995
EVERGREEN(SM) MONEY MARKET FUNDS (Evergreen logo appears here)
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
CLASS Y SHARES
The Evergreen Money Market Funds (the "Funds") are designed to
provide investors with current income, stability of principal and
liquidity. This Prospectus provides information regarding the Class Y
shares offered by the Funds. Each Fund is, or is a series of, an open-end,
diversified, management investment company. This Prospectus sets forth
concise information about the Funds that a prospective investor should know
before investing. The address of the Funds is 2500 Westchester Avenue,
Purchase, New York 10577.
A "Statement of Additional Information" for the Funds dated July
7, 1995 has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is
incorporated by reference herein. The Statement of Additional Information
provides information regarding certain matters discussed in this Prospectus
and other matters which may be of interest to investors, and may be
obtained without charge by calling the Funds at (800) 235-0064. There can
be no assurance that the investment objective of any Fund will be achieved.
Investors are advised to read this Prospectus carefully.
THE SHARES OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF
FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, ARE NOT ENDORSED OR
GUARANTEED BY FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, AND ARE NOT
INSURED OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND
INVOLVE RISK, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRINCIPAL.
AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUNDS IS NEITHER INSURED NOR GUARANTEED BY THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT, AND THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THAT THE FUNDS WILL BE ABLE TO
MAINTAIN A STABLE NET ASSET VALUE OF $1.00 PER SHARE.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
KEEP THIS PROSPECTUS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
EVERGREEN(SM) is a Service Mark of Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
Copyright 1995, Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS 2
EXPENSE INFORMATION 3
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 5
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
Investment Objectives and Policies 10
Investment Practices and Restrictions 13
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Investment Advisers 14
Sub-Adviser 15
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
How to Buy Shares 16
How to Redeem Shares 17
Exchange Privilege 18
Shareholder Services 19
Effect of Banking Laws 19
OTHER INFORMATION
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 20
General Information 21
</TABLE>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information contained elsewhere in this Prospectus. See "Description of the
Funds" and "Management of the Funds".
The Investment Adviser to EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND and EVERGREEN TAX
EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND is Evergreen Asset Management Corp. ("Evergreen Asset")
which, with its predecessors, has served as an investment adviser to the
Evergreen Funds since 1971. Evergreen Asset is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
First Union National Bank of North Carolina ("FUNB"), which in turn is a
subsidiary of First Union Corporation, one of the ten largest bank holding
companies in the United States. The Capital Management Group of FUNB ("CMG")
serves as investment adviser to EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND.
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND seeks as high a level of current income as is
consistent with preserving capital and providing liquidity. The Fund will invest
only in high quality money market instruments.
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND seeks as high a level of current
income exempt from Federal income tax as is consistent with preserving capital
and providing liquidity. The Fund invests substantially all of its assets in
short-term municipal securities, the interest from which is exempt from Federal
income tax.
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND (formerly First Union Treasury Money
Market Portfolio) seeks to achieve stability of principal and current income
consistent with stability of principal.
Each Fund seeks to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share
although no assurances can be given that such a stable net asset value will be
maintained.
THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT THE INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE OF ANY FUND WILL BE
ACHIEVED.
2
<PAGE>
EXPENSE INFORMATION
The table set forth below summarizes the shareholder transaction costs
associated with an investment in the Class Y Shares of the Fund. For further
information see "Purchase and Redemption of Shares".
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES
<S> <C>
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases None
Sales Charge on Dividend Reinvestments None
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge None
Redemption Fee None
Exchange Fee (only applies after 4 exchanges per
year) $ 5.00
</TABLE>
The following table shows for the Fund the estimated annual operating
expenses (as a percentage of average net assets) attributable to Class Y Shares,
together with examples of the cumulative effect of such expenses on a
hypothetical $1,000 investment for the periods specified assuming (i) a 5%
annual return and (ii) redemption at the end of each period.
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND (A)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING EXAMPLE
EXPENSES Class Y
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50%
After 1 Year $ 7
12b-1 Fees -- After 3 Years
After 3 Years $23
Other Expenses .21%
After 5 Years $40
After 10 Years $88
Total .71%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND (B)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING EXAMPLE
EXPENSES Class Y
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50%
After 1 Year $ 6
12b-1 Fees --
After 3 Years $18
Other Expenses .05%
After 5 Years $31
After 10 Years $69
Total .55%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING EXAMPLE
EXPENSES Class Y
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .35%
After 1 Year $ 5
Administrative Fees .06%
After 3 Years $15
12b-1 Fees --
After 5 Years $26
Other Expenses .05%
After 10 Years $58
Total .46%
</TABLE>
(a) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of EVERGREEN
MONEY MARKET FUND and First Union Money Market Portfolio.
(b) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of EVERGREEN TAX
EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND and First Union Tax Free Money Market Portfolio.
3
<PAGE>
Evergreen Asset has agreed to reimburse EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND and
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND to the extent that the Fund's aggregate
annual operating expenses (including the Adviser's fee, but excluding interest,
taxes, brokerage commissions, Rule 12b-1 distribution fees and shareholder
services fees, and extraordinary expenses) exceed 1% of the Fund's average net
assets.
The estimated operating expenses and examples do not reflect fee waivers
and expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. Actual expenses, net
of fee waivers and expense reimbursements for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1994 or August 31, 1994, as applicable for Class Y Shares were as follows:
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND .32%
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND .34%
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND .20%
</TABLE>
From time to time, each Fund's investment adviser may, at its discretion,
waive its fee or reimburse a Fund for certain of its expenses in order to reduce
a Fund's expense ratio. The Adviser may cease these voluntary waivers or
reimbursements at any time.
The purpose of the foregoing table is to assist an investor in
understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in Class Y Shares
of the Funds will bear directly or indirectly. The amounts set forth under
"Other Expenses" as well as the amounts set forth in the examples are estimated
amounts based on historical experience for the most recent fiscal period. Such
expenses have been restated to reflect current fee arrangements. THE EXAMPLES
SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A REPRESENTATION OF PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES OR ANNUAL
RETURN. ACTUAL EXPENSES AND ANNUAL RETURN MAY BE GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE
SHOWN. For a more complete description of the various costs and expenses borne
by the Funds see "Management of the Funds".
4
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The tables on the following pages present, for each Fund, financial
highlights for a share outstanding throughout each period indicated. The
information in the tables for the five most recent fiscal years or the life of
the fund if shorter for EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND has been audited by
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, the Fund's independent auditors, for EVERGREEN MONEY
MARKET FUND and EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND has, except as noted
otherwise, been audited by Price Waterhouse LLP, each Fund's independent
auditors. A report of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP or Price Waterhouse LLP, as the case
may be, on the audited information with respect to each Fund is incorporated by
reference in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information. The following
information for each Fund should be read in conjunction with the financial
statements and related notes which are incorporated by reference in the Fund's
Statement of Additional Information.
Further information about a Fund's performance is contained in the Fund's
annual report to shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND -- Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED TEN MONTHS
FEBRUARY 28, ENDED
1995 AUGUST 31, YEAR ENDED OCTOBER 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994# 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of
period........................... $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income.............. .02 .03 .03 .04 .07 .08 .09
Total from investment
operations..................... .02 .03 .03 .04 .07 .08 .09
Less distributions to shareholders
from net investment income....... (.02) (.03) (.03) (.04) (.07) (.08) (.09)
Net asset value, end of period..... $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
TOTAL RETURN+...................... 2.4% 2.9% 3.2% 4.2% 6.7% 8.4% 9.4%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period
(in millions).................... $244 $273 $299 $358 $438 $458 $408
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)..................... .54%++ .32%++ .39% .36% .30% .35% .38%
Net investment income (a)........ 4.88%++ 3.46%++ 3.19% 4.18% 6.53% 8.08% 9.42%
<CAPTION>
NOVEMBER 2, 1987*
THROUGH
OCTOBER 31, 1988
<S> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of
period........................... $1.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income.............. .07
Total from investment
operations..................... .07
Less distributions to shareholders
from net investment income....... (.07)
Net asset value, end of period..... $1.00
TOTAL RETURN+...................... 7.4%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period
(in millions).................... $161
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)..................... .43%++
Net investment income (a)........ 7.26%++
</TABLE>
# On September 21, 1994, the Fund changed its fiscal year end from October 31
to August 31.
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated for the periods indicated and is not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED TEN MONTHS
FEBRUARY 28, ENDED YEAR ENDED NOVEMBER 2, 1987
1995 AUGUST 31, OCTOBER 31, THROUGH
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 OCTOBER 31, 1988
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses........................ .74% .71% .71% .72% .70% .69% .75% .93%
Net investment income........... 4.68% 3.07% 2.87% 3.82% 6.13% 7.74% 9.05% 6.76%
</TABLE>
5
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND -- CLASS A AND B SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES
JANUARY 4, 1995* JANUARY 26, 1995*
THROUGH THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED) (UNAUDITED)
<S> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period.................................................. $ 1.000 $ 1.000
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income................................................................. .008 .004
Total income from investment operations............................................. .008 .004
Less distributions to shareholders from net investment income......................... (.008) (.004)
Net asset value, end of period........................................................ $ 1.000 $ 1.000
TOTAL RETURN+......................................................................... .8% .4%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)............................................. $668 $35
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)........................................................................ .85%++ 1.56%++
Net investment income (a)........................................................... 5.40%++ 5.03%++
</TABLE>
* Commencement of class operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value. Contingent deferred sales
charge is not reflected. Total return is calculated for the periods indicated
and is not annualized.
++ Annualized. Due to the recent commencement of their offering, the ratios for
Class A and Class B shares are not necessarily comparable to that of the
Class Y shares, and are not necessarily indicative of future ratios.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES
JANUARY 4, 1995 JANUARY 26, 1995
THROUGH THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED) (UNAUDITED)
<S> <C> <C>
Expenses...................................................... 1.30% 2.00%
Net investment income......................................... 4.95% 4.59%
</TABLE>
6
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND -- CLASS Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED NOVEMBER 2,
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1988* THROUGH
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 AUGUST 31, 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period... $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income................ .02 .02 .03 .04 .05 .06 .05
Total from investment operations... .02 .02 .03 .04 .05 .06 .05
Less distributions to shareholders from
net investment income................ (.02) (.02) (.03) (.04) (.05) (.06) (.05)
Net asset value, end of period......... $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
TOTAL RETURN........................... 1.7% 2.5% 2.6% 3.7% 5.5% 6.2% 5.5%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (in
millions)............................ $387 $402 $401 $417 $510 $311 $109
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)......................... .51++ .34% .34% .32% .28% .31% .24%++
Net investment income (a)............ 3.34++ 2.47% 2.58% 3.72% 5.23% 5.94% 6.77%++
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value for the period indicated and is
not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS ENDED
FEBRUARY 28, NOVEMBER 2, 1988
1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, THROUGH AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.............................. .64% .64% .63% .63% .66% .71% .79%
Net investment income................. 3.21% 2.17% 2.29% 3.41% 4.85% 5.54% 6.22%
</TABLE>
7
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND -- CLASS A SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JANUARY 5, 1995*
THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED)
<S> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period...................................................................... $ 1.000
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income..................................................................................... .005
Total from investment operations........................................................................ .005
Distributions to shareholders from net investment income.................................................. (.005)
Net asset value, end of period............................................................................ $ 1.000
TOTAL RETURN+............................................................................................. .5%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)................................................................. $144
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................................................................................ .83%++
Net investment income (a)............................................................................... 3.53%++
</TABLE>
* Commencement of class operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized.
++ Annualized. Due to the recent commencement of its offering, the ratios for
Class A shares are not necessarily comparable to that of the Class Y shares,
and are not necessarily indicative of future ratios.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JANUARY 5, 1995
THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED)
<S> <C>
Expenses.......................................................................... 1.30%
Net investment income............................................................. 3.06%
</TABLE>
8
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS Y SHARES
MARCH 6, MARCH 6,
1991* 1991*
THROUGH THROUGH
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1992 1991 1994 1993 1992 1991
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning
of period............... $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
Income from investment
operations:
Net investment income..... .04 .03 .03 .04 .04 .03 .04 .05
Less distributions to
shareholders from net
investment income....... (.04) (.03) (.03) (.04) (.04) (.03) (.04) (.05)
Net asset value, end of
period.................. $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00 $1.00
TOTAL RETURN+............. 3.8% 2.7% 3.4% 4.5% 4.1% 3.0% 3.7% 4.7%
Net assets, end of period
(000's omitted)......... $755,050 $261,475 $208,792 $ 99,549 $162,921 $366,109 $286,230 $265,109
Ratios to average net
assets:
Expenses (a)............ .50% .48% .48% .47%++ .20% .18% .17% .20%++
Net investment
income (a)............ 3.91% 2.70% 3.22% 4.95%++ 3.78% 3.00% 3.61% 5.53%++
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS Y SHARES
YEAR ENDED MARCH 6, 1991 YEAR ENDED MARCH 6, 1991
DECEMBER 31, THROUGH DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, THROUGH DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1992 1991 1994 1993 1992 1991
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses................ .78% .82% .82% 1.08% .48% .52% .52% .52%
Net investment income... 3.63% 2.36% 2.88% 4.34% 3.50% 2.66% 3.26% 5.21%
</TABLE>
9
<PAGE>
10
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Evergreen Money Market Fund
The investment objective of Evergreen Money Market Fund is to achieve
as high a level of current income as is consistent with preserving capital and
providing liquidity. This objective is a fundamental policy and may not be
changed without shareholder approval. The Fund invests in high quality money
market instruments, which are determined to be of eligible quality under
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") rules and to present minimal credit
risk. Under SEC rules, eligible securities include First Tier Securities (i.e.,
securities rated in the highest short-term rating category) and Second Tier
Securities (i.e., securities which are not in the First Tier). The rules
prohibit the Fund from holding more than 5% of its value in Second Tier
Securities. The Fund's permitted investments include:
1. Marketable obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including issues of the United
States Treasury, such as bills, certificates of indebtedness, notes and bonds,
and issues of agencies and instrumentalities established under the authority of
an act of Congress. Some of these securities are supported by the full faith and
credit of the United States Government, others are supported by the right of the
issuer to borrow from the Treasury, and still others are supported only by the
credit of the agency or instrumentality. Agencies or instrumentalities whose
securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States
include, but are not limited to, the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers
Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business
Administration and Government National Mortgage Association. Examples of
agencies or instrumentalities whose securities are supported by the right of the
issuer to borrow from the Treasury include, but are not limited to, the Federal
Home Loan Bank, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal National Mortgage
Association and Tennessee Valley Authority. Agencies or instrumentalities whose
securities are supported only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality
include the Interamerican Development Bank and the International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development. These obligations are supported by appropriated
but unpaid commitments of its member countries. There are no assurances that the
commitments will be undertaken in the future.
2. Commercial paper, including variable amount master demand notes,
that is rated in one of the two highest short-term rating categories by any two
of Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
("Moody's") or any other nationally recognized statistical rating organization
("SRO") (or by a single rating agency if only one of these agencies has assigned
a rating). The Fund will not invest more than 10% of its total assets, at the
time of the investment in question, in variable amount master demand notes. For
a description of these ratings see the Statement of Additional Information.
3. Corporate debt securities and bank obligations that are rated in one
of the two highest short-term rating categories by any two of S&P, Moody's and
any other SRO (or by a single rating agency if only one of these agencies has
assigned a rating).
4. Unrated corporate debt securities, commercial paper and bank
obligations that are issued by an issuer that has outstanding a class of
short-term debt instruments (i.e., instruments having a maturity of 366 days or
less) that (A) is comparable in priority and security to the unrated securities
and (B) meets the rating requirements of paragraphs 2 or 3 above.
5. Unrated corporate debt securities, commercial paper and bank
obligations issued by domestic and foreign companies which have an outstanding
long-term debt issue rated in the top two rating categories by a SRO and
determined by the Trustees to be of comparable quality.
6. Unrated corporate debt securities, commercial paper and bank
obligations otherwise determined by the Trustees to be of comparable quality.
7. Repurchase agreements with respect to the securities described in
paragraphs 1 through 6 above.
The Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in bank certificates
of deposit and bankers' acceptances payable in U.S. dollars and issued by
foreign banks (including U.S. branches of foreign banks) or by foreign branches
of U.S. banks. These investments involve risks that are different from
investments in domestic securities. These risks may include future unfavorable
political and economic developments, possible withholding taxes, seizure of
foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations or other governmental
restrictions which might affect the payment of principal or interest on the
securities in the Fund's portfolio. Additionally, there may be less publicly
available information about foreign issuers.
The Fund may invest in commercial paper and other short-term corporate
obligations which meet the rating criteria specified in paragraphs 3 and 4 above
which are issued in private placements pursuant to Section 4(2) of the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act"). Such securities are not registered for
purchase and sale by the public under the Act. The Fund has been informed that
the staff of the SEC does not consider such securities to be readily marketable.
The Fund will not invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities which
are not readily marketable (including private placement securities) and in
repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
The investment objective of Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund is
to achieve as high a level of current income exempt from Federal income tax, as
is consistent with preserving capital and providing liquidity. This objective is
a fundamental policy and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The
Fund will seek to achieve its objective by investing substantially all of its
assets in a diversified portfolio of short-term (i.e., with remaining maturities
not exceeding 397 days) debt obligations issued by states, territories and
possessions of the United States and by the District of Columbia, and their
political subdivisions and duly constituted authorities, the interest from which
is exempt from Federal income tax. Such securities are generally known as
Municipal Securities (see "Municipal Securities" below.)
The Fund will invest in Municipal Securities only if they are
determined to be of eligible quality under SEC rules and to present minimum
credit risk. Municipal Securities in which the Fund may invest include: (i)
municipal securities that are rated in one of the top two short-term rating
categories by any two of S&P, Moody's or any other nationally recognized SRO (or
by a single rating agency if only one of these agencies has assigned a rating);
(ii) municipal securities that are issued by an issuer that has outstanding a
class of short-term debt instruments (i.e., having a maturity of 366 days or
less) that (A) is comparable in priority and security to such instruments and
(B) meets the rating requirements above; and (iii) bonds with a remaining
maturity of 397 days or less that are rated no lower than one of the top two
long-term rating categories by any SRO and determined by the Trustees to be of
comparable quality. For a description of such ratings see the Statement of
Additional Information. The Fund may also purchase Municipal Securities which
are unrated at the time of purchase up to a maximum of 20% of its total assets,
if such securities are determined by the Fund's Trustees to be of comparable
quality. Certain Municipal Securities (primarily variable rate demand notes) may
be entitled to the benefit of standby letters of credit or similar commitments
issued by banks or other financial institutions and, in such instances, the
Trustees will take into account the obligation of the bank in assessing the
quality of such security. The ability of the Fund to meet its investment
objective is necessarily subject to the ability of municipal issuers to meet
their payment obligations.
Interest income on certain types of bonds issued after August 7, 1986
to finance nongovernmental activities is an item of "tax-preference" subject to
the Federal alternative minimum tax for individuals and corporations. To the
extent the Fund invests in these "private activity" bonds (some of which were
formerly referred to as "industrial development" bonds), individual and
corporate shareholders, depending on their status, may be subject to the
alternative minimum tax on the part of the Fund's distributions derived from the
bonds. As a matter of fundamental policy, which may not be changed without
shareholder approval, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in
Municipal Securities, the interest from which is not subject to the Federal
alternative minimum tax.
Municipal Securities. As noted above, the Fund will invest substantially all of
its assets in Municipal Securities. These include municipal bonds, short-term
municipal notes and tax exempt commercial paper. "Municipal bonds" are debt
obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes that are exempt
from Federal income tax in the opinion of issuer's counsel. The two principal
classifications of municipal bonds are "general obligation" and "revenue" bonds.
General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its full faith,
credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds
are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class
of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or
other specific source such as from the user of the facility being financed. The
term "municipal bonds" also includes "moral obligation" issues which are
normally issued by special purpose authorities. Industrial development bonds
("IDBs") and private activity bonds ("PABs") are in most cases revenue bonds and
are not payable from the unrestricted revenues of the issuer. The credit quality
of IDBs and PABs is usually directly related to the credit standing of the
corporate user of the facilities being financed. Participation interests are
interests in municipal bonds, including IDBs and PABs, and floating and variable
rate obligations that are owned by banks. These interests carry a demand feature
permitting the holder to tender them back to the bank, which demand feature is
backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of the bank. A put bond
is a municipal bond which gives the holder the unconditional right to sell the
bond back to the issuer at a specified price and exercise date, which is
typically well in advance of the bond's maturity date. "Short-term municipal
notes" and "tax exempt commercial paper" include tax anticipation notes, bond
anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes and other forms of short-term
loans. Such notes are issued with a short-term maturity in anticipation of the
receipt of tax funds, the proceeds of bond placements and other revenues.
Floating Rate and Variable Rate Obligations. Municipal Securities also include
certain variable rate and floating rate municipal obligations with or without
demand features. These variable rate securities do not have fixed interest
rates; rather, those rates fluctuate based upon changes in specified market
rates, such as the prime rate, or are adjusted at predesignated periodic
intervals. Such securities must comply with conditions established by the SEC
under which they may be considered to have remaining maturities of 397 days or
less. Certain of these obligations may carry a demand feature that gives the
Fund the right to demand prepayment of the principal amount of the security
prior to its maturity date. The demand obligation may or may not be backed by
letters of credit or other guarantees of banks or other financial institutions.
Such guarantees may enhance the quality of the security. As a matter of
fundamental policy, which may not be changed without shareholder approval, the
Fund will limit the value of its investments in any floating or variable rate
securities which are not readily marketable and in all other not readily
marketable securities to 10% or less of its total assets.
Stand-by Commitments. The Fund may also acquire "stand-by commitments" with
respect to Municipal Securities held in its portfolio. Under a stand-by
commitment, a dealer agrees to purchase, at the Fund's option, specified
Municipal Securities at a specified price. The Fund expects that stand-by
commitments generally will be available without the payment of direct or
indirect consideration. However, if necessary and advisable, the Fund may pay
for stand-by commitments either separately in cash or by paying a higher price
for portfolio securities which are acquired subject to such a commitment (thus
reducing the yield to maturity otherwise available for the same securities). The
total amount paid in either manner for outstanding stand-by commitments held in
the Fund's portfolio will not exceed 10% of the value of the Fund's total assets
calculated immediately after each stand-by commitment is acquired. The Fund will
enter into stand-by commitments only with banks and broker-dealers that, in the
judgment of the Fund's investment adviser, present minimal credit risks.
Taxable Investments. The Fund may temporarily invest up to 20% of the Fund's net
assets in taxable securities under any one or more of the following
circumstances: (a) pending investment of proceeds of sale of Fund shares or of
portfolio securities, (b) pending settlement of purchases of portfolio
securities, and (c) to maintain liquidity for the purpose of meeting anticipated
redemptions. In addition, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its
total assets in taxable securities for defensive purposes. The Fund may invest
for defensive purposes during periods when the Fund's assets available for
investment exceed the available Municipal Securities that meet the Fund's
quality and other investment criteria. Taxable securities in which the Fund may
invest on a short-term basis include obligations of the United States
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including repurchase agreements
with banks or securities dealers involving such securities; time deposits
maturing in not more than seven days; other debt securities rated within the two
highest ratings assigned by an SRO; commercial paper rated in the highest grade
by Moody's or S&P; and certificates of deposit issued by United States branches
of United States banks with assets of $1 billion or more.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund
The investment objective of Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund, which
is a matter of fundamental policy that may not be changed without shareholder
approval, is to maintain stability of principal while earning current income.
However, the Fund will only attempt to seek income to the extent consistent with
stability of principal and, therefore, investments will only be made in
short-term United States Treasury obligations with an average dollar-weighted
maturity of 90 days or less. As a matter of investment strategy, the Fund's
investment adviser intends to maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity for
the Fund of 60 days or less.
Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund is suitable for conservative
investors seeking high current yields plus relative safety. The Fund provides a
reasonable means of maximizing opportunities and minimizing risks resulting from
changing interest rates.
The short-term United States Treasury obligations in which the Fund
invests are issued by the U.S. Government and are fully guaranteed as to
principal and interest by the United States. Such securities will have a
maturity date that is 397 days or less from the date of acquisition unless they
are purchased under an agreement that provides for repurchase of the securities
from the Fund within 397 days from the date of acquisition. The Fund may also
retain Fund assets in cash.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RESTRICTIONS
General. The Funds invest only in securities that have remaining maturities of
397 days (thirteen months) or less at the date of purchase. For this purpose,
floating rate or variable rate obligations (described under Evergreen Tax Exempt
Money Market Fund, above), which are payable on demand, but which may otherwise
have a stated maturity in excess of this period, will be deemed to have
remaining maturities of less than 397 days pursuant to conditions established by
the SEC. The Funds maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of
ninety days or less. The Funds follow these policies to maintain a stable net
asset value of $1.00 per share, although there is no assurance they can do so on
a continuing basis. The market value of the obligations in a Fund's portfolio
can be expected to vary inversely to changes in prevailing interest rates. If a
portfolio security is no longer of eligible quality, a Fund shall dispose of
such security in an orderly fashion as soon as reasonably practicable, unless
the Trustees determine, in light of market conditions or other factors, that
disposal of the instrument would not be in the best interests of the Fund and
its shareholders.
The ability of each Fund to meet its investment objective is
necessarily subject to the ability of the issuers of securities in which the
Funds invest to meet their payment obligations. In addition, the portfolio of
each Fund will be affected by general changes in interest rates which will
result in increases or decreases in the value of the obligations held by the
Fund. Investors should recognize that, in periods of declining interest rates,
the yield of a Fund will tend to be somewhat higher than prevailing market
rates, and in periods of rising interest rates, the yield of a Fund will tend to
be somewhat lower. Also, when interest rates are falling, the inflow of net new
money to a Fund from the continuous sale of its shares will likely be invested
in portfolio instruments producing lower yields than the balance of the Fund's
portfolio, thereby reducing the current yield of the Fund. In periods of rising
interest rates, the opposite can be expected to occur.
Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may enter into repurchase agreements. A
repurchase agreement is an arrangement pursuant to which a buyer purchases a
security and simultaneously agrees to resell it to the vendor at a price that
results in an agreed-upon market rate of return which is effective for the
period of time (which is normally one to seven days, but may be longer) the
buyer's money is invested in the security. The arrangement results in a fixed
rate of return that is not subject to market fluctuations during a Fund's
holding period. Repurchase agreements may be entered into with member banks of
the Federal Reserve System, including, the Fund's custodian or "primary dealers"
(as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) in United States
Government securities. Each Fund will require continued maintenance of
collateral with its Custodian in an amount equal to, or in excess of, the
repurchase price (including accrued interest). In the event a vendor defaults on
its repurchase obligation, a Fund might suffer a loss to the extent that the
proceeds from the sale of the collateral were less than the repurchase price. If
the vendor becomes the subject of bankruptcy proceedings, a Fund might be
delayed in selling the collateral. Each Fund's investment adviser will review
and continually monitor the creditworthiness of each institution with which the
Fund enters into a repurchase agreement to evaluate these risks. A Fund may not
enter into repurchase agreements if, as a result, more than 10% of a Fund's
total assets would be invested in repurchase agreements maturing in more than
seven days and in other securities that are not readily marketable.
Securities Lending. In order to generate income and to offset expenses,
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen Money Market Fund may lend
portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. Each
Fund's investment adviser will monitor the creditworthiness of such borrowers.
Loans of securities by Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund or Evergreen Money
Market Fund, if and when made, may not exceed 30% of a Fund's total assets and
will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or United States Government
securities that are maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100%
of the current market value of the loaned securities, including accrued
interest. While such securities are on loan, the borrower will pay a Fund any
income accruing thereon, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral in
portfolio securities, thereby increasing its return. A Fund will have the right
to call any such loan and obtain the securities loaned at any time on five days'
notice. Any gain or loss in the market price of the loaned securities which
occurs during the term of the loan would affect a Fund and its investors. A Fund
may pay reasonable fees in connection with such loans.
When-Issued Securities. Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen
Treasury Money Market Fund may purchase securities on a "when-issued" basis
(i.e., for delivery beyond the normal settlement date at a stated price and
yield). A Fund generally would not pay for such securities or start earning
interest on them until they are received. However, when a Fund purchases
securities on a when-issued basis, it assumes the risks of ownership at the time
of purchase, not at the time of receipt. Failure of the issuer to deliver a
security purchased by a Fund on a when-issued basis may result in the Fund
incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to make an alternative investment.
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund does not expect that commitments to
purchase when-issued securities will normally exceed 25% of its total assets and
Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund does not expect that such commitments will
exceed 20% of its total assets. The Funds do not intend to purchase when-issued
securities for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of their investment
objective.
Illiquid Securities. The Funds may invest up to 10% of their net assets in
illiquid securities and other securities which are not readily marketable,
including repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. In the
case of Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen Money Market Fund,
securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of
1933, which have been determined to be liquid, will not be considered by each
Fund's investment adviser to be illiquid or not readily marketable and,
therefore, are not subject to the aforementioned 10% limit. The inability of a
Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable investments readily or at
a reasonable price could impair the Fund's ability to raise cash for redemptions
or other purposes. The liquidity of securities purchased by a Fund which are
eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A will be monitored by each Fund's
investment adviser on an ongoing basis, subject to the oversight of the
Trustees. In the event that such a security is deemed to be no longer liquid, a
Fund's holdings will be reviewed to determine what action, if any, is required
to ensure that the retention of such security does not result in a Fund having
more than 10% of its assets invested in illiquid or not readily marketable
securities.
Other Investment Policies. The Funds may borrow money for temporary or emergency
purposes in amounts not in excess of 10% of the value of a Fund's total assets
in the case of Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen Money Market
Fund and one-third of the value of Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund's total
assets, including the amount borrowed. As another means of borrowing both
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and Evergreen Money Market Fund may agree
to sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and
broker-dealers and to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price
(a "reverse repurchase agreement") at the time of such borrowing in amounts up
to 5% of the value of their total assets. A Fund will not purchase any
securities whenever any borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements) are
outstanding. If either Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund or Evergreen Money
Market Fund enter into a reverse repurchase agreement, they will place in a
segregated custodial account cash, United States Government securities or liquid
high grade debt obligations having a value equal to the repurchase price
(including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure
that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve
the risk that the market value of the securities sold by a Fund may decline
below the repurchase price of those securities.
Other Investment Restrictions. Each Fund has adopted additional investment
restrictions that are set forth in the Statement of Additional Information.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
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INVESTMENT ADVISERS
The management of each Fund is supervised by the Trustees of the Trust
under which the Fund has been established ("Trustees"). Evergreen Asset
Management Corp. ("Evergreen Asset") has been retained to serve as investment
adviser to Evergreen Money Market Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market
Fund. Evergreen Asset succeeded on June 30, 1994 to the advisory business of the
same name, but under different ownership, which was organized in 1971. Evergreen
Asset, with its predecessors, has served as investment adviser to the Evergreen
Group of Mutual Funds since 1971. Evergreen Asset is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of First Union National Bank of North Carolina ("FUNB"). The address of
Evergreen Asset is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York 10577. FUNB is a
subsidiary of First Union Corporation ("First Union"), one of the ten largest
bank holding companies in the United States. Stephen A. Lieber and Nola Maddox
Falcone serve as the chief investment officers of Evergreen Asset and, along
with Theodore J. Israel, Jr., were the owners of Evergreen Asset's predecessor
and the former general partners of Lieber & Company, which, as described below,
provides certain subadvisory services to Evergreen Asset in connection with its
duties as investment adviser to the aforementioned Funds. The Capital Management
Group of FUNB ("CMG") serves as investment adviser to Evergreen Treasury Money
Market Fund.
First Union is a bank holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North
Carolina, and had $77.9 billion in consolidated assets as of March 31, 1995.
First Union and its subsidiaries provide a broad range of financial services to
individuals and businesses through offices in 36 states. The Capital Management
Group of FUNB manages or otherwise oversees the investment of over $36 billion
in assets belonging to a wide range of clients, including all the series of
Evergreen Investment Trust (formerly known as First Union Funds). First Union
Brokerage Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of FUNB, is a registered
broker-dealer that is principally engaged in providing retail brokerage services
consistent with its federal banking authorizations. First Union Capital Markets
Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union, is a registered broker-dealer
principally engaged in providing, consistent with its federal banking
authorizations, private placement, securities dealing, and underwriting
services.
Evergreen Asset manages investments, provides various administrative
services and supervises the daily business affairs of Evergreen Money Market
Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund, subject to the authority of the
Trustees. Evergreen Asset is entitled to receive from each Fund an annual fee
equal to .50 of 1% of average daily net assets of each Fund on the first $1
billion in assets and .45 of 1% of average daily net assets in excess of $1
billion. However, Evergreen Asset has in the past, and may in the future,
voluntarily waive all or a portion of its fee for the purpose of reducing each
Fund's expense ratio. For the fiscal period ended August 31, 1994 Evergreen
Asset waived a portion of the advisory fee payable by the Evergreen Money Market
Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund as set forth in the section
entitled "Financial Highlights". The total expenses as a percentage of average
daily net assets on an annualized basis for Evergreen Money Market Fund and
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund for the fiscal period ended August 31,
1994 are also set forth in the section entitled "Financial Highlights". CMG
manages investments and supervises the daily business affairs of Evergreen
Treasury Money Market Fund and, as compensation therefor, is entitled to receive
an annual fee equal to .35 of 1% of average daily net assets of Evergreen
Treasury Money Market Fund. For the fiscal period ended December 31, 1994 CMG
waived a portion of the advisory fee payable by the Evergreen Treasury Money
Market Fund as set forth in the section entitled "Financial Highlights". The
total annualized operating expenses of Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund for
its most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 1994 are also set forth in the
section entitled "Financial Highlights". Evergreen Asset serves as administrator
to Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund and is entitled to receive a fee based
on the average daily net assets of the Fund at a rate based on the total assets
of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset for which CMG or Evergreen
Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in accordance with the
following schedule: .050% of the first $7 billion; .035% on the next $3 billion;
.030% on the next $5 billion; .020% on the next $10 billion; .015% on the next
$5 billion; and .010% on assets in excess of $30 billion. Furman Selz
Incorporated, the parent of Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., distributor for
the Evergreen group of mutual funds, serves as sub-administrator to Evergreen
Treasury Money Market Fund and is entitled to receive a fee from the Fund
calculated on the average daily net assets of the Fund at a rate based on the
total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset for which CMG
or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in accordance
with the following schedule: .0100% of the first $7 billion; .0075% on the next
$3 billion; .0050% on the next $15 billion; and .0040% on assets in excess of
$25 billion. The total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen
Asset for which CMG or Evergreen Asset serve as investment adviser as of March
31, 1995 were approximately $8 billion.
SUB-ADVISER
Evergreen Asset has entered into sub-advisory agreements with Lieber &
Company which provides that Lieber & Company's research department and staff
will furnish Evergreen Asset with information, investment recommendations,
advice and assistance, and will be generally available for consultation on the
portfolios of Evergreen Money Market Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market
Fund. Lieber & Company will be reimbursed by Evergreen Asset in connection with
the rendering of services on the basis of the direct and indirect costs of
performing such services. There is no additional charge to Evergreen Money
Market Fund and Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund for the services provided
by Lieber & Company. The address of Lieber & Company is 2500 Westchester Avenue,
Purchase, New York 10577. Lieber & Company is an indirect, wholly-owned,
subsidiary of First Union.
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PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
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HOW TO BUY SHARES
Eligible investors may purchase Fund shares at net asset value by mail
or wire as described below. The Funds impose no sales charges on Class Y shares.
Class Y shares are the only class of shares offered by this Prospectus and are
only available to (i) all shareholders of record in one or more of the Evergreen
Funds as of December 30, 1994, (ii) certain institutional investors and (iii)
investment advisory clients of the Adviser and its affiliates. The minimum
initial investment is $1,000, which may be waived in certain situations. There
is no minimum for subsequent investments. Investors may make subsequent
investments by establishing a Systematic Investment Plan or a Telephone
Investment Plan.
Purchases by Mail or Wire. Each investor must complete the enclosed Share
Purchase Application and mail it together with a check made payable to the Fund
whose shares are being purchased, to State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State
Street") at P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827. Checks not drawn on
U.S. banks will be subject to foreign collection which will delay an investor's
investment date and will be subject to processing fees.
When making subsequent investments, an investor should either enclose
the return remittance portion of the statement, or indicate on the face of the
check, the name of the Fund in which an investment is to be made, the exact
title of the account, the address, and the Fund account number. Purchase
requests should not be sent to a Fund in New York. If they are, the Fund must
forward them to State Street, and the request will not be effective until State
Street receives them.
Initial investments may also be made by wire by (i) calling State
Street at (800) 423-2615 and (ii) instructing your bank, which may charge a fee,
to wire federal funds to State Street, as follows: State Street Bank and Trust
Company, ABA No.0110-0002-8, Attn: Custodian and Shareholder Services. The wire
must include references to the Fund in which an investment is being made,
account registration, and the account number. A completed Application must also
be sent to State Street indicating that the shares have been purchased by wire,
giving the date the wire was sent and referencing the account number. Subsequent
wire investments may be made by existing shareholders by following the
instructions outlined above. It is not necessary, however, for existing
shareholders to call for another account number.
How the Funds Value Their Shares. The net asset value of each Fund's shares for
purposes of both purchases and redemptions is determined twice daily, at 12 noon
(Eastern time) and promptly after the regular close of the New York Stock
Exchange (usually 4 p.m. New York time) each business day (i.e., any weekday
exclusive of days on which the New York Stock Exchange or State Street is
closed). The New York Stock Exchange is closed on New Year's Day, Presidents
Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day
and Christmas Day. The net asset value per share is calculated by taking the sum
of the values of a Fund's investments and any cash and other assets, subtracting
liabilities, and dividing by the total number of shares outstanding. All
expenses, including the fees payable to the Adviser, are accrued daily. The
securities in a Fund's portfolio are valued on an amortized cost basis. Under
this method of valuation, a security is initially valued at its acquisition
cost, and thereafter, a constant straight-line amortization of any discount or
premium is assumed each day regardless of the impact of fluctuating interest
rates on the market value of the security. The market value of the obligations
in a Fund's portfolio can be expected to vary inversely to changes in prevailing
interest rates. As a result, the market value of the obligations in a Fund's
portfolio may vary from the value determined using the amortized cost method.
Securities which are not rated are normally valued on the basis of valuations
provided by a pricing service when such prices are believed to reflect the fair
value of such securities. Other assets and securities for which no quotations
are readily available are valued at the fair value as determined in good faith
by the Trustees.
Each Fund attempts to maintain its net asset value at $1.00 per share.
Under most conditions, management believes this will be possible, although there
can be no assurance that this will be achieved. Calculations are periodically
made to compare the value of a Fund's portfolio valued at amortized cost with
market values. If a deviation of 1/2 of 1% or more were to occur between the net
asset value calculated by reference to market values and a Fund's $1.00 per
share net asset value, or if there were other deviations which the Trustees
believed would result in a material dilution to shareholders or purchasers, the
Trustees would promptly consider what action, if any, should be initiated.
Additional Purchase Information. As a condition of this offering, if a purchase
is canceled due to nonpayment or because a investor's check does not clear, the
investor will be responsible for any loss a Fund or the Adviser incurs. If such
investor is an existing shareholder, a Fund may redeem shares from his or her
account to reimburse a Fund or the Adviser for any loss. In addition, such
investors may be prohibited or restricted from making further purchases in any
of the Evergreen Funds.
Shares of the Funds are sold at the net asset value per share next
determined after a shareholder's investment has been converted to federal funds.
Investments by federal funds wire will be effective upon receipt. Qualified
institutions may telephone orders for the purchase of Fund shares. Shares
purchased by institutions via telephone will receive the dividend declared on
that day if the telephone order is placed by 12 noon (Eastern time), and federal
funds are received the same day by 4 p.m. (Eastern time). Institutions should
telephone the Fund at the number on the front page of this Prospectus for
additional information on same day purchases by telephone. Investment checks
received at State Street will be invested on the date of receipt. Shareholders
will begin earning dividends the following business day.
The Share Purchase Application may not be used to invest in any of the
prototype retirement plans for which the Evergreen Money Market Fund is an
available investment. For information about the requirements to make such
investments, including copies of the necessary application forms, please call
the telephone number set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus. A Fund
cannot accept investments specifying a certain price or date and reserves the
right to reject any specific purchase order, including orders in connection with
exchanges from the other Evergreen Funds. Although not currently anticipated,
each Fund reserves the right to suspend the offer of shares for a period of
time.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
You may "redeem", i.e., sell your shares in a Fund to the Fund on any
day the Exchange is open, either directly or through your financial
intermediary. The price you will receive is the net asset value next calculated
after the Fund receives your request in proper form. Proceeds generally will be
sent to you within seven days. However, for shares recently purchased by check,
a Fund will not send proceeds until it is reasonably satisfied that the check
has been collected (which may take up to 10 days).
Redeeming Shares Directly by Mail or Telephone. Send a signed letter of
instruction or stock power form to State Street which is the registrar, transfer
agent and dividend-disbursing agent for each Fund. Stock power forms are
available from your financial intermediary, State Street, and many commercial
banks. Additional documentation is required for the sale of shares by
corporations, financial intermediaries, fiduciaries and surviving joint owners.
Signature guarantees are required for all redemption requests for shares with a
value of more than $10,000 or where the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to
an address other than that shown in the account registration. A signature
guarantee must be provided by a bank or trust company (not a Notary Public), a
member firm of a domestic stock exchange or by other financial institutions
whose guarantees are acceptable to State Street.
Shareholders may withdraw amounts of $1,000 or more from their accounts
by calling State Street at (800) 423-2615 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and
5:30 p.m. (Eastern time) each business day (i.e., any weekday exclusive of days
on which the New York Stock Exchange or State Street's offices are closed). The
New York Stock Exchange is closed on New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Good
Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and
Christmas Day. Redemption requests made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be
processed using the net asset value determined on the next business day. Such
redemption requests must include the shareholder's account name, as registered
with a Fund, and the account number. During periods of drastic economic or
market changes, shareholders may experience difficulty in effecting telephone
redemptions. Shareholders who are unable to reach a Fund or State Street by
telephone should follow the procedures outlined above for redemption by mail.
The telephone redemption service is not made available to shareholders
automatically. Shareholders wishing to use the telephone redemption service must
indicate this on the enclosed Share Purchase Application and choose how the
redemption proceeds are to be paid. Redemption proceeds will either (i) be
mailed by check to the shareholder at the address in which the account is
registered or (ii) be wired to an account with the same registration as the
shareholder's account in a Fund at a designated commercial bank. State Street
currently deducts a $5.00 wire charge from all redemption proceeds wired. This
charge is subject to change without notice. Redemption proceeds will be wired on
the same day if the request is made prior to 12 noon (Eastern time). Such
shares, however, will not earn dividends for that day. Redemption requests
received after 12 noon will earn dividends for that day, and the proceeds will
be wired on the following business day. A shareholder who decides later to use
this service, or to change instructions already given, should fill out a
Shareholder Services Form and send it to State Street Bank and Trust Company,
P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827, with such shareholder's
signature guaranteed by a bank or trust company (not a Notary Public), a member
firm of a domestic stock exchange or by other financial institutions whose
guarantees are acceptable to State Street. Shareholders should allow
approximately 10 days for such form to be processed. The Funds will employ
reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are
genuine. These procedures include requiring some form of personal identification
prior to acting upon instructions and tape recording of telephone instructions.
If a Fund fails to follow such procedures, it may be liable for any losses due
to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The Funds will not be liable for
following telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine. The Funds
reserve the right to refuse a telephone redemption if it is believed advisable
to do so. Procedures for redeeming Fund shares by telephone may be modified or
terminated without notice at any time.
Redemptions by Check. Upon request, each Fund will provide holders of Class Y
shares, without charge, with checks drawn on the Fund that will clear through
State Street. Shareholders will be subject to State Street's rules and
regulations governing such checking accounts. Checks will be sent usually within
ten business days following the date the account is established. Checks may be
made payable to the order of any payee in an amount of $250 or more. The payee
of the check may cash or deposit it like a check drawn on a bank. (Investors
should be aware that, as in the case with regular bank checks, certain banks may
not provide cash at the time of deposit, but will wait until they have received
payment from State Street.) When such a check is presented to State Street for
payment, State Street, as the shareholder's agent, causes the Fund to redeem a
sufficient number of full and fractional shares in the shareholder's account to
cover the amount of the check. Checks will be returned by State Street if there
are insufficient or uncollectable shares to meet the withdrawal amount. The
check writing procedure for withdrawal enables shareholders to continue earning
income on the shares to be redeemed up to but not including the date the
redemption check is presented to State Street for payment.
Shareholders wishing to use this method of redemption, should fill out
the appropriate part of the Share Purchase Application (including the Signature
Card) and mail the completed form to State Street Bank and Trust Company, P.O.
Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827. Shareholders requesting this service
after an account has been opened must contact State Street since additional
documentation will be required. Currently, there is no charge either for checks
or for the clearance of any checks. This service may be terminated or altered at
any time.
