<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 11/30/1999
000 C000000 0000851170
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 6.1
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 MFS CHARTER INCOME TRUST
001 B000000 811-5822
001 C000000 6179545000
002 A000000 500 BOYLSTON STREET
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02116
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-17352
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02116
010 A000001 MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY
010 B000001 801-17352
010 C010001 BOSTON
010 C020001 MA
010 C030001 02116
012 A000001 MFS SERVICE CENTER, INC.
012 B000001 84-1316
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02116
013 A000001 ERNST & YOUNG LLP
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B030001 02116
015 A000001 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02110
015 E010001 X
015 A000002 CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A.
015 B000002 S
015 C010002 NEW YORK
015 C020002 NY
015 C030002 10081
015 E040002 X
015 A000003 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B000003 S
015 C010003 NEW YORK
015 C020003 NY
015 C030003 10286
015 E010003 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 N
019 B000000 0
020 B000001 00-0000000
020 C000001 0
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 0
022 A000001 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000001 13-5108880
022 C000001 5928050
022 D000001 95955
022 A000002 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000002 13-2518466
022 C000002 96188
022 D000002 164691
022 A000003 MORGAN, J.P., SECURITIES INC.
022 B000003 13-3224016
022 C000003 116325
022 D000003 118220
022 A000004 DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES
022 B000004 13-2730828
022 C000004 86554
022 D000004 65418
022 A000005 M L PIERCE FENNER SMITH
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 B000005 13-5674085
022 C000005 40497
022 D000005 44421
022 A000006 BEAR STEARNS SECURITIES
022 B000006 13-3299429
022 C000006 32388
022 D000006 35894
022 A000007 SALOMON SMITH BARNEY INC
022 B000007 00-0000000
022 C000007 18869
022 D000007 26600
022 A000008 ISI GROUP INC
022 B000008 00-0000000
022 C000008 33725
022 D000008 6596
022 A000009 EXCHANGE OFFER
022 B000009 00-0000000
022 C000009 19851
022 D000009 19851
022 A000010 CHASE SECURITIES
022 B000010 13-3112953
022 C000010 18633
022 D000010 20326
023 C000000 6702332
023 D000000 804369
024 000000 Y
025 A000001 MERRILL LYNCH MORTGAGE INVESTORS, INC.
025 B000001 13-5674085
025 C000001 D
025 D000001 1395
025 A000002 DELETE
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 N
028 A010000 0
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 A040000 0
028 B010000 0
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 0
028 C010000 0
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 0
028 D010000 0
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 0
028 E010000 0
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 0
028 F010000 0
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 0
028 G010000 0
028 G020000 0
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 0
028 H000000 0
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
031 B000000 0
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
035 000000 0
036 B000000 0
038 000000 0
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 0
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 N
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
048 A020000 0.000
048 B010000 0
048 B020000 0.000
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
049 000000 N
050 000000 Y
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 Y
053 B000000 N
053 C000000 Y
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 N
054 C000000 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 N
060 B000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 6
061 000000 0
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 4.3
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 16.4
062 N000000 15.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 29.5
062 Q000000 34.3
062 R000000 1.8
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 10.2
064 A000000 Y
064 B000000 Y
065 000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 Y
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 Y
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 779389
071 B000000 816341
071 C000000 643315
071 D000000 121
072 A000000 12
072 B000000 53728
072 C000000 129
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 4607
072 G000000 86
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 133
072 J000000 386
072 K000000 33
072 L000000 36
072 M000000 157
072 N000000 310
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 39
072 S000000 5
072 T000000 0
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 106
072 X000000 5898
072 Y000000 83
072 Z000000 48042
072AA000000 0
072BB000000 23650
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 22789
072DD010000 45333
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 8
073 A010000 0.6800
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0700
074 A000000 11
074 B000000 27431
074 C000000 0
074 D000000 602322
074 E000000 10826
074 F000000 0
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 0
074 J000000 115
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 14050
074 M000000 1183
074 N000000 655938
074 O000000 19852
074 P000000 47
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 3445
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 632594
074 U010000 65145
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 9.71
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 7091
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 670370
076 000000 8.06
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A000000 NATIONAL UNION INSURANCE CO.
080 B000000 FEDERAL INS
080 C000000 90000
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 130
082 A000000 Y
082 B000000 100
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 1993
086 B020000 16747
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
087 A010000 MFS CHARTER INCOME TRUST
087 A020000 552727109
087 A030000 MCR
088 A000000 N
088 B000000 N
088 C000000 N
088 D000000 N
SIGNATURE MARK BRADLEY
TITLE ASSISTANT TREASURER
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000851170
<NAME> MFS CHARTER INCOME TRUST
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> NOV-30-1999
<PERIOD-START> DEC-01-1998
<PERIOD-END> NOV-30-1999
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 672649559
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 640579304
<RECEIVABLES> 14165200
<ASSETS-OTHER> 9172
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 1184713
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 655938389
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 19852331
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 3491878
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 23344209
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 688979566
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 65145239
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 67138639
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (3635307)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (21886236)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (30863843)
<NET-ASSETS> 632594180
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 129360
<INTEREST-INCOME> 53727732
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (5814801)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 48042291
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (23650306)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (22789453)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 1602532
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (45333470)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> (4809221)
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (1993400)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (65287250)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (1810338)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (2769720)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 4606876
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 5897562
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 670370302
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.39
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.72
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.65)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.68)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> (0.07)
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.71
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.88
</TABLE>
Report of Independent Auditors
To the Trustees
MFS Charter Income Trust
In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements of MFS Charter
Income Trust, for the year ended November 30, 1999, we considered its internal
control, including control activities for safeguarding securities, in order to
determine our auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion on
the financial statements and to comply with the requirements of Form N-SAR, not
to provide assurance on internal control.
The management of the Trust is responsible for establishing and maintaining
internal control. In fulfilling this responsibility, estimates and judgments by
management are required to assess the expected benefits and related costs of
controls. Generally, controls that are relevant to an audit pertain to the
entity's objective of preparing financial statements for external purposes that
are fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles. Those controls include the safeguarding of assets against
unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition.
Because of inherent limitations in internal control, error or fraud may occur
and not be detected. Also, projection of any evaluation of internal control to
future periods is subject to the risk that it may become inadequate because of
changes in conditions or that the effectiveness of the design and operation may
deteriorate.
Our consideration of internal control would not necessarily disclose all matters
in internal control that might be material weaknesses under standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A
material weakness is a condition in which the design or operation of one or more
of the internal control components does not reduce to a relatively low level the
risk that misstatements caused by error or fraud in amounts that would be
material in relation to the financial statements being audited may occur and not
be detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course of
performing their assigned functions. However, we noted no matters involving
internal control and its operation, including controls for safeguarding
securities, that we consider to be material weaknesses as defined above at
November 30, 1999.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of management, the
Board of Trustees of MFS Charter Income Trust, and the Securities and Exchange
Commission and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than
these specified parties.
Ernst & Young LLP
January 6, 2000