General. Under unusual circumstances, a Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone
payment for up to seven days or longer, as permitted by Federal securities law.
The Funds reserve the right to close an account that through redemption has
remained below $1,000 for 30 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written
notice to increase the account value before the account is closed. See the
Statement of Additional Information for further details.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
How To Exchange Shares. You may exchange some or all of your shares for shares
of the other Evergreen Funds by telephone or mail as described below. An
exchange which represents an initial investment in another Evergreen Fund must
amount to at least $1,000. Once an exchange request has been telephoned or
mailed, it is irrevocable and may not be modified or canceled. Exchanges will be
made on the basis of the relative net asset values of the shares exchanged next
determined after an exchange request is received. Exchanges are subject to
minimum investment and suitability requirements.
Each of the Evergreen Funds have different investment objectives and
policies. For complete information, a prospectus of the fund into which an
exchange will be made should be read prior to the exchange. An exchange is
treated for Federal income tax purposes as a redemption and purchase of shares
and may result in the realization of a capital gain or loss. Each Fund imposes a
fee of $5 per exchange on shareholders who exchange in excess of four times per
calendar year. This exchange privilege may be materially modified or
discontinued at any time by the Fund upon sixty days' notice to shareholders and
is only available in states in which shares of the fund being acquired may
lawfully be sold.
Exchanges by Telephone and Mail. You may exchange shares by telephone by calling
State Street at (800) 423-2615. Exchange requests made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern
time) will be processed using the net asset value determined on the next
business day. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, shareholders
may experience difficulty in effecting telephone exchanges. You should follow
the procedures outlined below for exchanges by mail if you are unable to reach
State Street by telephone. If you wish to use the telephone exchange service you
should indicate this on the enclosed Share Purchase Application. As noted above,
each Fund will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions for the
redemption or exchange of shares communicated by telephone are genuine. A
telephone exchange may be refused by a Fund or State Street if it is believed
advisable to do so. Procedures for exchanging Fund shares by telephone may be
modified or terminated at any time. Written requests for exchanges should follow
the same procedures outlined for written redemption requests in the section
entitled "How to Redeem Shares", however, no signature guarantee is required..
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The Funds offer the following shareholder services. For more
information about these services or your account, contact your financial
intermediary, Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc.("EFD"), the distributor of the
Funds, or the number on the front page of this Prospectus. Some services are
described in more detail in the Share Purchase Application.
Systematic Investment Plan. You may make monthly or quarterly investments into
an existing account automatically in amounts of not less than $25.
Telephone Investment Plan. You may make investments into an existing account
electronically in amounts of not less than $100 or more than $25,000 per
investment. Telephone investment requests received by 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
will be credited to a shareholder's account two business days after the request
is received.
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan. When an account of $10,000 or more is opened or
when an existing account reaches that size, you may participate in the Fund's
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan by filling out the appropriate part of the Share
Purchase Application. Under this plan, you may receive (or designate a third
party to receive) a monthly or quarterly check in a stated amount of not less
than $100. Fund shares will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal
payments. All participants must elect to have their dividends and capital gain
distributions reinvested automatically.
Retirement Plans. Eligible investors may invest in Evergreen Money Market Fund
under the following prototype retirement plans: (i) Individual Retirement
Account (IRA); (ii) Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) for sole proprietors,
partnerships and corporations; and (iii) Profit-Sharing and Money Purchase
Pension Plans for corporations and their employees.
Automatic Reinvestment Plan. For the convenience of investors, all dividends and
distributions are automatically reinvested in full and fractional shares of the
Fund at the net asset value per share at the close of business on the last
business day of each month, unless otherwise requested by a shareholder in
writing. If the transfer agent does not receive a written request for subsequent
dividends and/or distributions to be paid in cash at least three full business
days prior to a given record date, the dividends and/or distributions to be paid
to a shareholder will be reinvested. If you elect to receive dividends and
distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the checks, or
if the checks remain uncashed for six months, the checks will be reinvested into
your account at the then current net asset value.
Tax Sheltered Retirement Plans. You may open a pension and profit sharing
account in any Evergreen mutual fund (except those funds having an objective of
providing tax free income), including: (i) Individual Retirement Accounts
("IRAs") and Rollover IRAs; (ii) Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) for sole
proprietors, partnerships and corporations; and (iii) Profit-Sharing and Money
Purchase Pension Plans for corporations and their employees.
EFFECT OF BANKING LAWS
The Glass-Steagall Act and other banking laws and regulations presently
prohibit member banks of the Federal Reserve System ("Member Banks") or their
non-bank affiliates from sponsoring, organizing, controlling, or distributing
the shares of registered open-end investment companies such as the Funds. Such
laws and regulations also prohibit banks from issuing, underwriting or
distributing securities in general. However, under the Glass-Steagall Act and
such other laws and regulations, a Member Bank or an affiliate thereof may act
as investment adviser, transfer agent or custodian to a registered open-end
investment company and may also act as agent in connection with the purchase of
shares of such an investment company upon the order of their customer. Evergreen
Asset, since it is a subsidiary of FUNB, and CMG are subject to and in
compliance with the aforementioned laws and regulations.
Changes to applicable laws and regulations or future judicial or
administrative decisions could result in CMG or Evergreen Asset being prevented
from continuing to perform the services required under the investment advisory
contract or from acting as agent in connection with the purchase of shares of a
Fund by its customers. If CMG or Evergreen Asset were prevented from continuing
to provide the services called for under the investment advisory agreement, it
is expected that the Trustees would identify, and call upon each Fund's
shareholders to approve, a new investment adviser. If this were to occur, it is
not anticipated that the shareholders of any Fund would suffer any adverse
financial consequences.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER INFORMATION
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
The Funds declare substantially all of their net income as dividends on
each business day. Such dividends are paid monthly. Net income, for dividend
purposes, includes accrued interest and any market discount or premium that day,
less the estimated expenses of a Fund. Gains or losses realized upon the sale of
portfolio securities are not included in net income, but are reflected in the
net asset value of a Fund's shares. Distributions of any net realized capital
gains will be made annually or more frequently as required by the provisions of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The amount of
dividends may fluctuate from day to day, and the dividend may be omitted on a
day where Fund expenses exceed net investment income. Dividends and
distributions generally are taxable in the year in which they are paid, except
any dividends paid in January that were declared in the previous calendar
quarter may be treated as paid in the immediately preceding December.
Such dividends will be automatically reinvested in full and fractional
shares of a Fund on the last business day of each month. However, shareholders
who so inform the transfer agent in writing may have their dividends paid out in
cash monthly. Shareholders who invest by check will be credited with a dividend
on the business day following initial investment. Shareholders will receive
dividends on investments made by federal funds bank wire the same day the wire
is received provided that wire purchases are received by State Street by 12 noon
(Eastern time). Shares purchased by qualified institutions via telephone as
described in "How to Purchase Shares" will receive the dividend declared on that
day if the telephone order is placed by 12 noon (Eastern time), and federal
funds are received by 4 p.m. (Eastern time). All other wire purchases received
after 12 noon (Eastern time) will earn dividends beginning the following
business day. Dividends accruing on the day of redemption will be paid to
redeeming shareholders except for redemptions by check and where proceeds are
wired the same day. (See "How to Redeem Shares".)
Each Fund has qualified and intends to continue to qualify to be
treated as a regulated investment company under the Code. While so qualified, it
is expected that each Fund will not be required to pay any Federal income taxes
on that portion of its investment company taxable income and any net realized
capital gains it distributes to shareholders. The Code imposes a 4%
nondeductible excise tax on regulated investment companies, such as the Funds,
to the extent they do not meet certain distribution requirements by the end of
each calendar year. Each Fund anticipates meeting such distribution
requirements. The excise tax generally does not apply to the tax exempt income
of a regulated investment company (such as Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market
Fund) that pays exempt interest dividends. Except as noted below with respect to
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund, most shareholders of the Funds normally
will have to pay Federal income taxes and any state or local taxes on the
dividends and distributions they receive from a Fund.
Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund will designate and pay
exempt-interest dividends derived from interest earned on qualifying tax exempt
obligations. Such exempt-interest dividends may be excluded by shareholders of
the Fund from their gross income for Federal income tax purposes, however, (1)
all or a portion of such exempt-interest dividends may be a specific preference
item for purposes of the Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum
taxes to the extent that they are derived from certain types of private activity
bonds issued after August 7, 1986, and (2) all exempt-interest dividends will be
a component of "adjusted current earnings" for purposes of the Federal corporate
alternative minimum tax. Dividends paid from taxable income, if any, and
distributions of any net realized short-term capital gains (whether from tax
exempt or taxable obligations) are taxable as ordinary income, even though
received in additional Fund shares. Market discount recognized on taxable and
tax-free bonds is taxable as ordinary income, not as excludable income.
Following the end of each calendar year, every shareholder of the Funds
will be sent applicable tax information and information regarding the dividends
and capital gain distributions made during the calendar year. Under current law,
the highest Federal income tax rate applicable to net long-term capital gains
realized by individuals is 28%. The rate applicable to corporations is 35%.
Since the Funds' gross income is ordinarily expected to be interest income, it
is not expected that the 70% dividends-received deduction for corporations will
be applicable. Specific questions should be addressed to the investor's own tax
adviser.
Each Fund is required by Federal law to withhold 31% of reportable
payments (which may include dividends, capital gain distributions and
redemptions) paid to certain shareholders. In order to avoid this backup
withholding requirement, you must certify on the Share Purchase Application, or
on a separate form supplied by State Street, that the investor's social security
or taxpayer identification number is correct and that the investor is not
currently subject to backup withholding or is exempt from backup withholding.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Portfolio Transactions. Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best
price and execution, a Fund may consider sales of its shares as a factor in the
selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions with the Fund.
Organization. The Evergreen Money Market Fund (formerly Evergreen Money Market
Trust) is a Massachusetts business trust organized in 1987, the Evergreen Tax
Exempt Money Market Fund is a separate investment series of the Evergreen
Municipal Trust, which is a Massachusetts business trust organized in 1988, and
the Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund is a separate investment series of
Evergreen Investment Trust (formerly First Union Funds), which is a
Massachusetts business trust organized in 1984.
The Funds do not intend to hold annual shareholder meetings;
shareholder meetings will be held only when required by applicable law.
Shareholders have available certain procedures for the removal of Trustees.
A shareholder in each class of a Fund will be entitled to his or her
share of all dividends and distributions from a Fund's assets, based upon the
relative value of such shares to those of other Classes of the Fund, and, upon
redeeming shares, will receive the then current net asset value of the Class of
shares of the Fund represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC.
The Trusts are empowered to establish, without shareholder approval, additional
investment series, which may have different investment objectives, and
additional classes of shares for any existing or future series. If an additional
series or class were established in a Fund, each share of the series or class
would normally be entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally, shares of
each series and class would vote together as a single class on matters, such as
the election of Trustees, that affect each series and class in substantially the
same manner. Class A, B and Y shares have identical voting, dividend,
liquidation and other rights, except that each class bears, to the extent
applicable, its own distribution and transfer agency expenses as well as any
other expenses applicable only to a specific class. Each class of shares votes
separately with respect to Rule 12b-1 distribution plans and other matters for
which separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law. Shares are
entitled to dividends as determined by the Trustees and, in liquidation of a
Fund, are entitled to receive the net assets of the Fund.
Registrar, Transfer Agent And Dividend-Disbursing Agent. State Street Bank and
Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827 acts as each
Fund's registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based
upon the number of shareholder accounts maintained for the Funds. The transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class B shares will be higher than the transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class A shares.
Principal Underwriter. EFD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Furman Selz
Incorporated, located 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, is the
principal underwriter of the Funds. Furman Selz Incorporated, also acts as
sub-administrator to Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund and which provides
certain sub-administrative services to Evergreen Asset in connection with its
role as investment adviser to Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund and
Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund, including providing personnel to serve as
officers of the Funds.
Other Classes of Shares. Evergreen Money Market Fund offers three classes of
shares, Class A, Class B, and Class Y. Evergreen Tax Exempt Money Market Fund
and Evergreen Treasury Money Market Fund each offer two classes of shares, Class
A and Class Y. Class Y shares are the only Class offered by this Prospectus and
are only available to (i) all shareholders of record in one or more of the Funds
for which Evergreen Asset serves as investment adviser as of December 30, 1994,
(ii) certain institutional investors and (iii) investment advisory clients of
CMG, Evergreen Asset or their affiliates. The dividends payable with respect to
Class A and Class B shares will be less than those payable with respect to Class
Y shares due to the distribution and distribution and shareholder servicing
related expenses borne by Class A and Class B shares and the fact that such
expenses are not borne by Class Y shares.
Performance Information. From time to time, a Fund may quote its yield in
advertisements or in reports to shareholders. Yield information may be useful in
reviewing the performance of a Fund and for providing a basis for comparison
with other investment alternatives. However, since net investment income of a
Fund changes in response to fluctuations in interest rates and Fund expenses,
any given yield quotation should not be considered representative of a Fund's
yields for any future period.
The method of calculating each Fund's yield is set forth in the
Statement of Additional Information. Before investing in the Evergreen Tax
Exempt Money Market Fund, the investor may want to determine which investment --
tax-free or taxable -- will result in a higher after-tax return. To do this, the
yield on the tax-free investment should be divided by the decimal determined by
subtracting from 1 the highest Federal tax rate to which the investor currently
is subject. For example, if the tax-free yield is 6% and the investor's maximum
tax bracket is 36%, the computation is:
6% Tax-Free Yield /(1 - .36 Tax Rate) = 6/.64 = 9.38%
Taxable Yield.
In this example, the investor's after-tax return will be higher from
the 6% tax-free investment if available taxable yields are below 9.38%.
Conversely, the taxable investment will provide a higher return when taxable
yields exceed 9.38%. This is only an example and is not necessarily reflective
of a Fund's yield. The tax equivalent yield will be lower for investors in the
lower income brackets.
Comparative performance information may also be used from time to time
in advertising or marketing the Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., IBC/Donoghue's Money Fund Report, Bank Rate Monitor
and other industry publications.
Liability Under Massachusetts Law. Under Massachusetts law, trustees and
shareholders of a business trust may, in certain circumstances, be held
personally liable for its obligations. The Declarations of Trust under which
Funds operate provide that no trustee or shareholder will be personally liable
for the obligations of the trust and that every written contract made by the
trust contain a provision to that effect. If any trustee or shareholder were
required to pay any liability of the trust, that person would be entitled to
reimbursement from the general assets of the trust.
Additional Information. This Prospectus and the Statement of Additional
Information, which have been incorporated by reference herein, do not contain
all the information set forth in the Registration Statements filed by the Trusts
with the Commission under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration
Statements may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may be
examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C.
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Evergreen Asset Management Corp., 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York
10577
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND, EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND
Capital Management Group of First Union National Bank, 201 South College
Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
CUSTODIAN & TRANSFER AGENT
State Street Bank & Trust Company, Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827
LEGAL COUNSEL
Sullivan & Worcester, 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
Price Waterhouse LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036
EVERGREEN MONEY MARKET FUND, EVERGREEN TAX EXEMPT MONEY MARKET FUND
KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP One Mellon Bank Center Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
EVERGREEN TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
DISTRIBUTOR
Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
536128
PROSPECTUS July 7, 1995
EVERGREEN(SM) TAX FREE FUNDS (Evergreen Logo appears here)
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA
CLASS A SHARES
CLASS B SHARES
The Evergreen Tax-Free Funds (the "Funds") are designed to provide
investors with income exempt from Federal income taxes. This Prospectus
provides information regarding the Class A and Class B shares offered by
the Funds. Each Fund is, or is a series of, an open-end, diversified,
management investment company. This Prospectus sets forth concise
information about the Funds that a prospective investor should know before
investing. The address of the Funds is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase,
New York 10577.
A "Statement of Additional Information" for the Funds and certain
other funds in the Evergreen Group of mutual funds dated July 7, 1995 has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated
by reference herein. The Statement of Additional Information provides
information regarding certain matters discussed in this Prospectus and
other matters which may be of interest to investors, and may be obtained
without charge by calling the Funds at (800) 807-2940. There can be no
assurance that the investment objective of any Fund will be achieved.
Investors are advised to read this Prospectus carefully.
THE SHARES OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF
FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, ARE NOT ENDORSED OR
GUARANTEED BY FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, AND ARE NOT
INSURED OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND
INVOLVE RISK, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRINCIPAL.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
KEEP THIS PROSPECTUS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
EVERGREEN(SM) is a Service Mark of Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
Copyright 1995, Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS 2
EXPENSE INFORMATION 3
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 5
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
Investment Objectives and Policies 9
Investment Practices and Restrictions 10
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Investment Advisers 13
Sub-Adviser 14
Distribution Plans and Agreements 14
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
How to Buy Shares 15
How to Redeem Shares 17
Exchange Privilege 18
Shareholder Services 19
Effect of Banking Laws 19
OTHER INFORMATION
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 20
Management's Discussion of Fund Performance 21
General Information 22
APPENDIX -- California Risk Considerations 25
</TABLE>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information contained elsewhere in this Prospectus. See "Description of the
Funds" and "Management of the Funds".
The Investment Adviser to EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND and
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA is Evergreen Asset
Management Corp. ("Evergreen Asset") which, with its predecessors, has served as
an investment adviser to the Evergreen Funds since 1971. Evergreen Asset is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union National Bank of North Carolina ("FUNB"),
which in turn is a subsidiary of First Union Corporation, one of the ten largest
bank holding companies in the United States. The Capital Management Group of
FUNB ("CMG") serves as investment adviser to EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND.
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND (formerly First Union High Grade Tax
Free Portfolio) seeks to provide a high level of federally tax-free income that
is consistent with preservation of capital.
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND seeks as high a level of
current income, exempt from Federal income tax other than the alternative
minimum tax ("AMT"), as is consistent with preserving capital and providing
liquidity. The Fund invests substantially all of its assets in short and
intermediate-term municipal securities with a dollar weighted average portfolio
maturity of two to five years.
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA seeks as high a
level of current income exempt from Federal and California income taxes as is
consistent with preserving capital and providing liquidity. The Fund invests
substantially all of its assets in short and intermediate-term municipal
securities with a dollar weighted average portfolio maturity of two to five
years.
THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT THE INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE OF ANY FUND WILL BE
ACHIEVED.
2
<PAGE>
EXPENSE INFORMATION
The table set forth below summarizes the shareholder transaction costs
associated with an investment in Class A and Class B Shares of a Fund. For
further information see "Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares" and "General
Information -- Other Classes of Shares".
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES Class A Shares Class B Shares
<S> <C> <C>
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases 4.75% None
(as a % of offering price)
Sales Charge on Dividend Reinvestments None None
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (as a % of original purchase None 5% during the first year, 4% during the
price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower) second year, 3% during the third and fourth
year, 2% during the fifth year, 1% during the
sixth and seventh years and 0% after the
seventh year
Redemption Fee None None
Exchange Fee None None
</TABLE>
The following tables show for each Fund the estimated annual operating
expenses (as a percentage of average net assets) attributable to each Class of
Shares, together with examples of the cumulative effect of such expenses on a
hypothetical $1,000 investment in each Class for the periods specified assuming
(i) a 5% annual return and (ii) redemption at the end of each period and,
additionally for Class B shares, no redemption at the end of each period.
In the following examples (i) the expenses for Class A Shares assume
deduction of the maximum 4.75% sales charge at the time of purchase, (ii) the
expenses for Class B Shares assume deduction at the time of redemption (if
applicable) of the maximum contingent deferred sales charge applicable for that
time period, and (iii) the expenses for Class B Shares reflect the conversion to
Class A Shares eight years after purchase (years eight through ten, therefore,
reflect Class A expenses).
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND (A)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES** at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .37% .37%
After 1 Year $ 56 $ 67 $ 17
Administrative Fees .06% .06%
After 3 Years $ 75 $ 82 $ 52
12b-1 Fees* .25% .75%
After 5 Years $ 95 $ 110 $ 90
Shareholder Service Fees -- .25%
After 10 Years $ 154 $ 167 $167
Other Expenses .23% .23%
Total .91% 1.66%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES*** at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50% .50%
After 1 Year $ 57 $ 69 $ 19
12b-1 Fees* .10% 1.00%
After 3 Years $ 76 $ 88 $ 58
Other Expenses .33% .33%
After 5 Years $ 97 $ 119 $ 99
After 10 Years $ 156 $ 180 $180
Total .93% 1.83%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CALIFORNIA
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES*** at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .55% .55%
After 1 Year $ 58 $ 70 $ 20
12b-1 Fees* .10% 1.00%
After 3 Years $ 79 $ 91 $ 61
Other Expenses .40% .40%
After 5 Years $ 103 $ 125 $105
After 10 Years $ 170 $ 193 $193
Total 1.05% 1.95%
</TABLE>
3
<PAGE>
(a) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of Evergreen
National Tax Free Fund and First Union High Grade Tax Free Portfolio.
*Class A Shares can pay up to .75 of 1% of average net assets as a 12b-1 fee.
For the forseeable future, the Class A Shares 12b-1 fees will be limited to .25
of 1% of average net assets. For Class B Shares for EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE
MUNICIPAL FUND and EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CALIFORNIA, a
portion of the 12b-1 Fees equivalent to .25 of 1% of average net assets will be
shareholder servicing-related. Distribution-related 12b-1 Fees will be limited
to .75 of 1% of average net assets as permitted under the rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
**CMG has agreed to limit the expenses (including the Adviser's fee, but
excluding taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, Rule 12b-1 distribution fees,
shareholder-service fees and extraordinary expenses) of EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX
FREE FUND to .66 of 1% for a period of at least one year from the date of this
Prospectus and to consult with the Trustees of the Fund prior to discontinuing
such limitation after the one year period.
***Estimated annual expenses for EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND do
not reflect a fee waiver of .25 of 1% of average net assets for the year ended
August 31, 1994. Estimated expenses for EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL
FUND -- CALIFORNIA do not reflect a fee waiver of .43 of 1% for the year ended
August 31, 1994.
Evergreen Asset has agreed to reimburse EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL
FUND and EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CALIFORNIA to the extent
that their aggregate operating expenses (including the Adviser's fee, but
excluding taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, Rule 12b-1 distribution fees
and shareholder servicing fees and extraordinary expenses) exceed 1% of the
average net assets.
From time to time each Fund's adviser may, at its discretion, reduce or waive
its fees or reimburse these Funds for certain of their other expenses in order
to reduce their expense ratios. Each Fund's adviser may cease these voluntary
waivers and reimbursements at any time.
The purpose of the foregoing table is to assist an investor in
understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in each Class of
Shares of the Funds will bear directly or indirectly. The amounts set forth both
in the tables and in the examples are estimated amounts based on the experience
of each Fund for its most recent fiscal period. Such expenses have been restated
to reflect current fee arrangements and in the case of Funds that did not offer
all of the above-referenced Classes of shares during such periods, the amounts
set forth in the tables are based on the expenses incurred by the Classes which
were offered. THE EXAMPLES SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A REPRESENTATION OF PAST OR
FUTURE EXPENSES OR ANNUAL RETURN. ACTUAL EXPENSES AND ANNUAL RETURN MAY BE
GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN. For a more complete description of the various
costs and expenses borne by the Funds see "Management of the Funds." As a result
of asset-based sales charges, long-term shareholders may pay more than the
economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charges permitted under the
rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
4
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The tables on the following pages present, for each Fund, financial
highlights for a share outstanding throughout each period indicated. The
information in the tables for the five most recent fiscal years or life of the
fund if shorter for EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND has been audited by KPMG
Peat Marwick LLP, the Fund's independent auditors, for EVERGREEN
SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND and EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL
FUND -- CALIFORNIA has, except as noted otherwise, been audited by Price
Waterhouse LLP, each Fund's independent auditors. A report of KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP or Price Waterhouse LLP, as the case may be, on the audited information with
respect to each Fund is incorporated by reference in the Fund's Statement of
Additional Information. The following information for each Fund should be read
in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes which are
incorporated by reference in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
No Financial Highlights are shown for Class A or B of EVERGREEN
SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CALIFORNIA since these classes did not have
any operations prior to February 28, 1995.
Further information about a Fund's performance is contained in the Fund's
annual report to shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES
CLASS Y SHARES
FEBRUARY 21, CLASS B SHARES FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED 1992* JANUARY 11, 1993* 1994*
DECEMBER 31, THROUGH YEAR ENDED THROUGH THROUGH
1994 1993 DECEMBER 31, 1992 DECEMBER 31, 1994 DECEMBER 31, 1993 DECEMBER 31, 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning
of period................. $11.16 $10.42 $10.00 $11.16 $10.42 $10.93
Income (loss) from
investment operations:
Net investment income....... .52 .54 .51 .46 .47 .46
Net realized and unrealized
gain (loss) on
investments............... (1.37) .81 .42 (1.37) .81 (1.14)
Total from investment
operations.............. (.85) 1.35 .93 (.91) 1.28 (.68)
Less distributions to
shareholders from:
Net investment income....... (.52) (.54) (.51) (.46) (.47) (.46)
Net realized gains.......... -- (.07) -- -- (.07) --
Total distributions....... (.52) (.61) (.51) (.46) (.54) (.46)
Net asset value, end of
period.................... $9.79 $11.16 $10.42 $9.79 $11.16 $9.79
TOTAL RETURN+............... (7.71%) 13.25% 9.37% (8.24%) 12.41% (6.31%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period
(000's omitted)........... $57,676 $101,352 $90,738 $32,435 $41,030 $4,318
Ratios to average net
assets:
Expenses (a).............. 1.01% .85% .49%++ 1.58% 1.35%++ .76%++
Net investment
income (a).............. 5.04% 4.99% 5.79%++ 4.47% 4.44%++ 5.46%++
Portfolio turnover rate..... 53% 14% 7% 53% 14% 53%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income, exclusive of any
applicable state expense limitations, to average net assets would have been
the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES
CLASS B SHARES CLASS Y SHARES
FEBRUARY 21, JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED 1992 THROUGH YEAR ENDED 1993 THROUGH 1994 THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1992 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses............................ 1.02% 1.07% 1.11% 1.59% 1.57% .77%
Net investment income............... 5.03% 4.77% 5.17% 4.46% 4.22% 5.45%
</TABLE>
5
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CLASS Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS ENDED
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992**
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period............................ $10.21 $10.58 $10.33 $10.00
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income........................................... .23 .47 .49 .51
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments.......... (.16) (.32) .25 .33
Total from investment operations.............................. .07 .15 .74 .84
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income........................................... (.23) (.47) (.49) (.51)
Net realized gains.............................................. -- (.03) -- --
In excess of net realized gains................................. -- (.02)(b) -- --
Total distributions........................................... (.23) (.52) (.49) (.51)
Net asset value, end of period.................................. $10.05 $10.21 $10.58 $10.33
TOTAL RETURN+................................................... .7% 1.4% 7.4% 8.6%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)....................... $44,408 $53,417 $66,607 $54,470
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a).................................................. .72%++ .58% .40% .17%
Net investment income (a)..................................... 4.54%++ 4.54% 4.73% 4.85%
Portfolio turnover rate......................................... 8% 32% 37% 57%
<CAPTION>
JULY 17, 1991*
THROUGH
AUGUST 31, 1991**
<S> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period............................ $10.00
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income........................................... .06
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments.......... --
Total from investment operations.............................. .06
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income........................................... (.06)
Net realized gains.............................................. --
In excess of net realized gains................................. --
Total distributions........................................... (.06)
Net asset value, end of period.................................. $10.00
TOTAL RETURN+................................................... .6%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)....................... $4,025
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a).................................................. 0%++
Net investment income (a)..................................... 4.93%++
Portfolio turnover rate......................................... --
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
** On November 18, 1991, the Fund was changed to a diversified municipal bond
fund with a fluctuating net asset value per share from a non-diversified
money market fund with a stable net asset value per share. The shares
outstanding at August 31, 1991 and the related per share data are restated
to reflect both a 1 for 2 reverse share split on October 30, 1991 and a 1
for 5 reverse share split on August 19, 1992. Total return calculated after
November 18, 1991 reflects the fluctuation in net asset value per share.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value for the period indicated and is
not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS ENDED JULY 17, 1991
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, THROUGH AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses......................... .84% .83% .81% .86% 1.40%
Net investment income............ 4.42% 4.29% 4.32% 4.16% 3.53%
</TABLE>
(b) Distributions in excess of realized gains were the result of certain book
and tax timing differences. These distributions did not represent a return
of capital for federal income tax purposes.
6
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CLASS A AND B SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES
<S> <C> <C>
JANUARY 5, 1995*
THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED)
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period....................................................... $ 9.97 $ 9.97
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income...................................................................... .07 .06
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments............................................ .09 .08
Total from investment operations......................................................... .16 .14
Less distributions to shareholders from net investment income.............................. (.07) (.06)
Net asset value, end of period............................................................. $10.06 $10.05
TOTAL RETURN+.............................................................................. 1.6% 1.4%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted).................................................. $7,736 $2,564
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................................................................. .61%++ 1.41%++
Net investment income (a)................................................................ 3.81%++ 3.30%++
Portfolio turnover rate**.................................................................. 8% 8%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of class operations.
** Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the six months period February 28,
1995.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized. Due to the recent commencement of their offering, the ratios for
Class A and Class B shares are not necessarily comparable to that of the
Class Y shares, and are not necessarily indicative of future ratios.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income, exclusive of any
applicable state expense limitations, would have been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES
<S> <C> <C>
JANUARY 5, 1995
THROUGH
FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED)
Expenses......................................................... .88% 1.98%
Net investment income............................................ 3.54% 2.73%
</TABLE>
7
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CALIFORNIA -- CLASS Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS ENDED NOVEMBER 2,
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 1988* THROUGH
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993** 1992** 1991** 1990** AUGUST 31, 1989**
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of
period........................... $10.09 $10.34 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
Income (loss) from investment
operations:
Net investment income.............. .20 .43 .41 .33 .47 .55 .51
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments............ (.15) (.24) .34 -- -- -- --
Total from investment
operations..................... .05 .19 .75 .33 .47 .55 .51
Less distributions to shareholders
from:
Net investment income.............. (.20) (.43) (.41) (.33) (.47) (.55) (.51)
Net realized gains................. (.03) (.01) -- -- -- -- --
Total distributions.............. (.23) (.44) (.41) (.33) (.47) (.55) (.51)
Net asset value, end of period..... $9.91 $10.09 $10.34 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
TOTAL RETURN+...................... .6% 1.8% 7.6% 3.4% 4.8% 5.7% 5.2%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's
omitted)......................... $23,426 $28,433 $30,136 $34,452 $42,022 $37,291 $28,266
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)..................... .79%++ .52% .30% .40% .37% .29% .24%++
Net investment income (a)........ 4.15%++ 4.20% 3.96% 3.36% 4.66% 5.52% 6.40%++
Portfolio turnover rate............ 13% 12% 37% -- -- -- --
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
** On October 16, 1992, the Fund was converted to a short-intermediate
municipal fund with a fluctuating net asset value per share from a money
market fund with a stable net asset value per share. The shares outstanding
and the related per share data for the fiscal years ended August 31, 1990
through August 31, 1992 are restated to reflect the 1 for 10 reverse share
split on October 21, 1992. Total return calculated after October 16, 1992
reflects the fluctuation in net asset value per share.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value for the period indicated and is
not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED NOVEMBER 2, 1988
FEBRUARY 28, 1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, THROUGH AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses............................... .99% .95% .98% .84% .85% .88% .93%
Net investment income.................. 3.95% 3.77% 3.28% 2.92% 4.18% 4.93% 5.71%
</TABLE>
8
9
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund
The Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund seeks a high level of federally
tax free income that is consistent with preservation of capital. At least 65% of
the value of the total assets of Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund will be
invested in high grade bonds. High grade bonds mean: bonds insured by a
municipal bond insurance company which is rated AAA by Standard & Poor's Ratings
Group ("S&P") and/or Aaa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"); bonds
rated A or better by S&P or Moody's; or, if unrated, of comparable quality as
determined by the Fund's investment adviser. The insurance guarantees the timely
payment of principal and interest, but not the value of the municipal bonds or
the shares of the Fund. See the section "Investment Practices and Restrictions"
- - "Municipal Bond Insurance" for further information.
The Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund may also purchase instruments
having variable rates of interest. One example is variable amount demand master
notes. These notes represent a borrowing arrangement between a commercial paper
issuer (borrower) and an institutional lender, such as the Fund and are payable
upon demand. The underlying amount of the loan may vary during the course of the
contract, as may the interest on the outstanding amount, depending on a stated
short-term interest rate index.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund
The investment objective of Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund
is to achieve as high a level of current income, exempt from Federal income tax
other than the Federal alternative minimum tax("AMT") for individuals and
corporations, as is consistent with preserving capital and providing liquidity.
Under normal circumstances, it is anticipated that the Fund will invest its
assets so that at least 80% of its annual interest income is exempt from Federal
income tax other than the AMT. The Fund will seek to achieve its objective by
investing substantially all of its assets in a diversified portfolio of short
and intermediate-term debt obligations issued by states, territories and
possessions of the United States and by the District of Columbia, and their
political subdivisions and duly constituted authorities, the interest from which
is exempt from Federal income tax other than the AMT. Such securities are
generally known as Municipal Securities (See "Investment Practices and
Restrictions" - "Municipal Securities" below). As a matter of policy, the
Trustees will not change the Fund's investment objective without shareholder
approval.
Under current tax law, a distinction is drawn between Municipal
Securities issued to finance certain "private activities" and other Municipal
Securities. Such private activity bonds include bonds issued to finance such
projects as airports, housing projects, resource recovery programs, solid waste
disposal facilities, student loan programs, and water and sewage projects.
Interest income from such "private activity bonds" ("AMT-Subject Bonds") becomes
an item of "tax preference" which is subject to the alternative minimum tax when
received by a person in a tax year during which he is subject to that tax.
Because interest income on AMT-Subject Bonds is taxable to certain investors, it
is expected, although there can be no guarantee, that such Municipal Securities
generally will provide somewhat higher yields than other Municipal Securities of
comparable quality and maturity. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its total
assets in AMT-Subject Bonds.
The Fund intends to maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio
maturity of two to five years. The Fund may consider an obligation's maturity to
be shorter than its stated maturity if the Fund has the right to sell the
obligation at a price approximating par value before its stated maturity date.
This is a liquidity put and is exercisable to the issuer or some third party.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California
The investment objective of Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund-California is to achieve as high a level of current income exempt from
Federal and California income taxes, as is consistent with preserving capital
and providing liquidity. The Fund will seek to achieve its objective by
investing at least 80% of the value of its assets in a diversified portfolio of
short and intermediate-term debt obligations issued by the State of California,
its political subdivisions and duly constituted authorities, the interest from
which is exempt from Federal and California income taxes. Such securities are
generally known as Municipal Securities (see "Investment Practices and
Restrictions" - "Municipal Securities" below).
Interest income on certain types of bonds issued after August 7, 1986,
to finance nongovernmental activities is an item of "tax preference" subject to
AMT . To the extent the Fund invests in these "private activity" bonds (some of
which were formerly referred to as "industrial development" bonds), individual
and corporate shareholders, depending on their status, may be subject to AMT on
the part of the Fund's distributions derived from the bonds. As a matter of
fundamental policy, which may not be changed without shareholder approval, the
Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in Municipal Securities, the
interest from which is not subject to AMT .
The Fund intends to maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio
maturity of two to five years. The Fund may consider an obligation's maturity to
be shorter than its stated maturity if the Fund has the right to sell the
obligation at a price approximating par value before its stated maturity date.
This is a liquidity put and is exercisable to the issuer or some third party.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RESTRICTIONS
Except where noted, each Fund may engage in the investment practices
described below. Each Fund is also subject to certain investment restrictions
more fully described in the Statement of Additional Information.
General. Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund, Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California will
invest in Municipal Securities so long as they are determined to be of high or
upper medium quality. Municipal Securities meeting this criteria include bonds
rated A or higher by S&P, Moody's or another nationally recognized statistical
rating organization ("SRO"); notes rated SP-1 or SP-2 by S&P or MIG-1 or MIG-2
by Moody's or rated VMIG-1 or VMIG-2 by Moody's in the case of variable rate
demand notes or having comparable ratings from another SRO; and commercial paper
rated A-1 or A-2 by S&P or Prime-1 or Prime-2 by Moody's or having comparable
ratings from another SRO. Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund may also invest in
general obligation bonds which are rated BBB by S&P, Baa by Moody's or bear a
similar rating from another SRO. Medium grade bonds are more susceptible to
adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances than higher grade bonds.
However, like the higher rated bonds, these securities are considered to be
investment grade. For a description of such ratings see the Statement of
Additional Information. The Funds may also purchase Municipal Securities which
are unrated at the time of purchase, if such securities are determined by the
Fund's investment adviser to be of comparable quality. Certain Municipal
Securities (primarily variable rate demand notes) may be entitled to the benefit
of standby letters of credit or similar commitments issued by banks and, in such
instances, the Fund's investment adviser will take into account the obligation
of the bank in assessing the quality of such security. Investments by Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California in unrated securities are limited
to 20% of total assets.
The ability of the Funds to meet their investment objectives is
necessarily subject to the ability of municipal issuers to meet their payment
obligations. In addition, the portfolios of the Funds will be affected by
general changes in interest rates which will result in increases or decreases in
the value of the obligations held by the Funds. Investors should recognize that,
in periods of declining interest rates, the yield of the Funds will tend to be
somewhat higher than prevailing market rates, and in periods of rising interest
rates, the yield of the Funds will tend to be somewhat lower. Also, when
interest rates are falling, the inflow of net new money to the Funds from the
continuous sale of its shares will likely be invested in portfolio instruments
producing lower yields than the balance of each Fund's portfolio, thereby
reducing the current yield of the Funds. In periods of rising interest rates,
the opposite can be expected to occur. In addition since Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California will invest primarily in California
Municipal Securities, there are certain specific factors and considerations
concerning California which may affect the credit and market risk of the
Municipal Securities that Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California
purchases. These factors are described in the Appendix to this Prospectus.
Municipal Securities. As noted above, the Funds will invest substantially all of
their assets in Municipal Securities. These include Municipal Securities,
short-term municipal notes and tax exempt commercial paper. "Municipal
Securities" are debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public
purposes that are exempt from Federal income tax in the opinion of issuer's
counsel. The two principal classifications of Municipal Securities are "general
obligation" and "revenue" bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the
issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of
principal and interest. Revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived
from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the
proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific source such as from the user
of the facility being financed. The term "Municipal Securities" also includes
"moral obligation" issues which are normally issued by special purpose
authorities. Industrial development bonds ("IDBs") and private activity bonds
("PABs") are in most cases revenue bonds and are not payable from the
unrestricted revenues of the issuer. The credit quality of IDBs and PABs is
usually directly related to the credit standing of the corporate user of the
facilities being financed. Participation interests are interests in Municipal
Securities, including IDBs and PABs, and floating and variable rate obligations
that are owned by banks. These interests carry a demand feature permitting the
holder to tender them back to the bank, which demand feature is backed by an
irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of the bank. A put bond is a municipal
bond which gives the holder the unconditional right to sell the bond back to the
issuer at a specified price and exercise date, which is typically well in
advance of the bond's maturity date. "Short-term municipal notes" and "tax
exempt commercial paper" include tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation
notes, revenue anticipation notes and other forms of short-term loans. Such
notes are issued with a short-term maturity in anticipation of the receipt of
tax funds, the proceeds of bond placements and other revenues.
Municipal Bond Insurance. The Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund will require
municipal bond insurance when purchasing Municipal Securities which would not
otherwise meet the Fund's quality standards. The Evergreen High Grade Tax Free
Fund may also require insurance when, in the opinion of the Fund's investment
adviser, such insurance would benefit the Fund (for example, through improvement
of portfolio quality or increased liquidity of certain securities). The purpose
of municipal bond insurance is to guarantee the timely payment of principal at
maturity and interest.
Securities in the Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund's portfolio may be
insured in one of two ways: (1) by a policy applicable to a specific security,
obtained by the issuer of the security or by a third party ("Issuer-Obtained
Insurance") or (2) under master insurance policies issued by municipal bond
insurers, purchased by the Fund (the "Policies"). If a security's coverage is
Issuer-Obtained, then that security does not need to be covered in the Policies.
The Fund may purchase Policies from Municipal Bond Investors Assurance Corp.,
AMBAC Indemnity Corporation, and Financial Guaranty Insurance Company, or any
other municipal bond insurer which is rated Aaa by Moody's or AAA by S&P. A more
detailed description of these insurers may be found in the Statement of
Additional Information. Annual premiums for these Policies are paid by the Fund
and are estimated to range from 0.10% to 0.25% of the value of the municipal
securities covered under the Policies, with an average annual premium rate of
approximately 0.175%. While the insurance feature reduces financial risk, the
cost thereof and the restrictions on investments imposed by the guidelines in
the Policies reduce the yield to shareholders.
Floating Rate and Variable Rate Obligations. Municipal Securities also include
certain variable rate and floating rate municipal obligations with or without
demand features. These variable rate securities do not have fixed interest
rates; rather, those rates fluctuate based upon changes in specified market
rates, such as the prime rate, or are adjusted at predesignated periodic
intervals. Certain of these obligations may carry a demand feature that gives
the Funds the right to demand prepayment of the principal amount of the security
prior to its maturity date. The demand obligation may or may not be backed by
letters of credit or other guarantees of banks or other financial institutions.
Such guarantees may enhance the quality of the security. The Funds will limit
the value of their investments in any floating or variable rate securities which
are not readily marketable to 10% or less of their total assets.
When-Issued Securities. The Funds may purchase securities on a "when-issued"
basis (i.e., for delivery beyond the normal settlement date at a stated price
and yield). A Fund generally would not pay for such securities or start earning
interest on them until they are received. However, when a Fund purchases
securities on a when-issued basis, it assumes the risks of ownership at the time
of purchase, not at the time of receipt. Failure of the issuer to deliver a
security purchased by a Fund on a when-issued basis may result in the Fund
incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to make an alternative investment.
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund do not expect that commitments to purchase
when-issued securities will normally exceed 25% of their total assets and
Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund does not expect that such commitments will
exceed 20% of its assets. The Funds do not intend to purchase when-issued
securities for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of their investment
objective.
Stand-by Commitments. The Funds may also acquire "stand-by commitments" with
respect to Municipal Securities held in their portfolio. Under a stand-by
commitment, a dealer agrees to purchase, at a Fund's option, specified Municipal
Securities at a specified price. Failure of the dealer to purchase such
Municipal Securities may result in a Fund incurring a loss or missing an
opportunity to make an alternative investment. Each Fund expects that stand-by
commitments generally will be available without the payment of direct or
indirect consideration. However, if necessary and advisable, a Fund may pay for
stand-by commitments either separately in cash or by paying a higher price for
portfolio securities which are acquired subject to such a commitment (thus
reducing the yield to maturity otherwise available for the same securities). The
total amount paid in either manner for outstanding stand-by commitments held in
each Fund's portfolio will not exceed 10% of the value of the Fund's total
assets calculated immediately after each stand-by commitment is acquired. The
Funds will maintain cash or liquid high grade debt obligations in a segregated
account with its custodian in an amount equal to such commitments. The Funds
will enter into stand-by commitments only with banks and broker-dealers that, in
the judgment of the Fund's investment adviser, present minimal credit risks.
Taxable Investments. Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California may temporarily invest up to 20% of
their assets in taxable securities, and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund may temporarily invest its assets so that not more than 20% of its annual
interest income will be derived from taxable securities, under any one or more
of the following circumstances: (a) pending investment of proceeds of sale of
Fund shares or of portfolio securities, (b) pending settlement of purchases of
portfolio securities, and (c) to maintain liquidity for the purpose of meeting
anticipated redemptions. In addition, each such Fund may temporarily invest more
than 20% of its total assets in taxable securities for defensive purposes. Each
Fund may invest for defensive purposes during periods when each Fund's assets
available for investment exceed the available Municipal Securities that meet
each Fund's quality and other investment criteria. Taxable securities in which
the Funds may invest on a short-term basis include obligations of the United
States Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including repurchase
agreements with banks or securities dealers involving such securities; time
deposits maturing in not more than seven days; other debt securities rated
within the two highest ratings assigned by any major rating service; commercial
paper rated in the highest grade by Moody's, S&P or any SRO; and certificates of
deposit issued by United States branches of United States banks with assets of
$1 billion or more.
Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may enter into repurchase agreements with
member banks of the Federal Reserve System, including State Street Bank and
Trust Company, the Funds' custodian ("State Street" or the "Custodian"), or
"primary dealers" (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) in
United States Government securities. A repurchase agreement is an arrangement
pursuant to which a buyer purchases a security and simultaneously agrees to
resell it to the vendor at a price that results in an agreed-upon market rate of
return which is effective for the period of time (which is normally one to seven
days, but may be longer) the buyer's money is invested in the security. The
arrangement results in a fixed rate of return that is not subject to market
fluctuations during a Fund's holding period. Each Fund requires continued
maintenance of collateral with its Custodian in an amount equal to, or in excess
of, the market value of the securities, including accrued interest, which are
the subject of a repurchase agreement. In the event a vendor defaults on its
repurchase obligation, the Fund might suffer a loss to the extent that the
proceeds from the sale of the collateral were less than the repurchase price. If
the vendor becomes the subject of bankruptcy proceedings, a Fund might be
delayed in selling the collateral. Each Fund's investment adviser will review
and continually monitor the creditworthiness of each institution with which a
Fund enters into a repurchase agreement to evaluate these risks. Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund may not enter into repurchase agreements if, as a result, more
than 10% of either Fund's net assets would be invested in repurchase agreements
maturing in more than seven days and Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund may not
so invest more than 15% of its net assets.
Illiquid Securities. The Funds may invest up to 15% of their net assets in
illiquid securities and other securities which are not readily marketable,
except that Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund may only invest up to 10% of their assets in
repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. In the case of
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund securities eligible for resale pursuant to
Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, which have been determined to be
liquid, will not be considered by the Fund's investment adviser to be illiquid
or not readily marketable and, therefore, are not subject to the aforementioned
15% limit. Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund may invest up to 10% of its assets
in securities subject to restrictions on resale under the federal securities
laws. The inability of a Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable
investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair the Fund's ability to
raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. The liquidity of securities
purchased by a Fund which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A will be
monitored by each Fund's investment adviser on an ongoing basis, subject to the
oversight of the Trustees. In the event that such a security is deemed to be no
longer liquid, a Fund's holdings will be reviewed to determine what action, if
any, is required to ensure that the retention of such security does not result
in a Fund having more than 15% of its assets invested in illiquid or not readily
marketable securities.
Other Investment Policies. The Funds may borrow funds and agree to sell
portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers
and to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price (a "reverse
repurchase agreement") for temporary or emergency purposes. In the case of
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund borrowings may be in amounts up to 10% of the
value of each Fund's total assets at the time of such borrowing. Evergreen High
Grade Tax Free Fund may borrow in amounts up to one-third of its net assets. At
the time a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a
segregated custodial account cash, United States Government securities or liquid
high grade debt obligations having a value equal to the repurchase price
(including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure
that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve
the risk that the market value of the securities sold by a Fund may decline
below the repurchase price of those securities. Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California will
not enter into reverse repurchase agreements exceeding 5% of the value of its
total assets and will not purchase any securities whenever any borrowings
(including reverse repurchase agreements) are outstanding.
In order to generate income and to offset expenses, the Funds may lend
portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. Each
Fund's investment adviser will monitor the creditworthiness of such borrowers.
Loans of securities by a Fund, if and when made, may not exceed 30% of each
Fund's total assets, or in the case of Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund 15%,
and will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. government
securities that are maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100
percent of the current market value of the loaned securities, including accrued
interest. While such securities are on loan, the borrower will pay a Fund any
income accruing thereon, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral, thereby
increasing its return. A Fund will have the right to call any such loan and
obtain the securities loaned at any time on five days' notice. Any gain or loss
in the market price of the loaned securities which occurs during the term of the
loan would affect a Fund and its investors. A Fund may pay reasonable fees in
connection with such loans.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
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INVESTMENT ADVISERS
The management of each Fund is supervised by the Trustees of the Trust
under which the Fund has been established ("Trustees").. Evergreen Asset
Management Corp. ("Evergreen Asset") has been retained by Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund-California as investment adviser. Evergreen Asset succeeded on June 30,
1994 to the advisory business of the same name, but under different ownership,
which was organized in 1971. Evergreen Asset, with its predecessors, has served
as investment adviser to the Evergreen mutual funds since 1971. Evergreen Asset
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union National Bank of North Carolina
("FUNB"). The address of Evergreen Asset is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase,
New York 10577. FUNB is a subsidiary of First Union Corporation ("First Union"),
one of the ten largest bank holding companies in the United States. Stephen A.
Lieber and Nola Maddox Falcone serve as the chief investment officers of
Evergreen Asset and, along with Theodore J. Israel, Jr., were the owners of
Evergreen Asset's predecessor and the former general partners of Lieber &
Company, which, as described below, provides certain subadvisory services to
Evergreen Asset in connection with its duties as investment adviser to the
Funds. The Capital Management Group of FUNB ("CMG") serves as investment adviser
to Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund.
First Union is a bank holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North
Carolina, and had $77.9 billion in consolidated assets as of March 31, 1995.
First Union and its subsidiaries provide a broad range of financial services to
individuals and businesses through offices in 36 states. The Capital Management
Group of FUNB manages or otherwise oversees the investment of over $36 billion
in assets belonging to a wide range of clients, including all the series of
Evergreen Investment Trust (formerly known as First Union Funds). First Union
Brokerage Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of FUNB, is a registered
broker-dealer that is principally engaged in providing retail brokerage services
consistent with its federal banking authorizations. First Union Capital Markets
Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union, is a registered broker-dealer
principally engaged in providing, consistent with its federal banking
authorizations, private placement, securities dealing, and underwriting
services.
Evergreen Asset manages investments, provides various administrative
services and supervises the daily business affairs of Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund-California, subject to the authority of the Trustees. Under its investment
advisory agreement with Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California
Evergreen Asset is entitled to receive an annual fee equal to .55 of 1% of the
Fund's average daily net assets. Under its investment advisory agreement with
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund, Evergreen Asset is entitled to
receive an annual fee equal to .50 of 1% of each Fund's average daily net
assets. The total expense ratios of Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund
and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California for the fiscal period
ended August 31, 1994, are set forth in the section entitled "Financial
Highlights". CMG manages investments and supervises the daily business affairs
of Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund and, as compensation therefor, is entitled
to receive an annual fee equal to .50 of 1% of average daily net assets of
Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund. The total expense ratios of Evergreen High
Grade Tax Free Fund for the fiscal period ended December 31, 1994, are set forth
in the section entitled "Financial Highlights". Evergreen Asset serves as
administrator to Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund and is entitled to receive a
fee based on the average daily net assets of the Fund at a rate based on the
total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset for which CMG
or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in accordance
with the following schedule: .050% of the first $7 billion; .035% on the next $3
billion; .030% on the next $5 billion; .020% on the next $10 billion; .015% on
the next $5 billion; and .010% on assets in excess of $30 billion. Furman Selz
Incorporated, the parent of Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., distributor for
the Evergreen group of mutual funds, serves as sub-administrator to Evergreen
High Grade Tax Free Fund and is entitled to receive a fee from the Fund
calculated on the average daily net assets of the Fund at a rate based on the
total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset for which CMG
or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in accordance
with the following schedule: .0100% of the first $7 billion; .0075% on the next
$3 billion; .0050% on the next $15 billion; and .0040% on assets in excess of
$25 billion. The total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen
Asset for which CMG or Evergreen Asset serve as investment adviser as of March
31, 1995 were approximately $8 billion.
The portfolio manager of Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund is James T.
Colby, III. Mr. Colby is a Vice President of CMG and has been associated with
Evergreen Asset and its predecessor since 1992. He has served as portfolio
manager of the Fund since June, 1995 and, since that fund's inception in 1992,
was portfolio manager of Evergreen National Tax Free Fund, whose assets were
acquired by the Fund on July 7, 1995. Prior to joining Evergreen Asset, Mr.
Colby served as Vice President-Investments at American Express Company from 1987
to 1992. The portfolio manager for Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund-California and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund is Steven C.
Shachat. Mr. Shachat has been associated with Evergreen Asset and its
predecessor since prior to 1989 and has served as portfolio manager of these
Funds since their inception.
SUB-ADVISER
Evergreen Asset has entered into sub-advisory agreements with Lieber &
Company which provides that Lieber & Company's research department and staff
will furnish Evergreen Asset with information, investment recommendations,
advice and assistance, and will be generally available for consultation on the
portfolios of Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund. Lieber & Company will be reimbursed
by Evergreen Asset in connection with the rendering of services on the basis of
the direct and indirect costs of performing such services. There is no
additional charge to Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund for the services provided by Lieber
& Company. The address of Lieber & Company is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase,
New York 10577. Lieber & Company is an indirect, wholly-owned, subsidiary of
First Union.
DISTRIBUTION PLANS AND AGREEMENTS
Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 permits an
investment company to pay expenses associated with the distribution of its
shares in accordance with a duly adopted plan. Each Fund has adopted for each of
its Class A and Class B shares a Rule 12b-1 plan (each a "Plan" or collectively
the "Plans"). Under the Plans, each Fund may incur distribution-related and
shareholder servicing-related expenses which may not exceed an annual rate of
.75 of 1% of the aggregate average daily net assets attributable to each Fund's
Class A shares, 1.00% of the aggregate average daily net assets attributable to
the Class B shares of Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund, and .75 of 1% of the aggregate
average daily net assets attributable to the Class B shares of Evergreen High
Grade Municipal Fund. Payments under the Plans adopted with respect to Class A
shares are currently voluntarily limited to .25 of 1% of each Fund's aggregate
average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares. The Plans provide that
a portion of the fee payable thereunder may constitute a service fee to be used
for providing ongoing personal services and/or the maintenance of shareholder
accounts. Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund has, in addition to the Plans
adopted with respect to its Class B shares, adopted a shareholder service plan
("Service Plan") relating to the Class B shares which permit the Fund to incur a
fee of up to .25 of 1% of the aggregate average daily net assets attributable to
the Class B shares for ongoing personal services and/or the maintenance of
shareholder accounts. Such service fee payments to financial intermediaries for
such purposes, whether pursuant to a Plan or Service Plan, will not to exceed
.25% of the aggregate average daily net assets attributable to each Class of
shares of each Fund.
Each Fund has also entered into a distribution agreement (each a
"Distribution Agreement" or collectively the "Distribution Agreements") with
Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc. ("EFD"). Pursuant to the Distribution
Agreements, each Fund will compensate EFD for its services as distributor at a
rate which may not exceed an annual rate of .25 of 1% of a Fund's aggregate
average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares and .75 of 1% of a
Fund's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to the Class B shares.
The Distribution Agreements provide that EFD will use the distribution fee
received from a Fund for payments (i) to compensate broker-dealers or other
persons for distributing shares of the Funds, including interest and principal
payments made in respect of amounts paid to broker-dealers or other persons that
have been financed (EFD may assign its rights to receive compensation under the
Plans to secure such financings), (ii) to otherwise promote the sale of shares
of the Fund, and (iii) to compensate broker-dealers, depository institutions and
other financial intermediaries for providing administrative, accounting and
other services with respect to the Fund's shareholders. The financing of
payments made by EFD to compensate broker-dealers or other persons for
distributing shares of the Funds may be provided by First Union or its
affiliates. The Funds may also make payments under the Plans (and in the case of
Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund, the Service Plan), in amounts up to .25 of
1% of a Fund's aggregate average daily net assets on an annual basis
attributable to Class B shares, to compensate organizations, which may include
EFD and each Fund's investment adviser or their affiliates, for personal
services rendered to shareholders and/or the maintenance of shareholder
accounts.
The Funds may not pay any distribution or services fees during any
fiscal period in excess of the amounts set forth above. Since EFD's compensation
under the Distribution Agreements is not directly tied to the expenses incurred
by EFD, the amount of compensation received by it under the Distribution
Agreements during any year may be more or less than its actual expenses and may
result in a profit to EFD. Distribution expenses incurred by EFD in one fiscal
year that exceed the level of compensation paid to EFD for that year may be paid
from distribution fees received from a Fund in subsequent fiscal years.
The Plans and Service Plans are in compliance with rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. which effectively limit the
annual asset-based sales charges and service fees that a mutual fund may pay on
a class of shares to .75 of 1% and .25 of 1%, respectively, of the average
annual net assets attributable to that class. The rules also limit the aggregate
of all front-end, deferred and asset-based sales charges imposed with respect to
a class of shares by a mutual fund that also charges a service fee to 6.25% of
cumulative gross sales of shares of that class, plus interest at the prime rate
plus 1% per annum.
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PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
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HOW TO BUY SHARES
You can purchase shares of any of the Funds through broker-dealers,
banks or other financial intermediaries, or directly through EFD. The minimum
initial investment is $1,000, which may be waived in certain situations. There
is no minimum for subsequent investments. Investments of $25 or more are allowed
under the systematic investment plan . Share certificates are not issued for
Class A and Class B shares. In states where EFD is not registered as a
broker-dealer shares of a Fund will only be sold through other broker-dealers or
other financial institutions that are registered. See the Share Purchase
Application and Statement of Additional Information for more information. Only
Class A and Class B shares are offered through this Prospectus (see "General
Information" - "Other Classes of Shares").
Class A Shares-Front-End Sales Charge Alternative. You can purchase Class A
shares at net asset value plus an initial sales charge, as follows:
Initial Sales Charge
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
Commission to
Dealer/Agent
as a % of the Net as a % of the as a % of
Amount of Purchase Amount Invested Offering Price Offering Price
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
Less than $100,000 4.99% 4.75% 4.25%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
$100,000 - $249,999 3.90% 3.75% 3.25%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
$250,000 - $499,999 3.09% 3.00% 2.50%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
$500,000 - $999,999 2.04% 2.00% 1.75%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
$1,000,000 - $2,499,999 1.01% 1.00% 1.00%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
Over $2,500,000 .25% .25% .25%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
When Class A shares are sold, EFD will normally retain a portion of the
applicable sales charge and pay the balance to the broker-dealer or other
financial intermediary through whom the sale was made. EFD may also pay fees to
banks from sales charges for services performed on behalf of the bank's
customers in connection with the purchase of shares of the Funds. In addition to
compensation paid at the time of sale, entities whose clients have purchased
Class A shares may receive a trailing commission equal to .10 of 1% of the
aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares of Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund held by their clients, and .25 of 1% of aggregate average daily
net assets attributable to Class A shares of Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund
held by their clients. Certain purchases of Class A shares may qualify for
reduced sales charges in accordance with a Fund's Combined Purchase Privilege,
Cumulative Quantity Discount, Statement of Intention, Privilege for Certain
Retirement Plans and Reinstatement Privilege. Consult the Share Purchase
Application and Statement of Additional Information for additional information
concerning these reduced sales charges.
No front-end sales charges are imposed on Class A shares purchased by:
institutional investors, which may include bank trust departments and registered
investment advisers; investment advisers, consultants or financial planners who
place trades for their own accounts or the accounts of their clients and who
charge such clients a management, consulting, advisory or other fee; clients of
investment advisers or financial planners who place trades for their own
accounts if the accounts are linked to the master account of such investment
advisers or financial planners on the books of the broker-dealer through whom
shares are purchased; institutional clients of broker-dealers, including
retirement and deferred compensation plans and the trusts used to fund these
plans, which place trades through an omnibus account maintained with a Fund by
the broker-dealer; shareholders of record on October 12, 1990 in any series of
Evergreen Investment Trust in existence on that date, and the members of their
immediate families; employees of FUNB and its affiliates, EFD and any
broker-dealer with whom EFD has entered into an agreement to sell shares of the
Funds, and members of the immediate families of such employees; and upon the
initial purchase of an Evergreen mutual fund by investors reinvesting the
proceeds from a redemption within the preceeding thirty days of shares of other
mutual funds, provided such shares were initially purchased with a front-end
sales charge or subject to a CDSC. Certain broker-dealers or other financial
institutions may impose a fee on transactions in shares of the Funds.
Class B Shares-Deferred Sales Charge Alternative. You can purchase Class B
shares at net asset value without an initial sales charge. However, you may pay
a contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") if you redeem shares within seven
years after purchase. Shares obtained from dividend or distribution reinvestment
are not subject to the CDSC. The amount of the CDSC (expressed as a percentage
of the lesser of the current net asset value or original cost) will vary
according to the number of years from the purchase of Class B shares as set
forth below.
Year Since Purchase Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
FIRST 5%
SECOND 4%
THIRD and FOURTH 3%
FIFTH 2%
SIXTH and SEVENTH 1%
The CDSC is deducted from the amount of the redemption and is paid to EFD. The
CDSC will be waived on redemptions of shares following the death or disability
of a shareholder, to meet distribution requirements for certain qualified
retirement plans or in the case of certain redemptions made under a Fund's
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan. Class B shares are subject to higher
distribution and/or shareholder service fees than Class A shares for a period of
seven years (after which they convert to Class A shares). The higher fees mean a
higher expense ratio, so Class B shares pay correspondingly lower dividends and
may have a lower net asset value than Class A shares. See the Statement of
Additional Information for further details.
With respect to Class B Shares, no CDSC will be imposed on: (1) the
portion of redemption proceeds attributable to increases in the value of the
account due to increases in the net asset value per Share, (2) Shares acquired
through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, (3) Shares held for more
than seven years after the end of the calendar month of acquisition, (4)
accounts following the death or disability of a shareholder, or (5) minimum
required distributions to a shareholder over the age of 70 1/2 from an IRA or
other retirement plan.
How the Funds Value Their Shares. The net asset value of each Class of shares of
a Fund is calculated by dividing the value of the amount of the Fund's net
assets attributable to that Class by the outstanding shares of that Class.
Shares are valued each day the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open
as of the close of regular trading (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). The
securities in a Fund are valued at their current market value determined on the
basis of market quotations or, if such quotations are not readily available,
such other methods as the Trustees believe would accurately reflect fair market
value. Certain financial intermediaries may require that you give instructions
earlier than 4:00 p.m.
General. The decision as to which Class of shares is more beneficial to you
depends on the amount of your investment and the length of time you will hold
it. If you are making a large investment, thus qualifying for a reduced sales
charge, you might consider Class A shares. If you are making a smaller
investment, you might consider Class B shares since 100% of your purchase is
invested immediately and since such shares will convert to Class A shares, which
incur lower ongoing distribution and/or shareholder service fees, after seven
years. The compensation received by Dealers and agents may differ depending on
whether they sell Class A or Class B shares. There is no size limit on purchases
of Class A shares.
In addition to the discount or commission paid to dealers, EFD will
from time to time pay to dealers additional cash or other incentives that are
conditioned upon the sale of a specified minimum dollar amount of shares of a
Fund and/or other Evergreen Mutual Funds. Such incentives will take the form of
payment for attendance at seminars, lunches, dinners, sporting events or theater
performances, or payment for travel, lodging and entertainment incurred in
connection with travel by persons associated with a dealer and their immediate
family members to urban or resort locations within or outside the United States.
Such a dealer may elect to receive cash incentives of equivalent amount in lieu
of such payments.
Additional Purchase Information. As a condition of this offering, if a purchase
is canceled due to nonpayment or because an investor's check does not clear, the
investor will be responsible for any loss a Fund or the Fund's investment
adviser incurs. If such investor is an existing shareholder, a Fund may redeem
shares from an investor's account to reimburse the Fund or its investment
adviser for any loss. In addition, such investors may be prohibited or
restricted from making further purchases in any of the Evergreen mutual funds.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
You may "redeem", i.e., sell your shares in a Fund to the Fund on any
day the Exchange is open, either directly or through your financial
intermediary. The price you will receive is the net asset value (less any
applicable CDSC for Class B shares) next calculated after the Fund receives your
request in proper form. Proceeds generally will be sent to you within seven
days. However, for shares recently purchased by check, a Fund will not send
proceeds until it is reasonably satisfied that the check has been collected
(which may take up to 15 days). Once a redemption request has been telephoned or
mailed, it is irrevocable and may not be modified or canceled.
Redeeming Shares Through Your Financial Intermediary. A Fund must receive
instructions from your financial intermediary before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for
you to receive that day's net asset value (less any applicable CDSC for Class B
shares). Your financial intermediary is responsible for furnishing all necessary
documentation to a Fund and may charge you for this service.
Redeeming Shares Directly by Mail or Telephone. Send a signed letter of
instruction or stock power form to State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State
Street") which is the registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent
for each Fund. Stock power forms are available from your financial intermediary,
State Street, and many commercial banks. Additional documentation is required
for the sale of shares by corporations, financial intermediaries, fiduciaries
and surviving joint owners. Signature guarantees are required for all redemption
requests for shares with a value of more than $10,000 or where the redemption
proceeds are to be mailed to an address other than that shown in the account
registration. A signature guarantee must be provided by a bank or trust company
(not a Notary Public), a member firm of a domestic stock exchange or by other
financial institutions whose guarantees are acceptable to State Street.
Shareholders may withdraw amounts of $1,000 or more from their accounts
by calling the phone number on the front page of this Prospectus between the
hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.(Eastern time) each business day (i.e., any
weekday exclusive of days on which the Exchange or State Street's offices are
closed). The Exchange is closed on New Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday,
Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Redemption requests made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be processed using
the net asset value determined on the next business day. Such redemption
requests must include the shareholder's account name, as registered with a Fund,
and the account number. During periods of drastic economic or market changes,
shareholders may experience difficulty in effecting telephone redemptions.
Shareholders who are unable to reach a Fund by telephone should follow the
procedures outlined above for redemption by mail.
The telephone redemption service is not made available to shareholders
automatically. Shareholders wishing to use the telephone redemption service must
indicate this on the Share Purchase Application and choose how the redemption
proceeds are to be paid. Redemption proceeds will either (i) be mailed by check
to the shareholder at the address in which the account is registered or (ii) be
wired to an account with the same registration as the shareholder's account in a
Fund at a designated commercial bank. State Street currently deducts a $5 wire
charge from all redemption proceeds wired. This charge is subject to change
without notice. A shareholder who decides later to use this service, or to
change instructions already given, should fill out a Shareholder Services Form
and send it to State Street Bank and Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston,
Massachusetts 02205-9827, with such shareholder's signature guaranteed by a bank
or trust company (not a Notary Public), a member firm of a domestic stock
exchange or by other financial institutions whose guarantees are acceptable to
State Street. Shareholders should allow approximately ten days for such form to
be processed. The Funds will employ reasonable procedures to verify that
telephone requests are genuine. These procedures include requiring some form of
personal identification prior to acting upon instructions and tape recording of
conversations. If a Fund fails to follow such procedures, it may be liable for
any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. A Fund shall not be
liable for following telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine.
Also, the Funds reserve the right to refuse a telephone redemption request, if
it is believed advisable to do so. Financial intermediaries may charge a fee for
handling telephonic requests. The telephone redemption option may be suspended
or terminated at any time without notice.
General. The sale of shares is a taxable transaction for Federal tax purposes.
Under unusual circumstances, a Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payment
for up to seven days or longer, as permitted by Federal securities law. The
Funds reserve the right to close an account that through redemption has remained
below $1,000 for 30 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written notice to
increase the account value before the account is closed. The Funds have elected
to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 pursuant
to which each Fund is obligated to redeem shares solely in cash, up to the
lesser of $250,000 or 1% of a Fund's total net assets during any ninety day
period for any one shareholder. See the Statement of Additional Information for
further details.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
How To Exchange Shares. You may exchange some or all of your shares for shares
of the same Class in the other Evergreen mutual funds through your financial
intermediary, or by telephone or mail as described below. An exchange which
represents an initial investment in another Evergreen mutual fund must amount to
at least $1,000. Once an exchange request has been telephoned or mailed, it is
irrevocable and may not be modified or canceled. Exchanges will be made on the
basis of the relative net asset values of the shares exchanged next determined
after an exchange request is received. Exchanges are subject to minimum
investment and suitability requirements.
Each of the Evergreen mutual funds have different investment objectives
and policies. For complete information, a prospectus of the fund into which an
exchange will be made should be read prior to the exchange. An exchange is
treated for Federal income tax purposes as a redemption and purchase of shares
and may result in the realization of a capital gain or loss. Shareholders are
limited to five exchanges per calendar year, with a maximum of three per
calendar quarter. This exchange privilege may be modified or discontinued at any
time by the Fund upon sixty days' notice to shareholders and is only available
in states in which shares of the fund being acquired may lawfully be sold.
No CDSC will be imposed in the event Class B shares are exchanged for
Class B shares of other Evergreen mutual funds. If you redeem shares, the CDSC
applicable to the Class B shares of the Evergreen mutual fund originally
purchased for cash is applied. Also, Class B shares will continue to age
following an exchange for purposes of conversion to Class A shares and
determining the amount of the applicable CDSC.
Exchanges Through Your Financial Intermediary. A Fund must receive exchange
instructions from your financial intermediary before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for
you to receive that day's net asset value. Your financial intermediary is
responsible for furnishing all necessary documentation to a Fund and may charge
you for this service.
Exchanges by Telephone and Mail. You may exchange shares with a value of $1,000
or more by telephone by calling the telephone number on the front of this
Prospectus. Exchange requests made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be
processed using the net asset value determined on the next business day. During
periods of drastic economic or market changes, shareholders may experience
difficulty in effecting telephone exchanges. You should follow the procedures
outlined below for exchanges by mail if you are unable to reach State Street by
telephone. If you wish to use the telephone exchange service you should indicate
this on the Share Purchase Application. As noted above, each Fund will employ
reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions for the redemption or
exchange of shares communicated by telephone are genuine. A telephone exchange
may be refused by a Fund or State Street if it is believed advisable to do so.
Procedures for exchanging Fund shares by telephone may be modified or terminated
at any time. Written requests for exchanges should follow the same procedures
outlined for written redemption requests in the section entitled "How to Redeem
Shares", however, no signature guarantee is required.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The Funds offer the following shareholder services. For more
information about these services or your account, contact your financial
intermediary, EFD or the toll-free number the phone number on the front page of
this Prospectus.
Some services are described in more detail in the Share Purchase Application.
Systematic Investment Plan. You may make monthly or quarterly investments into
an existing account automatically in amounts of not less than $25.
Telephone Investment Plan. You may make investments into an existing account
electronically in amounts of not less than $100 or more than $10,000 per
investment. Telephone investment requests received by 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
will be credited to a shareholder's account the day the request is received.
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan. When an account of $10,000 or more is opened or
when an existing account reaches that size, you may participate in the
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan by filling out the appropriate part of the Share
Purchase Application. Under this plan, you may receive (or designate a third
party to receive) a monthly or quarterly check in a stated amount of not less
than $100. Fund shares will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal
payments. All participants must elect to have their dividends and capital gain
distributions reinvested automatically. Any applicable Class B CDSC will be
waived with respect to redemptions occurring under a Systematic Cash Withdrawal
Plan during a calendar year to the extent that such redemptions do not exceed
10% of (i) the initial value of the account plus (ii) the value, at the time of
purchase, of any subsequent investments.
Automatic Reinvestment Plan. For the convenience of investors, all dividends and
distributions are automatically reinvested in full and fractional shares of a
Fund at the net asset value per share on the last business day of each month,
unless otherwise requested by a shareholder in writing. If the transfer agent
does not receive a written request for subsequent dividends and/or distributions
to be paid in cash at least three full business days prior to a given record
date, the dividends and/or distributions to be paid to a shareholder will be
reinvested. If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash and the
U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the checks, or if the checks remain uncashed
for six months, the checks will be reinvested into your account at the then
current net asset value.
EFFECT OF BANKING LAWS
The Glass-Steagall Act and other banking laws and regulations presently
prohibit member banks of the Federal Reserve System ("Member Banks") or their
non-bank affiliates from sponsoring, organizing, controlling, or distributing
the shares of registered open-end investment companies such as the Funds. Such
laws and regulations also prohibit banks from issuing, underwriting or
distributing securities in general. However, under the Glass-Steagall Act and
such other laws and regulations, a Member Bank or an affiliate thereof may act
as investment adviser, transfer agent or custodian to a registered open-end
investment company and may also act as agent in connection with the purchase of
shares of such an investment company upon the order of their customer. Evergreen
Asset, since it is a subsidiary of FUNB, and CMG are subject to and in
compliance with the aforementioned laws and regulations.
Changes to applicable laws and regulations or future judicial or
administrative decisions could result in CMG or Evergreen Asset being prevented
from continuing to perform the services required under the investment advisory
contract or from acting as agent in connection with the purchase of shares of a
Fund by its customers. If CMG or Evergreen Asset were prevented from continuing
to provide the services called for under the investment advisory agreement, it
is expected that the Trustees would identify, and call upon each Fund's
shareholders to approve, a new investment adviser. If this were to occur, it is
not anticipated that the shareholders of any Fund would suffer any adverse
financial consequences.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER INFORMATION
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Income dividends are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributions of
any net realized gains of a Fund will be made at least annually. Shareholders
will begin to earn dividends on the first business day after shares are
purchased unless shares were not paid for, in which case dividends are not
earned until the next business day after payment is received. Each Fund has
qualified and intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated
investment company under the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code"). While so
qualified, so long as each Fund distributes all of its investment company
taxable income and any net realized gains to shareholders, it is expected that
the Funds will not be required to pay any Federal income taxes. A 4%
nondeductible excise tax will be imposed on a Fund if it does not meet certain
distribution requirements by the end of each calendar year. Each Fund
anticipates meeting such distribution requirements.
The Funds will designate and pay exempt-interest dividends derived from
interest earned on qualifying tax-exempt obligations. Such exempt-interest
dividends may be excluded by shareholders of a Fund from their gross income for
Federal income tax purposes, however (1) all or a portion of such
exempt-interest dividends may be a specific preference item for purposes of the
Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum taxes to the extent that
they are derived from certain types of private activity bonds issued after
August 7, 1986, and (2) all exempt-interest dividends will be a component of the
"adjusted current earnings" for purposes of the Federal corporate alternative
minimum tax.
Dividends paid from taxable income, if any, and distributions of any
net realized short-term capital gains (whether from tax exempt or taxable
obligations) are taxable as ordinary income and long-term capital gain
distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, even though received in
additional shares of the Fund, and regardless of the investors holding period
relating to the shares with respect to which such gains are distributed. Market
discount recognized on taxable and tax-exempt bonds is taxable as ordinary
income, not as excludable income. Under current law, the highest Federal income
tax rate applicable to net long-term gains realized by individuals is 28%. The
rate applicable to corporations is 35%.
Since each Fund's gross income is ordinarily expected to be tax exempt
interest income, it is not expected that the 70% dividends-received deduction
for corporations will be applicable. Specific questions should be addressed to
the investor's own tax adviser.
Each Fund is required by Federal law to withhold 31% of reportable
payments (which may include dividends, capital gains distributions (if any) and
redemptions) paid to certain shareholders. In order to avoid this backup
withholding requirement, each investor must certify on the Share Purchase
Application, or on a separate form supplied by State Street, that the investor's
social security or taxpayer identification number is correct and that the
investor is not currently subject to backup withholding or is exempt from backup
withholding.
For Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California, so long as
the Fund remains qualified under Subchapter M of the Code for federal purposes
and qualified as a diversified management investment company, then under current
California law, the Fund is entitled to pass through to its shareholders the
tax-exempt income it earns. To the extent that Fund dividends are derived from
earnings on California Municipal Securities, such dividends will be exempt from
California personal income taxes when received by the Fund's shareholders,
provided the Fund has complied with the requirement that at least 50% of its
assets be invested in California Municipal Securities. For California income tax
purposes, long-term capital gains distributions are taxable as ordinary income.
Statements describing the tax status of shareholders' dividends and
distributions will be mailed annually by the Funds. These statements will set
forth the amount of income exempt from Federal and, if applicable, state
taxation (including California), and the amount, if any, subject to Federal and
state taxation. Moreover, to the extent necessary, these statements will
indicate the amount of exempt-interest dividends which are a specific preference
item for purposes of the Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum
taxes. The exemption of interest income for Federal income tax purposes does not
necessarily result in exemption under the income or other tax law of any state
or local taxing authority. Investors should consult their own tax advisers about
the status of distributions from the Funds in their states and localities. Each
Fund notifies shareholders annually as to the interest exempt from Federal taxes
earned by the Fund.
A shareholder who acquires Class A shares of a Fund and sells or
otherwise disposes of such shares within 90 days of acquisition may not be
allowed to include certain sales charges incurred in acquiring such shares for
purposes of calculating gain and loss realized upon a sale or exchange of shares
of the Fund.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
A discussion of the performance of Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund for
their most recent fiscal year is set forth below. A similar discussion relating
to Evergreen High Grade Municipal Fund is contained in the annual report of such
Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1994.
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund. The Fund's total return for the
fiscal year ending August 31, 1994 was +1.42%, versus the Lehman Brothers 3-Year
Municipal Bond Index, which rose + 2.38%, and the Lehman Brothers 5-Year
Municipal Bond Index, which increased + 2.01%. As the economy picked up momentum
and the Federal Reserve started tightening, interest rates in the fixed-income
markets climbed in every maturity range. As a result, the Fund moved to a more
defensive position during the last half of the fiscal year in order to moderate
price volatility. The Fund's investment adviser reduced the Fund's weighted
average maturities and durations, and adjusted the holdings by selling
securities most sensitive to price declines in a rising environment such as
bonds trading at a discount. Proceeds were reinvested in premium-based, high
quality bonds. The strategy of the Fund as of August 31, 1994 was to remain
relatively short in the one to three-year range as we look to purchase
investment grade, non-callable bonds.
[CHART]
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund - California. The Fund's total
return for the fiscal year ending August 31, 1994 was 1.84%, versus the Lehman
Brothers 3-Year California Municipal Bond Index, which rose +2.38% and the
Lehman Brothers California Municipal Bond Index, which increased + 2.21%.
As the economy picked up momentum and the Federal Reserve started
tightening, interest rates in the fixed-income markets climbed in every maturity
range. As a result, the Fund moved to a more defensive position during the last
half of the fiscal year in order to moderate price volatility. The investment
adviser reduced the Fund's weighted average maturities and durations, and
adjusted the holdings by selling securities most sensitive to price declines in
a rising environment such as bonds trading at a discount. Proceeds were
reinvested in premium-based, high quality bonds. The strategy of the Fund
strategy as of August 31, 1994, is to remain relatively short in the one to
three-year range as we look to purchase investment grade, non callable bonds.
[CHART]
GENERAL INFORMATION
Portfolio Transactions. Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best
price and execution, a Fund may consider sales of its shares as a factor in the
selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions with the Fund.
Organization. Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund - California are separate investment series of
Evergreen Municipal Trust, a Massachusetts business trust organized in 1988.
Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund is a separate investment series of Evergreen
Investment Trust (formerly First Union Funds), which is a Massachusetts business
trust organized in 1984. The Funds do not intend to hold annual shareholder
meetings; shareholder meetings will be held only when required by applicable
law. Shareholders have available certain procedures for the removal of Trustees.
A shareholder in each class of a Fund will be entitled to his or her
share of all dividends and distributions from a Fund's assets, based upon the
relative value of such shares to those of other Classes of the Fund, and, upon
redeeming shares, will receive the then current net asset value of the Class of
shares of the Fund represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC.
Each Trust named above is empowered to establish, without shareholder approval,
additional investment series, which may have different investment objectives,
and additional classes of shares for any existing or future series. If an
additional series or class were established in a Fund, each share of the series
or class would normally be entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally,
shares of each series and class would vote together as a single class on
matters, such as the election of Directors, that affect each series and class in
substantially the same manner. Class A, B and Y shares have identical voting,
dividend, liquidation and other rights, except that each class bears, to the
extent applicable, its own distribution, shareholder service and transfer agency
expenses as well as any other expenses applicable only to a specific class. Each
class of shares votes separately with respect to Rule 12b-1 distribution plans
and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under
applicable law. Shares are entitled to dividends as determined by the Trustees
and, in liquidation of a Fund, are entitled to receive the net assets of the
Fund.
Registrar, Transfer Agent and Dividend-Disbursing Agent. State Street Bank and
Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827 acts as each
Fund's registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based
upon the number of shareholder accounts maintained for the Funds. The transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class B shares will be higher than the transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class A shares.
Principal Underwriter. EFD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Furman Selz
Incorporated, located 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, is the
principal underwriter of the Funds. Furman Selz Incorporated, also acts as
sub-administrator to Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund and which provides
certain sub-administrative services to Evergreen Asset in connection with its
role as investment adviser to Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund and
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund - California, including providing
personnel to serve as officers of the Funds.
Other Classes of Shares. Each Fund currently offers three classes of shares,
Class A, Class B and Class Y, and may in the future offer additional classes.
Class Y shares are not offered by this Prospectus and are only available to (i)
all shareholders of record in one or more of the Evergreen mutual funds for
which Evergreen Asset serves as investment adviser as of December 30, 1994, (ii)
certain institutional investors and (iii) investment advisory clients of CMG,
Evergreen Asset or their affiliates. The dividends payable with respect to Class
A and Class B shares will be less than those payable with respect to Class Y
shares due to the distribution and distribution related expenses borne by Class
A and Class B shares and the fact that such expenses are not borne by Class Y
shares.
Performance Information. A Fund's performance may be quoted in advertising in
terms of yield or total return. Both types of performance are based on
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") formulas and are not intended to
indicate future performance.
Yield is a way of showing the rate of income a Fund earns on its
investments as a percentage of the Fund's share price. A Fund's yield is
calculated according to accounting methods that are standardized by the SEC for
all stock and bond funds. Because yield accounting methods differ from the
method used for other accounting purposes, a Fund's yield may not equal its
distribution rate, the income paid to your account or the income reported in a
Fund's financial statements. To calculate yield, a Fund takes the interest
income it earned from its portfolio of investments (as defined by the SEC
formula) for a 30-day period (net of expenses), divides it by the average number
of shares entitled to receive dividends, and expresses the result as an
annualized percentage rate based on a Fund's share price at the end of the
30-day period. This yield does not reflect gains or losses from selling
securities.
A Fund may also quote tax-equivalent yields, which show the taxable
yields an investor would have to earn before taxes to equal the Fund's tax-free
yields. A tax-equivalent yield is calculated by dividing a Fund's tax-exempt
yield by the result of one minus a stated Federal tax rate. If only a portion of
a Fund's income was tax-exempt, only that portion is adjusted in the
calculation.
Total returns are based on the overall dollar or percentage change in
the value of a hypothetical investment in a Fund. A Fund's total return shows
its overall change in value including changes in share prices and assumes all a
Fund's distributions are reinvested. A cumulative total return reflects a Fund's
performance over a stated period of time. An average annual total return
reflects the hypothetical annually compounded return that would have produced
the same cumulative total return if a Fund's performance had been constant over
the entire period. Because average annual total returns tend to smooth out
variations in a Fund's return, you should recognize that they are not the same
as actual year-by-year results. To illustrate the components of overall
performance, a Fund may separate its cumulative and average annual total returns
into income results and realized and unrealized gain or loss.
Comparative performance information may also be used from time to time
in advertising or marketing a Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Morningstar and other industry publications. The Fund
may also advertise in items of sales literature an "actual distribution rate"
which is computed by dividing the total ordinary income distributed (which may
include the excess of short-term capital gains over losses) to shareholders for
the latest twelve month period by the maximum public offering price per share on
the last day of the period. Investors should be aware that past performance may
not be reflective of future results.
Liability Under Massachusetts Law. Under Massachusetts law, trustees and
shareholders of a business trust may, in certain circumstances, be held
personally liable for its obligations. The Declaration of Trust under which each
Fund operates provide that no Trustee or shareholder will be personally liable
for the obligations of the Trust and that every written contract made by the
Trust contain a provision to that effect. If any Trustee or shareholder were
required to pay any liability of the Trust, that person would be entitled to
reimbursement from the general assets of the Trust.
Additional Information. This Prospectus and the Statement of Additional
Information, which have been incorporated by reference herein, do not contain
all the information set forth in the Registration Statements filed by the Trusts
with the Commission under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration
Statements may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may be
examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX -- CALIFORNIA RISK CONSIDERATIONS
The following information as to certain California risk factors is
given to investors in view of the policy of Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund-California of investing primarily in California state and
municipal issuers. The information is based primarily upon information derived
from public documents relating to securities offerings of California state and
municipal issuers, from independent municipal credit reports and historically
reliable sources but has not been independently verified by the Fund.
Changes in California constitutional and other laws during the last
several years have raised questions about the ability of California state and
municipal issuers to obtain sufficient revenue to pay their bond obligations. In
1978, California voters approved an amendment to the California Constitution
known as Proposition 13. Proposition 13 limits ad valorem taxes on real property
and restricts the ability of taxing entities to increase real property taxes.
Legislation passed subsequent to Proposition 13, however, provided for the
redistribution of California's General Fund surplus to local agencies, the
reallocation of revenues to local agencies, and the assumption of certain local
obligations by the state so as to help California municipal issuers to raise
revenue to pay their bond obligations. It is unknown, however, whether
additional revenue redistribution legislation will be enacted in the future and
whether, if enacted, such legislation would provide sufficient revenue for such
California issuers to pay their obligations. The state is also subject to
another constitutional amendment, Article XIIIB, which may have an adverse
impact on California state and municipal issuers. Article XIIIB restricts the
state from spending certain appropriations in excess of an appropriations limit
imposed for each state and local government entity. If revenues exceed such
appropriations limit, such revenues must be returned either as revisions in the
tax rates or fee schedules. Because of the uncertain impact of the
aforementioned statutes and cases, the possible inconsistencies in the
respective terms of the statutes and the impossibility of predicting the level
of future appropriations and applicability of related statutes to such
questions, it is not currently possible to assess the impact of such
legislation, cases and policies on the long-term ability of California state and
municipal issuers to pay interest or repay principal on their obligations.
California's economy is larger than many sovereign nations. During the
1980s, California experienced growth rates well in excess of the rest of the
nation. The state's major employment sectors are services, trade, and
manufacturing. Industrial concentration is in electronics, aerospace, and
non-electrical equipment. Also significant are agriculture and oil production.
Key sectors of California's economy have been severely affected by the
recession. Since May of 1990, job losses total over 850,000. Declines in the
aerospace and high technology sectors have been especially severe. The
continuing drive in population and labor force growth has produced higher
unemployment rates in the state. Although total job loss has declined, weakness
continues in key areas of California's economy, including government, real
estate and aerospace. Wealth levels still remain high in the state, although the
difference between state and national levels continues to narrow.
In July of 1994, both S&P and Moody's lowered the general obligation
bond ratings of the state of California. These revisions reflect the state's
heavy reliance on the short-term note market to finance its cash imbalance and
the likelihood that this exposure will persist for at least another two years.
For more information on these ratings revisions and the state's current budget,
please refer to the Statement of Additional Information.
Orange County Bankruptcy. On December 6, 1994, Orange County, California,
petitioned for bankruptcy based on losses in the Orange County Investment Fund
which at the time were estimated to be approximately $2 billion. At the time of
the petition, the Orange County Investment Fund held monies belonging to Orange
County as well as other municipal issuers located in Orange County and other
parts of California. Although the ultimate resolution of this matter is
uncertain, one possible result is that the ability of municipal issuers
investing in the Orange County Investment Fund to service some or all of their
outstanding debt obligations may be severely impaired.
As of December 6, 1994, Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund -
California did not hold debt obligations of Orange County or other issuers that
the Fund is aware had invested in the Orange County Investment Fund. Although it
has no current intention to do so, if it deems it advisable, the Fund reserves
the right from time to time to make investments in municipal issuers who
maintain assets in the Orange County Investment Fund.
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Evergreen Asset Management Corp., 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York
10577
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND, EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE
MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA
Capital Mangement Group of First Union Bank, 201 South College Street,
Charlotte, North Carolina 28288
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND
CUSTODIAN & TRANSFER AGENT
State Street Bank & Trust Company, Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827
LEGAL COUNSEL
Sullivan & Worcester, 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
Price Waterhouse LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND,
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND
DISTRIBUTOR
Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
536119
<PAGE>
PROSPECTUS July 7, 1995
EVERGREEN(SM) TAX FREE FUNDS
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA
CLASS Y SHARES
The Evergreen Tax-Free Funds (the "Funds") are designed to provide
investors with income exempt from Federal income taxes. This Prospectus
provides information regarding the Class Y shares offered by the Funds.
Each Fund is, or is a series of, an open-end, diversified, management
investment company. This Prospectus sets forth concise information about
the Funds that a prospective investor should know before investing. The
address of the Funds is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York 10577.
A "Statement of Additional Information" for the Funds and certain
other funds in the Evergreen Group of mutual funds dated July 7, 1995 has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated
by reference herein. The Statement of Additional Information provides
information regarding certain matters discussed in this Prospectus and
other matters which may be of interest to investors, and may be obtained
without charge by calling the Funds at (800) 235-0064. There can be no
assurance that the investment objective of any Fund will be achieved.
Investors are advised to read this Prospectus carefully.
THE SHARES OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF
FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, ARE NOT ENDORSED OR
GUARANTEED BY FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, AND ARE NOT
INSURED OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND
INVOLVE RISK, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRINCIPAL.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
KEEP THIS PROSPECTUS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
EVERGREEN(SM) is a Service Mark of Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
Copyright 1995, Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS
EXPENSE INFORMATION
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
Investment Objectives and Policies
Investment Practices and Restrictions
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Investment Advisers
Distribution Plans and Agreements
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
How to Buy Shares
How to Redeem Shares
Exchange Privilege
Shareholder Services
Effect of Banking Laws
OTHER INFORMATION
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Management's Discussion of Fund Performance
General Information
APPENDIX -- California Risk Considerations
</TABLE>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information contained elsewhere in this Prospectus. See "Description of the
Funds" and "Management of the Funds".
The Investment Adviser to EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND and
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA is Evergreen Asset
Management Corp. ("Evergreen Asset") which, with its predecessors, has served as
an investment adviser to the Evergreen Funds since 1971. Evergreen Asset is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union National Bank of North Carolina ("FUNB"),
which in turn is a subsidiary of First Union Corporation, one of the ten largest
bank holding companies in the United States. The Capital Management Group of
FUNB ("CMG") serves as investment adviser to EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND.
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND (formerly First Union High Grade Tax
Free Portfolio) seeks to provide a high level of federally tax-free income that
is consistent with preservation of capital.
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND seeks as high a level of
current income, exempt from Federal income tax other than the alternative
minimum tax ("AMT"), as is consistent with preserving capital and providing
liquidity. The Fund invests substantially all of its assets in short and
intermediate-term municipal securities with a dollar weighted average portfolio
maturity of two to five years.
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA seeks as high a
level of current income exempt from Federal and California income taxes as is
consistent with preserving capital and providing liquidity. The Fund invests
substantially all of its assets in short and intermediate-term municipal
securities with a dollar weighted average portfolio maturity of two to five
years.
THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT THE INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE OF ANY FUND WILL BE
ACHIEVED.
2
<PAGE>
EXPENSE INFORMATION
The table set forth below summarizes the shareholder transaction costs
associated with an investment in the Class Y Shares of the Fund. For further
information see "Purchase and Redemption of Shares".
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES
<S> <C>
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases None
Sales Charge on Dividend Reinvestments None
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge None
Redemption Fee None
Exchange Fee (only applies after 4 exchanges per
year) $ 5.00
</TABLE>
The following table shows for the Fund the estimated annual operating
expenses (as a percentage of average net assets) attributable to Class Y Shares,
together with examples of the cumulative effect of such expenses on a
hypothetical $1,000 investment for the periods specified assuming (i) a 5%
annual return and (ii) redemption at the end of each period.
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND (A)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING
EXPENSES* EXAMPLE
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .37%
After 1 Year $ 7
Administrative Fees .06%
After 3 Years $ 21
12b-1 Fees --
After 5 Years $ 37
Other Expenses .23%
After 10 Years $ 82
Total .66%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING
EXPENSES** EXAMPLE
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50%
After 1 Year $ 8
12b-1 Fees --
After 3 Years $ 26
Other Expenses .33%
After 5 Years $ 46
After 10 Years $ 103
Total .83%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE FUND -- CALIFORNIA
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ANNUAL OPERATING
EXPENSES** EXAMPLE
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .55%
After 1 Year $ 10
12b-1 Fees --
After 3 Years $ 30
Other Expenses .40%
After 5 Years $ 53
After 10 Years $ 117
Total .95%
</TABLE>
3
<PAGE>
(a) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of Evergreen
National Tax Free Fund and First Union High Grade Tax Free Portfolio.
* CMG has agreed to limit the expenses (including the Advisor's fee, but
excluding taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, Rule 12b-1 distribution
fees, shareholder services fees and extraordinary expenses) of EVERGREEN HIGH
GRADE TAX FREE FUND to .66 of 1% for a period of at least one year from the
date of this Prospectus and to consult with the Trustees of the Funds prior
to discontinuing such limitation after the one year period.
** The annual operating expenses and examples do not reflect fee waivers and
expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal period. Actual expenses for
Class Y Shares net of fee waivers and expense reimbursements for the fiscal
period ended August 31, 1994, were as follows:
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE FUND............................................... .58%
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE FUND -- CALIFORNIA................................. .52%
</TABLE>
Evergreen Asset has agreed to reimburse EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE
MUNICIPAL FUND and EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CALIFORNIA to
the extent that their aggregate operating expenses (including the Adviser's fee,
but excluding taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, Rule 12b-1 distribution
fees and shareholder servicing fees and extraordinary expenses) exceed 1% of the
average net assets.
From time to time, each Fund's investment adviser may, at its descretion,
reduce or waive its fees or reimburse the Funds for certain of their expenses in
order to reduce their expense ratios. Each Fund's investment adviser may cease
these waivers and reimbursements at any time.
The purpose of the foregoing table is to assist an investor in
understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in Class Y will
bear directly or indirectly. The amounts set forth both in the tables and in the
examples are estimated amounts based on the experience of each Fund for the most
recent fiscal period. Such expenses have been restated to reflect current fee
arrangements. THE EXAMPLES SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A REPRESENTATION OF PAST OR
FUTURE EXPENSES OR ANNUAL RETURN. ACTUAL EXPENSES AND ANNUAL RETURN MAY BE
GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN. For a more complete description of the various
costs and expenses borne by the Funds see "Management of the Funds". As a result
of asset-based sales charges, long-term shareholders may pay more than the
economic equivalent of the
maximum front-end sales charges permitted under the rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
4
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The tables on the following pages present, for each Fund, financial
highlights for a share outstanding throughout each period indicated. The
information in the tables for the five most recent fiscal years or the life of
the Fund if shorter for EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND has been audited by
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, the Fund's independent auditors, for EVERGREEN SHORT
INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND and EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL
FUND -- CALIFORNIA has, except as noted otherwise, been audited by Price
Waterhouse LLP, each Fund's independent auditors. A report of KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP or Price Waterhouse LLP, as the case may be, on the audited information with
respect to each Fund is incorporated by reference in the Fund's Statement of
Additional Information. The following information for each Fund should be read
in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes which are
incorporated by reference in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
No financial highlights are shown for Class A or B of EVERGREEN SHORT
INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CALIFORNIA since these classes did not have any
operations prior to February 28, 1995.
Further information about a Fund's performance is contained in the Fund's
annual report to shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A
SHARES CLASS B CLASS Y
SHARES SHARES
FEBRUARY 21, JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 1992* THROUGH YEAR ENDED 1993* THROUGH 1994* THROUGH
31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1992 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of
period.............................. $11.16 $10.42 $10.00 $11.16 $10.42 $10.93
Income (loss) from investment
operations:
Net investment income................. .52 .54 .51 .46 .47 .46
Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss) on investments............... (1.37) .81 .42 (1.37) .81 (1.14)
Total from investment operations.... (.85) 1.35 .93 (.91) 1.28 (.68)
Less distributions to shareholders
from:
Net investment income................. (.52) (.54) (.51) (.46) (.47) (.46)
Net realized gains.................... -- (.07) -- -- (.07) --
Total distributions................. (.52) (.61) (.51) (.46) (.54) (.46)
Net asset value, end of period........ $9.79 $11.16 $10.42 $9.79 $11.16 $9.79
TOTAL RETURN+......................... (7.7%) 13.3% 9.4% (8.2%) 12.4% (6.3%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period
(000's omitted)..................... $57,676 $101,352 $ 90,738 $ 32,435 $ 41,030 $4,318
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)........................ 1.01% .85% .49%++ 1.58% 1.35%++ .76%++
Net investment income (a)........... 5.04% 4.99% 5.79%++ 4.47% 4.44%++ 5.46%++
Portfolio turnover rate............... 53% 14% 7% 53% 14% 53%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS
CLASS B SHARES Y SHARES
FEBRUARY 21, JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED 1992 THROUGH YEAR ENDED 1993 THROUGH 1994 THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1992 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.................................. 1.02% 1.07% 1.11% 1.59% 1.57% .77%
Net investment income..................... 5.03% 4.77% 5.17% 4.46% 4.22% 5.45%
</TABLE>
5
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CLASS Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED
FEBRUARY 28,
1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992**
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period......................... $10.21 $10.58 $10.33 $10.00
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income........................................ .23 .47 .49 .51
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments....... (.16) (.32) .25 .33
Total from investment operations........................... .07 .15 .74 .84
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income........................................ (.23) (.47) (.49) (.51)
Net realized gains........................................... -- (.03) -- --
In excess of net realized gains.............................. -- (.02)(b) -- --
Total distributions........................................ (.23) (.52) (.49) (.51)
Net asset value, end of period............................... $10.05 $10.21 $10.58 $10.33
TOTAL RETURN+................................................ .7% 1.4% 7.4% 8.6%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted).................... $44,408 $53,417 $66,607 $54,470
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................................... .72++ .58% .40% .17%
Net investment income (a).................................. 4.54%++ 4.54% 4.73% 4.85%
Portfolio turnover rate...................................... 8% 32% 37% 57%
<CAPTION>
JULY 17, 1991*
THROUGH
AUGUST 31, 1991**
<S> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period......................... $10.00
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income........................................ .06
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments....... --
Total from investment operations........................... .06
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income........................................ (.06)
Net realized gains........................................... --
In excess of net realized gains.............................. --
Total distributions........................................ (.06)
Net asset value, end of period............................... $10.00
TOTAL RETURN+................................................ .6%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted).................... $4,025
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................................... 0%++
Net investment income (a).................................. 4.93%++
Portfolio turnover rate...................................... --
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
** On November 18, 1991, the Fund was changed to a diversified municipal bond
fund with a fluctuating net asset value per share from a non-diversified
money market fund with a stable net asset value per share. The shares
outstanding at August 31, 1991 and the related per share data are restated
to reflect both a 1 for 2 reverse share split on October 30, 1991 and a 1
for 5 reverse share split on August 19, 1992. Total return calculated after
November 18, 1991 reflects the fluctuation in net asset value per share.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value for the period indicated and is
not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED
FEBRUARY 28, JULY 17, 1991
1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, THROUGH AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.............................. .84% .83% .81% .86% 1.40%
Net investment income................. 4.42% 4.29% 4.32% 4.16% 3.53%
</TABLE>
(b) Distributions in excess of net realized gains were the result of certain
book and tax timing differences. These distributions did not represent a
return of capital for federal income tax purposes.
6
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CLASS A AND B SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES
JANUARY 5, 1995*
THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UNAUDITED)
<S> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period....................................................... $9.97 $9.97
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income...................................................................... .07 .06
Net realized and unrealized gain on investments............................................ .09 .08
Total from investment operations......................................................... .16 .14
Less distributions to shareholders from net investment income.............................. (.07) (.06)
Net asset value, end of period............................................................. $10.06 $10.05
TOTAL RETURN+ 1.6% 1.4%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted).................................................. $7,736 $2,564
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................................................................. .61%++ 1.41%++
Net investment income (a)................................................................ 3.81%++ 3.30%++
Portfolio turnover rate**.................................................................. 8% 8%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of class operations.
** Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the six months period ended
February 28, 1995.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized. Due to the recent commencement of their offering, the ratios for
Class A and Class B shares are not necessarily comparable to that of the
Class Y shares, and are not necessarily indicative of future ratios.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed by or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income, exclusive of any
applicable state expense limitations, would have been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES
JANUARY 5, 1995
THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 1995
(UAUDITED)
<S> <C> <C>
Expenses......................................................... .88% 1.98%
Net investment income............................................ 3.54% 2.73%
</TABLE>
7
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN SHORT INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND -- CALIFORNIA -- CLASS Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED
FEBRUARY 28,
1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993** 1992** 1991** 1990**
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period..... $10.09 $10.34 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income.................... .20 .43 .41 .33 .47 .55
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments......................... (.15) (.24) .34 -- -- --
Total from investment operations....... .05 .19 .75 .33 .47 .55
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income.................... (.20) (.43) (.41) (.33) (.47) (.55)
Net realized gains....................... (.03) (.01) -- -- -- --
Total distributions.................... (.23) (.44) (.41) (.33) (.47) (.55)
Net asset value, end of period........... $9.91 $10.09 $10.34 $10.00 $10.00 $10.00
TOTAL RETURN+............................ .6% 1.8% 7.6% 3.4% 4.8% 5.7%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's
omitted)............................... $23,426 $28,433 $30,136 $34,452 $42,022 $37,291
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)........................... .79++ .52% .30% .40% .37% .29%
Net investment income (a).............. 4.15++ 4.20% 3.96% 3.36% 4.66% 5.52%
Portfolio turnover rate.................. 13% 12% 37% -- -- --
<CAPTION>
NOVEMBER 2,
1988* THROUGH
AUGUST 31, 1989**
<S> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period..... $10.00
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income.................... .51
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments......................... --
Total from investment operations....... .51
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income.................... (.51)
Net realized gains....................... --
Total distributions.................... (.51)
Net asset value, end of period........... $10.00
TOTAL RETURN+............................ 5.2%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's
omitted)............................... $28,266
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)........................... .24%++
Net investment income (a).............. 6.40++
Portfolio turnover rate.................. --
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
** On October 16, 1992, the Fund was converted to a short-intermediate
municipal fund with a fluctuating net asset value per share from a money
market fund with a stable net asset value per share. The shares outstanding
and the related per share data for the fiscal years ended August 31, 1990
through August 31, 1992 are restated to reflect the 1 for 10 reverse share
split on October 21, 1992. Total return calculated after October 16, 1992
reflects the fluctuation in net asset value per share.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value for the period indicated and is
not annualized.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIX MONTHS
ENDED
FEBRUARY 28, NOVEMBER 2, 1988
1995 YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, THROUGH AUGUST 31,
(UNAUDITED) 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses............ .99% .95% .98% .84% .85% .88% .93%
Net investment
income............ 3.95% 3.77% 3.28% 2.92% 4.18% 4.93% 5.71%
</TABLE>
8
<PAGE>
9
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund
The Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund seeks a high level of federally
tax free income that is consistent with preservation of capital. At least 65% of
the value of the total assets of Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund will be
invested in high grade bonds. High grade bonds mean: bonds insured by a
municipal bond insurance company which is rated AAA by Standard & Poor's Ratings
Group ("S&P") and/or Aaa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"); bonds
rated A or better by S&P or Moody's; or, if unrated, of comparable quality as
determined by the Fund's investment adviser. The insurance guarantees the timely
payment of principal and interest, but not the value of the municipal bonds or
the shares of the Fund. See the section "Investment Practices and Restrictions"
- - "Municipal Bond Insurance" for further information.
The Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund may also purchase instruments
having variable rates of interest. One example is variable amount demand master
notes. These notes represent a borrowing arrangement between a commercial paper
issuer (borrower) and an institutional lender, such as the Fund and are payable
upon demand. The underlying amount of the loan may vary during the course of the
contract, as may the interest on the outstanding amount, depending on a stated
short-term interest rate index.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund
The investment objective of Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund
is to achieve as high a level of current income, exempt from Federal income tax
other than the Federal alternative minimum tax("AMT") for individuals and
corporations, as is consistent with preserving capital and providing liquidity.
Under normal circumstances, it is anticipated that the Fund will invest its
assets so that at least 80% of its annual interest income is exempt from Federal
income tax other than the AMT. The Fund will seek to achieve its objective by
investing substantially all of its assets in a diversified portfolio of short
and intermediate-term debt obligations issued by states, territories and
possessions of the United States and by the District of Columbia, and their
political subdivisions and duly constituted authorities, the interest from which
is exempt from Federal income tax other than the AMT. Such securities are
generally known as Municipal Securities (See "Investment Practices and
Restrictions" - "Municipal Securities" below). As a matter of policy, the
Trustees will not change the Fund's investment objective without shareholder
approval.
Under current tax law, a distinction is drawn between Municipal
Securities issued to finance certain "private activities" and other Municipal
Securities. Such private activity bonds include bonds issued to finance such
projects as airports, housing projects, resource recovery programs, solid waste
disposal facilities, student loan programs, and water and sewage projects.
Interest income from such "private activity bonds" ("AMT-Subject Bonds") becomes
an item of "tax preference" which is subject to the alternative minimum tax when
received by a person in a tax year during which he is subject to that tax.
Because interest income on AMT-Subject Bonds is taxable to certain investors, it
is expected, although there can be no guarantee, that such Municipal Securities
generally will provide somewhat higher yields than other Municipal Securities of
comparable quality and maturity. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its total
assets in AMT-Subject Bonds.
The Fund intends to maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio
maturity of two to five years. The Fund may consider an obligation's maturity to
be shorter than its stated maturity if the Fund has the right to sell the
obligation at a price approximating par value before its stated maturity date.
This is a liquidity put and is exercisable to the issuer or some third party.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California
The investment objective of Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund-California is to achieve as high a level of current income exempt from
Federal and California income taxes, as is consistent with preserving capital
and providing liquidity. The Fund will seek to achieve its objective by
investing at least 80% of the value of its assets in a diversified portfolio of
short and intermediate-term debt obligations issued by the State of California,
its political subdivisions and duly constituted authorities, the interest from
which is exempt from Federal and California income taxes. Such securities are
generally known as Municipal Securities (see "Investment Practices and
Restrictions" - "Municipal Securities" below).
Interest income on certain types of bonds issued after August 7, 1986,
to finance nongovernmental activities is an item of "tax preference" subject to
AMT . To the extent the Fund invests in these "private activity" bonds (some of
which were formerly referred to as "industrial development" bonds), individual
and corporate shareholders, depending on their status, may be subject to AMT on
the part of the Fund's distributions derived from the bonds. As a matter of
fundamental policy, which may not be changed without shareholder approval, the
Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in Municipal Securities, the
interest from which is not subject to AMT .
The Fund intends to maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio
maturity of two to five years. The Fund may consider an obligation's maturity to
be shorter than its stated maturity if the Fund has the right to sell the
obligation at a price approximating par value before its stated maturity date.
This is a liquidity put and is exercisable to the issuer or some third party.
The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies which are
discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below.
INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RESTRICTIONS
Except where noted, each Fund may engage in the investment practices
described below. Each Fund is also subject to certain investment restrictions
more fully described in the Statement of Additional Information.
General. Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund, Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California will
invest in Municipal Securities so long as they are determined to be of high or
upper medium quality. Municipal Securities meeting this criteria include bonds
rated A or higher by S&P, Moody's or another nationally recognized statistical
rating organization ("SRO"); notes rated SP-1 or SP-2 by S&P or MIG-1 or MIG-2
by Moody's or rated VMIG-1 or VMIG-2 by Moody's in the case of variable rate
demand notes or having comparable ratings from another SRO; and commercial paper
rated A-1 or A-2 by S&P or Prime-1 or Prime-2 by Moody's or having comparable
ratings from another SRO. Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund may also invest in
general obligation bonds which are rated BBB by S&P, Baa by Moody's or bear a
similar rating from another SRO. Medium grade bonds are more susceptible to
adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances than higher grade bonds.
However, like the higher rated bonds, these securities are considered to be
investment grade. For a description of such ratings see the Statement of
Additional Information. The Funds may also purchase Municipal Securities which
are unrated at the time of purchase, if such securities are determined by the
Fund's investment adviser to be of comparable quality. Certain Municipal
Securities (primarily variable rate demand notes) may be entitled to the benefit
of standby letters of credit or similar commitments issued by banks and, in such
instances, the Fund's investment adviser will take into account the obligation
of the bank in assessing the quality of such security. Investments by Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California in unrated securities are limited
to 20% of total assets.
The ability of the Funds to meet their investment objectives is
necessarily subject to the ability of municipal issuers to meet their payment
obligations. In addition, the portfolios of the Funds will be affected by
general changes in interest rates which will result in increases or decreases in
the value of the obligations held by the Funds. Investors should recognize that,
in periods of declining interest rates, the yield of the Funds will tend to be
somewhat higher than prevailing market rates, and in periods of rising interest
rates, the yield of the Funds will tend to be somewhat lower. Also, when
interest rates are falling, the inflow of net new money to the Funds from the
continuous sale of its shares will likely be invested in portfolio instruments
producing lower yields than the balance of each Fund's portfolio, thereby
reducing the current yield of the Funds. In periods of rising interest rates,
the opposite can be expected to occur. In addition since Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California will invest primarily in California
Municipal Securities, there are certain specific factors and considerations
concerning California which may affect the credit and market risk of the
Municipal Securities that Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California
purchases. These factors are described in the Appendix to this Prospectus.
Municipal Securities. As noted above, the Funds will invest substantially all of
their assets in Municipal Securities. These include Municipal Securities,
short-term municipal notes and tax exempt commercial paper. "Municipal
Securities" are debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public
purposes that are exempt from Federal income tax in the opinion of issuer's
counsel. The two principal classifications of Municipal Securities are "general
obligation" and "revenue" bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the
issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of
principal and interest. Revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived
from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the
proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific source such as from the user
of the facility being financed. The term "Municipal Securities" also includes
"moral obligation" issues which are normally issued by special purpose
authorities. Industrial development bonds ("IDBs") and private activity bonds
("PABs") are in most cases revenue bonds and are not payable from the
unrestricted revenues of the issuer. The credit quality of IDBs and PABs is
usually directly related to the credit standing of the corporate user of the
facilities being financed. Participation interests are interests in Municipal
Securities, including IDBs and PABs, and floating and variable rate obligations
that are owned by banks. These interests carry a demand feature permitting the
holder to tender them back to the bank, which demand feature is backed by an
irrevocable letter of credit or guarantee of the bank. A put bond is a municipal
bond which gives the holder the unconditional right to sell the bond back to the
issuer at a specified price and exercise date, which is typically well in
advance of the bond's maturity date. "Short-term municipal notes" and "tax
exempt commercial paper" include tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation
notes, revenue anticipation notes and other forms of short-term loans. Such
notes are issued with a short-term maturity in anticipation of the receipt of
tax funds, the proceeds of bond placements and other revenues.
Municipal Bond Insurance. The Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund will require
municipal bond insurance when purchasing Municipal Securities which would not
otherwise meet the Fund's quality standards. The Evergreen High Grade Tax Free
Fund may also require insurance when, in the opinion of the Fund's investment
adviser, such insurance would benefit the Fund (for example, through improvement
of portfolio quality or increased liquidity of certain securities). The purpose
of municipal bond insurance is to guarantee the timely payment of principal at
maturity and interest.
Securities in the Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund's portfolio may be
insured in one of two ways: (1) by a policy applicable to a specific security,
obtained by the issuer of the security or by a third party ("Issuer-Obtained
Insurance") or (2) under master insurance policies issued by municipal bond
insurers, purchased by the Fund (the "Policies"). If a security's coverage is
Issuer-Obtained, then that security does not need to be covered in the Policies.
The Fund may purchase Policies from Municipal Bond Investors Assurance Corp.,
AMBAC Indemnity Corporation, and Financial Guaranty Insurance Company, or any
other municipal bond insurer which is rated Aaa by Moody's or AAA by S&P. A more
detailed description of these insurers may be found in the Statement of
Additional Information. Annual premiums for these Policies are paid by the Fund
and are estimated to range from 0.10% to 0.25% of the value of the municipal
securities covered under the Policies, with an average annual premium rate of
approximately 0.175%. While the insurance feature reduces financial risk, the
cost thereof and the restrictions on investments imposed by the guidelines in
the Policies reduce the yield to shareholders.
Floating Rate and Variable Rate Obligations. Municipal Securities also include
certain variable rate and floating rate municipal obligations with or without
demand features. These variable rate securities do not have fixed interest
rates; rather, those rates fluctuate based upon changes in specified market
rates, such as the prime rate, or are adjusted at predesignated periodic
intervals. Certain of these obligations may carry a demand feature that gives
the Funds the right to demand prepayment of the principal amount of the security
prior to its maturity date. The demand obligation may or may not be backed by
letters of credit or other guarantees of banks or other financial institutions.
Such guarantees may enhance the quality of the security. The Funds will limit
the value of their investments in any floating or variable rate securities which
are not readily marketable to 10% or less of their total assets.
When-Issued Securities. The Funds may purchase securities on a "when-issued"
basis (i.e., for delivery beyond the normal settlement date at a stated price
and yield). A Fund generally would not pay for such securities or start earning
interest on them until they are received. However, when a Fund purchases
securities on a when-issued basis, it assumes the risks of ownership at the time
of purchase, not at the time of receipt. Failure of the issuer to deliver a
security purchased by a Fund on a when-issued basis may result in the Fund
incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to make an alternative investment.
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund do not expect that commitments to purchase
when-issued securities will normally exceed 25% of their total assets and
Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund does not expect that such commitments will
exceed 20% of its assets. The Funds do not intend to purchase when-issued
securities for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of their investment
objective.
Stand-by Commitments. The Funds may also acquire "stand-by commitments" with
respect to Municipal Securities held in their portfolio. Under a stand-by
commitment, a dealer agrees to purchase, at a Fund's option, specified Municipal
Securities at a specified price. Failure of the dealer to purchase such
Municipal Securities may result in a Fund incurring a loss or missing an
opportunity to make an alternative investment. Each Fund expects that stand-by
commitments generally will be available without the payment of direct or
indirect consideration. However, if necessary and advisable, a Fund may pay for
stand-by commitments either separately in cash or by paying a higher price for
portfolio securities which are acquired subject to such a commitment (thus
reducing the yield to maturity otherwise available for the same securities). The
total amount paid in either manner for outstanding stand-by commitments held in
each Fund's portfolio will not exceed 10% of the value of the Fund's total
assets calculated immediately after each stand-by commitment is acquired. The
Funds will maintain cash or liquid high grade debt obligations in a segregated
account with its custodian in an amount equal to such commitments. The Funds
will enter into stand-by commitments only with banks and broker-dealers that, in
the judgment of the Fund's investment adviser, present minimal credit risks.
Taxable Investments. Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California may temporarily invest up to 20% of
their assets in taxable securities, and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund may temporarily invest its assets so that not more than 20% of its annual
interest income will be derived from taxable securities, under any one or more
of the following circumstances: (a) pending investment of proceeds of sale of
Fund shares or of portfolio securities, (b) pending settlement of purchases of
portfolio securities, and (c) to maintain liquidity for the purpose of meeting
anticipated redemptions. In addition, each such Fund may temporarily invest more
than 20% of its total assets in taxable securities for defensive purposes. Each
Fund may invest for defensive purposes during periods when each Fund's assets
available for investment exceed the available Municipal Securities that meet
each Fund's quality and other investment criteria. Taxable securities in which
the Funds may invest on a short-term basis include obligations of the United
States Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, including repurchase
agreements with banks or securities dealers involving such securities; time
deposits maturing in not more than seven days; other debt securities rated
within the two highest ratings assigned by any major rating service; commercial
paper rated in the highest grade by Moody's, S&P or any SRO; and certificates of
deposit issued by United States branches of United States banks with assets of
$1 billion or more.
Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may enter into repurchase agreements with
member banks of the Federal Reserve System, including State Street Bank and
Trust Company, the Funds' custodian ("State Street" or the "Custodian"), or
"primary dealers" (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) in
United States Government securities. A repurchase agreement is an arrangement
pursuant to which a buyer purchases a security and simultaneously agrees to
resell it to the vendor at a price that results in an agreed-upon market rate of
return which is effective for the period of time (which is normally one to seven
days, but may be longer) the buyer's money is invested in the security. The
arrangement results in a fixed rate of return that is not subject to market
fluctuations during a Fund's holding period. Each Fund requires continued
maintenance of collateral with its Custodian in an amount equal to, or in excess
of, the market value of the securities, including accrued interest, which are
the subject of a repurchase agreement. In the event a vendor defaults on its
repurchase obligation, the Fund might suffer a loss to the extent that the
proceeds from the sale of the collateral were less than the repurchase price. If
the vendor becomes the subject of bankruptcy proceedings, a Fund might be
delayed in selling the collateral. Each Fund's investment adviser will review
and continually monitor the creditworthiness of each institution with which a
Fund enters into a repurchase agreement to evaluate these risks. Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund may not enter into repurchase agreements if, as a result, more
than 10% of either Fund's net assets would be invested in repurchase agreements
maturing in more than seven days and Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund may not
so invest more than 15% of its net assets.
Illiquid Securities. The Funds may invest up to 15% of their net assets in
illiquid securities and other securities which are not readily marketable,
except that Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund may only invest up to 10% of their assets in
repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. In the case of
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund securities eligible for resale pursuant to
Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, which have been determined to be
liquid, will not be considered by the Fund's investment adviser to be illiquid
or not readily marketable and, therefore, are not subject to the aforementioned
15% limit. Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund may invest up to 10% of its assets
in securities subject to restrictions on resale under the federal securities
laws. The inability of a Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable
investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair the Fund's ability to
raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. The liquidity of securities
purchased by a Fund which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A will be
monitored by each Fund's investment adviser on an ongoing basis, subject to the
oversight of the Trustees. In the event that such a security is deemed to be no
longer liquid, a Fund's holdings will be reviewed to determine what action, if
any, is required to ensure that the retention of such security does not result
in a Fund having more than 15% of its assets invested in illiquid or not readily
marketable securities.
Other Investment Policies. The Funds may borrow funds and agree to sell
portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers
and to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price (a "reverse
repurchase agreement") for temporary or emergency purposes. In the case of
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund borrowings may be in amounts up to 10% of the
value of each Fund's total assets at the time of such borrowing. Evergreen High
Grade Tax Free Fund may borrow in amounts up to one-third of its net assets. At
the time a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a
segregated custodial account cash, United States Government securities or liquid
high grade debt obligations having a value equal to the repurchase price
(including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure
that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve
the risk that the market value of the securities sold by a Fund may decline
below the repurchase price of those securities. Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California will
not enter into reverse repurchase agreements exceeding 5% of the value of its
total assets and will not purchase any securities whenever any borrowings
(including reverse repurchase agreements) are outstanding.
In order to generate income and to offset expenses, the Funds may lend
portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. Each
Fund's investment adviser will monitor the creditworthiness of such borrowers.
Loans of securities by a Fund, if and when made, may not exceed 30% of each
Fund's total assets, or in the case of Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund 15%,
and will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. government
securities that are maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100
percent of the current market value of the loaned securities, including accrued
interest. While such securities are on loan, the borrower will pay a Fund any
income accruing thereon, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral, thereby
increasing its return. A Fund will have the right to call any such loan and
obtain the securities loaned at any time on five days' notice. Any gain or loss
in the market price of the loaned securities which occurs during the term of the
loan would affect a Fund and its investors. A Fund may pay reasonable fees in
connection with such loans.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
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INVESTMENT ADVISERS
The management of each Fund is supervised by the Trustees of the Trust
under which the Fund has been established ("Trustees").. Evergreen Asset
Management Corp. ("Evergreen Asset") has been retained by Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund-California as investment adviser. Evergreen Asset succeeded on June 30,
1994 to the advisory business of the same name, but under different ownership,
which was organized in 1971. Evergreen Asset, with its predecessors, has served
as investment adviser to the Evergreen mutual funds since 1971. Evergreen Asset
is a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union National Bank of North Carolina
("FUNB"). The address of Evergreen Asset is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase,
New York 10577. FUNB is a subsidiary of First Union Corporation ("First Union"),
one of the ten largest bank holding companies in the United States. Stephen A.
Lieber and Nola Maddox Falcone serve as the chief investment officers of
Evergreen Asset and, along with Theodore J. Israel, Jr., were the owners of
Evergreen Asset's predecessor and the former general partners of Lieber &
Company, which, as described below, provides certain subadvisory services to
Evergreen Asset in connection with its duties as investment adviser to the
Funds. The Capital Management Group of FUNB ("CMG") serves as investment adviser
to Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund.
First Union is a bank holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North
Carolina, and had $77.9 billion in consolidated assets as of March 31, 1995.
First Union and its subsidiaries provide a broad range of financial services to
individuals and businesses through offices in 36 states. The Capital Management
Group of FUNB manages or otherwise oversees the investment of over $36 billion
in assets belonging to a wide range of clients, including all the series of
Evergreen Investment Trust (formerly known as First Union Funds). First Union
Brokerage Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of FUNB, is a registered
broker-dealer that is principally engaged in providing retail brokerage services
consistent with its federal banking authorizations. First Union Capital Markets
Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union, is a registered broker-dealer
principally engaged in providing, consistent with its federal banking
authorizations, private placement, securities dealing, and underwriting
services.
Evergreen Asset manages investments, provides various administrative
services and supervises the daily business affairs of Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund-California, subject to the authority of the Trustees. Under its investment
advisory agreement with Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California
Evergreen Asset is entitled to receive an annual fee equal to .55 of 1% of the
Fund's average daily net assets. Under its investment advisory agreement with
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund, Evergreen Asset is entitled to
receive an annual fee equal to .50 of 1% of each Fund's average daily net
assets. The total expense ratios of Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund
and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California for the fiscal period
ended August 31, 1994, are set forth in the section entitled "Financial
Highlights". CMG manages investments and supervises the daily business affairs
of Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund and, as compensation therefor, is entitled
to receive an annual fee equal to .50 of 1% of average daily net assets of
Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund. The total expense ratios of Evergreen High
Grade Tax Free Fund for the fiscal period ended December 31, 1994, are set forth
in the section entitled "Financial Highlights". Evergreen Asset serves as
administrator to Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund and is entitled to receive a
fee based on the average daily net assets of the Fund at a rate based on the
total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset for which CMG
or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in accordance
with the following schedule: .050% of the first $7 billion; .035% on the next $3
billion; .030% on the next $5 billion; .020% on the next $10 billion; .015% on
the next $5 billion; and .010% on assets in excess of $30 billion. Furman Selz
Incorporated, the parent of Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., distributor for
the Evergreen group of mutual funds, serves as sub-administrator to Evergreen
High Grade Tax Free Fund and is entitled to receive a fee from the Fund
calculated on the average daily net assets of the Fund at a rate based on the
total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset for which CMG
or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in accordance
with the following schedule: .0100% of the first $7 billion; .0075% on the next
$3 billion; .0050% on the next $15 billion; and .0040% on assets in excess of
$25 billion. The total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen
Asset for which CMG or Evergreen Asset serve as investment adviser as of March
31, 1995 were approximately $8 billion.
The portfolio manager of Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund is James T.
Colby, III. Mr. Colby is a Vice President of CMG and has been associated with
Evergreen Asset and its predecessor since 1992. He has served as portfolio
manager of the Fund since June, 1995 and, since that fund's inception in 1992,
was portfolio manager of Evergreen National Tax Free Fund, whose assets were
acquired by the Fund on July 7, 1995. Prior to joining Evergreen Asset, Mr.
Colby served as Vice President-Investments at American Express Company from 1987
to 1992. The portfolio manager for Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal
Fund-California and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund is Steven C.
Shachat. Mr. Shachat has been associated with Evergreen Asset and its
predecessor since prior to 1989 and has served as portfolio manager of these
Funds since their inception.
SUB-ADVISER
Evergreen Asset has entered into sub-advisory agreements with Lieber &
Company which provides that Lieber & Company's research department and staff
will furnish Evergreen Asset with information, investment recommendations,
advice and assistance, and will be generally available for consultation on the
portfolios of Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund. Lieber & Company will be reimbursed
by Evergreen Asset in connection with the rendering of services on the basis of
the direct and indirect costs of performing such services. There is no
additional charge to Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California and
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund for the services provided by Lieber
& Company. The address of Lieber & Company is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase,
New York 10577. Lieber & Company is an indirect, wholly-owned, subsidiary of
First Union.
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PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
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HOW TO BUY SHARES
Eligible investors may purchase Fund shares at net asset value by mail
or wire as described below. The Funds impose no sales charges on Class Y shares.
Class Y shares are the only class of shares offered by this Prospectus and are
only available to (i) all shareholders of record in one or more of the Evergreen
Funds as of December 30, 1994, (ii) certain institutional investors and (iii)
investment advisory clients of the Adviser and its affiliates. The minimum
initial investment is $1,000, which may be waived in certain situations. There
is no minimum for subsequent investments. Investors may make subsequent
investments by establishing a Systematic Investment Plan or a Telephone
Investment Plan.
Purchases by Mail or Wire. Each investor must complete the enclosed Share
Purchase Application and mail it together with a check made payable to the Fund
whose shares are being purchased, to State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State
Street") at P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827. Checks not drawn on
U.S. banks will be subject to foreign collection which will delay an investor's
investment date and will be subject to processing fees.
When making subsequent investments, an investor should either enclose
the return remittance portion of the statement, or indicate on the face of the
check, the name of the Fund in which an investment is to be made, the exact
title of the account, the address, and the Fund account number. Purchase
requests should not be sent to a Fund in New York. If they are, the Fund must
forward them to State Street, and the request will not be effective until State
Street receives them.
Initial investments may also be made by wire by (i) calling State
Street at 800-423-2615 for an account number and (ii) instructing your bank,
which may charge a fee, to wire federal funds to State Street, as follows: State
Street Bank and Trust Company, ABA No.0110-0002-8, Attn: Custodian and
Shareholder Services. The wire must include references to the Fund in which an
investment is being made, account registration, and the account number. A
completed Application must also be sent to State Street indicating that the
shares have been purchased by wire, giving the date the wire was sent and
referencing the account number. Subsequent wire investments may be made by
existing shareholders by following the instructions outlined above. It is not
necessary, however, for existing shareholders to call for another account
number.
How the Funds Value Their Shares. The net asset value of each Class of shares of
a Fund is calculated by dividing the value of the amount of the Fund's net
assets attributable to that Class by the outstanding shares of that Class.
Shares are valued each day the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open
as of the close of regular trading (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). The
securities in a Fund are valued at their current market value determined on the
basis of market quotations or, if such quotations are not readily available,
such other methods as a Fund's Trustees believe would accurately reflect fair
market value.
Additional Purchase Information. As a condition of this offering, if a purchase
is canceled due to nonpayment or because an investor's check does not clear, the
investor will be responsible for any loss a Fund or the Adviser incurs. If such
investor is an existing shareholder, a Fund may redeem shares from an investor's
account to reimburse the Fund or the Adviser for any loss. In addition, such
investors may be prohibited or restricted from making further purchases in any
of the Evergreen Funds.
A Fund cannot accept investments specifying a certain price or date and
reserves the right to reject any specific purchase order, including orders in
connection with exchanges from the other Evergreen Funds. Although not currently
anticipated, each Fund reserves the right to suspend the offer of shares for a
period of time.
Shares of each Fund are sold at the net asset value per share next
determined after a shareholder's order is received. Investments by federal funds
wire or by check will be effective upon receipt by State Street. Qualified
institutions may telephone orders for the purchase of Fund shares. Investors may
also purchase shares through a broker/dealer, which may charge a fee for the
service.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
You may "redeem", i.e., sell your shares in a Fund to the Fund on any
day the Exchange is open, either directly or through your financial
intermediary. The price you will receive is the net asset value next calculated
after the Fund receives your request in proper form. Proceeds generally will be
sent to you within seven days. However, for shares recently purchased by check,
a Fund will not send proceeds until it is reasonably satisfied that the check
has been collected (which may take up to 15 days). Once a redemption request has
been telephoned or mailed, it is irrevocable and may not be modified or
canceled.
Redeeming Shares Directly by Mail or Telephone. Send a signed letter of
instruction or stock power form to State Street which is the registrar, transfer
agent and dividend-disbursing agent for each Fund. Stock power forms are
available from your financial intermediary, State Street, and many commercial
banks. Additional documentation is required for the sale of shares by
corporations, financial intermediaries, fiduciaries and surviving joint owners.
Signature guarantees are required for all redemption requests for shares with a
value of more than $10,000 or where the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to
an address other than that shown in the account registration. A signature
guarantee must be provided by a bank or trust company (not a Notary Public), a
member firm of a domestic stock exchange or by other financial institutions
whose guarantees are acceptable to State Street.
Shareholders may withdraw amounts of $1,000 or more from their accounts
by calling State Street (800-423-2615) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00
p.m. (Eastern time) each business day (i.e., any weekday exclusive of days on
which the New York Stock Exchange or State Street's offices are closed). The New
York Stock Exchange is closed on New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday,
Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Redemption requests made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be processed using
the net asset value determined on the next business day. Such redemption
requests must include the shareholder's account name, as registered with a Fund,
and the account number. During periods of drastic economic or market changes,
shareholders may experience difficulty in effecting telephone redemptions.
Shareholders who are unable to reach a Fund or State Street by telephone should
follow the procedures outlined above for redemption by mail.
The telephone redemption service is not made available to shareholders
automatically. Shareholders wishing to use the telephone redemption service must
indicate this on the Share Purchase Application and choose how the redemption
proceeds are to be paid. Redemption proceeds will either (i) be mailed by check
to the shareholder at the address in which the account is registered or (ii) be
wired to an account with the same registration as the shareholder's account in a
Fund at a designated commercial bank. State Street currently deducts a $5 wire
charge from all redemption proceeds wired. This charge is subject to change
without notice. A shareholder who decides later to use this service, or to
change instructions already given, should fill out a Shareholder Services Form
and send it to State Street Bank and Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston,
Massachusetts 02205-9827, with such shareholder's signature guaranteed by a bank
or trust company (not a Notary Public), a member firm of a domestic stock
exchange or by other financial institutions whose guarantees are acceptable to
State Street. Shareholders should allow approximately ten days for such form to
be processed. The Funds will employ reasonable procedures to verify that
telephone requests are genuine. These procedures include requiring some form of
personal identification prior to acting upon instructions and tape recording of
conversations. If the Fund fails to follow such procedures, it may be liable for
any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The Fund shall not be
liable for following telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine.
Also, the Fund reserves the right to refuse a telephone redemption request, if
it is believed advisable to do so. Financial intermediaries may charge a fee for
handling telephonic requests. The telephone redemption option may be suspended
or terminated at any time without notice.
General. The sale of shares is a taxable transaction for Federal tax purposes.
Under unusual circumstances, a Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payment
for up to seven days or longer, as permitted by Federal securities law. The
Funds reserve the right to close an account that through redemption has remained
below $1,000 for 30 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written notice to
increase the account value before the account is closed. The Funds have elected
to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 pursuant
to which each Fund is obligated to redeem shares solely in cash, up to the
lesser of $250,000 or 1% of a Fund's total net assets during any ninety day
period for any one shareholder. See the Statement of Additional Information for
further details.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
How To Exchange Shares. You may exchange some or all of your shares for shares
of the same Class in the other Evergreen Funds by telephone or mail as described
below. An exchange which represents an initial investment in another Evergreen
Fund must amount to at least $1,000. Once an exchange request has been
telephoned or mailed, it is irrevocable and may not be modified or canceled.
Exchanges will be made on the basis of the relative net asset values of the
shares exchanged next determined after an exchange request is received.
Exchanges are subject to minimum investment and suitability requirements.
Each of the Evergreen Funds have different investment objectives and
policies. For complete information, a prospectus of the fund into which an
exchange will be made should be read prior to the exchange. An exchange is
treated for Federal income tax purposes as a redemption and purchase of shares
and may result in the realization of a capital gain or loss. Each Fund imposes a
fee of $5 per exchange on shareholders who exchange in excess of four times per
calendar year. This exchange privilege may be modified or discontinued at any
time by the Fund upon sixty days' notice to shareholders and is only available
in states in which shares of the fund being acquired may lawfully be sold.
Exchanges by Telephone and Mail. You may exchange shares with a value of $1,000
or more by telephone by calling State Street (800-423-2615). Exchange requests
made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be processed using the net asset value
determined on the next business day. During periods of drastic economic or
market changes, shareholders may experience difficulty in effecting telephone
exchanges. You should follow the procedures outlined below for exchanges by mail
if you are unable to reach State Street by telephone. If you wish to use the
telephone exchange service you should indicate this on the Share Purchase
Application. As noted above, each Fund will employ reasonable procedures to
confirm that instructions for the redemption or exchange of shares communicated
by telephone are genuine. A telephone exchange may be refused by a Fund or State
Street if it is believed advisable to do so. Procedures for exchanging Fund
shares by telephone may be modified or terminated at any time. Written requests
for exchanges should follow the same procedures outlined for written redemption
requests in the section entitled "How to Redeem Shares", however, no signature
guarantee is required.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The Funds offer the following shareholder services. For more
information about these services or your account, contact your financial
intermediary, Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc.("EFD"), the distributor of the
Funds, or the toll-free number on the front page of this Prospectus. Some
services are described in more detail in the Share Purchase Application.
Systematic Investment Plan. You may make monthly or quarterly investments into
an existing account automatically in amounts of not less than $25.
Telephone Investment Plan. You may make investments into an existing account
electronically in amounts of not less than $100 or more than $10,000 per
investment. Telephone investment requests received by 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
will be credited to a shareholder's account the day the request is received.
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan. When an account of $10,000 or more is opened or
when an existing account reaches that size, you may participate in the Fund's
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan by filling out the appropriate part of the Share
Purchase Application. Under this plan, you may receive (or designate a third
party to receive) a monthly or quarterly check in a stated amount of not less
than $100. Fund shares will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal
payments. All participants must elect to have their dividends and capital gain
distributions reinvested automatically.
Automatic Reinvestment Plan. For the convenience of investors, all dividends and
distributions are automatically reinvested in full and fractional shares of a
Fund at the net asset value per share on the last business day of each month,
unless otherwise requested by a shareholder in writing. If the transfer agent
does not receive a written request for subsequent dividends and/or distributions
to be paid in cash at least three full business days prior to a given record
date, the dividends and/or distributions to be paid to a shareholder will be
reinvested. If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash and the
U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the checks, or if the checks remain uncashed
for six months, the checks will be reinvested into your account at the then
current net asset value.
EFFECT OF BANKING LAWS
The Glass-Steagall Act and other banking laws and regulations presently
prohibit member banks of the Federal Reserve System ("Member Banks") or their
non-bank affiliates from sponsoring, organizing, controlling, or distributing
the shares of registered open-end investment companies such as the Funds. Such
laws and regulations also prohibit banks from issuing, underwriting or
distributing securities in general. However, under the Glass-Steagall Act and
such other laws and regulations, a Member Bank or an affiliate thereof may act
as investment adviser, transfer agent or custodian to a registered open-end
investment company and may also act as agent in connection with the purchase of
shares of such an investment company upon the order of their customer. Evergreen
Asset, since it is a subsidiary of FUNB, and CMG are subject to and in
compliance with the aforementioned laws and regulations.
Changes to applicable laws and regulations or future judicial or
administrative decisions could result in CMG or Evergreen Asset being prevented
from continuing to perform the services required under the investment advisory
contract or from acting as agent in connection with the purchase of shares of a
Fund by its customers. If CMG or Evergreen Asset were prevented from continuing
to provide the services called for under the investment advisory agreement, it
is expected that the Trustees would identify, and call upon each Fund's
shareholders to approve, a new investment adviser. If this were to occur, it is
not anticipated that the shareholders of any Fund would suffer any adverse
financial consequences.
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OTHER INFORMATION
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Income dividends are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributions of
any net realized gains of a Fund will be made at least annually. Shareholders
will begin to earn dividends on the first business day after shares are
purchased unless shares were not paid for, in which case dividends are not
earned until the next business day after payment is received. Each Fund has
qualified and intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated
investment company under the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code"). While so
qualified, so long as each Fund distributes all of its investment company
taxable income and any net realized gains to shareholders, it is expected that
the Funds will not be required to pay any Federal income taxes. A 4%
nondeductible excise tax will be imposed on a Fund if it does not meet certain
distribution requirements by the end of each calendar year. Each Fund
anticipates meeting such distribution requirements.
The Funds will designate and pay exempt-interest dividends derived from
interest earned on qualifying tax-exempt obligations. Such exempt-interest
dividends may be excluded by shareholders of a Fund from their gross income for
Federal income tax purposes, however (1) all or a portion of such
exempt-interest dividends may be a specific preference item for purposes of the
Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum taxes to the extent that
they are derived from certain types of private activity bonds issued after
August 7, 1986, and (2) all exempt-interest dividends will be a component of the
"adjusted current earnings" for purposes of the Federal corporate alternative
minimum tax.
Dividends paid from taxable income, if any, and distributions of any
net realized short-term capital gains (whether from tax exempt or taxable
obligations) are taxable as ordinary income and long-term capital gain
distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, even though received in
additional shares of the Fund, and regardless of the investors holding period
relating to the shares with respect to which such gains are distributed. Market
discount recognized on taxable and tax-exempt bonds is taxable as ordinary
income, not as excludable income. Under current law, the highest Federal income
tax rate applicable to net long-term gains realized by individuals is 28%. The
rate applicable to corporations is 35%.
Since each Fund's gross income is ordinarily expected to be tax exempt
interest income, it is not expected that the 70% dividends-received deduction
for corporations will be applicable. Specific questions should be addressed to
the investor's own tax adviser.
Each Fund is required by Federal law to withhold 31% of reportable
payments (which may include dividends, capital gains distributions (if any) and
redemptions) paid to certain shareholders. In order to avoid this backup
withholding requirement, each investor must certify on the Share Purchase
Application, or on a separate form supplied by State Street, that the investor's
social security or taxpayer identification number is correct and that the
investor is not currently subject to backup withholding or is exempt from backup
withholding.
For Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund-California, so long as
the Fund remains qualified under Subchapter M of the Code for federal purposes
and qualified as a diversified management investment company, then under current
California law, the Fund is entitled to pass through to its shareholders the
tax-exempt income it earns. To the extent that Fund dividends are derived from
earnings on California Municipal Securities, such dividends will be exempt from
California personal income taxes when received by the Fund's shareholders,
provided the Fund has complied with the requirement that at least 50% of its
assets be invested in California Municipal Securities. For California income tax
purposes, long-term capital gains distributions are taxable as ordinary income.
Statements describing the tax status of shareholders' dividends and
distributions will be mailed annually by the Funds. These statements will set
forth the amount of income exempt from Federal and, if applicable, state
taxation (including California), and the amount, if any, subject to Federal and
state taxation. Moreover, to the extent necessary, these statements will
indicate the amount of exempt-interest dividends which are a specific preference
item for purposes of the Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum
taxes. The exemption of interest income for Federal income tax purposes does not
necessarily result in exemption under the income or other tax law of any state
or local taxing authority. Investors should consult their own tax advisers about
the status of distributions from the Funds in their states and localities. Each
Fund notifies shareholders annually as to the interest exempt from Federal taxes
earned by the Fund.
A shareholder who acquires Class A shares of a Fund and sells or
otherwise disposes of such shares within 90 days of acquisition may not be
allowed to include certain sales charges incurred in acquiring such shares for
purposes of calculating gain and loss realized upon a sale or exchange of shares
of the Fund.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
A discussion of the performance of Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund-California and Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund for
their most recent fiscal year is set forth below. A similar discussion relating
to Evergreen High Grade Municipal Fund is contained in the annual report of such
Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1994.
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund. The Fund's total return for the
fiscal year ending August 31, 1994 was +1.42%, versus the Lehman Brothers 3-Year
Municipal Bond Index, which rose + 2.38%, and the Lehman Brothers 5-Year
Municipal Bond Index, which increased + 2.01%. As the economy picked up momentum
and the Federal Reserve started tightening, interest rates in the fixed-income
markets climbed in every maturity range. As a result, the Fund moved to a more
defensive position during the last half of the fiscal year in order to moderate
price volatility. The Fund's investment adviser reduced the Fund's weighted
average maturities and durations, and adjusted the holdings by selling
securities most sensitive to price declines in a rising environment such as
bonds trading at a discount. Proceeds were reinvested in premium-based, high
quality bonds. The strategy of the Fund as of August 31, 1994 was to remain
relatively short in the one to three-year range as we look to purchase
investment grade, non-callable bonds.
[CHART]
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund - California. The Fund's total
return for the fiscal year ending August 31, 1994 was 1.84%, versus the Lehman
Brothers 3-Year California Municipal Bond Index, which rose +2.38% and the
Lehman Brothers California Municipal Bond Index, which increased + 2.21%.
As the economy picked up momentum and the Federal Reserve started
tightening, interest rates in the fixed-income markets climbed in every maturity
range. As a result, the Fund moved to a more defensive position during the last
half of the fiscal year in order to moderate price volatility. The investment
adviser reduced the Fund's weighted average maturities and durations, and
adjusted the holdings by selling securities most sensitive to price declines in
a rising environment such as bonds trading at a discount. Proceeds were
reinvested in premium-based, high quality bonds. The strategy of the Fund
strategy as of August 31, 1994, is to remain relatively short in the one to
three-year range as we look to purchase investment grade, non callable bonds.
[CHART]
GENERAL INFORMATION
Portfolio Transactions. Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best
price and execution, a Fund may consider sales of its shares as a factor in the
selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions with the Fund.
Organization. Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund and Evergreen
Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund - California are separate investment series of
Evergreen Municipal Trust, a Massachusetts business trust organized in 1988.
Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund is a separate investment series of Evergreen
Investment Trust (formerly First Union Funds), which is a Massachusetts business
trust organized in 1984. The Funds do not intend to hold annual shareholder
meetings; shareholder meetings will be held only when required by applicable
law. Shareholders have available certain procedures for the removal of Trustees.
A shareholder in each class of a Fund will be entitled to his or her
share of all dividends and distributions from a Fund's assets, based upon the
relative value of such shares to those of other Classes of the Fund, and, upon
redeeming shares, will receive the then current net asset value of the Class of
shares of the Fund represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC.
Each Trust named above is empowered to establish, without shareholder approval,
additional investment series, which may have different investment objectives,
and additional classes of shares for any existing or future series. If an
additional series or class were established in a Fund, each share of the series
or class would normally be entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally,
shares of each series and class would vote together as a single class on
matters, such as the election of Directors, that affect each series and class in
substantially the same manner. Class A, B and Y shares have identical voting,
dividend, liquidation and other rights, except that each class bears, to the
extent applicable, its own distribution, shareholder service and transfer agency
expenses as well as any other expenses applicable only to a specific class. Each
class of shares votes separately with respect to Rule 12b-1 distribution plans
and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under
applicable law. Shares are entitled to dividends as determined by the Trustees
and, in liquidation of a Fund, are entitled to receive the net assets of the
Fund.
Registrar, Transfer Agent and Dividend-Disbursing Agent. State Street Bank and
Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827 acts as each
Fund's registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based
upon the number of shareholder accounts maintained for the Funds. The transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class B shares will be higher than the transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class A shares.
Principal Underwriter. EFD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Furman Selz
Incorporated, located 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, is the
principal underwriter of the Funds. Furman Selz Incorporated, also acts as
sub-administrator to Evergreen High Grade Tax Free Fund and which provides
certain sub-administrative services to Evergreen Asset in connection with its
role as investment adviser to Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund and
Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund - California, including providing
personnel to serve as officers of the Funds.
Other Classes of Shares. Each Fund currently offers three classes of shares,
Class A, Class B and Class Y, and may in the future offer additional classes.
Class Y shares are the only class of shares offered by this Prospectus and are
only available to (i) all shareholders of record in one or more of the Evergreen
mutual funds for which Evergreen Asset serves as investment adviser as of
December 30, 1994, (ii) certain institutional investors and (iii) investment
advisory clients of CMG, Evergreen Asset or their affiliates. The dividends
payable with respect to Class A and Class B shares will be less than those
payable with respect to Class Y shares due to the distribution and distribution
related expenses borne by Class A and Class B shares and the fact that such
expenses are not borne by Class Y shares.
Performance Information. A Fund's performance may be quoted in advertising in
terms of yield or total return. Both types of performance are based on
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") formulas and are not intended to
indicate future performance.
Yield is a way of showing the rate of income a Fund earns on its
investments as a percentage of the Fund's share price. A Fund's yield is
calculated according to accounting methods that are standardized by the SEC for
all stock and bond funds. Because yield accounting methods differ from the
method used for other accounting purposes, a Fund's yield may not equal its
distribution rate, the income paid to your account or the income reported in a
Fund's financial statements. To calculate yield, a Fund takes the interest
income it earned from its portfolio of investments (as defined by the SEC
formula) for a 30-day period (net of expenses), divides it by the average number
of shares entitled to receive dividends, and expresses the result as an
annualized percentage rate based on a Fund's share price at the end of the
30-day period. This yield does not reflect gains or losses from selling
securities.
A Fund may also quote tax-equivalent yields, which show the taxable
yields an investor would have to earn before taxes to equal the Fund's tax-free
yields. A tax-equivalent yield is calculated by dividing a Fund's tax-exempt
yield by the result of one minus a stated Federal tax rate. If only a portion of
a Fund's income was tax-exempt, only that portion is adjusted in the
calculation.
Total returns are based on the overall dollar or percentage change in
the value of a hypothetical investment in a Fund. A Fund's total return shows
its overall change in value including changes in share prices and assumes all a
Fund's distributions are reinvested. A cumulative total return reflects a Fund's
performance over a stated period of time. An average annual total return
reflects the hypothetical annually compounded return that would have produced
the same cumulative total return if a Fund's performance had been constant over
the entire period. Because average annual total returns tend to smooth out
variations in a Fund's return, you should recognize that they are not the same
as actual year-by-year results. To illustrate the components of overall
performance, a Fund may separate its cumulative and average annual total returns
into income results and realized and unrealized gain or loss.
Comparative performance information may also be used from time to time
in advertising or marketing a Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Morningstar and other industry publications. The Fund
may also advertise in items of sales literature an "actual distribution rate"
which is computed by dividing the total ordinary income distributed (which may
include the excess of short-term capital gains over losses) to shareholders for
the latest twelve month period by the maximum public offering price per share on
the last day of the period. Investors should be aware that past performance may
not be reflective of future results.
Liability Under Massachusetts Law. Under Massachusetts law, trustees and
shareholders of a business trust may, in certain circumstances, be held
personally liable for its obligations. The Declaration of Trust under which each
Fund operates provide that no Trustee or shareholder will be personally liable
for the obligations of the Trust and that every written contract made by the
Trust contain a provision to that effect. If any Trustee or shareholder were
required to pay any liability of the Trust, that person would be entitled to
reimbursement from the general assets of the Trust.
Additional Information. This Prospectus and the Statement of Additional
Information, which have been incorporated by reference herein, do not contain
all the information set forth in the Registration Statements filed by the Trusts
with the Commission under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration
Statements may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may be
examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX -- CALIFORNIA RISK CONSIDERATIONS
The following information as to certain California risk factors is
given to investors in view of the policy of Evergreen Short-Intermediate
Municipal Fund-California of investing primarily in California state and
municipal issuers. The information is based primarily upon information derived
from public documents relating to securities offerings of California state and
municipal issuers, from independent municipal credit reports and historically
reliable sources but has not been independently verified by the Fund.
Changes in California constitutional and other laws during the last
several years have raised questions about the ability of California state and
municipal issuers to obtain sufficient revenue to pay their bond obligations. In
1978, California voters approved an amendment to the California Constitution
known as Proposition 13. Proposition 13 limits ad valorem taxes on real property
and restricts the ability of taxing entities to increase real property taxes.
Legislation passed subsequent to Proposition 13, however, provided for the
redistribution of California's General Fund surplus to local agencies, the
reallocation of revenues to local agencies, and the assumption of certain local
obligations by the state so as to help California municipal issuers to raise
revenue to pay their bond obligations. It is unknown, however, whether
additional revenue redistribution legislation will be enacted in the future and
whether, if enacted, such legislation would provide sufficient revenue for such
California issuers to pay their obligations. The state is also subject to
another constitutional amendment, Article XIIIB, which may have an adverse
impact on California state and municipal issuers. Article XIIIB restricts the
state from spending certain appropriations in excess of an appropriations limit
imposed for each state and local government entity. If revenues exceed such
appropriations limit, such revenues must be returned either as revisions in the
tax rates or fee schedules. Because of the uncertain impact of the
aforementioned statutes and cases, the possible inconsistencies in the
respective terms of the statutes and the impossibility of predicting the level
of future appropriations and applicability of related statutes to such
questions, it is not currently possible to assess the impact of such
legislation, cases and policies on the long-term ability of California state and
municipal issuers to pay interest or repay principal on their obligations.
California's economy is larger than many sovereign nations. During the
1980s, California experienced growth rates well in excess of the rest of the
nation. The state's major employment sectors are services, trade, and
manufacturing. Industrial concentration is in electronics, aerospace, and
non-electrical equipment. Also significant are agriculture and oil production.
Key sectors of California's economy have been severely affected by the
recession. Since May of 1990, job losses total over 850,000. Declines in the
aerospace and high technology sectors have been especially severe. The
continuing drive in population and labor force growth has produced higher
unemployment rates in the state. Although total job loss has declined, weakness
continues in key areas of California's economy, including government, real
estate and aerospace. Wealth levels still remain high in the state, although the
difference between state and national levels continues to narrow.
In July of 1994, both S&P and Moody's lowered the general obligation
bond ratings of the state of California. These revisions reflect the state's
heavy reliance on the short-term note market to finance its cash imbalance and
the likelihood that this exposure will persist for at least another two years.
For more information on these ratings revisions and the state's current budget,
please refer to the Statement of Additional Information.
Orange County Bankruptcy. On December 6, 1994, Orange County, California,
petitioned for bankruptcy based on losses in the Orange County Investment Fund
which at the time were estimated to be approximately $2 billion. At the time of
the petition, the Orange County Investment Fund held monies belonging to Orange
County as well as other municipal issuers located in Orange County and other
parts of California. Although the ultimate resolution of this matter is
uncertain, one possible result is that the ability of municipal issuers
investing in the Orange County Investment Fund to service some or all of their
outstanding debt obligations may be severely impaired.
As of December 6, 1994, Evergreen Short-Intermediate Municipal Fund -
California did not hold debt obligations of Orange County or other issuers that
the Fund is aware had invested in the Orange County Investment Fund. Although it
has no current intention to do so, if it deems it advisable, the Fund reserves
the right from time to time to make investments in municipal issuers who
maintain assets in the Orange County Investment Fund.
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Evergreen Asset Management Corp., 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York
10577
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND, EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE
MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA
Capital Mangement Group of First Union Bank, 201 South College Street,
Charlotte, North Carolina 28288
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND
CUSTODIAN & TRANSFER AGENT
State Street Bank & Trust Company, Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827
LEGAL COUNSEL
Sullivan & Worcester, 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
Price Waterhouse LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND,
EVERGREEN SHORT-INTERMEDIATE MUNICIPAL FUND-CALIFORNIA
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
EVERGREEN HIGH GRADE TAX FREE FUND
DISTRIBUTOR
Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
PROSPECTUS July 7, 1995
EVERGREEN(SM) STATE SPECIFIC TAX FREE FUNDS (Evergreen Logo appears here)
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
CLASS A SHARES
CLASS B SHARES
The Evergreen State Specific Tax-Free Funds (the "Funds") are
designed to provide investors with current income exempt from Federal
income tax and certain state income tax. This Prospectus provides
information regarding the Class A and Class B shares offered by the Funds.
Each Fund is, or is a series of, an open-end, non-diversified, management
investment company except for EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND
FUND which is diversified. This Prospectus sets forth concise information
about the Funds that a prospective investor should know before investing.
The address of the Funds is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York
10577.
A "Statement of Additional Information" for the Funds and certain
other funds in the Evergreen Group of mutual funds dated July 7, 1995 has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated
by reference herein. The Statement of Additional Information provides
information regarding certain matters discussed in this Prospectus and
other matters which may be of interest to investors, and may be obtained
without charge by calling the Funds at (800) 807-2940. There can be no
assurance that the investment objective of any Fund will be achieved.
Investors are advised to read this Prospectus carefully.
THE SHARES OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF
FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, ARE NOT ENDORSED OR
GUARANTEED BY FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, AND ARE NOT
INSURED OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND
INVOLVE RISK, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRINCIPAL.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND WILL INVEST AT LEAST 65%
OF THE VALUE OF ITS TOTAL ASSETS IN MUNICIPAL SECURITIES CONSISTING OF HIGH
YIELD (I.E., HIGH RISK), MEDIUM, LOWER RATED AND UNRATED BONDS. SUCH
SECURITIES ARE COMMONLY CALLED JUNK BONDS AND ARE SUBJECT TO GREATER MARKET
FLUCTUATIONS AND RISK OF LOSS OF INCOME AND PRINCIPAL THAN HIGHER RATED
SECURITIES, LOWER QUALITY SECURITIES INVOLVE A GREATER RISK OF DEFAULT AND,
CONSEQUENTLY, SHARES OF THE EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND
FUND ARE SPECULATIVE SECURITIES.
KEEP THIS PROSPECTUS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
EVERGREEN(SM) is a Service Mark of Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
Copyright 1995, Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS 2
EXPENSE INFORMATION 3
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 6
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
Investment Objectives and Policies 12
Investment Practices and Restrictions 14
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Investment Adviser 18
Distribution Plans and Agreements 19
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
How to Buy Shares 20
How to Redeem Shares 22
Exchange Privilege 23
Shareholder Services 24
Effect of Banking Laws 24
OTHER INFORMATION
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 25
Management's Discussion of Fund Performance 26
General Information 27
APPENDIX
Florida Risk Considerations 29
</TABLE>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information contained elsewhere in this Prospectus. See "Description of the
Funds" and "Management of the Funds".
The Capital Management Group of First Union National Bank ("CMG") serves
as investment adviser to Evergreen State Specific Tax Free Funds which include:
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND,
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL
BOND FUND, EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND and EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH
INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND. First Union National Bank of North Carolina
("FUNB"), is a subsidiary of First Union Corporation, one of the ten largest
bank holding companies in the United States.
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union Florida
Municipal Bond Portfolio, successor to ABT Florida Tax-Free Fund) seeks current
income exempt from federal income tax consistent with preservation of capital.
In addition, the Fund intends to qualify as an investment exempt from the
Florida state intangibles tax.
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union Georgia
Municipal Bond Portfolio) seeks current income exempt from federal income tax
and Georgia state income tax, consistent with preservation of capital.
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union North
Carolina Municipal Bond Portfolio) seeks current income exempt from federal
income tax and North Carolina state income tax, consistent with preservation of
capital. In addition, the Fund intends to qualify as an investment substantially
exempt from the North Carolina intangible personal property tax.
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union South
Carolina Municipal Bond Portfolio seeks current income exempt from federal
income tax and South Carolina state income tax.
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union Virginia
Municipal Bond Portfolio) seeks current income exempt from federal income tax
and Virginia state income tax, consistent with preservation of capital.
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (successor to ABT
Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund) seeks to provide a high level of
current income exempt from federal income tax. Under normal circumstances, the
Fund will invest at least 65% of the value of its total assets in municipal
securities consisting of high yield (i.e., high risk), medium, lower rated and
unrated bonds.
THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT THE INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE OF ANY FUND WILL BE
ACHIEVED.
2
<PAGE>
EXPENSE INFORMATION
The table set forth below summarizes the shareholder transaction costs
associated with an investment in Class A and Class B Shares of a Fund. For
further information see "Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares" and "General
Information -- Other Classes of Shares".
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES Class A Shares Class B Shares
<S> <C> <C>
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases 4.75% None
(as a % of offering price)
Sales Charge on Dividend Reinvestments None None
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (as a % of original purchase None 5% during the first year, 4% during the
price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower) second year, 3% during the third and fourth
years, 2% during the fifth year, 1% during
the sixth and seventh years and 0% after the
seventh year
Redemption Fee None None
Exchange Fee None None
</TABLE>
The following tables show for each Fund the estimated annual operating
expenses (as a percentage of average net assets) attributable to each Class of
Shares, together with examples of the cumulative effect of such expenses on a
hypothetical $1,000 investment in each Class for the periods specified assuming
(i) a 5% annual return and (ii) redemption at the end of each period and,
additionally for Class B shares, no redemption at the end of each period.
In the following examples (i) the expenses for Class A Shares assume
deduction of the maximum 4.75% sales charge at the time of purchase, (ii) the
expenses for Class B Shares assume deduction at the time of redemption (if
applicable) of the maximum contingent deferred sales charge applicable for that
time period, and (iii) the expenses for Class B Shares reflect the conversion to
Class A Shares eight years after purchase (years eight through ten, therefore,
reflect Class A expenses).
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND(A)
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES** at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .30% .30%
After 1 Year $ 53 $ 65 $ 15
Administrative Fees .06% .06%
After 3 Years $ 66 $ 76 $ 46
12b-1 Fees* .15% .75%
After 5 Years $ 80 $ 100 $ 80
Shareholder Service Fees -- .25%
After 10 Years $ 120 $ 140 $140
Other Expenses .10% .10%
Total .61% 1.46%
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50% .50%
After 1 Year $ 60 $ 70 $ 20
Administrative Fees .06% .06%
After 3 Years $ 85 $ 93 $ 63
12b-1 Fees* .25% .75%
After 5 Years $ 113 $ 128 $108
Shareholder Service Fees -- .25%
After 10 Years $ 191 $ 204 $204
Other Expenses*** .44% .44%
Total 1.25% 2.00%
</TABLE>
3
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50%
.50% After 1 Year $ 59 $ 70 $ 20
Administrative Fees .06% .06%
After 3 Years $ 83 $ 90 $ 60
12b-1 Fees* .25% .75%
After 5 Years $ 109 $ 124 $104
Shareholder Service Fees -- .25%
After 10 Years $ 183 $ 196 $196
Other Expenses .36% .36%
Total 1.17% 1.92%
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50% .50%
After 1 Year $ 60 $ 70 $ 20
Administrative Fees .06% .06%
After 3 Years $ 85 $ 93 $ 63
12b-1 Fees* .25% .75%
After 5 Years $ 113 $ 128 $108
Shareholder Service Fees -- .25%
After 10 Years $ 191 $ 204 $204
Other Expenses*** .44% .44%
Total 1.25% 2.00%
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50% .50%
After 1 Year $ 60 $ 70 $ 20
Administrative Fees .06% .06%
After 3 Years $ 85 $ 93 $ 63
12b-1 Fees* .25% .75%
After 5 Years $ 113 $ 128 $108
Shareholder Service Fees -- .25%
After 10 Years $ 191 $ 204 $204
Other Expenses*** .44% .44%
Total 1.25% 2.00%
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (B)
EXAMPLES
Assuming Assuming
ANNUAL OPERATING Redemption no
EXPENSES at End of Period Redemption
Class A Class B Class A Class B Class B
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees** .30% .30%
After 1 Year $ 55 $ 66 $ 16
Administrative Fees .06% .06%
After 3 Years $ 72 $ 80 $ 50
12b-1 Fees* .25% 1.00%
After 5 Years $ 91 $ 106 $ 86
Other Expenses .21% .21%
After 10 Years $ 144 $ 157 $157
Total .82% 1.57%
</TABLE>
(a) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of FIRST UNION
FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND and ABT Florida Tax-Fee Fund.
(b) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of EVERGREEN
FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND and ABT Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund. The amounts in the tables and examples are based on the
experience of ABT Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund as restated to
reflect current fee arrangements.
*Class A Shares can pay up to .75 of 1% of average annual net assets as a 12b-1
Fee. For the forseeable future, the Class A Shares 12b-1 Fees will be limited to
.25 of 1% of average annual net assets. For Class B Shares of EVERGREEN FLORIDA
HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, a portion of the 12b-1 Fees equivalent to .25
of 1% of average annual assets will be shareholder servicing-related.
Distribution-related 12b-1 Fees will be limited to .75 of 1% of average annual
assets as permitted under the rules of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc.
**EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND will not pay 12b-1 Fees to the extent
that the effect of such payment would be to cause the Fund's ratio of expenses
to average net assets for Class A Shares to exceed .61 of 1%.
4
<PAGE>
CMG has agreed to limit the Advisory Fee charged to EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL
BOND FUND and EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND to .30 of 1% of
average net assets for a period of at least one year.
From time to time each fund's adviser may, at its discretion, reduce or waive
its fees or reimburse these Funds for certain of their other expenses in order
to reduce their expense ratios. Each fund's adviser may cease these voluntary
waivers and reimbursements at any time.
The estimated annual operating expenses and examples do not reflect fee
waivers and expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. Actual
expenses for Class A and B Shares net of fee waivers and expense reimbursements
for the year ended December 31, 1994 or April 30, 1995 as applicable were as
follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B
<S> <C> <C>
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .61% N/A
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .53% 1.13%
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .79% 1.37%
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .25% .87%
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .53% 1.12%
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .60% N/A
</TABLE>
***Reflects agreements by CMG to limit aggregate operating expenses (including
the Advisory Fees, but excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, Rule
12b-1 Fees, shareholder servicing fees and extraordinary expenses) of EVERGREEN
GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND and
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND to 1% of average net assets for the
foreseeable future. Absent such agreements, the estimated annual operating
expenses for the Funds would be as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B
<S> <C> <C>
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND 1.78% 2.53%
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND 4.91% 5.66%
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND 2.25% 3.00%
</TABLE>
The purpose of the foregoing table is to assist an investor in
understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in each Class of
Shares of the Funds will bear directly or indirectly. The amounts set forth both
in the tables and in the examples are estimated amounts based on the experience
of each Fund for its most recent fiscal period. Such expenses have been restated
to reflect current fee arrangements and in the case of Funds that did not offer
all of the above-referenced Classes of shares during such periods, the amounts
set forth in the tables are based on the expenses incurred by the Classes which
were offered. THE EXAMPLES SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A REPRESENTATION OF PAST OR
FUTURE EXPENSES OR ANNUAL RETURN. ACTUAL EXPENSES AND ANNUAL RETURN MAY BE
GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN. For a more complete description of the various
costs and expenses borne by the Funds see "Management of the Funds." As a result
of asset-based sales charges, long-term shareholders may pay more than the
economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charges permitted under the
rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
5
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The tables on the following pages present, for each Fund, financial
highlights for a share outstanding throughout each period indicated. The
information in the tables for the five most recent fiscal years or the life of
the fund if shorter for EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN NORTH
CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND and
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND has been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP, each Fund's independent auditors for EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
and EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND has been audited by Tait,
Weller & Baker, each Fund's independent auditors. A report of KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP or Tait, Weller & Baker as the case may be, on the audited information with
respect to each Fund is incorporated by reference in the Fund's Statement of
Additional Information. The following information for each Fund should be read
in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes which are
incorporated by reference in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Further information about a Fund's performance is contained in the Fund's
annual report to shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A SHARES*
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
MAY 11, 1988**
THROUGH
YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, APRIL 30,
1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period......... $10.79 $11.27 $10.59 $10.43 $9.97 $10.30 $10.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income........................ .61 .63 .63 .69 .74 .66 .53
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on
investments................................ .12 (.40) .76 .25 .49 (.28) .25
Total from investment operations........... .73 .23 1.39 .94 1.23 .38 .78
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income........................ (.61) (.63) (.63) (.69) (.77) (.67) (.48)
Net realized gains........................... (.02) (.08) (.08) (.05) -- (.04) --
Paid-in capital.............................. -- -- -- (.04) -- -- --
Total distributions........................ (.63) (.71) (.71) (.78) (.77) (.71) (.48)
Net asset value, end of period............. $10.89 $10.79 $11.27 $10.59 $10.43 $9.97 $10.30
TOTAL RETURN+................................ 2.0% 1.9% 13.6% 9.3% 12.9% 3.7% 9.2%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted).... $168,542 $199,612 $198,286 $147,996 $75,791 $7,286 $717
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses................................... .61% .56% .58% .41%(a) .10%(a) .10%(a) .30%(a)++
Net investment income...................... 5.73% 5.37% 5.66% 6.12%(a) 6.55%(a) 6.15%(a) 5.30%(a)++
Portfolio turnover rate...................... 53% 32% 24% 24% 66% 82% 2%
</TABLE>
* The information in the table above reflects the operating history of ABT
Florida Tax Free Fund, the predecessor to EVEGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND
FUND, for the periods indicated.
** Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value and is not annualized. Initial
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
MAY 11, 1988
YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, THROUGH
1992 1991 1990 APRIL 30, 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.................................................... .68% .88% 5.14% 20.40%
Net investment income (loss)................................ 5.85% 5.77% 1.01% (14.80%)
</TABLE>
6
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A, B, AND Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES CLASS Y
JULY 2, JULY 2, SHARES
1993* 1993* FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED THROUGH YEAR ENDED THROUGH 1994* THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period......... $10.19 $10.00 $10.19 $10.00 $9.83
Income (loss) from investment operations.....
Net investment income........................ .48 .20 .43 .18 .42
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on
investments................................ (1.45) .19 (1.45) .19 (1.09)
Total from investment operations........... (.97) .39 (1.02) .37 (.67)
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income........................ (.48) (.20) (.43) (.18) (.42)
Net asset value, end of period............... $8.74 $10.19 $8.74 $10.19 $8.74
TOTAL RETURN+................................ (9.6%) 4.0% (10.2%) 3.7% (6.9%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's
omitted)................................. $1,387 $817 $6,912 $3,692 $284
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................... .53% .25%++ 1.13% .75%++ .31%++
Net investment income (a).................. 5.26% 4.71%++ 4.66% 4.15%++ 5.68%++
Portfolio turnover rate...................... 147% 15% 147% 15% 147%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income (loss) to average
net assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would
have been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS Y
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES SHARES
JULY 2, 1993 JULY 2, 1993 FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED THROUGH YEAR ENDED THROUGH 1994 THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expense................................... 3.61% 6.82% 4.21% 7.32% 3.39%
Net investment income (loss).............. 2.18% (1.86%) 1.58% (2.42%) 2.60%
</TABLE>
7
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A, B AND Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B
SHARES SHARES Y SHARES
JANUARY 11, JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED 1993* THROUGH YEAR ENDED 1993* THROUGH 1994* THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period........ $10.61 $10.00 $10.61 $10.00 $10.31
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income....................... .49 .46 .44 .42 .43
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on
investments............................... (1.45) .64 (1.45) .64 (1.15)
Total from investment operations.......... (.96) 1.10 (.1.01) 1.06 (.72)
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income....................... (.49) (.46) (.44) (.42) (.43)
Net realized gains.......................... -- (.03) -- (.03) --
Total distributions....................... (.49) (.49) (.44) (.45) (.43)
Net asset value, end of period.............. $9.16 $10.61 $9.16 $10.61 $9.16
TOTAL RETURN+............................... (9.1%) 11.3% (9.6%) 10.8% (7.0%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)... $7,979 $12,739 $ 44,616 $45,168 $642
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a).............................. .79% .32%++ 1.37% .79%++ .59%++
Net investment income (a)................. 5.11% 4.91%++ 4.53% 4.47%++ 5.58%++
Portfolio turnover rate..................... 126% 57% 126% 57% 126%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund has borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES CLASS Y SHARES
JANUARY 11, JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED 1993 THROUGH YEAR ENDED 1993 THROUGH 1994 THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses................................ 1.18% 1.25% 1.76% 1.74% .98%
Net investment income................... 4.72% 3.98% 4.14% 3.52% 5.19%
</TABLE>
8
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A, B AND Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B CLASS Y
SHARES SHARES SHARES
JANUARY 3, JANUARY 3, FEBRUARY 28,
1994* THROUGH 1994* THROUGH 1994* THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1994 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period......................................... $10.00 $10.00 $9.74
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income........................................................ .46 .41 .43
Net realized and unrealized (loss) on investments............................ (1.38) (1.38) (1.12)
Total from investment operations........................................... (.92) (.97) (.69)
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income........................................................ (.46) (.41) (.43)
Net asset value, end of period............................................... $8.62 $8.62 $8.62
TOTAL RETURN+................................................................ (9.3%) (9.8%) (7.1%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted).................................... $312 $2,456 $92
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................................................... .25%++ .87%++ .00%++
Net investment income (a).................................................. 5.57%++ 4.88%++ 5.92%++
Portfolio turnover rate...................................................... 23% 23% 23%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income (loss) to average
net assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would
have been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES CLASS Y SHARES
JANUARY 3, JANUARY 3, FEBRUARY 28,
1994 1994 1994
THROUGH THROUGH THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1994 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses............................................................... 10.71% 11.33% 10.46%
Net investment income (loss)........................................... (4.89%) (5.58%) (4.54%)
</TABLE>
9
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A, B AND Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES
JULY 2, JULY 2,
1993* 1993* CLASS Y SHARES
YEAR ENDED THROUGH YEAR ENDED THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 1994*
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, THROUGH
1994 1993 1994 1993 DECEMBER 31, 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period..... $10.19 $10.00 $10.19 $10.00 $9.83
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income.................... .47 .20 .42 .17 .41
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments......................... (1.34) .19 (1.34) .19 (.98)
Total from investment operations....... (.87) .39 (.92) .36 (.57)
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income.................... (.47) (.20) (.42) (.17) (.41)
Net asset value, end of period........... $8.85 $10.19 $8.85 $10.19 $8.85
TOTAL RETURN+............................ (8.6%) 3.9% (9.1%) 3.7% (5.8%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's
omitted)............................... $1,606 $1,306 $3,817 $2,235 $344
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)........................... .53% .25%++ 1.12% .75%++ .28%++
Net investment income (a).............. 5.11% 4.64%++ 4.54% 4.25%++ 5.54%++
Portfolio turnover rate.................. 59% 0% 59% 0% 59%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income (loss) to average
net assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would
have been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS Y
CLASS A SHARES CLASS B SHARES SHARES
JULY 2, 1993 JULY 2, 1993 FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED THROUGH YEAR ENDED THROUGH 1994 THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.................................. 5.14% 7.75% 5.73% 8.25% 4.89%
Net investment income (loss).............. .50% (2.86%) (.07%) (3.25%) .93%
</TABLE>
10
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A SHARES*
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED JUNE 17,
APRIL 30, 1992** THROUGH
1995 1994 APRIL 30, 1993
<S> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period..................................................... $10.08 $10.36 $10.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income.................................................................... .65 .68 .61
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments................................... .08 (.26) .39
Total from investment operations....................................................... .73 .42 1.00
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income.................................................................... (.65) (.68) (.61)
Net realized gains....................................................................... -- (.02) (.03)
Total distributions.................................................................... (.65) (.70) (.64)
Net asset value, end of period........................................................... $10.16 $10.08 $10.36
TOTAL RETURN+............................................................................ 7.6% 3.3% 11.9%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)................................................ $65,043 $72,683 $33,541
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)........................................................................... .60% .14% .00++
Net investment income (a).............................................................. 6.52% 6.16% 5.92%++
Portfolio turnover rate.................................................................. 28% 31% 50%
</TABLE>
* The information in the table above reflects the operating history of ABT
Florida High Income Municipal Fund, the predecessor to EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH
INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, for the periods indicated.
** Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value and is not annualized. Initial
sales load is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED JUNE 17, 1992
APRIL 30, THROUGH
1995 1994 APRIL 30, 1993
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.......................................................... 1.26% 1.12% 1.12%
Net investment income............................................. 5.86% 5.18% 4.80%
</TABLE>
11
12
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund
The Funds seek current income exempt from federal regular income tax
and, where applicable, state income taxes, consistent with preservation of
capital. In addition, the Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund intends to
qualify as an investment exempt from the Florida state intangibles tax. Florida
does not currently tax personal income.
Each Fund's investment objective cannot be changed without shareholder
approval. While there is no assurance that each objective will be achieved, the
Funds will endeavor to do so by following the investment policies detailed
below. Unless otherwise indicated, the investment policies of a Fund may be
changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees ("Trustees") without the approval of
shareholders. Shareholders will be notified before any material change in these
policies becomes effective.
As a matter of fundamental investment policy, which may not be changed
without shareholder approval, each Fund will normally invest its assets so that
at least 80% of its annual interest income is, or at least 80% of its net assets
are invested in obligations which provide interest income which is exempt from
federal regular income taxes. The interest retains its tax-free status when
distributed to the Fund's shareholders. In addition, at least 65% of the value
of each Fund's total assets will be invested in municipal bonds of the
particular state after which the Fund is named. To qualify as an investment
exempt from the Florida state intangibles tax, the Evergreen Florida Municipal
Bond Fund's portfolio must consist entirely of investments exempt from the
Florida state intangibles tax on the last business day of the calendar year.
Each Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing
principally in municipal bonds, including industrial development bonds, of its
designated state. In addition, the Funds may invest in obligations issued by or
on behalf of any state, territory, or possession of the United States, including
the District of Columbia, or their political subdivisions or agencies and
instrumentalities, the interest from which is exempt from federal (regular, if
applicable) income tax. It is likely that shareholders who are subject to the
alternative minimum tax will be required to include interest from a portion of
the municipal securities owned by a Fund in calculating the federal individual
alternative minimum tax or the federal alternative minimum tax for corporations.
Municipal bonds are debt obligations issued by the state or local
entities to support a government's general financial needs or special projects,
such as housing projects or sewer works. Municipal bonds include industrial
development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities to provide
financing aid to acquire sites or construct or equip facilities for privately or
publicly owned corporations.
The two principal classifications of municipal bonds are "general
obligation" and "revenue" bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the
issuer's pledge of its full faith and credit and taxing power for the payment of
principal and interest. Revenue bonds are paid off only with the revenue
generated by the project financed by the bond or other specified sources of
revenue. For example, in the case of a bridge project, proceeds from the tolls
would go directly to retiring the bond issue. Thus, unlike general obligation
bonds, revenue bonds do not represent a pledge of credit or create any debt of
or charge against the general revenues of a municipality or public authority.
The municipal bonds in which the Funds will invest are subject to one
or more of the following quality standards: rated Baa or better by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or BBB or better by Standard & Poor's
Ratings Group ("S&P") or, if unrated, are determined by the Fund's investment
adviser to be of comparable quality to such ratings; insured by a municipal bond
insurance company which is rated Aa by Moody's or AA by S&P; guaranteed at the
time of purchase by the U.S. government as to the payment of principal and
interest; or fully collateralized by an escrow of U.S. government securities.
Bonds rated BBB by S&P or Baa by Moody's have speculative characteristics.
Changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to
weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than higher rated
bonds. However, like the higher rated bonds, these securities are considered to
be investment grade. If any security owned by a Fund loses its rating or has its
rating reduced after the Fund has purchased it, the Fund is not required to sell
or otherwise dispose of the security, but may consider doing so. If ratings made
by Moody's or S&P change because of changes in those organizations or their
ratings systems, the Funds will try to use comparable ratings as standards in
accordance with the Funds' investment objectives. A description of the rating
categories is contained in an Appendix to the Statement of Additional
Information.
The Funds may also invest in:
participation interests in any of the above obligations.
(Participation interests may be purchased from financial institutions
such as commercial banks, savings and loan associations and insurance
companies, and give a Fund an undivided interest in particular
municipal securities);
variable rate municipal securities. (Variable rate securities
offer interest rates which are tied to a money market rate, usually a
published interest rate or interest rate index or the 91-day U.S.
Treasury bill rate. Many of these securities are subject to prepayment
of principal on demand by the Fund, usually in seven days or less); and
municipal leases issued by state and local governments or
authorities to finance the acquisition of equipment and facilities. The
Fund may purchase municipal securities in the form of participation
interests which represent undivided proportional interests in lease
payments by a governmental or non-profit entity. The lease payments and
other rights under the lease provide for and secure the payments on the
certificates. Lease obligations may be limited by municipal charter or
the nature of the appropriation for the lease. In particular, lease
obligations may be subject to periodic appropriation. If the entity
does not appropriate funds for future lease payments, the entity cannot
be compelled to make such payments. Furthermore, a lease may provide
that the certificate trustee cannot accelerate lease obligations upon
default. The trustee would only be able to enforce lease payments as
they become due. In the event of a default or failure of appropriation,
it is unlikely that the trustee would be able to obtain an acceptable
substitute source of payment or that the substitute source of payment
would generate tax-exempt income.
During periods when, in the Adviser's opinion, a temporary defensive
position in the market is appropriate, a Fund may temporarily invest in
short-term tax-exempt or taxable investments. These temporary investments
include: notes issued by or on behalf of municipal or corporate issuers;
obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, or
instrumentalities; other debt securities; commercial paper; bank certificates of
deposit; shares of other investment companies; and repurchase agreements. There
are no rating requirements applicable to temporary investments. However, the
Adviser will limit temporary investments to those it considers to be of
comparable quality to the Fund's primary investments.
Although the Funds are permitted to make taxable, temporary investments, there
is no current intention of generating income subject to federal regular income
tax, where applicable. However, certain temporary investments will generate
income which is subject to state taxes. The Fund may employ certain additional
investment strategies which are discussed in "Investment Practices and
Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund seeks to provide a
high level of current income which is exempt from federal income taxes. The term
"high-level" indicates that the Fund seeks to achieve an income level that
exceeds that which an investor would expect from an investment grade portfolio
with similar maturity characteristics. Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal
Bond Fund invests primarily in high yield, medium and lower rated (Baa through C
by Moody's and BBB through D by S&P) and unrated municipal securities. To
varying degrees, medium and lower rated municipal securities, as well as unrated
municipal securities, are considered to have speculative characteristics and are
subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss of income and principal
than higher rated securities. To the extent that an investor realizes a yield in
excess of that which could be expected from a fund which invests primarily in
investment grade securities, the investor should expect to bear increased risk
due to the fact that the risk of principal and/or interest not being repaid with
respect to the high yield securities described above is significantly greater
than that which exists in connection with investment grade securities. In
assessing the risk involved in purchasing medium and lower rated and unrated
securities, the Fund's investment adviser will use nationally recognized
statistical rating organizations such as Moody's and S&P, and will also rely
heavily on credit analysis it develops internally. Under normal circumstances,
the Fund's dollar-weighted average maturity generally will be 15 years or more.
However, the Fund may invest in securities of any maturity, and if the Fund's
investment determines that market conditions warrant a shorter average maturity,
the Fund's investments will be adjusted accordingly.. In pursuit of its
investment objective, Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund will,
under normal market conditions, invest at least 65% in such medium and lower
rated municipal securities or unrated municipal securities of comparable quality
to such rated municipal bonds. Investors should note that such a policy is not a
fundamental policy of the Fund and shareholder approval is not necessary to
change such policy. There is no assurance that Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund can achieve its investment objective.
The Fund will not invest in municipal securities which are in default,
i.e., securities rated D by S&P. Investments may also be made by Evergreen
Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund in higher quality municipal bonds and,
for temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest less than 65% of its total
assets in the medium and lower quality municipal securities described above. The
Fund may assume a defensive position if, for example, yield spreads between
lower grade and investment grade municipal bonds are narrow and the yields
available on lower quality municipal securities do not justify the increased
risk associated with an investment in such securities or when there is a lack of
medium and lower quality issues in which to invest. Evergreen Florida High
Income Municipal Bond Fund may also invest primarily in higher quality Municipal
Obligations until its net assets reach a level that would permit the Fund to
begin investing in medium and lower rated municipal bonds and at the same time
maintain adequate diversification and liquidity. Investing in this manner may
result in yields lower than those normally associated with a fund that invests
primarily in medium and lower quality municipal securities.
During the most recent fiscal year completed by Evergreen Florida High
Income Municipal Bond Fund's predecessor, ended April 30, 1995, its holdings had
the following average credit quality characteristics:
Percent of
Rating Net Assets
Aaa or AAA 3.4%
Aa or AA ---
A 6.0
Baa or BBB 22.1
Ba or BB 1.5
Ba or BB 7.9
Non-rated 56.6
-----
Total 97.5%
The Fund may purchase industrial development bonds only if the interest
on such bonds is, in the opinion of bond counsel, exempt from federal income
taxes. It is anticipated that the annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund
may exceed 100%. The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies
which are discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below. Also, see
the Statement of Additional Information for further information in regard to
ratings.
INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RESTRICTIONS
Risk Factors. Bond yields are dependent on several factors including market
conditions, the size of an offering, the maturity of the bond, ratings of the
bond and the ability of issuers to meet their obligations. There is no limit on
the maturity of the bonds purchased by the Funds. Because the prices of bonds
fluctuate inversely in relation to the direction of interest rates, the prices
of longer term bonds fluctuate more widely in response to market interest rate
changes. A Fund's concentration in securities issued by its designated state and
that state's political subdivisions provides a greater level of risk than a fund
which is diversified across numerous states and municipal entities. An expanded
discussion of the risks associated with the purchase of the designated state's
municipal bonds is contained in the respective Statements of Additional
Information. Although the Funds, other than Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund will not purchase securities rated below BBB by S&P or Baa
by Moody's (i.e., junk bonds), the Funds are not required to dispose of
securities that have been downgraded subsequent to their purchase. If the
municipal obligations held by a Fund (because of adverse economic conditions in
a particular state, for example) are downgraded, the Fund's concentration in
securities of that state may cause the Fund to be subject to the risks inherent
in holding material amounts of low-rated debt securities in its portfolio. As
stated above, Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund invests
primarily in high yield, medium and lower rated (Baa through C by Moody's and
BBB through D by S&P) and unrated securities. Additional risk factors relating
to the investment by Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund in high
yield, medium and lower rated (Baa through C by Moody's and BBB through D by
S&P) and unrated securities are discussed below.
Portfolio Turnover. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% would occur if all of a
Fund's portfolio securities were replaced in one year. The portfolio turnover
rate experienced by a Fund directly affects the transaction costs relating to
the purchase and sale of securities which a Fund bears directly. A high rate of
portfolio turnover will increase such costs. See the Statement of Additional
Information for further information regarding the practices of the Funds
affecting portfolio turnover.
Non-Diversification. Each of Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen
Georgia Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund,
Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Virginia Municipal
Bond Fund is a non-diversified portfolio of an investment company and as such,
there is no limit on the percentage of assets which can be invested in any
single issuer. An investment in a Fund, therefore, will entail greater risk than
would exist in a diversified investment company because the higher percentage of
investments among fewer issuers may result in greater fluctuation in the total
market value of the Fund's portfolio. Each of the Funds intends to comply with
Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") which
requires that at the end of each quarter of each taxable year, with regard to at
least 50% of the Fund's total assets, no more than 5% of the total assets may be
invested in the securities of a single issuer and that with respect to the
remainder of the Fund's total assets, no more than 25% of its total assets are
invested in the securities of a single issuer.
Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may invest in repurchase agreements. Repurchase
agreements are agreements by which a Fund purchases a security (usually U.S.
government securities) for cash and obtains a simultaneous commitment from the
seller (usually a bank or broker/dealer) to repurchase the security at an
agreed-upon price and specified future date. The repurchase price reflects an
agreed-upon interest rate for the time period of the agreement. The Funds' risk
is the inability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon price on the delivery
date. However, this risk is tempered by the ability of the Funds to sell the
security in the open market in the case of a default. In such a case, the Funds
may incur costs in disposing of the security which would increase Fund expenses.
The Adviser will monitor the creditworthiness of the firms with which the Funds
enter into repurchase agreements.
When-Issued And Delayed Delivery Transactions. The Funds may purchase securities
on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. These transactions are arrangements
in which the Funds purchase securities with payment and delivery scheduled for a
future time. The seller's failure to complete these transactions may cause the
Funds to miss a price or yield considered to be advantageous. Settlement dates
may be a month or more after entering into these transactions, and the market
values of the securities purchased may vary from the purchase prices.
Accordingly, the Funds may pay more or less than the market value of the
securities on the settlement date. The Funds may dispose of a commitment prior
to settlement if the Adviser deems it appropriate to do so. In addition, the
Funds may enter into transactions to sell their purchase commitments to third
parties at current market values and simultaneously acquire other commitments to
purchase similar securities at later dates. The Funds may realize short-term
profits or losses upon the sale of such commitments.
Lending Of Portfolio Securities. In order to generate additional income, the
Funds may lend their portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis to
broker/dealers, banks, or other institutional borrowers of securities. The Funds
will only enter into loan arrangements with creditworthy borrowers and will
receive collateral in the form of cash or U.S. government securities equal to at
least 100% of the value of the securities loaned. As a matter of fundamental
investment policy which cannot be changed without shareholder approval, the
Funds will not lend any of their assets except portfolio securities up to
one-third of the value of their total assets. There is the risk that when
lending portfolio securities, the securities may not be available to a Fund on a
timely basis and the Fund may, therefore, lose the opportunity to sell the
securities at a desirable price. In addition, in the event that a borrower of
securities would file for bankruptcy or become insolvent, disposition of the
securities may be delayed pending court action.
Investing In Securities Of Other Investment Companies. Each Fund may invest in
the securities of other investment companies. This is a short-term measure to
invest cash which has not yet been invested in other portfolio instruments and
is subject to the following limitations: (1) no Fund will own more than 3% of
the total outstanding voting stock of any one investment company, (2) no Fund
may invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one investment company and
(3) no Fund may invest more than 10% of its total assets in investment companies
in general. The Adviser will waive its investment advisory fee on assets
invested in securities of other open end investment companies.
Borrowing. As a matter of fundamental policy, which may not be changed without
shareholder approval, the Funds may not borrow money except as a temporary
measure to facilitate redemption requests which might otherwise require the
untimely disposition of portfolio investments and for extraordinary or emergency
purposes, provided that the aggregate amount of such borrowings shall not exceed
one-third of the value of the total net assets at the time of such borrowing.
Illiquid Securities. The Funds may invest up to 15% of their net assets in
illiquid securities and other securities which are not readily marketable.
Repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days will be included
for the purpose of the foregoing 15% limit. Securities eligible for resale
pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, which have been
determined to be liquid, will not be considered by the Adviser to be illiquid or
not readily marketable and, therefore, are not subject to the aforementioned 15%
limit. The inability of a Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable
investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair a Fund's ability to
raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. The liquidity of securities
purchased by a Fund which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A will be
monitored by the Adviser on an ongoing basis, subject to the oversight of the
Trustees. In the event that such a security is deemed to be no longer liquid, a
Fund's holdings will be reviewed to determine what action, if any, is required
to ensure that the retention of such security does not result in a Fund having
more than 15% of its assets invested in illiquid or not readily marketable
securities.
Unseasoned Issuers. The Funds will not invest more than 5% of the value of their
total assets in securities of issuers (or guarantors, where applicable) which
have records of less than three years of continuous operations, including the
operation of any predecessor.
Risk Factors Associated with Medium and Lower Rated and Unrated Municipal
Obligations. Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund will invest in
medium and lower rated or unrated municipal securities. The market for high
yield, high risk debt securities rated in the medium and lower rating
categories, or which are unrated, is relatively new and its growth has
paralleled a long economic expansion. Past experience may not, therefore,
provide an accurate indication of future performance of this market,
particularly during periods of economic recession. An economic downturn or
increase in interest rates is likely to have a greater negative effect on this
market, the value of high yield debt securities in the Fund's portfolio, the
Fund's net asset value and the ability of the bonds' issuers to repay principal
and interest, meet projected business goals and obtain additional financing,
than would be the case if investments by the Fund were limited to higher rated
securities. These circumstances also may result in a higher incidence of
defaults. Yields on medium or lower-rated municipal bonds may not fully reflect
the higher risks of such bonds. Therefore, the risk of a decline in market
value, should interest rates increase or credit quality concerns develop, may be
higher than has historically been experienced with such investments. An
investment in Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund may be
considered more speculative than investment in shares of another fund which
invests primarily in higher rated debt securities.
Prices of high yield debt securities may be more sensitive to adverse
economic changes or corporate developments than higher rated investments. Debt
securities with longer maturities, which may have higher yields, may increase or
decrease in value more than debt securities with shorter maturities. Market
prices of high yield debt securities structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind
securities are affected to a greater extent by interest rate changes and may be
more volatile than securities which pay interest periodically and in cash. Where
Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund deems it appropriate and in
the best interests of its shareholders, it may incur additional expenses to seek
recovery on a debt security on which the issuer has defaulted and to pursue
litigation to protect the interests of security holders of its portfolio
entities.
Because the market for medium or lower rated securities may be thinner
and less active than the market for higher rated securities, there may be market
price volatility for these securities and limited liquidity in the resale
market. Unrated securities are usually not as attractive to as many buyers as
are rated securities, a factor which may make unrated securities less
marketable. These factors may have the effect of limiting the availability of
the securities for purchase by Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund
and may also limit the ability of the Fund to sell such securities at their fair
value either to meet redemption requests or in response to changes in the
economy or the financial markets. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions,
whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and
liquidity of medium or lower rated debt securities, especially in a thinly
traded market. To the extent the Fund owns or may acquire illiquid or restricted
high yield securities, these securities may involve special registration
responsibilities, liabilities and costs, and liquidity and valuation
difficulties. Changes in values of debt securities which the Fund owns will
affect the Fund's net asset value per share. If market quotations are not
readily available for the Fund's lower rated or unrated securities, these
securities will be valued by a method that the Trustees believes accurately
reflects fair value. Valuation becomes more difficult and judgment plays a
greater role in valuing high yield debt securities than with respect to
securities for which more external sources of quotations and last sale
information are available.
Special tax considerations are associated with investing in high yield
debt securities structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind securities. A Fund
investing in such securities accrues income on these securities prior to the
receipt of cash payments. Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund must
distribute substantially all of its income to shareholders to qualify for pass
through treatment under the tax laws and may, therefore, have to dispose of
portfolio securities to satisfy distribution requirements.
While credit ratings are only one factor Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund's investment adviser relies on in evaluating high yield debt
securities, certain risks are associated with using credit ratings. Credit
ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not market value
risk. Credit rating agencies may fail to change in timely manner the credit
ratings to reflect subsequent events; however, the Fund's investment adviser
continuously monitors the issuers of high yield debt securities in the Fund's
portfolio in an attempt to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash
flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments. Achievement
of Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund's investment objective may
be more dependent upon the Fund's investment adviser and the credit analysis
capability of the Fund's investment adviser, than is the case for higher quality
debt securities. Credit ratings for individual securities may change from time
to time and Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund may retain a
portfolio security whose rating has been changed. See the Statement of
Additional Information for a description of bond and note ratings.
Transactions in Options and Futures. The Funds may engage in options and futures
transactions. Options and futures transactions are intended to enable a Fund to
manage market or interest rate risk, and the Funds do not use these transactions
for speculation or leverage. The Funds may attempt to hedge all or a portion of
their portfolios through the purchase of both put and call options on their
portfolio securities and listed put options on financial futures contracts for
portfolio securities. The Funds may also write covered call options on their
portfolio securities to attempt to increase their current income. The Funds will
maintain their positions in securities, option rights, and segregated cash
subject to puts and calls until the options are exercised, closed, or have
expired. An option position may be closed out only on an exchange which provides
a secondary market for an option of the same series. The Funds may purchase
listed put options on financial futures contracts. These options will be used
only to protect portfolio securities against decreases in value resulting from
market factors such as an anticipated increase in interest rates.
The Funds may write (i.e., sell) covered call and put options. By
writing a call option, a Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to
deliver the securities underlying the option upon payment of the exercise price.
By writing a put option, a Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option
to purchase the securities underlying the option at the exercise price if the
option is exercised. The Funds also may write straddles (combinations of covered
puts and calls on the same underlying security). The Funds may only write
"covered" options. This means that so long as a Fund is obligated as the writer
of a call option, it will own the underlying securities subject to the option
or, in the case of call options on U.S. Treasury bills, the Fund might own
substantially similar U.S. Treasury bills. A Fund will be considered "covered"
with respect to a put option it writes if, so long as it is obligated as the
writer of the put option, it deposits and maintains with its custodian in a
segregated account liquid assets having a value equal to or greater than the
exercise price of the option.
The principal reason for writing call or put options is to obtain,
through a receipt of premiums, a greater current return than would be realized
on the underlying securities alone. The Funds receive a premium from writing a
call or put option which they retain whether or not the option is exercised. By
writing a call option, the Funds might lose the potential for gain on the
underlying security while the option is open, and by writing a put option, the
Funds might become obligated to purchase the underlying securities for more than
their current market price upon exercise.
A futures contract is a firm commitment by two parties: the seller, who
agrees to make delivery of the specific type of instrument called for in the
contract ("going short"), and the buyer, who agrees to take delivery of the
instrument ("going long") at a certain time in the future. Financial futures
contracts call for the delivery of particular debt instruments issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by specified agencies or instrumentalities of
the U.S. government. If a Fund would enter into financial futures contracts
directly to hedge its holdings of fixed income securities, it would enter into
contracts to deliver securities at an undetermined price (i.e., "go short") to
protect itself against the possibility that the prices of its fixed income
securities may decline during the Fund's anticipated holding period. A Fund
would "go long" (agree to purchase securities in the future at a predetermined
price) to hedge against a decline in market interest rates.
The Funds may also enter into financial futures contracts and write
options on such contracts. The Funds intend to enter into such contracts and
related options for hedging purposes. The Funds will enter into futures on
securities or index-based futures contracts in order to hedge against changes in
interest rates or securities prices. A futures contract on securities is an
agreement to buy or sell securities during a designated month at whatever price
exists at that time. A futures contract on a securities index does not involve
the actual delivery of securities, but merely requires the payment of a cash
settlement based on changes in the securities index. The Funds do not make
payment or deliver securities upon entering into a futures contract. Instead,
they put down a margin deposit, which is adjusted to reflect changes in the
value of the contract and which remains in effect until the contract is
terminated.
The Funds may sell or purchase other financial futures contracts. When
a futures contract is sold by a Fund, the profit on the contract will tend to
rise when the value of the underlying securities declines and to fall when the
value of such securities increases. Thus, the Funds sell futures contracts in
order to offset a possible decline in the profit on their securities. If a
futures contract is purchased by a Fund, the value of the contract will tend to
rise when the value of the underlying securities increases and to fall when the
value of such securities declines. The Funds may enter into closing purchase and
sale transactions in order to terminate a futures contract and may buy or sell
put and call options for the purpose of closing out their options positions. The
Funds' ability to enter into closing transactions depends on the development and
maintenance of a liquid secondary market. There is no assurance that a liquid
secondary market will exist for any particular contract or at any particular
time. As a result, there can be no assurance that the Funds will be able to
enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular contract at a
particular time. If the Funds are not able to enter into an offsetting
transaction, the Funds will continue to be required to maintain the margin
deposits on the contract and to complete the contract according to its terms, in
which case it would continue to bear market risk on the transaction.
Risk Characteristics Of Options And Futures. Although options and futures
transactions are intended to enable the Funds to manage market or interest rate
risks, these investment devices can be highly volatile, and the Funds' use of
them can result in poorer performance (i.e., the Funds' return may be reduced).
The Funds' attempt to use such investment devices for hedging purposes may not
be successful. Successful futures strategies require the ability to predict
future movements in securities prices, interest rates and other economic
factors. When the Funds use financial futures contracts and options on financial
futures contracts as hedging devices, there is a risk that the prices of the
securities subject to the financial futures contracts and options on financial
futures contracts may not correlate perfectly with the prices of the securities
in the Funds' portfolios. This may cause the financial futures contract and any
related options to react to market changes differently than the portfolio
securities. In addition, the Adviser could be incorrect in its expectations and
forecasts about the direction or extent of market factors, such as interest
rates, securities price movements, and other economic factors. Even if the
Adviser correctly predicts interest rate movements, a hedge could be
unsuccessful if changes in the value of a Fund's futures position did not
correspond to changes in the value of its investments. In these events, the
Funds may lose money on the financial futures contracts or the options on
financial futures contracts. It is not certain that a secondary market for
positions in financial futures contracts or for options on financial futures
contracts will exist at all times. Although the Adviser will consider liquidity
before entering into financial futures contracts or options on financial futures
contracts transactions, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on
an exchange will exist for any particular financial futures contract or option
on a financial futures contract at any particular time. The Funds' ability to
establish and close out financial futures contracts and options on financial
futures contract positions depends on this secondary market. If a Fund is unable
to close out its position due to disruptions in the market or lack of liquidity,
the Fund may lose money on the futures contract or option, and the losses to the
Fund could be significant.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
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INVESTMENT ADVISER
The management of each Fund is supervised by the Trustees of the Trust
under which the Fund has been established ("Trustees"). The Capital Management
Group of First Union National Bank of North Carolina ("CMG") serves as
investment adviser to Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen Georgia
Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen
South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund and
Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund. First Union National Bank of
North Carolina ("FUNB") is a subsidiary of First Union Corporation ("First
Union"), one of the ten largest bank holding companies in the United States.
First Union is a bank holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North
Carolina, which had $74.2 billion in consolidated assets as of September 30,
1994. First Union and its subsidiaries provide a broad range of financial
services to individuals and businesses through offices in 36 states. The Capital
Management Group of FUNB manages or otherwise oversees the investment of over
$36 billion in assets belonging to a wide range of clients, including all the
series of Evergreen Investment Trust (formerly known as First Union Funds).
First Union Brokerage Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of FUNB, is a
registered broker-dealer that is principally engaged in providing retail
brokerage services consistent with its federal banking authorizations. First
Union Capital Markets Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union, is a
registered broker-dealer principally engaged in providing, consistent with its
federal banking authorizations, private placement, securities dealing, and
underwriting services.
CMG manages investments and supervises the daily business affairs of
Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund,
Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal
Bond Fund, Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Florida High
Income Municipal Bond Fund and, as compensation therefor, is entitled to receive
an annual fee equal to .50 of 1% of average daily net assets of each Fund other
than Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund, from which it is
entitled to receive an annual fee equal to .60 of 1% of average daily net
assets. The total annualized operating expenses of Evergreen Florida Municipal
Bond Fund, Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina
Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen
Virginia Municipal Bond Fund and the total annualized operating expenses of ABT
Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund, predecessor to Evergreen Florida High
Income Municipal Bond Fund, for the most recent fiscal year are set forth in the
section entitled "Financial Highlights". Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
("Evergreen Asset"), a subsidiary of FUNB, serves as administrator to each Fund
and is entitled to receive a fee based on the average daily net assets of each
Fund at a rate based on the total assets of the mutual funds administered by
Evergreen Asset for which CMG or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment
adviser, calculated in accordance with the following schedule: .050% of the
first $7 billion; .035% on the next $3 billion; .030% on the next $5 billion;
.020% on the next $10 billion; .015% on the next $5 billion; and .010% on assets
in excess of $30 billion. Furman Selz Incorporated, the parent of Evergreen
Funds Distributor, Inc., distributor for the Evergreen group of mutual funds,
serves as sub-administrator for each Fund and is entitled to receive a fee from
each Fund calculated on the average daily net assets of each Funds at a rate
based on the total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset
for which CMG or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in
accordance with the following schedule: .0100% of the first $7 billion; .0075%
on the next $3 billion; .0050% on the next $15 billion; and .0040% on assets in
excess of $25 billion. The total assets of the mutual funds administered by
Evergreen Asset for which CMG or Evergreen Asset serve as investment adviser as
of March 31, 1995 were approximately $8 billion.
Robert S. Drye is a Vice President of FUNB , and has been with FUNB
since 1968. Since 1989, Mr. Drye has served as a portfolio manager for several
of the series of Evergreen Investment Trust and for certain common trust funds.
Prior to 1989, Mr. Drye worked as a marketing specialist with First Union
Brokerage Services, Inc. Mr. Drye has managed the Evergreen South Carolina
Municipal Bond Fund since its inception in January 1994. In addition, Mr. Drye
has been the portfolio manager for the Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund
since its inception in July 1993. Richard K. Marrone is a Vice President of FUNB
. Mr. Marrone joined FUNB in May 1993 with eleven years of experience managing
fixed income assets at Woodbridge Capital Management, a subsidiary of Comerica
Bank, N.A. Mr. Marrone is responsible for the portfolio management of several
series of Evergreen Investment Trust and certain common trust funds. Mr. Marrone
has served as portfolio manager of the Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond
Fund since May 1993, and portfolio manager of the Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund since their
inception in July 1995 and July 1993, respectively. Charles E. Jeanne joined
FUNB, in July 1993. Prior to joining FUNB , Mr. Jeanne served as a
trader/portfolio manager for First American Bank where he was responsible for
individual accounts and common trust funds. Mr. Jeanne has been the portfolio
manager for the Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund since its inception in
1993.
DISTRIBUTION PLANS AND AGREEMENTS
Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 permits an
investment company to pay expenses associated with the distribution of its
shares in accordance with a duly adopted plan. Each Fund has adopted for each of
its Class A and Class B shares a Rule 12b-1 plan (each, a "Plan" or collectively
the "Plans"). Under the Plans, each Fund may incur distribution-related and
shareholder servicing-related expenses which may not exceed an annual rate of
.75 of 1% of the aggregate average daily net assets attributable to each Fund's
Class A shares, 1.00% of the aggregate average daily net assets attributable to
the Class B shares of Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Fund, and .75 of
1% of the aggregate average daily net assets attributable to the Class B shares
of Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund,
Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal
Bond Fund and Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund. Payments under the Plans
adopted with respect to Class A shares are currently voluntarily limited to .25
of 1% of each Fund's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class A
shares. The Plans provide that a portion of the fee payable thereunder may
constitute a service fee to be used for providing ongoing personal services
and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond
Fund, Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina Municipal
Bond Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Virginia
Municipal Bond Fund have, in addition to the Plans adopted with respect to their
Class B shares, adopted a shareholder service plan ("Service Plans") relating to
the Class B shares which permit each Fund to incur a fee of up to .25 of 1% of
the aggregate average daily net assets attributable to the Class B shares for
ongoing personal services and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Such
service fee payments to financial intermediaries for such purposes, whether
pursuant to a Plan or Service Plans, will not to exceed .25% of the aggregate
average daily net assets attributable to each Class of shares of each Fund.
Each Fund has also entered into a distribution agreement (each a
"Distribution Agreement" or collectively the "Distribution Agreements") with
Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc. ("EFD"). Pursuant to the Distribution
Agreements, each Fund will compensate EFD for its services as distributor at a
rate which may not exceed an annual rate of .25 of 1% of a Fund's aggregate
average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares and .75 of 1% of a
Fund's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to the Class B shares.
The Distribution Agreements provide that EFD will use the distribution fee
received from a Fund for payments (i) to compensate broker-dealers or other
persons for distributing shares of the Funds, including interest and principal
payments made in respect of amounts paid to broker-dealers or other persons that
have been financed (EFD may assign its rights to receive compensation under the
Plans to secure such financings), (ii) to otherwise promote the sale of shares
of the Fund, and (iii) to compensate broker-dealers, depository institutions and
other financial intermediaries for providing administrative, accounting and
other services with respect to the Fund's shareholders. The financing of
payments made by EFD to compensate broker-dealers or other persons for
distributing shares of the Funds may be provided by First Union or its
affiliates. The Funds may also make payments under the Plans (and in the case of
Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund,
Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal
Bond Fund and Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund, the Service Plans), in
amounts up to .25 of 1% of a Fund's aggregate average daily net assets on an
annual basis attributable to Class B shares, to compensate organizations, which
may include EFD and each Fund's investment adviser or their affiliates, for
personal services rendered to shareholders and/or the maintenance of shareholder
accounts.
The Funds may not pay any distribution or services fees during any
fiscal period in excess of the amounts set forth above. Since EFD's compensation
under the Distribution Agreements is not directly tied to the expenses incurred
by EFD, the amount of compensation received by it under the Distribution
Agreements during any year may be more or less than its actual expenses and may
result in a profit to EFD. Distribution expenses incurred by EFD in one fiscal
year that exceed the level of compensation paid to EFD for that year may be paid
from distribution fees received from a Fund in subsequent fiscal years.
The Plans and Service Plans are in compliance with rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. which effectively limit the
annual asset-based sales charges and service fees that a mutual fund may pay on
a class of shares to .75 of 1% and .25 of 1%, respectively, of the average
annual net assets attributable to that class. The rules also limit the aggregate
of all front-end, deferred and asset-based sales charges imposed with respect to
a class of shares by a mutual fund that also charges a service fee to 6.25% of
cumulative gross sales of shares of that class, plus interest at the prime rate
plus 1% per annum.
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PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
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HOW TO BUY SHARES
You can purchase shares of any of the Funds through broker-dealers,
banks or other financial intermediaries, or directly through EFD. The minimum
initial investment is $1,000, which may be waived in certain situations. There
is no minimum for subsequent investments. Investments of $25 or more are allowed
under the systematic investment program. Share certificates are not issued for
Class A and Class B shares. In states where EFD is not registered as a
broker-dealer shares of a Fund will only be sold through other broker-dealers or
other financial institutions that are registered. See the Share Purchase
Application and Statement of Additional Information for more information. Only
Class A and Class B shares are offered through this Prospectus (see "General
Information" - "Other Classes of Shares").
Class A Shares-Front-End Sales Charge Alternative. You can purchase Class A
shares at net asset value plus an initial sales charge, as follows:
Initial Sales Charge
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
Commission to
Dealer/Agent
as a % of the Net as a % of the as a % of
Amount of Purchase Amount Invested Offering Price Offering Price
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
Less than $100,000 4.99% 4.75% 4.25%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
$100,000 - $249,999 3.90% 3.75% 3.25%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
$250,000 - $499,999 3.09% 3.00% 2.50%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
$500,000 - $999,999 2.04% 2.00% 1.75%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
$1,000,000 - $2,499,999 1.01% 1.00% 1.00%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
Over $2,500,000 .25% .25% .25%
------------------------ ----------------- --------------- ------------------
No front-end sales charges are imposed on Class A shares purchased by:
institutional investors, which may include bank trust departments and registered
investment advisers; investment advisers, consultants or financial planners who
place trades for their own accounts or the accounts of their clients and who
charge such clients a management, consulting, advisory or other fee; clients of
investment advisers or financial planners who place trades for their own
accounts if the accounts are linked to the master account of such investment
advisers or financial planners on the books of the broker-dealer through whom
shares are purchased; institutional clients of broker-dealers, including
retirement and deferred compensation plans and the trusts used to fund these
plans, which place trades through an omnibus account maintained with a Fund by
the broker-dealer; shareholders of record on October 12, 1990 in any series of
Evergreen Investment Trust in existence on that date, and the members of their
immediate families; employees of FUNB and its affiliates, EFD and any
broker-dealer with whom EFD has entered into an agreement to sell shares of the
Funds, and members of the immediate families of such employees; and upon the
initial purchase of an Evergreen mutual fund by investors reinvesting the
proceeds from a redemption within the preceeding thirty days of shares of other
mutual funds, provided such shares were initially purchased with a front-end
sales charge or subject to a CDSC. Certain broker-dealers or other financial
institutions may impose a fee on transactions in shares of the Funds.
When Class A shares are sold, EFD will normally retain a portion of the
applicable sales charge and pay the balance to the broker-dealer or other
financial intermediary through whom the sale was made. EFD may also pay fees to
banks from sales charges for services performed on behalf of the bank's
customers in connection with the purchase of shares of the Funds. In addition to
compensation paid at the time of sale, entities whose clients have purchased
Class A shares may receive a trailing commission equal to .25 of 1% of the
aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares of each Fund
held by their clients. Certain purchases of Class A shares may qualify for
reduced sales charges in accordance with a Fund's Combined Purchase Privilege,
Cumulative Quantity Discount, Statement of Intention, Privilege for Certain
Retirement Plans and Reinstatement Privilege. Consult the Share Purchase
Application and Statement of Additional Information for additional information
concerning these reduced sales charges.
Class B Shares-Deferred Sales Charge Alternative. You can purchase Class B
shares at net asset value without an initial sales charge. However, you may pay
a contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") if you redeem shares within seven
years after purchase. Shares obtained from dividend or distribution reinvestment
are not subject to the CDSC. The amount of the CDSC (expressed as a percentage
of the lesser of the current net asset value or original cost) will vary
according to the number of years from the purchase of Class B shares as set
forth below.
Year Since Purchase Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
FIRST 5%
SECOND 4%
THIRD and FOURTH 3%
FIFTH 2%
SIXTH and SEVENTH 1%
The CDSC is deducted from the amount of the redemption and is paid to EFD. The
CDSC will be waived on redemptions of shares following the death or disability
of a shareholder, to meet distribution requirements for certain qualified
retirement plans or in the case of certain redemptions made under a Fund's
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan. Class B shares are subject to higher
distribution and/or shareholder service fees than Class A shares for a period of
seven years (after which they convert to Class A shares) . The higher fees mean
a higher expense ratio, so Class B shares pay correspondingly lower dividends
and may have a lower net asset value than Class A shares. See the Statement of
Additional Information for further details.
With respect to Class B Shares, no CDSC will be imposed on: (1) the
portion of redemption proceeds attributable to increases in the value of the
account due to increases in the net asset value per Share, (2) Shares acquired
through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, (3) Shares held for more
than seven years after the end of the calendar month of acquisition, (4)
accounts following the death or disability of a shareholder, or (5) minimum
required distributions to a shareholder over the age of 70 1/2 from an IRA or
other retirement plan.
How the Funds Value Their Shares. The net asset value of each Class of shares of
a Fund is calculated by dividing the value of the amount of the Fund's net
assets attributable to that Class by the outstanding shares of that Class.
Shares are valued each day the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open
as of the close of regular trading (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). The
securities in a Fund are valued at their current market value determined on the
basis of market quotations or, if such quotations are not readily available,
such other methods as the Trustees believe would accurately reflect fair market
value.
General. The decision as to which Class of shares is more beneficial to you
depends on the amount of your investment and the length of time you will hold
it. If you are making a large investment, thus qualifying for a reduced sales
charge, you might consider Class A shares. If you are making a smaller
investment, you might consider Class B shares since 100% of your purchase is
invested immediately and since such shares will convert to Class A shares, which
incur lower ongoing distribution and/or shareholder service fees, after seven
years. The compensation received by Dealers and agents may differ depending on
whether they sell Class A or Class B shares. There is no size limit on purchases
of Class A shares.
In addition to the discount or commission paid to dealers, EFD will
from time to time pay to dealers additional cash or other incentives that are
conditioned upon the sale of a specified minimum dollar amount of shares of a
Fund and/or other Evergreen Mutual Funds. Such incentives will take the form of
payment for attendance at seminars, lunches, dinners, sporting events or theater
performances, or payment for travel, lodging and entertainment incurred in
connection with travel by persons associated with a dealer and their immediate
family members to urban or resort locations within or outside the United States.
Such a dealer may elect to receive cash incentives of equivalent amount in lieu
of such payments.
Additional Purchase Information. As a condition of this offering, if a purchase
is canceled due to nonpayment or because an investor's check does not clear, the
investor will be responsible for any loss a Fund or the Fund's investment
adviser incurs. If such investor is an existing shareholder, a Fund may redeem
shares from an investor's account to reimburse the Fund or its investment
adviser for any loss. In addition, such investors may be prohibited or
restricted from making further purchases in any of the Evergreen mutual funds.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
You may "redeem", i.e., sell your shares in a Fund to the Fund on any
day the Exchange is open, either directly or through your financial
intermediary. The price you will receive is the net asset value (less any
applicable CDSC for Class B shares) next calculated after the Fund receives your
request in proper form. Proceeds generally will be sent to you within seven
days. However, for shares recently purchased by check, a Fund will not send
proceeds until it is reasonably satisfied that the check has been collected
(which may take up to 15 days). Once a redemption request has been telephoned or
mailed, it is irrevocable and may not be modified or canceled.
Redeeming Shares Through Your Financial Intermediary. A Fund must receive
instructions from your financial intermediary before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for
you to receive that day's net asset value (less any applicable CDSC for Class B
shares). Your financial intermediary is responsible for furnishing all necessary
documentation to a Fund and may charge you for this service. Certain financial
intermediaries may require that you give instructions earlier than 4:00 p.m.
Redeeming Shares Directly by Mail or Telephone. Send a signed letter of
instruction or stock power form to State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State
Street") which is the registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent
for each Fund. Stock power forms are available from your financial intermediary,
State Street, and many commercial banks. Additional documentation is required
for the sale of shares by corporations, financial intermediaries, fiduciaries
and surviving joint owners. Signature guarantees are required for all redemption
requests for shares with a value of more than $10,000 or where the redemption
proceeds are to be mailed to an address other than that shown in the account
registration. A signature guarantee must be provided by a bank or trust company
(not a Notary Public), a member firm of a domestic stock exchange or by other
financial institutions whose guarantees are acceptable to State Street.
Shareholders may withdraw amounts of $1,000 or more from their accounts
by calling by calling the phone number on the front page of this Prospectus
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (Eastern time) each business day
(i.e., any weekday exclusive of days on which the Exchange or State Street's
offices are closed). The Exchange is closed on New Year's Day, Presidents Day,
Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and
Christmas Day. Redemption requests made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be
processed using the net asset value determined on the next business day. Such
redemption requests must include the shareholder's account name, as registered
with a Fund, and the account number. During periods of drastic economic or
market changes, shareholders may experience difficulty in effecting telephone
redemptions. Shareholders who are unable to reach a Fund or State Street by
telephone should follow the procedures outlined above for redemption by mail.
The telephone redemption service is not made available to shareholders
automatically. Shareholders wishing to use the telephone redemption service must
indicate this on the Share Purchase Application and choose how the redemption
proceeds are to be paid. Redemption proceeds will either (i) be mailed by check
to the shareholder at the address in which the account is registered or (ii) be
wired to an account with the same registration as the shareholder's account in a
Fund at a designated commercial bank. State Street currently deducts a $5 wire
charge from all redemption proceeds wired. This charge is subject to change
without notice. A shareholder who decides later to use this service, or to
change instructions already given, should fill out a Shareholder Services Form
and send it to State Street Bank and Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston,
Massachusetts 02205-9827, with such shareholder's signature guaranteed by a bank
or trust company (not a Notary Public), a member firm of a domestic stock
exchange or by other financial institutions whose guarantees are acceptable to
State Street. Shareholders should allow approximately ten days for such form to
be processed. The Funds will employ reasonable procedures to verify that
telephone requests are genuine. These procedures include requiring some form of
personal identification prior to acting upon instructions and tape recording of
conversations. If the Fund fails to follow such procedures, it may be liable for
any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The Fund shall not be
liable for following telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine.
Also, the Fund reserves the right to refuse a telephone redemption request, if
it is believed advisable to do so. Financial intermediaries may charge a fee for
handling telephonic requests. The telephone redemption option may be suspended
or terminated at any time without notice.
General. The sale of shares is a taxable transaction for Federal tax purposes.
Under unusual circumstances, a Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payment
for up to seven days or longer, as permitted by Federal securities law. The
Funds reserve the right to close an account that through redemption has remained
below $1,000 for 30 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written notice to
increase the account value before the account is closed. The Funds have elected
to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 pursuant
to which each Fund is obligated to redeem shares solely in cash, up to the
lesser of $250,000 or 1% of a Fund's total net assets during any ninety day
period for any one shareholder. See the Statement of Additional Information for
further details.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
How To Exchange Shares. You may exchange some or all of your shares for shares
of the same Class in the other Evergreen mutual funds through your financial
intermediary, or by telephone or mail as described below. An exchange which
represents an initial investment in another Evergreen mutual fund must amount to
at least $1,000. Once an exchange request has been telephoned or mailed, it is
irrevocable and may not be modified or canceled. Exchanges will be made on the
basis of the relative net asset values of the shares exchanged next determined
after an exchange request is received. Exchanges are subject to minimum
investment and suitability requirements.
Each of the Evergreen mutual funds have different investment objectives
and policies. For complete information, a prospectus of the fund into which an
exchange will be made should be read prior to the exchange. An exchange is
treated for Federal income tax purposes as a redemption and purchase of shares
and may result in the realization of a capital gain or loss. Shareholders are
limited to five exchanges per calendar year, with a maximum of three per
calendar quarter. This exchange privilege may be modified or discontinued at any
time by the Fund upon sixty days' notice to shareholders and is only available
in states in which shares of the fund being acquired may lawfully be sold.
No CDSC will be imposed in the event Class B shares are exchanged for
Class B shares of other Evergreen mutual funds. If you redeem shares, the CDSC
applicable to the Class B shares of the Evergreen mutual fund originally
purchased for cash is applied. Also, Class B shares will continue to age
following an exchange for purposes of conversion to Class A shares and
determining the amount of the applicable CDSC.
Exchanges Through Your Financial Intermediary. A Fund must receive exchange
instructions from your financial intermediary before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for
you to receive that day's net asset value. Your financial intermediary is
responsible for furnishing all necessary documentation to a Fund and may charge
you for this service.
Exchanges by Telephone and Mail. You may exchange shares with a value of $1,000
or more by telephone by calling the telephone number on the front of this
Prospectus. Exchange requests made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be
processed using the net asset value determined on the next business day. During
periods of drastic economic or market changes, shareholders may experience
difficulty in effecting telephone exchanges. You should follow the procedures
outlined below for exchanges by mail if you are unable to reach State Street by
telephone. If you wish to use the telephone exchange service you should indicate
this on the Share Purchase Application. As noted above, each Fund will employ
reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions for the redemption or
exchange of shares communicated by telephone are genuine. A telephone exchange
may be refused by a Fund or State Street if it is believed advisable to do so.
Procedures for exchanging Fund shares by telephone may be modified or terminated
at any time. Written requests for exchanges should follow the same procedures
outlined for written redemption requests in the section entitled "How to Redeem
Shares", however, no signature guarantee is required.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The Funds offer the following shareholder services. For more
information about these services or your account, contact your financial
intermediary, EFD or the toll-free number on the front of this Prospectus. Some
services are described in more detail in the Share Purchase Application.
Systematic Investment Plan. You may make monthly or quarterly investments into
an existing account automatically in amounts of not less than $25.
Telephone Investment Plan. You may make investments into an existing account
electronically in amounts of not less than $100 or more than $10,000 per
investment. Telephone investment requests received by 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
will be credited to a shareholder's account the day the request is received.
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan. When an account of $10,000 or more is opened or
when an existing account reaches that size, you may participate in the Fund's
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan by filling out the appropriate part of the Share
Purchase Application. Under this plan, you may receive (or designate a third
party to receive) a monthly or quarterly check in a stated amount of not less
than $100. Fund shares will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal
payments. All participants must elect to have their dividends and capital gain
distributions reinvested automatically. Any applicable Class B CDSC will be
waived with respect to redemptions occurring under a Systematic Cash Withdrawal
Plan during a calendar year to the extent that such redemptions do not exceed
10% of (i) the initial value of the account plus (ii) the value, at the time of
purchase, of any subsequent investments.
Automatic Reinvestment Plan. For the convenience of investors, all dividends and
distributions are automatically reinvested in full and fractional shares of a
Fund at the net asset value per share on the last business day of each month,
unless otherwise requested by a shareholder in writing. If the transfer agent
does not receive a written request for subsequent dividends and/or distributions
to be paid in cash at least three full business days prior to a given record
date, the dividends and/or distributions to be paid to a shareholder will be
reinvested. If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash and the
U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the checks, or if the checks remain uncashed
for six months, the checks will be reinvested into your account at the then
current net asset value.
EFFECT OF BANKING LAWS
The Glass-Steagall Act and other banking laws and regulations presently
prohibit member banks of the Federal Reserve System ("Member Banks") or their
non-bank affiliates from sponsoring, organizing, controlling, or distributing
the shares of registered open-end investment companies such as the Funds. Such
laws and regulations also prohibit banks from issuing, underwriting or
distributing securities in general. However, under the Glass-Steagall Act and
such other laws and regulations, a Member Bank or an affiliate thereof may act
as investment adviser, transfer agent or custodian to a registered open-end
investment company and may also act as agent in connection with the purchase of
shares of such an investment company upon the order of their customer. Evergreen
Asset, since it is a subsidiary of FUNB, and CMG are subject to and in
compliance with the aforementioned laws and regulations.
Changes to applicable laws and regulations or future judicial or
administrative decisions could result in CMG or Evergreen Asset being prevented
from continuing to perform the services required under the investment advisory
contract or from acting as agent in connection with the purchase of shares of a
Fund by its customers. If CMG or Evergreen Asset were prevented from continuing
to provide the services called for under the investment advisory agreement, it
is expected that the Trustees would identify, and call upon each Fund's
shareholders to approve, a new investment adviser. If this were to occur, it is
not anticipated that the shareholders of any Fund would suffer any adverse
financial consequences.
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OTHER INFORMATION
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DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Income dividends are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributions of
any net realized gains of a Fund will be made at least annually. Shareholders
will begin to earn dividends on the first business day after shares are
purchased unless shares were not paid for, in which case dividends are not
earned until the next business day after payment is received. Each Fund has
qualified and intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated
investment company under the Code. While so qualified, so long as each Fund
distributes all of its investment company taxable income and any net realized
gains to shareholders, it is expected that the Funds will not be required to pay
any Federal income taxes. A 4% nondeductible excise tax will be imposed on a
Fund if it does not meet certain distribution requirements by the end of each
calendar year. Each Fund anticipates meeting such distribution requirements.
The Funds will designate and pay exempt-interest dividends derived from
interest earned on qualifying tax-exempt obligations. Such exempt-interest
dividends may be excluded by shareholders of a Fund from their gross income for
Federal income tax purposes, however (1) all or a portion of such
exempt-interest dividends may be a specific preference item for purposes of the
Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum taxes to the extent that
they are derived from certain types of private activity bonds issued after
August 7, 1986, and (2) all exempt-interest dividends will be a component of the
"adjusted current earnings" for purposes of the Federal corporate alternative
minimum tax.
Dividends paid from taxable income, if any, and distributions of any
net realized short-term capital gains (whether from tax exempt or taxable
obligations) are taxable as ordinary income and long-term capital gain
distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, even though received in
additional shares of the Fund, and regardless of the investors holding period
relating to the shares with respect to which such gains are distributed. Market
discount recognized on taxable and tax-exempt bonds is taxable as ordinary
income, not as excludable income. Under current law, the highest Federal income
tax rate applicable to net long-term gains realized by individuals is 28%. The
rate applicable to corporations is 35%.
Since each Fund's gross income is ordinarily expected to be tax exempt
interest income, it is not expected that the 70% dividends-received deduction
for corporations will be applicable. Specific questions should be addressed to
the investor's own tax adviser.
Each Fund is required by Federal law to withhold 31% of reportable
payments (which may include dividends, capital gains distributions (if any) and
redemptions) paid to certain shareholders. In order to avoid this backup
withholding requirement, each investor must certify on the Share Purchase
Application, or on a separate form supplied by State Street, that the investor's
social security or taxpayer identification number is correct and that the
investor is not currently subject to backup withholding or is exempt from backup
withholding.
Set forth below are brief descriptions of the personal income tax status of an
investment in each of the Funds under Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, and Virginia tax laws currently in effect. Income from a Fund is not
necessarily free from state income taxes in states other than its designated
state. State laws differ on this issue, and shareholders are urged to consult
their own tax advisers regarding the status of their accounts under state and
local laws.
Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund. Florida does not currently impose an income tax on
individuals. Thus, individual shareholders of the Funds will not be subject to
any Florida state income tax on distributions received from the Funds. However,
certain distributions will be taxable to corporate shareholders which are
subject to Florida corporate income tax. Florida currently imposes an
intangibles tax at the annual rate of 0.20% on certain securities and other
intangible assets owned by Florida residents. Certain types of tax exempt
securities of Florida issuers, U.S. government securities and tax exempt
securities issued by certain U.S. territories and possessions are exempt from
this intangibles tax. Shares of the Funds will also be exempt from the Florida
intangibles tax if the portfolio consists exclusively of securities exempt from
the intangibles tax on the last business day of the calendar year. If the
portfolio consists of any assets which are not so exempt on the last business
day of the calendar year, however, only the portion of the shares of the Funds
which relate to securities issued by the United States and its possessions and
territories will be exempt from the Florida intangibles tax, and the remaining
portion of such shares will be fully subject to the intangibles tax, even if
they partly relate to Florida tax exempt securities.
Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund. Under existing Georgia law, shareholders
of the Fund will not be subject to individual or corporate Georgia income taxes
on distributions from the Fund to the extent that such distributions represent
exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax purposes that are attributable
to (1) interest-bearing obligations issued by or on behalf of the State of
Georgia or its political subdivisions, or (2) interest on obligations of the
United States or of any other issuer whose obligations are exempt from state
income taxes under federal law. Distributions, if any, derived from capital
gains or other sources generally will be taxable for Georgia income tax purposes
to shareholders of the Fund who are subject to the Georgia income tax. For
purposes of the Georgia intangibles tax, Shares of the Fund likely are taxable
(at the rate of 10 cents per $1,000 in value of the Shares held on January 1 of
each year) to shareholders who are otherwise subject to such tax.
Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund. Under existing North Carolina law,
shareholders of the Fund will not be subject to individual or corporate North
Carolina income taxes on distributions from the Fund to the extent that such
distributions represent exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax
purposes that are attributable to (1) interest on obligations issued by North
Carolina and political subdivisions thereof or (2) interest on obligations of
the United States or its territories or possessions. Distributions, if any,
derived from capital gains or other sources generally will be taxable for North
Carolina income tax purposes to shareholders of the Fund who are subject to the
North Carolina income tax.
Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund. Under existing South Carolina law,
shareholders of the Fund will not be subject to individual or corporate South
Carolina income taxes on Fund distributions to the extent that such
distributions represent exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax
purposes that are attributable to (1) interest on obligations of the State of
South Carolina, or any of its political subdivisions, (2) interest on
obligations of the United States, or (3) interest on obligations of any agency
or instrumentality of the United States that is prohibited by federal law from
being taxed by a state or any political subdivision of a state. Distributions,
if any, derived from capital gains or other sources, generally will be taxable
for South Carolina income tax purposes to shareholders of the Fund who are
subject to South Carolina income tax.
Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund. Under existing Virginia law,
shareholders of the Fund will not be subject to individual or corporate Virginia
income taxes on distributions received from the Fund to the extent that such
distributions represent exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax
purposes that are attributable to interest earned on (1) obligations issued by
or on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any political subdivision
thereof, or (2) obligations issued by a territory or possession of the United
States or any subdivision thereof which federal law exempts from state income
taxes. Distributions, if any, derived from capital gains or other sources
generally will be taxable for Virginia income tax purposes to shareholders of
the Fund who are subject to Virginia income tax.
Statements describing the tax status of shareholders' dividends and
distributions will be mailed annually by the Funds. These statements will set
forth the amount of income exempt from Federal and if applicable, state
taxation, and the amount, if any, subject to Federal and state taxation.
Moreover, to the extent necessary, these statements will indicate the amount of
exempt-interest dividends which are a specific preference item for purposes of
the Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum taxes. The exemption of
interest income for Federal income tax purposes does not necessarily result in
exemption under the income or other tax law of any state or local taxing
authority. Investors should consult their own tax advisers about the status of
distributions from the Funds in their states and localities. Each Fund notifies
shareholders annually as to the interest exempt from Federal taxes earned by the
Fund.
A shareholder who acquires Class A shares of a Fund and sells or
otherwise disposes of such shares within 90 days of acquisition may not be
allowed to include certain sales charges incurred in acquiring such shares for
purposes of calculating gain and loss realized upon a sale or exchange of shares
of the Fund.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
A discussion of the performance of Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond
Fund, Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina Municipal
Bond Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Virginia
Municipal Bond Fund is contained in the annual report of each Fund for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1994. A similar discussion relating to ABT
Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund, the predecessor of Evergreen Florida
High Income Municipal Bond Fund is contained in the annual report of such Fund
for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1995.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Portfolio Transactions. Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best
price and execution, a Fund may consider sales of its shares as a factor in the
selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions with the Fund.
Organization. Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Fund is a newly organized,
separate investment series of Evergreen Municipal Trust, a Massachusetts
business trust organized in 1988. Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund,
Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond
Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Virginia
Municipal Bond Fund are each separate investment series of Evergreen Investment
Trust (formerly First Union Funds), which is a Massachusetts business trust
organized in 1984. The Funds do not intend to hold annual shareholder meetings;
shareholder meetings will be held only when required by applicable law.
Shareholders have available certain procedures for the removal of Trustees.
A shareholder in each class of a Fund will be entitled to his or her
share of all dividends and distributions from a Fund's assets, based upon the
relative value of such shares to those of other Classes of the Fund, and, upon
redeeming shares, will receive the then current net asset value of the Class of
shares of the Fund represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC.
Each Trust named above is empowered to establish, without shareholder approval,
additional investment series, which may have different investment objectives,
and additional classes of shares for any existing or future series. If an
additional series or class were established in a Fund, each share of the series
or class would normally be entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally,
shares of each series and class would vote together as a single class on
matters, such as the election of Directors, that affect each series and class in
substantially the same manner. Class A, B and Y shares have identical voting,
dividend, liquidation and other rights, except that each class bears, to the
extent applicable, its own distribution, shareholder service and transfer agency
expenses as well as any other expenses applicable only to a specific class. Each
class of shares votes separately with respect to Rule 12b-1 distribution plans
and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under
applicable law. Shares are entitled to dividends as determined by the Trustees
and, in liquidation of a Fund, are entitled to receive the net assets of the
Fund.
Registrar, Transfer Agent and Dividend-Disbursing Agent. State Street Bank and
Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827 acts as each
Fund's registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based
upon the number of shareholder accounts maintained for the Funds. The transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class B shares will be higher than the transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class A shares.
Principal Underwriter. EFD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Furman Selz
Incorporated, located 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, is the
principal underwriter of the Funds. Furman Selz Incorporated, also acts as
sub-administrator to the Funds.
Other Classes of Shares. Each Fund currently offers three classes of shares,
Class A, Class B and Class Y, and may in the future offer additional classes.
Class Y shares are not offered by this Prospectus and are only available to (i)
all shareholders of record in one or more of the Evergreen mutual funds for
which Evergreen Asset serves as investment adviser as of December 30, 1994, (ii)
certain institutional investors and (iii) investment advisory clients of CMG,
Evergreen Asset or their affiliates. The dividends payable with respect to Class
A and Class B shares will be less than those payable with respect to Class Y
shares due to the distribution and distribution related expenses borne by Class
A and Class B shares and the fact that such expenses are not borne by Class Y
shares.
Performance Information. A Fund's performance may be quoted in advertising in
terms of yield or total return. Both types of performance are based on
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") formulas and are not intended to
indicate future performance.
Yield is a way of showing the rate of income a Fund earns on its
investments as a percentage of the Fund's share price. A Fund's yield is
calculated according to accounting methods that are standardized by the SEC for
all stock and bond funds. Because yield accounting methods differ from the
method used for other accounting purposes, a Fund's yield may not equal its
distribution rate, the income paid to your account or the income reported in a
Fund's financial statements. To calculate yield, a Fund takes the interest
income it earned from its portfolio of investments (as defined by the SEC
formula) for a 30-day period (net of expenses), divides it by the average number
of shares entitled to receive dividends, and expresses the result as an
annualized percentage rate based on a Fund's share price at the end of the
30-day period.
This yield does not reflect gains or losses from selling securities.
A Fund may also quote tax-equivalent yields, which show the taxable
yields an investor would have to earn before taxes to equal the Fund's tax-free
yields. A tax-equivalent yield is calculated by dividing a Fund's tax-exempt
yield by the result of one minus a stated Federal tax rate. If only a portion of
a Fund's income was tax-exempt, only that portion is adjusted in the
calculation.
Total returns are based on the overall dollar or percentage change in
the value of a hypothetical investment in a Fund. A Fund's total return shows
its overall change in value including changes in share prices and assumes all a
Fund's distributions are reinvested. A cumulative total return reflects a Fund's
performance over a stated period of time. An average annual total return
reflects the hypothetical annually compounded return that would have produced
the same cumulative total return if a Fund's performance had been constant over
the entire period. Because average annual total returns tend to smooth out
variations in a Fund's return, you should recognize that they are not the same
as actual year-by-year results. To illustrate the components of overall
performance, a Fund may separate its cumulative and average annual total returns
into income results and realized and unrealized gain or loss.
Each Fund may also quote tax-equivalent yields, which show the taxable
yields an investor would have to earn before taxes to equal the Fund's tax-free
yields. A tax-equivalent yield is calculated by dividing a Fund's tax-exempt
yield by the result of one minus a stated federal tax rate. If only a portion of
a Fund's income was tax-exempt, only that portion is adjusted in the
calculation.
Comparative performance information may also be used from time to time
in advertising or marketing a Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Morningstar and other industry publications. The Fund
may also advertise in items of sales literature an "actual distribution rate"
which is computed by dividing the total ordinary income distributed (which may
include the excess of short-term capital gains over losses) to shareholders for
the latest twelve month period by the maximum public offering price per share on
the last day of the period. Investors should be aware that past performance may
not be reflective of future results.
Liability Under Massachusetts Law. Under Massachusetts law, trustees and
shareholders of a business trust may, in certain circumstances, be held
personally liable for its obligations. The Declaration of Trust under which each
Fund operates provide that no Trustee or shareholder will be personally liable
for the obligations of the Trust and that every written contract made by the
Trust contain a provision to that effect. If any Trustee or shareholder were
required to pay any liability of the Trust, that person would be entitled to
reimbursement from the general assets of the Trust.
Additional Information. This Prospectus and the Statement of Additional
Information, which have been incorporated by reference herein, do not contain
all the information set forth in the Registration Statements filed by the Trusts
with the Commission under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration
Statements may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may be
examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A -- FLORIDA RISK CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of economic factors which may affect the
ability of the municipal issuers of Florida Obligations to repay general
obligation and revenue bonds. Such information is derived from sources that are
generally available to investors and is believed by the Funds to be accurate,
but has not been independently verified and may not be complete. Under current
law, the State of Florida is required to maintain a balanced budget such that
current expenses are met from current revenues. Florida does not currently
impose a tax on personal income but does impose taxes on corporate income
derived from activities within the state. In addition, Florida imposes an ad
valorem tax as well as sales and use taxes. These taxes are the principal
sources of funds to meet state expenses, including repayment of, and interest
on, obligations backed solely by the full faith and credit of the state, without
recourse to any specific project or related revenue source.
On November 3, 1992, Florida voters approved an amendment to the state
constitution which limits the annual growth in the assessed valuation of
residential property and which, over time, could constrain the growth in
property taxes, a major revenue source for local governments. The amendment
restricts annual increases in assessed valuation to the lesser of 3% or the
Consumer Price Index. The amendment applies only to residential properties
eligible for the homestead exemption and does not affect the valuation of
rental, commercial, or industrial properties. When sold, residential property
would be reassessed at market value. The amendment became effective January 1,
1993. While no immediate ratings implications are expected, the amendment could
have a negative impact on the financial performance of local governments over
time and lead to ratings revisions which may have a negative impact on the
prices of affected bonds.
Many of the bonds in which the Funds invest were issued by various
units of local government in the State of Florida. In addition, most of these
bonds are revenue bonds where the security interest of the bond holders
typically is limited to the pledge of revenues or special assessments flowing
from the project financed by the bonds. Projects include, but are not limited
to, water and waste water utilities, drainage systems, roadways, and other
development-related infrastructures. Therefore, the capacity of these issuers to
repay their obligations may be affected by variations in the Florida economy.
Since 1970, Florida has been one of the fastest growing states in the
nation. Average annual population growth over the last 20 years was 320,000.
During this period only California and Texas grew more rapidly. In terms of
total population, Florida moved from the ninth most populous state in 1970 to
fourth today.
This rapid and sustained pace of population growth has given rise to
sharp increases in construction activity and to the need for roads, drainage
systems, and utilities to serve the burgeoning population. In turn this has
driven the growth in the volume of revenue bond debt outstanding.
The pace of growth, however, has not been steady. During economic
expansions, Florida's population growth has exceeded 500,000 people per year,
but in recessions growth has slowed to 120,000 per year. The variations in
construction activity over the course of business cycles is also very large.
Although the amplitude of the swings during business cycles is large, the
duration of downturns in Florida's growth has been short. Historically,
depressed levels of growth have lasted only a year or two at most. Furthermore,
Florida's cycles have not been periods of growth or decline. Instead, what has
occurred are periods of more growth or less growth.
Florida's ability to meet increasing expenses will be dependent in part
upon the state's ability to foster business and economic growth. During the past
decade, Florida has experienced significant increases in the technology-based
and other light industries and in the service sector. This growth has
diversified the state's overall economy, which at one time was dominated by the
citrus and tourism industries. The state's economic and business growth could be
restricted, however, by the natural limitations of environmental resources and
the state's ability to finance adequate public facilities such as roads and
schools.
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Capital Management Group of First Union National Bank, 201 South College
Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288
CUSTODIAN & TRANSFER AGENT
State Street Bank & Trust Company, Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827
LEGAL COUNSEL
Sullivan & Worcester, 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND
FUND, EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN SOUTH
CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
Price Waterhouse LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
DISTRIBUTOR
Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
536118
<PAGE>
PROSPECTUS July 7, 1995
EVERGREEN(SM) STATE SPECIFIC TAX FREE FUNDS (Evergreen logo appears here)
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
CLASS Y SHARES
The Evergreen State Specific Tax-Free Funds (the "Funds") are
designed to provide investors with current income from Federal income tax and
certain state income tax. This Prospectus provides information regarding
the Class Y shares offered by the Funds. Each Fund is, or is a series of,
an open-end, non-diversified, management investment company except for
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND which is diversified.
This Prospectus sets forth concise information about the Funds that a
prospective investor should know before investing. The address of the Funds
is 2500 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York 10577.
A "Statement of Additional Information" for the Funds and certain
other funds in the Evergreen Group of mutual funds dated July 7, 1995 has
been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is incorporated
by reference herein. The Statement of Additional Information provides
information regarding certain matters discussed in this Prospectus and
other matters which may be of interest to investors, and may be obtained
without charge by calling the Funds at (800) 235-0064. There can be no
assurance that the investment objective of any Fund will be achieved.
Investors are advised to read this Prospectus carefully.
THE SHARES OFFERED BY THIS PROSPECTUS ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF
FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, ARE NOT ENDORSED OR
GUARANTEED BY FIRST UNION OR ANY SUBSIDIARIES OF FIRST UNION, AND ARE NOT
INSURED OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND
INVOLVE RISK, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF PRINCIPAL.
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND WILL INVEST AT LEAST 65%
OF THE VALUE OF ITS TOTAL ASSETS IN MUNICIPAL SECURITIES CONSISTING OF HIGH
YIELD (I.E., HIGH RISK), MEDIUM, LOWER RATED AND UNRATED BONDS. SUCH
SECURITIES ARE COMMONLY CALLED JUNK BONDS AND ARE SUBJECT TO GREATER MARKET
FLUCTUATIONS AND RISK OF LOSS OF INCOME AND PRINCIPAL THAN HIGHER RATED
SECURITIES, LOWER QUALITY SECURITIES INVOLVE A GREATER RISK OF DEFAULT AND,
CONSEQUENTLY, SHARES OF THE EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND
FUND ARE SPECULATIVE SECURITIES.
KEEP THIS PROSPECTUS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
EVERGREEN(SM) is a Service Mark of Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
Copyright 1995, Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS
EXPENSE INFORMATION
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
Investment Objectives and Policies
Investment Practices and Restrictions
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Investment Adviser
Distribution Plans and Agreements
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
How to Buy Shares
How to Redeem Shares
Exchange Privilege
Shareholder Services
Effect of Banking Laws
OTHER INFORMATION
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
Management's Discussion of Fund Performance
General Information
APPENDIX
Florida Risk Considerations
</TABLE>
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNDS
The following summary is qualified in its entirety by the more detailed
information contained elsewhere in this Prospectus. See "Description of the
Funds" and "Management of the Funds".
The Capital Management Group of First Union National Bank ("CMG") serves
as investment adviser to Evergreen State Specific Tax Free Funds which include:
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND,
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL
BOND FUND, EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND AND EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH
INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND. First Union National Bank of North Carolina
("FUNB"), is a subsidiary of First Union Corporation, one of the ten largest
bank holding companies in the United States.
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union Florida
Municipal Bond Portfolio, successor to ABT Florida Tax-Free Fund) seeks current
income exempt from federal income tax consistent with preservation of capital.
In addition, the Fund intends to qualify as an investment exempt from the
Florida state intangibles tax.
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union Georgia
Municipal Bond Portfolio) seeks current income exempt from federal income tax
and Georgia state income tax, consistent with preservation of capital.
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union North
Carolina Municipal Bond Portfolio) seeks current income exempt from federal
income tax and North Carolina state income tax, consistent with preservation of
capital. In addition, the Fund intends to qualify as an investment substantially
exempt from the North Carolina intangible personal property tax.
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union South
Carolina Municipal Bond Portfolio) seeks current income exempt from federal
income tax and South Carolina state income tax.
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (formerly First Union Virginia
Municipal Bond Fund) seeks current income exempt from federal income tax and
Virginia state income tax, consistent with preservation of capital.
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (successor to ABT
Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund) seeks to provide a high level of
current income exempt from federal income taxes. Under normal circumstances, the
Fund will invest at least 65% of the value of its total assets in municipal
securities consisting of high yield (i.e., high risk), medium, lower rated and
unrated bonds.
THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THE INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE OF ANY FUND WILL BE
ACHIEVED.
2
<PAGE>
EXPENSE INFORMATION
The table set forth below summarizes the shareholder transaction costs
associated with an investment in the Class Y Shares of the Fund. For further
information see "Purchase and Redemption of Shares".
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES
<S> <C>
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases None
Sales Charge on Dividend Reinvestments None
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge None
Redemption Fee None
Exchange Fee (only applies after 4 exchanges per
year) $ 5.00
</TABLE>
The following table shows for the Fund the estimated annual operating
expenses (as a percentage of average net assets) attributable to Class Y Shares,
together with examples of the cumulative effect of such expenses on a
hypothetical $1,000 investment for the periods specified assuming (i) a 5%
annual return and (ii) redemption at the end of each period.
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (A)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLE
ANNUAL OPERATING Class Y
EXPENSES
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees* .30%
After 1 Year $ 5
Administrative Fees .06%
After 3 Years $ 15
12b-1 Fees --
After 5 Years $ 26
Other Expenses .10%
After 10 Years $ 58
Total .46%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLE
ANNUAL OPERATING Class Y
EXPENSES
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50%
After 1 Year $ 10
Administrative Fees .06%
After 3 Years $ 32
12b-1 Fees --
After 5 Years $ 55
Other Expenses** .44%
After 10 Years $ 122
Total 1.00%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLE
ANNUAL OPERATING Class Y
EXPENSES
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50%
After 1 Year $ 9
Administrative Fees .06%
After 3 Years $ 29
12b-1 Fees --
After 5 Years $ 51
Other Expenses .36%
After 10 Years $ 113
Total .92%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLE
ANNUAL OPERATING Class Y
EXPENSES
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50%
After 1 Year $ 10
Administrative Fees .06%
After 3 Years $ 32
12b-1 Fees --
After 5 Years $ 55
Other Expenses** .44%
After 10 Years $ 122
Total 1.00%
</TABLE>
3
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLE
ANNUAL OPERATING Class Y
EXPENSES
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees .50%
After 1 Year $ 10
Administrative Fees .06%
After 3 Years $ 32
12b-1 Fees --
After 5 Years $ 55
Other Expenses** .44%
After 10 Years $ 122
Total 1.00%
</TABLE>
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (B)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXAMPLE
ANNUAL OPERATING Class Y
EXPENSES
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Advisory Fees* .30%
After 1 Year $ 6
Administrative Fees .06%
After 3 Years $18
12b-1 Fees --
After 5 Years $32
Other Expenses .21%
After 10 Years $71
Total .57%
</TABLE>
(a) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of First Union
Florida Municipal Bond Fund and ABT Florida Tax-Free Fund.
(b) Estimated annual operating expenses reflect the combination of EVERGREEN
FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND and ABT Florida High Income Municipal
Bond Fund. The amounts in the tables and examples are based on the experience of
ABT Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund as restated to reflect current fee
arrangements.
The estimated annual operating expenses and examples do not reflect fee
waivers and reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. Actual expenses for
Class Y Shares, net of fee waivers and expense reimbursements for the year ended
December 31, 1994 were as follows:
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .31%
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .59%
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .00%
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND .28%
</TABLE>
* CMG has agreed to limit the Advisory fee charged to EVERGREEN FLORIDA
MUNICIPAL BOND FUND and EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND to
.30 of 1% of average net assets for a period of at least one year.
** Reflects agreements by CMG to limit aggregate operating expenses (including
the Advisory Fees, but excluding interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, Rule
12b-1 Fees, shareholder servicing fees and extraordinary expenses) of
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL
BOND FUND and EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND to 1% of average net
assets for the foreseeable future. Absent such agreements, the estimated
annual operating expenses for the Funds would be as follows:
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND 1.53%
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND 4.66%
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND 2.00%
</TABLE>
From time to time, each Fund's investment adviser may, at its discretion,
reduce or waive its fees or reimburse the Funds for certain of their expenses in
order to reduce their expense ratios. Each Fund's investment adviser may cease
these waivers and reimbursements at any time.
The purpose of the foregoing table is to assist an investor in
understanding the various costs and expenses that an investor in each Class of
Shares of the Funds will bear directly or indirectly. The amounts set forth both
in the tables and in the examples are estimated amounts based on the experience
of each Fund for the most recent fiscal period. Such amounts have been restated
to reflect current fee arrangements. THE EXAMPLES SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A
REPRESENTATION OF PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES OR ANNUAL RETURN. ACTUAL EXPENSES AND
ANNUAL RETURN MAY BE GREATER OR LESS THAN THOSE SHOWN. For a more complete
description of the various costs and expenses borne by the Funds see "Management
of the Funds". As a result of asset-based sales charges, long-term shareholders
may pay more than the economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charges
permitted under the rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc.
4
<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The tables on the following pages present, for each Fund, financial
highlights for a share outstanding throughout each period indicated. The
information in the tables for the five most recent fiscal years or the life of
the Fund if shorter for EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN NORTH
CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND and
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND has been audited by KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP, each Fund's independent auditors, for EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
and EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND has been audited by Tait,
Weller & Baker, each Fund's independent auditors. A report of KPMG Peat Marwick
LLP or Tait, Weller & Baker, as the case may be on the audited information with
respect to each Fund is incorporated by reference in the Fund's Statement of
Additional Information. The following information for each Fund should be read
in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes which are
incorporated by reference in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Further information about a Fund's performance is contained in the Fund's
annual report to shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A SHARES*
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
MAY 11, 1988**
YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, THROUGH
1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 APRIL 30, 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period.......... $10.79 $11.27 $10.59 $10.43 $9.97 $10.30 $10.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income......................... .61 .63 .63 .69 .74 .66 .53
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on
investments................................. .12 (.40) .76 .25 .49 (.28) .25
Total from investment operations............ .73 .23 1.39 .94 1.23 .38 .78
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income......................... (.61) (.63) (.63) (.69) (.77) (.67) (.48)
Net realized gains............................ (.02) (.08) (.08) (.05) -- (.04) --
Paid-in capital............................... -- -- -- (.04) -- -- --
Total distributions......................... (.63) (.71) (.71) (.78) (.77) (.71) (.48)
Net asset value, end of period.............. $10.89 $10.79 $11.27 $10.59 $10.43 $9.97 $10.30
TOTAL RETURN+................................. 2.0% 1.9% 13.6% 9.3% 12.9% 3.7% 9.2%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)..... $168,542 $199,612 $198,286 $147,996 $75,791 $7,286 $717
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses.................................... .61% .56% .58% .41%(a) .10%(a) .10%(a) .30%(a)++
Net investment income....................... 5.73% 5.37% 5.66% 6.12%(a) 6.55%(a) 6.15%(a) 5.30%(a)++
Portfolio turnover rate....................... 53% 32% 24% 24% 66% 82% 2%
</TABLE>
* The information in the table above reflects the operating history of ABT
Florida Tax Free Fund, the predecessor to Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond
Fund, for the periods indicated.
** Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value and is not annualized. Initial
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
MAY 11, 1988
YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, THROUGH
1992 1991 1990 APRIL 30, 1989
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.................................................................. .68% .88% 5.14% 20.40%
Net investment income (loss).............................................. 5.85% 5.77% 1.01% (14.80%)
</TABLE>
5
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A, B AND Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B
SHARES SHARES CLASS Y
JULY 2, JULY 2, SHARES
1993* 1993* FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED THROUGH YEAR ENDED THROUGH 1994* THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period......... $10.19 $10.00 $10.19 $10.00 $9.83
Income (loss) from investment operations.....
Net investment income........................ .48 .20 .43 .18 .42
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on
investments................................ (1.45) .19 (1.45) .19 (1.09)
Total from investment operations........... (.97) .39 (1.02) .37 (.67)
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income........................ (.48) (.20) (.43) (.18) (.42)
Net asset value, end of period............... $8.74 $10.19 $8.74 $10.19 $8.74
TOTAL RETURN+................................ (9.6%) 4.0% (10.2%) 3.7% (6.9%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted).... $1,387 $817 $6,912 $3,692 $284
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................... .53% .25%++ 1.13% .75%++ .31%++
Net investment income (a).................. 5.26% 4.71%++ 4.66% 4.15%++ 5.68%++
Portfolio turnover rate...................... 147% 15% 147% 15% 147%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income (loss) to average
net assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would
have been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B CLASS Y
SHARES SHARES SHARES
JULY 6, 1993 JULY 2, 1993 FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED THROUGH YEAR ENDED THROUGH 1994 THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expense................................... 3.61% 6.82% 4.21% 7.32% 3.39%
Net investment income (loss).............. 2.18% (1.86%) 1.58% (2.42%) 2.60%
</TABLE>
6
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A, B AND Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B CLASS Y
SHARES SHARES SHARES
JANUARY 11, JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED 1993* THROUGH YEAR ENDED 1993* THROUGH 1994* THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period........ $10.61 $10.00 $10.61 $10.00 $10.31
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income....................... .49 .46 .44 .42 .43
Net realized and unrealized (loss) on
investments............................... (1.45) .64 (1.45) .64 (1.15)
Total from investment operations.......... (.96) 1.10 (1.01) 1.06 (.72)
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income....................... (.49) (.46) (.44) (.42) (.43)
Net realized gains.......................... -- (.03) -- (.03) --
Total distributions......................... (.49) (.49) (.44) (.45) (.43)
Net asset value, end of period.............. $9.16 $10.61 $9.16 $10.61 $9.16
TOTAL RETURN+............................... (9.1%) 11.3% (9.6%) 10.8% (7.0%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted)... $7,979 $12,739 $ 44,616 $45,168 $642
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a).............................. .79% .32%++ 1.37% .79%++ .59%++
Net investment income (a)................. 5.11% 4.91%++ 4.53% 4.47%++ 5.58%++
Portfolio turnover rate..................... 126% 57% 126% 57% 126%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund has borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B CLASS Y
SHARES SHARES SHARES
JANUARY 11, JANUARY 11, FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED 1993 THROUGH YEAR ENDED 1993 THROUGH 1994 THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.................................. 1.18% 1.25% 1.76% 1.74% .98%
Net investment income..................... 4.72% 3.98% 4.14% 3.52% 5.19%
</TABLE>
7
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN SOUTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A, B AND Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B CLASS Y
SHARES SHARES SHARES
JANUARY 3, JANUARY 3, FEBRUARY 28,
1994* THROUGH 1994* THROUGH 1994* THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1994 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period......................................... $10.00 $10.00 $9.74
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income........................................................ .46 .41 .43
Net realized and unrealized (loss) on investments............................ (1.38) (1.38) (1.12)
Total from investment operations........................................... (.92) (.97) (.69)
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income........................................................ (.46) (.41) (.43)
Net asset value, end of period............................................... $8.62 $8.62 $8.62
TOTAL RETURN+................................................................ (9.3%) (9.8%) (7.1%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's omitted).................................... $312 $2,456 $92
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)............................................................... .25%++ .87%++ .00%++
Net investment income (a).................................................. 5.57%++ 4.88%++ 5.92%++
Portfolio turnover rate...................................................... 23% 23% 23%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income (loss) to average
net assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would
have been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B CLASS Y
SHARES SHARES SHARES
JANUARY 3, 1994 JANUARY 3, 1994 FEBRUARY 28, 1994
THROUGH THROUGH THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, 1994 DECEMBER 31, 1994 DECEMBER 31, 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.................................................... 10.71% 11.33% 10.46%
Net investment income (loss)................................ (4.89%) (5.58%) (4.54%)
</TABLE>
8
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A, B AND Y SHARES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B
SHARES SHARES
JULY 2, JULY 2, CLASS Y
1993* 1993* SHARES
YEAR ENDED THROUGH YEAR ENDED THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 1994*
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, THROUGH
1994 1993 1994 1993 DECEMBER 31, 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value, beginning of period..... $10.19 $10.00 $10.19 $10.00 $9.83
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net investment income.................... .47 .20 .42 .17 .41
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
on investments......................... (1.34) .19 (1.34) .19 (.98)
Total from investment operations....... (.87) .39 (.92) .36 (.57)
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income.................... (.47) (.20) (.42) (.17) (.41)
Net asset value, end of period........... $8.85 $10.19 $8.85 $10.19 $8.85
TOTAL RETURN+............................ (8.6%) 3.9% (9.1%) 3.7% (5.8%)
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets, end of period (000's
omitted)............................... $1,606 $1,306 $3,817 $2,235 $344
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)........................... .53% .25%++ 1.12% .75%++ .28%++
Net investment income (a).............. 5.11% 4.64%++ 4.54% 4.25%++ 5.54%++
Portfolio turnover rate.................. 59% 0% 59% 0% 59%
</TABLE>
* Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value per share for the period
indicated and is not annualized. Initial sales charge or contingent deferred
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income (loss) to average
net assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would
have been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS A CLASS B CLASS Y
SHARES SHARES SHARES
JULY 2, 1993 JULY 2, 1993 FEBRUARY 28,
YEAR ENDED THROUGH YEAR ENDED THROUGH 1994 THROUGH
DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31, DECEMBER 31,
1994 1993 1994 1993 1994
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.................................. 5.14% 7.75% 5.73% 8.25% 4.89%
Net investment income (loss).............. .50% (2.86%) (.07%) (3.25%) .93%
</TABLE>
9
<PAGE>
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND -- CLASS A SHARES*
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
JUNE 17,
1992**
YEAR ENDED THROUGH
APRIL 30, APRIL
1995 1994 30, 1993
<S> <C> <C> <C>
PER SHARE DATA
Net asset value at beginning of period......................................................... $10.08 $10.36 $10.00
Income from investment operations:
Net investment income.......................................................................... .65 .68 .61
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments......................................... .08 (.26) .39
Total from investment operations............................................................. .73 .42 1.00
Less distributions to shareholders from:
Net investment income.......................................................................... (.65) (.68) (.61 )
Net realized gains............................................................................. -- (.02) (.03 )
Total distributions.......................................................................... (.65) (.70) (.64 )
Net asset value at end of period............................................................... $10.16 $10.08 $10.36
TOTAL RETURN+.................................................................................. 7.6% 3.3% 11.9%
RATIOS & SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
Net assets at end of period (000's omitted).................................................... $65,043 $72,683 $33,541
Ratios to average net assets:
Expenses (a)................................................................................. .60% .14% .00 ++
Net investment income (a).................................................................... 6.52% 6.16% 5.92% ++
Portfolio turnover rate........................................................................ 28% 31% 50%
</TABLE>
* The information in the table above reflects the operating history of ABT
Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund, the predecessor to Evergreen Florida
High Income Municipal Bond Fund, for the periods indicated.
** Commencement of operations.
+ Total return is calculated on net asset value and is not annualized. Initial
sales charge is not reflected.
++ Annualized.
(a) Net of expense waivers and reimbursements. If the Fund had borne all
expenses that were assumed or waived by the investment adviser, the
annualized ratios of expenses and net investment income to average net
assets, exclusive of any applicable state expense limitations, would have
been the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED JUNE 17, 1992
APRIL 30, THROUGH
1995 1994 APRIL 30, 1993
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Expenses.................................................................................. 1.26% 1.12% 1.12%
Net investment income..................................................................... 5.86% 5.18% 4.80%
</TABLE>
10
<PAGE>
11
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund
The Funds seek current income exempt from federal regular income tax
and, where applicable, state income taxes, consistent with preservation of
capital. In addition, the Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund intends to
qualify as an investment exempt from the Florida state intangibles tax. Florida
does not currently tax personal income.
Each Fund's investment objective cannot be changed without shareholder
approval. While there is no assurance that each objective will be achieved, the
Funds will endeavor to do so by following the investment policies detailed
below. Unless otherwise indicated, the investment policies of a Fund may be
changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees ("Trustees") without the approval of
shareholders. Shareholders will be notified before any material change in these
policies becomes effective.
As a matter of fundamental investment policy, which may not be changed
without shareholder approval, each Fund will normally invest its assets so that
at least 80% of its annual interest income is, or at least 80% of its net assets
are invested in obligations which provide interest income which is exempt from
federal regular income taxes. The interest retains its tax-free status when
distributed to the Fund's shareholders. In addition, at least 65% of the value
of each Fund's total assets will be invested in municipal bonds of the
particular state after which the Fund is named. To qualify as an investment
exempt from the Florida state intangibles tax, the Evergreen Florida Municipal
Bond Fund's portfolio must consist entirely of investments exempt from the
Florida state intangibles tax on the last business day of the calendar year.
Each Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing
principally in municipal bonds, including industrial development bonds, of its
designated state. In addition, the Funds may invest in obligations issued by or
on behalf of any state, territory, or possession of the United States, including
the District of Columbia, or their political subdivisions or agencies and
instrumentalities, the interest from which is exempt from federal (regular, if
applicable) income tax. It is likely that shareholders who are subject to the
alternative minimum tax will be required to include interest from a portion of
the municipal securities owned by a Fund in calculating the federal individual
alternative minimum tax or the federal alternative minimum tax for corporations.
Municipal bonds are debt obligations issued by the state or local
entities to support a government's general financial needs or special projects,
such as housing projects or sewer works. Municipal bonds include industrial
development bonds issued by or on behalf of public authorities to provide
financing aid to acquire sites or construct or equip facilities for privately or
publicly owned corporations.
The two principal classifications of municipal bonds are "general
obligation" and "revenue" bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the
issuer's pledge of its full faith and credit and taxing power for the payment of
principal and interest. Revenue bonds are paid off only with the revenue
generated by the project financed by the bond or other specified sources of
revenue. For example, in the case of a bridge project, proceeds from the tolls
would go directly to retiring the bond issue. Thus, unlike general obligation
bonds, revenue bonds do not represent a pledge of credit or create any debt of
or charge against the general revenues of a municipality or public authority.
The municipal bonds in which the Funds will invest are subject to one
or more of the following quality standards: rated Baa or better by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or BBB or better by Standard & Poor's
Ratings Group ("S&P") or, if unrated, are determined by the Fund's investment
adviser to be of comparable quality to such ratings; insured by a municipal bond
insurance company which is rated Aa by Moody's or AA by S&P; guaranteed at the
time of purchase by the U.S. government as to the payment of principal and
interest; or fully collateralized by an escrow of U.S. government securities.
Bonds rated BBB by S&P or Baa by Moody's have speculative characteristics.
Changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to
weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than higher rated
bonds. However, like the higher rated bonds, these securities are considered to
be investment grade. If any security owned by a Fund loses its rating or has its
rating reduced after the Fund has purchased it, the Fund is not required to sell
or otherwise dispose of the security, but may consider doing so. If ratings made
by Moody's or S&P change because of changes in those organizations or their
ratings systems, the Funds will try to use comparable ratings as standards in
accordance with the Funds' investment objectives. A description of the rating
categories is contained in an Appendix to the Statement of Additional
Information.
The Funds may also invest in:
participation interests in any of the above obligations.
(Participation interests may be purchased from financial institutions
such as commercial banks, savings and loan associations and insurance
companies, and give a Fund an undivided interest in particular
municipal securities);
variable rate municipal securities. (Variable rate securities
offer interest rates which are tied to a money market rate, usually a
published interest rate or interest rate index or the 91-day U.S.
Treasury bill rate. Many of these securities are subject to prepayment
of principal on demand by the Fund, usually in seven days or less); and
municipal leases issued by state and local governments or
authorities to finance the acquisition of equipment and facilities. The
Fund may purchase municipal securities in the form of participation
interests which represent undivided proportional interests in lease
payments by a governmental or non-profit entity. The lease payments and
other rights under the lease provide for and secure the payments on the
certificates. Lease obligations may be limited by municipal charter or
the nature of the appropriation for the lease. In particular, lease
obligations may be subject to periodic appropriation. If the entity
does not appropriate funds for future lease payments, the entity cannot
be compelled to make such payments. Furthermore, a lease may provide
that the certificate trustee cannot accelerate lease obligations upon
default. The trustee would only be able to enforce lease payments as
they become due. In the event of a default or failure of appropriation,
it is unlikely that the trustee would be able to obtain an acceptable
substitute source of payment or that the substitute source of payment
would generate tax-exempt income.
During periods when, in the Adviser's opinion, a temporary defensive
position in the market is appropriate, a Fund may temporarily invest in
short-term tax-exempt or taxable investments. These temporary investments
include: notes issued by or on behalf of municipal or corporate issuers;
obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, or
instrumentalities; other debt securities; commercial paper; bank certificates of
deposit; shares of other investment companies; and repurchase agreements. There
are no rating requirements applicable to temporary investments. However, the
Adviser will limit temporary investments to those it considers to be of
comparable quality to the Fund's primary investments.
Although the Funds are permitted to make taxable, temporary investments, there
is no current intention of generating income subject to federal regular income
tax, where applicable. However, certain temporary investments will generate
income which is subject to state taxes. The Fund may employ certain additional
investment strategies which are discussed in "Investment Practices and
Restrictions", below.
Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund
Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund seeks to provide a
high level of current income which is exempt from federal income taxes. The term
"high-level" indicates that the Fund seeks to achieve an income level that
exceeds that which an investor would expect from an investment grade portfolio
with similar maturity characteristics. Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal
Bond Fund invests primarily in high yield, medium and lower rated (Baa through C
by Moody's and BBB through D by S&P) and unrated municipal securities. To
varying degrees, medium and lower rated municipal securities, as well as unrated
municipal securities, are considered to have speculative characteristics and are
subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss of income and principal
than higher rated securities. To the extent that an investor realizes a yield in
excess of that which could be expected from a fund which invests primarily in
investment grade securities, the investor should expect to bear increased risk
due to the fact that the risk of principal and/or interest not being repaid with
respect to the high yield securities described above is significantly greater
than that which exists in connection with investment grade securities. In
assessing the risk involved in purchasing medium and lower rated and unrated
securities, the Fund's investment adviser will use nationally recognized
statistical rating organizations such as Moody's and S&P, and will also rely
heavily on credit analysis it develops internally. Under normal circumstances,
the Fund's dollar-weighted average maturity generally will be 15 years or more.
However, the Fund may invest in securities of any maturity, and if the Fund's
investment determines that market conditions warrant a shorter average maturity,
the Fund's investments will be adjusted accordingly.. In pursuit of its
investment objective, Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund will,
under normal market conditions, invest at least 65% in such medium and lower
rated municipal securities or unrated municipal securities of comparable quality
to such rated municipal bonds. Investors should note that such a policy is not a
fundamental policy of the Fund and shareholder approval is not necessary to
change such policy. There is no assurance that Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund can achieve its investment objective.
The Fund will not invest in municipal securities which are in default,
i.e., securities rated D by S&P. Investments may also be made by Evergreen
Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund in higher quality municipal bonds and,
for temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest less than 65% of its total
assets in the medium and lower quality municipal securities described above. The
Fund may assume a defensive position if, for example, yield spreads between
lower grade and investment grade municipal bonds are narrow and the yields
available on lower quality municipal securities do not justify the increased
risk associated with an investment in such securities or when there is a lack of
medium and lower quality issues in which to invest. Evergreen Florida High
Income Municipal Bond Fund may also invest primarily in higher quality Municipal
Obligations until its net assets reach a level that would permit the Fund to
begin investing in medium and lower rated municipal bonds and at the same time
maintain adequate diversification and liquidity. Investing in this manner may
result in yields lower than those normally associated with a fund that invests
primarily in medium and lower quality municipal securities.
During the most recent fiscal year completed by Evergreen Florida High
Income Municipal Bond Fund's predecessor, ended April 30, 1995, its holdings had
the following average credit quality characteristics:
Percent of
Rating Net Assets
Aaa or AAA 3.4%
Aa or AA ---
A 6.0
Baa or BBB 22.1
Ba or BB 1.5
Ba or BB 7.9
Non-rated 56.6
-----
Total 97.5%
The Fund may purchase industrial development bonds only if the interest
on such bonds is, in the opinion of bond counsel, exempt from federal income
taxes. It is anticipated that the annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund
may exceed 100%. The Fund may employ certain additional investment strategies
which are discussed in "Investment Practices and Restrictions", below. Also, see
the Statement of Additional Information for further information in regard to
ratings.
INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RESTRICTIONS
Risk Factors. Bond yields are dependent on several factors including market
conditions, the size of an offering, the maturity of the bond, ratings of the
bond and the ability of issuers to meet their obligations. There is no limit on
the maturity of the bonds purchased by the Funds. Because the prices of bonds
fluctuate inversely in relation to the direction of interest rates, the prices
of longer term bonds fluctuate more widely in response to market interest rate
changes. A Fund's concentration in securities issued by its designated state and
that state's political subdivisions provides a greater level of risk than a fund
which is diversified across numerous states and municipal entities. An expanded
discussion of the risks associated with the purchase of the designated state's
municipal bonds is contained in the respective Statements of Additional
Information. Although the Funds, other than Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund will not purchase securities rated below BBB by S&P or Baa
by Moody's (i.e., junk bonds), the Funds are not required to dispose of
securities that have been downgraded subsequent to their purchase. If the
municipal obligations held by a Fund (because of adverse economic conditions in
a particular state, for example) are downgraded, the Fund's concentration in
securities of that state may cause the Fund to be subject to the risks inherent
in holding material amounts of low-rated debt securities in its portfolio. As
stated above, Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund invests
primarily in high yield, medium and lower rated (Baa through C by Moody's and
BBB through D by S&P) and unrated securities. Additional risk factors relating
to the investment by Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund in high
yield, medium and lower rated (Baa through C by Moody's and BBB through D by
S&P) and unrated securities are discussed below.
Portfolio Turnover. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% would occur if all of a
Fund's portfolio securities were replaced in one year. The portfolio turnover
rate experienced by a Fund directly affects the transaction costs relating to
the purchase and sale of securities which a Fund bears directly. A high rate of
portfolio turnover will increase such costs. See the Statement of Additional
Information for further information regarding the practices of the Funds
affecting portfolio turnover.
Non-Diversification. Each of Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen
Georgia Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund,
Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Virginia Municipal
Bond Fund is a non-diversified portfolio of an investment company and as such,
there is no limit on the percentage of assets which can be invested in any
single issuer. An investment in a Fund, therefore, will entail greater risk than
would exist in a diversified investment company because the higher percentage of
investments among fewer issuers may result in greater fluctuation in the total
market value of the Fund's portfolio. Each of the Funds intends to comply with
Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") which
requires that at the end of each quarter of each taxable year, with regard to at
least 50% of the Fund's total assets, no more than 5% of the total assets may be
invested in the securities of a single issuer and that with respect to the
remainder of the Fund's total assets, no more than 25% of its total assets are
invested in the securities of a single issuer.
Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may invest in repurchase agreements. Repurchase
agreements are agreements by which a Fund purchases a security (usually U.S.
government securities) for cash and obtains a simultaneous commitment from the
seller (usually a bank or broker/dealer) to repurchase the security at an
agreed-upon price and specified future date. The repurchase price reflects an
agreed-upon interest rate for the time period of the agreement. The Funds' risk
is the inability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon price on the delivery
date. However, this risk is tempered by the ability of the Funds to sell the
security in the open market in the case of a default. In such a case, the Funds
may incur costs in disposing of the security which would increase Fund expenses.
The Adviser will monitor the creditworthiness of the firms with which the Funds
enter into repurchase agreements.
When-Issued And Delayed Delivery Transactions. The Funds may purchase securities
on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. These transactions are arrangements
in which the Funds purchase securities with payment and delivery scheduled for a
future time. The seller's failure to complete these transactions may cause the
Funds to miss a price or yield considered to be advantageous. Settlement dates
may be a month or more after entering into these transactions, and the market
values of the securities purchased may vary from the purchase prices.
Accordingly, the Funds may pay more or less than the market value of the
securities on the settlement date. The Funds may dispose of a commitment prior
to settlement if the Adviser deems it appropriate to do so. In addition, the
Funds may enter into transactions to sell their purchase commitments to third
parties at current market values and simultaneously acquire other commitments to
purchase similar securities at later dates. The Funds may realize short-term
profits or losses upon the sale of such commitments.
Lending Of Portfolio Securities. In order to generate additional income, the
Funds may lend their portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis to
broker/dealers, banks, or other institutional borrowers of securities. The Funds
will only enter into loan arrangements with creditworthy borrowers and will
receive collateral in the form of cash or U.S. government securities equal to at
least 100% of the value of the securities loaned. As a matter of fundamental
investment policy which cannot be changed without shareholder approval, the
Funds will not lend any of their assets except portfolio securities up to
one-third of the value of their total assets. There is the risk that when
lending portfolio securities, the securities may not be available to a Fund on a
timely basis and the Fund may, therefore, lose the opportunity to sell the
securities at a desirable price. In addition, in the event that a borrower of
securities would file for bankruptcy or become insolvent, disposition of the
securities may be delayed pending court action.
Investing In Securities Of Other Investment Companies. Each Fund may invest in
the securities of other investment companies. This is a short-term measure to
invest cash which has not yet been invested in other portfolio instruments and
is subject to the following limitations: (1) no Fund will own more than 3% of
the total outstanding voting stock of any one investment company, (2) no Fund
may invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one investment company and
(3) no Fund may invest more than 10% of its total assets in investment companies
in general. The Adviser will waive its investment advisory fee on assets
invested in securities of other open end investment companies.
Borrowing. As a matter of fundamental policy, which may not be changed without
shareholder approval, the Funds may not borrow money except as a temporary
measure to facilitate redemption requests which might otherwise require the
untimely disposition of portfolio investments and for extraordinary or emergency
purposes, provided that the aggregate amount of such borrowings shall not exceed
one-third of the value of the total net assets at the time of such borrowing.
Illiquid Securities. The Funds may invest up to 15% of their net assets in
illiquid securities and other securities which are not readily marketable.
Repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days will be included
for the purpose of the foregoing 15% limit. Securities eligible for resale
pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, which have been
determined to be liquid, will not be considered by the Adviser to be illiquid or
not readily marketable and, therefore, are not subject to the aforementioned 15%
limit. The inability of a Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable
investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair a Fund's ability to
raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. The liquidity of securities
purchased by a Fund which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A will be
monitored by the Adviser on an ongoing basis, subject to the oversight of the
Trustees. In the event that such a security is deemed to be no longer liquid, a
Fund's holdings will be reviewed to determine what action, if any, is required
to ensure that the retention of such security does not result in a Fund having
more than 15% of its assets invested in illiquid or not readily marketable
securities.
Unseasoned Issuers. The Funds will not invest more than 5% of the value of their
total assets in securities of issuers (or guarantors, where applicable) which
have records of less than three years of continuous operations, including the
operation of any predecessor.
Risk Factors Associated with Medium and Lower Rated and Unrated Municipal
Obligations. Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund will invest in
medium and lower rated or unrated municipal securities. The market for high
yield, high risk debt securities rated in the medium and lower rating
categories, or which are unrated, is relatively new and its growth has
paralleled a long economic expansion. Past experience may not, therefore,
provide an accurate indication of future performance of this market,
particularly during periods of economic recession. An economic downturn or
increase in interest rates is likely to have a greater negative effect on this
market, the value of high yield debt securities in the Fund's portfolio, the
Fund's net asset value and the ability of the bonds' issuers to repay principal
and interest, meet projected business goals and obtain additional financing,
than would be the case if investments by the Fund were limited to higher rated
securities. These circumstances also may result in a higher incidence of
defaults. Yields on medium or lower-rated municipal bonds may not fully reflect
the higher risks of such bonds. Therefore, the risk of a decline in market
value, should interest rates increase or credit quality concerns develop, may be
higher than has historically been experienced with such investments. An
investment in Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund may be
considered more speculative than investment in shares of another fund which
invests primarily in higher rated debt securities.
Prices of high yield debt securities may be more sensitive to adverse
economic changes or corporate developments than higher rated investments. Debt
securities with longer maturities, which may have higher yields, may increase or
decrease in value more than debt securities with shorter maturities. Market
prices of high yield debt securities structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind
securities are affected to a greater extent by interest rate changes and may be
more volatile than securities which pay interest periodically and in cash. Where
Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund deems it appropriate and in
the best interests of its shareholders, it may incur additional expenses to seek
recovery on a debt security on which the issuer has defaulted and to pursue
litigation to protect the interests of security holders of its portfolio
entities.
Because the market for medium or lower rated securities may be thinner
and less active than the market for higher rated securities, there may be market
price volatility for these securities and limited liquidity in the resale
market. Unrated securities are usually not as attractive to as many buyers as
are rated securities, a factor which may make unrated securities less
marketable. These factors may have the effect of limiting the availability of
the securities for purchase by Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund
and may also limit the ability of the Fund to sell such securities at their fair
value either to meet redemption requests or in response to changes in the
economy or the financial markets. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions,
whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and
liquidity of medium or lower rated debt securities, especially in a thinly
traded market. To the extent the Fund owns or may acquire illiquid or restricted
high yield securities, these securities may involve special registration
responsibilities, liabilities and costs, and liquidity and valuation
difficulties. Changes in values of debt securities which the Fund owns will
affect the Fund's net asset value per share. If market quotations are not
readily available for the Fund's lower rated or unrated securities, these
securities will be valued by a method that the Trustees believes accurately
reflects fair value. Valuation becomes more difficult and judgment plays a
greater role in valuing high yield debt securities than with respect to
securities for which more external sources of quotations and last sale
information are available.
Special tax considerations are associated with investing in high yield
debt securities structured as zero coupon or pay-in-kind securities. A Fund
investing in such securities accrues income on these securities prior to the
receipt of cash payments. Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund must
distribute substantially all of its income to shareholders to qualify for pass
through treatment under the tax laws and may, therefore, have to dispose of
portfolio securities to satisfy distribution requirements.
While credit ratings are only one factor Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund's investment adviser relies on in evaluating high yield debt
securities, certain risks are associated with using credit ratings. Credit
ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not market value
risk. Credit rating agencies may fail to change in timely manner the credit
ratings to reflect subsequent events; however, the Fund's investment adviser
continuously monitors the issuers of high yield debt securities in the Fund's
portfolio in an attempt to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash
flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments. Achievement
of Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund's investment objective may
be more dependent upon the Fund's investment adviser and the credit analysis
capability of the Fund's investment adviser, than is the case for higher quality
debt securities. Credit ratings for individual securities may change from time
to time and Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund may retain a
portfolio security whose rating has been changed. See the Statement of
Additional Information for a description of bond and note ratings.
Transactions in Options and Futures. The Funds may engage in options and futures
transactions. Options and futures transactions are intended to enable a Fund to
manage market or interest rate risk, and the Funds do not use these transactions
for speculation or leverage. The Funds may attempt to hedge all or a portion of
their portfolios through the purchase of both put and call options on their
portfolio securities and listed put options on financial futures contracts for
portfolio securities. The Funds may also write covered call options on their
portfolio securities to attempt to increase their current income. The Funds will
maintain their positions in securities, option rights, and segregated cash
subject to puts and calls until the options are exercised, closed, or have
expired. An option position may be closed out only on an exchange which provides
a secondary market for an option of the same series. The Funds may purchase
listed put options on financial futures contracts. These options will be used
only to protect portfolio securities against decreases in value resulting from
market factors such as an anticipated increase in interest rates.
The Funds may write (i.e., sell) covered call and put options. By
writing a call option, a Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to
deliver the securities underlying the option upon payment of the exercise price.
By writing a put option, a Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option
to purchase the securities underlying the option at the exercise price if the
option is exercised. The Funds also may write straddles (combinations of covered
puts and calls on the same underlying security). The Funds may only write
"covered" options. This means that so long as a Fund is obligated as the writer
of a call option, it will own the underlying securities subject to the option
or, in the case of call options on U.S. Treasury bills, the Fund might own
substantially similar U.S. Treasury bills. A Fund will be considered "covered"
with respect to a put option it writes if, so long as it is obligated as the
writer of the put option, it deposits and maintains with its custodian in a
segregated account liquid assets having a value equal to or greater than the
exercise price of the option.
The principal reason for writing call or put options is to obtain,
through a receipt of premiums, a greater current return than would be realized
on the underlying securities alone. The Funds receive a premium from writing a
call or put option which they retain whether or not the option is exercised. By
writing a call option, the Funds might lose the potential for gain on the
underlying security while the option is open, and by writing a put option, the
Funds might become obligated to purchase the underlying securities for more than
their current market price upon exercise.
A futures contract is a firm commitment by two parties: the seller, who
agrees to make delivery of the specific type of instrument called for in the
contract ("going short"), and the buyer, who agrees to take delivery of the
instrument ("going long") at a certain time in the future. Financial futures
contracts call for the delivery of particular debt instruments issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by specified agencies or instrumentalities of
the U.S. government. If a Fund would enter into financial futures contracts
directly to hedge its holdings of fixed income securities, it would enter into
contracts to deliver securities at an undetermined price (i.e., "go short") to
protect itself against the possibility that the prices of its fixed income
securities may decline during the Fund's anticipated holding period. A Fund
would "go long" (agree to purchase securities in the future at a predetermined
price) to hedge against a decline in market interest rates.
The Funds may also enter into financial futures contracts and write
options on such contracts. The Funds intend to enter into such contracts and
related options for hedging purposes. The Funds will enter into futures on
securities or index-based futures contracts in order to hedge against changes in
interest rates or securities prices. A futures contract on securities is an
agreement to buy or sell securities during a designated month at whatever price
exists at that time. A futures contract on a securities index does not involve
the actual delivery of securities, but merely requires the payment of a cash
settlement based on changes in the securities index. The Funds do not make
payment or deliver securities upon entering into a futures contract. Instead,
they put down a margin deposit, which is adjusted to reflect changes in the
value of the contract and which remains in effect until the contract is
terminated.
The Funds may sell or purchase other financial futures contracts. When
a futures contract is sold by a Fund, the profit on the contract will tend to
rise when the value of the underlying securities declines and to fall when the
value of such securities increases. Thus, the Funds sell futures contracts in
order to offset a possible decline in the profit on their securities. If a
futures contract is purchased by a Fund, the value of the contract will tend to
rise when the value of the underlying securities increases and to fall when the
value of such securities declines. The Funds may enter into closing purchase and
sale transactions in order to terminate a futures contract and may buy or sell
put and call options for the purpose of closing out their options positions. The
Funds' ability to enter into closing transactions depends on the development and
maintenance of a liquid secondary market. There is no assurance that a liquid
secondary market will exist for any particular contract or at any particular
time. As a result, there can be no assurance that the Funds will be able to
enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular contract at a
particular time. If the Funds are not able to enter into an offsetting
transaction, the Funds will continue to be required to maintain the margin
deposits on the contract and to complete the contract according to its terms, in
which case it would continue to bear market risk on the transaction.
Risk Characteristics Of Options And Futures. Although options and futures
transactions are intended to enable the Funds to manage market or interest rate
risks, these investment devices can be highly volatile, and the Funds' use of
them can result in poorer performance (i.e., the Funds' return may be reduced).
The Funds' attempt to use such investment devices for hedging purposes may not
be successful. Successful futures strategies require the ability to predict
future movements in securities prices, interest rates and other economic
factors. When the Funds use financial futures contracts and options on financial
futures contracts as hedging devices, there is a risk that the prices of the
securities subject to the financial futures contracts and options on financial
futures contracts may not correlate perfectly with the prices of the securities
in the Funds' portfolios. This may cause the financial futures contract and any
related options to react to market changes differently than the portfolio
securities. In addition, the Adviser could be incorrect in its expectations and
forecasts about the direction or extent of market factors, such as interest
rates, securities price movements, and other economic factors. Even if the
Adviser correctly predicts interest rate movements, a hedge could be
unsuccessful if changes in the value of a Fund's futures position did not
correspond to changes in the value of its investments. In these events, the
Funds may lose money on the financial futures contracts or the options on
financial futures contracts. It is not certain that a secondary market for
positions in financial futures contracts or for options on financial futures
contracts will exist at all times. Although the Adviser will consider liquidity
before entering into financial futures contracts or options on financial futures
contracts transactions, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on
an exchange will exist for any particular financial futures contract or option
on a financial futures contract at any particular time. The Funds' ability to
establish and close out financial futures contracts and options on financial
futures contract positions depends on this secondary market. If a Fund is unable
to close out its position due to disruptions in the market or lack of liquidity,
the Fund may lose money on the futures contract or option, and the losses to the
Fund could be significant.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
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INVESTMENT ADVISER
The management of each Fund is supervised by the Trustees of the Trust
under which the Fund has been established ("Trustees"). The Capital Management
Group of First Union National Bank of North Carolina ("CMG") serves as
investment adviser to Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen Georgia
Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen
South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund and
Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund. First Union National Bank of
North Carolina ("FUNB") is a subsidiary of First Union Corporation ("First
Union"), one of the ten largest bank holding companies in the United States.
First Union is a bank holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North
Carolina, which had $74.2 billion in consolidated assets as of September 30,
1994. First Union and its subsidiaries provide a broad range of financial
services to individuals and businesses through offices in 36 states. The Capital
Management Group of FUNB manages or otherwise oversees the investment of over
$36 billion in assets belonging to a wide range of clients, including all the
series of Evergreen Investment Trust (formerly known as First Union Funds).
First Union Brokerage Services, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of FUNB, is a
registered broker-dealer that is principally engaged in providing retail
brokerage services consistent with its federal banking authorizations. First
Union Capital Markets Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Union, is a
registered broker-dealer principally engaged in providing, consistent with its
federal banking authorizations, private placement, securities dealing, and
underwriting services.
CMG manages investments and supervises the daily business affairs of
Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund,
Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal
Bond Fund, Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Florida High
Income Municipal Bond Fund and, as compensation therefor, is entitled to receive
an annual fee equal to .50 of 1% of average daily net assets of each Fund other
than Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund, from which it is
entitled to receive an annual fee equal to .60 of 1% of average daily net
assets. The total annualized operating expenses of Evergreen Florida Municipal
Bond Fund, Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina
Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen
Virginia Municipal Bond Fund and the total annualized operating expenses of ABT
Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund, predecessor to Evergreen Florida High
Income Municipal Bond Fund, for the most recent fiscal year are set forth in the
section entitled "Financial Highlights". Evergreen Asset Management Corp.
("Evergreen Asset"), a subsidiary of FUNB, serves as administrator to each Fund
and is entitled to receive a fee based on the average daily net assets of each
Fund at a rate based on the total assets of the mutual funds administered by
Evergreen Asset for which CMG or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment
adviser, calculated in accordance with the following schedule: .050% of the
first $7 billion; .035% on the next $3 billion; .030% on the next $5 billion;
.020% on the next $10 billion; .015% on the next $5 billion; and .010% on assets
in excess of $30 billion. Furman Selz Incorporated, the parent of Evergreen
Funds Distributor, Inc., distributor for the Evergreen group of mutual funds,
serves as sub-administrator for each Fund and is entitled to receive a fee from
each Fund calculated on the average daily net assets of each Funds at a rate
based on the total assets of the mutual funds administered by Evergreen Asset
for which CMG or Evergreen Asset also serve as investment adviser, calculated in
accordance with the following schedule: .0100% of the first $7 billion; .0075%
on the next $3 billion; .0050% on the next $15 billion; and .0040% on assets in
excess of $25 billion. The total assets of the mutual funds administered by
Evergreen Asset for which CMG or Evergreen Asset serve as investment adviser as
of March 31, 1995 were approximately $8 billion.
Robert S. Drye is a Vice President of FUNB , and has been with FUNB
since 1968. Since 1989, Mr. Drye has served as a portfolio manager for several
of the series of Evergreen Investment Trust and for certain common trust funds.
Prior to 1989, Mr. Drye worked as a marketing specialist with First Union
Brokerage Services, Inc. Mr. Drye has managed the Evergreen South Carolina
Municipal Bond Fund since its inception in January 1994. In addition, Mr. Drye
has been the portfolio manager for the Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund
since its inception in July 1993. Richard K. Marrone is a Vice President of FUNB
. Mr. Marrone joined FUNB in May 1993 with eleven years of experience managing
fixed income assets at Woodbridge Capital Management, a subsidiary of Comerica
Bank, N.A. Mr. Marrone is responsible for the portfolio management of several
series of Evergreen Investment Trust and certain common trust funds. Mr. Marrone
has served as portfolio manager of the Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond
Fund since May 1993, and portfolio manager of the Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund since their
inception in July 1995 and July 1993, respectively. Charles E. Jeanne joined
FUNB, in July 1993. Prior to joining FUNB , Mr. Jeanne served as a
trader/portfolio manager for First American Bank where he was responsible for
individual accounts and common trust funds. Mr. Jeanne has been the portfolio
manager for the Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund since its inception in
1993.
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PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
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HOW TO BUY SHARES
Eligible investors may purchase Fund shares at net asset value by mail
or wire as described below. The Funds impose no sales charges on Class Y shares.
Class Y shares are the only class of shares offered by this Prospectus and are
only available to (i) all shareholders of record in one or more of the Evergreen
Funds as of December 30, 1994, (ii) certain institutional investors and (iii)
investment advisory clients of the Adviser and its affiliates. The minimum
initial investment is $1,000, which may be waived in certain situations. There
is no minimum for subsequent investments. Investors may make subsequent
investments by establishing a Systematic Investment Plan or a Telephone
Investment Plan.
Purchases by Mail or Wire. Each investor must complete the enclosed Share
Purchase Application and mail it together with a check made payable to the Fund
whose shares are being purchased, to State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State
Street") at P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827. Checks not drawn on
U.S. banks will be subject to foreign collection which will delay an investor's
investment date and will be subject to processing fees.
When making subsequent investments, an investor should either enclose
the return remittance portion of the statement, or indicate on the face of the
check, the name of the Fund in which an investment is to be made, the exact
title of the account, the address, and the Fund account number. Purchase
requests should not be sent to a Fund in New York. If they are, the Fund must
forward them to State Street, and the request will not be effective until State
Street receives them.
Initial investments may also be made by wire by (i) calling State
Street at 800-423-2615 for an account number and (ii) instructing your bank,
which may charge a fee, to wire federal funds to State Street, as follows: State
Street Bank and Trust Company, ABA No.0110-0002-8, Attn: Custodian and
Shareholder Services. The wire must include references to the Fund in which an
investment is being made, account registration, and the account number. A
completed Application must also be sent to State Street indicating that the
shares have been purchased by wire, giving the date the wire was sent and
referencing the account number. Subsequent wire investments may be made by
existing shareholders by following the instructions outlined above. It is not
necessary, however, for existing shareholders to call for another account
number.
How the Funds Value Their Shares. The net asset value of each Class of shares of
a Fund is calculated by dividing the value of the amount of the Fund's net
assets attributable to that Class by the outstanding shares of that Class.
Shares are valued each day the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open
as of the close of regular trading (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). The
securities in a Fund are valued at their current market value determined on the
basis of market quotations or, if such quotations are not readily available,
such other methods as a Fund's Trustees believe would accurately reflect fair
market value.
Additional Purchase Information. As a condition of this offering, if a purchase
is canceled due to nonpayment or because an investor's check does not clear, the
investor will be responsible for any loss a Fund or the Adviser incurs. If such
investor is an existing shareholder, a Fund may redeem shares from an investor's
account to reimburse the Fund or the Adviser for any loss. In addition, such
investors may be prohibited or restricted from making further purchases in any
of the Evergreen Funds.
A Fund cannot accept investments specifying a certain price or date and
reserves the right to reject any specific purchase order, including orders in
connection with exchanges from the other Evergreen Funds. Although not currently
anticipated, each Fund reserves the right to suspend the offer of shares for a
period of time.
Shares of each Fund are sold at the net asset value per share next
determined after a shareholder's order is received. Investments by federal funds
wire or by check will be effective upon receipt by State Street. Qualified
institutions may telephone orders for the purchase of Fund shares. Investors may
also purchase shares through a broker/dealer, which may charge a fee for the
service.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
You may "redeem", i.e., sell your shares in a Fund to the Fund on any
day the Exchange is open, either directly or through your financial
intermediary. The price you will receive is the net asset value next calculated
after the Fund receives your request in proper form. Proceeds generally will be
sent to you within seven days. However, for shares recently purchased by check,
a Fund will not send proceeds until it is reasonably satisfied that the check
has been collected (which may take up to 15 days). Once a redemption request has
been telephoned or mailed, it is irrevocable and may not be modified or
canceled.
Redeeming Shares Directly by Mail or Telephone. Send a signed letter of
instruction or stock power form to State Street which is the registrar, transfer
agent and dividend-disbursing agent for each Fund. Stock power forms are
available from your financial intermediary, State Street, and many commercial
banks. Additional documentation is required for the sale of shares by
corporations, financial intermediaries, fiduciaries and surviving joint owners.
Signature guarantees are required for all redemption requests for shares with a
value of more than $10,000 or where the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to
an address other than that shown in the account registration. A signature
guarantee must be provided by a bank or trust company (not a Notary Public), a
member firm of a domestic stock exchange or by other financial institutions
whose guarantees are acceptable to State Street.
Shareholders may withdraw amounts of $1,000 or more from their accounts
by calling State Street (800-423-2615) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00
p.m. (Eastern time) each business day (i.e., any weekday exclusive of days on
which the New York Stock Exchange or State Street's offices are closed). The New
York Stock Exchange is closed on New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday,
Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Redemption requests made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be processed using
the net asset value determined on the next business day. Such redemption
requests must include the shareholder's account name, as registered with a Fund,
and the account number. During periods of drastic economic or market changes,
shareholders may experience difficulty in effecting telephone redemptions.
Shareholders who are unable to reach a Fund or State Street by telephone should
follow the procedures outlined above for redemption by mail.
The telephone redemption service is not made available to shareholders
automatically. Shareholders wishing to use the telephone redemption service must
indicate this on the Share Purchase Application and choose how the redemption
proceeds are to be paid. Redemption proceeds will either (i) be mailed by check
to the shareholder at the address in which the account is registered or (ii) be
wired to an account with the same registration as the shareholder's account in a
Fund at a designated commercial bank. State Street currently deducts a $5 wire
charge from all redemption proceeds wired. This charge is subject to change
without notice. A shareholder who decides later to use this service, or to
change instructions already given, should fill out a Shareholder Services Form
and send it to State Street Bank and Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston,
Massachusetts 02205-9827, with such shareholder's signature guaranteed by a bank
or trust company (not a Notary Public), a member firm of a domestic stock
exchange or by other financial institutions whose guarantees are acceptable to
State Street. Shareholders should allow approximately ten days for such form to
be processed. The Funds will employ reasonable procedures to verify that
telephone requests are genuine. These procedures include requiring some form of
personal identification prior to acting upon instructions and tape recording of
conversations. If the Fund fails to follow such procedures, it may be liable for
any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The Fund shall not be
liable for following telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine.
Also, the Fund reserves the right to refuse a telephone redemption request, if
it is believed advisable to do so. Financial intermediaries may charge a fee for
handling telephonic requests. The telephone redemption option may be suspended
or terminated at any time without notice.
General. The sale of shares is a taxable transaction for Federal tax purposes.
Under unusual circumstances, a Fund may suspend redemptions or postpone payment
for up to seven days or longer, as permitted by Federal securities law. The
Funds reserve the right to close an account that through redemption has remained
below $1,000 for 30 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written notice to
increase the account value before the account is closed. The Funds have elected
to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 pursuant
to which each Fund is obligated to redeem shares solely in cash, up to the
lesser of $250,000 or 1% of a Fund's total net assets during any ninety day
period for any one shareholder. See the Statement of Additional Information for
further details.
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
How To Exchange Shares. You may exchange some or all of your shares for shares
of the same Class in the other Evergreen Funds by telephone or mail as described
below. An exchange which represents an initial investment in another Evergreen
Fund must amount to at least $1,000. Once an exchange request has been
telephoned or mailed, it is irrevocable and may not be modified or canceled.
Exchanges will be made on the basis of the relative net asset values of the
shares exchanged next determined after an exchange request is received.
Exchanges are subject to minimum investment and suitability requirements.
Each of the Evergreen Funds have different investment objectives and
policies. For complete information, a prospectus of the fund into which an
exchange will be made should be read prior to the exchange. An exchange is
treated for Federal income tax purposes as a redemption and purchase of shares
and may result in the realization of a capital gain or loss. Each Fund imposes a
fee of $5 per exchange on shareholders who exchange in excess of four times per
calendar year. This exchange privilege may be modified or discontinued at any
time by the Fund upon sixty days' notice to shareholders and is only available
in states in which shares of the fund being acquired may lawfully be sold.
Exchanges by Telephone and Mail. You may exchange shares with a value of $1,000
or more by telephone by calling State Street (800-423-2615). Exchange requests
made after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) will be processed using the net asset value
determined on the next business day. During periods of drastic economic or
market changes, shareholders may experience difficulty in effecting telephone
exchanges. You should follow the procedures outlined below for exchanges by mail
if you are unable to reach State Street by telephone. If you wish to use the
telephone exchange service you should indicate this on the Share Purchase
Application. As noted above, each Fund will employ reasonable procedures to
confirm that instructions for the redemption or exchange of shares communicated
by telephone are genuine. A telephone exchange may be refused by a Fund or State
Street if it is believed advisable to do so. Procedures for exchanging Fund
shares by telephone may be modified or terminated at any time. Written requests
for exchanges should follow the same procedures outlined for written redemption
requests in the section entitled "How to Redeem Shares", however, no signature
guarantee is required.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The Funds offer the following shareholder services. For more
information about these services or your account, contact your financial
intermediary, Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc.("EFD"), the distributor of the
Funds, or the toll-free number on the front page of this Prospectus. Some
services are described in more detail in the Share Purchase Application.
Systematic Investment Plan. You may make monthly or quarterly investments into
an existing account automatically in amounts of not less than $25.
Telephone Investment Plan. You may make investments into an existing account
electronically in amounts of not less than $100 or more than $10,000 per
investment. Telephone investment requests received by 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
will be credited to a shareholder's account the day the request is received.
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan. When an account of $10,000 or more is opened or
when an existing account reaches that size, you may participate in the Fund's
Systematic Cash Withdrawal Plan by filling out the appropriate part of the Share
Purchase Application. Under this plan, you may receive (or designate a third
party to receive) a monthly or quarterly check in a stated amount of not less
than $100. Fund shares will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal
payments. All participants must elect to have their dividends and capital gain
distributions reinvested automatically.
Automatic Reinvestment Plan. For the convenience of investors, all dividends and
distributions are automatically reinvested in full and fractional shares of a
Fund at the net asset value per share on the last business day of each month,
unless otherwise requested by a shareholder in writing. If the transfer agent
does not receive a written request for subsequent dividends and/or distributions
to be paid in cash at least three full business days prior to a given record
date, the dividends and/or distributions to be paid to a shareholder will be
reinvested. If you elect to receive dividends and distributions in cash and the
U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the checks, or if the checks remain uncashed
for six months, the checks will be reinvested into your account at the then
current net asset value.
EFFECT OF BANKING LAWS
The Glass-Steagall Act and other banking laws and regulations presently
prohibit member banks of the Federal Reserve System ("Member Banks") or their
non-bank affiliates from sponsoring, organizing, controlling, or distributing
the shares of registered open-end investment companies such as the Funds. Such
laws and regulations also prohibit banks from issuing, underwriting or
distributing securities in general. However, under the Glass-Steagall Act and
such other laws and regulations, a Member Bank or an affiliate thereof may act
as investment adviser, transfer agent or custodian to a registered open-end
investment company and may also act as agent in connection with the purchase of
shares of such an investment company upon the order of their customer. Evergreen
Asset, since it is a subsidiary of FUNB, and CMG are subject to and in
compliance with the aforementioned laws and regulations.
Changes to applicable laws and regulations or future judicial or
administrative decisions could result in CMG or Evergreen Asset being prevented
from continuing to perform the services required under the investment advisory
contract or from acting as agent in connection with the purchase of shares of a
Fund by its customers. If CMG or Evergreen Asset were prevented from continuing
to provide the services called for under the investment advisory agreement, it
is expected that the Trustees would identify, and call upon each Fund's
shareholders to approve, a new investment adviser. If this were to occur, it is
not anticipated that the shareholders of any Fund would suffer any adverse
financial consequences.
<PAGE>
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OTHER INFORMATION
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DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES
Income dividends are declared daily and paid monthly. Distributions of
any net realized gains of a Fund will be made at least annually. Shareholders
will begin to earn dividends on the first business day after shares are
purchased unless shares were not paid for, in which case dividends are not
earned until the next business day after payment is received. Each Fund has
qualified and intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated
investment company under the Code. While so qualified, so long as each Fund
distributes all of its investment company taxable income and any net realized
gains to shareholders, it is expected that the Funds will not be required to pay
any Federal income taxes. A 4% nondeductible excise tax will be imposed on a
Fund if it does not meet certain distribution requirements by the end of each
calendar year. Each Fund anticipates meeting such distribution requirements.
The Funds will designate and pay exempt-interest dividends derived from
interest earned on qualifying tax-exempt obligations. Such exempt-interest
dividends may be excluded by shareholders of a Fund from their gross income for
Federal income tax purposes, however (1) all or a portion of such
exempt-interest dividends may be a specific preference item for purposes of the
Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum taxes to the extent that
they are derived from certain types of private activity bonds issued after
August 7, 1986, and (2) all exempt-interest dividends will be a component of the
"adjusted current earnings" for purposes of the Federal corporate alternative
minimum tax.
Dividends paid from taxable income, if any, and distributions of any
net realized short-term capital gains (whether from tax exempt or taxable
obligations) are taxable as ordinary income and long-term capital gain
distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, even though received in
additional shares of the Fund, and regardless of the investors holding period
relating to the shares with respect to which such gains are distributed. Market
discount recognized on taxable and tax-exempt bonds is taxable as ordinary
income, not as excludable income. Under current law, the highest Federal income
tax rate applicable to net long-term gains realized by individuals is 28%. The
rate applicable to corporations is 35%.
Since each Fund's gross income is ordinarily expected to be tax exempt
interest income, it is not expected that the 70% dividends-received deduction
for corporations will be applicable. Specific questions should be addressed to
the investor's own tax adviser.
Each Fund is required by Federal law to withhold 31% of reportable
payments (which may include dividends, capital gains distributions (if any) and
redemptions) paid to certain shareholders. In order to avoid this backup
withholding requirement, each investor must certify on the Share Purchase
Application, or on a separate form supplied by State Street, that the investor's
social security or taxpayer identification number is correct and that the
investor is not currently subject to backup withholding or is exempt from backup
withholding.
Set forth below are brief descriptions of the personal income tax status of an
investment in each of the Funds under Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, and Virginia tax laws currently in effect. Income from a Fund is not
necessarily free from state income taxes in states other than its designated
state. State laws differ on this issue, and shareholders are urged to consult
their own tax advisers regarding the status of their accounts under state and
local laws.
Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Florida High Income
Municipal Bond Fund. Florida does not currently impose an income tax on
individuals. Thus, individual shareholders of the Funds will not be subject to
any Florida state income tax on distributions received from the Funds. However,
certain distributions will be taxable to corporate shareholders which are
subject to Florida corporate income tax. Florida currently imposes an
intangibles tax at the annual rate of 0.20% on certain securities and other
intangible assets owned by Florida residents. Certain types of tax exempt
securities of Florida issuers, U.S. government securities and tax exempt
securities issued by certain U.S. territories and possessions are exempt from
this intangibles tax. Shares of the Funds will also be exempt from the Florida
intangibles tax if the portfolio consists exclusively of securities exempt from
the intangibles tax on the last business day of the calendar year. If the
portfolio consists of any assets which are not so exempt on the last business
day of the calendar year, however, only the portion of the shares of the Funds
which relate to securities issued by the United States and its possessions and
territories will be exempt from the Florida intangibles tax, and the remaining
portion of such shares will be fully subject to the intangibles tax, even if
they partly relate to Florida tax exempt securities.
Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund. Under existing Georgia law, shareholders
of the Fund will not be subject to individual or corporate Georgia income taxes
on distributions from the Fund to the extent that such distributions represent
exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax purposes that are attributable
to (1) interest-bearing obligations issued by or on behalf of the State of
Georgia or its political subdivisions, or (2) interest on obligations of the
United States or of any other issuer whose obligations are exempt from state
income taxes under federal law. Distributions, if any, derived from capital
gains or other sources generally will be taxable for Georgia income tax purposes
to shareholders of the Fund who are subject to the Georgia income tax. For
purposes of the Georgia intangibles tax, Shares of the Fund likely are taxable
(at the rate of 10 cents per $1,000 in value of the Shares held on January 1 of
each year) to shareholders who are otherwise subject to such tax.
Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond Fund. Under existing North Carolina law,
shareholders of the Fund will not be subject to individual or corporate North
Carolina income taxes on distributions from the Fund to the extent that such
distributions represent exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax
purposes that are attributable to (1) interest on obligations issued by North
Carolina and political subdivisions thereof or (2) interest on obligations of
the United States or its territories or possessions. Distributions, if any,
derived from capital gains or other sources generally will be taxable for North
Carolina income tax purposes to shareholders of the Fund who are subject to the
North Carolina income tax.
Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund. Under existing South Carolina law,
shareholders of the Fund will not be subject to individual or corporate South
Carolina income taxes on Fund distributions to the extent that such
distributions represent exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax
purposes that are attributable to (1) interest on obligations of the State of
South Carolina, or any of its political subdivisions, (2) interest on
obligations of the United States, or (3) interest on obligations of any agency
or instrumentality of the United States that is prohibited by federal law from
being taxed by a state or any political subdivision of a state. Distributions,
if any, derived from capital gains or other sources, generally will be taxable
for South Carolina income tax purposes to shareholders of the Fund who are
subject to South Carolina income tax.
Evergreen Virginia Municipal Bond Fund. Under existing Virginia law,
shareholders of the Fund will not be subject to individual or corporate Virginia
income taxes on distributions received from the Fund to the extent that such
distributions represent exempt-interest dividends for federal income tax
purposes that are attributable to interest earned on (1) obligations issued by
or on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any political subdivision
thereof, or (2) obligations issued by a territory or possession of the United
States or any subdivision thereof which federal law exempts from state income
taxes. Distributions, if any, derived from capital gains or other sources
generally will be taxable for Virginia income tax purposes to shareholders of
the Fund who are subject to Virginia income tax.
Statements describing the tax status of shareholders' dividends and
distributions will be mailed annually by the Funds. These statements will set
forth the amount of income exempt from Federal and if applicable, state
taxation, and the amount, if any, subject to Federal and state taxation.
Moreover, to the extent necessary, these statements will indicate the amount of
exempt-interest dividends which are a specific preference item for purposes of
the Federal individual and corporate alternative minimum taxes. The exemption of
interest income for Federal income tax purposes does not necessarily result in
exemption under the income or other tax law of any state or local taxing
authority. Investors should consult their own tax advisers about the status of
distributions from the Funds in their states and localities. Each Fund notifies
shareholders annually as to the interest exempt from Federal taxes earned by the
Fund.
A shareholder who acquires Class A shares of a Fund and sells or
otherwise disposes of such shares within 90 days of acquisition may not be
allowed to include certain sales charges incurred in acquiring such shares for
purposes of calculating gain and loss realized upon a sale or exchange of shares
of the Fund.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION OF FUND PERFORMANCE
A discussion of the performance of Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond
Fund, Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina Municipal
Bond Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Virginia
Municipal Bond Fund is contained in the annual report of each Fund for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1994. A similar discussion relating to ABT
Florida High Income Municipal Bond Fund, the predecessor of Evergreen Florida
High Income Municipal Bond Fund is contained in the annual report of such Fund
for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1995.
<PAGE>
GENERAL INFORMATION
Portfolio Transactions. Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and subject to seeking best
price and execution, a Fund may consider sales of its shares as a factor in the
selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions with the Fund.
Organization. Evergreen Florida High Income Municipal Fund is a newly organized,
separate investment series of Evergreen Municipal Trust, a Massachusetts
business trust organized in 1988. Evergreen Florida Municipal Bond Fund,
Evergreen Georgia Municipal Bond Fund, Evergreen North Carolina Municipal Bond
Fund, Evergreen South Carolina Municipal Bond Fund and Evergreen Virginia
Municipal Bond Fund are each separate investment series of Evergreen Investment
Trust (formerly First Union Funds), which is a Massachusetts business trust
organized in 1984. The Funds do not intend to hold annual shareholder meetings;
shareholder meetings will be held only when required by applicable law.
Shareholders have available certain procedures for the removal of Trustees.
A shareholder in each class of a Fund will be entitled to his or her
share of all dividends and distributions from a Fund's assets, based upon the
relative value of such shares to those of other Classes of the Fund, and, upon
redeeming shares, will receive the then current net asset value of the Class of
shares of the Fund represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC.
Each Trust named above is empowered to establish, without shareholder approval,
additional investment series, which may have different investment objectives,
and additional classes of shares for any existing or future series. If an
additional series or class were established in a Fund, each share of the series
or class would normally be entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally,
shares of each series and class would vote together as a single class on
matters, such as the election of Directors, that affect each series and class in
substantially the same manner. Class A, B and Y shares have identical voting,
dividend, liquidation and other rights, except that each class bears, to the
extent applicable, its own distribution, shareholder service and transfer agency
expenses as well as any other expenses applicable only to a specific class. Each
class of shares votes separately with respect to Rule 12b-1 distribution plans
and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under
applicable law. Shares are entitled to dividends as determined by the Trustees
and, in liquidation of a Fund, are entitled to receive the net assets of the
Fund.
Registrar, Transfer Agent and Dividend-Disbursing Agent. State Street Bank and
Trust Company, P.O. Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827 acts as each
Fund's registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based
upon the number of shareholder accounts maintained for the Funds. The transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class B shares will be higher than the transfer
agency fee with respect to the Class A shares.
Principal Underwriter. EFD, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Furman Selz
Incorporated, located 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, is the
principal underwriter of the Funds. Furman Selz Incorporated, also acts as
sub-administrator to the Funds.
Other Classes of Shares. Each Fund currently offers three classes of shares,
Class A, Class B and Class Y, and may in the future offer additional classes.
Class Y shares are the only class of shares offered by this Prospectus and are
only available to (i) all shareholders of record in one or more of the Evergreen
mutual funds for which Evergreen Asset serves as investment adviser as of
December 30, 1994, (ii) certain institutional investors and (iii) investment
advisory clients of CMG, Evergreen Asset or their affiliates. The dividends
payable with respect to Class A and Class B shares will be less than those
payable with respect to Class Y shares due to the distribution and distribution
related expenses borne by Class A and Class B shares and the fact that such
expenses are not borne by Class Y shares.
Performance Information. A Fund's performance may be quoted in advertising in
terms of yield or total return. Both types of performance are based on
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") formulas and are not intended to
indicate future performance.
Yield is a way of showing the rate of income a Fund earns on its
investments as a percentage of the Fund's share price. A Fund's yield is
calculated according to accounting methods that are standardized by the SEC for
all stock and bond funds. Because yield accounting methods differ from the
method used for other accounting purposes, a Fund's yield may not equal its
distribution rate, the income paid to your account or the income reported in a
Fund's financial statements. To calculate yield, a Fund takes the interest
income it earned from its portfolio of investments (as defined by the SEC
formula) for a 30-day period (net of expenses), divides it by the average number
of shares entitled to receive dividends, and expresses the result as an
annualized percentage rate based on a Fund's share price at the end of the
30-day period.
This yield does not reflect gains or losses from selling securities.
A Fund may also quote tax-equivalent yields, which show the taxable
yields an investor would have to earn before taxes to equal the Fund's tax-free
yields. A tax-equivalent yield is calculated by dividing a Fund's tax-exempt
yield by the result of one minus a stated Federal tax rate. If only a portion of
a Fund's income was tax-exempt, only that portion is adjusted in the
calculation.
Total returns are based on the overall dollar or percentage change in
the value of a hypothetical investment in a Fund. A Fund's total return shows
its overall change in value including changes in share prices and assumes all a
Fund's distributions are reinvested. A cumulative total return reflects a Fund's
performance over a stated period of time. An average annual total return
reflects the hypothetical annually compounded return that would have produced
the same cumulative total return if a Fund's performance had been constant over
the entire period. Because average annual total returns tend to smooth out
variations in a Fund's return, you should recognize that they are not the same
as actual year-by-year results. To illustrate the components of overall
performance, a Fund may separate its cumulative and average annual total returns
into income results and realized and unrealized gain or loss.
Each Fund may also quote tax-equivalent yields, which show the taxable
yields an investor would have to earn before taxes to equal the Fund's tax-free
yields. A tax-equivalent yield is calculated by dividing a Fund's tax-exempt
yield by the result of one minus a stated federal tax rate. If only a portion of
a Fund's income was tax-exempt, only that portion is adjusted in the
calculation.
Comparative performance information may also be used from time to time
in advertising or marketing a Fund's shares, including data from Lipper
Analytical Services, Inc., Morningstar and other industry publications. The Fund
may also advertise in items of sales literature an "actual distribution rate"
which is computed by dividing the total ordinary income distributed (which may
include the excess of short-term capital gains over losses) to shareholders for
the latest twelve month period by the maximum public offering price per share on
the last day of the period. Investors should be aware that past performance may
not be reflective of future results.
Liability Under Massachusetts Law. Under Massachusetts law, trustees and
shareholders of a business trust may, in certain circumstances, be held
personally liable for its obligations. The Declaration of Trust under which each
Fund operates provide that no Trustee or shareholder will be personally liable
for the obligations of the Trust and that every written contract made by the
Trust contain a provision to that effect. If any Trustee or shareholder were
required to pay any liability of the Trust, that person would be entitled to
reimbursement from the general assets of the Trust.
Additional Information. This Prospectus and the Statement of Additional
Information, which have been incorporated by reference herein, do not contain
all the information set forth in the Registration Statements filed by the Trusts
with the Commission under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration
Statements may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may be
examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C.
<PAGE>
APPENDIX A -- FLORIDA RISK CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of economic factors which may affect the
ability of the municipal issuers of Florida Obligations to repay general
obligation and revenue bonds. Such information is derived from sources that are
generally available to investors and is believed by the Funds to be accurate,
but has not been independently verified and may not be complete. Under current
law, the State of Florida is required to maintain a balanced budget such that
current expenses are met from current revenues. Florida does not currently
impose a tax on personal income but does impose taxes on corporate income
derived from activities within the state. In addition, Florida imposes an ad
valorem tax as well as sales and use taxes. These taxes are the principal
sources of funds to meet state expenses, including repayment of, and interest
on, obligations backed solely by the full faith and credit of the state, without
recourse to any specific project or related revenue source.
On November 3, 1992, Florida voters approved an amendment to the state
constitution which limits the annual growth in the assessed valuation of
residential property and which, over time, could constrain the growth in
property taxes, a major revenue source for local governments. The amendment
restricts annual increases in assessed valuation to the lesser of 3% or the
Consumer Price Index. The amendment applies only to residential properties
eligible for the homestead exemption and does not affect the valuation of
rental, commercial, or industrial properties. When sold, residential property
would be reassessed at market value. The amendment became effective January 1,
1993. While no immediate ratings implications are expected, the amendment could
have a negative impact on the financial performance of local governments over
time and lead to ratings revisions which may have a negative impact on the
prices of affected bonds.
Many of the bonds in which the Funds invest were issued by various
units of local government in the State of Florida. In addition, most of these
bonds are revenue bonds where the security interest of the bond holders
typically is limited to the pledge of revenues or special assessments flowing
from the project financed by the bonds. Projects include, but are not limited
to, water and waste water utilities, drainage systems, roadways, and other
development-related infrastructures. Therefore, the capacity of these issuers to
repay their obligations may be affected by variations in the Florida economy.
Since 1970, Florida has been one of the fastest growing states in the
nation. Average annual population growth over the last 20 years was 320,000.
During this period only California and Texas grew more rapidly. In terms of
total population, Florida moved from the ninth most populous state in 1970 to
fourth today.
This rapid and sustained pace of population growth has given rise to
sharp increases in construction activity and to the need for roads, drainage
systems, and utilities to serve the burgeoning population. In turn this has
driven the growth in the volume of revenue bond debt outstanding.
The pace of growth, however, has not been steady. During economic
expansions, Florida's population growth has exceeded 500,000 people per year,
but in recessions growth has slowed to 120,000 per year. The variations in
construction activity over the course of business cycles is also very large.
Although the amplitude of the swings during business cycles is large, the
duration of downturns in Florida's growth has been short. Historically,
depressed levels of growth have lasted only a year or two at most. Furthermore,
Florida's cycles have not been periods of growth or decline. Instead, what has
occurred are periods of more growth or less growth.
Florida's ability to meet increasing expenses will be dependent in part
upon the state's ability to foster business and economic growth. During the past
decade, Florida has experienced significant increases in the technology-based
and other light industries and in the service sector. This growth has
diversified the state's overall economy, which at one time was dominated by the
citrus and tourism industries. The state's economic and business growth could be
restricted, however, by the natural limitations of environmental resources and
the state's ability to finance adequate public facilities such as roads and
schools.
<PAGE>
INVESTMENT ADVISER
Capital Management Group of First Union National Bank, 201 South College
Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288
CUSTODIAN & TRANSFER AGENT
State Street Bank & Trust Company, Box 9021, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-9827
LEGAL COUNSEL
Sullivan & Worcester, 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
EVERGREEN FLORIDA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN GEORGIA MUNICIPAL BOND
FUND, EVERGREEN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN SOUTH
CAROLINA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, EVERGREEN VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
Price Waterhouse LLP, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036
EVERGREEN FLORIDA HIGH INCOME MUNICIPAL BOND FUND
DISTRIBUTOR
Evergreen Funds Distributor, Inc., 237 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
536126
